DISCLAIMER: Blah blah blippity blah... Don't own it... Yadda yadda yadda...
AUTHOR TALK: Ok, here is the next chapter in this overlong, drawn-out fanfic. THANK YOU'S as per usual to all my wonderful reviewers. I know you've all been patient for some kind of fluff, and I promise you, it will soon be coming... Unfortunately, I've been hit with like three or four other fiction ideas, and I want so badly to start/work on them, but I will finish this too though... I'll try to give this one top priority, ok?
Also, I know that this has been very much about setting, and less about the dialogue, but I hope to remedy that soon enough...
BTW: All the breaks in the story indicate a new line of thought; dialogue,action, whatever...
And last but not least: Merry Christmas! Happy (C)Hanukkah! And Happy, Merry Kwanzaa! Or Happy Chris-hanu-kwanzaa!
CH. 21: A Prelude To Something...
Over the next fortnight, Hermione's social calendar was laced with quite a few activities.
She had a couple of study dates with Terry; an evening picnic with Seamus in the Astronomy Tower; she would be going to the Gryffindor house party with Oliver Wood (who was here to replace Madame Hooch for one year, while recovering from a serious injury). She was giving a tour of Hogwarts to a gorgeous new transfer student from America named Matthew Slade.
So, all in all, her schedule would be quite full.
And the Hogwarts rumor mill was having a field day over her sudden popularity and social life. Not that she cared what the gossip mongers were saying about her.
Heck, she'd had to deal with much worse during her fourth year with the whole Rita Skeeter debacle. Besides, Hermione knew that her real friends wouldn't believe the gossip, and that was all that counted to her.
Though the funniest, and yet most appalling thing to come out of this whole scheme, was a couple of days ago just after Defense Against the Dart Arts class- when Malfoy (of all people)- had actually alluded to the fact she actually wanted to go on a date with him. Right! As if! Not even if God was handing out miracles on a silver platter! But the best thing was Remus' face. His expression had been classic! Oh, if only she had had a camera at the time; she had never ever seen anyone turn that shade of purple before, and she'd been almost certain that Remus was going to hex Malfoy for it.
The second week of November brought a prefect meeting with the Head Boy and Girl. And during the meeting it was announced that there was to be a Winter Ball (similar to the Yule Ball) for fourth year students and above right before the Christmas holiday. The theme was to be: A Winter Wonderland (a/n- yes its hokey, I am well aware); and the color theme would be- white, black, silver, gold (though other colors were allowed). Muggle formalwear was decided for the dress code; and there would be a DJ and a magically altered sound system (to work at Hogwarts) hooked up throughout the Great Hall. Dinner would be served prior to the start of the ball.
The decorations would be done by all the prefects and the Head Boy and Girl, the night before the ball.
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Not long after the signs were posted on the notice boards in all the House common rooms; an excited buzz could be heard and felt throughout the school. Girls could be seen gathered in groups with their friends talking animatedly about what to wear and whom to go with. While the boys spent loads of time trying to figure out whom they deemed worthy to ask as a date.
Later up in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione and Ginny were found sitting in their normal seats by the fire, while Harry and Ron played chess nearby, discussing the upcoming ball.
"So Gin, have you thought of whom you would like to go to the ball with?" Hermione asked.
"Oh come on, like you don't already know whom I want to ask me!" Ginny said in exasperation. "Obviously I would like to go with Harry. But how likely is that scenario?"
"Well, stranger things have happened; especially here at Hogwarts. So, the odds are pretty decent," Hermione joked.
"Well, I know whom you want to go with; but whom are you willing to go with, in actuality," Ginny asked.
"Oh I don't know, that new guy in Hufflepuff- Matthew Slade wouldn't be a bad choice. Or even Terry; I mean he's not too shabby, and we get on quite well. I guess I'll just have to wait and see who asks," Hermione said. "I'm just glad that Ron is going with Lavender, perhaps I won't have a repeat of fourth year. Because that row we had after the ball was just ugly."
And at that moment, there is a whoop of joy from Harry, "Yes! I did it! I finally bloody well beat you at this bloody game!"
