A/N: Here I am again! I know it
hasn't been long since the last chapter, but I *have* the whole thing written, and
I am just posting the chapters at intervals. I know most haven't had the chance to R&R the last one yet (seeing
as I only got 2 REVIEWS), but I'm anxious to post the ending! Two more chapters people!!!! Please R&R!!!!!!!!
This chapter is dedicated to frannie, since she is my newest reviewer, and one of the TWO that
reviewed the last one (thanks also to Draco's Lil Angel, the other reviewer)!!!!! Thanks for your support!!!!!!!
Moonlight Shining
By
Amanda H (aka Niffler)
Amy rushed into The Three
Broomsticks. Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny,
were already seated around a wide, circular table. She waved hurriedly to Hermione and walked over, taking the
remaining chair between Hermione and Harry.
"Hey! Glad you could make it!" Ron greeted her as she brushed the annoying strands of hair behind her
ears again.
"Yeah, thanks!" She said, breathily, her face flushed from
rushing and from the cold.
"So where were you?" Harry asked politely.
"Oh, just around. Went down by the lake. It's pretty nice." She answered vaguely, as the waitress came over. It was the same girl as earlier. She smiled at her this time.
"Can I have a butterbeer
please?" She asked, noticing that
everyone else had already received their orders.
"Sure." She replied happily, but looked at Amy closely. "Amy right? Amy Quizzlequon?" She
asked. Amy smiled.
"Yup. Courtney right?" She
asked.
"Yeah you got it! Weren't you in here earlier today?" She asked, puzzled. Amy fumbled for a response. She hated lying, to anyone.
"Uh, yeah, but that was lunch. I mean, the food is so good I just keep
coming back!" She replied.
"Right hon." Courtney replied raising
her eyebrows. "I'll bring you a
drink. Hang on." She smiled and whisked back to the bar.
"Who's she?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, our Dad's work together for the
ministry." Amy explained. "I think they came over for dinner
once." Just then Courtney came back to
the table and set Amy's drink on the table in front of her.
"It's on the house guys!" She chirped with a grin, and walked
off.
"That was nice!" Amy smiled. She sipped her butterbeer, still smiling and set it on the table. Ron and Harry began chatting about Quidditch
while Ginny and Hermione pretended to be interested by nodding their heads
occasionally. Amy let her mind slip
away to the Yule Ball.
"Will my old dress robes still
fit?" She asked herself. "I don't
know, I've grown quite a bit. Maybe
Hermione will help me shop for new ones. Something in purple maybe, to compliment the Slytherin green." She thought. Suddenly Hermione elbowed her in the arm. She snapped out of her daydream.
"What?" She asked, trying to suppress what had become a permanent
grin.
"Amy you're not paying any attention
at all. I just told you the castle had
been over run by Death Eaters and burnt to the ground. You nodded." Hermione chided.
"Sorry! I was unaware the conversation was so important." Amy apologized happily.
"No problem." Hermione replied, though she eyed Amy
suspiciously, biting her lip. "Though
you are a bit giggly." Hermione said thoughtfully. "You did go off supposedly with someone else
instead of us. And you came here for
lunch. And you were down by the
lake. And you haven't wiped that
slap-happy grin off your face since you arrived." She said. Amy
shrugged.
"So?" She asked.
"So! Anyone care to draw conclusions?" She asked the group of confused faces.
"Enlighten us." Ron responded.
"Well, that leads me to only one
conclusion." Hermione grinned
broadly.
"Does Sherlock want to shut up?" Amy asked hopefully.
"Nope!" Hermione grinned triumphantly. Everyone looked at her expectantly. "Amy's got a date for the ball!" She squealed happily. Everyone
at the table responded with large smiles.
"Who?" Ginny asked.
"Draco." Amy mumbled quietly. Everyone leaned closer.
"Who?" Ron asked.
"Draco." She replied again, slightly louder but still no one was able to
hear.
"Oh for heaven's sakes Amy!" Hermione chided.
"Draco!" Amy finally spit out loud enough for everyone to hear. Ginny covered her mouth with her hands. Ron's jaw dropped and Harry just stared at
her. They sat like that for several
seconds, though it felt like an eternity.
"Someone say something." Amy said hesitantly.
"Draco, as in Malfoy?" Ron managed to say. Amy frowned.
"Yes." She replied.
"Why?" Ron asked again, clearly surprised.
"Because, I like him. No, I really like him." She said, raising her chin slightly into the
air.
