Author's Note: Yeah, Yeah, I don't own them! Umm, duh! Well, the news is
that obviously I'm updating a bit more regularly for right now, and I have
the next few chapters all written out on paper (I just have to type them
which takes quite a while ::slow me::() Okey Dokey, That's all I have to
say. Enjoy.
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"What the hell was that?" Shini joked, giggling.
Flint shrugged and made a funny face, making Shini laugh. They walked to class together, talking as if nothing had happened although it was still on Flint's mind. In Shini's mind, nothing had happened. Shini found Alice and the two sat down for class. Alice had already talked to the professor.
Class went by fast for Trelawney's incessant drawling voice and smoky-sauna of a room that will put you to sleep. Flint almost fell backwards because he HAD fallen asleep, but Alice caught him and the chair, slowly putting him steadily back on the floor without disturbing the 'sleeping beauty'.
Next class: Transfiguration. Went well. Smoothly finished.
Dinner.
The whole Great Hall was in an uproar. Everyone was talking and bustling around. Shini and Flint sat by Alice, who was talking to some six-year Slytherins. Everyone went silent when Dumbledore stood to make announcements.
"Students, as some of you may know, the Yule Ball will be coming up. This occasion is for fourth-years and up. The day of the Ball is a class-free day for all students. Third-years and below have a 'swim day' while the rest is a preparation day. The day after the Ball is a 'swim day' for the fourth-years and up. Normal classes for third years and below. Alright, let us eat."
The plates filled and soon came the full stomachs of students. As the fast eating students finished they chatted more and more until the slower eaters finished. Dumbledore sat up again.
"Excuse me, students. For the third-years and up, of course, there will be a trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Thank you. On to bed with you all." He finished, waving his hand in dismissal.
The students filed out of the hall in an exquisite clambering uproar of noise and slowly calmed down and went to their dorms. Shini and Alice were in the common room for some time after most of the Slytherins had gone to sleep. They were mostly talking about nothing until they got on the subject of Hogsmeade. Both wanted some of that awesome candy and butterbeer, and, of course, neither was short on money.
Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were their favorite. They always pulled out the best flavors and somehow managed to avoid eating the rest. Mostly, they got full when they had eaten all the good ones.
Now, in this time, the Yule Ball is a formal dress occasion, but students did not have to wear dress robes. Shini and Alice planned on buying something very appropriate for the event. Appropriate, I mean, for their plan and nothing they would get in trouble for because that was utterly pointless.
Shini was thinking of something long and dreamy, while Alice thought short and sexy. Both agreed they would find the perfect outfits in a shop in the city the next day. All they had to do was wait.
And it was tomorrow! (Wow, cool, I love how writers can do that!! FUN) Every third through seventh-year that was going (which wasn't many) filed down to Hogsmeade on the transportation provided (carriages) and swarmed to different shops.
Alice and Shini walked along the streets in their long cloaks. A light snow was falling and the town looked alive and dreamy against the white backdrop. The two found a small shop with gorgeous witches clothing and rang the bell at the counter.
A tall, beautiful woman appeared at the counter and smiled at the girls.
"Cousin Clara!" Alice shrieked, "Is it really you?"
"Alice, my word! It's been ages. You look great!"
"You do, too!"
The two hugged and Alice introduced Shini to Clara. All three started chatting about random things, and Shini wasn't left out having heard so much about Clara from Alice and her family.
"So what are you two in here for?" Clara asked, standing straight and calming down from the fast action talking.
"We need-"
"Dresses. Nice-"
"Dresses for the-"
"Yule Ball in-"
"Three days, please." The two chimed. Clara looked confused for a moment, and then she got it.
"Okay, right this way." And the two girls were led to another corner of the now seemingly gigantic store. The walls and stands were lined and stocked with the most gorgeous of dresses.
Shini started right away searching for something she liked. Alice would sift through a few things then start a new conversation with Clara. Shini had looked through and tried on about a thousand different gowns and was about to give up when she saw a hint of velvet hanging in a stack of cotton dresses. She pulled the gown down carefully, gaping.
It was EXACTLY what she was looking for. A long flowing dress partially made of green (like dark, Slytherin green) velvet that shone deep red when turned to the right angle. The velvet stopped at what seemed a few inches above the knees and became an embroidered burgundy skirt that folded on itself, swaying with your movements.
