A Moment Like This
Chapter 5 – Shopping
Elizabeth was asleep, feet propped against one of the far posts on her bed. What she didn't know, in her unconsciousness, was that she would be awoken very shortly.
"Lizzy! Get up! Get up! It's Christmas!" The screeching voice of her best friend, Ginny Weasley, was the last thing Elizabeth thought she wanted to hear at seven o'clock in the morning. Especially when she hadn't gone to sleep until ten thirty or so, what with the excitement of having someone to go to the Yule ball with. Elizabeth smiled groggily, recalling the events of the night past. All she remembered was Colin's blushing face when Ginny explained why she had gone outside the common room. Ginny. Elizabeth put the name and the cacophonous voice outside her curtains together. They belong to the same human, you dolt! snickered the voice in her head.
"Up? I'm up, I'm up! Where's the fire, Gin?"
"Huh?" Ginny's face appeared on the other side of the curtains, looking quite skeptical.
"It's - oof!" Elizabeth attempted to stand, but was unable to because of her sheets being intertwined with her legs. Therefore, it was only fitting that she land on the floor in a heap. "It's a Muggle expression; my dad says it a lot. So, why am I up at the crack of dawn with an escapee from the asylum?"
Ginny giggled as she unknotted her friend's sheets. "It's not the crack of dawn," she said, tugging at a particularly large knot, "but it's close enough for you, it's seven. Besides, how can you sleep at a time like this?"
"At a time like what?" Elizabeth growled. Finally free of the sheets' grasp, her pajama pants were bunched up and her unruly black hair was a mess. It looked like Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, would have been quite comfy perched atop her head.
"Liz-zy!" Ginny whined. "How could you forget?" She looked at Elizabeth incredulously. Elizabeth was casting around in the empty space she called her brain when, the light bulb flickered.
"The ball! Duh!" Elizabeth slapped her forehead, grinning stupidly. Her favorite hobby in the world, shopping. How on earth could she have forgotten? Aah, the smug voice in her head began, It's probably because of a certain fair-haired bloke. Someone by the name of Clyde? Charlie? Cooper? "Colin," Elizabeth corrected herself.
"Yes, Colin will need his hair done...huh?" Ginny glared at her friend. "Since when did Colin need his hair done?"
"Sorry Gin, I'm having an argument with the nasally voice dominating my thoughts," Elizabeth said without thinking. Geez, d'you have to hang around? You get me into trouble.
Ginny laughed. "Uh-huh, and you were saying I escaped from the asylum?" She held up a pillow threateningly. Elizabeth sprang into action- she pulled the pillow off her bed and whacked Ginny in the face. Ginny swung her pillow around and whacked Elizabeth in the side, making her crash to the floor, giggling.
When their laughter had finally subsided, Ginny propped herself up on her elbows and turned to face a ragged-looking Elizabeth. Squinting at the pile on Elizabeth's head, Ginny said, "Before we go into Hogsmeade, I think perhaps we should visit the shower. Your hair looks awful, Lizzy."
"I know," Elizabeth moaned. "It feels like Dumbledore's bird napped in it, quite cozily, I might add. Not a pretty feeling."
"How would you feel if Colin saw you looking like this?" Ginny teased. To her delight, Elizabeth's face turned pale at the thought.
"Ughh, I think he'd rather go to the ball with the giant squid." She stood. "Okay, Miss Weasley. The troop to Hogsmeade departs in t-minus thirty minutes."
Ginny saluted her, threw her pillow at Elizabeth, and laughed as she skidded into the safety of the bathroom.
"Where are they?" Hermione wondered aloud. She checked the new silver watch that her parents had sent her, now currently adorning her wrist.
"What's wrong, 'Mione? Is your entourage...late?" Ron snickered from behind her. She whipped her head around, only to come face-to-face with the now blushing redhead. He smiled warmly at her, pleased to see that she, too, was blushing fiery red. "You, Ginny, and Elizabeth loose in Hogsmeade, shopping," he pondered. "I feel bad for anyone that stumbles across your path."