"Its about time mate, I was getting bored with kicking your arse all the time." Ron stated archly.
Both girls just looked at each other and shared a knowing look, rolling their eyes, before offering Harry there congratulations.
"Good job Harry! Glad to see that hell has frozen over," Ginny teased.
"Congratulations Harry; I knew you could do it," said Hermione.
"Thanks Mione, Gin." beamed Harry.
Going back to their conversation, Hermione said, "You know that we have got to find the perfect dress as soon as possible."
"I know, but when will we have enough time to find them?" Ginny questioned.
"Well, I believe that we will have a Hogsmeade weekend, just before the ball, so we'll have to go then."
"But that doesn't give us much time!"
"Or we could have pictures drawn of what we want, and then take them to Madam Malkin, and see what she can do."
"You know Mione, I think that is a brilliant idea," exclaimed Ginny. "I'll go get some parchment now to start sketching them!"
And with that Ginny ran up the stairs leading to the girls dormitories. She was back down in less than ten minutes. "Ok I've got the parchment to do the sketches."
"First we need to decide on what color and type of material each of us wants, then we can go from there," said Hermione. "I was thinking of a sort of silvery white colored silk for myself. What about you Ginny?"
"Well, I like satin, but as for the color, well I'm not sure. Maybe, white, or perhaps sky blue?"
"Oh! I think I have an idea that you might like- how about sky blue, with white trim?" asked Hermione.
"I definitely like that idea," Ginny said with enthusiasm, "Now let's get down to the design. Why don't you sketch your idea and I'll do mine and then we can decide after that?"
"Great."
So for the nexttwenty-five minutes Ginny and Hermione were busy designing the type of dress they would want to wear. After many fits and starts, Hermione finally had the perfect design she wanted. "Done!" she said triumphantly.
"Hold on, I'm still working on mine," said Ginny. And a few minutes later, she was also done. "So, let me see what you've got, Mione."
Trading sketches, Hermione looked at Ginny's design in surprise. "Merlin, Ginny that is beautiful." It was a simple, yet elegant strapless A-line with a cuff that would have a fluffy white material that gave the impression of clouds.
While Hermione's sketch was of a strapless A-line gown that would lace up in the back and would flow a little bit,with a sweep train. The way she envisioned it, the dress would mainly be white, but the trim and the lace up part would be of a silvery blue color and a bit of silvery blue peeking out of the train part.
"Oh Hermione, that is so beautiful!" Ginny sighed gazing at Hermione's sketch. "Wherever did you get the idea for this?"
"As it happens, a cousin of mine got married late last year, and my parents and I attended the wedding, and I got the idea from her wedding dress."
"Well whoever asks you to the ball is going to be damned lucky to have you as his date. You'll be a knockout! Hey, and I have no doubt that you'll definitely catch the eyes of a certain professor."
"Yes, well, we'll have to see won't we? Not that I'll be the only one to knock a particular person's socks off. I bet that Harry may just have to take notice of you once he sees you in your dress."
"Oh I can't wait until the ball!" giggled Ginny.
The next morning Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Ron headed down to breakfast together. Everyone was in a good mood, and when they got to the Gryffindor table, talk of the ball was the main conversation. Parvati and Lavender had their heads together and were giggling and whispering, while Harry, Neville, Seamus and Dean were talking about whom they were going to ask; Hermione was tuning out their conversation, she was quietly reading a book and munching on some toast when someone called her name. Looking up to see Matthew approaching her, she swallowed her bite of toast. Hi Matthew, how are you?"
"I'm great. Listen Hermione, I know that it might seem sudden, but I was wondering if wanted to go with me to the Winter Ball?" asked Matthew. "I still don't know too many people here and I had a great time with you during the guided tour, and I would like to get to know you a little bit better."
"I'd like that too, I accept." Hermione said, ignoring the gentle nudging in her side from Ginny.
"That's cool; we can make arrangements for everything else later. Have a good morning Hermione." Matthew said while turning to walk back to the Hufflepuff table.
"Oh my goodness, Hermione you never told us the new transfer was so gorgeous!" squealed Parvati and Lavender.
