A/N-OMG guys! I am SO sorry about the lack of updation (ha I just made a word I think lol)! As I said in my author's note, my computer crashed. But a got a new one for Christmas! So I know that I took forever to update, but at least this means the next few chapters are coming a lot easier(now that I don't have to fight my family for the computer lol).
This chapter is going to be my longest one yet (Tell me if it's to long though)
So while I have you attention, when you have a moment please read my new story: Can you keep a Secret? It's set in the POV of 21 year old Hermione Granger, who got drunk one night, and told Harry all of her secrets. It's K, so don't worry. The-getting- drunk thing is the worst thing in the whole story I promise! It's, of course, Hermione and Ron, Harry and Ginny, and some Neville and Luna. But it's mostly a fic to get Ron and Hermione together. Not to fluffy. It's a bit like this: A good romance, with some comedy. So I would love it if you read (and hopefully reviewed) it. Anyways, enough of me talking. Onto the long waited chapter!
-Chapter Nine-
Ginny's POV
"Guys!" Ginny cried, pacing the room frantically. "This is important!"
Ginny was standing decisively in common room, as the ten once-plotters sat scattered around, looking weakly at Ginny. "We cannot just let them fall apart! Especially after all the work we've done!"
No one looked at her. "Well, can we?"
Again, no one spoke. "I don't believe you guys!" Ginny shouted, frustrated. "What happened to believing in them? What happened to that?"
"Ginny," finally spoke Luna. "Look-they just won't talk anymore. It's been almost a month now."
Ginny stopped her pacing. "You guys! We can do this!" she said. "Think of all things we've done already!"
"Well," said Dennis, in an undertone. "We-we did get Hermione to ride on a broomstick."
"And we made Ron smart," pointed out Harry.
"We did manage to get them in matching Halloween costumes," said Seamus. "And then kiss."
"Exactly!" Ginny exclaimed. "We can do this! All we have to do is figure out what happened to them!"
"Well," spoke Lavender softly. "I do know where Hermione keeps her diary."
"Where?" asked Ginny.
"Oh, the same place you keep yours," answered Lavender.
"I never knew you and Harry-"
Ginny purposefully stepped on Lavender's toes, and grinned uneasily.
"So Seamus-"
Ginny snatched up Dean, and whispered in his ears for a few moments.
"Okay?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah, okay. We can do this after all!"
Ginny nodded. "Ok, so Luna, come with. Lavender and Parvati, go get Hermione and take her to room 864. Harry and Neville fetch Ron and go do the same. The rest of you-Seamus, Dennis, Dean,and Collin-well,Dean knows what to do."
Everyone just stared aimlessly for a moment, not sure which way to go.
"Let's GO people!" Ginny shouted.
Many "OH!"s came from the nine other schemers.
"Which way?" they all asked in unison.
Ginny had to laugh. "Luna, come to the dorm with me to get Hermione's diary. Lavender and Parvati, Hermione's in the library. Harry and Neville, Ron's in the Dining Hall.Dean knows where to go."
All nodded, and eventually left the common room, while Ginny and Luna swiftly made their way upstairs.
"I just can't believe it!" Ginny said curtly.
"I know. I'm so sad for Ron and Hermione!" Luna said, severely.
"Well-no…I actually meant I can't believe Lavender found were I hid my diary!"
"Oh," Luna said, dumbfounded. "Yes…well anyone knows that!"
Ginny turned around, giving a firm stare. "So…um-everyone knows then?"
Luna gave a compassionate nod.
Ginny groaned. "Thought so."
Lavender's POV
"There she is!" Lavender said, enthusiastically.
"Oh!" said Parvati. "Hermione! Hermione dear!"
Hermione looked up, gave a bizarre look to the pair of schemers, and looked back down at her book.
Lavender and Parvati exchanged glances.
"She just didn't see us!" Lavender said. "You-hoo! Hermione!"
"Quiet down!" said a nearby boy, a fourth year. "Do you want Madam Pince to come in here?"
"Oh dear!" said Parvati. "No! Her hair lines are just utterly devastating!"
"They absolutely blind me," added Lavender.
Parvati and Lavender exchanged looks.
"And what do we have here?" asked Lavender, surly.
"You poor dear!" exclaimed Parvati, to the fourth year.
"What?" he asked, looking baffled.
"Your hair!" said Parvati. "Oh Lavender! This is a hair emergency!"
"I'm bringing it out," announced Lavender. "The comb!"
Parvati gasped. "Not the comb!"
Lavender nodded. "Yes, it's the comb-"
"Can you two tell me what you're doing here?" Hermione demanded, standing up and looking grim.
"Hmm," said Parvati snottily. "Lavender, I think she's making fun of us!"
"And the comb!" added Lavender smugly.
"Oh, well spotted," Hermione said dryly. "C'mon, let's talk in the hallway…"
Hermionestrongly urged them out, and out into the crowded passageway.
"What's going on?" Hermione demanded, looking smug with her arms folded on her chest.
"Nothing!" said Parvati lied. "We just thought we'd drop by-"
"To see if you'd like to accompany us somewhere," finished Lavender.
"And what if I say no?" said Hermione defiantly.
Lavender and Parvati laughed.
"Ah, you don't really have that option," Lavender said.
Hermione laughed this time.
"What do you plan to do? Kidnap me?"
Parvati and Lavender grinned at one another. Parvati took Hermione's wand, and they gripped her arms tightly.
"What-you're crazy-"
Parvati hushed her.