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.
He shrugged. "I'm serious. Ginny can get feisty if anyone annoys her."
Hermione nodded, relieved that he hadn't meant that towards her, which was what she originally thought. Then, with a sly grin, she asked coyly, "And what of the other two?"
Ron looked at her in surprise. Then, with a look of his own, he said, "Well, I don't know Elizabeth very well, even though she spent two weeks at our house this summer, except for the fact that she's going to the ball with Colin. And that other girl, Hermione," he began, eyes twinkling, "I've known her all of my life here at Hogwarts, and in those seven years, she has yet to not reprimand me and Harry for breaking the rules and then turn around and break them herself. So, with that in mind, she could be a little dangerous. Not that I mind, of course." He slid his arms around her wrapping her in a strong embrace. This caused her to look around the common room, to make sure they weren't being watched by first-years.
"Ron! You could have traumatized any poor first-years walking through the portrait hole! As Head Girl I shouldn't be doing this in the middle of the common room..."
Ron chuckled. "So, what you're saying is, you want to go somewhere more...private?" He winked suggestively.
Hermione made vain attempts to scowl at him, but his glittering eyes made it impossible. She sighed. "Ron..."
"I'm just having fun, 'Mione. So, I'll see you tonight, right here?" he asked. Hermione nodded. He grinned, squeezed her gently, then went back up to his dormitory. As soon as he left, she sank down in her favorite chair, ginning to herself.
"Don't think we didn't see that, 'Mione," Ginny said, bounding down the stairs in a fashion that reminded Hermione of her Muggle next-door-neighbors' dog, Chewy. She paled.
"You saw that?"
"Yup yup," Elizabeth said. She put on a deep voice. "You, Ginny, and Elizabeth loose in Hogsmeade, shopping," she began. Ginny burst into giggles upon looking at Hermione's face.
"Okay, you two," she said sternly. "We have exactly three hours left of the Hogsmeade trip. We have to get dress robes, or..." she paused, "…suffer the shame of being an Outfit Repeater!"
Ginny and Elizabeth gasped impressively. "Not..." Ginny said, horrified.
"An..." Elizabeth crowed.
"Outfit Repeater!" They chorused in utter surprise.
"Stop being so dramatic, Ginny! It's important, especially when we're going out with...who we are," Hermione said. "And besides, the whole school will know after tonight!"
Ginny stopped laughing. She considered the older girl's words. "Y'know, you're right. I want to look good, especially when the Mal-ferret will probably make some stupid remark."
"When have I ever let you down, Gin?" Hermione asked proudly.
"Well, there was that time that we made brownies, and you swore up and down that you knew exactly how to make them..." Ginny joked. Hermione's face fell, remembering the brownies.
"Never mind! Forget I asked."
"How do you like these?" Hermione pranced out of the dressing room wearing dark red dress robes that had a faint trace of lace at the ruff and cuffs.
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose in distaste. "No offense, 'Mione, but they make you look like a vampire. Besides, they'll clash with Ron's maroon."
Hermione groaned. "He's got maroon robes? That's the worst color to match with!"
Ginny shook her head sympathetically. "Yeah, I see your point. Maroon would be too much, white would make it seem like you wan to marry him-" she stopped. "Please don't say anything in response to that, I beg of you! -Black would make you resemble the Mal-ferret…what other colors are there?"
"There's yellow," a voice from behind them said in a mock-sneer. The three of them whipped around- It was Fred Weasley.
"Fred? What're you doing here? Where's...oh." Ginny threw her arms around her brother, and stopped mid-sentence as she glanced over his shoulder. George had appeared, holding short daisy-yellow robes with a mandarin collar and silver edging.
"Try these, Hermione."
"When Harry gave us his Triwizard winnings he made us swear to get Ron some new dress robes. So, naturally, we had to pick something that made Malfoy look like rubbish. He's got brandy-new midnight blue robes that're lined with forest green silk." Fred said heartily. "He also made us come here looking for you so we could put our ickle Ronniekins' girlfriend in smart robes as well."
