AN: Once again, I'm not making money out of this and own no rights to any of this.
CHAPTER 13 – Gifts given
"Fuuu, that wasn't as bad as I imagined!" commented Chandra to herself sitting at an open table after the second dance, while Handsome had gone procuring some refreshments.
"Enjoying yourself?" asked Hermione a bit breathily sitting next to her "Weren't you the one who categorically refused to dance?"
"Eh, it's complicated Hermione... It wasn't just not knowing the local dances or trying to look tough, dancing at the monastery had a deep meaning. This," she said gesturing with her arms to encompass the whole room "This is just frivolous. I wasn't sold on the idea. Thankfully, I never was the religious type."
The witch hummed to signal that she understood, but said nothing. Not that she could have since someone else spoke up.
"So our balls are too frivolous for you, Potter?"
Having come from behind them, neither girl could have noticed Malfoy listening in. Of course, neither of them was too pleased of his presence.
"For the last time blondie, my name is Nalaar," said Chandra turning around to stare at the boy clad in emerald green dress robes "And yes, there is no profound meaning behind this event, which makes it frivolous."
Both the blonde and his date, a pug-faced girl with raven hair and a silver ball gown that looked right out of a Victorian era drama, sneered at this. It was evident they didn't share the pyromancer's view.
"It's obvious that the finer details of social interaction are lost on you two," sentenced the girl haughtily "But what would you expect of a mudblood and a chimp who doesn't know how to dress properly?"
"The dress? Really? That's your best shot?" asked Chandra amusedly placing a placating hand on Hermione's shoulder "At least I don't look like a dog stuffed in tulle."
"That's enough Potter," said Malfoy, a slight smirk on his lips as he shushed his date "I'll have to demand reparation to defend Pansy's honour."
"Duels are forbidden, Malfoy," reminded him Hermione with an acid expression.
"But honor duels aren't," replied the boy with a superior smirk.
It was obvious he had been angling for this all along. The redhead found she didn't particularly care.
"I forbid them," sentenced a richly dressed woman that Chandra recognized as the history professor coming up to them "Or at the very least, I forbid you to take part in one. If Miss Parkinson wishes to challenge Miss Nalaar for her honour, I won't stop neither of them."
She was tall, with two toned platinum and black hair, a demeanor that screamed high-born aristocracy and an imperious expression that made it clear that her words weren't up to debate.
Malfoy visibly deflated before sighing and saying: "Yes, mother. Come Pansy, let's get out of here."
"For real Draco? Let me show the... Her what a real witch can do," said the Slytherin girl in a tone that broadcasted her confidence.
As she had said, the piebald woman did nothing to stop her. She simply watched the scene play itself out with an unimpressed expression etched on her face.
"She faced a dragon, you know?" pointed out Hermione to Pansy "She summoned her date for the night."
"Rose Potter, heiress of House Potter, I Pansy Parkinson, heiress of House Parkinson, challenge you to a duel over my honour and my- Draco Malfoy's honour," said the raven haired girl heedless of her classmate's warning.
"His honour?" asked Chandra raising a questioning eyebrow.
"You refused him and summoned that thing as date."
"Sure, ok," said the pyromancer shrugging "When and where?"
"The proper form would have you accepting trough a formula similar to what Miss Parkinson used to challenge you, but I'll consider this legitimate," said professor Malfoy cutting in before the Slytherin could say something foolish like 'here and now', suggesting instead: "In three days at midday, in front of the castle would suit both of you?"
Both girls nodded their assent.
"Good, I'll let the headmaster know, as well as your family Pansy. Good evening everyone."
And with that, both Malfoys and the Parkinson girl took their leave, albeit not all together.
Chandra was about to comment when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned around only to see Handsome offering her a cup of punch.
"That was unnecessary Chandra," said Hermione accepting a similar cup from Viktor Krum.
"Relax, I'm more worried about telling Ajani than by that kid."
"Vho? Something happened Hermione?" asked the Bulgarian in his thick accent.
