Halloween was fast approaching before anyone really knew it.
Marino however had been dieting for the past three weeks in an attempt to hook the resident Hogwarts heart-throb Cedric Diggory as her date to the Halloween Ball. Sharing her time between eating nothing but oranges and stalking Cedric had all been in vain as Cedric whispered to Paris one afternoon in Herbology that he had received thirty seven invites, six of which were from boys.
Marino took it all in her stride and practically ordered Percy to accompany her to the Ball. After a mere two days, Marino had Percy tripping over himself to cater to her every want and need. Paris could only look on in awe.
Everything had been going smoothly for Paris. Marcus hadn't shown his rat like face for a long while and practically bearable in Potions, sitting quietly and getting on with his work. Paris decided that perhaps he had accidentally put a spell on himself or something that made him, dare she say it, nice.
"Marino! For the love of Merlin, it's enough lipstick!" Paris cried at her friend. The Saturday Halloween had fallen on had been seriously stressful for Paris, she had to help decorate the Hall, keep an eye on the first years, have a Quidditch practice, restrain herself from stabbing Fred or George with a fork, put up with Marino AND be polite to everyone as it was her birthday.
"A lady can never apply too much lipstick," Marino said sagely, gazing at her reflection in the mirror she had been perched in front of since four o'clock that afternoon.
"It's twenty past seven, Marino! We were supposed to meet them downstairs at seven!" Paris cried, feeling a nervous breakdown on the way.
"Relax, I'm ready," Marino said, getting up. "Well?" She said, motioning to her dress.
"You look lovely," Paris said with a small smile. Marino did look lovely, she was in a pale lavender dress with her blonde curls now sleek and straight.
"So do you," Marino said with a nod. Paris wanted to scoff. She had gotten ready in less than half an hour, shoving her dusky pink dress on and applying a slick of lipstick. She would've been ready in five minutes if Marino hadn't insisted on making her long brown hair turn into soft bouncy curls.
"Come on, let's go," Paris said, holding out her hand for Marino.
When the girls got down the stairs, Paris didn't know who to look at first. There was Angelina, Alicia and Katie all looking stunning, and Katie actually looking like a girl for a change. Fred, George and Lee Jordan all looking horribly uncomfortable in shirts and ties, Percy looking like, well Percy and Oliver, looking unbelievable.
"Hallo," Oliver said nervously when Paris approached him. "You look, er nice." It felt like they didn't even know each other.
"So do you," Paris said, barely concealing her amazement. Oliver was dressed in a black suit with a black shirt but no tie.
Fred cleared his throat. "Come on, shall we go or just stand here all night?"
Paris tucked her hand in Oliver's and had a feeling this was going to be a brilliant night.
When the large group of Gryffindor's finally got out of their common room everyone's moods seemed to change.
Marino, who had been bickering with Fred had now stopped and was actually giggling at something Percy was saying. Lee Jordan keep staring at Katie, not believing his luck.
Instead of Katie's usual plait and t-shirt combo, she was in a very lovely sky blue dress with her blonde hair piled on top of her head.
The group of friends neared the Great Hall, which Paris decided she had seen enough of for one day.
"Nice job, Paris!" Alicia said over her shoulder when they entered the Hall. It was decorated as usual, with pumpkins and bats.
"Thank you," Paris called as Alicia was dragged off to dance by George.
Marino, Percy, Paris and Oliver all sat down at a small, lantern lit table at the edge of the Hall and watched everyone dance and have fun.
The night went by quickly.
The twins spent most of their time at the food table, stuffing as much food as humanly possible. The ladies of the group had a nice time dancing and making fools of themselves and Oliver spent most of the night being hounded by four various housed first year girls all claiming to be madly in love with him.
"Aw, who were those little girls?" Paris said, looking at the gaggle of girls who had just been at their table.
"His Fan Club ," Fred said, an evil grin stretched wide across his face.
"They were not!" Oliver argued.
"They were," George offered. "And they even have a theme song, ahem 'Oh we love Oliver Wo' - ," George began in his best voice but Oliver cut him off.
"Sing another word and I swear you'll regret it," Oliver warned. Paris couldn't help but smirking, and made a note to learn the song from George another day.
"Whatever you do will all be worth it," George said airily and cleared his throat once more but Oliver shot up and dragged him and Fred over to the other side of the Hall.
Whatever Oliver had said to the twins had certainly shut them up because when they came back over, they were very quiet but very rueful looking.
"Come on, do you want to go outside for a bit?" Oliver asked Paris, shooting the twins warning looks. Paris accepted and they left the Great Hall and headed outside.
It was pitch black outside but there were small torches lighting a path around the castle. The Quidditch pitch was an eerie white colour from the glow of the moon.
"Today has been fun," Paris said after about five minutes of silence.
"Yeah," Oliver said, slightly uninterested. Paris decided to let it go, Oliver was probably in a mood because of Fred and George.
They walked a little further, now approaching the Herbology greenhouses still not speaking. Oliver looked like he was thinking hard about something. Paris decided to look at the sky, the night was so black, the stars could barely shine through. Here and there was a streak of purple, so dark it too, looked black.