She ran her hands over the fabric one time. She was sold. When she tried it on, it fit like a dream. It hugged the slight curves of Shini's body in just the right way.
As Shini walked into view of Alice and Clara, they stopped talking. Alice smiled.
"Shini.. you look.." Clara started.
"..positively wonderful." Alice finished, smiling even wider and she hugged Shini. It was a great moment. Shini felt wonderful in the dress, like she'd not be the same if she took it off.
"I have the perfect shoes for that." Clara exclaimed, possessed with girlishly giddy giggles at the excitement.
Shini looked at herself in the mirror and decided out loud, "This is the one."
"Of course it is, stupid! You look stunning. We'll have to beat the boys off you." They both started laughing. Alice started mimicking a Beater in a Quidditch came, looking around, seeing a bludger coming in fast, whacking it away in one large hand movement.
Clara came back with the truly 'perfect' shoes, proud they worked wonders with the gown.
"Beautiful," she exclaimed, "just beautiful."
"Did you find anything, Alice?"
"Yes, I did. It isn't short but it is sexier than sexy. Which is good." She ended.
It was a long, tight black satin dress. It was gorgeous on Alice and had thin little straps and a droop of fabric that sagged from the center of the front lining. It was very sexy (as established before).
"Shall we buy them?" Alice asked.
Shini hadn't even glanced at the prices. "Well, yeah, I guess we would have to do that. How much, AH!" she squeaked softly as her eye found the number on the tag.
Clara snapped to attention. "NO, no, no. For you two it will be 75% off. Heck, I'll just give them to you since they were obviously made exclusively for you and you alone!"
"O, no. We'll pay for the most we can."
"I insist you only pay 25% though."
"Fine."
The two paid and chatted with Clara for a while about the Yule Ball and how it had been for Clara when she had been at Hogwarts.
"Wow, we better get going, Shini."
The two said good bye to Clara and left the little shop.
"Let's get some butterbeer, ai?" Shini suggested.
Shini and Alice found Flint at a table in the Three Broomsticks, so they sat near him and the guys from the Quidditch team with him. They all ordered butterbeer and Shini joined the conversation of Quidditch the boys started. She had to explain things about the sport to Alice every now-and- then, but usually Alice understood the concepts pretty well.
Somehow, (neither girl knew just how) the group got on the subject of the Yule Ball. A few of the boys talked about their dates and one or two talked about who they wanted to ask.
The girls listened intently and giggled when they mentioned someone they knew. Josh, a very handsome fifth-year, started to stare at Alice. He cleared his throat and got Alice's attention. She had had a crush on him for a few months now.
"Alice, I meant to ask you earlier, but never got the chance. Will you honor me with the pleasure of your company at the Yule Ball?" he said, smoothly. Shini melted in her seat. She was a sucker for this sort of stuff.
Alice put her elbows on the table and leaned her head against her hands. "Only if the pleasure is mine as well." She replied, slyly, smiling at the end.
The guys looked back and forth between the two then started laughing like no one's business. Alice and Josh smiled and laughed along, eyes twinkling.
'They make such a cute couple.' Shini thought, smiling at herself.
Meanwhile, across the table, a certain someone (::cough:: ::Marcus Flint::) stared blankly across the table.
'She looks so beautiful and happy. I wonder if she's got a date to the-'
"Hey, Flint. So who's a big guy like yourself going with." Erik Halfwell blurted through his sips of butterbeer.
"No one yet." Flint answered calmly. He could relax around his friends, luckily, even when she was there, so he stretched out over the booth seat's back.
"You're kidding, right?" Shini said, putting down her drink. "Who wouldn't want to go with you?"
"Apparently everyone." he babbled. "Why? It would be more unbelievable if it was you without a date." He said simply. Everyone nodded.
Shini looked at her hands in her lap. "I don't."
Unfortunately, many of the guys at the table had just taken large swigs of beer and had just spit it all out when they heard her.
Flint leaned forward. "You are kidding, right?"
Shini looked up. "No. Wish I was." She said, looking right at Flint.
"Well, then. Would you mind going with me because I'm sure it would make my night?"
"Of course." Shini replied with a half smile. Flint smiled back.
