Authors Note: Dun dun dunnnnnn! Who might it be? I have nothing to say so
read on to find out.
******
Of course, it never is who you think it is, because just as Ginny was about to run for her life, a familiar red-headed duo flew into the Great Hall.
"Oi!" called Ron. "It's Fred and George!"
The fear and panic quickly turned to joy. Fred and George circled the Hall on their brooms and threw purple pouches down to everyone.
"It's our newest invention!" Fred cried to everyone. "We call the little buggers Chocolate Niblet Beans!"
"Watch your tongues though!" George said after him.
Neville was the first one to open the pouch. Inside were different coloured beans. They looked harmless enough, so he dug his chubby little fingers into the bag and pulled out a nice purple one. Too bad it didn't like being pulled out.
"Ouch! It bit me!" Neville whined. "How are we supposed to eat these?"
"You're not supposed to EAT them!" Fred laughed as he landed down beside Neville.
"And if you did they probably wouldn't taste too good!" George chimed in. He landed right beside Angelina and stood for only a second before her swooped her up in a huge smooch. "Angie baby! Haven't seen you in a while! Looking good!"
Angelina blushed then laughed. "I see you haven't changed, George." Then she whispered in his ear, "I missed you. a lot."
George kissed her lightly on the cheek before rushing over to Harry with Fred. "Harry. You little devil you!" Fred said cheerfully when he saw Harry with Ginny in his arms.
Ginny giggled. "Nice to see you again, Fred! And you to, George! It's been such a long time! How's the shop going?"
"Great!" the twins said in unison.
"Um. Excuse me?" the lead singer of the weird sisters said into the microphone. "How bout we get back to our little 'game'?" Some cheers came from the crowd. "Okay. On the count of three! One. Two. Three!!!"
Students all over rushed to the one they adored. Harry turned to Ginny and she giggled when she saw Lavender rushing over to get him first. Harry didn't laugh because he was too wrapped up in Ginny's eyes. He grabbed her, strongly, yet so lovingly and their lips met. Harry kissed Ginny. Ginny kissed him back, but oh! What a kiss it was! Ginny could feel her knees weaken and her stomach felt tight. Her heart was beating fast and all she could think about was Harry. She didn't want to pull away. She forgot everything that had happened with Voldemort. She was living in the present. A present, with just her and Harry, forever embraced in a loving kiss.
Harry too, felt the same way, but he couldn't help feel sorry for Lavender. She was so upset, she kissed the closest boy and unfortunately for both of them. It was Neville.
"Ew!" Neville screamed. "What the HELL was that for?!"
Lavender fumed and you could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. "You think I liked it? Hah! Some other guy was standing there just before you and. I missed! Say. You've become quite outspoken! What did you do? Drink a courage potion?"
Neville blushed. Earlier that year, the day he left for the station, Neville had concocted a courage potion. He was tired of people walking all over him.
Lavender smirked. "I guess you did! That's pretty sad, Neville. In fact, that's down right pathetic!" She laughed in his face, just like a pompous hyena. Big mistake.
Neville exploded! His face was burning red and his knuckle were bone white from his clenching. "YOU THINK YOU'RE A QUEEN? DON'T YOU? WELL WELCOME TO REALITY! YOU'RE UGLY, WHINEY, BITCHY, CLINGY! THE LIST GOES ON! NOT TO MENTION YOU LOOK LIKE HAGRID!!!"
"I'm not that ugly!" Hagrid cried. Tears formed in his eyes and he ran out of the hall.
******
Meanwhile, while all this was going on, Ron had rushed over to Hermione. Draco and her were centimetres away from kissing. They were millimetres away from kissing. He had to kiss her and this would be his only chance. Wham! He smacked Draco out of the way and before Hermione could react she found herself kissing Ron. Draco knocked into the table with the refreshments on it, breaking it in two and completely ruining his dress robes. The commotion drew the students' attention away from the screaming Neville and now crying Lavender.
Ron and Hermione broke apart almost immediately. "Ron?!" Hermione shrieked with such a tone it made everyone cringe. "What the fuck are you doing? Oh my god! I told you! It won't work! . Can someone tell me what's happening? And why am I dressed like a whore?!"
Harry and Ginny rushed over to join the crowd.
"Draco gave you a potion! You completely forgot me and Harry! He was MAKING you love him!" Ron cried.
Hermione turned to Draco. She grabbed her forehead. "Draco, you idiot , I already do love you! And you," she turned back to Ron, "need to grow up."
"You can love someone who takes away all your friends and makes you love him?"
"He cares so much that he would do anything to have me! He loves me! He needs me! Why can't you understand that Ron?"
"I guess I'll never be able to understand." Ron fled from the hall; he could barely keep back his tears. He now knew that he, Ron, the stupid, poor and not-so-good looking one, was her true love. How long would it take her to realize that? How long before he just gave up? Ron couldn't live without her. But she had changed. Why? He didn't know. Thinking about it hurt him even more. It was like a knife. a searing, burning blade that cut deep into him. It extracted his soul and took all feelings away. It left him cold and numb; a dementor without the blood thirst.
