By: Gemin16
Disclaimer: I think I forgot to mention this in the last chapter. Whoopsy. Oh well, yadda, yadda, yadda- don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to the Goddess J.K. Rowling. However Kitrina, Kalvin, Lady, and any other new character have been created by my sick little mind and therefore belong to me.
A/N: YES! YES! YES! YES! I'm finally done with Honors Expository! HEHE No more having to spend countless hours in front of the computer typing essays. Now I can spend more time on my fanfics and finish them! I'm free, I tell you free!
Ahem, okay now I'm finished babbling about useless nonsense. I'm really glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter, more Fluff up ahead for your enjoyment. Just thought I warn ya.
I was checking the number of reviews and I'm just one review away from reaching the 100-point mark. I would never had imagine that I would get this far with this fic and just to think that it started off as a mindless typing spree when I was sick.
Ack! I'm being lazy again, instead of working chapter eleven, she's reading Silent Möbius (A very good manga, I highly recommend). Okay I'm getting off track now……
Special thanks to:
Ferggirl99: I hope in book 5 he's slightly more grown up. He's 16 in this fic so maybe by book 6 he'll be exactly like this minus the arrow stuff. LOL. Ron's such a funny character. I was reading GOF and came across this little line:
" 'I still can't work out how you two got the best-looking girls in the year," muttered Dean.
"Animal magnetism," muttered Ron gloomily.' "
LOL, I just can't get enough of him.
Gilli, Rebecca Anne, Rukato Fan: Glad ya enjoyed it.
Pansy Potter: I was actually going to wait a while longer b4 they kissed, I was totally thinking I was maybe rushing things a bit but no one seemed to object.
Xodox: hehe
R&R Queen: Were you really waiting that long? Well hope this chapter was better than the last. LOL, it's reading reviews like yours that really cheer up my day.
ChaCha: Thanks for the compliment. Compared to my favorite ff.net authors I'm not very good but your compliment does boost my moral. ^_^
Addnap Nottap: To tell ya the truth that's how I really see stories. Their so perfect but since their mostly fiction, it hurts. That's how Hermione felt but Ron made it better didn't he.
Anyana: I'm honored.
Anywho keep on reviewing. As you can see I'm updating more often and there's most likely four chapters left. (I'm debating on something.)
Chapter 11: Shooting Stars and Silent Promises
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"AND HE DID WHAT?" Kitrina asked literally nose to nose with Hermione.
"He kissed-"
Kitrina flew back laughing so hard, Hermione could have sworn she turned purple from the lack of oxygen.
"I don't see what's so funny?" Hermione said turning red.
Kitrina sat up, drying tears of joy from her eyes. "Nothing." Except for the fact that Harry owes me three Galleons. She giggled and raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "So, Mione, how was it?"
Hermione blinked. "How was what?"
Kitrina had that weird looking grin on her face again. "You're first kiss. What else could I be talking about?"
"Kitrina-"
"Come on. I'm curious to know what its liked."
Hermione was shocked. "You mean-"
The vixen looked up and shrugged. "I've never been kissed. So what?"
"Well it's just that I would have assumed that since you-"
"That since I was over three hundred years old that I would have by now. Well your answer is no. So come on and spill."
Hermione's shad grew brighter as she remembered the seen, second by second. "It felt wonderful."
Kitrina sighed. "That's the only word you could come up with?"
"It's too hard to explain in words."
Kitrina laid her head in her hands. "If you say so." She thought quietly for a second and then an evil grin appeared on her face.
Hermione paled. "What are you thinking about?"
"Oh just wondering how long it will be before you take the next step?"
"KITRINA!"
WHAM~*~
She was one of the last people I would think who would ever use a book like that, Kitrina thought the next day as she rubbed her head.
"What happened to you?" Ron asked.
"Your girlfriend assaulted me with literature, that's what happened. For some odd reason when you kissed her you must have made her more violent." She said looking up at Ron. Her fox ears came out in fear. "Hey what are you going to do with your bow and arrows? Ron? Hey that's not funny; stop pointing in my direction! RON! HARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(A/N: I've been having a weird day so I took it out on poor Kitrina. She's not too happy with me at the moment.)
***
(The next day)
"Are you sure you have enough arrows?" Hermione asked Ron as they headed towards the competition area.
Ron looked at all the bundles he and Harry were carrying. "I'm sure we have enough, Mione."