Handsome looked utterly uninterested.
After the duel incident, the night progressed without any more stumbles. Chandra lent out her date to a couple of curious girls and danced with two or three guys that asked nicely –though she burned one's hand when he let it wander– and even with Fleur.
She eventually found both time and courage sufficient to tell Ajani about the duel. Surprisingly, the leonine planeswalker took it in stride: apparently such events weren't unusual in leonid prides. He still insisted in telling Jace though, who most certainly didn't take it in stride.
I know that subtlety isn't your strong suit, but couldn't you at least try avoiding something so blatant? Wasn't the tournament enough? he had telepathically reprimanded her We need to keep a low profile while recuperating, regrouping and preparing to face Bolas again.
"I know, I know, but the girl was asking for it, literally!" she tried to hold her ground "And sincerely better me than Liliana, no?"
Her fragile excuses had soon crumbled under Jace's barrage of accusations, leaving her with no choice other than listening to the mind mage's rant and studying the best way to getting back at him for treating her like a kid. He couldn't intrude on thoughts not freely offered, not hers at least, or he would have been treated to multiple scenes of her burning his cape. And a couple of spares for good measure, since he had like a dozen identical ones.
The morning after the Ball, Christmas day, found a scene that was sadly becoming routine for Hermione.
"Happy Christmas Chandra, would you put something on please?" she asked the very naked redhead in front of her.
"No thank you, I'm good," she answered sleepily "Why are you here this early?"
"It's Christmas!" said the witch "And it's ten!"
"The party went on till two yesterday, or rather today Hermione," pointed out the planeswalker rubbing some sleep from her eyes since going back to bed looked like a hopeless dream "And I'm positive you remember I'm not from this plane."
"I've already told you about the holiday, I'm sure."
"You didn't, now zip it and let people sleep!" came Liliana's muffled voice from her room.
Most suspiciously, her statement was followed by a very uncharacteristic giggle, which suggested that Fleur hadn't returned to Beauxbatons' carriage.
"Come in," sighed Chandra letting the other girl in "Let's get in my room. Tell me more about this Christmas thing."
"It's an important festivity on Earth, during which people give presents to family and friends to celebrate our ties," explained Hermione in the same tone that Jace used when explaining them some obscure lore "There are other meanings too, but those are more linked with one or more religions... And I have a present for you."
"Aww, you're sweet," said the still half naked pyromancer hugging the witch.
She then proceeded to tear the brightly colored paper off the package she had been handed. It contained a deep burgundy piece of cloth of indefinable material that left Chandra confused.
"It's... nice? Ok, I give up. What is it Hermione?"
"It's a swimsuit. Here on Earth we wear them to go swimming," explained the girl "It's charmed to always fit you, to resist wear and tear, and to light up at the given command."
"Aww, it's for the task! You're so thoughtful!" said the redhead smiling while she went to try the present on.
She had to admit that, while not particularly comfortable, the swimsuit looked good on her, especially when, given the "light" command, it lit up with a flame design that gave off a warm orange light.
"It's really nice Hermione, thank you!" she said hugging the other girl "I really need to give you something in return!"
"It's nothing Chandra, there's no need for-"
"I insist Hermione, now please sit back while I whip something up."
That said, the pyromancer took a couple of steps back and then, almost as an afterthought, pushed the rich looking carpet out of the way to expose the stone floor. She the knelt down like she had done before the ball, hands and hair ablaze, and forged her mana the way she wanted. A smallish gout of flames erupted in front of her as a piercing birdlike cry filled the room, then the fire went from bright yellow to a deep red with orange sparks and coalesced in the form of what was unmistakably a phoenix, albeit one decidedly more fiery than the headmaster's own.
"Here we are," happily said Chandra extinguishing her own hair and getting up, the flaming creature perched on her naked arm "Your very own pet phoenix."
On her part, Hermione did a very accurate rendition of a gaping fish.
On its part, the bird cawed and started preening its left wing.
"Just remember: keep it away from volatile materials and light its ashes on fire to bring it back."