******
"You freaking bitch!" Ginny yelled at her former best friend. "He loves you! And that kiss, just proved that you love him too! Why can't you see it?"
"How can a stupid, nasty kiss prove that I love him?" Hermione snapped as she helped Draco up.
"That potion," Harry fumed, "The only cure was a kiss from whom you truly love!"
"But I don't have feelings for him! And you have no way of proving that I do! Sure, maybe I'll grow up to marry him or something but for now, I'll do what my heart tells me to do. Not what some big-headed 'hero' and his whiney little girlfriend tell me too!"
But Hermione didn't know what her heart was telling her. It was all so confusing. She was drawn to Draco, but Ron, she'd known him since they came to Hogwarts. Five or six years, best of friends. And he still hadn't grown up. Yet Draco too, had his faults. He was manipulative and often Hermione did things that she didn't want to because he told her he loved her. She felt empty when she was with Draco. Empty. but alive. And free. Free from homework, and all the other pressures in the world. She didn't feel like herself anymore.
Harry shook his head and led Ginny away in his arms. She was now crying and Harry was trying to be strong. After they left the hall, they went out underneath the autumn stars. The pungent smell of the newly fallen leaves tingled in their noses and they wept. They wept for their friend who had changed. They wept for she no longer knew who she was. They wept because the old Hermione was dead, decaying in the back of her own mind.
******
The teachers quickly shuffled all the students out of the hall. "Come along now," Professor McGonagall said. "Everyone back to their common rooms! I do believe we've had enough excitement for one night already!"
Most of the students were grumpy and pouted because the ball was supposed to end at least an hour later. Some were just shocked at what Neville had done. The rest either sympathized Ron or supported Draco and Hermione all the way. Fred and George stayed behind with Dumbledore.
"Why don't you do something about it?" Fred asked the professor. "You know that she's acting really. mean!"
"Alas," Dumbledore said sadly, "I cannot interfere with anything that anyone does in this school. It would be manipulating free will."
"But Malfoy manipulated Hermione's free will!" George argued.
"I know." Dumbledore stared off into nowhere. "I know."
"But how can you just stand there and not do anything?" Fred almost screamed.
"My dear Fred, and you too George, the world. It works in a very strange way. Things do not always go as planned and they never ever go smoothly. If everything was perfect, the world would be a most unpleasant place to live. I cannot help those whose problems can be solved by themselves, for they must find their own way in life. And that," he paused as if he too was grieving for the loss of the old Hermione, "is most depressing."
******
Of course, it never is who you think it is, because just as Ginny was about to run for her life, a familiar red-headed duo flew into the Great Hall.
"Oi!" called Ron. "It's Fred and George!"
The fear and panic quickly turned to joy. Fred and George circled the Hall on their brooms and threw purple pouches down to everyone.
"It's our newest invention!" Fred cried to everyone. "We call the little buggers Chocolate Niblet Beans!"
"Watch your tongues though!" George said after him.
Neville was the first one to open the pouch. Inside were different coloured beans. They looked harmless enough, so he dug his chubby little fingers into the bag and pulled out a nice purple one. Too bad it didn't like being pulled out.
"Ouch! It bit me!" Neville whined. "How are we supposed to eat these?"
"You're not supposed to EAT them!" Fred laughed as he landed down beside Neville.
"And if you did they probably wouldn't taste too good!" George chimed in. He landed right beside Angelina and stood for only a second before her swooped her up in a huge smooch. "Angie baby! Haven't seen you in a while! Looking good!"
Angelina blushed then laughed. "I see you haven't changed, George." Then she whispered in his ear, "I missed you. a lot."
George kissed her lightly on the cheek before rushing over to Harry with Fred. "Harry. You little devil you!" Fred said cheerfully when he saw Harry with Ginny in his arms.
Ginny giggled. "Nice to see you again, Fred! And you to, George! It's been such a long time! How's the shop going?"
"Great!" the twins said in unison.
"Um. Excuse me?" the lead singer of the weird sisters said into the microphone. "How bout we get back to our little 'game'?" Some cheers came from the crowd. "Okay. On the count of three! One. Two. Three!!!"
Students all over rushed to the one they adored. Harry turned to Ginny and she giggled when she saw Lavender rushing over to get him first. Harry didn't laugh because he was too wrapped up in Ginny's eyes. He grabbed her, strongly, yet so lovingly and their lips met. Harry kissed Ginny. Ginny kissed him back, but oh! What a kiss it was! Ginny could feel her knees weaken and her stomach felt tight. Her heart was beating fast and all she could think about was Harry. She didn't want to pull away. She forgot everything that had happened with Voldemort. She was living in the present. A present, with just her and Harry, forever embraced in a loving kiss.
Harry too, felt the same way, but he couldn't help feel sorry for Lavender. She was so upset, she kissed the closest boy and unfortunately for both of them. It was Neville.
"Ew!" Neville screamed. "What the HELL was that for?!"