"I'm sure eighty arrows should cover it," Harry said.
"The least they should do is provide the arrows for the competitors," Lisa said.
"Well they say the best arrows are the ones that you make yourself," Ron said. They reached the arena where people were gathering to watch the sport. In the center, a number of different targets sat and not to far away, many different archers sat gathering the needed arsenal and having them checked out by the officials. Over in the stands, waited Ron's family along with Remus and Sirius, who were waving over to the four friends.
"Wish me luck," Ron said. Hermione gave him a hug and Lisa wished him luck.
"Where's that other friend of yours?" Lisa asked. "Kitrina was it?" She had gotten the pleasure of meeting her two days ago.
Ron frowned. "If she's smart, she'll come after the competition."
Hermione crossed her arms. "I hoped you apologized to her. You nearly cut off her ponytail."
"She deserved it, no way I'm going to apologize to that loud mouthed vixen. Items or no items!"
Not to far away…….
"Achoo! Achoo! Excuse me."
"Are you catching a cold?" Kalvin asked as he slung his bow over his shoulder.
"No not really. I feel fine," Kitrina said adjusting the bundle of homemade arrows for Kalvin. Crookshanks was right behind her carrying a stray arrow that fell. "How come you never told me you were into archery?"
Kalvin shrugged it. "I don't know? It just never came up."
I wonder how good he is? Kitrina thought to herself. Ever since that incident two days ago, they had been quiet towards each other. Kalvin was such a mystery to her. Why would someone be as silent and secluded as him?
Even after what happened two days ago, she's still hanging around with me, Kalvin thought to himself. Why? Usually he didn't like the idea of hanging out with other people, he had always liked being a loner but he was actually having a nice time hanging out with Kitrina. She usually did all the talking but Kalvin found himself listening to her voice.
"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked her.
Kitrina looked up and thought. "Ummm, I guess I'm going to help my friend prepare for the ball and maybe just walk around with Crookshanks. I honestly don't know. Why?"
"Would you like to accompany me at the ball tomorrow?" He asked.
Kitrina's eyes lit up as she looked up at Kalvin, who was looking straight ahead, no hint of emotion on his face. "Sure," she said with a smile. They reached the center where all the other archers were. Kalvin laid down a bundle that he was carrying and took the one from Kitrina. Crookshanks dropped his arrow next to the bundle and meowed.
The human fox walked up in front of him. "I wish you all the luck I have to give. You know that, right?" Ron, you get the other twenty percent, Hermione and the others will be rooting you on all the way.
Kalvin looked down at her cheerful expression. A small smile appeared on his face. "Thank you."
She nodded and turned to walk away with Crookshanks following her. He meowed at her. "What do you mean, Master would wonder?"
"Meow."
"Now hold on a second, Crookshanks. My first and soul duty is to lead the gatherers to the item. I'll risk my life for that purpose alone, all for Master's sake. I can't let his items be used for evil."
"Meow."
Kitrina blushed. "What do you mean falling in love? I have no clue what you're talking about! He looked like he needed a friend, so I decided to be his friend."
"Meow."
"So what if I said he was the guy of my dreams. It doesn't mean a thing. I can't loose focus of my purpose. While I've been hanging out with him I have been keeping an eye out for opportunities to get the items too. But it's hard with all this energy around. I'm sure Voldemort is having trouble himself. He's been lying in the underground for so long it's hard to even imagine whether he's alive or not. I wonder if he knows something about the items that I don't?" She started to chew on her lip. "Master, you left me without answering so many of my questions. All you did was tell me my task." Tears welded up in her eyes. "Why couldn't I be with you?"
Crookshanks rubbed up against her leg and meowed again. Kitrina smiled as she wiped her arm across her face. "Thank you, Crookshanks. I guess you have it hard too, huh?" Crookshanks suddenly stopped and turned his head, nose moving up and down.
Kitrina stopped also and looked at her friend. "What's wrong?"
"Meow."
The vixen let out a giggle. "A rat? I swear, Crookshanks, you can be such a cat sometimes."
"Master has a mission for you."
Kalvin looked up to see Nott standing above him with a smirk plastered on his face.
"Pardon?"
"I said Master has a job for you."
"What is it and how much?"
Nott smiled an evil smile. "That little detail we'll figure out later."
Kalvin went back to getting his arrows ready for inspection. "If you don't tell me here and now I'll refuse."
