Chapter 9 – The Halloween feast
All the way back to the Gryffindor tower, Hermione felt like she was flying. However, she was quickly pulled back down to Earth, when she saw Harry and Ron's angry faces. They were playing wizard's chess, and they looked up at her, as she entered the Gryffindor common room.
"Where have you been?!" Ron said loudly. He suddenly reminded Hermione of Mrs. Weasley. "We've been looking all over for you!"
"I… I'm sorry," she said. "I just… There was so much to do, you know, fixing up the Great Hall, and… Well, it just dragged on."
Both of the boys looked sceptical, but they didn't say anything, they just continued the game, as the pieces were starting to yell impatiently from the board.
Hermione grabbed a chair and pulled it over there. "Look boys, I'm so sorry. I really am. Please forgive me. We'll have a nice time now; there're still a couple of hours until the party starts." This mollified them a little, and they enjoyed themselves with chess, talking and taking a walk around the school before Hermione had to leave. She needed to be at the party a little earlier.
Draco entered the Great Hall. All the teachers and Dumbledore were already there, making sure that every single detail had been taken care of. The other students would be there in twenty minutes and everything had to be all set before they arrived.
Dumbledore looked at him as he entered, and he would have sworn that he just saw the old headmaster wink at him. He didn't have time to make sure, because now Professor McGonagall was walking towards him with hasty steps. "Mr. Malfoy" she said, looking rather stressed, her rectangular glasses a little lopsided on her nose. "Good you're here. Have you seen Miss Granger?"
He shook his head. "She'll probably be here in a minute or…"
"Sorry I'm late!" He was cut off by Hermione who just then came through the door. She sent him a rapid smile and looked at Professor McGonagall. "What are we going to take care of, Professor?"
Professor McGonagall looked a bit confused for a moment, she had obviously noticed the smile, but then she seemed to decide, that it had probably just been out of courtesy. She gave them a few instructions, and they started helping the teachers.
The Great Hall was humming with exited voices. The students had been looking forward to this feast, and as more and more of them entered through the big double doors, you could see the awe reflected in their faces. And that was understandably; the Great Hall looked amazing, covered in the autumn colours of different leaves and pumpkins, and lit by soft, orange candlelight. The sky of the enchanted ceiling was filled with soft, dark clouds, where you now and then could catch a glimpse of some shiny stars underneath the thick cloud cover.
Hermione found Ron and Harry, and sat down next to them, facing the rest of the hall, so that she could see the Slytherin table. From where she was sitting, she could just see Draco's blonde hair in the other end of the hall. But she had to be careful not to look over there too much. If Harry or Ron or anyone else saw it, they would just start asking questions.
When everybody was seated, Dumbledore stood up, and said a few words: "Welcome, welcome. You're probably all hungry, so without further fiddlesticks: Do help yourself!"
The most wonderful food appeared on the table and no one were reluctant to follow Dumbledore's request; everybody scooped food on their plates, as if it was their last meal.
When everybody was so stuffed with chicken drumsticks, pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes, that they might not be able to walk back to their dormitories, Dumbledore stood up once again, and requested order. Every one instantly became silent, and Dumbledore started speaking:
"Happy Halloween, my dear students! Halloween has always been one of my favourite times of the year, not just because of the wonderful food or the traditions, but also because Halloween always makes me think. Halloween is after all the party of those who are dead, and I always use Halloween to remember them.
You should do the same.
But we can't just be looking backwards this year; we'll also have to turn our eyes forward to protect ourselves and others. Lord Voldemort is, as you all know, still out there, and even though it's been a while since the last time he drew attention to himself, we can't be careful enough.
This is a time, where we'll have to stick together, and therefore I want to call for solidarity and understanding between all students, also those in different houses. If everyone sticks together, evil will be much, much weaker than you are. So student, I will call for cooperation between the houses. Even though you're different, it's important, that you also make friends from other houses. I'm aware that some of you," he glanced around at all the faces in the Great Hall, and met Hermione's eyes. He continued: "have already found new friends in other houses this year, and I can only encourage this. So student, please stick together in these hard times. But now you all look tired, and you probably can't stand listening to a tedious, old fogey like me anymore. Go to your dormitories and get a good night's sleep. Thank you for a magnificent evening!"
Hermione took absentminded part in the applauses. It had seemed to her that Dumbledore's eyes had been fixed on her a little longer, than on the other students. Did he know about Draco and her?