Lavender fumed and you could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. "You think I liked it? Hah! Some other guy was standing there just before you and. I missed! Say. You've become quite outspoken! What did you do? Drink a courage potion?"
Neville blushed. Earlier that year, the day he left for the station, Neville had concocted a courage potion. He was tired of people walking all over him.
Lavender smirked. "I guess you did! That's pretty sad, Neville. In fact, that's down right pathetic!" She laughed in his face, just like a pompous hyena. Big mistake.
Neville exploded! His face was burning red and his knuckle were bone white from his clenching. "YOU THINK YOU'RE A QUEEN? DON'T YOU? WELL WELCOME TO REALITY! YOU'RE UGLY, WHINEY, BITCHY, CLINGY! THE LIST GOES ON! NOT TO MENTION YOU LOOK LIKE HAGRID!!!"
"I'm not that ugly!" Hagrid cried. Tears formed in his eyes and he ran out of the hall.
******
Meanwhile, while all this was going on, Ron had rushed over to Hermione. Draco and her were centimetres away from kissing. They were millimetres away from kissing. He had to kiss her and this would be his only chance. Wham! He smacked Draco out of the way and before Hermione could react she found herself kissing Ron. Draco knocked into the table with the refreshments on it, breaking it in two and completely ruining his dress robes. The commotion drew the students' attention away from the screaming Neville and now crying Lavender.
Ron and Hermione broke apart almost immediately. "Ron?!" Hermione shrieked with such a tone it made everyone cringe. "What the fuck are you doing? Oh my god! I told you! It won't work! . Can someone tell me what's happening? And why am I dressed like a whore?!"
Harry and Ginny rushed over to join the crowd.
"Draco gave you a potion! You completely forgot me and Harry! He was MAKING you love him!" Ron cried.
Hermione turned to Draco. She grabbed her forehead. "Draco, you idiot , I already do love you! And you," she turned back to Ron, "need to grow up."
"You can love someone who takes away all your friends and makes you love him?"
"He cares so much that he would do anything to have me! He loves me! He needs me! Why can't you understand that Ron?"
"I guess I'll never be able to understand." Ron fled from the hall; he could barely keep back his tears. He now knew that he, Ron, the stupid, poor and not-so-good looking one, was her true love. How long would it take her to realize that? How long before he just gave up? Ron couldn't live without her. But she had changed. Why? He didn't know. Thinking about it hurt him even more. It was like a knife. a searing, burning blade that cut deep into him. It extracted his soul and took all feelings away. It left him cold and numb; a dementor without the blood thirst.
******
"You freaking bitch!" Ginny yelled at her former best friend. "He loves you! And that kiss, just proved that you love him too! Why can't you see it?"
"How can a stupid, nasty kiss prove that I love him?" Hermione snapped as she helped Draco up.
"That potion," Harry fumed, "The only cure was a kiss from whom you truly love!"
"But I don't have feelings for him! And you have no way of proving that I do! Sure, maybe I'll grow up to marry him or something but for now, I'll do what my heart tells me to do. Not what some big-headed 'hero' and his whiney little girlfriend tell me too!"
But Hermione didn't know what her heart was telling her. It was all so confusing. She was drawn to Draco, but Ron, she'd known him since they came to Hogwarts. Five or six years, best of friends. And he still hadn't grown up. Yet Draco too, had his faults. He was manipulative and often Hermione did things that she didn't want to because he told her he loved her. She felt empty when she was with Draco. Empty. but alive. And free. Free from homework, and all the other pressures in the world. She didn't feel like herself anymore.
Harry shook his head and led Ginny away in his arms. She was now crying and Harry was trying to be strong. After they left the hall, they went out underneath the autumn stars. The pungent smell of the newly fallen leaves tingled in their noses and they wept. They wept for their friend who had changed. They wept for she no longer knew who she was. They wept because the old Hermione was dead, decaying in the back of her own mind.
******
The teachers quickly shuffled all the students out of the hall. "Come along now," Professor McGonagall said. "Everyone back to their common rooms! I do believe we've had enough excitement for one night already!"
Most of the students were grumpy and pouted because the ball was supposed to end at least an hour later. Some were just shocked at what Neville had done. The rest either sympathized Ron or supported Draco and Hermione all the way. Fred and George stayed behind with Dumbledore.
"Why don't you do something about it?" Fred asked the professor. "You know that she's acting really. mean!"
"Alas," Dumbledore said sadly, "I cannot interfere with anything that anyone does in this school. It would be manipulating free will."
"But Malfoy manipulated Hermione's free will!" George argued.
"I know." Dumbledore stared off into nowhere. "I know."
"But how can you just stand there and not do anything?" Fred almost screamed.
"My dear Fred, and you too George, the world. It works in a very strange way. Things do not always go as planned and they never ever go smoothly. If everything was perfect, the world would be a most unpleasant place to live. I cannot help those whose problems can be solved by themselves, for they must find their own way in life. And that," he paused as if he too was grieving for the loss of the old Hermione, "is most depressing."