"And if you don't' agree that girl will be in a lot of trouble at the hands of Master."
Kalvin's eyes harden as he stared back at Nott. "Leave her out of this!" he hissed.
She's already in too deep, Nott thought. And I've found your weak spot. "I won't unless you agree to our terms without any questions."
"Excuse me, sir, if you're not in the competition I'll have to ask you to leave," an official said as they walked up to examine Kalvin's arrows and bow.
Nott looked at the official. "I was just about to." He turned to Kalvin. "We have a mutual agreement am I right?"
Kalvin just glared at him.
"Ready for another competition, Weasley?" Mr. Bagman asked as he examined Ron's arrows and bows.
"Yes, sir."
Bagman handed him his bow and looked at him. "Gryffindor will win this years tournament right? I made a small wager with a friend of mine."
"Can't make any promises," Ron mumbled. His father and brothers told him about Bagman's bad habit. I wouldn't be surprised if he made any wages on this one too.
"Mr. Bagman, they need you at the box," another official said. Bagman looked at Ron and smiled. "Duty calls."
A moment later Bagman's voice could be heard all over the arena. "WELCOME TO THE THREE HUNDRED AND NINTY-SEVENTH ARCHERER COMPETITION. I'M YOUR HOST LUDO BAGMAN, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS AND GAMES HERE IN HOGSMEADE. I WELCOME ALL THAT HAVE COME FAR AND WIDE TO SEE JUST HOW AMAZING OUR YULE FESTIVAL CAN BE! NOW ON WITH THE TOURNAMENT. THIS YEAR'S COMEPETITORS COME FROM ALL OVER THE LAND TO COMPETE WITH HOGSMEADE'S HOMETOWN CHAMPIONS! FROM LEFT TO RIGHT-"
Hermione watched with Ron and Harry's family as Bagman announced the archers competing. There were about thirty in all, some of them were foreigners from the north or south of Hogsmeade. Many of them looked experienced and Harry said that some of them were acclaimed to be the best of their respective lands.
"YVETTE LAMAGE OF BEAUXBATONS!" A bunch of cheers came from the stands.
"She's one of the best female archers in the tournament," Harry told Hermione. "She also has some of the best odds."
"RONALD WEASLEY OF HOGSMEADE!" More cheers came from all around the arena as Bagman announced Ron's name.
"Of course my Ron is the best of them," Mrs. Weasley said clapping her hands.
"KALVIN ORCHIDE OF HOGSMEADE!" Even more cheers came out the crowds as Kalvin's name was announced.
"Ron's the best when you knock Kalvin out of the stands," George commented.
"Kalvin's that good?" Hermione asked.
"Good, he's won the competition three years in a row," Angelina commented.
"He's a strange fellow though," Fred said. "We've been in the same class since we could remember. He's always been so quiet and stayed to himself never really spoke unless he had to."
"Rumors spread around bout him," Katie said, "so not to many kids got near him unless they were forced."
"But Ron's improved since last years competition," Harry said. "So this year they might be in the same level."
"I've watched him practice," Hermione said. "He hasn't missed a target."
"All we have to do is wait and see," said Mr. Weasley as Bagman finished announcing the players.
"THE FIRST ROUND CONSISTS OF STABLE TARGETS. EACH COMPETITOR HAS SIX TARGETS IN FRONT OF THEM, WITH THE CLOSEST BEING FIFTEEN FEET AND THE FARTHEST BEING FOURTY FEET AWAY! THOSE WHO GET AT LEAST FIVE OUT OF SIX OF THEIR TARGETS WITHIN THE RED CIRCLE QUALIFY TO THE NEXT ROUND. ARCHERS GET YOUR BOWS READY-AND FIRE!"
Kitrina watched from the stands as more than three hundred arrows were let loose in a period of one minute. "These guys may be good," she commented to Crookshanks, "but some of them need better practice." True to her words many arrows strayed off of the course and landed themselves in the dirt. Crookshanks watched with curiosity and meowed.
Kitrina nodded. "Yeah, Kalvin and Ron are doing great. They're going to make it to the final round for sure! Just goes to show you I have a good taste in friends."
Crookshanks rolled his eyes.
As the officials examined the targets, Bagman made commentary on most of the archers. When he focused on Kalvin's achievements. Kalvin just rolled his eyes.
"You don't seem to like the spotlight much do you?" Ron asked him as he waxed his bow.