"You like him?" Ron asked astonished. "Amy, have you lost your mind? Or maybe only your memory. He blackmailed you less than two months
ago!!"
"Yes, but he's changed a lot. And he's done some really nice things
too!" Amy protested. Ron just snorted
in contempt.
"My brother can be a real moron
sometimes Amy, so try not to pay any attention to him." Ginny said, glaring at Ron. "Why, I seem to recall him punching Harry in
the eye once." She said with a fake
smile.
"Still very sorry about that one
Harry." Ron murmured. Harry nodded understandingly.
"I mean, I think it's wonderful that
you and Malfoy, er, Draco are going together." She continued happily.
"I'm glad I have some support." Amy scoffed.
"I mean, he's really quite handsome,
with that blond hair and those steal gray eyes." She continued.
"Hey!" Harry spoke for the first time. "Since when have you been admiring Malfoy's eyes?" He asked defensively.
"I was trying to make Amy feel
better!" Ginny replied.
"UmHum." Harry huffed, wrapping a protective arm over Ginny's
shoulders.
"What has Malfoy ever done for you
other than blackmail you?" Ron asked,
still not ready to accept his friend's date.
"Well," she thought, "he rescued me
from the library once." She suggested.
"Rescued you? From the library?" Ron asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah. I feel asleep on the couch and he didn't want Mme Pince to catch
me so he levitated me out." She
smiled.
"Well, where did he levitate you
to?" Ron asked, his brow creased in
concern.
"Does it really matter?" Amy asked exasperated.
"It does to me!" A moment of realization dawned on Ron's
face. "He took you to the Slytherin
dorm didn't he?" He asked, angry.
"You're being awfully nosey, and I
don't think your nose belongs where it's headed." Amy reprimanded.
"I think it does!" Ron replied angrily. "And I think it's gross!" Ron shuddered.
"Oh! Come off it Ron!" Hermione
commanded disapprovingly.
"Hermione," Ron began.
"Ron, this is Amy we are talking
about. Think before you speak and show a
little understanding." She
replied.
"Alright." Ron replied grudgingly. "Watch your back Amy." He
concluded, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair.
"Well," Amy sighed, "that's three
down and one to go. Harry?" She asked, emotionally bracing herself.
"I hope you two have fun." He replied. There was no undertone of anger, no sadness or regret. Only exactly what he said.
"Pardon?" Amy asked, puzzled.
"I said that I hope you two have
fun." Harry replied, his tone only
light and carefree.
"Oh. Thanks!" Amy replied in the same
tone, smiling back.
"Hermione," Amy asked, twisting to
face her friend, "do you think you could come with me later and help pick out
some new dress robes. I don't think
mine fit anymore." She asked.
"Sure!" Hermione replied happily. The topics of conversation quickly turned to lighter matters until the
five had finished their drinks.
"Well, I guess Amy and I are off to
Madame Milks dress shop." Hermione said
with a quick glance at Amy. "Anyone
else want to come?"
"No thanks I've got Christmas
shopping to do." Ginny replied. "See you later Harry!" She chirped happily kissing him lightly on
the cheek and excusing herself from the table.
"Yeah, I've got to do a bit of
shopping myself." Ron said, standing.
"I think I'll join Ron." Harry said, as the two excused themselves
and left the building.
"Come on Hermione! It's already 4:00 and the carriages back to
school leave at 5! We'd better
hurry." She urged, as the two left the
restaurant and hurried through the white snow to the robes shop. They hurried through the door, shutting it
tightly behind them against the blowing snow. They shed their cloaks and hung them on a rack near the door.
"So, what colour were you looking
for?" Hermione asked.
"I guess purple, or green." She suggested, moving towards the dress
robes and flipping through the rack. Hermione followed her and pulled a dress off the rack.
"What about this one?" She asked, holding it up.
"It's pink." Amy replied.
"No, it's a reddish purple." Hermione answered critically reviewing her
choice. "I think it would look nice on
you."
"It's pink." Amy repeated. "I don't wear pink."
"Fine! No pink!" Hermione smiled
and continued flipping through the dresses. Finally Amy found one she liked. She quickly headed to the dressing rooms and changed. She emerged and Hermione scrutinized her
appearance.
The dress was long, not quite
touching the ground below Amy's short form. It was a deep forest green with
long, tight sleeves that narrowed at a triangle above her wrist. At the tips of the triangle were white-silver
rings, which fit perfectly around her middle fingers, holding the sleeves in
place. The neckline was a low 'V' edged
with lace and tiny ivory roses. The
shoulders were low leaving her neck and shoulders bare. The high waistline was also trimmed with the
tiny roses. The material shimmered
almost metallically when she moved. Hermione smiled.