"You know what!" Hermione cried, with Lavender and Parvati on either side of her as they walked towards the third floor. "If I just had my wand-"
"Quiet!" snapped Lavender. "Or we'll be making fire wood from your wand."
"Wow, that was pretty good Lavy!" exclaimed Parvati.
"Thanks, Pavy!" said Lavender. Hermione watched in disgust, as they laughed incessantly.
Parvati's name doesn't even start with 'pav', she thought.
"Let me go, or I'll kill you! Savvy?" Hermione said angrily, trying her best to let Lavender and Parvati get her sarcasm.
Lavender and Parvati stopped laughing immediately.
"God Hermione," said Parvati. "You just don't have it, kay?"
"You just don't have it!" repeated Lavender.
"If it is anything that you two have, then I think I'm glad," Hermione said insolently, rolling her eyes.
Harry's POV
"Oh my," whispered Neville. "Look at that chap Harry!"
"He has food in his ears," commented Harry.
"And his head, mouth, and-eww…how did that get down there?"
Harry and Neville slowly walked up to the Gryffindor dining table and sat down across from Ron, looking at him sympathetically.
"Is-is that you Harry?" asked Ron, numbly.
"Yeah…"
"Oh! Ha…"
Harry and Neville leaned in closer.
"Ron, what's-"
"Hermione!" Ron said to Neville. "Oh, Hermione…"
Neville looked like he might snap. "Ron-"
"Darling! Oh, I just love your voice!"
"What's wrong with him?" whispered Neville, as Ron continued drinking and eating.
Harry shrugged, and grabbed Ron's cup. He smelled it briefly, then his eyes got immense. "Oh course! He found the brandy in Parvati's bag!"
"Well, then this won't be too hard huh?" asked Neville.
"No, not at all," said Harry contentedly. "Okay, let's just go get him."
They stood up, and went to Ron. They each grabbed a shoulder, and lifted him up.
Ronreluctantly went.
"Oh babe," he whispered to Neville. "We don't need to hid it anymore, babe."
Neville gave Harry a look that said what-in-the-hell-am-I-suppose-to-do.
"Oh, Ronnie!" said Harry in the highest pitched voice he could muster. "Umm…"
"Babe! Is that you?" Ron replied.
"Umm…of course!" said Harry, in his high pitched voice. "Just be a good little boy and follow us! Then the real reward comes!"
"Oh my God," Neville whispered. "Harry! You've turned Hermione into-into a-"
"It's not like Ron will remember anyways!" said Harry defensively. "Besides, what else could I do to persuade him to go with us?"
"Hermione?" asked Ron slowly. "Who are those men voices?"
Neville gave Harry another desperate glare.
"You-you have someone else don't you?" he demanded. "Where is he? Let me at him!"
Ron instantly starting swinging around his fists, hitting Neville in the knee, and Harry in the stomach.
"Ow," Harry muttered. "Oh, if you weren't drunk…"
"Don't worry!" said Neville, in his own high pitched Hermione voice. "Those are just my-my-"
"Friends!" completed Harry. "Umm…Neville and Dean!"
"Oh," said Ron simply. "You know Hermione, I've been thinking a lot about that day in the shower…"
Neville and Harry's eyes met, and they had great vigor to not bust out laughing.
"And I was wondering," muttered Ron. "Is it supposed to look like that?"
This time Harry and Neville couldn't contain their selves, and they busted out laughing.
"Oh, yes dear!" said Harry's high-pitched voice. "What about yours?"
"Wanna know a secret?" asked Ron, smiling arrogantly.
"Sure!" answered Neville's Hermione voice.
"Well, I don't wanna brag or anything…but I'm pretty well off in that department…"
"Oh Ronnie!" said Harry. "Teach me more!"
"Don't worry babe!" he exclaimed. "I'll teach you all you need to know. I am an expert you know."
"I'm sure of it!" answered Neville's squeaky voice.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall turned the corner, and looked at them suspiciously.
"Um…Gran said that's it natural for my voice to change!" Neville told her. "And she said anyone that teases me is just aimply vile!"
Harry snorted, and turned his head so McGonagall wouldn't spot his amusement.
"Yes, well Mrs. Longbottom," McGonagall said strongly. "I think you're Gran would disagree if she heard your voice."
Ginny's POV
"Oh my Gosh!" Ginny exclaimed. "Luna, listen to this: Dear Diary, I can't believe that I got drunk! I have no idea what Dean and Parvati put in my drink, but it made me feel great… until I was throwing up. But other than that I felt great! I felt like I could tell Ron anything! So I kissed him! Oh, it was so foolish of me! And then…I threw up on him! Ican't believe it happened!Now I haven't been able to face him for almost a month! I'm so embarrassed! What am I to do? Love, Hermione."
Ginny closed the diary, and looked at Luna. "This is big! Parvati's plan actually backfired!"
Ginny stared at Luna curiously, and stood up. "Will you get out of Hermione drawers?"
Luna turned around. "Look at what I found!"
"It's just a doll," Ginny stated simply.
"No, look closer!" Luna urged.
The doll, which was sewed with cloth and full of stuffing, had flaming red hair, and was tall and lanky. It was wearing a maroon sweater, with a large 'R' on the front.
Ginny gasped. "Oh my! That's Ron!"
They glanced at each other, and abruptly they were ripping through that drawer so swiftly, Ginny could scarcely see.
Luna held up another doll, with busy brown hair. "Hermione!"
"Look at her sweater!" exclaimed Ginny.
