A/N: You know what? I am temporarily incapable of writing sad, awkward, whatever, feelings. No, really. I'm not kidding. I'm reading too many of those fics where Harry gets all beaten up and whatever. (I know it doesn't have anything to do with awkward feelings, but, like I said, WHATEVER.) I'm sorta addicted to them stories. I know that all those incapabilities are ruining my story, but hey, I'll leave that to your imagination, how 'bout that, huh? You don't like it? Then there is only one thing left; stop rambling and try harder. Gah! If it was only that simple. I'd rather take classes for bungee jumping than write sad feelings right now.

This is my longest author's note yet. If I write bigger A/Ns, the chapter'll look bigger… hmm…

Harry's Costume.

~*~

      She scanned the place for any sign of Harry, when suddenly, the crowd hushed and all heads turned to the direction to the doorway leading to the Entrance Hall. 'Oh my God,' Hermione murmured. The crowd silently parted and let Harry pass and he asked her, 'like my costume?'

*

   Harry was wearing a knight's armour, complete with the cape. And a horse to boot. It looked s… good on him. The horse was black. It reminded Hermione of a book she had read, "Black Beauty". 'Hunh?,' was all she could manage, again.

   'Come on up,' Harry said, holding out his hand to help her. All eyes were on Hermione, who scrambled up shakily in front of Harry, both legs on one side.

   She just sat there, swinging her legs and thinking. She saw Jessica and waved at her, thinking for the hundredth time how much she looked like her. She stared at her hair, so smooth and silky while Harry's being like a jungle on a wet day. Maybe he should try Livon Silky Potion. A muggle thing. She pushed that out of her mind.

    Anything else? Ah, yes, Harry. Her future… ahem… husband. Hermione blushed a deep red and tried to inch away from him. But there was no space and she almost fell off. 'Careful,' Harry muttered and when Hermione looked at him, their foreheads touched and they both blushed and Harry moved back a little. He seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

   'You want a drink?' Harry asked. Then he realised that was what she was doing when he entered. Logic. He cursed inwardly. Hermione's mouth twitched a little, but all she said was 'no thanks.'

   They wandered around a little, and talked to some people. They didn't talk all that much themselves. At last, Harry asked Hermione if she wanted to dance. She said yes and Harry gave the horse for Dean to hold. 'Is that really your horse?' Hermione asked, while they twirled around. 'Actually, no. I rented it.' 'Oh.' She looked away. This was their longest conversation yet.

   As they danced, Harry noticed Jess was waving at him. He smiled and she gave him a thumbs-up. He blushed. They were both dancing awkwardly, neither knowing how to dance, just revolving on the spot or trying to copy other couples clumsily.

   As soon as the song was over, they both let go of each other quickly. 'Excuse me, I'll be back in a minute,' said Hermione, and rushed off. Harry came over to Jess. He sat down and saw Draco. He was at the drink stand, talking to Professor Snape, who was in his usual black robes. Draco looked over at him and half-smiled, and continued talking to Snape.

   Harry sighed. What a moron.

   He wanted Ron back. He missed him, but was waiting for his ex-best friend to make the first move at apologizing. This time he had gone too far… insulting him about his parents was so low down. Maybe he was releasing all the anger he had been holding in… like Harry was famous, rich… even his brothers, Fred and George, had given Harry the Marauders Map, instead of their own brother. He became the first first-year to be on the Quidditch team for over a century. This time, Harry even managed to "take" Hermione before him, the girl he fancied.

   He put his head on his hands and let out another shuddering sigh. Everything was happening so fast. Too fast for his liking. He felt so cold… especially on his neck… 'What the…?!' Jess was pouring ice cold water on him, laughing loudly. Harry jumped up, and grabbed his neck, rubbing it hard to bring the warmth back.

   'Why you little…' 'Devil?' offered Dean. Harry just shook his head and picked up an apple pie lying oh-so-conveniently near the table he was sitting. He threw it at Jessica, who ducked it. And it went flying over her and hit… none other than Professor Snape himself.

   He didn't say anything, just picked up a large cake, and, red as a tomato with fury, threw it at Harry. It hit him smack on the face. Someone cried out 'food fight!' and soon the Great Hall was filled with flying food, and all the teachers were trying to calm them down, except Snape.

