Chapter 10: The Morning After
I can't believe you would- would- insinuate that I would- would do something like that! - Chaki Takashi
I slowly came into consciousness, a delicious cinnamon smell attacking my nose. It was a beautiful smell, and if I could've bottled it and sold it, I would have made millions of galleons. It was the perfect smell. And I knew it came from my mysterious date because the last thing I remembered from the night before was falling over onto him after having one too many spiked drinks. Of course, I knew that I would probably regret having so many drinks, I was beyond the point of caring.
Of course, no one actually tried anything because I would've remembered beating someone up. Because that's another thing I do when I get drunk, beat people up. I think that's the only time I ever get to actually pound out my anger on people, which is why I make sure to not get drunk a lot. I believe my victim last time was Eric, and in the morning it looked like a rabid bunch of Chocobos ran him over.
Oh yes, I bet you forgot my secret obsession with the big yellow birds. Okay so maybe they're only from a muggle video game, but I still love them. I even have pjs with them on it! Okay, so maybe I stole them from Eric, but really who's counting?
I decided that sitting up would be the best course of action, and boy was I wrong. I seemed to forget that when you get drunk, whether on purpose or not, you usually end up with a hangover in the morning. The one I had wasn't that big, but it was enough to be annoying. I would go to the Hospital Wing for a hangover remedy, but Madame Pomfrey would probably get ticked off and give a nice long lecture of abstinence in drinking. Then she would get into all the other things you can do that could possibly screw up your life forever. Like getting pregnant. I was given that lecture after I went to her when I first period.
Of course that subject brings up many amusing memories, particularly one highly amusing potions class when Pernificus the painter decided to make a showing. And yes, I admit, the four of us jokingly named all of our painters. I mean really, what else are four giggling thirteen year old girls supposed to do on the Saturday after their first Hogsmeade trip and they've stocked up on enough candy to least two hundred years? Anyway, Pernificus is Hannah's painter.
Okay so picture the setting of a very doom and gloom dungeon with the evil potions master barking out orders to all the frightened little children. Then Hannah stands up and announces quite cheerfully that she was bleeding. Professor Snape came over and asked her to show him where she was bleeding, she promptly levitated her cauldron, still filled with a half finished potion, and tried to throw at him all while screaming about how he was a pervert who was trying to get into the pants of his students.
We found out later she had a temperature of 104 and was delirious and not really in control of her actions because of a bug she picked up when her family took a trip to South America. It seemed as if the bug hid itself and decided to start causing problems for her almost three months after she had actually caught the bug.
But the look on Snape's face when having a cauldron thrown at him and being accused of seducing his students was priceless.
Back to the current matter, I still had a headache and I was starting to get pretty annoyed. I mean really, who wants to wake up after a night of awesomeness with a headache? I looked around, trying to figure out where I was, but the bright lights kept annoying me and making my headache worse.
When the big fuzzy blobs shaped up into actual objects, I looked around for a better view. It appeared that my date and I had made it back to the Great Hall and found a corner to snuggle down in and fall asleep. I turned and looked at who exactly my dream date was and I was given the shock of my life.
It was Charlie Weasley.
I mean, I must have been out of my mind last night. Charlie is the only person with bright red hair that's close to my age. Of course someone could have used a spell or something, but still, the red hair should have tipped me off. Another thing was how he talked a lot about animals. Charlie is the only person I know who still takes Care of Magical Creatures and actually enjoys it. I only take it for an easy A. It was that or Divination and Professor Trelawney is batty as hell and scares me.
So obviously since there were lots of clues pointing to Charlie, there was no way in hell that I would ever guess it was him. I mean really, Charlie? Annoying Charlie Weasley? He seemed so different than from what I actually remember of him. Perhaps it was my imagination that's made him so much of a bastard.
Suddenly he groaned, signaling that the lug had finally woken up.
"What time is it?" he mumbles, obviously unaware of his current situation and the ball the previous night.
"Time for you to get a watch," I replied, using the age old comeback to that question. Okay so it's practically the lamest comeback out there, but really, who cares? He sat up and looked around, blinking when he saw the bright lights, obviously from the hangover he got from the punch. The punch has one hell of a punch. Heh, I made a joke! A lame one though…I guess I'll have to work on that.
"Honestly, what time is it?" he said blinking a few more times. He still didn't recognize me; otherwise he would have said something.
"Honestly, I have no clue," I responded truthfully. I really didn't know what time it was because there was no clock in view.
"Ashley?" he asked. It seemed as if he was wondering if it really was me.
"No, it's the grim reaper," I said sarcastically. Of course it was me! The dunderhead. He sat up, effectively knocking me off his lap and onto the floor.
"Oh hello Ms. Grim Reaper," he said suddenly cheerful. I swear, one of these days he's gonna get it. I stood up and held my hand out to him, and when he took it I yanked him up.
It ended up that I pulled him up too hard because next thing you know we were on the floor with him sprawled across my stomach.
"Well that was counterproductive," I said, stating the obvious. He rolled off of me and we locked eyes for a few seconds. Did you know he has the most gorgeous eyes?
