"Hermione, we have a problem," hissed Ginny as she bumped into the girl on the dance floor. After an hour, Hermione was FINALLY beginning to loosen up.
"What?"
Ginny gave her chin a jerk toward the door, where Ron, George, Harry, and Draco were talking to a burly bouncer.
"Ah. Ron looks pissed off," Hermione grinned. He looked their way, and she saw the dawn of recognition. "We've been spotted."
Ron was currently fighting his way through the crowd to them. Ginny turned and hightailed it. Hermione, on the other hand, was looking forward to it.
"Hello, Ron. Come to dance?"
He gaped at her. Not only at her words, but just at her in general. He had only caught a glimpse of her in the car. Her short skirt, neck tie top, pumps, and makeup were VERY UN- Hermione.
"H-Herm..."
She snagged his hand. "Come on, I want to dance. And, since you're here..."
Ron was too dazed to protest.
~*~
"Think they'll find us?" Lexi hissed to Sephie as their boys wove through the crowd, scanning with their eyes for the girls.
"Nope," Sephie said. A horrible thought wormed into her mind as she saw George talking to a pretty 19 year old girl, but she pushed it away to think about later.
~Lexxxxxxxxxxiiii....~
"Damn it."
"What?" Sephie asked, grateful for the distraction.
"Draco is searching via mind pattern. It will only be a matter of time... he's gotten good at this. You better split."
"Gone," Sephie said, and evaporated into the crowd.
Lexi held out for as long as she could, but Draco found her.
"My, Mrs. Malfoy, you're looking.... different... tonight," he smirked, eyes raking over her form.
"My, Mr. Malfoy, you're sounding.... cynical... tonight," she countered, smiling evilly. "Come to be my date?"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't invited." Turning in mock disinterest, he sniffed, "I'll just find someone else to-"
"Don't you dare, Draco Malfoy," Lexi hissed, grabbing his wrist. She smiled playfully as she wound her arms around his neck. "Don't you want to stay?"
Hands comfortably on her hips, he smiled down at his wife. "Of course I do. You should dress like that more often."
"In your dreams." She grimaced as pain shot through her foot from her shoe. "And in my nightmares."
~*~
Harry stood in one spot, searching for Mariah. Little did he know she was standing behind him, smiling as his head turned from side to side.
"Behind is a direction, too, Mr. Potter."
He spun around. "Good evening, Mariah." He made his voice sound stiff, but she heard the laughter threatening to bubble up.
Without asking, he took her hand and led her out to the floor. After a minute, he said, low enough to be heard under the music, "I'm glad to see you looking so happy, Mariah."
She smiled. "What else could I want? Good music, a cute guy to dance with, loads of people, lots of friends... it's time for me to move on, Harry."
"I'm glad. So... I'm cute now, huh?"
She grinned. "Oui."
He grimaced. "French. You speak it?"
"Living in France does that to you."
"Ah. Right. I'd forgotten."
"Nice." They danced for another minute.
"Mariah..." They both stopped dancing, standing in the press of bodies. He stooped his head and kissed her.
They both pulled away at the same time. "No. This isn't fair to either of us, Harry," said Mariah. "We don't know WHAT is going on with me. Even with my mother alive, we wouldn't have seen each other after this summer. Now, with her gone, I don't know WHERE I'll be. I don't want to do that to you."
"But what if I want it to be done to me? Mariah..."
"Harry, this is hardly a conversation to be held here, of all places."
"Fine. When we get home, then, we are discussing this."
~*~
Sephie watched as George nodded and said good bye to the girl.
~Uh-oh, Sephie girl, this is a problem.~ She had never thought about this side of their promise to each other before. Was she tying George down, holding him back due to a promise made to her? One that, on his honor, he couldn't go back on?
Damn it.
~*~*~
When they finally went home, the different couples had many things to discuss. So, they went off on their own.
Harry and Mariah headed up to the park.
Draco and Lexi went to go see a movie.
Ginny decided to go up to her room and write a letter to Jeremy.