"Those are silk, 'Mione, so make sure you don't trip and fall tonight when you wear these," George interrupted, brandishing a pair of matching heels. Hermione gasped.
Elizabeth grinned. "So I guess Hermione's got her robes. That only leaves-"
"You and Ginny. We know." said Fred as he motioned to George.
"Colin sent word that his robes are going to be red. So, that leaves you with these." George held out cream robes that were embroidered with glittering beads.
"Oh!" Elizabeth ran into the dressing room.
"You'd better chuck these in there with her," Fred sighed, handing Hermione matching slippers.
"So, what have you two got for your sister?" Hermione asked curiously.
Fred looked at George nervously. "Well," George said timidly, "We tried to find out what color Harry's robes are, but he wouldn't tell us."
Ginny's smile faded.
"But," Fred continued with a smile, "We gained access to Gryffindor tower, with help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, and did a little trunk-shopping." Next to him, George grinned.
"You what?" Hermione gasped.
"My dear Hermione, do not worry your pretty little head about unimportant matters! We didn't get caught, and you'll look fabulous at the ball tonight, thanks to our help."
"Gin Gin," George said, using his baby name for his sister, "we, your brothers, would like to introduce you to your robes."
He and Fred held out a dream of pale lavender silk. They had flowing see-through sleeves that were tapered into a point were the soft fabric of the robes met the translucent part of the flowing half.
"We thought that they'd compliment Gin Gin's sweetheart's green robes nicely, "George commented.
"Yeah, that and a nice contrast with her hair." Fred chortled.
"Speaking of which," George muttered, shoving the robes at Ginny and rummaging in his pockets, "we meant to give you these before the school year started." In his hand were three slips of heavy parchment.
Rosewood Spa
hair
makeup
manicures
pedicures
beauty consultation
Present this coupon at any of our
locations and receive a free
Rosewood™ treatment
Diagon Alley, London
Place de Grieves, Paris
Main Street, Hogsmeade
24th Street, New York
Red Square, St. Petersburg
"Fred! George! How on earth did you get these? These must cost at least thirty Galleons each!" Hermione's eyes bulged as they reread the parchment.
"Yeah, well..." Fred stammered.
"Come off it, Fred," scolded George. "Doing something nice for a change isn't going to tarnish our reputation of being insufferable. Unless these three want to be walking advertisements for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"
The girls shook their heads quickly.
"Fred, George, I can't accept mine." Hermione said.
"What?" they said.
"I'm sorry. You've given us more than enough today."
"Hermione, consider it seven years' worth of Christmas gifts. If we'd known that Ron would be marrying you someday, we might have considered getting you something. As for Ginny and Elizabeth, consider these apologies for the frog spawn incident." George said briskly. Fred nodded.
"Thank you!" The girls moved as one, throwing their arms around the two boys.
"Don't -mention it," Fred choked out.
"Yeah. Please don't, for your own sakes." George wrenched himself away, then brushed off his dragon-hide jacket.
"Merry Christmas!" They Apparated out of the shop.
"Wow," Elizabeth said.
Still in a daze, Ginny found herself sitting in a velvet chair, being fawned over by seven extremely talented beauty witches. One was fussing over what she referred to as 'an amazing complexion'; another was acting as the messenger, fetching the products to be administered. Three of them were taking locks of her hair and twisting it around into possible hairstyles, and two were putting polish on her nails. Next to her, Hermione and Elizabeth were getting the same treatment.
"Remind me never to say anything mean to Fred and George again," Elizabeth said, stretching her legs. The woman attempting to polish her toes looked annoyed as she tried to chase the girl's wriggling feet around.
Hermione giggled. "Lizzy. Stop moving your toes."
Elizabeth looked down and stared at the top of the woman's head. "Oh, okay. She's probably had a time of it, chasing my feet around, hasn't she?"
Ginny looked up from the issue of Teen Witch she was skimming through and wriggled her eyebrows at Elizabeth. "You think?"
