"So what color are your robes for the Yule Ball?" Hermione asked Hannah as the two girls wandered around Gladrag's Wizard wear exactly one week before the Ball.
"Blue," Hannah replied. "I know that's not very Christmas-ey, but mum and I agreed that they were definitely the best color for me." Hermione surveyed the wall of socks in front of her. Harry had sent the two of them in for socks for Dobby. They both secretly suspected he was buying Christmas presents for one or both of them.
"What shade of blue?" Hermione questioned.
"Royal," Hannah replied. "Evidently that matches my eyes." She rolled her eyes a bit and picked up a pair of acid green socks.
"I think he already has some that color," Hermione laughed. Hannah placed the socks back on the shelf.
"What color are your robes?"
"Well, I've pretty much kept it a secret from everyone in Gryffindor, so you have to promise not to tell anyone," Hermione began.
"It's that big of a deal?" Hannah questioned.
"Not really. It's just amusing to watch them squirm and try to figure it out," Hermione laughed.
"Well, I won't say anything," Hannah promised.
"They're green," Hermione said.
"Green?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, green," Hermione laughed.
"As in Slytherin green?" Hannah asked.
"Just a shade darker. Go figure. That would be the color that works best with my complexion," Hermione laughed.
"What'll Harry and Ron say when you show up to the ball wearing Slytherin green robes?"
"Ron wore maroon last year. He has no room to talk," Hermione replied.
"What colors are the boys wearing?" Hannah questioned.
"I do believe they've both chosen basic black this year," Hermione said. "What can I say, they're not incredibly original."
"Harry's robes last year looked really nice on him," Hannah said.
"Yes, but would bottle green look good with your royal blue?" Hermione questioned.
"Good point," laughed Hannah.
"What color is Mandy wearing?" Hermione picked up a pair of socks depicting tiny wizards on broomsticks zooming around.
"Light purple," Hannah replied.
"That should look really good on her, although it may clash with Ron's bright red hair," Hermione laughed.
"Can you think of anything that matches Weasley hair?" Hannah asked.
"Okay, good point," Hermione said.
"What color is Ginny wearing?" Hannah questioned.
"Well, her dress robes are sage, but as to whether she'll be wearing them or not has yet to be seen," Hermione laughed. Hannah held out a pair of bright red socks with large polka dots that alternated between blue, green and yellow.
"She isn't going?" Hannah
guessed.
"Not as of yet," Hermione replied, taking the socks from Hannah and examining them closer. "She's disappointed because Braeden is in France and she's here so she can't take him."
"That's really sweet in a kind of odd way," Hannah laughed.
"I personally think she shouldn't wait around for him, but they seem to be as happy as two people in an odd long distance relationship can be," Hermione said.
"Do you think he's being as faithful to her as she's being to him?" Hannah asked.
"I really couldn't tell you. While Braeden is my cousin, we didn't really start talking until this past summer. Before, we rarely ever saw him and when we did, he and his brothers were always gigantic jerks," Hermione explained.
"He has brothers?" Hannah asked.
"Yes. His older brother, Ben, is 18, and the younger brother, Brantley, is 12."
"Ben, Braeden and Brantley?" Hannah asked.
"Yes. Their mother is a psychopath," Hermione laughed. "Do you think these are enough socks?" Hannah looked down at the pair of red socks and the pair with the wizards on broomsticks.
"Probably, but have we given the boys enough time to shop for us?" Hannah laughed.
"Probably. They're guys, how long do you REALLY think they'll take?" Hermione said. Hannah shrugged at her friend and started towards the counter at the front of the store.
"Have you bought their presents yet?" Hannah asked.
"Not yet, and I have no clue what to get either of them," Hermione laughed. "Luckily Astrid gave me explicit instructions on what to buy Ron."
"Astrid's buying Ron a present?" Hannah asked.
"Yes," Hermione replied. "I think she gave me the money for Ron's, Harry the money for mine, Ron the money for Ginny's and Ginny the money for everyone else's since she's to young to come in to shop for herself."
"That's really kind of cute," Hannah laughed.
"She's a pretty cool little kid," Hermione agreed.