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Charlie started to laugh. I sent him a quizzical look and he just kept laughing. Then the world abruptly became extremely funny, which caused me to go off in a tirade of laughter.
And that's where the rest of them found us, sprawled across the floor laughing. From what I could see, Hannah had a look of glee on her face while Eric just shook his head. Only when we had finally calmed down did either of the two say anything.
"I think my dear sister's finally gone crazy."
"She went crazy a long time ago," Charlie said, causing me to glare at him.
"You were acting like a freak too," I grumbled, but it seemed as if no one heard me. After exchanging a few more words, Hannah and I proceeded up to Ravenclaw to change out of our dresses.
When we got there I saw that Monica and Chaki had already changed and were sitting on their respective poof couches and chatting.
"I found her sprawled across the floor next to Charlie laughing her head off," Hannah explained as she shed her dress and pulled on sweatpants and a large sweatshirt. I rolled my eyes and did the same, except pulling on a tight tank top. I hopped onto my poof and pulled a large blanket over my shoulders, that was adorned with the symbol of a muggle baseball team in America, the Red Sox. Okay, so the blanket actually belonged to Monica because she received it as a Christmas gift. Hannah was immediately annoyed by the garment for reasons known only to her, so I confiscated it and now used it as a cover underneath the giant fuzzy blanket I usually used.
"So before we go get chow I think we should all chat about our wonderful evenings!" Hannah said as she clapped her hands to get our attentions. "Ashley should go first!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"NO!"
"Fine then I'll start!" she said, and began her in depth explanation of how wonderful my brother was, because he was her date, and how beautiful of a kisser he was. She also mentioned that he had near perfect hair for running you fingers through. I smirked to myself, remembering Charlie's perfect hair, so soft and fluffy.
I yawned and tuned her out, because really, I had no interest in hearing how magnificent a kisser my brother is. I mean really, who wants to hear that?
"Ashley, are you even listening?" Hannah questioned, annoyed at my obvious lack of attention.
I gave her a look that obviously said NO. "I'm sorry. I just really don't need to hear how my brother's 'exotic tongue' wormed its way down your throat," I said, quoting her descriptive words, storing them for future use against her and my brother.
Hannah just glared at me and Chaki took that as a signal to start talking about her date.
"Well, he was really nice. He's a year older than us and he's in Hufflepuff. I think we talked the most about UFO's, because he's really interested in them, but then we were discussing the possibilities of the existence of-"
"Chaki, please, skip the boring stuff and get to the good stuff," I said interrupting. I had missed out on Hannah's explanations because she was talking about my brother and that was too weird to listen too.
Chaki looked at me with a slightly shocked and confused look on her face. "C'mon, tell us if he was a good kisser or not, and what was good and bad. You know, the works," I said, grinning my head off.
"I can't believe you would- would- insinuate that I would- would do something like that!" she said, standing up while throwing her arms up high in the process.
"Chaki, I saw you glued to someone's face when my oh so lovely date decided to go get us more drinks," I said, smirking. Okay so that's a complete lie. I didn't actually see any of my friends during the ball, but judging the look on her face, I'd say I hit the spot right on.
Seeing Chaki blush is a truly interesting phenomenon. First her ears turn red. Then the blush creeps across her face until her whole face is as red as her hair. Seeing this blush was a sure sign that something had gone on, but Chaki was holding true to the old saying 'Don't kiss and tell!'
So Hannah and I grew bored with pestering her and we turned our attentions towards Monica, who started blushing the second we turned our eyes on her.
"Well, it was, um, I think it was, uh, nice?" she said, sounding unsure of herself.
I raised one eyebrow and smirked at her, "Just nice?" She blushed and did not say more. Usually Monica and Hannah were the chatterboxes, me coming in second and Chaki staying quiet and interjecting her opinion when needed. I have this theory that if she were given more of a chance to talk she would, but seeing as she's best friends with the Three Mouths, that chance went buhbye.
Of course, the one thing that Monica refused to talk about was boys. I know she's done stuff with them, I caught her once on this nifty little map we found wedged between an old couch in a dark corner of the common room that shows you where everyone is anywhere at Hogwarts. It's called the Marauder's Map and it is dead useful. Whoever Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were, I bow to them a million times over.
But yes, so the map proves that she's done stuff because there's no way you can be that close in a broom cupboard and not be snogging. But she never EVER talks about it. It's because of this habit of hers that Hannah and I have a bet running. I say she'll be married with two kids in ten years. Hannah says she'll be in a nunnery.
When Monica refused so say one word other than it was nice, Hannah turned to me, grinning. Suddenly her stomach let out a giant growl, signifying she was hungry.
"You'll spill the beans after breakfast," she said, smirking.
We threw on slippers and proceeded down to breakfast, which turned out be a very…interesting…event.
Okay, I am SO sorry that took so long! I originally planned on making this chapter much longer, but I had to get this out because it's been so long since I updated! Anyway, this chapter is a tad bit shorter than the rest, but I promise to try to get the next one out as soon as possible. If not sooner. But it is a bit hard because I have writer's block, but I promise I will try!
Okay so please review, I just love seeing those things up there. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Ciao!
-Poplar