A/N: This is going up before it's supposed to, but you know, I just had to
write it, cuz I have this big freakish obsession with balls! They're just
sooooo cute, with the nice little minuets and waltzes! I don't suppose
anyone reading this would play the piano?
Semi-explanation: Almack's is a place (like you couldn't have guessed that), but all of you people who are regency experts, tell me if I spelt that wrong. It's that one place they go and dance...and uh...crowd around.
Disclaimers: *ahem* ... I have nothing to say. NOTHING, I TELL YOU! Don't stare at me like that! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! You're glaring!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!? *ahem* Okay, fine, I admit, I uh...I'm not human? ARGH! I don't own any of these characters, okay? Except for that one duchess...forgot her name...the aunt.
***
Glimpse of Your Future Husband
***
Chapter 7: They Meet Again
At the present moment, Mr. Harry Potter, Earl of Gaveston, was not what we would call a happy man. In fact, he was far from in. He was grumpy, mad, and drunk. Nothing had been going right that day, and had he the choice, he would have shot himself in the head. Well, actually, it did seem a rather tempting idea...
"No," he thought to himself, "I will not let that old woman get to me. She will die ugly, I'm quite sure of that. I just wished that she hadn't barged into my club before it happened. Why must I be related to such weird people? As if my cousin wasn't enough!"
What happened was very simple, and quite all his own fault. You see, after coming back to town, he had gone about spreading rumors of just how horrible a lady the un-ladylike Miss Granger was. However, on this terrible day, when he was just through with telling everyone at the club his version of the meeting, his dear old aunt came and whacked him with her purse. Had this been a regular old lady, that would have been considered -most- inappropriate, but as the person in question is the Dowager Duchess of Heodawing, no eye brows were raised.
***
Flashback
***
"You-you imbecile! She is -not-, I repeat, NOT a scullery maid. She is a beautiful young lady whose reputation is being tarnished by you. Would a gentleman do such a thing?"
"Oh really, aunt, what have you in that purse? I swear I shall get a concussion from that hit!"
"Well, you deserved it!"
"I most certainly did not! I was simply warning these good men not to fall into the silly lady's traps, for she most certainly is a scullery maid, and are you mad? She is NOT beautiful!"
"Why, I just saw her this morning, and I tell you, she is an angel."
"I saw her last week, and I can tell you that she was not an angel back then. Unless there is some incredible weight-losing program that allows one to lose 300 pounds in a week, I do believe your story!"
At this, the gentleman gasped. No matter what the situation, one should most definitely not tell a lady that she isn't trusted. It just isn't done. For this, Harry had the grace to blush slightly.
"Very well, I take that back, my dear aunt. But I tell you this, you and I are not talking of the same girl."
The old lady huffed indignantly.
"Are you saying that I am wrong?"
"No! I am simply stating that we are not looking at the same girl. You probably mistook someone else for her."
"I saw her mother along with her, dear boy, so there cannot be any mistake!"
"And you sat down and talked to them?"
"Yes, I was formally calling on them! How dare you say such a thing to me, boy!"
Harry paled considerably at this. Who would the majority believe, him or her?
***
End of Flashback
*** "Gaveston, let's face it. They ain't going to believe you over her. That old spinster's got a reputation for gossiping, and if she isn't even gossiping about this, you know it's not true."
"Why, aren't you comforting?"
Harry sighed as he took another sip of his wine. He was over drinking again, he knew that, but it just tasted so good! Besides, it really was getting stressful, with the people all looking at him as if he were a liar.
"But I'm not," he thought. "How can I prove to them that I'm not?"
"Why, I've an idea!" his friend shouted.
Harry raised a brow.
"And that ingenious idea would be...?"
"Well, I hear there's a party at Almack's tonight-"
"And when is there not?"
"Oh, quiet, you. Anyhow, I say we go attend this party of theirs, and when they see that Miss Granger isn't at all the angel your aunt described her to be, you'll be there to be in favor again."
"I don't think that helps me any. If she really isn't beautiful, I'll be in favor whether I go or not. Besides, how do we even know she's going? You just want to dance, don't you?"
"Well..."
"Very well, we shall go. We shall show Miss Granger, if she is there, that I, Earl of Gaveston, have absolutely no intention of marrying her!"
And with a determined look, Harry set his wine glass down. He was not going to be drunk tonight. However, unable to deny his temptation, he picked the glass up again and took another few sips.
***
"But...but Mama, I almost got ran over by a wagon and you're having me go to a party?"
Miss Granger was also far from happy today. It had been quite straining for her as well. For one thing, she was homesick. Besides that, she discovers she is being stalked, and afterwards she is almost run over by a wagon. Of course, the wagon driver WOULD tell her that he was driving so slow he would have made a complete stop before hitting her, and her mother WOULD tell her that the person who stalked her (and tried to save her from being run over) is really a duke AND the cousin of her fiancé. Oh, why must everything have a connection?
"Really, Hermione, you said you were all right, and I have seen for myself that you are! Besides, who are we to deny Ginny the happiness of going to her first ball?"
