Sometime during the night, Elian awoke with a start, her ears were ringing. She had been dreaming that Hermione, Ginny, Parvati and Lavender had started talking about her after she had fallen asleep…but there was no way they would do that. Right?
Hermione held her finger to her lips when she heard the sound of Elian's sheets rustling. "Quiet. I think she might be waking up." she whispered to the three other girls sitting on her bed. "We can't risk her hearing us." Ginny nodded.
"And we can't let her know what we're planning, either. I want this to be a complete and total surprise." Ginny whispered, peeking out from behind the curtain of Hermione's bed. "Now, do we all understand the plan?" Elian laid staring up at the canopy of her bed.
'What are they planning that has to be a surprise? And why can't they tell me?' Elian thought sadly to herself, tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them away furiously and turned onto her side. 'Well, whatever their planning, I hope it doesn't involve me or Draco…' her eyes became heavy again and slowly closed, Elian then drifted into a very peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Ginny tore open the hangings around Elian's bed, sunlight flooded over her body, startling her awake. "Gin…what the hell? Are you trying to blind me?" Elian asked pulling her blanket over her head.
"You're not a morning person, are you?" Ginny asked, laughter contained in her voice. "Well, too bad! You have to get up or you'll be late for breakfast!" Elian shot up at the mention of breakfast. "Wow. Um, I'll wait for you in the Common room." Ginny walked over to the open door and walked out heading to the Common room.
'Well, maybe they decided not to got through with whatever their plan is…" Elian hoped as she pulled on her school robes and quickly walked out of the dormitory, closing the door behind her. When she walked into the Common room, Elian was hit by a wave of cheers and scarlet and gold banners hanging everywhere. "WELCOME TO GRYFFINDOR!" or "WELCOME TO HOGWARTS!" filled her ears as tears filled her eyes. At the front of the crowd of Gryffindor students stood Ginny, Ron, Harry, Hermione and Lavender and Parvati. Ginny ran over to Elian and pulled her towards the crowd. "So, did we surprise you!" she asked over the noise. Elian nodded vigorously. "Good! But this is only half of the surprise! Just you wait!" Ginny yelled excitedly. Elian was then hugged by all of her friends and was then lead out of the portrait hole and down to the Great Hall.
Once they all arrived in the Great Hall, Elian was astounded to see welcome banners hanging from the ceiling as well. "You guys did all this for me?" Elian asked surprised. Her friends nodded. "Thanks, you guys are the best friends a transfer student like me could ever ask for." She said as she sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Again, the surprise isn't even half over. Prepare yourself for the rest of the day." Hermione said, smiling widely. "Especially tonight's surprise…" Ginny hit Hermione lightly on the shoulder.
"Ix-nay! You weren't supposed to mention that, Hermione!" Ginny said, casting a slightly nervous glance over at the Slytherin table. "Anyway, I'm not sure that's even been agreed to yet…plus we'll have to find her something to wear." Elian looked at the two of them confusedly.
"What exactly are you two planning for her?" Harry asked, sounding slightly suspicious. Ginny and Hermione shrug nonchalantly. "What aren't you two telling me and Ron?" he asked, the suspicion in his voice growing more evident.
"Nothing to important, Harry. And even if it was important, it would be completely none of yours or Ron's business." Hermione replied, also glancing over at the Slytherin table nervously. "Anyway, we'll catch up with you later, Elian. We have to go talk to the Headmistress about something. Bye!" With that Hermione and Ginny disappeared from the Great Hall, followed closely by Lavender and Parvati.
"Okay, that was just creepy." Ron commented, looking at Elian, who looked as confused as he and Harry felt. Suddenly as though by magic, Draco Malfoy appeared beside Harry and Ron. "What the hell are you doing over here, Malfoy?" Ron asked him angrily.
"Nothing, just taking a stroll about the Great Hall. Stretching my legs." Draco replied, glancing over at Elian, who had started giggling softly and now started to blush. "Well, see you around. Bye, Marshall." Draco turned and started walking back over to the Slytherin table.
"Okay, what was that about?" Elian asked, starting after Draco. Harry and Ron shrug simultaneously. "Well, this food isn't going to eat it's self, now is it?" Ron then nodded in agreement and sat down next to Elian, both of them started heaping food onto the plates, while Harry stood, his eyes still following Malfoy.