1Meet me in front of the fountain in Madraiden Place at noon. Love, Ron.
That was all the owl's letter said. But all the same it made Hermione's face light up with enthusiasm. It would be her first real date with Ron. Not like yesterday, but a real date. To say she was nothing but ecstatic was the understatement of the century! She sent the owl back happily with her reply then sighed and plopped down on the couch. Today was going to be a perfect day. Should I get dressed up? She thought. Not to much, was her conscience's answer, you don't want to look like you're going to a wedding when you are in fact just spending the day with him...with his perfectly orange locks and deep brown eyes.
Yay!
The familiar jingle of her cell phone went off in her bedroom. She hopped up, not wanting to miss the call, and quickly pushed the talk button on the last ring.
"I'm coming over.' said a casual voice and she lifted her head, hearing her fireplace crackle. She sprang into her living room just as Ginny stepped out and started to brush off ashes from her jacket.
"Hey." she greeted cheerfully. "Wanna hang out today? I thought we could go to a few stores and pick out your dress." Hermione's face brightened at the wonderful thought and then an image of Ron came into her mind. She bit her lip nervously.
"Um...I really wish I could today, Ginny...but I promised Ron–"
"That's okay! I sent him to go help Harry pick out tuxes five minutes ago." Ginny cut in as she proceeded to the kitchen. Hermione was thankful she left because she didn't want her to see the disappointed expression that now clouded over her brown eyes. It went away though just as Ginny entered the room again with a pop tart clutched in her fingers and Hermione smiled at how much alike Ginny and Ron were.
"Haven't eaten breakfast." was Ginny's sheepish reply as she shrugged and plunged her watering mouth into the sugary tart. "Shall we go then?" she asked with her mouth full.
"We shall." Hermione replied grabbing her purse
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Stupid Ginny! I was going to spend the day with Hermione and now she sends me to go help pick out tuxes! TUXES of all things! I mean, they all look the same don't they? DON'T THEY? Ron thought angrily as he and Harry made their way down a muggle street in London. I had planned the entire thing, he thought as he entered a small store with many spaces in the window full of curvy writing; they were going to go to Madraiden place again and spend the day looking at the shops together. He knew it was what they did last time but he hoped that the 'together' would stand out more today. Now that day doesn't exist! He mused stubbornly as he checked the price tag dangling off the sleeve of a white tux. His anger ebbed slightly as he whistled at the price. Then memories from his childhood flooded over his eyes, of his time in Diagon Alley, buying school supplies with four other siblings and barely affording food afterwards...he put those thoughts away from his mind and focused at the task at hand, thinking about a pretty bushy haired girl in a bridal gown store.
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"Look at that fabric! It's gorgeous! No, wait–how about that one! It shimmers!" Ginny darted from rack to rack "oohing" and "aweing" in her own way at each design the store had to offer. Hermione laughed at her and continued, more slowly, studying a certain lavender design. It felt silky and slick under her soft fingers. She had an idea; she looked around her while biting her lip before she smiled and yanked on the fabric. It spun wildy from its reel and she laughed while wrapping the fabric around her body, feeling the silk glide around her body like the waves of an ocean. The feeling was cold bliss.
"Ahem."
Hermione spun around (though not as easily as she thought), the fabric pressing tighter on her body as she double layered it with that one movement. Ginny was standing at the end of the rack, her hands resting on her hips, and a playful scowl adorning her face while she raised a delicate eyebrow accusingly.
"And you said I was off my rocker." she said and started helping Hermione unwrap herself. Seconds later, one of the sales lady's happened to walk by their row and doubled back with an inaudible expression of incredulity.
"What—here—huh—?" she stuttered.
"I'm sorry, we'll roll it back up, it'll only take a second." the lady walked away with a doubtful expression on her face. Ginny pulled her wand out of her coat pocket and, like she said, had rolled up the fabric perfectly in one second. Hermione looked sheepishly at the ground, shuffling her feet.
"I'm sorry."
"What on earth are you apologizing for?" Ginny cried with that mischievous smile she always wore, "Our shopping's finished now!"
"What?"
"We'll take ten yards of this material. Does this store also make the dress?" Ginny asked a different sales lady who had walked up to help.
"Yes. If you could come by and give us the measurement's it'll only a week or two."
"Brilliant. We'll come by tomorrow. Reserve the shiny purple fabric for the party of Ginny Weas–Potter." she corrected herself and Hermione could help a small smile.
"Yes Ma'am." the lady walked to the counter in the front of the store and wrote down Potter and the fabric number, gave us a smile, and quickly ushered us out of the glass doors.
"I don't think she much appreciated your 'charade'." the two girls laughed all the way down the street.
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"Why are we 'tux shopping' when every single one looks the same?" Ron asked holding up a black bow tie.
"They aren't all the same, Ron. There's white and black tuxes, they have black, silver, gold, red, and blue bow ties, you can have a gold, white, black, or red vests, you can have tail's—"
"STOP! How do you know all this?"
"I'm sort of kind of getting married. Ginny says I have to know these things." In the end, the two men decided on a black tux, without tails, a gold vest and matching tie for Harry and for all the groomsmen they chose a black tux, also without tails, black tie and white vest. Feeling fortunate that they accomplished all this in less then a half hour they concluded in calling the girls up and seeing if they wanted to go out for lunch.
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"Harry, if you feed me this for the rest of my life I'll be fatter then your aunt Marge when you blew her up." the group laughed at Ginny's comment as she patted her full stomach.
"Maybe next time you do that there'll be something in there besides food." Harry stated wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. Hermione and Ron's mouth dropped open in disgust.
"HARRY! THAT'S MY SISTER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"
"HARRY HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING IN FRONT OF US?"
"Sorry, guys." Harry apologized but still managed to snake his arm around his fiance's waist. "So when are you two going to set aside your embarrassment and get together? It could be a double wedding." Harry asked.
"Harry, cut us some slack buddy." said Ron, placing his arm around Hermione's shoulders in a friendly way. Then, summoning up some courage turned to Hermione.
"Want to go out this weekend? We could go see those video things muggles always see on dates."
"You mean a movie?"
"That's it!" he exclaimed. "So, how 'bout it?" his eyes portrayed a hopeful gleam in their depth. How could a girl say no?
"Sure." Hermione replied, slipping her fingers through his and the young fiance's watched with amusement the scene in front of them.
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How 'bout it mates? There's chapter two! Finally, I got some inspiration and an idea for the next chapter. Writing about a movie will be fun...and awkward! Stay tuned, I should ahve it up soon; then again, I am going to six flags for 8 HOURS TOMORROW! Its my friends B-day party and we're gonna spend pretty much the entire day there...oh darn...I forgot to buy ehr a present. Well, tootles, gotta go buy my pal a present. Review!
Cherries,
Danielle