Ginny put on a most pitiful look and sniffled delicately, all the while staring imploringly at Hermione.
"Oh please, 'Mione, we simply must go! Why, we need to make our come outs, and what better place to do so than at Almack's?"
"Ginny, are you truly my friend? I would loathe to go tonight!"
Ginny looked horrified at this.
"But 'Mione, we were INVITED, and one cannot just...just not go!"
"I most certainly can, and I will!"
"Oh please, do think of me. We must go, dear 'Mione, we must!"
Hermione sighed. Why must everyone be against her? Even her mother was looking at her pleadingly. This was so horrid.
"Can I bring Sevi, mother?"
"I-no."
"Very well, we shall not go."
"Oh fine, bring Sevi!"
"Thank you, Mama!"
And the trio dressed to prepare.
***
"Should I go? Or should I not go?"
Meanwhile, a certain Duke was also giving himself a debating talk. However, as no one close to him was home, he had his with the mirror. Most unfortunately, the mirror could not talk back.
"Well, you silly thing? Answer me!"
Silence reigned.
"Very well. I shall not go. It is simply too embarrassing to go after I've refused so many invitations before."
The silence continued.
"You want me to go, don't you?"
There was no answer. Draco sighed.
"Very well, I shall go. Besides, I'm interested in seeing her reaction. Rescuing her was quite fun!"
And he also went to prepare, though perhaps not as elaborately. (No dresses, of course, but the necktie was hard to work right.)
***
"She's here, Gaveston!"
Harry looked up from his hand of cards and gulped.
"What does she look like?"
His friend gave a sigh and blushed.
"She's pretty."
"I hate you. You must be blind. Let's go meet her!"
And with much anger, the Earl of Gaveston threw his cards on the table and stomped out of the card room, much prepared to meet the ugly and fat scullery maid.
"It's her, there! The one in the blue gown!"
He shrugged. Okay, so from a distance, she did look thinner, and perhaps much more in proportion, but that didn't mean anything. And so, softly, he made his way to the lady and grabbed her unsuspecting hand.
"Harry Potter, at your service," he said in a soft voice as he kissed the hand he held.
After which, he finally dared himself to look up and was quite shocked to find that he may have been charmed. ***
End of Chapter Seven
***
A/N: Oooooo, it's finished! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I was going to have Allison advertise for me, but I decided that it would be good to post it now. *sigh* If I don't get 10 reviews, I refuse to write the next chapter. What does that tell you? REVIEW! Good little girls and boys!
Thank you for all those who reviews for my previous chapters! I'm sorry that I'm just too lazy to get on the internet right now, so I'll just thank you in general. If I get time, I'll thank you personally in the next chapter. But remember, 10 reviews!
Semi-explanation: Almack's is a place (like you couldn't have guessed that), but all of you people who are regency experts, tell me if I spelt that wrong. It's that one place they go and dance...and uh...crowd around.
Disclaimers: *ahem* ... I have nothing to say. NOTHING, I TELL YOU! Don't stare at me like that! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! You're glaring!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!? *ahem* Okay, fine, I admit, I uh...I'm not human? ARGH! I don't own any of these characters, okay? Except for that one duchess...forgot her name...the aunt.
***
Glimpse of Your Future Husband
***
Chapter 7: They Meet Again
At the present moment, Mr. Harry Potter, Earl of Gaveston, was not what we would call a happy man. In fact, he was far from in. He was grumpy, mad, and drunk. Nothing had been going right that day, and had he the choice, he would have shot himself in the head. Well, actually, it did seem a rather tempting idea...
"No," he thought to himself, "I will not let that old woman get to me. She will die ugly, I'm quite sure of that. I just wished that she hadn't barged into my club before it happened. Why must I be related to such weird people? As if my cousin wasn't enough!"
What happened was very simple, and quite all his own fault. You see, after coming back to town, he had gone about spreading rumors of just how horrible a lady the un-ladylike Miss Granger was. However, on this terrible day, when he was just through with telling everyone at the club his version of the meeting, his dear old aunt came and whacked him with her purse. Had this been a regular old lady, that would have been considered -most- inappropriate, but as the person in question is the Dowager Duchess of Heodawing, no eye brows were raised.
***
Flashback
***
"You-you imbecile! She is -not-, I repeat, NOT a scullery maid. She is a beautiful young lady whose reputation is being tarnished by you. Would a gentleman do such a thing?"
"Oh really, aunt, what have you in that purse? I swear I shall get a concussion from that hit!"
"Well, you deserved it!"
"I most certainly did not! I was simply warning these good men not to fall into the silly lady's traps, for she most certainly is a scullery maid, and are you mad? She is NOT beautiful!"
"Why, I just saw her this morning, and I tell you, she is an angel."
"I saw her last week, and I can tell you that she was not an angel back then. Unless there is some incredible weight-losing program that allows one to lose 300 pounds in a week, I do believe your story!"
At this, the gentleman gasped. No matter what the situation, one should most definitely not tell a lady that she isn't trusted. It just isn't done. For this, Harry had the grace to blush slightly.
"Very well, I take that back, my dear aunt. But I tell you this, you and I are not talking of the same girl."
