Until My Dying Day
By Roni Black
Chapter Three
The following week passed so slowly. Draco and Hermione couldn't believe how slowly time could flow. They had one week till the Ball... then six days (so long)... and then only five (so slow)...
Harry, on the other hand, felt as if time was slipping away between his fingers. He tried to find time to ask Jessica to go to the Ball with him, but every time he saw her, she looked too busy, or Ron was around, or she was talking to a friend of hers. It reminded him so much of the Yulle Ball, when he tried to ask Cho Chang and she had already agreed to go with Cedric, he couldn't let it happen this time.
Just do it, he told himself three days before the Ball.
He asked Jessica to stay with him at the Quidditch field after one of the team's practices, three days before the Ball. If she was surprised, she didn't show it. She just nodded and waited for the rest of the team to leave. Ron flashed Harry a smile and thumbs-up and left.
"Harry, I just wanted to tell you this," said Jessica as soon as Ron left. She was a five-year, but almost as tall as Harry. She had long, wavy blond hair, freckled face and twinkling green eyes. Her teeth were whiter than any teeth Harry had ever seen in his life. She smiled and her teeth sparkled as she talked: "I wanted to tell you that you're a great captain, you really are. We're sure going to win the match. Slytherin is nothing compared to us, you teach us the best tricks. Thank you."
"Oh," said Harry, feeling quite embarrassed. Jessica, however, wasn't embarrassed at all; she kept standing there, looking at him and smiling.
"Umm... I, I wanted to ask you something," Harry murmured, feeling all the blood in his body going up to his face. "I, umm, kind of wanted to... to ask you... if you..."
Jessica looked at him cheerfully, and this confused Harry even more. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, thinking this was a tougher mission than beating the best Quidditch-team in Britain. He regained his confidence and asked: "Would you like to go to the Ball with me?"
Jessica's green eyes widened and Harry was sure she was about to say no, or at least blush too, but Jessica was much too happy for that. She broke into a huge smile and said: "OF COURSE I would! Thanks, Harry, I've been waiting for you to ask me!"
They went back to the Castle, chatting all the way. Harry couldn't believe how lucky he was. He was going to the Ball with Jessica - could things turn out to be any better than this?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione spent hours getting prepared to the Ball. She put on a special shampoo and she now had soft curls instead of her usual-bushy hair. She spent a long time fixing her hair. She decided to let it down, and filled it with magical silver dots. Then she put on her make-up and wore her beautiful, ocean-blue robe.
When she finished, she was satisfied. She only wished Draco would notice her. She had no doubts now that he liked her. When he asked her out, she felt tingles of excitement.
Was she starting to like Draco Malfoy? Yes. She had no doubt that she was. Furthermore, she wasn't feeling bad about it at all. Every inch of her was feeling young and refreshed, like a bud of a flower awaiting to blossom.
She looked at her watch. It was time to go to the Great Hall. She left the room and began to walk.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After Voldemort had been killed, almost all of his Death-Eaters were killed by the Aurors. Only one of them survived. It was Bellatrix Lestrange.
Bellatrix was an unregistered Animagus, though except Voldemort, nobody, not even her husband, knew that. She was able to turn into a snake - a huge, green-black Anaconda. Unbelieveable, but true. After the Aurors killed her husband, they tried to find her. They knew she had to be somewhere in the area. But Bellatrix, as soon as she realized her master was killed, ran away as a snake. The battle took place in a big cave in the mountains; far below there was a river. Bellatrix the snake left the cave and let herself fall down the mountain, into the river. She knew she could move much faster in the water than on earth.
She ran away. She hid in the old Riddle house. Nobody could find her there.
Nobody.
She lived as a snake. She had to live on large rodents, but from time to time, when she got lucky, she found a miserable pet-dog that was walking around the house. She didn't miss the chance. She ate the dog. She also ate cats, when she had a chance.
She hated this life. Being an Anaconda gave her a feeling of power. But it wasn't the life she had wanted. She was so sure Voldemort would take over the Wizarding world, and the disappointment was eating her from inside.
