Author's Note: Argh! Now I shall finally get up to the dinner party, be prepared for some fighting and what not (I'm sure you all expected that anyway, there's no way that 5 Gryffindors (6 including Dumbledore) and 5 Slytherins can get alone amicably at a dinner party!) Anyway, keep reading and reviewing and I will keep writing! Love Jade xxx
This Chapter is dedicated to Andromeda Summer because she used to get up earlier in the mornings to read 'Unatural', which I have regretfully neglected!
(I have to apoligise if this has any bad grammar or spelling, sarah hasnt been in much of a mood to beta lately but I thought I'd upload anyway...I do apoligise and I hope it's still okay!)
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXChapter 9- Dinner party in hell!
Just as Draco put the last plate on the huge mahogany table that had materialized in their room that afternoon, their first guests arrived.
Hermione entered first, wearing cute pale pink tartan pants that were tight around her waist and flared or dramatically at the bottom. She had on a silky pink singlet top on and her hair was out and flowing down on to her shoulders.
She pulled a rather uncomfortable looking Ron through after her, he was wearing neat but baggy dark coloured jeans and a very starchy looking red shirt that had obviously just been bought.
"Hi guys!" Hermione said, looking around the room and nudging Ron.
"Oh yeah, hi," he said with indifference, looking down at his feet.
"Come in!" said Harry, smiling widely despite the tension in the room.
They came into the room and sat down on the couch, Ron looked around the room with disgust.
"So, enjoying your cozy little private room are ya Harry?" he asked, "Not really much of a punishment is it? If I was in a fist fight I'd be on the first train home, but no, not the fam-" he was cut short as Hermione put her hand over his big fat mouth (A/n: sorry, got a bit carried away, I have built up hatred for Ron)
"Don't listen to him Harry," said Hermione, putting her hand over Harry's. "Oh, Ginny will be here soon, she was still getting ready when we left." She said, looking at the bookshelf but keeping her hand on Ron's mouth.
Thankfully Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall came into the room soon after the two Gryffindors and they took the attention away from Ron and his comments.
Snape had obviously chosen to ignore the 'No robes' comment on the invitation as he was wearing his usual billowing black robes.
Dumbledore was wearing dark brown corduroy jeans and a 70's style silk shirt; Professor McGonagall who looked only slightly more relaxed than she did in class followed him in.
She was wearing a pair of tan pants and a red shirt; she had her hair back in a tight bun like usual.
"Welcome," said Draco, looking slightly uncomfortable, "We just have to wait for Miss Weasley and my friends and then we can start." He said, guiding them to the couches where Hermione and Ron were already sitting.
As soon as he said that, Harry walked over to the door to greet Ginny who'd just arrived looking positively gorgeous.
"Heya Harry!" she said, taking his hand as he helped her through the portrait hole. Harry blinked a couple of times as he looked at her outfit, she was wearing a short, strapless white dress that had a big open back; her hair was out and in soft ringlets.
"Hey Gin," he managed to say as he lead her into the common room, "You look amazing!' he said smiling.
"Thanks," she said, smiling in a way that she obviously thought was seductive.
As Ginny sat down, Harry stood next to Draco and looked at him and then around the room nervously. Draco smiled back anxiously and sighed.
"So," he said, breaking the tense silence, "Who would like a drink?" he asked, looking around, a few people nodded and he and Harry walked into the kitchen to get drinks.
"I knew this would be a bad idea!" growled Draco as he pulled some cans of coke out of the fridge.
"Don't be so negative Draco, I'm sure everything will turn out fine!" Said Harry, putting on a brave face. "Now when will your friends get here?" he asked, carrying some of the drinks out to where their guests were sitting.
"Right now!" Draco laughed as he passed the door and saw his friends walking in. He handed the rest of the drinks to Harry as he greeted his friends.
"Draco darling, sorry we're so late!" Purred Pansy as she walked in, she was wearing a short black halter dress and knee high stiletto boots. She batted her eyelashes at Draco and put her hand on his arm.
"Hey mate," said Blaise rolling his eyes at Pansy and walking in, Derek followed them in and said hi and then all came in and sat down.
"So everyone's here, how about a tour?" said Draco, trying to occupy the crowd of scowling people.
Harry's eyes widened as he thought of his room that was covered in photos of himself and Alex, and realised that he was not ready for everyone to see that.
"I'm sure everyone would rather eat Draco," said Harry in what he hoped was a tone that he understood.
"Nonsense!" said Ginny, standing up "We're in no hurry, I would love to see the place!" she said.
Harry shot a pleading look at Hermione, hoping she would either understand or go along with it and find out the details later.
"Nah Ginny, I'm starving we'll save the tour for later,' she said, standing up and pulling Ron up with her.
"Yeah, where's the food?" said Ron, brightening up at the aspect of eating.
"Good idea! Let's eat!" said Draco with a look of dawning comprehension, he looked at Harry and then at Harry's room questioningly. Harry nodded and helped him guide people to the dinning table.