"MRW?" Luna asked. "What does that mean?"
"Mrs. Ron Weasley!" exclaimed Ginny. "Oh my Gosh! Look, there's you, and me, and Harry-"
"But who're these two?" Luna asked. "They look quite sluttish-"
"Lavender and Parvati!" said Ginny, elatedly. "No wonder it took Hermione ages to finish socks for those house elves!"
"She was to busy making these crafty…yet scary…dolls!" Luna added.
"Well, we always knew Hermione had her grotesque side," Ginny said solemnly.
"Yeah," Luna said, looking around at the dolls.
The pair stared at them for a moment longer.
"Well, I think we should go," Ginny said suddenly, putting the dolls back.
"Oh, Ginny!" cried Luna. "Can I keep mine? Please?"
"Why in the world would you want a doll of yourself?" demanded Ginny.
"Because," said Luna. "This way, I'll never need a mirror."
Luna laughed at Ginny's puzzled expression. "I was just kidding Ginny!"
"Thank goodness," said Ginny, with a sigh. "I was about to say, you're spending way to much time with Lavender and Parvati."
Dean's POV
"Where's the book?" demandedDean to Dennis, Seamus,and Collin.
"Right here Mr.Dean sir!" said Dennis, squeakily.
"That's right!"Dean answered. "That's me! The boss!"
"Oh, Seamus," came Ginny's voice.
Deanturned around, and saw Ginny and Luna. "Well-I am the boss."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "This place is so big when it's empty."
"All of Hermione's doll could fill it," said Luna.
Ginny cast Luna a comical look, but the two said nothing.
"Okay then…"said Dean.
Moments later, Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender arrived.
"Let-go-of-me…Ginny? Luna? Dean?" said a stunned Hermione.
"Parvati! Lavender!" exclaimed Ginny. "I said go get Hermione! Not attack her!"
Lavender laughed. "Well, she's insolent!"
"Oh!" taunted Hermione. "I can't believe you used a big word!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" commanded Ginny. "Drop Hermione."
"But don't go anywhere Hermione!"instructed Luna.
Parvati and Lavender reluctantly let Hermione go.
"Well, you'd do the same thing Ginny," said Parvati. "Honestly! She didn't even like our advice to that awful fourth year!"
"He had terrible split-ins!" cried Lavender.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked Ginny. "What am I doing here?"
Just that moment, Harry, Ron, and Neville appeared through the doorway.
"Oh my!" exclaimed Hermione. "Ron…he appears drunk!"
Hermione and Ginny went to help Harry and Neville, who were having trouble keeping Ron standing.
"Oh, for goodness sake!" cried Hermione. She took Harry's wand from his pocket (for Lavender and Parvati still had her wand), and said, "Estare beght!"
Ron's posture straightened up, his eyes became less groggy, and he seemed to be back to normal.
"Whoa," he whispered. "I feel so much better. Thanks Hermione!"
Hermione blushed at this, and handed Harry back his wand. "Oh, well. It was nothing…"
"Can we just get on with this?" asked Dean. "I'm getting quite bored.
"Excellent idea Dean," said Hermione. "Can someone please tell me-"
"And me," added Ron.
"What's going on?" finished Hermione.
Ginny ignored their questions, and turned to Dean. "Where is it?"
"Over there," Seamus answered for Dean. "C'mon, we all have to touch it at the same time."
"Touch wha-"
Ginny grabbed Hermione by the arm, and dragged her to whereDean was pointing to.
"Hey!" said Hermione, glaring at a thick book. "What is this? A porkey?"
"Sort of," answered Dean. "Everyone gather around it. And when I say three-"
"I'm not touching anything until I know where it leads!" exclaimed Hermione.
"One!"
Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand. "Harry! Get Ron's!"
"Two!"
Harry quickly grabbed Ron by the arm…
"Three!"
Ginny and Harry forced Ron and Hermione's hands down, along with everyone else's. Suddenly, there was a very bright yellow light.
It was happening. The story was beginning.
(A/N-Ok, one very quick thing. These stories are a bit revised, but untimely do follow the originals. If I change a few things around, it's for the good of the story (meaning mine), so please don't review me saying that I didn't "get it right" or something. And I didn't write these stories, as you guys know. I just figured a disclaimer was definitely needed. Anyways…enjoy!)
"Once upon a time," saidDean loudly. "There was an unhappy girl, named Cinderella."
Hermione, whose vision had been that same brilliant yellow light, suddenly got the feeling that she was falling. But as soon as she realized this, she's landed right in a kitchen.
It looked exactly like the kitchen off of Hermione's favorite fairy tale, Cinderella. There was even a fire, full of cinders.
Hermione looked down. She was wearing worn clothes that were dirty from house chores. "Oh no!" she screeched. "This can't be happening!"
"For Cinderella's father had passed away ages ago, and all she had left for family was an evil step-family, complete with an evil step mother, and two evil step sisters," came againDean's voice.
Suddenly dropping from the ceiling was no other than Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny.
"Oh, Cinderella!" exclaimed Lavender. "Where did you did you get that outfit? Oh yeah, now I remember! In the garbage!"
Hermione glared at her. Even in a story, thought Hermione, same old Lavender and Parvati.She opened her mouth to retort."Oh, and-"
Ginny took Hermione by the arm, and whispered in her ear. "Just play along."
Hermione rolled her eyes, and straightened back up. "Oh sister, why must you hurt me so?" she said, toneless.
