The Art of Coquetry
By PepsiAngel
Disclaimer: 'The Way You Make Me Feel' is by Michael Jackson and therefore is his, not mine.
Author's Note: I apologize for the wait but have major block. 'Tis hereby dedicated to Hindi Sad Diamonds, or Cinnamon, because July 25th is her birthday. Hope you had a fabulous day.
Chapter 4: Hey, Pretty Baby . . .
Ginny waited impatiently in the corridor outside the Great Hall, where lunch had just ended and a steady stream of students were now making their way out of. She didn't have to stand idly for long, as the very person she was seeking came striding out the great oak door in mere minutes.
"Hello there," she said cheerfully with a jaunty wave. Parvati Patil, who was walking side by side with Lavender Brown, fixed her with a piercing glare and attempted to march past her.
Ginny spread her feet apart, blocking the path. "I've been wanting to talk to you for ages, Parvati," she said with a giant grin still plastered on her face. She had decided it would be best if she left her pride at the table where she had eaten for she knew that her apology might involve humiliation.
Parvati, after attempting to get past her, accepted her fate and simply rolled her eyes. She muttered something to Lavender, who appeared extremely curious as to what they had to say to each other, and the other girl walked away, glancing back at them several times.
"What do you want," she inquired coolly as she fixed a surprisingly intimidating glare on Ginny.
The fierce stare confirmed that it would be difficult to persuade her. Deciding it was best not to beat around the bush, Ginny dropped to her knees and gazed up at Parvati with faux tears sparkling clearly in her eyes.
She was silently thankful for her natural acting abilities.
"Oh, I know I was terrible to you! I feel awful about what I did, using you in such a thoughtless way. You have to forgive me though, or I don't know what I will do."
Parvati raised one of her thin, dark eyebrows but it was clear that her resolve was melting away swiftly. "I don't know. You really compromised my morals and then were not even remotely grateful," she pointed out.
"I got on my knees and begged," she snapped. "What more do you want? I suppose I could lick your shoes." Immediately, the tears disappeared and only annoyance remained.
"Honestly, there's no need, I forgive you," was the reply. "What do you want now?"
"I resent your assumption."
Parvati merely raised her eyebrow once more.
With a reluctant sigh, she admitted that she did need help again. "I have another plan, but this one absolutely cannot fail. Even if it does, it is the last idea I have."
Her fellow Gryffindor looked less than thrilled at the mention of yet another deceitful scheme that seemed destined to fail. However, Ginny quickly hooked arms with her and suggested they take a walk while she explained what she had in mind. Hesitantly, Parvati agreed and the two headed for the doors that led outside.
"It would really help if you were to think of the whole thing as a fashion show. You're just going to be modeling the dress," were the last words that could be heard before the door closed behind them.
*
Two hours later, the common room of Gryffindor tower was filled with students who were enjoying their Saturday the best they could, considering the light drizzle that had recently begun falling outside the windows and was the reason they were being kept inside.
Harry was lazily playing chess with Ron Weasley when Ginny skipped over. They both stared at her suspiciously. She was acting the same way she had when she was talking to Parvati: much too jovial to be sincere.
Ron, however, quickly went back to the game at hand as Harry continued to watch her. "Hey you," she greeted him. She poked him gently with her elbow before turning toward the portrait hole expectantly.
At that moment, a long leg stretched through the portrait hole. Every pair of eyes in the common room seemed to be fixed on the leg. As the person slowly stepped out of the shadows and into the light, everyone gasped.
Parvati Patil stood there in an extremely short dress, so much thigh exposed it made the boys' eyes widen. The sparkling crimson material stood out nicely against her light brown skin and, simultaneously, everybody in the room dragged their eyes down the length of her body (which, in Ginny's opinion, was freakishly perfect) and settled upon her feet. She was wearing a pair of deep red shoes with a heel so pointed and tall it was some sort of safety hazard.
With her hands placed firmly upon her waist she began to sway her hips to a beat only she could hear. She raised a microphone to her lips (which were painted cherry) and became to croon, "Hey pretty baby with the high heels on, you give me fever like I've never, ever known!"
Ginny smirked proudly as she eyed Harry. He was watching the spectacle and he looked as utterly shocked as the other Gryffindors. Yet, she could not judge whether he was enjoying it or not.
Parvati slowly moved toward the couch they were sitting on began dancing in front of Harry. She was enjoying the attention, which was clear from the smile on her face as she continued to sing. "You're just a product of loveliness. I like the groove of your walk, your talk, your dress."
She glanced at Ginny rather uncertainly and she mouthed, "Sell it."
And, oh, Parvati sold it. In fact, there might have been a bit too much selling going on for Ginny's liking. She watched, calmly, as the other girl boogied by her boyfriend but she drew the line when she slowly trailed her finger down his jaw line.
"I feel your fever from miles around. I'll pick you up in my car and we'll paint the town!"
She thrust her now infamous leg on the table, knocking over the chessboard the two boys had stopped in the middle of. Ron let out a strangled noise as he eyed the board wistfully but promptly snapped his attention back to Parvati, who now practically had Harry straddled. "Just kiss me baby and tell me twice that you're the one for me!"
Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, who sat just across from the couch, eyed Harry in great envy. He, however, looked more terrified than anything else.
Despite Harry's apparent anxiety, Ginny couldn't help but feel horribly jealous. She flipped her ginger hair over her shoulder enthusiastically enough that they caught Parvati's eye. Seeing the signal to leave, she strutted away humming softly into the mysterious microphone ("The way you make me feel, you really turn me on."). Exiting in a painstakingly slow fashion she finally closed the portrait hole behind her with one lass wag of her manicured fingers.
Everyone was whispering among themselves and, spying Hermione hurrying over with a vexed expression on her face, Ginny quickly seized Harry's arm and dragged him away, much to the distress of their friend who called after them worriedly.
"Gin, I don't know what that was all about," he exclaimed. "But you know, Parvati was, er, flirting with me the other day in the common room."
He looked extremely uncomfortable and she felt a twinge of regret for all she had put him through. "I honestly didn't know she would pull something like that, though."
She just shook her head, "I know you didn't. I did though."
As they exited the common room she saw astonishment flash across his face. Leading him down the empty corridor she continued, with a sigh. "We need to talk."
*
A/N 2: I viciously destroyed Parvati and I feel genuinely bad. But somebody had to do it and she seemed as likely candidate as any. I realize it was way over-the-top but it was supposed to be.