The woman down on the floor, extremely grateful that Hermione had told Elizabeth to stop moving, spoke up. "Well, it was getting quite impossible to paint her toes without smudging the polish."
The witches fiddling with Hermione's mane of brown curls finished their work, and stepped away from the mirror to admire the effect. Hermione was in awe.
"Is that...me?" she squeaked. Her hair had been twisted into a knot, most like the one she'd donned during the Yule ball during her fourth year, only it was sprinkled with silver glitter. There were two matching chopsticks worked into the center of the knot, and they glimmered in the mirror cheerfully.
"Wow 'Mione!" Elizabeth said, impressed. "Ron'll never know what hit him."
Ginny giggled, and raised her eyebrows suggestively at Hermione, causing her to blush.
"Stop it, Virginia!" Hermione put much emphasis on using her full name. Ginny winced.
"Okay, you win."
"I always do," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "Which is the reason your brother is wrapped around my finger."
The three girls emerged from the spa a few hours later, and immediately bumped into a few of the older girls from Hogwarts- Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zambini, who were gazing wistfully into the windows. As soon as she recognized who had just walked out, Pansy sauntered up to them casually.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Weaslette, the Brain, and Bird's Nest. Fancy seeing you, of all people, walking out of Rosewood Spa. What did you have to sell? Your house? If you could call it that." Pansy smirked at them.
Ginny had every intention to let loose with her best Bat-Bogey hex, but she didn't realize that next to her, Hermione was positively burning.
"Pansy. That's a lovely sweater you have there. Where did you get it?" Ginny gaped at her friend. She sounded like she was...trying to be nice to...to...Pansy Parkinson.
"It's from the Enchanting Wardrobe collection on Place de Grieves in Paris." She smiled widely, revealing perfect, if not a bit rodent-like, teeth.
"Oh. I was only wondering because...it would be such a shame to...let my wand slip." Hermione flicked her wand casually, and the perfectly crisp green and silver mohair sweater that Pansy was wearing proudly changed into a hand-knitted mess of murky browns and moss greens that reminded Ginny of Crabbe and Goyle's dress robes.
Pansy shrieked. "You...you..."
"Witch?" Hermione smiled.
Pansy was spitting with rage.
"And," Hermione continued, her smile growing wider, "you won't be able to get it off for a while."
At that, the three Gryffindors linked arms, swinging their shopping bags as they walked back to the castle, laughing gaily.
"Harry, have you seen my robes?" Ron was screaming from the bathroom. Harry cracked an eye open slowly. This is painful- I settle down for some shut-eye before the ball, and this git's yelling about roses? Roads? Robes. Yeah, makes sense...ball, robes.
"Huh?"
"Have you seen my new robes?" Ron's normally deep voice had reached the highest of it's few octaves.
"No...did you look in your trunk?" Harry slid out of his bed, and promptly fell on his face, sending his glasses under Seamus' bed.
"Here they are...have you ever gone to the eye doctor? I think you need glasses." Harry thrust the robes into the bathroom, then reached under the bed for his glasses.
"Doctor? Muggle nutters with saws? I hardly think so. Hermione told me that before she knew she was a witch, she wanted to train to be one of those things." He shuddered. "Yup, I'm never trusting my life in the hands of those characters." He stepped out of the bathroom, wearing the robes. "What d'you think?" he asked nervously. "Never mind...I don't want to know what you think. What do you think?"
Harry laughed. Then, pulling a face of mock-seriousness, he said, "Turn around."
He did, slowly revolving on the spot.
Suppressing a snort, Harry said, "Now the other way."
Ron obeyed, but if he found this strange, he didn't mention anything.
"Well, your shoulders are a bit broad for the silk, your hair...well, you can't escape that, now, can you?" Enjoying the expression of anger and surprise forming on his best friend's face, Harry went on. "Your eyes are a bit too bright for the color, your arms a bit too skinny...anything else I haven't mentioned so far?"
Ron glared at him. "Tosser."