George and Sephie sat on the porch.
Which left Hermione and Ron in the living room. They were already quite comfortable together, so they sat on the couch and watched Muggle HBO, Hermione hissing the story line to Ron as he watched, mesmerized.
~*~
Harry and Mariah sat down on the bench by the lake, silent for a few minutes. Finally, Harry reached over and took Mariah's hand.
"Mariah...."
"Harry, this is crazy," she murmured, not really meaning it.
"I don't think so."
She didn't answer.
"Mariah, please. I want you to be my girlfriend." She stared at him.
"Harry?!"
"I do. I really do. Mariah, you're... I don't know. We just... fit, you know?"
She did know.
"Mariah, I...." Harry took a deep breath.
"I love you," she murmured to him before he could do it. He stopped, stunned.
"That's.... that's the first time anyone has said that to me," he said in slight wonder. Mariah felt her throat choke up and she threw her arms around him.
"Ok, Harry. I'll be your girlfriend."
~*~
"Lexi?"
"Hmm?"
"You ok? You seem... out of it."
"I'm fine, Draco. I'm thinking... what's going on back home? We're having so much fun..."
She trailed off as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Lex, don't worry. I'm sure everything's fine, or we would have heard by now."
"I wonder...."
"Wonder what, Lexi?"
"How your parents took it when they found out you were gone."
"They probably raged... and my guess would be they'll be at the school September 1st to get me."
"Over my dead body!"
"I hardly think that would be necessary, Alexia Malfoy."
"There you go again. Does it give you some sadistic joy to keep calling me that?"
"Yes," he cackled.
~*~
As Ginny sat down to write her letter to Jeremy, she noticed Aussie sitting on her bed with two letters in her talons. The slanted script was Jeremy's.
Dear Ginny,
It's so weird to write to you... I'm not used to this.
I miss you, you know that?
I would hope you do. Anyway, the picture enclosed is from when you were here. My friend Jeff took it, planning on using it as blackmail... but he admired you so much for beating the crap out of Barry that he decided to give me the pictures instead... He tells me you're a keeper.
I agree with him.
Ginny, I... I want you to be my girlfriend.
God, that's sounds so.... boring.
That's the understatement of the year, though. I REALLY do want to date you. You're just... perfect, I guess...
I know, I know, I can hear you now. 'I'm not perfect, Jeremy....'
I wrote a letter to your mother, too. It's only fair, Gin, that she knows what is going on.
~So that's who the other letter is from... at least it's not a Howler.~
"So... please write back A.S.A.P.
Love,
Jeremy
Dear Ginny,
I received a letter from a boy named Jeremy Walters today. I assume that he is the boy you defended in Australia. He told me the whole story... but also wants permission to date you. I know that he's a lycanthrope, but honestly, darling, that doesn't bother me. I talked to your father, and he's ok with it. So, go ahead, dear!
Love,
Mum.
~*~
Harry awoke on the morning of his birthday to the sound of an owl tapping at his window. He yawned and opened it, seeing the looped script of Albus Dumbledore spelling out Harry in bold green letters on a letter and a package.
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday, my dear boy. You are 16 today... and I think it is time you knew some of the secrets we have been forced to keep from you.
In the package is something that your mother was wearing the day of her death... which was given to her by your father. That was given to him by his mother at her death, to whom it was given to by your grandfather.... etc, etc. Please open it and return to the letter."
Harry turned to the package and ripped it open. He gasped as he took out a gold amulet with a red center stone... it looked almost new, but he could feel the age vibrating off of it. It was VERY old.
" This is the Amulet of Gryffindor. As you may have already guessed from the sword incident in the Chamber of Secrets, you are the Heir of Gryffindor, as your father was before you. The Amulet was created at the same time... the same day, in fact... as the Amulet of Slytherin... the Amulet in Lexi's possession now. They work on the same principle.
This Amulet is very important, Harry... for many reasons. Unfortunately, those reasons can not be disclosed until the proper time. Keep it safe... and don't be afraid to give your heart away.