"It's perfect!" She praised.
"I agree." Amy smiled. They quickly
purchased the dress as well as a matching pair of slippers and headed for the
carriages. As they walked leisurely
through the town Amy's watch piped up again.
"It is now 5:00." It informed. "The carriages for Hogwarts leave at 5:00." It said. Hermione and Amy exchanged a quick glance and started running, the large
bag colliding with Amy's shins as she ran. As they arrived at the carriages the first ones had already begun to
leave. Amy pointed to one of the last
ones, which was just shutting its door. They sprinted to the carriage and opened the door. Seeing one side empty they jumped in a
closed the door, just as the carriage started to move. Opposite them was sitting Parvati and
Lavender. They smiled at their two
roommates.
"Hi!" Amy said breathlessly as the carriage jolted over a bump.
"Kind of late aren't you?" Lavender asked teasingly.
"Yes, well we didn't notice the
time." Hermione replied curtly.
"What were you doing?" Parvati asked cheerily. Hermione was about to answer snippily, but
Amy cut her off.
"Shopping!" Amy smiled, holding up the large bag.
"Wow!" Lavender squealed in delight. "What did you buy?" She asked
eagerly.
"I got a dress for the Yule
Ball." Amy explained, happy to share
her news.
"Oooooh! Can we see?" Lavender
asked.
"Sure!" Amy replied, pulling it out of the bag and unfolded it. She stood up in the carriage, barely having
to bend her short head, and held it up in front of her.
"Oooooh!" The two girls squealed in delight. "It's beautiful!" Parvati
breathed.
"I was just going to wear my purple
one from last year." Lavender
explained.
"Well, you can add new your new
necklace and earrings." Parvati
consoled.
"True. But yours is absolutely stunning!" She praised.
"Thanks!" Amy chirped, folding it carefully and placing it back in the bag.
"So, who're you going with?" Lavender asked after a moment of
silence. She turned politely to
Hermione. "I mean, I know you're going
with Ron, right Hermione." Hermione
nodded curtly.
"So whose your date Amy?" Parvati inquired.
"Draco Malfoy." She replied without hesitation. Hermione regarded her questioningly, but
said nothing. Lavender wrinkled her
nose slightly, but Parvati sighed.
"Oooooh! What a hottie!" Parvati
sighed. Lavender raised an eyebrow at
her.
"Well yeah!" Parvati defended herself. "I mean, have you even seen his eyes? He just looks so commanding. And his hair is so cute. Definite hottie!" She drooled.
"I guess." Lavender shrugged. Parvati rolled her eyes.
Just then the carriages jerked to a
stop and the doors swung open. Hermione
stood immediately and hopped out, waiting on the ground for Amy.
"Bye girls!" Amy called, hopping out after Hermione. They called a goodbye to the two and
departed in another direction. Hermione
and Amy headed for the dorm.
"You don't like them very much do
you?" Amy asked.
"No, I don't." Hermione answered curtly, her voice still
angry.
"Why?" Asked a puzzled Amy.
"I just don't. They're so trivial and unconcerned with
anything except makeup and boys. They
don't pay attention to marks or other's feelings. They don't even seem to care about Voldemort!" She said exasperatedly. As she mentioned his name a passing student
stopped to look at her, his face horrified and he hurriedly continued on.
"I suppose, but they might say the
same thing about you, your marks being trivial." Amy suggested.
"I hardly see marks as trivial." Hermione scoffed.
"Exactly. They hardly see boys and looks as trivial. It's all how you set up your
priorities." Amy explained as Hermione
muttered the password to the Fat Lady.
"I suppose." Hermione consented. "You go drop your bag, I'll wait here." Hermione suggested, leaning against one of
the plush chairs. Amy nodded and headed
up to the dorm. She opened her trunk
and thrust her bag inside. Then,
quickly glancing in the mirror on her way out, she headed back down the
stairs.
She arrived in the Common Room only to find Hermione involved in a fairly intense snog session with Ron, who had also arrived in the Common Room. She sighed out loud. They didn't notice. She moved a few steps closer and coughed loudly. Still they remained immersed in each other. Giving up and sighing exasperatedly, she went back up to her bed, grabbed a book and bounded back down. She quickly found a chair by the fire where she curled up to read in peace.