"Cinderella!" snapped Parvati. "I can't believe you haven't even washed the floor yet!"
"Such a foolish child," said Ginny. "Cinderella-when your sisters and I return from the market, I expect this house to be cleaned! We can't get ready for a ball in such horrid conditions!"
"Yes, um…mother…."
Hermione turned around, and saw a tiny boy covered in orange paint. She screamed.
"What the-"
"Silly girl!" said Parvati. "It's just the cat!"
"Cat?" Hermione asked. "A five foot tall cat? Are you kidding me?"
"It's me," the cat whispered. "Collin."
"Collin?" Hermione repeated. "Oh my…"
"Cinderella!" snapped Ginny. "What do you think you're doing, playing with the cat, when there's work to be done?"
Hermione gave Ginny a perplexed look. "Yes, mother."
As soon as they were gone, Hermione turned back to Collin.
"What is going on?"
"We're in Cinderella," he explained, licking his 'fur', "trying to get you and Ron to make up."
"You guys really did that for us?" Hermione asked, touched. "Wow…but why?"
"We have to see you two friends again," he said. "It's not Ron, without Hermione, or Hermione, without Ron."
Hermione smiled. "I guess you're right Collin. I guess you're right."
Many hours later…
"Alright Cinderella," called Ginny. "We're off to the ball."
"Have fun at home, cleaning!" taunted Lavender, as her and Parvati started laughing.
Hermione watched them leave out the kitchen window. She turned to Collin.
"It's okay," she said, talking to Collin even though she knew she shouldn't. "Because, I know the ending to the story. My fairy Godmother will be here any minute."
"Cinderella sat by the fire, hurt by what her step sisters had said, and secretly wishing she could go to the ball," said Seamus slowly, narrating.
Twenty minutes later, Hermione was not happy. "Okay, where is she?" she asked Collin. He shrugged.
"This is not right," she said. "The fairy Godmother is not supposed to be late."
As Hermione kept talking, Collin noticed that her fairy Godmother was right behind her, outside the window. "Umm….Hermione?"
"I mean, if you're going to do this, do it right-"
Suddenly the window opened, and the fairy Godmother came rushing in, hitting Hermione to the floor.
"Ow!" Hermione muttered,but she looked up, and saw a beautiful dress, and wand, and-and…
"Harry?" she wondered aloud. "You're my-"
"Fairy Godfather!" he answered swiftly.
"But you're in a dress!" she cried, laughing.
"It's not a dress!" he cried. "It's a-a….manly kilt."
"It's pink with sparkles," Hermione said. "Aww….did you pick it out?"
"No!" cried Harry. "Look-do you want to go to the ball or not?"
"Oh, but I do!" Hermione said, in an pitiful voice.
'Well, then go fetch me a pumpkin."
Hermione did so, but the only problem was they weren't completely grown. But she did as she was told, and handed it to her fairy Godfather.
It was instantly turned into a carriage, just outside the door.
"Okay, so where are the mice?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged, as Collin slow crawled to them. Out of his mouth came two mice. He dropped them at Harry's feet.
"Ew, take them!" complained Collin. "They taste horribly."
Just as Harry was about to tap his wand on the mice, Collin said, "Can I get you to sign that?"
Harry gave him an odd look,tapped him wand, and instantly Luna was dressed in coachmen's uniforms.
"Why didn't Luna be my fairy Godmother?" asked Hermione.
"Oh, she liked the coachmen's feathery hat to much."
Hermione nodded, and decided not to ask any further.
"Now, let's make you beautiful!" Harry exclaimed. "Oh, not that you weren't already. I didn't mean that Ginny! I mean-Hermione, we're friends-and-I did-"
"Can we please get on with this?"
"Oh, yeah," said Harry. "Well alright."
He swished his wand, and instantly Hermione was in an elegant gown of white. Her hair was beautiful and curly, and framed her face bountifully. And she even had the glass slippers to finish the stunning look.
"Wow," Hermione whispered. "Thanks Harry-I mean fairy Godmoth-I mean fairy Godfather!"
She promptly ran outside, Harry following her. The coachmen helped her gracefully inside.
"Ouch," Hermione complained, once inside. "Harry-the carriage! It's five feet tall!"
"You picked the pumpkin," answered Harry playfully.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Cinderella! Mind, whatever you do, don't be later than twelve!"
Hermione turned her neck sideways, to see out the window. "I won't! Thank you, fairy Godfather!"
Ron's POV
Ron looked stiffly around the room. Where is she? he wondered. He'd already been hit on by Lavender, Parvati, and tons of women that he'd never seen in his life. And frankly, he'd started thinking this was a really stupid idea.
Until, of course, he finally did see her.
She was in a gown that accented everyone one of her beautiful features. Her hair looked so soft and bouncy; Ron had an enormous instinct to run his hands through it. She looked simply astonishing.
"As soon as the prince saw Cinderella," narrated Dean. "He was captivated by her beauty, and immediately went and asked her for a dance."
Ron walked right over to her. "May I have this dance?"
Hermione smiled. "Why, of course."
He took her hand, and led her onto the marble floor.
Ron had no idea that he could ballroom dance, but once he had Hermione in his arms, they just connected in the steps.
"Would you accompany me to the garden?" Ron asked, after hours of dancing.
Hermione nodded, and smiled.
Outside, the air was hot, yet pleasant.
"Umm…Hermione?"
"Yes, Ron?"
"Well…I-I need to tell you something-"
Just as Ron was about to say something he'd wanted to say for a long time, he heard a racket in the bushes.