   The fight had barely lasted five minutes when Ron entered. The whole school fell silent. Everyone knew about the fight he and Harry had; it was the latest gossip. Some had even gone so far that people thought Ron had killed Harry's parents.

   Ron's eyes were bloodshot; it looked as though he had been crying. He was still in his school robes. They all looked at Harry, who was surprisingly calm.

   He slowly searched the table, and his eyes landed on a plate of fried chicken. Again he slowly walked around the table, his armour clanging noisily, taking his own sweet time as everyone was watching him. No one moved. Not even the teachers. They were all watching Harry curiously.

   He stopped, and took a ladle from beside a bowl. He scooped something and put it on the plate. He then turned and faced Ron. He had worn the worst frown the school had ever seen. His eyes were flashing, and his left fist was clenched. No Hermione to catch his arm and say, "Harry!" now.

   He had put lots of gravy on the chicken. He took careful aim with one eye closed, and threw it at Ron.

   Everything seemed to go in slow-motion when the chicken flew towards Ron, who didn't do anything to move out of the way. He was too surprised with the thought that Harry had the gall to throw food at him.

   It hit him on the face, gravy and all.

   'Fifty points if you get him in the head.' stated Harry. 'Not that it'll not be too hard; his head is so large you can't miss it even if you want to.'

   Ron looked absolutely furious. This seemed to jolt Harry out of his trance-like state. Inwardly, Harry cringed. How could he let his anger take him over like that? Now there was no way Ron was coming back to him… but he hoped anyway that Ron would forgive him. It was highly impossible. He stared at him with furious eyes anyway. He shouldn't be moping around, Ron was the one who had offended him big time.

   That didn't stop him from feeling guilty anyway. Thinking quickly, he ran behind Ron, who had turned on his heels and was striding away.

   'Ron! Stop! I'm sorry! I didn't mean that, it just happened—' he was cut off by Ron, who whirled around to face him. 'It just happened that the minute you saw me, you throw anything at me? Am I so stupid that I'll fall for that? Geez, here I was, feeling guilty and all, hurting my best friend, even if he stole Hermione from me, and coming to apologize to him, and he embarrasses me in front of the whole school! Wow! What a great friend I've got!' Ron yelled, his spit flying everywhere. One hand was behind his back.

   'I'm sorry Ron, just listen to me, I'm sorry, okay? I was feeling so angry back there when I saw you. You had hurt me so much in the dorm, Ron. You don't know how much. Please, try to understand me.' Ron still looked angry. 'Please?' 'All right. Just because I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life.' Said Ron with a forced smile on his face. Harry was surprised. He didn't know that it would have been this easy. But who was he to complain?

   'I forgive you, my friend,' was the last thing Harry heard when a pie was splattered on his face.

   'Hey! Ron, what the h–?' 'Sorry, had to get that out of my system,' interrupted Ron. 'Oh… kay…'

   The crowd had returned to its usual state, and most of them were watching Dean, who was dressed up as Rowena Ravenclaw, and performing tricks on Harry's horse. He was looking very funny, indeed. The crowd was roaring.

   Hermione had returned from wherever she had gone. She looked around for Harry, but in vain. She tried asking Jess or Malfoy. Jess couldn't hear her, and Malfoy said, 'Maybe you should ask Weasley…' and laughed. He didn't elaborate, though.

   It was getting late, and still Harry was nowhere to be seen. Hermione sighed. No use searching for him now. He might be in bed. The ball was coming to an end. The candlelights dimmed. Jess came up to her. 'Herms, I'm sleepy,' she muttered. Hermione noticed that she didn't call her "mum" or something.

   In the dim lights, made like that so that the students would "scram" as was Dumbledore's word-of-the-day, Hermione notices that Jess looked unnaturally thin. 'All right, come with me now,' said Hermione. She took Jess's arm and started to walk towards the Gryffindor tower, when Jess fell asleep. Hermione sighed, and lifted her in her arms. She was surprisingly light weighted for her age.

   As Hermione undressed Jess so that she could put her night dress on back in the dorm, she noticed something else which made her recoil in repulsion.

   Jess's chest and stomach was covered with scratches, cuts and scars of all kinds you could imagine. And there were old wounds reopened which were oozing slowly with blood, as if tired of bleeding so much.

   In fact, Jess was not asleep, but was unconscious. Hermione just stared.