"He reminds me quite a bit of Cedric Diggory." said Parvati.
She hadn't thought of it before, but now, Hermione could totally see the similarities between Matthew and poor Cedric. It was quite eerie actually; they were both tall and good-looking, with dark brown hair and shining grey eyes. Despite his amazing looks, Matthew was very nice and unpretentious. If she hadn't seen Cedric's body after Harry came back from the graveyard where Voldemort was resurrected, she would have believed that it actually was Cedric or that Cedric had had a doppelganger (though not an evil one). Looking over at Harry, she could see that he had had similar thoughts about Matthew, if the current pallor of his face was anything to go by. Concerned, she asked "Are you ok, Harry?"
With a quick shake of his head, he turned to her, "Hmm?"
"I asked if you were ok. You were looking rather ashen just then."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thought I was seeing an apparition." said Harry gazing at his hands. Looking to break the spell, Hermione said; "Well, we'd better head to class now."
And almost as one, the Trouble Triplets got up from the table, to head to their first class of the day. Harry and Hermione were headed off to Potions, while Ron had Muggle Studies. (A/N:I know somewhere in the beginning I made the schedules different, but; ScrewIt! My Fiction!)
Waiting outside the Potions classroom for Snape, Hermione and Harry talked about the Ball. "So, Harry, have you decided on who you are going to ask to the Ball?"
"No, I haven't decided yet, but I have narrowed it down to three girls I'd like to ask though."
"May ask who the candidates are that you are considering?"
"Well, as long as you don't say anything to any of them, I will."
"For Merlin's sake Harry, do I look like a gossip to you?" Hermione asked in exasperation.
"No, but you do talk to all three quite a bit."
"Ooo, now I'm really curious to know!"
"Ok I was thinking of asking either: Susan Bones, Lisa Turpin, or Ginny."
"Those are good choices, but I'm curious to know why Ginny? You've never really noticed her before."
"Yes, well, after spending a lot of the summer with you, Ron, and Ginny; let's just say I am seeing her in a new light."
At that moment Snape came and opened the door to the classroom, and said in his usual surly tone: "Enter."
Harry and Hermione quickly and quietly made their way to their desk and sat down. And once the lesson began, they didn't have a moment to talk. But thankfully class seemed to pass by quickly.
They then walked to Transfiguration where they would meet up with Ron. As per usual, the assignment was very difficult, though Hermione mastered it with only a little bit of effort. Before they knew it, it was time for lunch. Which was a good thing, 'cos as usual, Ron was whining about how much he was starving. 'Good God that boy eats more than anyone I've ever seen!' Hermione thought as they made their way to the Great Hall.
After lunch was Care of Magical Creatures, and it was a normal lesson; meaning a lesson in absolute terror. Where Hagrid managed to find these creature terrors was beyond the comprehension of almost everyone in class. But, ever loyal, the Triplets tried to make the best of the situation; which was difficult for them because the creature they were studying that lesson put Hermione in mind of the film 'The Blob'. Hermione was certain that if given a chance the thing would swallow everything in its path, including students and teacher.
The last lesson of the day was DADA. It was interesting, because they were studying the myth of Immortals. Apparently they were men and women, reputed to be impervious to death, unless they had their heads removed from they're bodies; and all Immortals were in a battle with all other Immortals to be the last one remaining. Holy ground was considered sanctuary, and no battles could be fought on holy ground. But the most fascinating thing was the Quickening. When an Immortal lost their head, an amazing show of lightning and thunder could be seen and heard (if you were nearby) that signified that the winning Immortal was absorbing the loser's energy and life essence. (A/N: Yes, I did Borrow that bit from the 'Highlander movies and television show, thank you very much) It really was quite a fascinating lesson as far as Harry and Ron were concerned; even Hermione had been interested.
Though she had been equally interested in just watching Remus (excuse me, Professor Lupin). He had a way about him that made learning fun, and the passion he displayed when teaching was just amazing. Was it any surprise that along with all his other magnificent qualities, that he made Hermione's heart flutter every time she was around him?