Bellatrix felt enormous hatred towards the Aurors and towards Harry Potter. But most of all, she hated Draco Malfoy. That bastard, who didn't follow the footsteps of his father. He betrayed his father. He betrayed her, Bellatrix, too. She had always expected him to become a Death-Eater and help them, but he refused. He didn't help them in the final battle. HOW COULD HE? She hated him, oh, how she hated him!
She wanted revenge.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione didn't meet anyone until she reached the entrance of the Great Hall. There she met Ginny and Dean, and they both stared at her with amazement.
Hermione said hello and entered. The Great Hall was still quite empty. There was a big dancing area in the middle. The house-tables were gone. Instead, there was a big table near the stage, and on the table Hermione noticed lots of drinks. Near the walls stood many chairs, apparently for those who didn't want to dance. Hermione also noticed that the stage was hidden behind long, dark-red curtains.
Hermione sat down with Ginny and Seamus, who were still staring at her as if she'd gone ballistic.
"Is there's something wrong?" asked Hermione at last, as she was running out of patience.
"No! Nothing!" said Ginny and Seamus quickly.
Hermione sighed and looked around, in search of Draco. But he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a large group of students began to pour in, accompanied by a few teachers. Harry and Ron entered with Jessica and Lavender. They both froze as they saw Hermione.
Hermione smiled at them, pretending nothing extra-ordinary had happened.
Harry and Ron stepped in slowly, unable to believe their eyes. Jessica and Lavender followed; Jessica looked at Hermione with a smile, but Lavender stared at her as if torn between jealousy and amusement.
As Harry, Ron and their dates sat down, Hermione's attention was turned to trying to find Draco. Where was he? She wondered. She couldn't see him in the large crowd of students that was entering that moment. Nor could she see him in the Hall.
She noticed she wasn't the only one who didn't have a date. Apparently, many students have decided not to come with a date. However, lots of boys stared at Hermione, even some of those who did have dates.
And then a voice was heard, magically increased: "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming here tonight. We will now begin the music, and we want to see you DANCE! Hurry up and find someone to dance with, and LET THE EVENING BEGIN!" cheered the voice.
Hermione's mouth dropped in surprise, because she recognized the voice: it belonged to Lee Jordan, who had graduated school two years before. She searched the Hall with her eyes, but couldn't find him. The voice seemed to be coming from the stage, but since the stage was hidden behind the big, dark curtains, Hermione didn't see Lee.
Before she could think about what Lee was doing there, someone turned the music on, so loudly she almost fell of her chair; and before she could get herself together, a boy came towards her and asked her to dance.
Hermione examined the boy. She knew he was a seventh-year like her and was in Ravenclaw, but she had never talked to him before. "No, thank you," she said apologetically, "I'd rather not dance, I'm quite tired."
The boy looked disappointed and went away.
Hermione wanted to get up and look for Draco, but before she could do that, another boy showed up, asking her to dance with him.
Hermione turned him down politely, got up and searched the Hall for Draco. She couldn't find him.
Where is he? She wondered, becoming more and more annoyed and disappointed. I only came to the Ball for him, and he didn't even bother do show up? Why did he ask whether I was coming or not, if he didn't even mean to come himself?
Wandering around the Hall, she saw Pansy Parkinson dancing with Crabbe. Pansy was dancing very exaggeratedly, waving her hands and stomping her feet. She looked as if she was being attacked by a swarm of bees and was trying to get them all off. Crabbe, on the other hand, was dancing like a rock - as if he'd never done this before.
"Umm... Pansy?" said Hermione cautiously.
Pansy kept on dancing and looked at Hermione. "Yes, Granger?" she cried over the loud music.
"I... umm... I was wondering if you... if you saw Draco Malfoy this evening, by any chance?"
"No, didn't see him," said Pansy and turned to look back at Crabbe.
Hermione sighed and walked away. She sat miserably down on her chair, turning down some more suggestions for a dance on the way. There was no doubt; Draco had tricked her. He made her think he'd wanted her to come. He made her think he'd liked her. But this was all one big trick.