"Too bad her brothers are such pricks," Hannah spat, rolling her eyes. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"So do you know what you're getting Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I'm getting him a book," Hannah replied.
"Really? Which one?" Hermione questioned.
"It's sort of dumb, but at the same time meaningful," Hannah began.
"Which one is it?" Hermione interrupted.
"The Giving Tree," Hannah replied. "I know that sounds weird, but I think he'll really appreciate it."
"I'm sure he will," Hermione agreed, even though she didn't quite understand the significance of the book.
"And then I think I'll get Ron candy."
"That'll make you the hero of the day." Hermione laughed. "The boy has a bottomless pit for a stomach!" She handed the witch at the counter a few coins to pay for the socks.
*****
"Do you think she'll like it?" Harry asked nervously. He held up a plain black picture frame.
"What are you going to do to it again?" Ginny asked, surveying the frame.
"I was planning on charming the frame to look like the night sky, and then having Colin to take a picture of the two of us together at the Yule Ball to put in it," Harry replied.
"That's absolutely fantastic!" Ginny squealed. "It's just enough to show that you put thought into it, but not so much that you look overly obsessive. It shows you care."
"Okay then," Harry laughed.
"And what are you getting Hermione?" Ron asked. Harry held up a plain black book full of blank parchment.
"I thought that's what Astrid was getting her," Ron replied.
"Well, it's a joint gift from Astrid and me. Astrid's buying the book. I ordered her an Eagle quill a while back. Then I'm going to charm the book to do something sort of like Hannah's picture frame and to have an unlimited amount of pages. Then I'm going to charm the quill to never run out of ink and the quill to stay inside the book. To top it all off, the book will only open to Hermione's touch," Harry explained.
"That is great, and insanely thoughtful of you and Astrid," Ginny squealed. "But you should probably hurry up and pay for it, Hannah and Hermione just left Gladrag's.(Check the lexicon)" Both boys hurried to the counter with their purchases. Ron had chosen a book for Hermione entitled 101 Spells You'll Probably Never Need. Ginny glanced down at the large Honeydukes bag in her hand. Her present for Braeden, a pair of Leather keeper gloves, had taken most of the money she had allotted to Christmas shopping. Fortunately, her friends understood, and she was sure they would be quite happy about the candy she had chosen for each of them.
*****
"Bertie Bott's or Chocolate Frogs?" Mandy asked, looking between the two boxes of candy in her hand.
"It's Ron, I really don't think he'll care as long as it's edible," Ernie laughed.
" And nothing says 'I want you' more than a box full of candy that either jumps or is scary to eat," Justin quipped.
"You could always go with a Honeydukes gift certificate," Ernie suggested.
"And THAT really says 'I want you, NOW!'" Justin laughed. Ernie and Mandy both glared at him. "What? I'm just saying this isn't necessarily the best store in which to shop for presents for the person you want to get with!"
"And where would you suggest, Mr. Finch-Fletchley?" Mandy asked.
"Not Honeydukes!" Justin replied.
"He DOES like Quidditch," Ernie said.
"Yes, he does, but that's unoriginal!" Mandy exclaimed.
"And Candy isn't?" Ernie asked.
"A picture frame!" Justin said suddenly.
"What?" Mandy and Ernie both asked.
"A picture frame. Buy a picture frame. Charm the edge to do something cool. Get that annoying fourth year who is taking Cheyenne to the ball to take a picture of the two of you to put in the frame, and voila, you have the perfect present!" Justin explained.
"Justin, you're a genius!" Mandy cried. She pushed her way past Ernie and threw her arms around Justin.
"Thank you, I try," Justin laughed, pulling away from the girl.
"And I'll get a chocolate frog to tie to the top of the wrapping," Mandy said. She took a chocolate frog as well as the candy she had picked out for Harry and Ginny to the front counter.
"I think she finally gets it," Justin laughed. Ernie rolled his eyes and followed Mandy to pay for his purchases. He, too, had picked out candy for the Gryffindors save Hermione. He figured a book would be a better present for her. Justin shook his head at both of his friends and went over to wait by the door.
