Cleo Chestra and the wizards of America: Chapter 8
The Christmas ball
Two days latter, the day of the ball Cleo got her letter from her parents and as well and Ron and Hermione.
Dear Stephy,
("Stephy?" Harry laughed. Cleo shuddered. "Oh don't make me hurt you Harry." Harry muttered something like "I'd like to see you try." But Cleo chose to encore this extremely dangerous comment.)
We would be glad to have your friends over for the holidays! We would love to meet them. Drew and Ben are coming too, so were sure to have a grate time! We bought four tickets for you and your friends to fly back home, there behind the letter. Your father and I will come get you at the air port. We'll see you soon!
Love,
Mom and Dad
Ron and Hermione's parents said they could too. Fab! Everything was going fab! Cleo hardly bothered to pay interest to her classes, she couldn't think of anything but the dance and being with Ron, it was like a fairytale!
She was at Transfiguration during the count down until the dance. She was supposed to be turning a nettle into a haystack but all of her haystacks still had the nettle in them so she gave up and watched the cloak.
Two more minutest.
"Now class, if your nettle is still found, you might be saying the charm wrong. Now the proper way to say it is…"
One more minuet.
"Yes, try that Miss Patel. NO, NO, NO STOP!"
30 seconds.
"Another note children, mind not to anisette the 'e,' that will resolute in making the nettle sow all that is around them. Come Miss Patel, let's see if we can untangle you."
20 seconds
"Miss Patel, I wont hurt you now stop squirming! Untaggla!"
10 seconds
"See, that wasn't too bad now was it? I'm sure those marks will fad away in time for the dance."
6 seconds
"Next class we shall experiment on changing this nettle to a porcupine."
3 seconds
"That's all for today."
2 seconds
"Have a nice time at the dance!"
1…FREEDOM! Cleo scooped all her crud into her bad and speed out of the room.
"Oy! What you doing?" Ron called after her.
"Need to get ready!" Cleo called back.
"Why? It's not for a while!"
"You wont me to be an expectable date don't you!" Cleo blew him a kiss and continued to run, she had much work to do.
The glory of the ball was too great to describe. Grate green pines glittered silver almost as much as Cleo's eyes and scented the room with a warming sweetness. Fairies buzzed about like oversized flying lights along the enchanted ceiling, ones and a while nesting in some of the Christmas trees. Behind the teachers table was the largest and only tree with colors on it other tan silver. Under that was a small seen of baby Jesus in his mother's arms and Joseph behind them with his had on Mary's shoulder. In every corner of the grate hall were levitating bells that rung different festive songs. At the particular moment, they were jingling silent night. Cleo was so taken back by the how lovely everything was, she had the overwhelming scene that she might brake out crying sometime that night.
Cleo seated herself down to get a good look around the place. Her hair was in her usual body wave, and every now and then some crimped peace's. On the top of her head, she had put a think reef of holly, just to look festive. The night before the ball Cleo had fixed herself a new dress robe. It was green and shinned red when she walked. (A little trick she had with her wand.) On the cuffs top and bottom, she lined it with red. For the first time that year she put on some make up, not being all that fond of it. She had Christmas red lipstick on and some extremely subtle brown eye shadow on, just to flatter her eyes a little. Of Course, she had only gone to this trouble for Ron.
She smiled to herself when she thought of the look in his eyes. The sorts of look boys get when they're melting into there own puddle of admiration.
Someone cleared their throat behind her. As basic human instinct Cleo turned around and saw Hermione. She was in a dull pink robe and her hair was straitened.
"So what do you think?" She asked. Cleo tried not to frown.
"Predictable." Cleo hesitated. Hermione's eyes softened and looked down at her feet. Cleo tried her best to think of something to say.
"How would you like a early Christmas present?" Hermione looked up from her black shoes and up at Cleo with a questioning look. Cleo grinned and pulled out her wand.
"Arco Hermione's 1 gift." They stood there; waiting, some odd sounds came from outside the door. Then the door of the grate hall opened to allow the brightly rapped gift to them. Although, it didn't seem to know where exactly it was going, for it almost flew past Cleo's head and she was forced to a straining leap to catch it and gave it to Hermione. Hermione laughed a silent laugh and received her gift.
"Oh!" Hermione bellowed. Cleo (starting her own trend) had made her a blue robe that shinned silver when she moved. It had silver lining this time.
"Cleo! This is exquisite!"
"Nothing less for your date with Harry!" Cleo smiled. "Let's go fix up your hair and makeup." Cleo squeaked, and they scurried off to the bathroom to fix Hermione up.
Cleo picked out a specific hair do for her that night. It was two side buns that she knew (and was right) would look stunning on her. Swirled in the buns were silver hilights that matched her dress and matched her makeup. Yes, Hermione got makeup on as well, in effort to get Harry drooling. She had some shinning blue lipstick (Cleo suggested it be shinny so it wasn't too bold) and some brown eye shadow to compliment her cheery face. Neither of them were in need of blush, for both of them were very pink. Hermione sighed, paused, and then hugged Cleo.
"I look so pretty Cleo!" She said breathlessly. Cleo agreed.
"I knew those buns would look nice on you!" Cleo said, brushing some stray hair out of Hermione's face.
"I bet Harry will be simply quivering when he sees you!" Hermione gave her a hopeful smirk.
"If I'm lucky." Cleo didn't pay any concern to the comment.
"It's in the bag! We better go back to the grate hall, the boys could already be there!" Hermione grinned and they both stepped out of the bathroom and much to Cleo's horror, she saw the boys rounding the corner and making their way down the stairs. Cleo grabbed Hermione's arm and dashed into the grate hall.
"They're just coming down the stairs!" Cleo warned.
"What do we do?" Hermione asked, jittery. Cleo tossed her head about to look for the perfect meeting place.
"Ok, we sit right hear, half turned and when they come in we do this…" Cleo sat down and crossed her legs. She started laughing at an imaginary person across from her, and then turned her head, her hair tossing over her face, with a soft smile on. Hermione clapped.
"Bravo! I hear them outside the door!" Hermione rushed over to the table and sat across from Cleo. Cleo was lost her cool and was frantic.
"Quick! Say a gibberish word and laugh!" Hermione stared at her.
"What?" She said, giggling.
"Yeah, good, just keep laughing like that." Cleo said and joined her. Just after they begin laughing, they heard the door open and two people walk in. Hermione and Cleo turned their heads as planned. (Hermione did it perfectly! Cleo was so excited for her.) Cleo frowned. The boys both had their heads down. Grate! A perfectly good 'turn and smiled' right down the drain! Ron was rubbing his head irritably with Harry trying to brake his laughter.
"Shut up Harry." Ron snapped viciously. "Just when I was getting ready a sinister box pelted me right upside my head! Whatever it was it…it felt like iron! I'm telling you that…DAM!" About time! Ron had finally caught sight of Hermione and herself. Harry, curious to see what had caused such a reaction, looked up and saw Hermione.
Cleo was filled with gladness when she saw the boy's form into their own puddles. Harry smiled at Hermione. Cleo couldn't quite put her finger on what the smile was behind. He seemed happy to see her…but Cleo wasn't sure if it was the look she wanted, Perhaps he just hadn't seen her as a date yet. No matter, Cleo was sure, sure that he would see her more than that tonight. Just something in the air promised more than friendship and more than anyone else in the world, Cleo wonted this to happen for Hermione.
Cleo nudged Hermione to move forward to Harry. This she did, but not as bravely as expected of Hermione. But Hermione didn't say that way. She stood very strait and smiled at Harry confidently.
"Hi Harry." She said. Harry nodded and grinned.
"Hi Hermione, you look nice, really nice!" OOH! Really nice, that's good! Winner word! Hermione turned her head around to Cleo and gave her a pressing look. "Could you leaves us please?" It seemed to say. Cleo didn't catch on quite as quickly, as was her way but figured it out in her own time.
Cleo wasn't sure weather Ron and caught the look himself or just thought it was naturally a good time, but he seemed ready to go himself. Cleo felt a blast of cold air tickle her ear.
"Come on," The sounds formed gracefully, like doves in a winter storm.
"What the…? Oh, yeah, ok." Cleo said, finding her reaction probably not best for the moment. Ron didn't seem to knottiest, he stiffly put his hand around her waist and lead her out to the garden just outside of the grate hall.
The air was cool and sticky; making Cleo fell absolutely revolting in her long gown but he took no knottiest to this either. Quite on the contrary he seemed to be concentrating very hard while still trying to maintain a romantic air. Cleo looked about the garden and, spotting a rose, delicately held it and smelled. She felt Ron watching her and looked up. He was simply staring, nothing else to him. Staring with clear eyes at Cleo.
"You look beautiful tonight." Cleo tingled inside.
"Thank you Ron." She said affectionately. "You look wonderful as well." She knew that was just the thing to say. Ron was very self conscious about his second hand robe when he had a date with her, but Cleo thought regardless, that he looked nice. Ron was the exact color of his robes now and Cleo smiled.
"Ron," She said to brake the embarrassed silence. "I'm really glad you asked me out tonight." Now Ron was a good fiery red, strangely resembling a super hero Cleo had one's seen.
"Re-really?" Cleo nodded. It was all to plain that Ron fancied her and she felt no reason to hide her secret anymore.
"I've been actually hoping you would ask me out for a long time now. Really ever scene…" Cleo was stunned stupid. Ron has locked his lips around her own and had his hands were squeezing her tightly to him. Oh my gosh. Cleo thought as she gave herself up completely and closed her eyes tenderly. The kiss lasted quite a long time (even considering the fact Cleo never wished it to stop.) But as all good things must, it ended with Cleo felling indescribable. (As a writer I tried, it didn't work.)
When Ron released her, he was freaked out of his mind.
"Oh my GOD did I do that?" He yelled with his hands in his hair. Cleo gave him a toothless, squinting smirk.
"You know, right about know I would smack the guy who did that." Ron flinched very slightly as Cleo ushered him with a full smiled. "But I'll let you off this time." Cleo kissed him quickly and took his hand.
"Let's go tell Harry and Hermione. Ron looked extremely relieved. Harry and Hermione were over at the punch bowl laughing and talking with each other. Harry must have just told a joke because they both burst out laughing, that's when Hermione saw them.
She set down her cup and looked about ready to faint.
"Oh my gosh." Harry turned his head to see. He looked up at them normally at first but then saw their hands. Cleo feared for his glasses for his eyes looked like they were going to smash right threw them!
"What's going on hear? Ron I told you don't put any spells on her!" Harry was frantic but Cleo stayed calm.
"Ron!" Cleo said accusingly. "Why'd you kiss me if he said no spells?"
"You kissed her?" Harry and Hermione yelled in unison. Ron had his hand over his face.
"I didn't mind." Cleo told them. Ron took his hand off his face and smiled at her.
"So…are you together now?" Hermione asked eagerly. Cleo looked up at Ron who was grinning hard.
"Duh!" Hermione lit up like a bulb and hugged Cleo.
"I can't believe it! That's wonderful!" Cleo had difficulty believing it herself. Harry had started conversing with Ron so Cleo thought it would be alright to take Hermione and talk. She saw across the room that Lindsey had taken Malfoy as her date, while Pansy Parkinson was in the corner scowling at her. Well, at least you know he can't get lower. She focused back to Hermione.
"So how's it going with Harry?" Cleo asked ones they were out of earshot. Hermione shrugged.
"Fine. I can't expect a kiss out of this yet, but other wise nice." Hermione said holding her disappointment. Cleo comforted her.
"Well, Harry doesn't jump into things so quickly, Ron just weird." Hermione laughed.
"He did say I looked pretty." Hermione said. Cleo nodded.
"Yeah I heard."
"No that was after he said I looked 'really nice.' " Cleo put her hand on her chest.
"Oh terribly sorry, is that all prince charming said?"
"No, he started making terrible jokes."
"Well, that's a start!" Cleo told her hopefully. Hermione shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so." Cleo smirked and put her arm around Hermione.
"You know, We could have a double wedding." Hermione giggled and put her hand over her mouth.
"Cleo! Honestly!" Cleo encored her, like she was in some vision at the time or something.
"Just think of it! Mrs. Hermione Potter and Mrs. Cleo Weasly! Brilliant!" Hermione was giggling uncontrollably by now, which Cleo gladly joined in.
They sat themselves down laughing and giggling with their girlish ways. Cleo was talking with Hermione when she first met her. At first, she stayed a little Awa's but in time made her way forward. Cleo looked up and felt as if she had known her her inter life.
It was Ginny.
She was In her purple dress robe and had her soft red hair out loose, But there was a glint in her eye, and how she beamed, Cleo couldn't help but associate her with a little angle.
"Ginny?" Ginny tightened up as her cheery round face smiled.
"Yeah, I thought we should meet, now that you're with my brother." Cleo was all a flush. The night was full of dancing (and huge flirting).
The Teachers had to send students up to bed by some spells because they were so hooked up with Caffeine; they would not go voluntarily. Cleo, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to bed themselves but had no intention of sleeping. (Of course, they had their share of soft drinks as well.)
When they had climbed into the common room, it was completely silent with no sign of entertainment. Hermione yawned. "I'm just going to go get ready for bed, Cleo, tell me if you think of anything to do." Cleo agreed.
"Yeah, I'll do the same I think." Ron said and went up the stairs shortly after Hermione. Harry and Cleo were left alone in silence.
"So what were you talking to Ron about after we came in?" Cleo asked. Harry lifted an eyebrow at her.
"Guy stuff, so what were you talking to Hermione about?"
"Girl stuff, What were you talking to Hermione about when Ron and me were gone." Harry was trying not to blush.
"Nothing." Cleo laughed.
"She must have had a grate time!" Harry defiantly blushed.
"I thought she did."
"How?"
"Why do you care?" Harry snapped.
" 'Cause I think theirs more in Hermione than you're taking knottiest to." Cleo said coolly. Harry looked at her.
"In what way?" He said skeptically.
"I think if you opened your eyes you could figure that out." Harry was breathing deeply threw his noise. Then some sounds came from his mouth; Cleo couldn't distinguish them as words but threw those muffled sound they formed.