Trust in the Amulet.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore."
"What?"
Ginny gave her chin a jerk toward the door, where Ron, George, Harry, and Draco were talking to a burly bouncer.
"Ah. Ron looks pissed off," Hermione grinned. He looked their way, and she saw the dawn of recognition. "We've been spotted."
Ron was currently fighting his way through the crowd to them. Ginny turned and hightailed it. Hermione, on the other hand, was looking forward to it.
"Hello, Ron. Come to dance?"
He gaped at her. Not only at her words, but just at her in general. He had only caught a glimpse of her in the car. Her short skirt, neck tie top, pumps, and makeup were VERY UN- Hermione.
"H-Herm..."
She snagged his hand. "Come on, I want to dance. And, since you're here..."
Ron was too dazed to protest.
~*~
"Think they'll find us?" Lexi hissed to Sephie as their boys wove through the crowd, scanning with their eyes for the girls.
"Nope," Sephie said. A horrible thought wormed into her mind as she saw George talking to a pretty 19 year old girl, but she pushed it away to think about later.
~Lexxxxxxxxxxiiii....~
"Damn it."
"What?" Sephie asked, grateful for the distraction.
"Draco is searching via mind pattern. It will only be a matter of time... he's gotten good at this. You better split."
"Gone," Sephie said, and evaporated into the crowd.
Lexi held out for as long as she could, but Draco found her.
"My, Mrs. Malfoy, you're looking.... different... tonight," he smirked, eyes raking over her form.
"My, Mr. Malfoy, you're sounding.... cynical... tonight," she countered, smiling evilly. "Come to be my date?"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't invited." Turning in mock disinterest, he sniffed, "I'll just find someone else to-"
"Don't you dare, Draco Malfoy," Lexi hissed, grabbing his wrist. She smiled playfully as she wound her arms around his neck. "Don't you want to stay?"
Hands comfortably on her hips, he smiled down at his wife. "Of course I do. You should dress like that more often."
"In your dreams." She grimaced as pain shot through her foot from her shoe. "And in my nightmares."
~*~
Harry stood in one spot, searching for Mariah. Little did he know she was standing behind him, smiling as his head turned from side to side.
"Behind is a direction, too, Mr. Potter."
He spun around. "Good evening, Mariah." He made his voice sound stiff, but she heard the laughter threatening to bubble up.
Without asking, he took her hand and led her out to the floor. After a minute, he said, low enough to be heard under the music, "I'm glad to see you looking so happy, Mariah."
She smiled. "What else could I want? Good music, a cute guy to dance with, loads of people, lots of friends... it's time for me to move on, Harry."
"I'm glad. So... I'm cute now, huh?"
She grinned. "Oui."
He grimaced. "French. You speak it?"
"Living in France does that to you."
"Ah. Right. I'd forgotten."
"Nice." They danced for another minute.
"Mariah..." They both stopped dancing, standing in the press of bodies. He stooped his head and kissed her.
They both pulled away at the same time. "No. This isn't fair to either of us, Harry," said Mariah. "We don't know WHAT is going on with me. Even with my mother alive, we wouldn't have seen each other after this summer. Now, with her gone, I don't know WHERE I'll be. I don't want to do that to you."
"But what if I want it to be done to me? Mariah..."
"Harry, this is hardly a conversation to be held here, of all places."
"Fine. When we get home, then, we are discussing this."
~*~
Sephie watched as George nodded and said good bye to the girl.
~Uh-oh, Sephie girl, this is a problem.~ She had never thought about this side of their promise to each other before. Was she tying George down, holding him back due to a promise made to her? One that, on his honor, he couldn't go back on?
Damn it.
~*~*~
When they finally went home, the different couples had many things to discuss. So, they went off on their own.
Harry and Mariah headed up to the park.
Draco and Lexi went to go see a movie.
Ginny decided to go up to her room and write a letter to Jeremy.
George and Sephie sat on the porch.