*****
"Come on you guys, we're supposed to meet Mandy, Ernie and Justin at The Three Broomsticks for lunch!" Hermione exclaimed as she and Hannah stepped into the store. Ron and Harry instantly held two bags behind their backs, guilty looks crossing both of their faces.
"And we have Christmas presents from the two of them," Hermione laughed. She pulled the door open and held it for Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hannah to pass through. She followed and the five friends began walking down the street towards the pub.
"OI, HERMIONE!" they heard a familiar voice yell from just behind them. They all turned to see Fred running towards them with George and Lee in tow.
"Where are you headed?" he asked, catching up with his girlfriend, little brother and sister and their friends. He carelessly tossed his arm around Hermione's shoulders.
"We're headed to The Three Broomsticks to meet the rest of our group," Ginny replied.
"Really now?" George asked, "We were just headed there to meet Angelina and Marissa ourselves. Who are you going to meet?"
"Mandy, Ernie and Justin," Harry replied.
"And Colin," Ginny added.
"You invited Colin?" Ron asked.
"Just for lunch," Ginny replied. "He was shopping with Jae this morning, but then Jae is having lunch with Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Kyle, so Colin asked if he could have lunch with us."
"Oh," Ron said.
"So why don't you guys have lunch with us?" Hermione asked Fred, George and Lee.
"Are Angelina and Marissa invited too?" Lee asked.
"Of course," Hermione laughed.
"Okay then," Lee replied happily, looking at both of the twins.
"Of course," Fred replied, pulling Hermione closer to him. This elicited a round of "AWW'S" from Hannah and Ginny. Fred turned on the two girls.
"I thought the two of you were over that," he said.
"Astrid and I are, Hannah and I are not," Ginny replied. Fred stuck his tongue out at both of them. Hannah returned the gesture.
"Really mature there both of you," Harry laughed. Hannah playfully smacked him in his stomach.
"MMAAARRRIIISSSSSSSAAA!!!!" Lee shouted. He broke into a run down towards The Three Broomsticks, Marissa, and Angelina.
"Is he always like that?" Ron asked as the group watched Lee sprint down the road towards his girlfriend.
"When he and Marissa have been separated for more than twenty minutes, yes," George laughed.
"It's rather pathetic," Fred agreed.
"And who was the one who made us sprint from the Shrieking Shack a moment ago because you thought you saw Hermione?" George asked. Both Fred and Hermione turned bright red.
"Hush, George," Fred commanded.
"Where is my 'ANGELINA!' and run down the street?" Angelina asked her boyfriend as the group drew closer to the two girls and now Lee.
"ANGELINA!" George shouted and ran over to Angelina. At the last second, he jumped and dove into her arms.
"I thought this was supposed to be the other way around," she insisted as she spun George crazily about the street. The entire group laughed and Angelina returned George to his feet.
"Is it alright if we eat with the fifth years so Fred can have lunch with Hermione?" George asked his girlfriend.
"Sure," Angelina replied.
"I don't mind as long as my dumb sister isn't with them," Marissa agreed.
"Jae is having lunch with Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Kyle," Ginny replied.
"Has Dean gotten up enough guts to ask his girl to the Yule Ball yet?" Marissa asked. The confused looks on everyone but Angelina's faces gave her the only answer she needed.
"Guess not," she laughed.
"So let's go then," Angelina said, turning towards the pub.
"We're waiting on about four more people still," Harry replied.
"Who?" Angelina asked.
"Mandy, Justin, Ernie and Colin," Ginny replied.
%%%%%
"Come on you guys, we've got to meet the others at the Three Broomsticks two minutes ago!" Mandy exclaimed, looking at her watch.
"Calm yourself Miss Brocklehurst, I'm certain they won't eat all of the food by the time we get there," Justin laughed.
"I don't know, Justin, Ron Weasley is with them," Ernie cracked. Mandy's face brightened visibly at the mention of Ron's name but then she glared at the pair.
"That's what it is!" Justin cried.
"Mandy's anxious to see her Ickle Ronniekins!" Ernie supplied.
"I bet Ron wishes Harry had never taught you two that nickname!" Mandy spat.
"No, I think Ron probably wishes Fred and George had never come up with that nickname," Justin corrected.
"Well, you boys are so busy making fun of my Yule Ball date, but I certainly don't see either of you with dates!" Mandy cried.
"Amanda Princeton!" Ernie insisted. He and Mandy turned to look at Justin. He shrugged.
"Elise Midgen, Eloise's sister," he admitted.
"At least her nose is on-center," Mandy joked.
"We're just friends," Justin explained.
"Sure!" Mandy and Ernie both laughed. The three friends turned down the street the Three Broomsticks was on.
"Do you see them?" Justin asked, pushing his bleach-blonde hair away from his forehead.
"Yeah, I think they're down there," Mandy said. Sure enough, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Hannah, as well as Fred, George, Lee, Marissa, Angelina and Colin Creevey were gathered in front of the pub.
"And it looks like our group has expanded considerably," Ernie laughed.
"Who are all of those people?" Justin asked.
"Finally!" Ron exclaimed on sight of the approaching trio.
"He finally gets to eat!" Harry laughed.
"I'm finally not the only non-Gryffindor in the group!" Hannah cried.
"We'll introduce everyone when we sit down," Harry muttered, turning towards the entrance of the pub. The other 13 teenagers followed Harry.
"What do you mean 14 of you want to sit together?" Madame Rosmerta asked when Harry asked about a large table for the entire group.
"Well, if it's not too much trouble," Harry began.
"Since it is you kids, there is a big table in the basement. Take the stairs between the bathrooms. I'll send down 14 butterbeers and 14 plates of fish and chips momentarily," Madame Rosmerta said. She turned to a pair of Goblins in the corner who were complaining loudly about the price of ale.
Harry led the way to a narrow staircase at the back of the pub. He quickly ran down the stairs and pushed open the door at the very bottom. He entered a small room filled almost completely by a round stone table. Harry quickly started around the left of the table. Ron moved to the right. Mandy tried to follow him but Angelina and then George jumped in her way. She ended up wrangling a seat between Ernie who was on George's left and Lee. Hannah followed Harry with Ginny and Colin in her wake. Justin tried to follow Hannah but ended up sitting between Colin and Fred. Hermione sat to Fred's right and Marissa sank into the seat between Hermione and Lee, completing the circle.
"Well now, does everyone know everyone?" Hermione asked.
"Nope!" Marissa announced.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Lee cried, "I can do this because of Quidditch announcing!" Everyone looked at him expectantly. He pointed at Harry. "Harry, Hannah, baby Weasley, Colin, Justin, Fred, Hermione, Marissa, Lee, Mandy, Ernie, George, 'Lina and Ron!"
"Impressive, Lee!" George exclaimed. Lee jumped to his feet and took a deep bow. When he sat back down, Marissa rewarded him with a kiss on his cheek.
"Speaking of Quidditch, how about last week's match?" Colin asked with a nervous laugh. Hermione, Hannah, Ginny, Mandy, and Marissa all groaned while the members of the Quidditch team, Ron included, looked positively ready to crawl through the table. No one particularly wanted to relive the specifics of the match against Durmstrang.
&&&&&
"Bloody HELL!" Fred cried, stomping into the locker room a scant five minutes before the match was supposed to start.
"Hello there to you too, Gred," George laughed.
"Where have you been?" Oliver asked.
"I've spent the last half hour trying to figure out who put the ruddy Slytherin Quidditch robes where my team uniform was supposed to be!" Fred exclaimed. The rest of the Gryffindors looked down with dismay at the green robes they were wearing.
"At least they're trimmed in gold!" Fred muttered, sinking into a seat next to Katie and Alicia.
*****
"For Durmstrang, I give you Zankowcyzk, Adamczyk, Svobdova, Medvidinko, McCarthy, Krum and Rye…. Rib…. Ruh…. RASPUTIN!" Lee cried. McGonagall whacked him soundly in the back of his head. "Well what do you think it says he asked indignantly, trying to whisper. He forgot that he'd been allowed to magically magnify his voice so everyone in the stadium heard him. He and McGonagall poured over a scrap of paper for a moment. "RIB-JIN-SKI!" he finally cried. "And for Gryf-I mean Hogwarts, I give you Potter, Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, the twins Weasley and Weas- I MEAN MALFOY!" only a pair of smacks from Snape kept him form announcing Gryffindor and Weasley.