Oliver stopped abruptly but Paris carried on walking a little way before she realized.
"Oliver?" Paris said, turning and walking back to him. "What's the matter with you suddenly?"
"I need to tell you something, Paris," Oliver said quietly. It sounded like he was about to tell her she only had an hour to live or something.
"Go on," Paris pressed, worried what it might be.
"I, it's not easy and I've been practicing it in my head and it sounds really stupid, I want it to be right though and I, well maybe I could..." Oliver began babbling rubbish.
"Just tell me, whatever it is," Paris said, now very curious. Oliver took a deep breath and looked at Paris. He looked rather ill.
"I love you," Oliver said clearly. Paris froze on the spot. She'd heard the words but they hadn't quite registered.
"You, what?" Was the only thing Paris managed to say. Oliver now looked insanely embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, it wasn't right," Oliver began, wishing a hole would open up and swallow him. If he had his wand, he could probably make one.
"I love you too!" Paris said, with a laugh. Oliver surveyed her then broke into a very relived smile. Paris stepped toward him and gave him a hug.
"I'm bloody freezing. Let's go back to the Tower," Paris said quietly. Oliver nodded and they walked the short distance back to the castle.
"Mooncalf," Paris said to the Fat Lady and the portrait hole swing open when the pair had reached Gryffindor Tower. They stepped inside and were instantly warmed by the dwindling but nice fire.
"Do you want to go up?" Oliver asked, motioning to the boys stairs. Paris nodded and they set off up the stone steps that led to the dorms.
Paris had never been up the boy's stairs before but they were much like the girls ones, only the opposite way round.
When they reached the top, Oliver opened the door and went inside. Paris was not surprised, it looked just like five seventeen year old boys lived here. There were posters and clothes everywhere. Paris knew immediately which bed was Percy's because it was the neatest.
"Lovely," Paris said, raising her eyebrows.
"I did kinda tidy up earlier," Oliver said in his defense although you wouldn't know it.
Paris sat down on Oliver's bed, which was easily identified as it was surrounded by Quidditch posters. On his bedside table, there was a Gryffindor team photo that Paris remembered posing for in her sixth year. She looked at her slightly younger self, waving at the camera then trying to escape from George by hiding behind Angelina.
"We need a new photo," Paris said, smiling. Oliver looked a little embarrassed and sat down beside Paris on his bed.
"We don't have to if you don't want to," Oliver said softly. For a minute Paris thought he meant have a new photo. Her heart began to beat a little faster and she got that nervous feeling she always got just before a Quidditch game.
"I do want to," Paris whispered and kissed Oliver.
Marino however had been dieting for the past three weeks in an attempt to hook the resident Hogwarts heart-throb Cedric Diggory as her date to the Halloween Ball. Sharing her time between eating nothing but oranges and stalking Cedric had all been in vain as Cedric whispered to Paris one afternoon in Herbology that he had received thirty seven invites, six of which were from boys.
Marino took it all in her stride and practically ordered Percy to accompany her to the Ball. After a mere two days, Marino had Percy tripping over himself to cater to her every want and need. Paris could only look on in awe.
Everything had been going smoothly for Paris. Marcus hadn't shown his rat like face for a long while and practically bearable in Potions, sitting quietly and getting on with his work. Paris decided that perhaps he had accidentally put a spell on himself or something that made him, dare she say it, nice.
"Marino! For the love of Merlin, it's enough lipstick!" Paris cried at her friend. The Saturday Halloween had fallen on had been seriously stressful for Paris, she had to help decorate the Hall, keep an eye on the first years, have a Quidditch practice, restrain herself from stabbing Fred or George with a fork, put up with Marino AND be polite to everyone as it was her birthday.
"A lady can never apply too much lipstick," Marino said sagely, gazing at her reflection in the mirror she had been perched in front of since four o'clock that afternoon.
"It's twenty past seven, Marino! We were supposed to meet them downstairs at seven!" Paris cried, feeling a nervous breakdown on the way.
"Relax, I'm ready," Marino said, getting up. "Well?" She said, motioning to her dress.
"You look lovely," Paris said with a small smile. Marino did look lovely, she was in a pale lavender dress with her blonde curls now sleek and straight.
"So do you," Marino said with a nod. Paris wanted to scoff. She had gotten ready in less than half an hour, shoving her dusky pink dress on and applying a slick of lipstick. She would've been ready in five minutes if Marino hadn't insisted on making her long brown hair turn into soft bouncy curls.
"Come on, let's go," Paris said, holding out her hand for Marino.
When the girls got down the stairs, Paris didn't know who to look at first. There was Angelina, Alicia and Katie all looking stunning, and Katie actually looking like a girl for a change. Fred, George and Lee Jordan all looking horribly uncomfortable in shirts and ties, Percy looking like, well Percy and Oliver, looking unbelievable.
"Hallo," Oliver said nervously when Paris approached him. "You look, er nice." It felt like they didn't even know each other.
"So do you," Paris said, barely concealing her amazement. Oliver was dressed in a black suit with a black shirt but no tie.
Fred cleared his throat. "Come on, shall we go or just stand here all night?"
