IWSC Summer Camp Round 6

Cabin: Weasley

WC:1403

Task: Movies

Hermione glanced back out of the corner of her eye at Harry and Ginny walking hand in hand behind her and Ron. She caught the quick, easy smile they shared before looking forward again. Ron may be clueless, but she was not. Either Harry and Ginny were working things out between them, or their whole breakup was a ploy to throw the Death Eaters and Voldemort off. The lack of questions from Remus and Tonks as they walked behind the other couple told Hermione that they either knew something or had helped her friends get back together. Hermione smiled to herself. Despite all of Harry's fear about losing people he loved, Hermione knew Ginny was just what he needed.

They walked down the old dirt road toward the village to do some shopping for Mrs. Weasley, and to get away from all the chaos that was the Burrow being set up for Bill's wedding in three days' time. Mrs. Weasley had readily agreed to it to save herself the trip, but what had surprised Hermione was that Fleur had agreed so quickly. Fleur was the one that had them all running around to make things perfect. Hermione was still a bit shocked at how quickly the French woman had agreed with just a look at Harry and Ginny. Maybe Fleur knew something as well?"

"What's with those two, Hermione?" Ron asked in a low whisper. Maybe Ron wasn't as clueless as Hermione thought.

"I don't know," Hermione whispered back. "I tried to ask Ginny about that hug at the party, and those days she 'spent' with Tonks, but she wouldn't give me a straight answer."

"Same with Harry," Ron frowned. "Maybe they're working things out, or they pulled a fast one on everyone at the funeral."

"Why, Ronald Weasley, you do pay attention!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about things in a different way lately," he shrugged.

Hermione raised her eyebrow in a high arch.

"Something Harry pointed out to me after he got here," Ron explained. When Hermione continued to look at him, he continued. "He pointed out that I should view my life as a big chessboard."

"I told you to do that back in third year," huffed Hermione.

'Yeah, well," Ron shrugged, "I wasn't ready to see your point back then. Things have changed a lot since then, Hermione."

She nodded in understanding. For once, Ron was actually making sense and sounding like an adult.

"That's the shop up there," Ginny spoke up from behind Hermione. She turned to look at Ginny, expecting to see Harry still beside her, but he had fallen back to speak with Remus and Tonks was now beside Ginny. Hermione sighed, maybe she had been seeing things.

Ron held the door as the rest of the teens, Remus and Tonks entered the small Wizarding market on the edge of the village. Hermione pulled out Mrs. Weasley's list to begin their shopping. She made a copy of the list, handing it to Ginny.

"You and Harry take the bottom half," Hermione pointed to the list, "Ron and I will take the top."

"Okay, 'Mione," Harry nodded.

Hermione and Ron watched as Harry and Ginny walked away. They were waiting for some kind of sign that they were hiding something, but they walked down one of the aisles without speaking or touching. Hermione frowned. Either they knew they were being watched or Hermione was just letting wishful thinking make her see things that weren't there.

"I thought for sure they would've grabbed the other's hand," murmured Ron.

"You saw it, too, then?" Hermione whispered to him.

"How could I miss it?" Ron grumbled. He signed. "Come on, we gotta get this stuff or mum will have kittens."

Hermione nodded as she followed Ron to the other side of the store. She glanced back to see Remus and Tonks speaking to someone by the door. Shrugging, she continued to read off the list for Ron to pick things from the shelves. They rounded onto the next aisle as they continued to do the shopping. Soon they were on the last aisle that was for ready-made potions. Hermione glanced at a man standing beside the hair products with a sign for SleekEazy.

"Well, now," the man smiled. "If you aren't a witch that could sell SleekEazy, I'll quit my job as advertisement manager!"

"Pardon me?" Hermione asked, taken aback.

"My apologies, miss. Dan Sweltenburgh, advertisement manager and recruitment scout for SleekEazy," he introduced himself. "Please, call me Dan."

"Hello," Hermione nodded, unsure about this.

"You fit the picture of the witch we have scoured the countryside for," he went on. "I would like to make you an offer. Say, one hundred Galleons for each photo we take, both before and after using our product."

"I don't…"

"Nonsense," he waved her objection off. "You are obviously shopping with… your… boyfriend?... and I did see two other teens with you when you came in, correct?"

"Sir, I…" Hermione tried again shaking her head.

"Don't worry about it," he grinned. "Tell you what, you can even have them in the photos with you, and we will pay them, say, fifty Galleons a shot for being in the photos with you?"

"Sir, I don't…"

"Come now," he grinned. "Two hundred Galleons. You, my dear, are well worth it."

Hermione looked at Ron. He shrugged. Harry and Ginny were walking toward them with another man speaking to them as well.

"Please, Mr. Potter," the man almost begged, "just convince your friend to do the photoshoot. We won't even mention you in any of it."

Harry had a very annoyed look on his face as they stopped by Ron and Hermione.

"It's up to you, but you can count me out," Harry grunted to Hermione. Ginny was trying not to giggle at Harry's annoyance. He turned to her with a slight frown.

"I'll even throw in the cost of your purchase," Dan offered quickly.

"Well…" Hermione trailed off. "That would help your parents out," she commented to Ron. He looked as uncertain as she felt about all this.

"Tell you what," Dan interjected into her thoughts. "Why don't I show you the special camera and lights we have in the studio room we have here. Jared, take their items and pay for them. Even if you decide not to do the shoot, we will still pay for your purchases, as a show of good faith."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to look," Hermione shrugged.

The four teens followed Dan into a room that was immaculately decorated in the finest dragon-hide leathers and ornate furnishings. A camera sat on a tripod on one side of the room with lights behind it. Dan motioned for them to gather around.

"This is the latest in cameras," he began. "It will take sixty photos a minute to capture the entire shoot. All you have to do is act frustrated with your hair the way it is, then we'll use some SleekEazy on your hair and you act happy and satisfied with the results. Simple."

"Sir, that's…" Ron's eyes bulged at the amount of Galleons it would be to cooperate.

"Yes, young man," Dan smiled. "A tidy sum. Why don't you talk it over with your friends and we can get started?"

"What do you think?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Well…" Ginny took a deep breath. "It would help, but…"

"Do it," Ron offered. "And no, it's not about the money, it's about proving to you how pretty you are…" His eyes bulged again as he turned as red as his hair.

"Well…" Hermione breathed. She'd talk to Ron about his comment later. She turned back to Dan. "Alright."

"Wonderful!" he smiled. "Now, just stand over there on the line. Your redheaded friends sit here on the sofa. Mr. Potter, since you have declined, you can still be here for moral support. Just stand over here, just off-camera."

They took the positions they were directed to take and waited.

"Excellent!" Dan smiled. "Now, you hear my yell 'action' and the shoot will begin."

Dan turned, leaving the room. Just after the door closed, he yelled, "Action!"

They were plunged into total darkness!