%%%%%
"Krum? Did he just say Krum? I've got to play against Krum?" Harry spluttered as he waited with his teammates for Lee to begin announcing them. Hermione rapped him hard across the back of his head with her knuckles while Ron jerked an elbow into his ribs.
"Not Viktor Krum, imbecile! Dmitri Krum, Viktor's younger brother!" Draco spat.
*****
"And THEY'RE OFF!" Lee shouted. "And that's Medvidinko in possession of the Quaffle! The entire Durmstrang team streaks towards the Hogwarts goals! WATCH OUT MALFOY! It's a horde of naked Bulgarians! What, Professor McGonagall? I said they were streaking! It was just a jjooookkkkkeeee!" Lee cowered under the bench to avoid the angry professor.
%%%%%
Draco turned just in time to see an advancing wall of Durmstrang players. The center player held the quaffle. All were built like Crabbe and Goyle. He prepared himself for the immanent attack, expecting the team to stop just outside the scoring area. They didn't. Draco woke up in the hospital wing sometime mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
*****
"And that's Angelina Johnson with a beautiful goal! This brings the score to Durmstrang 170, Hogwarts, uh… 10."
"Finally!" Oliver cried from his spot on the Hogwarts bench.
"William's really choking up there," Ron observed from where he sat next to Oliver.
"When I want your opinion, Weasley, I'll give it to you," Oliver snapped.
"FHECKIN-EHY!" Lee's expletive rang out across the field. McGonagall made no move to quiet him. Krum had smashed his beaters bat down across the handle of Angelina's broom, flipping her into a reckless head over heels spin.
"Fuck!" Oliver partially echoed Lee's sentiment. Katie and George swooped in to attempt to control Angelina before she fell. The referee awarded another penalty shot to Hogwarts. Katie and George finally managed to upright Angelina. Katie's attempt on goal was stopped short by Rybzynski.
"What do I do?" Oliver asked.
"Did you read the bit in Quidditch Monthly two months ago about Puddlemere's defeat of Wimbourne?" Ron asked. Oliver watched in dismay as Adamczyk threw another goal home.
"I was at that match, but what we didn't isn't yet legal in this league," Oliver spat. Ron shrugged and glanced back up at the game. Alicia had the quaffle wrapped protectively in her arms ripping up the field with Katie and Angelina at either elbow. McCarthy, a Durmstrang beater as big as Alicia and Katie combined flew directly into the girls' path and stopped completely. Alicia and Katie peeled out of the way in time but Angelina smashed into the brute with full force. She slid backwards off of her broom and tumbled towards the pitch.
"In yet another blatant display of cheating, the likes of which Slytherin has never dreamed of, the bloody Bulgarian Communist McCarthy has flattened Angelina Johnson!"
"Leonard Joseph McCarthy Jordan!" Professor McGonagall roared.
"What Professor McGonagall? It's not like they can actually understand me! And why'd you have to?" Lee's commentary was cut short by a pair of counter charms courtesy of McGonagall and Snape. Dumbledore magnified his voice and took over commentary as McGonagall marched Lee down the stairs towards the pitch.
"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed as Angelina crashed into the pitch.
"What am I going to do?" Oliver cried.
"Maybe you should," Ron began.
"Rhetorical question, Weasley!" Oliver spat, "When I want your opinion, I'll." He paused for a moment. "No wait, I'll never want your opinion."
"Call a time out," Ron advised, ignoring Oliver's comment. Hermione, who had just returned from taking Draco to the hospital wing and helping Madame Pomfrey stop the worst of the bleeding, hurried over to Angelina.
"TIME OUT!" Oliver roared. The ref blew his whistle and the Hogwarts team headed over towards their coach. Ron gathered his broom and joined the group.
"William, I want you to stay at keeper. Fred, do you think you can take Angelina's spot?" Oliver asked. Fred nodded solemnly. A determined look spread across his face.
"Let's do this for 'Lina," Alicia said. Oliver didn't need to tell Ron where to go as Harry had already summoned Ron's bat from the locker room.