Paris tucked her hand in Oliver's and had a feeling this was going to be a brilliant night.
When the large group of Gryffindor's finally got out of their common room everyone's moods seemed to change.
Marino, who had been bickering with Fred had now stopped and was actually giggling at something Percy was saying. Lee Jordan keep staring at Katie, not believing his luck.
Instead of Katie's usual plait and t-shirt combo, she was in a very lovely sky blue dress with her blonde hair piled on top of her head.
The group of friends neared the Great Hall, which Paris decided she had seen enough of for one day.
"Nice job, Paris!" Alicia said over her shoulder when they entered the Hall. It was decorated as usual, with pumpkins and bats.
"Thank you," Paris called as Alicia was dragged off to dance by George.
Marino, Percy, Paris and Oliver all sat down at a small, lantern lit table at the edge of the Hall and watched everyone dance and have fun.
The night went by quickly.
The twins spent most of their time at the food table, stuffing as much food as humanly possible. The ladies of the group had a nice time dancing and making fools of themselves and Oliver spent most of the night being hounded by four various housed first year girls all claiming to be madly in love with him.
"Aw, who were those little girls?" Paris said, looking at the gaggle of girls who had just been at their table.
"His Fan Club ," Fred said, an evil grin stretched wide across his face.
"They were not!" Oliver argued.
"They were," George offered. "And they even have a theme song, ahem 'Oh we love Oliver Wo' - ," George began in his best voice but Oliver cut him off.
"Sing another word and I swear you'll regret it," Oliver warned. Paris couldn't help but smirking, and made a note to learn the song from George another day.
"Whatever you do will all be worth it," George said airily and cleared his throat once more but Oliver shot up and dragged him and Fred over to the other side of the Hall.
Whatever Oliver had said to the twins had certainly shut them up because when they came back over, they were very quiet but very rueful looking.
"Come on, do you want to go outside for a bit?" Oliver asked Paris, shooting the twins warning looks. Paris accepted and they left the Great Hall and headed outside.
It was pitch black outside but there were small torches lighting a path around the castle. The Quidditch pitch was an eerie white colour from the glow of the moon.
"Today has been fun," Paris said after about five minutes of silence.
"Yeah," Oliver said, slightly uninterested. Paris decided to let it go, Oliver was probably in a mood because of Fred and George.
They walked a little further, now approaching the Herbology greenhouses still not speaking. Oliver looked like he was thinking hard about something. Paris decided to look at the sky, the night was so black, the stars could barely shine through. Here and there was a streak of purple, so dark it too, looked black.
Oliver stopped abruptly but Paris carried on walking a little way before she realized.
"Oliver?" Paris said, turning and walking back to him. "What's the matter with you suddenly?"
"I need to tell you something, Paris," Oliver said quietly. It sounded like he was about to tell her she only had an hour to live or something.
"Go on," Paris pressed, worried what it might be.
"I, it's not easy and I've been practicing it in my head and it sounds really stupid, I want it to be right though and I, well maybe I could..." Oliver began babbling rubbish.
"Just tell me, whatever it is," Paris said, now very curious. Oliver took a deep breath and looked at Paris. He looked rather ill.
"I love you," Oliver said clearly. Paris froze on the spot. She'd heard the words but they hadn't quite registered.
"You, what?" Was the only thing Paris managed to say. Oliver now looked insanely embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, it wasn't right," Oliver began, wishing a hole would open up and swallow him. If he had his wand, he could probably make one.
"I love you too!" Paris said, with a laugh. Oliver surveyed her then broke into a very relived smile. Paris stepped toward him and gave him a hug.
"I'm bloody freezing. Let's go back to the Tower," Paris said quietly. Oliver nodded and they walked the short distance back to the castle.
"Mooncalf," Paris said to the Fat Lady and the portrait hole swing open when the pair had reached Gryffindor Tower. They stepped inside and were instantly warmed by the dwindling but nice fire.
"Do you want to go up?" Oliver asked, motioning to the boys stairs. Paris nodded and they set off up the stone steps that led to the dorms.
Paris had never been up the boy's stairs before but they were much like the girls ones, only the opposite way round.
When they reached the top, Oliver opened the door and went inside. Paris was not surprised, it looked just like five seventeen year old boys lived here. There were posters and clothes everywhere. Paris knew immediately which bed was Percy's because it was the neatest.
"Lovely," Paris said, raising her eyebrows.
"I did kinda tidy up earlier," Oliver said in his defense although you wouldn't know it.
Paris sat down on Oliver's bed, which was easily identified as it was surrounded by Quidditch posters. On his bedside table, there was a Gryffindor team photo that Paris remembered posing for in her sixth year. She looked at her slightly younger self, waving at the camera then trying to escape from George by hiding behind Angelina.
"We need a new photo," Paris said, smiling. Oliver looked a little embarrassed and sat down beside Paris on his bed.
"We don't have to if you don't want to," Oliver said softly. For a minute Paris thought he meant have a new photo. Her heart began to beat a little faster and she got that nervous feeling she always got just before a Quidditch game.
"I do want to," Paris whispered and kissed Oliver.