A/N: Once again, I'm sorry that you had to wait so long last time, it felt like it was forever, at least to me it did. Oh, and just to let anyone who doesn't know what it is, onyx is a gemstone, most commonly black and completely opaque.
STORY RELATED: At the end of the last chapter I had McGonagall say Mione, well, she wouldn't really say that and the only reason she did was because it was originally going to be Sirius saying it. So in the previously section, it will be more IC (in character). Sorry bout that.
Robin777: I love Hermione playing Quidditch and you never hear of her being a seeker and especially not her beating Harry, and besides, Harry needed to be knocked off his high horse sometime, so I figured why not and did it anyway.
SeDuCtiVe: Thanks for the review, I love getting reviews! Hehehe. Glad you liked the jewelry, I want that claddagh ring so that's why I included it. And the fact that we haven't heard anymore about the shrieking shack so I figured I'd put that in too, and yes it is going to come to be a hand out for them. And I'm thinking of doing another story, but I haven't decided yet. You'll see eventually.
WannaBArtist: Well, they'll get back to the club eventually. In the meantime, the club is going to come to them. Hehehe, but you didn't hear that from me.
Sirusblackshottie: Thanks for cluing me into my little McGonagall mix up! Yeah, I didn't really like French and so I took German, but I can't take that anymore because my new school doesn't offer it so…keinen Deutsch. Oh and in response, Ich bin gut. Und du? That means, I'm good. And you? Enjoy.
Silverwolf130492: You really are going to have like all the jewelry and even more, if there was more. Lol! Power! You probably have the most power where reviewers are concerned. If that applies…. ich weis nicht (I don't know).
Future movie maker: Thanks, and the wait is over…enjoy this chapter.
Previously
"Hermione, Draco," the two looked up to see who had addressed them. "After dinner you are to meet in my study after dinner to discuss plans for the year. Professors Dumbledore, Snape, Sprout and Vector will be there as well as Sirius Black and myself. I assume you both know where my office is?"
"Yes professor."
"Good, see you shortly," and with that Professor McGonagall walked off toward the Head Table.
Chapter Fourteen
Party Plans and Party Places
"Sirius, I can't believe you didn't tell me that you were going to do this! I mean, I've only seen you practically every night over the summer and you couldn't tell me this," Hermione inquired incredulously. "Were you even planning on telling me? Or were you just gonna say, 'Hey, Mione, guess what. I've already set up an awesome future for you and you don't have to do a thing about it!' This is me we're talking about! I have to be able to do something. I don't just accept things that are given to me. I like to work for them. " She stopped ranting for a minute and looked thoughtful, "Although, on second thought, I don't know how to set up a business, so maybe that part wouldn't be too bad," she turned back to him, blazing once again, "but that doesn't mean you're off the hook, you still should have told me."
They were in the Heads Common Room. Sirius was staying with them while at the castle. At the moment, he was reclining on the sofa facing the portrait hole while Hermione ranted and raved, pacing in front of him. Draco had gone to the Slytherin common room to talk to Blaise about something or the other, then the five of them were going to go to Hogsmeade.
"Look, Hermione. I can understand why you're upset with me, and I was planning on telling you exactly like this, because I wanted to surprise you. Now can I please tell you about it? I haven't exactly had a chance to do so."
Hermione had the grace to look sheepish, "Sorry, go ahead, tell me," and she sat down beside him, legs tucked up underneath her facing him.
"Well, the premises is in Hogsmeade so it's going to be an entirely magical clientele and staff. And this one is going to be called Onyx and have the theme of your original idea."
"Oooh! The black? Wait, was that the idea where the stones are onyx and the silver gets more detailed?"
"Yup, and so the same rule will apply, the tables, lamps, chairs, glasses, etc., everything will be black."
"Thank you so much! This is the best graduation gift I have ever, and frankly, probably ever will receive. Although, seeing as how I haven't graduated from anything, I wouldn't know."
"Well, I originally wasn't going to tell you until your graduation, but you know me. I can't keep patient. And the best part is, it's almost finished. The builders are ahead of schedule; it'll be finished by Halloween. That's why I said I could host the ball. I figured that could be the grand opening. What do you think? Is that okay with you? It is your club after all."
"I think that's a brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you were busy thinking of someone else," he replied with a wink.
"Sirius! I have no idea what you're talking about," she said loftily.
"No, of course you don't. Now, shall we wait for Draco to come back, or do you think we can just fill him in on the plans we make when he gets back?"