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
Ron followed the sound, Hermione trailing behind him. There, in the bushes, was Ginny, Lavender, Seamus, Parvati, Dennis, Dean, and Neville.
"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione demanded.
"You know Hermione," Ginny said, her voice full of false emotion. "I'm getting real tired of you never trusting us."
Just at that moment, Collin came up the hill, carrying his camera. "I got it guys! Now where are-"
He stopped, seeing Ron and Hermione.
"Ron and Hermione?" Collin asked, bewildered.
Hermione gave Ginny an odd glare, and Ginny just slyly smiled.
Suddenly, the large clock tower ticked midnight.
"I-I have to go!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm sorry!"
"Hermione, wait!" said Ron, following her down the stone steps. "Please!"
Hermione tripped, and her glass slipper feel right off. But she didn't mind. She didn't want anyone to see her in her normal state.
Hermione ran into the carriage, and caught glance of Luna laughing.
"Okay, laugh now," she muttered.
When Hermione got back to her house, she'd barely walked through the door when her clothes changed back into rags, and her family came in. She was miserable.
Even though Hermione knew the ending of the story, that didn't mean she didn't sit by the fire for any longer periods that she was permitted, thinking heavilyabout meeting the prince again.
"Well," said Lavender, the next day, "seems as though the prince has found her."
Hermione looked up, thinking Lavender was speaking to her. Then she saw Parvati beside her, and she knew her cover was still secluded.
"Yes, I saw her though!" said Parvati. "Most distasteful peach gown I've ever seen."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Parvati always liked to talk about more than she knew. Of course, Hermione thought, my gown was white.
"Well, I've heard that he can't even find her!" exclaimed Lavender.
"Oh, what a keeper," said Parvati sarcastically.
Moments later,there was a knock on the door.
"If it's those orphans again, begging for food I'm going to scream!" complained Ginny. "Well, don't just stand there Cinderella. Get the door."
Nervously, Hermione walked to the door, and cautiously opened it.
"Hello ma'am," said Neville. "I don't mean to bother you at home, but the Prince is requesting that each woman between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five try on this-"
He unmasked the shoe, and held it brilliantly to the sky. "Try this beauty on."
As soon as the others figured out what was happening, Cinderella was instantly shoved out of the way.
"Don't you have some cleaning to do?" said Lavender rudely.
"Well, you've come to the right place!" exclaimed Ginny to Neville. "My girls and me-"
"Aren't you a bit-aged?"interrupted Ron slowly.
"Your majesty!" exclaimed Ginny. "I'm merely twenty-four! These are my sisters!"
That was hardly believable, because the role of Cinderella's step mother had added at least twenty years to Ginny.
"Let me try it on first!" screamed Parvati, yanking it from its soft pillow. Everyone followed inside, as Hermione tried her best to get a view of the happenings.
"See there!" said Parvati. "Perfect fit!"
"Hardly!" snapped Lavender, yanking it from her feet, and putting it on her own foot. "Look, just right!"
"Well," said Neville. "Is there anyone else in the house?"
"No, not at all!" said Ginny shrilly. "Of course not-"
'Then whose this?" came Ron's voice.
They turned around, and there was Ron, beside Hermione.
"I think we better try her," he said to Neville.
Neville took the slipper, and put it gracefully on Hermione's petite foot.
It glistened happily. Hermione smiled, and suddenly…it was allover.
The bright light overwhelmed the Gryffindors, and they fell assorted all over the room…at least most of them did.
Ginny's POV
Ginny fell partly on top of Neville, which was extremely uncomfortable for the both of them.
"Coming through!" saidDean loudly, going back to the book. "Coming-"
He stopped. "They're still in there!" he exclaimed.
"Who?" asked Parvati.
"Ron and Hermione!"
They were many "What's?" scattered across the room.
"Whose good with bewitched magic?" askedDean desperately.
"Harry is," Ginny said. "Go on Harry!"
Harry modestly walked over beside Dean.
"Yes, it looks like it's been charmed so many times, there are alot of effects," he said. "Should we bring it to-"
"No, no teachers," answeredDean. "Not until its necessary. These books are forbidden at Hogwarts, for this reason I guess."
They all circled in, looking wide-eyed at one another.
"What do you mean, 'necessary'?" asked Neville.. "Does this not look necessary?"
Ginny stared at the book for a long time, before gasping. "Oh my Gosh!" she cried. "Dean-you idiot!"
"It's not my fault!" whined Dean.
"Yes it is!" Ginny yelled. "You took this book from Snape, didn't you? Oh, my brothers always talked about this!"
"So? It's not easy finding fairy tales in a magical castle Ginny! And if it's forbidden, then why did Snape have it?"
"I don't know Dean!" Ginny screeched. "But did you not realize that this book is a recollection of fairy tales? Who knows which one Ron and Hermione are in right now?"
"But," said Harry, "it is just a story."
"Harry!" said Ginny. "What happens there actually happens! So-"
"If Ron and Hermione get killed," said Luna. "Then…"
All ten teenagers scrambled around, trying to think of what to do.
Ginny and Harry bent down, check what story their friends were trapped inside of.
"Sleeping Beauty," whispered Ginny. "Well, that's not bad is it? It had a happy ending, right?"
"Yes, I suppose," answered Harry. "But Ron and Hermione-how are they going to know?"
"Someone should go in to get them," said Seamus' voice suddenly said to Ginny. "We can use a magic power cord. I got in for Christmas from your brothers."
