Written In The Stars

Chapter Ten

There was a knock on Hermione's door at 10.00am sharp. She didn't want to look at anyone today and she had decided the minute that the door knocked that she wouldn't as it was a Saturday and she was going to sit in her room and finish off her homework. She pulled the covers up round her head and held it tight to her ears when the knocking got louder and louder and it was not going away. She just lay there. The knocking continued. She threw the duvet off her body and went and unlocked the door and was surprised to see that Ginny was standing dressed and looking as though she was going somewhere.

"You still in bed lazy bones, its not like you, anyway you need to get changed as we are going to Hogsmeade to get our dresses for the Yule Ball and I am taking not taking no for an answer Mrs" Ginny said barging into the room and sitting on the unmade bed. She looked around the room and seen how messy it was.

"Hermione what has gotten into you sleeping late and not cleaning your room you feeling ok?" Ginny said looking at her suspiciously.

"I am fine, listen Ginny I really don't feel like going out today, can you not go with some of your other friends?" Hermione said crawling back into bed and pulling the duvet right up to her neck. Ginny knew that something was wrong but wasn't pushing it or letting it spoil her excitement for some good shopping.

"Hermione, you need a dress for the ball is really soon and if you aren't feeling too well then all the fresh air will do you good come on get changed and no I can't take them because they have already left because I said I was going with you" Ginny said as she whipped Hermione's duvet covers off her and threw them on the floor. Hermione screamed a little due to the coldness of the air hitting her skin.

"Fine, I'll go but you owe me big time" Hermione said getting up and slinking off to the bathroom for a shower to clear her thoughts of last night.

Hermione came out of the bathroom 10 minutes later looking a lot better than she went in. She felt refreshed and ready to face a day of shopping and spending. She told Ginny she wasn't that hungry that morning and that she would just get a nice lunch in Hogsmeade. The walk to Hogsmeade was pleasant, it was a bright, crispy morning and it felt good to have a bit of wind in her hair instead of being stuck in that castle all day long. She was starting to notice things that have never been there before or if they have been there before how beautiful they were. On finally reaching Hogsmeade, she took a deep breath and started to go into the crowds of people that were busying the main streets. Ginny was so excited about getting her dress that she was nearly giving Hermione a sore head so she suggested that they go there straight away and that way she can get it over and done with and out of the road. They finally reached the dress shop and slipped in quickly to get out of the madness that was the main street.

"Welcome girls and how may I help you?" A lady assistant said smiling brightly at them. She was wearing a deep purple robe with bright gold stars all over it and a matching pair of shoes and hair band in her long golden, slightly greying, locks. Hermione felt relaxed in her presence. She knew that this lady would sort her out with a beautiful dress, the one she wants.

"We are looking for dresses to go to the Yule Ball at Hogwarts and Hermione here wants her dress to be special as it is her very last year at Hogwarts so can you help us please?" Ginny said excitedly clapping her hands together.

"What type of a dress are you looking for my dear?" The lady asked, folding her arms across her chest and preparing to listen to what Hermione was going to say so that she could find a dress that would suit what she wants. Hermione got a little nervous about what to say as she didn't have a picture of what her perfect dress would look like in her head, she just guessed that she will know the one when she puts it on.

"Well ... I ... uhmmm ... I don't want anything to fancy I suppose, just something nice and simple yet effective. I really don't like frills and bows but a little bit of sparkle wouldn't be too bad" Hermione said finding it very hard to explain something that she didn't even know about herself. The lady looked as though she was thinking very hard. She then placed her slender hand into the side of her robe and flicked it at a couple of the rails of dresses and five dresses flew into one of the changing rooms.

"Just go into the dressing room and try them on and you can show us and see what you think" The lady said smiling sweetly at her. Hermione walked over towards the changing room. She slipped into the curtain and looked at the five dresses and her face fell as soon as she seen them. She didn't like any of the colours, one had too much frills, one had nothing, one had too much sparkle and the last one looked as if it had a fight with a box of bows and the box won. She didn't want to waste her time so she took her wand and sent the dresses back and came out of the dressing room.