"We can just fill him in."
"What is it?"
"What?"
"Blaise, come on, how long have I known you?" They were walking the halls, Blaise walking with Draco up towards Gryffindor tower to get Ginny. They were going back to the Head Dorms and then to go see…something in Hogsmeade. Sirius hadn't been very clear on what.
"I dunno, couple years."
"Right, it's pretty much gotten to the point where I can tell when there's something you want to say but you don't know how to say it. This is one of those times. So, what is it?"
Blaise stared at Draco open mouthed. "Well, Ginny, Harry, Ron and I all wanted to know, and I kinda drew the short stick. So, have you…I mean…are you…"
"You want to know if Hermione and I are dating?"
"Yeah."
"No, we're not. That's not to say that I don't wish we were, but sometimes I get the feeling that she would just rather be friends and not complicate things, so I've just let it go. Why, do you guys think we're dating?"
"Basically, you're both getting on all of our nerves with all the flirting and yet not getting together. Will you just ask her out already?"
"Well what about you and Ginny?" Draco asked as they came within view of the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"I'm planning on asking her to the Halloween Ball. Why don't you ask Mione?"
"Because we're already going together. It's custom for Heads to go with each other to school functions."
"Oh, well-"
"Hey, guys! Ready to go?" Ginny came bounding up to them and turning them around, hooked each of her arms through one of the guys'. "What were you talking about?"
"Draco and Mione, and how they're not a couple, but going to the Ball because its required of them."
Ginny turned to look at Blaise as all this rushed out his mouth, then turned to look at Draco, "So, what he's telling me is, you two aren't dating, but you're going to the Halloween Ball because its tradition for Head Boy and Head Girl to go to functions together?"
"Yeah, I mean, I would ask her even if we didn't have to go together though. I like her, it's just that half the time I think she wants to be a couple or whatever and the other half I think she just wants to be friends."
Ginny snorted, "The only kind of 'friends' she wants to be with you includes benefits," Draco looked at her. "And I think you should still ask her if she wants to go to the ball with you," Draco opened his mouth but Ginny cut him off with a hand, "just so she knows that you want to go with her by choice. I also think that you should ask her out, or jump her, I'm sure she wouldn't object."
"Okay, hold up a second here. So you're saying that Hermione thinks I'm just going to the ball with her because I have to?"
"Yup."
"And that I should either ask her out or jump her."
"Well, I wasn't serious about the jumping her bit. But I think you should make it clear your interested, at the least, if you aren't going to out-and-out ask her."
"Mate," Blaise interjected, "I think girls are complicated."
"No shit, Sherlock."
"What's Sherlock?"
"He's a fictional character from muggle books. He's a detective."
"Gotcha."
"Well, now that we've all had our Muggle Studies lesson for the day, do you think we could go in?"
They had arrived at the portrait of the Marauders. Draco gave the password and climbed into the common room. Blaise held Ginny back.
"Gin, just so no one gets to you before me, wanna go to the ball with me?"
"You had to ask?"
Grinning, the two of them climbed through the portrait hold, somehow, their hands had come together, making it very hard to climb through individually.
"You might as well turn right back around, we're going out," Hermione said.
"Where to?"
"A club," answered Sirius.
Blaise looked at Hermione, "Are we walking?"
"I don't know about you, but the three of us," she pointed to herself, Sirius and Ginny, "will be. You and Draco, entirely up to you. Read?"
"Lets go.
The group crossed to the portrait and went through. The group that came out the other side was strange. In the lead was a large black panther, closely followed by a smallish dragon and an unusually large, black, shaggy dog. After the dog came a wolf with a dark blue phoenix flying overhead. They made their way out of the castle and towards the whomping willow. At the head of the group, the panther hunkered down and passed underneath the boughs of the tree and pressed a paw to a knot at the base. The tree froze and the group went into the tunnel.
They had all converted to their natural forms by the time they emerged in the shack. Sirius looked around in awe.
"What did you guys do to this place?"
"Nothing really. It was pretty much set up like this when we got here. A few of the things were new, but the majority of them were from when you guys used it and rather old and dusty. The carpet is one of the new things. It's like it was made for us."
"It probably was. If I know Dumbledore, which I do, then he knew you would want to use this place and what your animal forms would be. He most likely had the rug made for you guys."
"Yeah, Mione, that does make sense," Ginny cut in, "I mean, this is Dumbledore, after all."
"Yeah. Okay Sirius, where are we going?"
"Out the doors."