The old lady huffed indignantly.
"Are you saying that I am wrong?"
"No! I am simply stating that we are not looking at the same girl. You probably mistook someone else for her."
"I saw her mother along with her, dear boy, so there cannot be any mistake!"
"And you sat down and talked to them?"
"Yes, I was formally calling on them! How dare you say such a thing to me, boy!"
Harry paled considerably at this. Who would the majority believe, him or her?
***
End of Flashback
*** "Gaveston, let's face it. They ain't going to believe you over her. That old spinster's got a reputation for gossiping, and if she isn't even gossiping about this, you know it's not true."
"Why, aren't you comforting?"
Harry sighed as he took another sip of his wine. He was over drinking again, he knew that, but it just tasted so good! Besides, it really was getting stressful, with the people all looking at him as if he were a liar.
"But I'm not," he thought. "How can I prove to them that I'm not?"
"Why, I've an idea!" his friend shouted.
Harry raised a brow.
"And that ingenious idea would be...?"
"Well, I hear there's a party at Almack's tonight-"
"And when is there not?"
"Oh, quiet, you. Anyhow, I say we go attend this party of theirs, and when they see that Miss Granger isn't at all the angel your aunt described her to be, you'll be there to be in favor again."
"I don't think that helps me any. If she really isn't beautiful, I'll be in favor whether I go or not. Besides, how do we even know she's going? You just want to dance, don't you?"
"Well..."
"Very well, we shall go. We shall show Miss Granger, if she is there, that I, Earl of Gaveston, have absolutely no intention of marrying her!"
And with a determined look, Harry set his wine glass down. He was not going to be drunk tonight. However, unable to deny his temptation, he picked the glass up again and took another few sips.
***
"But...but Mama, I almost got ran over by a wagon and you're having me go to a party?"
Miss Granger was also far from happy today. It had been quite straining for her as well. For one thing, she was homesick. Besides that, she discovers she is being stalked, and afterwards she is almost run over by a wagon. Of course, the wagon driver WOULD tell her that he was driving so slow he would have made a complete stop before hitting her, and her mother WOULD tell her that the person who stalked her (and tried to save her from being run over) is really a duke AND the cousin of her fiancé. Oh, why must everything have a connection?
"Really, Hermione, you said you were all right, and I have seen for myself that you are! Besides, who are we to deny Ginny the happiness of going to her first ball?"
Ginny put on a most pitiful look and sniffled delicately, all the while staring imploringly at Hermione.
"Oh please, 'Mione, we simply must go! Why, we need to make our come outs, and what better place to do so than at Almack's?"
"Ginny, are you truly my friend? I would loathe to go tonight!"
Ginny looked horrified at this.
"But 'Mione, we were INVITED, and one cannot just...just not go!"
"I most certainly can, and I will!"
"Oh please, do think of me. We must go, dear 'Mione, we must!"
Hermione sighed. Why must everyone be against her? Even her mother was looking at her pleadingly. This was so horrid.
"Can I bring Sevi, mother?"
"I-no."
"Very well, we shall not go."
"Oh fine, bring Sevi!"
"Thank you, Mama!"
And the trio dressed to prepare.
***
"Should I go? Or should I not go?"
Meanwhile, a certain Duke was also giving himself a debating talk. However, as no one close to him was home, he had his with the mirror. Most unfortunately, the mirror could not talk back.
"Well, you silly thing? Answer me!"
Silence reigned.
"Very well. I shall not go. It is simply too embarrassing to go after I've refused so many invitations before."
The silence continued.
"You want me to go, don't you?"
There was no answer. Draco sighed.
"Very well, I shall go. Besides, I'm interested in seeing her reaction. Rescuing her was quite fun!"
And he also went to prepare, though perhaps not as elaborately. (No dresses, of course, but the necktie was hard to work right.)
***
"She's here, Gaveston!"
Harry looked up from his hand of cards and gulped.
"What does she look like?"
His friend gave a sigh and blushed.
"She's pretty."
"I hate you. You must be blind. Let's go meet her!"
And with much anger, the Earl of Gaveston threw his cards on the table and stomped out of the card room, much prepared to meet the ugly and fat scullery maid.
"It's her, there! The one in the blue gown!"
He shrugged. Okay, so from a distance, she did look thinner, and perhaps much more in proportion, but that didn't mean anything. And so, softly, he made his way to the lady and grabbed her unsuspecting hand.
"Harry Potter, at your service," he said in a soft voice as he kissed the hand he held.
After which, he finally dared himself to look up and was quite shocked to find that he may have been charmed. ***
End of Chapter Seven
***
A/N: Oooooo, it's finished! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I was going to have Allison advertise for me, but I decided that it would be good to post it now. *sigh* If I don't get 10 reviews, I refuse to write the next chapter. What does that tell you? REVIEW! Good little girls and boys!
Thank you for all those who reviews for my previous chapters! I'm sorry that I'm just too lazy to get on the internet right now, so I'll just thank you in general. If I get time, I'll thank you personally in the next chapter. But remember, 10 reviews!