"Excuse me, sorry to be rude but I really don't like any of those dresses that you have sent in for me. Can I perhaps pick my own?" Hermione said feeling very nervous that she had offended the lady.

"Go right ahead, enjoy" The lady said swinging her hand around the shop and making all the dresses flutter in their rails. Hermione started to rummage through the rails not liking any of them. Then Ginny came out of the changing room opposite the one that Hermione had been put in. She looked stunning. Her dress was a light yellow with a few little sparkles on the dress. It brought out the beautiful colour of her eyes and made her hair colour look even darker. Hermione ran over to Ginny and hugged her tight as she possibly could.

"That looks amazing on you, wow" Hermione was still stunned. Even the assistant looked stunned. She then snapped back and started looking through the rails looking for a dress for Hermione. Her eyes lit up when she seen a particular one.

"Would you like to try this one?" The assistant said holding a dress up. It was perfect. It was white, strapless, a wide skirt, a few sparkles, one bow at the back and a laced bodice for the top. It looked great. Hermione took the dress from the assistant and slipped into the dressing room opposite the one that Ginny had just appeared from. Hermione took out her wand and took her clothes off and placed the dress on. She could hardly breathe when she seen how she looked. This was the one. She could feel it. She wanted to savour the moment in the dressing room as she knew this was the dress that she was going to buy but this would be the last time she will be in it before the big night if she lives that long. She twirled around in it and let out a small giggle as she nearly toppled over from spinning a little too fast. She walked out the dressing room to find Ginny back into her clothes and paying for her dress. When she came into sight the whole room went quiet. Ginny looked at her and was lost for words. The assistant smiled to herself, knowing that it would look great on Hermione. Hermione gave the two spectators a little twirl but little did she know that there was a third watching her.

As her hair well down round her shoulders when she stopped spinning, he smiled. She looked so radiant in her dress. He only wished that he could be normal. That he wasn't who he was. Then he could ask her to go to the Yule Ball with him and hopefully she would have said yes but because of all the hassle over the last seven years it has made that moment a no go area. The guy who does take her to the Yule Ball will be one lucky man. A large smile came across her face and his eyes lit up. She looks so beautiful. He had never seen a woman look so beautiful in all of his life and he had met some pretty ones. If only things were different. If only.

The girls left the dress shop and Hermione felt that rumble in her stomach start to worsen.

"Ginny would you mind going for some lunch now, I am starting to get more hungry" Hermione said starting to walk in the direction of the Three Broomsticks.

"Sure, I fancy something myself, nothing too heavy though, or we will never fit into our gorgeous dresses" Ginny said teasing. The girls then linked arms and headed towards the pub that sat in the corner and was the main attraction of Hogsmeade. As they entered they ran into two familiar faces. Hermione just dropped her glance to the ground, she didn't want to be bothered today and that is why she was staying in bed. Harry and Ron started to make conversation with Ginny and ignored Hermione, she was getting used to it anyway.

"Fancy having some lunch with us three Hermione?" Ginny said looking at her expectantly.

"No thanks, I have suddenly lost my appetite, I think I will shop a little more" Hermione said and turned round to walk back out of the pub door.

"Her precious Draco isn't here to stand in for her this time so she is running away just like he does. Shes more like him than I thought" Ron said in an angry tone hoping that Hermione would hear it. She spun round on her heal and gave him a glare so cold and hard that it would have made an iceberg melt. Her fists were starting to clench together, tighter and tighter.

"What is it Hermione, Crookshanks got your tounge?" Ron said, anger and rage flaring in his face but most of all, in his eyes. Hermione raised her arm to hit Ron square on the jaw when there was a body that held up a hand which she forcefully came in contact with and she felt an arm round her waist that was ushering her out of the pub.

"Hermione, don't give them the time of day, walk away" Draco said pushing her harder out the door as she was fighting back. Once they got out the door and started to walk up the street a bit, Hermione didn't care who saw what she was doing and she put her head on his shoulder and sobbed, hard.

"Why can't they leave me alone? I want them to just go away" She sobbed.

"I know, Hermione, I know" Draco said running a soft hand through her hair and started to head back towards the castle.