Here's another update. Hope you like it! And I'm still working on beefing it up, so please bear with me and please comment and criticize! The more you comment and criticize, the better I can make the story! Thanks to you all! Lots of love! -English Foxlette
Portraits and paintings on the wall all followed the girls with their eyes as they walked by, occasionally whistling in appreciation, making the girls giggle. But despite their joyous appearances they were seriously planning Hermione's entrance.
"She has to be seen by everyone, that way she can rub it in their faces later!" exclaimed Lavender.
"How about, you and me go into the Great Hall, get everyone's attention, and then open the doors dramatically while Hermione gracefully steps in!" Parvati said.
"I like it, I like it!" Lavender cooed as she lifted her dress, daintily walking down the last flight of steps. Lavender chose to follow her name and had selected a lavender colored chiffon dress that tied at the back. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, looking smooth as silk. Parvati had chosen a sage colored halter that flattered her olive complexion. Parvati's hair was half up in a tightly coiled bun that even Minerva McGonagall would have been proud of while the rest just barely reached her shoulders. Once they reached the bottom, they turned to Hermione.
"OK! So the plan is that Parvati and I will go in, get everyones attention, slowly open the doors, and you make your grand entrance!" Lavender explained. Hermione nodded in agreement, her tummy currently doing flips.
'Everyone in the school is going to be watching me? Ohhhh dear...But I guess I don't have much choice, because there they go.' Hermione thought to herself as she saw Lavender and Parvati squeeze through a very small opening in the door and close it after them. Hermione took in a deep breath and smoothed out her dress nervously.
Meanwhile, inside the Great Hall, Lavender and Parvati looked at each other.
"Attention please!" Parvati said loudly. Apparently she wasn't loud enough as only a few heads turned. She blushed a little and took a deep breath.
"I said attention please!" Parvati said a little louder. A few more masked faces turned her way. She shot a crestfallen glance towards Lavender who pursed her lips and took out her wand. She pointed it at her throat and said, "Sonorus!" Lavender cleared her throat and balled her fists.
"OI! LISTEN UP EVERYBODY!" her voice boomed across the hall, and pretty soon every face turned to her and the classical music playing in the background died down to a soft hum.
"Now presenting..." Lavender trailed off. She couldn't say Hermione's name, otherwise everyone would know who she was, and that would just spoil the fun of having a masquerade ball. Thinking quickly, a small smirk covered her delicate features.
"Now presenting; the Princess of the Tower!"
"Good one," Parvati muttered as they each opened a door as Hermione walked in. The room was filled with gasps and mutterings of 'Who is that?' and 'She's gorgeous!'
In the entrance, Hermione stood there. Her floor length white dress sparkled with bits of glitter, and concealed her pristine white high heels. The top of the dress fit her snugly and tied in the back like a corset, while from the waist down, the dress billowed out around her. Her chestnut hair, which had been straightened to the point of it poking someones eye out, had been tucked into French twist at the back of her head. Her lips were adorned with a light pink frosted lipstick, and her eyes were hidden by an ornate white mask. She glowed as if she was an angel and the smell of roses seemed to follow her around. She blushed a light shade of cranberry red giving her more of an innocent glow as she stepped fully into the room.
Lavender and Parvati smiled at her as they led her off to the punch table. The room bustled back to life and the volume of the music went up. As the trio of girls approached the table two boys approached them.
"Wow Hermione! You look great!" a red headed boy exclaimed. The brunette boy next to him nodded vigorously, lost for words apparently. Hermione gave him a shocked look.
"How did you know it was me?" she sputtered out.
"Oh. Sorry. We saw Lavender and Parvati leave mentioning your name, so we naturally presumed it was you." Harry explained.
"Oh," Hermione said as she looked her male companions up and down. Ron was wearing black slacks with a navy sport jacket, a red and yellow tie accompanied by a navy mask. Hermione smiled inwardly. 'Even at a masquerade he has Griffindor pride,' she thought. Hermione then turned her gaze to Harry, who was wearing a white tuxedo with black trim, shoes, and tie. She personally didn't think he should have chosen white, but he still looked quite dashing under his white mask.
"So explain to me how this masquerade thing works again," Hermione asked, turning to Harry.
"Well, Dumbledore and the other professors have cast a masking spell on all of us, so that we don't know who were talking to unless they reveal themselves. Normally we would be able to tell by the voice, or the hair, or whatever, but now our minds get a little foggy, and we have to, in a way, meet the people all over again. Does that make sense?" Harry explained. Hermione pondered for a minute before concluding that it was a brilliant spell indeed.