"Cle-Cleo I…don't know how I fell about Hermione." He posed, thought, breathed deeply and turned back to Cleo. "Its weird. When I look at her, everything stops." He stopped and looked back down at his feet, muttered some things while shaking his head and fell silent.
Cleo wasn't sure weather she should say anything, but it was confirmed that he fancied Hermione. Still Cleo thought it wouldn't be wise to point this out, for it might shut off his feelings all together. Cleo simply smiled at him and ended it at that. Hermione and Ron trotted down the stairs in their pajamas with over super dosed smiles on their faces.
"So what you wont to do?" Ron asked, rubbing his hands together. Harry snapped out of his wondering quickly, most likely to avoid suspicion.
"Wont to go visit Hagrid?" Cleo suggested. Hermione erased that idea from Cleo's mind clear enough.
"We'd get in trouble Cleo." Cleo hadn't really expected to go, shrugging just didn't seem a suitable answer.
"We could play chess." Ron said hopefully. Hermione denied that as well.
"The caffeine only lasts so long, I doubt that any of us would be a worthy appointee." Ron took pride in the "worthy appointee" statement, yet they were still left with out entertainment. Cleo was thinking with all her strength (which was plentiful at the time so she was willing to use it.)
"Why don't we just get some food?" Harry shrugged. Chu-ching! Little light bulb lights on top of head!
"And I know just what to get!" Cleo said triumphantly. Ron, Harry and Hermione turned their attention to her. "Popcorn!" None of them seemed particular riveted by this, but having nothing better laid before them they agreed and went down to the kitchens.
When they had tickled, the fruit the door opened so see that all was still and dark. Nothing was happing and no house elves seemed to be there.
"Where are they?" Ron wondered.
"Well isn't it obvious? They must be sleeping. Hopefully in proper quarters." Hermione mumbled. Cleo took out her wand and lit it. A narrow beam broke threw the darkness, followed by three others. Cleo crept carefully around the kitchen, looking for any sign of life.
"What's this?" Harry had drifted apart from their huddle to the wall beside them. He was pointing his wand at a cold stone wall, with a notch on the side of it, cracks all along the bricks. Broken down wall you might think, but the odd thing about it was the cracks were in a strait and perfect like, and the notch could easily be used as a knob.
Harry gripped the notch and pushed forward. The wall creaked open with cement dust pouring down hear and there. Harry turned to them; Cleo, Ron and Hermione all looked at the door with wonder. He raised his eyebrows adventurously and snuck inside. Cleo, Hermione, and Ron cautiously followed behind him.
Inside it was too very dark, a creepy warning darkness. Cleo looked about the darkness carefully, straining to see if there was anything to grab on to. In the far corner, she saw something move. She squinted harder, it seemed like the dark was forming a face, no not a face, more like a hood. Cleo lifted up her wand to shine the beam of light on it. Nothing there.
"What is it Cleo?" Hermione asked. Cleo shook her head.
"Nothing." Harry marched forward fearlessly; being Harry while the other three stayed closely nit behind him. Hermione, beyond her brave expression was gripping painfully into Cleo's arm.
"I'm not sure about this Cleo." She whispered, Cleo nodded.
"Harry Potter?" Squeaked a voice suddenly. Cleo, Ron and Hermione clutched each other in horror along with ear shattering screams. Others followed not of their own, just increasing in Cleo's fright.
"SHUT UP!" Harry ordered "Is Dobby!"
"Dobby!" Cleo, Hermione and Ron said breathlessly.
"What are you doing here?" Cleo whinnied.
"I sleep here Miss, What are you doing hear?"
"You sleep here?" Hermione sneered. One of the screaming house elves turned on the light. Then they could see millions of normal beds in rose with differently colored blankets on them. Hermione didn't look pleased with them, But Cleo thought they looked similar to a lot of her friend's back home beds.
"It is much better than what Malfoy's gave Dobby! Dobby was forced to sleep in the basement with the scary poltergeist!" Dobby shuttered. "The only reason they kept it there was to scare me!" The house elves shook their heads sadly behind them. Winky stepped forward in her miniature night gown.
"Is there anything we could get you?"
"Well, if it isn't much trouble could you get us some popcorn?"
"And some apple pie?" Ron interrupted. Hermione, who seemed to be a little edgy from the house elves, glared.
"Ron, you don't need any more sugar." Ron gasped.
"Don't say those cursed words!" The house elves bustled about to retrieve their orders.
Ones the elves had given the food to the four of them; they apologized for interrupting them and went back to the dorms. They were in the common room chatting and eating far longer than they had expected, until five in the morning to be exact.
"OH! We had better get to bed, McGonagall would furious if she saw us up!" Cleo obeyed, and soon found herself in deep slumber.