"Man, how come Flint and Miken (Josh) get all the hottest girls?" one of the boys sighed. Boys raised their glasses and knocked them together.
"Just don't tell me date I said that."
"Amen!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What the hell was that?" Shini joked, giggling.
Flint shrugged and made a funny face, making Shini laugh. They walked to class together, talking as if nothing had happened although it was still on Flint's mind. In Shini's mind, nothing had happened. Shini found Alice and the two sat down for class. Alice had already talked to the professor.
Class went by fast for Trelawney's incessant drawling voice and smoky-sauna of a room that will put you to sleep. Flint almost fell backwards because he HAD fallen asleep, but Alice caught him and the chair, slowly putting him steadily back on the floor without disturbing the 'sleeping beauty'.
Next class: Transfiguration. Went well. Smoothly finished.
Dinner.
The whole Great Hall was in an uproar. Everyone was talking and bustling around. Shini and Flint sat by Alice, who was talking to some six-year Slytherins. Everyone went silent when Dumbledore stood to make announcements.
"Students, as some of you may know, the Yule Ball will be coming up. This occasion is for fourth-years and up. The day of the Ball is a class-free day for all students. Third-years and below have a 'swim day' while the rest is a preparation day. The day after the Ball is a 'swim day' for the fourth-years and up. Normal classes for third years and below. Alright, let us eat."
The plates filled and soon came the full stomachs of students. As the fast eating students finished they chatted more and more until the slower eaters finished. Dumbledore sat up again.
"Excuse me, students. For the third-years and up, of course, there will be a trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Thank you. On to bed with you all." He finished, waving his hand in dismissal.
The students filed out of the hall in an exquisite clambering uproar of noise and slowly calmed down and went to their dorms. Shini and Alice were in the common room for some time after most of the Slytherins had gone to sleep. They were mostly talking about nothing until they got on the subject of Hogsmeade. Both wanted some of that awesome candy and butterbeer, and, of course, neither was short on money.
Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were their favorite. They always pulled out the best flavors and somehow managed to avoid eating the rest. Mostly, they got full when they had eaten all the good ones.
Now, in this time, the Yule Ball is a formal dress occasion, but students did not have to wear dress robes. Shini and Alice planned on buying something very appropriate for the event. Appropriate, I mean, for their plan and nothing they would get in trouble for because that was utterly pointless.
Shini was thinking of something long and dreamy, while Alice thought short and sexy. Both agreed they would find the perfect outfits in a shop in the city the next day. All they had to do was wait.
And it was tomorrow! (Wow, cool, I love how writers can do that!! FUN) Every third through seventh-year that was going (which wasn't many) filed down to Hogsmeade on the transportation provided (carriages) and swarmed to different shops.
Alice and Shini walked along the streets in their long cloaks. A light snow was falling and the town looked alive and dreamy against the white backdrop. The two found a small shop with gorgeous witches clothing and rang the bell at the counter.
A tall, beautiful woman appeared at the counter and smiled at the girls.
"Cousin Clara!" Alice shrieked, "Is it really you?"
"Alice, my word! It's been ages. You look great!"
"You do, too!"
The two hugged and Alice introduced Shini to Clara. All three started chatting about random things, and Shini wasn't left out having heard so much about Clara from Alice and her family.
"So what are you two in here for?" Clara asked, standing straight and calming down from the fast action talking.
"We need-"
"Dresses. Nice-"
"Dresses for the-"
"Yule Ball in-"
"Three days, please." The two chimed. Clara looked confused for a moment, and then she got it.
"Okay, right this way." And the two girls were led to another corner of the now seemingly gigantic store. The walls and stands were lined and stocked with the most gorgeous of dresses.
Shini started right away searching for something she liked. Alice would sift through a few things then start a new conversation with Clara. Shini had looked through and tried on about a thousand different gowns and was about to give up when she saw a hint of velvet hanging in a stack of cotton dresses. She pulled the gown down carefully, gaping.
It was EXACTLY what she was looking for. A long flowing dress partially made of green (like dark, Slytherin green) velvet that shone deep red when turned to the right angle. The velvet stopped at what seemed a few inches above the knees and became an embroidered burgundy skirt that folded on itself, swaying with your movements.
She ran her hands over the fabric one time. She was sold. When she tried it on, it fit like a dream. It hugged the slight curves of Shini's body in just the right way.