When everyone was seated in the seat with his or her name on it, Harry and Draco brought the first course, pea and ham soup into the dinning room.
At first they all sat eating in silence, Dumbledore at the head of the table with McGonagall, Harry, Ron, Hermione and then Ginny on one side and Snape, Draco, Blaise, Pansy then Derek on the other side.
"So Harry, Malfoy has you dressing in Slytherin colours now does he?" asked Ron, flicking his eyes over Harry's silky green shirt.
"Shut up Ron!" scolded Hermione, "That shirt looks really nice on Harry, it brings out the colour of his eyes," she said, smiling at Harry.
"Why don't you just marry him then!" spat Ron, scowling, 'So how long did it take you and Malfoy to get all friendly and chummy Harry?" he asked, looking at Harry with what could almost be described as hatred.
"They aren't friends you idiot!" spat Pansy, looking up from her soup. "Like a Malfoy would ever be friends with him!" she said, looking scornfully at Harry.
"This soup is really good!" said Dumbledore, his mouth twitched slightly.
"Yes, I must agree." Said McGonagall tightly, "A very good choice!"
Snape merely grunted and continued to eat his soup, everyone else ate in silence, knowing that Dumbledore's comment had been intended to end their bickering.
"So, how are the two of you dealing with your punishment?" asked Dumbledore, looking at Draco and Harry.
They looked at each other as if they were both unsure of how to answer that, truthfully they had been getting along all right, but were they ready to admit that in front of their friends.
Draco looked at Harry as if he wanted him to answer, but Harry just looked pleadingly back. Sighing Draco looked at Dumbledore and cleared his throat.
"We're coping," he said simply, looking at the headmaster as if daring him to question them further.
"Very good!" was all the headmaster said, his eyes twinkling as if he knew they were fast becoming friends.
"Indeed!" said McGonagall, "I was worried when you suggested this punishment headmaster, I never thought they would get along even this well. Maybe there is something in this forced friendship thing," she said, looking slightly amused.
"Don't get ahead of yourself," said Snape, speaking for the first time. "These boys will be at each other's throats after about a month."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "Now now Severus, Have some faith in the boys!" he said, smiling warmly at the boys. Harry and Draco both smiled nervously at Dumbledore and he nodded to them both.
"Time for main course I think boys?" he said, looking around at the empty soup bowls.
"Sure!" said Harry, smiling and getting up from the table. "Come on Draco, help me out," he said, glaring at Draco who sat there continuing to talk to Derek.
"Right, okay." He said, getting up and walking into the kitchen.
They brought out the roast chicken and sat it down on the table, Dumbledore stood up and carved it, looking like an elderly grandfather at a family meal.
Everyone ate lots of chicken and finally the conversation lost its harsh tone.
"Hey Draco, can you please pass me the peas?" asked Hermione, looking at the peas over the other side of the table.
"Harry, that shirt does look nice, did Draco choose it for you?" said Derek.
"Yeah, we went shopping together this morning." He said, blushing slightly.
"Oh, you and Draco went shopping together? What are you? Gay?" spat Ron, who was the only one not seeming to enjoy the meal.
Hermione choked on her peas, and Draco raised an eyebrow at harry.
"Shut up Ron! Can't you try and enjoy yourself?" said Ginny, looking at her brother, "of course they aren't gay! Do you really think that your BEST FRIEND would be gay and not tell you about it?" she laughed, finishing the last of her food.
As they all finished their meals, Draco suggested they have desert. He got up from the table and with Harry's help they brought in the crème brullees.
"Wow!" said Ginny, "this is good,"
"Yeah!" said blaise, "I haven't had crème brullee this good since I was in France."
As the meal ended, everyone was happily filled and quite content.
"We must be off," said Dumbledore, "but you kids enjoy yourself, and make sure you all get back to your towers by curfew."
They all said goodbye to the teachers and then sat down on the couches to watch TV.
"So, when do we get a tour?" asked Ginny as she looked around the common room.
"Cool it on the tour idea Gin!" sighed Harry as he eased down further into the couch.
Hermione looked at Harry with a mystified look and he glanced quickly at his bedroom and then at Ron.
Hermione looked as if she was thinking this over and then she looked back at Harry.
"Is that middle door the bathroom Harry?" she asked, looking over at the doors pointedly.
"Yep," said harry, "that's one of them, there's also a door from my bedroom and a door from Draco's." he said, giving her a pointed look.
"Right, thanks" she said, getting up and going into the bathroom.
Hermione looked around the beautiful bathroom for a minute then she quietly opened the door that led to Harry's room.
When she walked into the room she immediately knew why he didn't want to take anyone on a tour, "wow, so that's Alex!" she whispered.
She looked closely at one of the photos on the wall and sighed, she knew someone that looked a lot like this Alex and it worried her.
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A/N: ARGH MAN!! I ABSOLUTELY HATE THAT CHAPTER! I WROTE THAT REALLY BADLY! sigh Oh well, off to the Sarah-darling with this one, hope she doesn't hate it and I hope you people don't hate it either! sigh