"For Angelina," George echoed, holding out his hand. The rest of his teammates tossed hands on his.
"Harry, just end it," Oliver instructed. Harry nodded.
"For Angelina," George said once more.
"What about Draco?" William asked, momentarily forgetting he was the only non-Gryffindor in the group. The glares from his six teammates and his former Gryffindor coach quickly reminded him and he shut his mouth.
*****
"And Harry Potter has the snitch, but Durmstrang still takes the win, 340-170!" Dumbledore cried.
&&&&&
"So maybe you guys will beat Beauxbatons," Colin reasoned.
"We'll probably have better luck against Salem," Harry replied.
"Yeah," agreed Ron. "The Americans are more interested in Quodpot than Quidditch."
"How's your arm, Angelina?" Hannah asked. Angelina had received a cut to her arm when she fell that took Hermione and Madame Pomfrey close to 45 minutes to heal.
"Merely a flesh wound!" Angelina insisted.
"Like hell," George spat. He brushed his fingertips over his girlfriend's formerly injured arm.
"The strongest binding spell Madame Pomfrey knows barely held your arm together and you call that a flesh wound?" Hermione asked. Angelina smiled sheepishly. Before she could say anything, plates of food appeared on the table in front of all of them.
"Madame Rosmerta is the best," Lee mumbled through a mouthful of fish. Several of the boys present nodded in agreement.
"Anyone would be the greatest if they sent you fish and chips and butterbeer on a regular basis," Marissa laughed, elbowing her boyfriend in his ribs. Lee playfully smacked her hand away. Hermione glanced across the table at her two best friends. She noticed that Harry was, quite suspiciously, feeding himself using his left hand. Before she could cause a distraction for herself, Fred dropped his napkin under the table. She quickly leaned under the table to get it and her suspicions were proven correct. Harry's hand had found Hannah's and the two had their fingers laced together with their hands resting on the bench between them. Hermione controlled her "aww" and instead balled up Fred's napkin and threw it at Ginny's legs. The napkin bounced off of Ginny's right knee and Hermione quickly sat up. The youngest Weasley looked straight over at Hermione. Hermione smiled and flashed a pointed look in Harry and Hannah's direction and then flashed her eyes downward. Ginny peeked over Hannah's lap. She, too, had to contain the "aww" threatening to escape from her lips.
"So who is everyone taking to the Yule Ball?" Marissa asked, looking mostly at the guys. Harry's right hand instantly reappeared above the table when he realized he'd be the center of attention soon.
"You," Lee said, smiling sweetly at his girlfriend. Marissa looked over at Ron.
"Mandy," Ron said, flashing a quick smile at his date.
"Amanda Princeton," Ernie said.
"Elise Midgen," Justin replied. Marissa glanced at Harry.
"Hannah," Harry said with a shy smile in Hannah's direction.
"Colin?" Marissa asked.
"Cheyenne Williamson," Colin replied.
"And Ginny, who is taking you?" Marissa asked.
"I'm not going," Ginny replied. Marissa flashed a sly smile at Angelina that only Hermione noticed. She decided not to question the seventh years until a bit later when not as many people were present.
*****
An opportunity for Hermione's question presented itself when all eight male members of the group jumped up suddenly and quite suspiciously and ran for the door as soon as the last one finished his meal.
"What's the bet that they're on a group trip to find our presents?" Marissa laughed.
"Harry already has Hannah's," Ginny laughed.
"What did he get me?" Hannah questioned.
"I'm not telling you!" Ginny insisted.
"Ginny, I need some help picking out my present for your brother!" Mandy exclaimed.
"I don't know what he got you," Ginny began.
"That doesn't matter, I know what I'm getting him. It's just a matter of picking out one of the thing I want to get him," Mandy explained.
"Fair enough," Ginny laughed. "Let's go shop!" She jumped up and headed towards the door, Mandy close on her trail. Hannah glanced over at Hermione and rolled her eyes. Hermione laughed at her friend.
"So, uh, Hannah, you and Harry were getting a little comfortable over there earlier," she teased. Hannah turned bright red.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I mean the two of you were holding hands under the table and hoping no one would notice," Hermione laughed.