"Oh, well that's assuring," said Ginny skeptically.
Ginny bit her lip, and looked Harry. "I'm going to go."
"No!" said Harry immediately.
"Harry's right,"Dean agreed. "This is my fault. I should go."
"But I'm smaller," said Ginny. "And lighter. You'll be able to pull me up easier."
Harry put his hand on top of hers. "No, Ginny."
"Harry," she said strongly. "I'll be fine. I'm not a baby anymore."
"Yeah, but you're my baby," he whispered, so only Ginny could hear him.
Ginny laughed. "I swear, you sound just like Mum!"
She stood up. "I'm going to go-and there's nothing you can say that'll change my mind."
Hermione's POV
"Hello?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking unsteadily. "Where is everybody?"
"Hermione!" yelled Ron, through the flashing light. "I'm right here!"
"I-I can't see you!" she exclaimed, as they both searched for each other. Suddenly, there was a narrator's voice. But neither recognized it as Dean's.
"Once upon a time," said the narrator. "There was an unhappy king and queen, for they had no child. Then, one day, a frog appeared to them a fairy, and said ,'You shall have a beautiful child.'
Months later, they had a beautiful baby girl. To celebrate her, they invited twelve of the thirteen fairies, for they only had twelve plates. That was a big mistake.
The thirteen arrived at the party, and said, "When the princess is 16 years old, she will prick her finger on a spindle and she will die.
All the fairies were astounded. This simply could not happen to the child. She would grow up to be clever and cunning one day.
So the king asked three of the fairies if they would watch over her, and keep her protected. The fairies happily accepted, and soon they moved into the countryside."
Suddenly, Hermione felt the ground underneath her collapse. She screamed, but shortly afterwards landed right in the middle of a very quaint and modest cottage.
"Oh, there you are Sleeping Beauty!" exclaimed one of the fairies, who was dressed in blue gown. "Now, now dear! You must run along! Today is your one and only sixteenth birthday!"
"Yes," agreed the red fairy. "We'll being seeing you dear!"
"Good bye now!" said the pink fairy.
Hermione looked at her surrounding, and shrugged. "I'm off then?"
They nodded, encouraging her. She walked out the door, and found herself to be right in the middle of a forest. She smiled. It was just lovely.
She walked around a bit, and then found a nice creek to sit by. Some of the forest animals came around her, and she smiled at them. Suddenly, she heard a noise. Her ears perked up. "Hello?"
"Hello?" inquired Ron's voice. "Hermione? Hermione!"
"Ron!" Hermione screamed. "Ron!"
They finally spotted each other, and instantly fell into an embrace.
"Ron," Hermione whispered in his ear. "Please-don't leave me."
"I won't Hermione," he answered. "I promise."
Ginny's POV
"Okay," whispered Ginny to herself. "Where are you two?"
The place she'd fallen was definitely a place she'd never expected. A place where fairies talk, lands move, and animals talk.
"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" remarked a white rabbit with pink eyes, as he took out his watch out of his waistcoat pocket.
Ginny stared at the rabbit for a long time, until it jumped into a hole. With curiosity, Ginny followed, not considering how she was going to get out. She fell into a deep well, which had cupboard sides. Ginny fell for what seemed to her an eternity, until she came upon a white tunnel. She still saw the white rabbit ahead of her, so she followed him.
"Oh my ears and whiskers! How late it's getting!" Ginny heard the rabbit state.
Ginny kept walking, until suddenly the rabbit was out of sight. She looked around, and found herself trapped in this room that had a many doors around her, but no key. When Ginny finally found a key, she found it didn't in any of the doors! But finally, Ginny took back the curtain, and to her surprise, there was a door behind it, with the lock that fitted the key. It was then that she knew she was in Alice in Wonderland.
The passage through the door was very small, and made Ginny get on her knees to go through. She came upon another door, and found her head would not even fit through it! Discouraged, she went back the other way, and found that the same place she'd found the key to the door, there was now a tiny bottle that read 'Drink me'. Ginny was suspicious about drinking it, but she knew that since she was in a fairy tale, so she assumed it would be perfectly safe to drink the bottle.
After a few minutes, she noticed that she was at a very short ten inches now. But, she'd left the key to the door on the table. So without the key, she couldn't get it. She was stuck.
She suddenly realized she still had on the magic power cord. She knew it was linked back to the very beginning. But before she could get out of here, she had to get back to her normal size. If she didn't, she would certainty be ten inches tall for her whole life!
Then Ginny saw a tiny box that said eat me. Thinking it would make her back to normal, she eagerly ate it all. But after a few minutes, she realized it'd made her too big. Now the magic power cord was barely able to stay on her.
Ginny was in trouble.
Harry's POV
"Harry, no-"
"Dean," said Harry impatiently. "Ginny has been in there for almost an hour! Ron and Hermione almost two hours! I can't just sit around while my best friends and girlfriend are facing who knows what! I'm going in!"
"Harry-"
"I'll be right back," Harry said simply. He touched the book, and was instantly transported inside the tatty pages.
He arrived in a very odd sort of place, and he knew instantly that he definitely wasn't in Sleeping Beauty. "Hello?"
"Oh dear," said a nearby rabbit. "Oh dear! I might be late!"
Harry turned around. "Hello-sir!"
The rabbit gave him an odd stare.
"Please-do you know where a girl is? About five' five, red hair-"
Harry stopped his rambling, when the rabbit walked (for he was a most peculiar creature) and motioned to the hole nearest him. Afterwards, he just walked in the other direction, exclaiming at just how late he was.