Which left Hermione and Ron in the living room. They were already quite comfortable together, so they sat on the couch and watched Muggle HBO, Hermione hissing the story line to Ron as he watched, mesmerized.
~*~
Harry and Mariah sat down on the bench by the lake, silent for a few minutes. Finally, Harry reached over and took Mariah's hand.
"Mariah...."
"Harry, this is crazy," she murmured, not really meaning it.
"I don't think so."
She didn't answer.
"Mariah, please. I want you to be my girlfriend." She stared at him.
"Harry?!"
"I do. I really do. Mariah, you're... I don't know. We just... fit, you know?"
She did know.
"Mariah, I...." Harry took a deep breath.
"I love you," she murmured to him before he could do it. He stopped, stunned.
"That's.... that's the first time anyone has said that to me," he said in slight wonder. Mariah felt her throat choke up and she threw her arms around him.
"Ok, Harry. I'll be your girlfriend."
~*~
"Lexi?"
"Hmm?"
"You ok? You seem... out of it."
"I'm fine, Draco. I'm thinking... what's going on back home? We're having so much fun..."
She trailed off as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Lex, don't worry. I'm sure everything's fine, or we would have heard by now."
"I wonder...."
"Wonder what, Lexi?"
"How your parents took it when they found out you were gone."
"They probably raged... and my guess would be they'll be at the school September 1st to get me."
"Over my dead body!"
"I hardly think that would be necessary, Alexia Malfoy."
"There you go again. Does it give you some sadistic joy to keep calling me that?"
"Yes," he cackled.
~*~
As Ginny sat down to write her letter to Jeremy, she noticed Aussie sitting on her bed with two letters in her talons. The slanted script was Jeremy's.
Dear Ginny,
It's so weird to write to you... I'm not used to this.
I miss you, you know that?
I would hope you do. Anyway, the picture enclosed is from when you were here. My friend Jeff took it, planning on using it as blackmail... but he admired you so much for beating the crap out of Barry that he decided to give me the pictures instead... He tells me you're a keeper.
I agree with him.
Ginny, I... I want you to be my girlfriend.
God, that's sounds so.... boring.
That's the understatement of the year, though. I REALLY do want to date you. You're just... perfect, I guess...
I know, I know, I can hear you now. 'I'm not perfect, Jeremy....'
I wrote a letter to your mother, too. It's only fair, Gin, that she knows what is going on.
~So that's who the other letter is from... at least it's not a Howler.~
"So... please write back A.S.A.P.
Love,
Jeremy
Dear Ginny,
I received a letter from a boy named Jeremy Walters today. I assume that he is the boy you defended in Australia. He told me the whole story... but also wants permission to date you. I know that he's a lycanthrope, but honestly, darling, that doesn't bother me. I talked to your father, and he's ok with it. So, go ahead, dear!
Love,
Mum.
~*~
Harry awoke on the morning of his birthday to the sound of an owl tapping at his window. He yawned and opened it, seeing the looped script of Albus Dumbledore spelling out Harry in bold green letters on a letter and a package.
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday, my dear boy. You are 16 today... and I think it is time you knew some of the secrets we have been forced to keep from you.
In the package is something that your mother was wearing the day of her death... which was given to her by your father. That was given to him by his mother at her death, to whom it was given to by your grandfather.... etc, etc. Please open it and return to the letter."
Harry turned to the package and ripped it open. He gasped as he took out a gold amulet with a red center stone... it looked almost new, but he could feel the age vibrating off of it. It was VERY old.
" This is the Amulet of Gryffindor. As you may have already guessed from the sword incident in the Chamber of Secrets, you are the Heir of Gryffindor, as your father was before you. The Amulet was created at the same time... the same day, in fact... as the Amulet of Slytherin... the Amulet in Lexi's possession now. They work on the same principle.
This Amulet is very important, Harry... for many reasons. Unfortunately, those reasons can not be disclosed until the proper time. Keep it safe... and don't be afraid to give your heart away.
Trust in the Amulet.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore."