Chapter 2
Hermione Harry and Ron had sent owls to everyone left at school (not the teachers, obviously) and they were all going to meet on the Astronomy Tower which seemed appropriate because no teacher ever went up there. They were too afraid to see things that need not be seen by their eyes. Hermione had decorated the largest stone-encrusted room with a nice Gryffindorish rug and several couches.
Ron had set up a long table, which held all of the beer as well as some pumpkin juice (ala Harry, he'd stolen it from the kitchens) and a little bit of food. It was mostly fruit as Dobby wanted Harry to eat healthy and Harry had told Dobby that he needed food for a little study group that evening. Bananas, apples, oranges and grapes sat on a large plate and an odd looking orange muffin sat beside the plate. Harry wasn't sure what the muffin was, but was way too polite to refuse it. Ron suspected it was a 'special muffin' as some brownies are 'special brownies.' Harry and Hermione tutted at this, saying Dobby would never put any illegal drug into something served at Hogwarts.
A large fireplace stood at one end of the room and it was crackling merrily and illuminating the room with warm light and casting shadows against the walls. Hermione rigged up some floating candles, like in the Great Hall, and luckily they were spelled to not drip wax as Ron had already screamed he'd been hit with a ball of hot wax. "It's impossible, Ron, stop being a baby." Hermione had said.
It promised to be a very lovely party, indeed. Seamus was first to arrive and the only party favour he received was the non-slurring spell from a bored Hermione. She was sitting at the end of one of the couches, reading a book and glancing up every so often at the boys.
Ginny, Chayla, and Lavender came in together, glancing around and awing at the décor before taking cups of beer that Ron offered them. Chayla didn't take the drink. He was hesitant to include Ginny but was afraid not to. So he'd told her that she was not allowed to drink very much as their mum would kill him.
"Actually," said Hermione suddenly, startling Ginny who was sitting quietly beside her watching Lavender and Seamus dance to no music. "I can put a spell on Ginny so she doesn't get drunk."
Ginny raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I'm too interested in that. What is the point of this party, if not to get completely pissed?"
"Be with friends," answered Chayla quickly. "And I'm not getting drunk." She stuck her nose in the air.
"I would hope you'd change your mind...I bet you're more tolerable and more fun when you're unquestionably pissed, Foyen," Draco strutted into the room, nodding very slightly to Harry who nodded back.
Draco hadn't changed much over the years, but he had learned to stop calling Hermione names and stopped egging them on. They were hardly friends, the four of them, but they got along if needed.
Neville was last to arrive, and he was obviously ready to put on some sort of pimping show. Either that or he felt he had dressed for the occasion. He was wearing rather loud striped trousers complete with suspenders and over that he wore a button-up lumberjack type plaid shirt.
"Were you rummaging through a pimp's clothes hamper, Longbottom?" Draco asked, seating himself across from Hermione with a large cup of beer.
Neville glanced nervously down at his attire, "No. I just felt like wearing something different. And I wouldn't say you looked so amazing either."
"I should hope not. I don't swing that way. And certainly not for you." Draco sneered. "At least I have some taste." Indeed, Draco seemed to have SOME taste. He wore faded, loose fitted blue jeans and a taught black T-shirt which said 'SEX GOD' on it in big, blocked white letters.
Neville, deciding he didn't want to fight with Draco on this fun occasion, took the beer Ron offered and sat down beside Ginny, who smiled sweetly at him. Harry and Ron, as hosts, took charge straight away.
"I think we should play a game," said Ron suddenly. Everyone looked up. Seamus and Lavender were locked together in an embrace, but looked at Ron as well, wondering what was going on. They had stopped dancing to the inaudible music, at least.
"A game, Weasley?" Draco asked incredulously. "What the bloody hell has gotten into you? Please don't say 'Pin the Tale on the Donkey.' I've heard of that dreadful Muggle game and all it's good for is a good kick in the arse of the person who's disoriented. Oh, all right, Longbottom, you first. Up you get."