By Roni Black
Chapter Three
The following week passed so slowly. Draco and Hermione couldn't believe how slowly time could flow. They had one week till the Ball... then six days (so long)... and then only five (so slow)...
Harry, on the other hand, felt as if time was slipping away between his fingers. He tried to find time to ask Jessica to go to the Ball with him, but every time he saw her, she looked too busy, or Ron was around, or she was talking to a friend of hers. It reminded him so much of the Yulle Ball, when he tried to ask Cho Chang and she had already agreed to go with Cedric, he couldn't let it happen this time.
Just do it, he told himself three days before the Ball.
He asked Jessica to stay with him at the Quidditch field after one of the team's practices, three days before the Ball. If she was surprised, she didn't show it. She just nodded and waited for the rest of the team to leave. Ron flashed Harry a smile and thumbs-up and left.
"Harry, I just wanted to tell you this," said Jessica as soon as Ron left. She was a five-year, but almost as tall as Harry. She had long, wavy blond hair, freckled face and twinkling green eyes. Her teeth were whiter than any teeth Harry had ever seen in his life. She smiled and her teeth sparkled as she talked: "I wanted to tell you that you're a great captain, you really are. We're sure going to win the match. Slytherin is nothing compared to us, you teach us the best tricks. Thank you."
"Oh," said Harry, feeling quite embarrassed. Jessica, however, wasn't embarrassed at all; she kept standing there, looking at him and smiling.
"Umm... I, I wanted to ask you something," Harry murmured, feeling all the blood in his body going up to his face. "I, umm, kind of wanted to... to ask you... if you..."
Jessica looked at him cheerfully, and this confused Harry even more. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath, thinking this was a tougher mission than beating the best Quidditch-team in Britain. He regained his confidence and asked: "Would you like to go to the Ball with me?"
Jessica's green eyes widened and Harry was sure she was about to say no, or at least blush too, but Jessica was much too happy for that. She broke into a huge smile and said: "OF COURSE I would! Thanks, Harry, I've been waiting for you to ask me!"
They went back to the Castle, chatting all the way. Harry couldn't believe how lucky he was. He was going to the Ball with Jessica - could things turn out to be any better than this?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione spent hours getting prepared to the Ball. She put on a special shampoo and she now had soft curls instead of her usual-bushy hair. She spent a long time fixing her hair. She decided to let it down, and filled it with magical silver dots. Then she put on her make-up and wore her beautiful, ocean-blue robe.
When she finished, she was satisfied. She only wished Draco would notice her. She had no doubts now that he liked her. When he asked her out, she felt tingles of excitement.
Was she starting to like Draco Malfoy? Yes. She had no doubt that she was. Furthermore, she wasn't feeling bad about it at all. Every inch of her was feeling young and refreshed, like a bud of a flower awaiting to blossom.
She looked at her watch. It was time to go to the Great Hall. She left the room and began to walk.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After Voldemort had been killed, almost all of his Death-Eaters were killed by the Aurors. Only one of them survived. It was Bellatrix Lestrange.
Bellatrix was an unregistered Animagus, though except Voldemort, nobody, not even her husband, knew that. She was able to turn into a snake - a huge, green-black Anaconda. Unbelieveable, but true. After the Aurors killed her husband, they tried to find her. They knew she had to be somewhere in the area. But Bellatrix, as soon as she realized her master was killed, ran away as a snake. The battle took place in a big cave in the mountains; far below there was a river. Bellatrix the snake left the cave and let herself fall down the mountain, into the river. She knew she could move much faster in the water than on earth.
She ran away. She hid in the old Riddle house. Nobody could find her there.
Nobody.
She lived as a snake. She had to live on large rodents, but from time to time, when she got lucky, she found a miserable pet-dog that was walking around the house. She didn't miss the chance. She ate the dog. She also ate cats, when she had a chance.
She hated this life. Being an Anaconda gave her a feeling of power. But it wasn't the life she had wanted. She was so sure Voldemort would take over the Wizarding world, and the disappointment was eating her from inside.
