Prompt: Halloween

Any time period/pairing/era

Word count: 500-5000

Note: The following story is a submission to the facebook group Platform 9 3/4. All stories on this profile are works submitted by multiple authors through means of the group. Contestants will remain anonymous until voting is completed. Only the author and moderators of the challenge are aware of identities.

Disclaimer: the author of this story did not create these characters and will in no way claim ownership therein. All things Harry Potter related belong to JK Rolling.


Story Title : The Prankster's Ball

Rating: T

Genre: Romance

Fanfic name : -Undisclosed at this time-

Pairing if any: Fred W./George W./Hermione G.

Ocs if any: None

Summary : The first annual Hogwarts Masquerade. No dates, you meet them at the party. Two ginger-haired pranksters are willing to pull out all their tricks to land the girl of their dreams.


The Prankster's Ball


The excitement throughout the castle was almost tangible after the notices had gone up across the school. It was a crisp fall evening, and most students at Hogwarts were settled in their common rooms, busily completing assignments, studying, or discussing the day's Quidditch match, in which Gryffindor had thoroughly embarrassed the Hufflepuffs. When Professors McGonngall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout entered their respective common rooms and posted the flyer for the Masquerade on the notice board, all talk of sports were forgotten.

The Headmaster, with Heads of House, are honoured to invite all Hogwarts Students to the inaugural Masquerade.

The event will take place October 31

st, All Hallow's Eve, in the Great Hall beginning at 8 pm.

The rules for the Masquerade are simple:

*no student will be permitted to bring a "date" – this is the purpose of the Masquerade. To promote inter-house mingling, you will be encouraged to find your dance partner as the night progresses.

*attire for this event will be formal. All students are required to wear a mask that will cover their eyes and at least ½ of their face. This adds to the mystery. Madame Malkin's in Diagon Alley has already been informed and will have a selection available for student to order via Owl Post.

*any further questions can be brought to your Head of House

Pockets of hurried conversations opened as the girls started to talk animatedly about their outfits, and the boys groaned in anticipation of having to dance.

In front of the fire in Gryffindor Tower, a girl with brown hair erupted into a large smile. Several grins could be seen around the room, including two ginger-haired boys, who were knee deep in an audience of spectators. Little did they know, the plan in their heads had nothing to do with the products they were displaying.

"This was it. This was their chance"

The day of Hallowe'en dawned crisp, cold, and breezy. Students bustled from class to class, eager to be done for the day to prepare. Many of the girls considered skiving off of their final classes of the day, but all the professors knew better, and had taken attendance. Hermione Granger impatiently tapped her quill against her parchment waiting for Professor McGonagall to dismiss them for the day. When she finally waved them away, the girls were first to jump and shuffle from the room. Many of the boys hung back per usual, and begrudged having to go to their common rooms to get ready. Except for two sixth year students, who quickly made their way back to Gryffindor.

Hermione Granger quickly sat in front of the vanity as the other girls filed in. Her bushy brown hair would need some work, and she needed to get a jump on it. As she fought with a brush that kept getting caught on her hair, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil came in and began gushing.

"Oh Hermione! We weren't sure you were going to the party! Do you need help?" Lavender spurted. Hermione sighed and looked at her with her brush hanging limply in her hand.

"I warn you, I may be a lost cause!"

Lavender huffed triumphantly and went to her trunk, to return with a purple bottle labelled Sleakeazy's Hair Serum. She quickly sprayed Hermione's head thoroughly, and left her hair falling in her eyes. Suddenly, the brush was pulling through her hair with ease, and in no time flat, Lavender had managed Hermione's hair into a tight, elegant updo. After some adjusting, Hermione was dressed, in an elegant purple gown that grazed the floor, accented with orange earrings, necklace, and bracelets, all made of the same rhinestones. Her mask, the same deep purple as her dress, covered from her eyebrows to her lips, with a crown like shape adorning the top, was laced with orange and silver filigree. She had matching silver shoes and a clutch, and as she turned in the mirror, she took a deep breath in at the sight of herself.

"Hermione…you look…stunning…" Parvati breathed, quickly adjusting her own dress. "Are you hoping for anyone to ask you to dance?"

Hermione hadn't given this a thought. After her whirlwind romance with "Bulgarian Bon-Bon" Viktor Krum, she hadn't had much time for dating. She had hoped that a cute Gryffindor boy (or boys, she thought earnestly) might ask her to dance, but she would be happy to dance with any of her friends.

She, Lavender and Pavarti made their way into the Great Hall, and were met with the sight hundreds of familiar faces, made unfamiliar with masks. They said their goodbyes and separated themselves among the tables, at which many other students sat, obviously recognizing their friends despite their masks.

"You look beautiful tonight Hermione!" came the familiar voice of Luna Lovegood, clad in a full sleeve dress in midnight blue.

"You Look…" came one voice.
"Breathtaking." Came another.

Hermione turned hopefully toward the voices and knew at once the ginger hair behind the orange masks. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, both starring at her, grinned at her behind half-face masks, and each offered her an arm. She looked at them, shocked, but graciously took their arms. Across the room, two figures Hermione believed to be Harry and Ron had approached Lavender and Parvati, and hadn't cast a second glance at her and the twins, who were leading her toward a table where a few masked students were already sitting.

Hermione was nervous and played with her dress throughout dinner, and at one point, Fred, or George grabbed her hand underneath the table. She felt immediately reassured as the night progressed into dancing.

"We've got you, gorgeous." They whispered to her in unison as she was led away from the dinner table towards the dancefloor, which was already packed with students and couples dancing.

The twins took turn spinning Hermione around the dancefloor, and she laughed with them as they twirled and tangoed and danced through the night. Many couples had opted out of their masks by the night's end, Hermione, the twins, and Harry and Ron included. To astonished looks, the twins escorted Hermione out of the Great Hall toward the Gryffindor Common Room.

As they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Fred took his chance and kissed Hermione on her cheek. George quickly did the same on the opposite cheek, and Hermione was temporarily blindsided until the chittering of the Fat Lady woke her from her stupor.

She blushed and squeezed each of the twins' hands and walked towards the girls' dormitories. As she turned to walk upstairs, she smiled from ear to ear and said shakily, "Thank you, both of you. For a magical evening."

"No." said Fred "Thank You." Said George.

With a final wave, the three headed to bed, their heads spinning with possibilities.


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