Harry peered down the hole, and figured if it led him to Ginny, or Ron and Hermione, then he better go. So he took a large leap inside.
He fell for what seemed to him ages, before he saw the bottom. And the bottom, he saw, was water, at least four feet of it.
He spotted Ginny was much bigger than her usual petite frame. "Ginny-"
It occurred to Harry that it'd been Ginny's crying (from when she was nine feet tall) that had flooded the room. "Ginny?"
"H-Harry!' Ginny exclaimed. "Look at me! I'm so-"
"You're shrinking," Harry stated. And she really was. Harry easily picked her up.
Ginny looked baffled. "Well, I must be getting smaller! It was simply horrible Harry! I was gigantic!"
"C'mon," Harry said. "Let's go back-"
"Look at me Harry!" Ginny said. "No-we have to keep going, so I can get back to my normal size!"
Suddenly, they felt a great jolt, as if someone had pushed the fast-forward button. Harry closed his eyes, and it was all dark from there.
Dean'sPOV
"That should do it," said Fred Weasley.
'The story will eventually be over," said George.
"And they'll come out?" asked Luna. "How do you know this?"
"Are you kidding?" asked Fred. "We nicked this from Snape so many times and put so many charms on it, it's not even funny."
"Yet it was," added George.
"Besides," said Fred. "Your owl was much appreciated. The store maintance isn't getting long as-err-smoothly as we should like it to."
"Which is business talk for the walls keep disappearing," said George. "We think it was that Malfoy kid-came in last Hogsmeade trip, and-"
"Tried to nick some candy cubes," explained Fred. "So, of course, we hexed him."
"You hexed him?" asked Seamus, who was exchanging glances with Dean.
"Wouldn't you use any free chance to hex Malfoy?" demanded George. "Oh, yes, anyways. So we think he tried to get back at us by putting that dim crackpot charm on the walls."
"Shouldn't they be out by now?" asked Lavender, changing the subject. "I mean-this is seriously taking longer than…than…"
"How long it takes for you to put on our makeup?" cracked Dean.
There were a few snickers around the room, as Parvati slapped him for "Making fun of my best friend."
Moments later, there was a great flash of bright light, and four figures appeared from. There following was several gasps from the crowd.
Because there stood Ron, tall and proud…and completely naked.
Everyone turned their heads, disgusted.
"Yeah…that can be a bad effect," muttered George. "If you fast-forward to fast, well…"
Harry and Neville exchanged smirks.
"Good thing you're good in that department, huh Ron?" Harry teased playfully, as Ron fled the room.
Harry's POV
Harry woke up the next morning, glad to see that Christmas vacation was finally beginning. He quickly dressed, and went down to the common room.
"Morning, Sleeping Nudety," said Harry to Ron.
"Ha," said Ron sarcastically. "You better be nice to me."
"Why's that?"
"Mum invited all of us home for Christmas," answered Ron.
"Morning!" came Ginny's voice suddenly coming over the staircase. She came to Harry, and kissed his cheek quickly, before asking, "So, what's this I hear about going home?"
"Yeah," replied Harry. "All of us."
Ginny smiled happily. "Really? Oh, Harry! This is great! I can official introduce you now as my boyfriend!"
This hadn't even occurred to Harry. "Umm…will they be angry?"
Ginny laughed. "Of course not! They love you Harry!"
She got closer to him, and put her arms around his neck. "Don't be worried."
He kissed her lightly. "Don't worry Gin. I'm not," he lied.
Hermione was soon seen over the staircase, smiling. "Morning all!" she said brightly. "Do we have anything planned for today?"
"You and I do," said Harry hastily.
All three looked at him questioningly. "Just some Ariane business."
Ron slyly grabbed Harry by the collar, and whispered in his ear, "But Harry, I wanted today to be the day that I would tell her-you know…"
Harry smirked. "Sorry, but it can't be done. This is crucial business."
Harry stood back straight. "Besides," he said, clearing his voice. "This will give you and Ginny some time to do that-um… sibling bonding thing."
"Umm…sure," said Ginny skeptically.
Hermione's POV
"Harry!" Hermione whined. "Harry! Oh, not so fast!"
Harry grinned. "Just hang on Hermione!"
He did a crazy bend in the air, almost causing Hermione a heart attack.
"Harry!" Hermione complained. "Where are we going?"
"Hermione, just trust me," said Harry. "We'll be there soon."
'Soon' must've meant another hour. But finally, they arrived in a crowded neighborhood, on a kempt lawn.
"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Whose house is this?"
"You'll see," he whispered impatiently. They walked over to the door, and Harry rang the doorbell.
A dumpy looking woman answered the door. "Oh, hello," she greeted.
"Hi," said Harry, with his bag full of newspapers slung over his shoulder. "Umm…well…"
"Would you like to come in?" she asked.
The pair slowly walked through, and into the sitting room. As they passed the many pictures of Ariane and Rita, Hermione realized whose house they were in; Ariane and Rita's mother's house.
They sat together on the couch that was bizarrely covered in plastic, that had odd looking animals and pictures blastered on the wall. They said nothing, however, about the queerness of the home.
"So," said Ms. Skeeter. "McGonagall contacted me about a week ago, and told me to expect a visit from mister Harry Potter! Oh, how surprised I was!"
"Yes, well…"said Harry, ucertianly. "Have you been reading the Daily Prophet lately?"