Bellatrix felt enormous hatred towards the Aurors and towards Harry Potter. But most of all, she hated Draco Malfoy. That bastard, who didn't follow the footsteps of his father. He betrayed his father. He betrayed her, Bellatrix, too. She had always expected him to become a Death-Eater and help them, but he refused. He didn't help them in the final battle. HOW COULD HE? She hated him, oh, how she hated him!
She wanted revenge.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione didn't meet anyone until she reached the entrance of the Great Hall. There she met Ginny and Dean, and they both stared at her with amazement.
Hermione said hello and entered. The Great Hall was still quite empty. There was a big dancing area in the middle. The house-tables were gone. Instead, there was a big table near the stage, and on the table Hermione noticed lots of drinks. Near the walls stood many chairs, apparently for those who didn't want to dance. Hermione also noticed that the stage was hidden behind long, dark-red curtains.
Hermione sat down with Ginny and Seamus, who were still staring at her as if she'd gone ballistic.
"Is there's something wrong?" asked Hermione at last, as she was running out of patience.
"No! Nothing!" said Ginny and Seamus quickly.
Hermione sighed and looked around, in search of Draco. But he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a large group of students began to pour in, accompanied by a few teachers. Harry and Ron entered with Jessica and Lavender. They both froze as they saw Hermione.
Hermione smiled at them, pretending nothing extra-ordinary had happened.
Harry and Ron stepped in slowly, unable to believe their eyes. Jessica and Lavender followed; Jessica looked at Hermione with a smile, but Lavender stared at her as if torn between jealousy and amusement.
As Harry, Ron and their dates sat down, Hermione's attention was turned to trying to find Draco. Where was he? She wondered. She couldn't see him in the large crowd of students that was entering that moment. Nor could she see him in the Hall.
She noticed she wasn't the only one who didn't have a date. Apparently, many students have decided not to come with a date. However, lots of boys stared at Hermione, even some of those who did have dates.
And then a voice was heard, magically increased: "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming here tonight. We will now begin the music, and we want to see you DANCE! Hurry up and find someone to dance with, and LET THE EVENING BEGIN!" cheered the voice.
Hermione's mouth dropped in surprise, because she recognized the voice: it belonged to Lee Jordan, who had graduated school two years before. She searched the Hall with her eyes, but couldn't find him. The voice seemed to be coming from the stage, but since the stage was hidden behind the big, dark curtains, Hermione didn't see Lee.
Before she could think about what Lee was doing there, someone turned the music on, so loudly she almost fell of her chair; and before she could get herself together, a boy came towards her and asked her to dance.
Hermione examined the boy. She knew he was a seventh-year like her and was in Ravenclaw, but she had never talked to him before. "No, thank you," she said apologetically, "I'd rather not dance, I'm quite tired."
The boy looked disappointed and went away.
Hermione wanted to get up and look for Draco, but before she could do that, another boy showed up, asking her to dance with him.
Hermione turned him down politely, got up and searched the Hall for Draco. She couldn't find him.
Where is he? She wondered, becoming more and more annoyed and disappointed. I only came to the Ball for him, and he didn't even bother do show up? Why did he ask whether I was coming or not, if he didn't even mean to come himself?
Wandering around the Hall, she saw Pansy Parkinson dancing with Crabbe. Pansy was dancing very exaggeratedly, waving her hands and stomping her feet. She looked as if she was being attacked by a swarm of bees and was trying to get them all off. Crabbe, on the other hand, was dancing like a rock - as if he'd never done this before.
"Umm... Pansy?" said Hermione cautiously.
Pansy kept on dancing and looked at Hermione. "Yes, Granger?" she cried over the loud music.
"I... umm... I was wondering if you... if you saw Draco Malfoy this evening, by any chance?"
"No, didn't see him," said Pansy and turned to look back at Crabbe.
Hermione sighed and walked away. She sat miserably down on her chair, turning down some more suggestions for a dance on the way. There was no doubt; Draco had tricked her. He made her think he'd wanted her to come. He made her think he'd liked her. But this was all one big trick.