Lavender and Parvati said something about meeting Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom by the North corner of the room, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. An uncomfortable silence past before Ron spoke.
"Well Hermione, would you care to dance?" Ron asked holding out his hand to Hermione who took it after shooting a glance towards Harry.
"You guys go off and have a good time. I'm going to try and find Cho," he said before walking off.
Hermione placed her right hand in his left, and placed her left on his right shoulder as he laid his right hand on her hip. She giggled as Ron moved awkwardly from side to side with her. Ron blushed and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, I don't dance well at all" he squeaked out.
"Don't worry Ron. I'm still having fun," Hermione said, forcing a smile trying to cover her pain as he had just stepped on her foot.
The ballad continued and the pair carried on dancing, although Hermione was careful to watch her feet. Ron had calmed down and was finally getting a hang of this dancing thing. He smiled down at Hermione, who smiled back. He opened his mouth to say something when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"May I cut in?" a cool voice asked.
"Umm... Sure, go ahead mate," Ron agreed as he walked off back to the punch table.
Hermione blushed at the young man in front of her. He was a few inches taller than herself, with platinum blonde hair which had been slicked back. His black mask hid his eyes, and Hermione's fingers itched to take it off. He wore an expensive looking black tuxedo. The chain of a pocket watch was visible hanging from his left-hand pocket.
"Would you like to dance?" he asked, breaking Hermione from her trance.
"Yes, I'd love to," Hermione responded trying to act calm, cool, and collected. The young man smirked and lifted her hand daintily before bowing and kissing it. Hermione's eyes widened to the size of saucers before she remembered her manners, and curtseyed. He positioned his hand in hers and put his other hand delicately on her hip. Slowly a new song started and the pair started to move.
The mystery man led her flawlessly, like he had done this many times before. Hermione felt like she was floating. Her dress twirled around them and she was caught in her own wonderland. She smiled at him, who smirked/smiled back. She rested her head against his chest and drew in a breath.
'He smells like the forest after it's rained. It smells so good. And it smells so familiar too,' Hermione thought, her half-lidded eyes cloudy in a drug-like haze. A very small unnoticeable rumble in Hermiones lower abdomen brought her back to reality. When was the last time she had eaten? Lunch time which was...'Oh gosh I haven't eaten in 9 hours. But I don't want to leave his arms. They're too comfortable. Ooh boy, it's starting to get a little warm in here...' she thought. A light sweat gave her face a pearly sheen. 'This can't happen now. I need...to concentrate!'
"You're really beautiful," the young man commented.
"Thank you. You look very nice yourself," Hermione replied.
"Are you alright? You're starting to look a little pale," he said.
"Oh, I'm fine. It's just starting to get a little warm in here," she drawled.
"Would you like to step outside with me and get some fresh air?"
"I would love that," Hermione said, relieved. The young man smiled, and took her hand in his and led her towards the exit.
They quietly snuck out of the Great Hall, and stepped outside past the pendulum. Couples were strewn about, snogging each other senseless. The young man grimaced and led her out to the empty bridge. Hermione smiled and sat up on the wooden side-rail, leaning heavily on the support post.
"So, since I'm not sure either of us want to reveal ourselves completely, how about we play a guessing game?" the young man suggested.
"Mmhmm," Hermione mumbled in response, closing her eyes as a cold wind blew past her.
"You seem like an intelligent type, so I am to assume that you're most likely a Ravenclaw or a Griffindor. Am I correct?" he asked.
"Correct. And your overall cool qualities would make me think you a Slytherin. Are you?" Hermione asked drearily; her eyes still closed. 'Oooh, dammit, I'm still feeling lightheaded. Just concentrate Hermione, CONCENTRATE!' she reprimanded herself.
"You are correct. Do you play quidditch?" he asked. Hermione didn't hear him. Her breathing started getting shallow, and her vision clouded.
"Miss? I asked if you played quidditch?" he prompted again. Hermione once again didn't hear him. He looked at her worriedly. 'I feel heavy...why...is it...so dark?' Hermione thought, her ears drowning with the pounding of her heart beat and shortened breath. Her grip on the rail loosened and within seconds she had slipped completely off the rail.
All Hermione could see now was the masked face of the young man falling away as everything went dark.
Oooh another cliffhanger! Don't worry, it'll be worth it! (I hope) '