"Gee," Hermione countered, "that was informative. You wouldn't want to give us any more information would you?"
"Not really, no," he answered with a grin. "Come on, follow me."
The group trudged out the doors and down the lane. They came upon the main street, which was well lit. Sirius led them down the road until they came to an unobtrusive building. It was smallish and completely black. Above the door, where some muggle houses put the numbered address of the house (at least in America), was one word: Onyx. It was made out of shimmering…onyx. This onyx seemed to reflect the light in a different way and seemed to draw the eye. They approached and went through the door. It was almost a direct mirror copy of Silver. The room was oriented reversely and the colors were opposite. Where there was shimmering silver and grey at Silver, there was darkly winking onyx and black marble in Onyx. The booths were made of black suede and one wall was covered in couches and low tables instead of booths. The group went over to this side and sat down.
The club was empty but seemed to be ready for business. The bar was stocked and Hermione went behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of Firewhisky. She opened it up and took a drink. She came out from behind the counter, walked over to the group and offered the bottle to Draco. Draco took the proffered bottle and downed a large amount before passing it to Sirius on his left. The bottle went around again and was then put on the table, where it stayed.
"So, I take it this is Onyx? A new club?"
"No, Draco, this is Opal, an old club," Hermione answered him sarcastically. The two of them were in one chair. Draco had flopped down and when Hermione had come back, had put his arm around her waist and pulled her down onto his lap. She was now leaning into his chest, one arm around his shoulders the other was fiddling with her wand. He was leaning back into the chair with his left arm around her back, coming up slightly to play with her long ponytail. His right arm was playing with a hole in the knee of Hermione's jeans.
"So when did you two do this," Blaise asked, "this summer, I presume?"
"No, I just found out about it tonight," Hermione said, shooting Sirius a look.
"It was going to be her graduation present, but then I decided I couldn't wait, and then building went faster than expected, so…we're going to have the Halloween Ball here, as the grand opening. In fact, I was hoping I could count on you guys to help Hermione and me come up with an idea on how to keep underage wizards from drinking in here. We were wondering if we should use the jewelry again or something different."
They all sat in silence for several minutes. Looking around at each other, it seemed that no one had any ideas.
"Why don't you still use the jewelry, but use different pieces for different groups as well as attendance?" Draco asked.
All heads turned to him, and Hermione tried to clarify the idea, "You mean, like rings for underaged wizards and bracelets or necklaces for wizards of age?"
"Yeah, and you could still do the whole adding detail thing."
"Good idea, Draco," Sirius said.
"Now, what jewelry should we use," Hermione directed this question at Sirius. "I mean, at Silver, we don't have the guys wearing necklaces, They usually just have a bracelet. We could do rings for the younger ones and bracelets for the wizards of age and necklaces for the witches of age. And instead of the stone matching your eyes, it will, naturally, be onyx."
"Mione," Ginny started, "that's brilliant!"
"Draco, you're a genius!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Well," Blaise broke off. He yawned hugely and then continued, "Now that that's settled, do you think we could go to bed?"
They all laughed at him, but started off anyways. When they got to the shack, Draco held Hermione back at the doorway. "Want to go flying?" he asked her. She gave him a look that clearly said, 'You need to ask?'.
"You guys go ahead," Hermione called, "we're going to fly back."
"Night!"
The two of them re-entered the night. Hermione turned to look at him expectantly.
"Mione, before we go, can I ask you something?" he started nervously. She looked apprehensive but nodded anyway. "Well, I was wondering…I mean, I know we have to go anyway…" he broke off, running his hand through his hair anxiously. "What I'm trying to say is, I know we have to go to the Halloween Ball together and everything, for appearance and all, but would you like to go with me as my date?" He looked down, he couldn't look at her. She wasn't answering, that couldn't be good.
Finally, after a few minutes, she lifted his head by his chin. He looked up at her and saw her smiling face. "Of course," she was smiling that smile, the one that he had only begun to see after the final battle last year, the one that he loved to see. He grinned back at her and she threw herself into his arms and laughed as she hugged him. She screamed as he changed mid-hug and found herself hugging a dragon. "I'll kill you for that," she told the dragon. She let go of him and he went down to his four legs and waited for her to climb on. She climbed onto his back and hit him on his head, "Please never do that again."
They soared up into the night sky, Hermione laughed and reached up as they flew, trying to touch the stars.
A/N: Well, I decided to give it a very mushy and clichéd ending. Hope to update soon and to get many reviews!