"AAWWWW!" Marissa and Angelina produced the sounds Ginny and Hermione had so carefully held in earlier.
"So how many people did notice?" Hannah asked nervously.
"Just me
and Ginny as far as I know. I don't think anyone else realized Harry probably
shouldn't have been feeding himself with his left hand," Hermione explained.
"Little
Harry's got a crush!" Angelina cried.
"He's growing up before our very eyes," Marissa added. Hermione rolled her eyes at the two seventh years while Hannah turned bright red again.
"And you two, what was the bit about Ginny's Yule Ball date about?" Hermione asked the two older girls.
"Nothing," Angelina insisted.
"Nothing," Marissa agreed.
"That was a little suspicious to be about nothing," Hermione replied.
"You'll see," Marissa said.
"You'll see," Angelina echoed.
"What are you getting Fred for Christmas?" Marissa asked.
"Well, the part I already have is a double picture frame. One side has the lyrics of the song he sang for me for our one month anniversary and the other has a picture Colin took of him kissing me across the table at Halloween when we were dressed up as McGonagall and Harry," Hermione explained.
"And the part you don't have?" Angelina asked.
"I book I ordered by owl post about starting successful businesses. He was complaining a while back that he wasn't sure how he and George would get their joke shop off the ground, so I figured that would help," Hermione said.
"That's… sweet, in a very," Marissa paused. "Hermione sort of way."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.
"Only you would think of giving your boyfriend a book for Christmas," Angelina supplied.
"Well, I got him a sweet gift too!" Hermione insisted. "What are the two of you getting your boyfriends?"
"I'm getting George potions' ingredients," Angelina admitted.
"And you said my book was weird?" Hermione asked.
"Well. He needs some things not found in the student stores at Hogwarts for some of the inventions he and Fred are working on," Angelina said, "So I bought him a bit of some of the ingredients."
"That's sweet in a very Hermione sort of way too!" Marissa squealed. Hermione glared at the older girl.
"What did you get Lee?" Angelina asked.
"Tickets to the Weird Sisters' New Year's concert in London," Marissa said with a big smile. She was obviously quite proud of herself.
"He'll love that!" Angelina exclaimed.
"And you're getting Harry?" Marissa asked, turning to Hannah who was still seated across the table.
"A book," Hannah admitted.
"Which one?" Angelina asked.
"The Giving Tree," Hannah said. "I know that doesn't make a lot of sense, but I'm fairly confident he'll like it."
%%%%%
"Hey look, there's Jae!" Ginny said, pointing across the street to where Jae Lucas stood with Seamus, Lavender, Parvati, Kyle and Dean.
"Who?" Mandy asked.
"Jae Lucas, my closest friend from my year. Marissa's little sister," Ginny explained.
"It looks like she's waving you over there," Mandy said.
"She is," Ginny replied. The two girls took off towards the group of Gryffindors on the other side of the street.
"Jae!" Ginny exclaimed as she approached her friend.
"Ginny!" Jae cried.
"How is the Christmas Shopping going?" Ginny asked.
"It's going," Jae replied, "And that's about all that can be said for it. Who are you?"
"I'm Mandy," Mandy replied, a little surprised at the directness of Jae's question.
"Ron's Yule Ball date," Ginny supplied.
"Speaking of the Yule Ball," Jae laughed. She glanced backwards over her shoulder at the group standing just behind her.
"Shove it, Jae!" Seamus paused for a second. "Jae whatever your middle name is Lucas! What is your middle name?"
"Not telling," Jae replied with a smile.
"Then Shove it, Jae Not Telling Lucas!" Seamus exclaimed. Lavender elbowed him in his ribs.
"What is your middle name?" Ginny asked.
"I said I'm not telling," Jae insisted.
"Is Jae your first name?" Lavender asked.
"Nope," Jae replied.
"So it's your middle name," Parvati reasoned.
"Nope," Jae said with a sly smile.
"It's a shortened version of your first name?" Kyle guessed.
"Nope, and before someone guesses, it's not a shortened version of my middle name either," Jae laughed.
"Does your first or middle name start with a J?" Kyle guessed.
"No," Jae said.
"Do any of your names even have a j in them?" Dean asked. Jae counted on her fingers for a moment.