As Shini walked into view of Alice and Clara, they stopped talking. Alice smiled.
"Shini.. you look.." Clara started.
"..positively wonderful." Alice finished, smiling even wider and she hugged Shini. It was a great moment. Shini felt wonderful in the dress, like she'd not be the same if she took it off.
"I have the perfect shoes for that." Clara exclaimed, possessed with girlishly giddy giggles at the excitement.
Shini looked at herself in the mirror and decided out loud, "This is the one."
"Of course it is, stupid! You look stunning. We'll have to beat the boys off you." They both started laughing. Alice started mimicking a Beater in a Quidditch came, looking around, seeing a bludger coming in fast, whacking it away in one large hand movement.
Clara came back with the truly 'perfect' shoes, proud they worked wonders with the gown.
"Beautiful," she exclaimed, "just beautiful."
"Did you find anything, Alice?"
"Yes, I did. It isn't short but it is sexier than sexy. Which is good." She ended.
It was a long, tight black satin dress. It was gorgeous on Alice and had thin little straps and a droop of fabric that sagged from the center of the front lining. It was very sexy (as established before).
"Shall we buy them?" Alice asked.
Shini hadn't even glanced at the prices. "Well, yeah, I guess we would have to do that. How much, AH!" she squeaked softly as her eye found the number on the tag.
Clara snapped to attention. "NO, no, no. For you two it will be 75% off. Heck, I'll just give them to you since they were obviously made exclusively for you and you alone!"
"O, no. We'll pay for the most we can."
"I insist you only pay 25% though."
"Fine."
The two paid and chatted with Clara for a while about the Yule Ball and how it had been for Clara when she had been at Hogwarts.
"Wow, we better get going, Shini."
The two said good bye to Clara and left the little shop.
"Let's get some butterbeer, ai?" Shini suggested.
Shini and Alice found Flint at a table in the Three Broomsticks, so they sat near him and the guys from the Quidditch team with him. They all ordered butterbeer and Shini joined the conversation of Quidditch the boys started. She had to explain things about the sport to Alice every now-and- then, but usually Alice understood the concepts pretty well.
Somehow, (neither girl knew just how) the group got on the subject of the Yule Ball. A few of the boys talked about their dates and one or two talked about who they wanted to ask.
The girls listened intently and giggled when they mentioned someone they knew. Josh, a very handsome fifth-year, started to stare at Alice. He cleared his throat and got Alice's attention. She had had a crush on him for a few months now.
"Alice, I meant to ask you earlier, but never got the chance. Will you honor me with the pleasure of your company at the Yule Ball?" he said, smoothly. Shini melted in her seat. She was a sucker for this sort of stuff.
Alice put her elbows on the table and leaned her head against her hands. "Only if the pleasure is mine as well." She replied, slyly, smiling at the end.
The guys looked back and forth between the two then started laughing like no one's business. Alice and Josh smiled and laughed along, eyes twinkling.
'They make such a cute couple.' Shini thought, smiling at herself.
Meanwhile, across the table, a certain someone (::cough:: ::Marcus Flint::) stared blankly across the table.
'She looks so beautiful and happy. I wonder if she's got a date to the-'
"Hey, Flint. So who's a big guy like yourself going with." Erik Halfwell blurted through his sips of butterbeer.
"No one yet." Flint answered calmly. He could relax around his friends, luckily, even when she was there, so he stretched out over the booth seat's back.
"You're kidding, right?" Shini said, putting down her drink. "Who wouldn't want to go with you?"
"Apparently everyone." he babbled. "Why? It would be more unbelievable if it was you without a date." He said simply. Everyone nodded.
Shini looked at her hands in her lap. "I don't."
Unfortunately, many of the guys at the table had just taken large swigs of beer and had just spit it all out when they heard her.
Flint leaned forward. "You are kidding, right?"
Shini looked up. "No. Wish I was." She said, looking right at Flint.
"Well, then. Would you mind going with me because I'm sure it would make my night?"
"Of course." Shini replied with a half smile. Flint smiled back.
"Man, how come Flint and Miken (Josh) get all the hottest girls?" one of the boys sighed. Boys raised their glasses and knocked them together.
"Just don't tell me date I said that."
"Amen!"