Hermione Harry and Ron had sent owls to everyone left at school (not the teachers, obviously) and they were all going to meet on the Astronomy Tower which seemed appropriate because no teacher ever went up there. They were too afraid to see things that need not be seen by their eyes. Hermione had decorated the largest stone-encrusted room with a nice Gryffindorish rug and several couches.
Ron had set up a long table, which held all of the beer as well as some pumpkin juice (ala Harry, he'd stolen it from the kitchens) and a little bit of food. It was mostly fruit as Dobby wanted Harry to eat healthy and Harry had told Dobby that he needed food for a little study group that evening. Bananas, apples, oranges and grapes sat on a large plate and an odd looking orange muffin sat beside the plate. Harry wasn't sure what the muffin was, but was way too polite to refuse it. Ron suspected it was a 'special muffin' as some brownies are 'special brownies.' Harry and Hermione tutted at this, saying Dobby would never put any illegal drug into something served at Hogwarts.
A large fireplace stood at one end of the room and it was crackling merrily and illuminating the room with warm light and casting shadows against the walls. Hermione rigged up some floating candles, like in the Great Hall, and luckily they were spelled to not drip wax as Ron had already screamed he'd been hit with a ball of hot wax. "It's impossible, Ron, stop being a baby." Hermione had said.
It promised to be a very lovely party, indeed. Seamus was first to arrive and the only party favour he received was the non-slurring spell from a bored Hermione. She was sitting at the end of one of the couches, reading a book and glancing up every so often at the boys.
Ginny, Chayla, and Lavender came in together, glancing around and awing at the décor before taking cups of beer that Ron offered them. Chayla didn't take the drink. He was hesitant to include Ginny but was afraid not to. So he'd told her that she was not allowed to drink very much as their mum would kill him.
"Actually," said Hermione suddenly, startling Ginny who was sitting quietly beside her watching Lavender and Seamus dance to no music. "I can put a spell on Ginny so she doesn't get drunk."
Ginny raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure I'm too interested in that. What is the point of this party, if not to get completely pissed?"
"Be with friends," answered Chayla quickly. "And I'm not getting drunk." She stuck her nose in the air.
"I would hope you'd change your mind...I bet you're more tolerable and more fun when you're unquestionably pissed, Foyen," Draco strutted into the room, nodding very slightly to Harry who nodded back.
Draco hadn't changed much over the years, but he had learned to stop calling Hermione names and stopped egging them on. They were hardly friends, the four of them, but they got along if needed.
Neville was last to arrive, and he was obviously ready to put on some sort of pimping show. Either that or he felt he had dressed for the occasion. He was wearing rather loud striped trousers complete with suspenders and over that he wore a button-up lumberjack type plaid shirt.
"Were you rummaging through a pimp's clothes hamper, Longbottom?" Draco asked, seating himself across from Hermione with a large cup of beer.
Neville glanced nervously down at his attire, "No. I just felt like wearing something different. And I wouldn't say you looked so amazing either."
"I should hope not. I don't swing that way. And certainly not for you." Draco sneered. "At least I have some taste." Indeed, Draco seemed to have SOME taste. He wore faded, loose fitted blue jeans and a taught black T-shirt which said 'SEX GOD' on it in big, blocked white letters.
Neville, deciding he didn't want to fight with Draco on this fun occasion, took the beer Ron offered and sat down beside Ginny, who smiled sweetly at him. Harry and Ron, as hosts, took charge straight away.
"I think we should play a game," said Ron suddenly. Everyone looked up. Seamus and Lavender were locked together in an embrace, but looked at Ron as well, wondering what was going on. They had stopped dancing to the inaudible music, at least.
"A game, Weasley?" Draco asked incredulously. "What the bloody hell has gotten into you? Please don't say 'Pin the Tale on the Donkey.' I've heard of that dreadful Muggle game and all it's good for is a good kick in the arse of the person who's disoriented. Oh, all right, Longbottom, you first. Up you get."