"Nope," she laughed. "Look, you're not going to guess, so just quit trying. And asking Marissa will do no good either. She's been sworn to secrecy."
"So where were you guys headed?" Ginny asked, mentally planning to ask Marissa as soon as she saw her again what Jae's real name was.
"Well, Dean and Seamus were just headed to Honeydukes to figure out what to buy Harry, Ron and Neville for Christmas. Kyle was going over to Gladrag's to buy his mother a present, and we were headed to that new store at the edge of town," Lavender explained.
"That's where we were going," Mandy said.
"Well hey, why don't you come with us, and Ginny, you go with Dean and Seamus because they're fairly stumped on what kind of candy to buy their roommates," Lavender suggested, shooting a sly smile over at her boyfriend and his best friend. Ginny didn't notice.
"Is that okay with you, Mandy?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, that's fine. I think I know what to get Ron anyway," Mandy said. She started off with Lavender, Parvati and Jae. Kyle headed off towards Gladrag's and Ginny was left standing with Seamus and Dean.
"You know boys, it's really not that complicated. My brother will eat anything basically. You could give him chocolate covered bubotuber and he'd probably eat it and say it was tasty," Ginny laughed. "So I don't see what the big issue is." She started off towards Honeydukes. Dean and Seamus followed her closely.
"What about Harry and Neville?" Seamus asked.
"You mean to tell me you've lived with the three of them for the past four and a half years and you don't know what kind of candy to buy them?" Ginny asked.
"You've lived with Jae for the past three and a half and you don't even know her real name," Seamus insisted.
"Okay, I see your point. I'll be quiet now," Ginny laughed. She pulled open the front door to Honeydukes and walked inside. The boy's caught the door from her and followed her in. The trio started off towards the display of Chocolate Frog's and Bertie Bott's.
"They're both fans of both of these candies," Ginny said, looking at the display.
"That's not very original though," Seamus said.
"They're your roommates. Is original really necessary?" Ginny asked.
"Yes!" Seamus insisted. He started towards the back of the store where the case containing the imported candies was located. Ginny and Dean trailed after him.
"I wonder what's gotten into him," Ginny laughed.
"Good question. Shopping usually does make Seamus a little weird though," Dean said, rather nervously. Seamus stopped just in front of the case of candy imports.
"Look at that fudge!" he said, attempting not to salivate on the glass. Dean and Ginny walked over and joined him at the case. They looked down through the top at the sheet of white chocolate fudge that comprised the contents of the entire top shelf. The fudge was white chocolate with a milk chocolate swirl. Seamus pulled out his wand and tapped it to the case.
"Seamus, what are you doing? Trying to get us thrown out of the store?" Dean asked. Seamus cackled maniacally and sprinted towards the entrance.
"Okay, for Seamus, that was even certifiably weird" Dean said shakily. Ginny looked back down towards the fudge. The milk chocolate swirls were slowly morphing to form words.
Ginny, Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?
Ginny looked up and glanced at the front door of the shop.
"I thought he was going with Lavender," she said. Dean pointedly glanced back at the case.
Dean
"Oh," Ginny said, clasping her hand to her mouth.
"I know you have the guy in France and everything, but I think you're a really sweet girl, and I'd like to go with you, if only just as friends," Dean began mumbling. Ginny blinked twice and looked Dean directly in his dark chocolate eyes.
"Of course I'll go to the ball with you." Dean smiled broadly. The two heard cheering from the front of the store. They turned to see the entire Gryffindor fifth year, save Neville, Mandy, Hannah, Justin and Ernie, the Weasley twins, their friends and significant others, Jae, Kyle and Colin Creevey standing at the front of the store cheering.
"Were they all in on this?" Ginny asked. Dean nodded sheepishly.
"Mostly," he said. Ginny turned to face the group and then glanced down at her watch.
"You all have five seconds," she began. Harry let out a loud shriek and tore out of the store at a very high rate of speed.
"Yeah, he's got the right idea," Ginny laughed.
Beta's Note: Now I'm even more of a saint. Hippiechic is technically grounded, so I get to post these for her. Now tell me how much you us both for two chapters at once.