"No! I'm afraid my daughters forbid me to read it!"
Harry and Hermione exchanged curious looks. "Yes, well here are a few of the recent copies…"
Harry handed Ms.Skeeter the prophets, and he and Hermione sat in silence as she read them.
"Oh dear," she whispered. "This isn't true, is it?"
"Not at all," said Hermione.
"Oh, and you're Ms. Weasley?" mistook Ms. Skeeter.
"No, I'm Hermione Granger," said Hermione. "Ron and Ginny Weasley are our friends. And she-Ariane-"
"Completely mistreated you?" said Ms. Skeeter. "Yes, well…it appears so, doesn't it? Well, we'll fix this…"
She stood up, held out her palm, and said, "Ariane and Rita Skeeter!"
Harry and Hermione exchanged curious looks, and then changed their attention back to the peculiar women, when two people unexpectedly fell from the sky.
Ginny's POV
"Hey…um-Ginny?"
Ginny looked up. She'd been napping in the Gryffindor common room for quite some time, and seemed irritated by her disruption.
"Yes Ron?"
"Um…can I ask you a question?" he asked anxiously.
"Sure," said Ginny lightly.
"How-how…never mind," he said, his ears burning a fierce red.
"Tell me," Ginny demanded. "C'mon! You've already woken me up!"
"You'll laugh but…Okay…um…how do I tell-um…someone that I love them?"
Ginny just couldn't contain herself. She instantly started giggling.
"See!" Ron exclaimed. "I knew it!"
"I'm sorry Ron," said Ginny. "Okay…tell Herm-her- at the right moment… when you feel most-um-passionate."
Ron's eyes got big. "I can't believe I'm talking about passion with my sister."
"Yes, well. It's not like it's that enjoyable for me either," said Ginny, and with a wrinkle of her nose she tossed a nearby throw pillow at Ron's head.
"Oi!" Ron exclaimed, and grabbing the pillow, he kneed over to Ginny on the couch and began to hammer her with the flowery toss pillow that she'd just chucked at him moments before.
"Ron-"
Ginny grabbed one for herself, and soon they were in a battle of the downy pillows. A few moments later, they(and about four feet around them) were covered in feathery goodness.
Out of breath, they suddenly had a visitor stalk into the common room.
"Where is it?" snapped Snape.
"What?" demanded Ron. "Oi! You're not supposed to be in here!"
"You have something that belongs to me," he hissed, then looked strangely at the two. "See, this is why I'm not the Gryffindor head of house!"
They started to laugh at their queer appearance.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor until I get my book back!"
Ginny winked at Ron. "There it is," she said. "Have a go at it."
Snape briskly walked over the book, and the instant it had touched his hand, there was a flash of bright light and he was inside the book.
"I wonder which one he's in!" said Ron.
Ginny checked carefully. "Snow White!"
Ron laughed. "Whoa! He makes terrible looking women…"
"He makes a terrible looking man, too," Ginny muttered.
Fred and George's POV
"Look at mum go at it," said Fred, disgusted. "It's not like Harry and Hermione haven't seen the house before."
"Yes, well Fleur is coming too," said George, with a wink.
"Wonder what mum will think of that-well anyways, we have more important issues to deal with," said George.
"Like Harry," said George. "He's a good chap…but I'm afraid he doesn't have permission to date our baby sister just yet."
They were silent for a few moments. "No, not at all…"
Hermione's POV
"You two!" exclaimed Ariane to Harry and Hermione. "Mum-what's going on?"
Rita smirked. "Well, well, well Ariane…caught again by dear old mum…"
"Oh, shut up!" snapped Ariane.
"Quiet-both of you!" Ms. Skeeter said firmly. "Now Ariane-I want an explanation for this behavior!"
She held the prophet in her hand, and waved it around. "I did not teach my children to act like this!"
"That's right," said Rita.
Ms.Skeeter changed her view. "Oh Rita,what are you getting so happy about? You too! You're both acting like children-"
All three voices started screaming at once, and Harry and Hermione slowly backed away from the scene. Harry grabbed their coats. "Maybe it's time to go," he said. "I don't think we'll be hearing from Ariane anytime soon."
Hermione agreed, and they slowly slipped through the door, onto the broom, and in the air.
"Harry," said Hermione moments later on the broomstick. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Well…how do you-know-I mean know-when someone loves you?"
"Well," said Harry gradually. "I suppose that I knew that I really loved Ginny, the first time I kissed her."
"Really?" said Hermione. "It doesn't have to be said to know?"
"Some of the best love Hermione," answered Harry. "Is when no one has to say it… when you just know."
They landed much quicker than it took to get there, but it always feels like a shorter trip coming back. It was now noon, and the air was cool and brisk against their faces. When they entered the common room, they saw Ron and Ginny had both fallen asleep, Ginny leaning on her big brother.
Hermione grabbed a blanket, and stretched it over the pair. "Harry?"
Harry, who was tending the fire, looked up.
"I-I know…I think I always have…Harry-I-I love-"
"Shh…" interrupted Harry. "Don't tell me…tell him."
A/N-OKAY, wellI was really tired when I checked over this, so excuse any mistakes please! Anyways,so how was it? I hoped I did a good job! Well, next chapter is going to be completely over Christmas. Yes, it will have some plans, but not from our usual Gryffindor schemers. I didn't want to make this chapter like fifty pages long, but I didn't want to not include Christmas. So I thought this might work. Anyways, please remember to review! It's really important to me! Thanks guys!
Hogie