*

A/N: Right. And thanks to:

coolone007~ You're right. Don't trust Malfoy. And there is a reason Jess wore a red devil costume… next chappy, sry. Or you can of course figure it out.

Malfoyzbabe~ Yeah, poor Ronny, I'll make the situation better for him, wait.

Gwen of wicked-women~ Nastiest (or highest?) cliffy I ever wrote, eh? He he.

Harry and Hermione's Daughter~ Hey, how come I didn't know about Jess's sister? Anyway, hope the costume isn't disappointing.

Nabeeha~ Easy… catch your breath now… that's it. Now you know.

E. C. R. Potter~  Actually, I didn't know how to portray all that awkwardness and all, so I took that easy route and just skipped it, you noticed? Thanks for pointed it out anyway, and I'll try even harder.

And Harry was in no mood for doing good thing, bad thing, and anyway, this friendship with Malfoy isn't going to last anyway. Ron… he'll be friends with Harry again. I don't think he hates Harry at all. Thanks for the review!

SSJ Girl~ Evil is my name… and creating cliffie is my game… *winces* What a cliché, sorry. Thanks!

Crazedfan~ I will! And cliffies are the way to get everyone to review, is it not?

 ~ Don't worry, I'm not giving up.

Natalia~ *Gasp!!!* Cliffies are my life! How can ya say that? He he. By the way, Malfoy hair would've matched his costume if he was wearing a rabbit costume. *solemnly* Jess has got bigger problems than a hurt toe.

Leona~ Thanks!

milkyway~ Let's say Jess didn't have the time to be kiddish in the orphanage…

But Ron can't help the fact that he likes Herms, can he now? And Harry… he's just a pile of nerves. He can change the future, innit?

littlestar~ Thanks!

freelancer~ Sorry, I know it must be inconvenient, but I was in a hurry to post that's all. Thanks for the review!

mystic aura~ He he he…

hellokittyjb~ Thanks!

kat~ I'm baaaaack! Beware of cliffies…

???~ Nice to know that after that *small* flame I got. Thanks!

Blazing Magnolia~ I am cruel and I torture! He he.

fish~ Thanks for the reviews! And thanks for pointing out those spelling mistakes. Helps, you know.

hermione47~ Here's the chapter!

Aileen~ I did now, didn't I?

maia franchesca~ Thanks for the review! And don't worry, even I don't see the ending.

ER~ Aw, come on… I can speak to you thru them, no?

zvcn… can't follow… shb~ Here it is

taja ellen~ Thanks!!! Really! I needed that. The way you shut "i'm so sure" up! Quoting you, (and Ron) BLOODY BRILLIANT!

coolone007~ See, I updated, then keep reviewing! Thanks

purple~ no… lavender.

Flame-the-Phoenix~ Thanks, and again, I hope the costume isn't disappointing.

sirius888~ Thanks. And this is a long story. I'll go on… and on…

Crazedfan~ HERE'S THE FREAKIN' CHAPTER I PROMISE, ALL RIGHT? He he.

lissa~ Thanks. Yeah, I wansta know too.

Cecilia Orechio~ Let's not talk about that person. Yah, and I'll try to improve those dialogues…

Ah, and this Jess thing… she used to be in an orphanage where she had no time to be a normal five-year-old…

Setsuna_Rules~ I am writing more! Thanky!

Achika~ Me want Magic type writer too! He he he he!

chris~ Thanks. Sorry it took so long.

Chantale~ How many people bring live props to a costume party? He he he.

Ari Powwel~ lmao, too! LIVE PROP!!!

Szmwise8989~ I wasn't aware I could smell my story.

Sailor Chibi Jupiter~ Thanks for waiting!

Microphone~ Now, now, don't cry! I'm making them make it up to each other. Malfoy and Harry are now neutral. Really.

A CURSE!!! BY GEORGE, YOU'RE RIGHT!!!

Nm longer, now.

aPPle-FrrEAk~ HEY!!! Can you give me the urls of the stories? You know, the other people who tried to copy me? I'd like to read! And thanks for the review!

Mr. Pokey~ Now, now, you think it's that good? Thanks!!!

SonnysAngel~ Now, if not sooner!

Ameri~ A woman?! Now why didn't I think of that?

Goofy~ I did. Thanks

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, I'm so sad for Jess, but there has to be a twist in the story, no?