"No," Kalvin said flatly doing the same to his bow.
He's no Mr. Friendly is he? Ron thought dryly. He perked his ears up as he heard Bagman announce the one's to go onto the next round.
Kalvin lifted an eyebrow as he heard Ron's whole family and friends cheer him on as his name was called. A few fireworks were shot up into the air.
"Fred, George, and Lee just love to over do it don't they?" Ron said to himself.
"Friends of yours?" Kalvin asked.
"My family and friends."
"Must be nice sometimes." Kalvin sighed inwardly. Why did he just ask that? He never really showed any interest in other people's lives until, well until-
He met Kitrina.
That girl was affecting him more than he would have liked her too.
"Yeah it is," Ron said.
"Are they really worth it? Friends and family?" Kalvin asked.
Ron looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's that supposed mean. Of course they're worth it."
"They can be used against you at any time especially if you have a dangerous enemy about. What about Voldemort? If he decided to go after you at any point, he could use one of them to his advantage. What would you do then?"
Ron flinched. What was this guy getting at? What the hell did he mean? Well what he said was true. That could happen at any point of Ron's lifetime. "Then you protect them with your life," Ron said.
"But is it really worth it? Loosing your life for others?"
"If their friendship is true, yeah it is. I mean, sure we get into fights but what friends don't have fights?" He remembered all the arguments that he, Harry, and Hermione had shared over the past few months and over the years. He and Harry had shared some pretty bad ones before but they came out all right in the end, better friends than before. Even he and Kitrina, who were usually at each other's throats and arguing all the time, got along in the end. He would sacrifice himself for his friends if necessary. "I don't know what I would do if I didn't have friends," he said.
Kalvin thought about what he said. He never really did have a friend until Kitrina started hanging around with him. Maybe friendship wasn't as bad as it seemed. He would have to give it a broader trial period but first he would half to figure out what Nott's demands were.
"WILL ALL ARCHERS THAT ARE CPOMPETING IN THE SECOND ROUND, READY YOUR MATERIALS."
"So what happens in the next round?" Lisa asked Harry. Hermione was curious too. Ron had told her that the second round consisted of moving targets but that was all he really told her.
"In the second round, they let loose flying targets and the goal is to hit the most in the time limit that they give you. I think its something like three minutes that they give them." He pointed towards the field. "Look."
One official had five shaking boxes levitating in the air by a spell. He set them down and along with four others opened them up, realizing fifty golden balls that were the size of baseballs into the air. They flew everywhere like birds.
"By realizing so many they make it easier for them to be captured," Lisa said.
"No," Hermione said watching. "They realize a certain number so that it won't be too easy for them especially in such a large area like the arena. Their arrows have to be quick and aim perfect or the targets would dodge them. This is the part where the most arrows are used and wasted."
"Since when did you become such an expert?" Harry asked her.
Hermione smiled. "Well it's not that hard to figure out you know."
"Easy for you to say." They watched as one by one the remaining fifteen players took their chance at the targets. In the three minute period the most anyone had gotten so far was thirteen. It was really hard.
"AND IT LOOKS LIKE NO ONE WAS ABLE TO BEAT THE RECORD SET BY VINCINT URID ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO," Bagman told the crowd. "LETS SEE IF OUR HOMETOWN ARCHER RONALD WEASLEY CAN BEAT TODAYS AVERAGE AS WELL AS TAKE A SHOT AT BEATING THE RECORD."
Ron gathered his quiver filled with arrows and stepped out into the field. He looked at the official who held a clock in her hand while lifting the other in the air. After ten seconds she dropped it down signaling for Ron to begin. Taking out his first arrow, Ron started shooting at the targets. His first two missed but the next three hit their target. Over the next two and a half minutes he concentrated on hitting his targets. This was his element, his forte, he was good and he knew it.
He didn't know how many he had shot down but when the official blew her whistle, Ron knew it was time for him to stop. He looked at his quiver, which only contained five arrows left. Damn, I used up over forty of them, he thought to himself.
The crowd went silent as another official counted the number of targets Ron shot up. He raised his wand up in the air with a rope coming out and forming itself in the shape of the number eighteen. The crowds went wild as Ron waved back towards his family and walked back to the side area.
"Not bad," Kalvin said to him. "Three more and you would have beaten the record."
"Yeah," Ron said. "Guess I'll try my luck in the next round."
"Perhaps." Kalvin stood up and grabbed his quivers.
"Ain't you being a little cocky there, partner?" A southern foreign archer asked as Kalvin walked towards the arena. "Only going in with thirty arrows. Be pretty embarrassing if you were to shoot all them arrows and not hit no more than half."
Kalvin didn't bother to turn back as he answered. "Well unlike you, at least I'm sure of my skill and talent."
The southerner growled as he snapped an arrow in half. "Arrogant son of a troll."
Ron watched as Kalvin went through the same process that he had gone through. He wanted to agree along with the southerner but as he watched as the older boy shoot his arrows he understood what he was doing. Sure he's self assured but he wasn't just being cocky, Ron thought, he just knows his limits. By taking in the max amount of arrows that he has, he's making his back lighter and therefore making it easier for him to move around to aim at his targets. Ron shook his head. Where the heck did that come from? I've been hanging with Hermione way to long; I'm starting to think like her. The next thing I know I'll actually enjoy studying. He was struck out of his thought as he heard the whistle being blown. After a minute the official's rope spelled out the number twenty-three. The crowd cheered as Kalvin walked back calmly. He didn't even bother to look at the southerner who was up next. His quiver held the remaining seven arrows.
"I'll beat your stupid record," he said as he stood up with his quiver and spit in Kalvin's direction. Kalvin didn't even bother to acknowledge it.
Ron watched as the southerner tried but he was concentrating on the amount that he was shooting instead of his targets. "That's what happens when you go into the competition angry," he heard Kalvin say. "Your arrows waver and you miss completely. I'll doubt he'll get within three arrows of your score."
He was right to, the southerner only got twelve but he was one of the top seven to go onto the next round, including Ron and Kalvin. Only one other person got farther than Ron, getting nineteen arrows. As all the balls were collected again, Bagman went on explaining how they were going to try something new this year. Instead of an obstacle course they were going to use different set of moving targets. All he competitors watched as more balls were released but this time a few of them were painted a bright red.
"This type of course tests out their skills in aim more than anything," Hermione analyzed.
"They're going to have one hell of a time trying to shoot that," Kitrina said with Crookshanks agreeing. "YOU CAN DO IT, KALVIN. YOU TOO RON!"
Ron watched as the targets flew all over, the red only specks in the stream of yellow. Oh yeah, this was going to be hell.
~*~
(A/N: I didn't feel like boring you with the small details so I'll just get strait to the point)
"AND FIRST PLACE GOES TO KALVIN ORCHIDE, SECOND GOES TO RONALD WEASLEY, WITH THIRD GOING TO-"
"Well at least he got second," Hermione said as she stood up with the rest of the Weasleys when they called Ron's name.
"Kalvin is just way to good," Fred said with a shrug.
"There's always next year," Bill said.
Kitrina clapped her hands. "All those archers are real good, despite how hard it was most of them hit a red target." Crookshanks meowed. "Well that poor southerner didn't hit any at all, but at least Kalvin hit all ten of them. Proves how good he is!"
***
"How long does it take for women to get ready?" Ron asked impatiently. "They've been up there for almost an hour. The ball is going to start in less than an hour." He was wearing dark blue dress robes with black lining along the cuffs.
Mr. Weasley smiled. "You'll understand when your older, son. Trust me, you'll appreciate the time they spent getting themselves ready too."
Ron rolled his eyes and leaned back against his chair. "Sure." He looked at Collin, Ginny's partner, who waited patiently without complaining. I honestly don't see how he could sit there and wait.
Upstairs, the girls were busy getting ready. Since she didn't want Ron to walk all the way to the castle, Hermione asked Ginny if she could get ready at her house along with Kitrina, who was going to do Hermione's hair.
"What do you think about this one?" Ginny asked as she held up a silver chain necklace with a ring in the middle. She was dressed in a purple robe with silver lining. Her hair was pulled up into a knot at the top of her head that Kitrina had done for her. "I borrowed it from Katie."
Kitrina looked at it and nodded. "That would match perfectly with your robe, Gin." She went back to her challenge at hand. What to do with Hermione's hair? In the past few days she designed it on a ponytail, half up/down, twist, a French braid, and now today of the Yule Ball she needed a new hair do. One that would go flawlessly with her periwinkle blue robes that looked perfectly good on her. She wanted Hermione to look just like the princess in a story that she had once heard. Finally deciding she took a comb and went at Hermione's hair.
"Ouch, Kitrina what are you doing? Trying to take all my hair apart?"
"You want to look good for Ron, right? SO BE PATIENT!" After a few minutes, and one more ouch from Hermione she was done.
Ginny gasped in amazement. "Hermione, wow!"
Kitrina smiled in satisfaction. "Oh yes I truly am a genius. Take a look, Mione."
Hermione stood up and looked in the mirror. Her eyes opened wide with amazement, Kitrina had truly outdone herself this time. Her hair was loose with just half of the fronts picked up with small silver clips. The pieces that weren't picked up shaped the sides of her face and the rest of her hair was let loose with some of it falling over her shoulder. She honestly couldn't recognize herself but sure enough it was her.
Kitrina smiled softly top herself. She could tell that Hermione had never done this type of thing before but that was what made it so much fun. It was like playing dress-up except for real. She stepped up behind Hermione and took a ribbon and wrapped it around her neck. Surprising the heck out of Hermione and almost choking her.
"Kitrina what are you doing?"
"Adding the finishing touch, Deary." She finished tying the ribbon in the back and turned to the front of Hermione. Kitrina sighed. "Forget genius, I'm a goddess. The perfect makeshift choker."
"And to think you nearly choked me to make it," Hermione said looking at herself and rubbing her neck. She had to admit that Kitrina was good. Hermione looked at the little vixen, who was fixing something in Ginny's hair. She was dressed in apple green robes and had only done her hair in a ponytail like always.
"Kitrina, aren't you going to do something with your hair?"
Kitrina thought for a second. "No."
Ginny frowned. "Why not?"
"Because I'm perfectly happy in a ponytail. Come on girls, there are two guys waiting for you downstairs and one whole night that's waiting to be explored. Lets go."
Hermione bent down and hugged Kitrina. "Thank you." Ginny nodded too.
Kitrina smiled and winked at the two. "No problem, I have to work my genius on someone."
Hermione sighed. "Honestly, Kitrina, you have one of the biggest ego's I know."
Kitrina giggled as she ran down ahead of them. "Comes with the territory."
When Ron heard footsteps, he sighed. "It's about-oh its just you," he said as Kitrina came down first.
"And what is that supposed to mean, Arrow-boy!? I have you know that I personally have the key to make your whole night better. The both of you actually," she said to Collin.
Ron lifted an eyebrow. "Oh really and what would that be? Your one way ticket out of here?"
Kitrina rolled her eyes. "Haha very funny. Actually it's the two loveliest ladies in Hogsmeade and possibly the whole world! Come down girls."
Ron had to admit he wasn't prepared for what he saw, he stared wide-eyed as he saw Hermione walk down. When she saw the look on his face she turned a light shade of pink. Ginny smiled as Collin also looked at her with amazement. Kitrina smiled. She just loved the look shared between Ron and Hermione. They're going to go stiff if they keep staring at each other like that, she thought to herself. She looked at the clock and prepared to use one of her favorite tactics.
"OH MY GOSH!" she said snapping the couple out of their trance. "It's almost time for the ball to start you four need to hurry and get there. Now, now, shoo shoo." She pushed all of them out the door and waved them good-bye.
Mr. Weasley laughed as he watched Kitrina gather her cloak and prepared to leave. "No partner, Kitrina?"
Kitrina smiled. "No, Mr. Weasley, I don't have a partner but I do have someone waiting for me. I hope you and Mrs. Weasley have a nice time at the ball too." She walked out and into the street humming a favorite tune of hers.
Ron and Hermione walked in silence as they traveled down the streets of Hogsmeade. Decorations and fairies flew all over the place and lights of all kinds shone everywhere but best of all was the night sky, which was lit with thousands of stars. The moon was halfway full and it illuminated the ground with an eerie but almost romantic light.
Ron shot a glace at Hermione. She really did look beautiful. The best part was that she wasn't sad anymore, her eyes were bright and she was back to her usual self. He was about to open his mouth to say something when-.
"Hermione! Ron! Wait up!" They both turned around to see Harry and Lisa walking towards them. Harry was wearing light green robes that matched his eyes while Lisa had on garnet colored robes.
"Wow you look lovely, Hermione!" Lisa exclaimed as she looked over at Hermione.
"So do you," Hermione said.
Harry smiled at Ron. "You look like your at a lost for words."
Ron stared at him. "Isn't it already bad enough that the vixen rubs it in."
"You have no idea," Harry said remembering the victory dance Kitrina did when she told Harry to pay up. Every time I see her she does a victory dance, he thought to himself.
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked.
"Nothing," Harry mumbled.
Kitrina looked around the Leaky Cauldron for signs of Kalvin. Finally after standing on her tippy toes for almost five minutes she saw the dark figure in the corner. Dressed in black robes with silver lining, Kalvin sitting at a table. She frowned; it looked like he was brooding. She didn't like it when people were unhappy. Running over she smiled as she went up to her face. "Happy Yule to you!" she said cheerfully.
Kalvin looked up. He had to admit after the meeting with Nott, Kitrina was the last person he wanted to see but he couldn't avoid it. The request or demand that Nott gave him normally wouldn't have bothered Kalvin but for some odd reason, when he saw Kitrina, he knew that it was wrong but he couldn't refuse. He didn't want her to get hurt; he knew what kinds of things Voldemort and his horde did to people.
Kitrina blinked at him with wide eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Kalvin looked down at her. "Nothing," he said. "Lets go."
In the center of town a large stage was set up for the live music to play, thousands of witches and wizards dressed in their best evening robes were gathered there as well as all around the city. A few booths were left around selling flowers, charms, and all sorts of accessories to bystanders. People were chatting, laughing, dancing, and purely enjoying themselves. Kalvin wasn't one of those people, he had some question that he had to ask Kitrina and this wasn't one of the best places to discuss it.
A fairy passed by them and landed on Kitrina's shoulder. She whispered something to Kitrina that made her giggle and flew off.
"You don't see that everyday," Kalvin said.
Kitrina kept on giggling and looked at Kalvin. "You're not enjoying yourself much are you?"
Kalvin shrugged. "Actually, there's a place that I would like to take you to. Do you mind leaving the ball for a while?"
"Sure!"
Kalvin offered her his arm while he tool out his wand. "Grab a hold then." Kitrina did as she was told and they apparated away.
"You can see the whole city from here," Kitrina exclaimed as she stood with Kalvin on the roof of one of the tallest buildings in Hogsmeade. The city looked even more beautiful with the lights forming patterns along the streets along with the streaks of the pixies and fairies. "You really know some of the best places in the city."
Kalvin frowned. The only reason he knew of this place was because he once had to steal an artifact for someone. He sat down with Kitrina sitting down next to him. "Thank you for taking me here."
"Welcome."
They sat there for almost five minutes in silence until Kalvin finally decided on what he wanted to say.
"Kitrina."
That got her attention immediately. Kalvin never once said her name, not that it had bothered her but it was definitely worth listening to if he did. "Yes?" she asked.
"Why do you hang out with me? It's obvious that you have other friends. Why spend the festival with someone like me when you can have a better time with other people?"
Kitrina smiled and circled her arms around her legs. "But I am having a better time with you. I like to spend my time with you because you're interesting, smart, and nice."
"No I'm not."
"Sure you're a little antisocial but from what I've seen you are. What makes you say something like that?"
"If you were to examine all the things that I've done, you would realize that I'm not nice at all."
Kitrina looked at him, he looked so serious with that grim look on his face. But when the wind tussled his curls around like that, she just didn't see him as an incredibly mean person. She knew that he had a rough childhood and that he didn't have many if at all any friends but she could tell that deep down inside he was a nice guy.
"Sometimes you need to look beyond that," she said looking forward at the city. "Sometimes people do what they do because they're lost. They're afraid of the feelings that are inside of them or maybe because something happened to them to make them turn out like that. To truly understand who a person is you just have to look beyond what they may seem on the outside and give them a chance. That's how I see it anyways."
She's different from most people I've seen, Kalvin thought to himself. Especially if she's willing to give people a chance like that. That's a big risk and if she keeps taking that risk with me she'll get hurt.
"Kalvin, what's the nicest thing you've done recently? Something that some people wouldn't do ordinarily or something that you wouldn't do ordinarily."
"I saved a fox a few weeks ago or at least I thought I did. I don't know."
Kitrina's eyes opened wide. "Oh really."
"I don't know why I did. It was fighting against a wolf to protect two people. It didn't look like it was going to win, especially since the wolf was much bigger than it was. At first I thought it was stupid, that it would risk its life like that even if the odds were against it but then I just thought of how I couldn't let it die so I scared the wolf away. The people it was protecting took it to the city to get it healed but I don't know if it survived. I doubt you could call it nice or not. Maybe I should have let nature take its course."
Kitrina was glad it was dark, so then Kalvin couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. "You stepped in to save her, didn't you? I would call that nice."
"But that was just one little thing that I did. Trust me, I'm not nice." I have a person who helps me commit crimes against her own will. I kill. I steal. I do all this for money and for my own boredom. I'll never be a kind person like you, there's no turning back for me. He was knocked out of his introspection when he felt something lean against him. It was Kitrina.
He's warm, she thought to herself. "Despite what you think, I still think you're nice. I'll be here when you need me." That's a promise.
Kalvin looked down at her and slowly put his arm around her to protect her from the cold wind and maybe to reassure himself.
If someone were to go to Hermione almost a year ago and ask her if she could ever imagine herself at a ball with a date having fun, she would have rolled her eyes and ignored them or laughed.
But if you were to ask her now, she would have smiled and said yes and also say that she lived a night like that.
As the last dance finish, she and Ron pulled away Ron each other slowly and looked up at the stage where they were getting ready to put another band on. Ron looked at Hermione. "Care to go for a walk?"
Hermione nodded. "Alright."
Harry smiled to himself as he watched the couple walk away. "Don't they make a great couple?" Lisa asked him, knowing what he was looking at.
"Yeah, they do." He knew how much Ron liked Hermione and was glad that she liked him just as much back.
"So what were you saying about Ravenclaw getting their butts kicked by Gryffindor this year?" Lisa asked, completely changing the subject.
"Um-er, well you know they are," Harry said knowing where this conversation was going to get them too.
Lisa pushed his glasses back up his nose. "We'll see about that," she said, smiling.
The only area that wasn't crowded by people was the pathway leading to the forest. Dimmed by the faintest of lights, and surrounded by a blanket of trees where only a small section of stars and the moon could be seen, it was obvious why the place was so remote. Hermione wondered how Ron knew about it.
"No point in standing around when nothings happening," he said filling in the void of silence.
"I agree," Hermione said.
"You know you look really beautiful tonight."
Hermione blushed. She really wasn't expecting that. "Th-thank you."
Ron looked up at the trees, trying to hide his own blush. She really did look beautiful with the pale moonlight illuminating on her like it was. Despite the fact that she sometimes acted like a know-it-all, completely stubborn, and too rule crazy and scholarly for her own good, she really wasn't all that bad. He found himself liking her more and more ever since- well he didn't know.
"How do you like it here anyway?" he asked. For some odd reason the thought came across his head.
"Paradise," Hermione said barely above a whisper.
"Pardon?"
"It's paradise," Hermione said. "I never really thought that such a world could exist. Despite all the misfortune that's happen I still can't help but think to myself that this really is the world of my dreams, almost heaven."
"You honestly see it that way."
"There's no other way for me to see it. In my own world people could only experience things like this in their own imaginations. I would read book after book just to catch a glimpse of what this feeling is and know I'm experiencing it for real. And its not just the rushing feeling of being able to use magic and see mystical creatures, its just that in this world I'm a completely different person." While she was talking they stopped by a large rock. Hermione leaned against it and stared up into the night.
"You mean you weren't always weren't always this all knowing person?" Ron said with a laugh, the look Hermione gave him only made him laugh harder.
"I wasn't talking about that," Hermione said. "Back home, I never really had to many friends. I rarely stepped out of the house except to go to school and to the library, I always studied never thinking that anything else was important."
"I've seen you when you're in that mode, I'm surprise you even remember to breath."
"It was people like you I was trying to avoid," Hermione said wryly.
"I have you know that people such as myself make the world go round." Now it was Hermione's turn to laugh. Tears were coming from her eyes and soon she was sniffing.
"You're not getting depressed again I hope?" Ron asked quickly when he heard the first sniff.
"N-no, I'm not," she said whipping her eyes. "It's just that the last time I felt this happy was when I, well I can't quite remember." She leaned next to Ron, not knowing why. It was just comforting knowing that he was there, right now, making her world complete. It was all she needed at the moment.
Forget about Voldemort.
Forget about the items.
Forget that she really wasn't apart of this world or in a book.
Forget all the years of being alone.
Just concentrate on the kiss he was giving to her now.
And as they leaned into each other, a lone shooting star traveled across the black night sky.