What's up chicos? There is going to be plot. It's coming...It's Coming!...IT'S COMING!!!!!
Chapter 11
Hermione and Vinola had now become best friends since that first encounter with Draco Malfoy. Sometimes late at night they stayed up plotting ways to get rid of him, without actually killing him. It was all in good fun. Hermione and Ron had never been better. They laughed, they talked, they kissed. Vinola and Harry were on the verge of actually going out on a date.
There was a Hogsmeade trip this weekend and Vinola and Hermione were doing everything in their power to coerce Harry into asking Vinola to go with him as a date. They were standing in the corridor outside of the Great Hall talking.
"Vinola, I still don't get it. Why don't you just ask him yourself?" said Hermione.
"For exactly the same reason you didn't make a move with Ronald for, oh, what was it? ALMOST 6 YEARS!" A few heads turned when she yelled and Hermione shushed her.
"Whatever, Vinola. I had my reasons," she snapped, "and it's pretty obvious that Harry likes you. Just ask him to go to Hogsmeade with you."
"No."
"Yes."
"No!
"Yes!"
"No! I am not going to ask Harry to go to Hogsmeade with me and that's final! If he likes me he'll do it himself!" Vinola was looking at Hermione angrily but her expression became horror when she saw Hermione's face getting redder and redder. "Hermione?..." Hermione just nodded her head slowly and Vinola turned around to see none other than Harry Potter standing a mere 15 feet away from where she and Hermione had been arguing. He had been coming out to say hello but was now stopped dead in his tracks, unsure of what to do now. Nearly everyone in the corridor was watching now, some were giggling and whispering and others were trying not to laugh. "Hi, Harry." Vinola was red as well but Hermione looked as if they were trapped in a life or death situation and Harry's answer was the determining factor.
'Come on, Harry.' she thought, 'You can do it.'
Harry looked frozen but managed to make some words come out "Hi, Vinola."
Vinola stared back at him, "Er, hi, Harry."
'This is getting ridiculous.' she thought again. Harry suddenly looked at Hermione and his eyes seemed to be begging for her to tell him what his next words should be. 'Oh, great, I get to walk him through it.' She pointed at her mouth and Harry nodded slightly. 'Will' she mouthed.
"Will," Harry looked back at Vinola and then back at Hermione who sighed when she realized she had to do every word. 'You go,'
"you go," The corridor started saying the words as well, silently to themselves. Hermione continued to mouth while Vinola stood waiting.
"to Hogsmeade" -suspense was building- "with me?" Everyone was silent until Hermione slapped Vinola on the back of the head.
"YES!" The corridor burst into applause for a moment and everyone let out a big breath of relief and went back inside for lunch.
For the next few days things went on normally except when Friday night came around it ended with 'See you tomorrow.' from Harry and 'Yeah, tomorrow.' from Vinola instead of the usually 'goodnight'.
Saturday morning. Hermione woke up and excitiedly began talking with Vinola about the day ahead.
"Okay, so first you guys should go to Madame Puddifoots (a/n, I think it's spelled that way.), that's where everyone goes on dates, it's very romantic."
"Thats sounds nice, what are you and Ron going to do?" Hermione hadn't really thought about it. "Hermione, I'm really nervous. Do you think you and Ron could go too?"
"Oh, well, I guess we could if Harry and Ron are okay with it. Oh, Vinola, this is so exciting!" It was exciting, more was going to happen on this trip than Hermione and Vinola knew.
They finished chatting and getting ready, Hermione put Vinola's hair into a very perfect pony-tail, and they headed down stairs to the Common Room where the boys were waiting. Vinola and Hermione exchanged glances and smirks because of Harry's apparently failed attempt to control his hair.
"Shall we?" the boys held out their arms for the girls.
"We shall." Vinola giggled.
They went arm in arm to the main doors to wait with the other students going on the trip today. They talked and laughed until it was finally time to leave.
The four had been having a very lovely time together, Harry mostly paid attention to Vinola and Ron mostly to Hermione, when they made it to Madam Puddifoots at last, happy to come inside out of the cold November air. Harry held the door open and they ordered. The tables, however, were made for two so Hermione and Ron left Harry and Vinola to themselves.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Hermione asked Ron. The only other open table had been on the other side of the room.
"No idea, but they seem to be having a good time." Harry and Vinola were smiling and laughing together. He reached out and held her hand on the table, Vinola giggled again. Hermione sighed dreamily and rested her head on her hand. Seeing this, Ron reached out and took her hand. Hermione lifted her head and smiled. she and Ron continued their conversation, laughing and having a good time. There was about an hour left of the Hogsmeade visit when Harry and Vinola came over, holding hands.
"Do you guys want to get going? We don't have that much time left." Vinola nodded at Hermione who decided to restrict her girlish squeals until later that night.
"Yeah, lets. But actually, Vinola and I wanted to stop by Honeydukes for a minute so she can meet Madame Rosmerta. Do you boys mind letting us go alone so that we can talk?"
Harry and Ron exchanged glances this time. Harry smiled triumphantly and Ron smirked mischieviously in return. "Sure, we'll just walk you girls there and the we'll leave you alone for your 'girl talk'." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Come on then. Ladies?" The boys held out their arms yet again (a/n Sigh, if only life were really like that. lol) and walked them to Honey Dukes. Once Hermione and Vinola were safely inside they let out their squeals.
"Eeee! So are you two an 'item' now or what??" Hermione was ready to burst with curiosity.
"Well..."
"Come on! Spill!"
"I think so!"
More girly squeals (thankfully it was so loud in Honey Dukes already that no one cared)
"Oh, Hermione this is so great! You with Ron and me with Harry. I can't tell you how great the rest of this year is going to be!"
"I know!" they then let out big sighs and sat on two comfy chairs so that they could calm down a bit. "Vinola, do you want to go for a walk?"
"We've only got like 10 minutes left but sure."
They got up and began walking around merrily. They decided to have a race back so they took off running, Vinola in the lead, when Hermione stopped in her tracks and stared at the ground.
"Hermione, what is it?" Vinola ran back over and stared as well. "It's just an old newspaper, come on."
"Wait a minute." Hermione picked it up and stared at the picture. It was an old castle with tons of flowers around it. It was very large, almost larger than Hogwarts. "Look." She turned the picture to Vinola.
"It's pretty, and big." she paused for a moment, looking for the significance that made Hermione stop.
"Listen." Hermione began reading. "Cranberry Castle, as shown above, is nearly 1500 years old but still quite as grand as it had been in it's starting days. This beautiful castle was once used by the rich witches and wizards of Branbridge, Ireland (a/n no you can't vacation there, I made it up) to host elegant balls and was also once used as a hotel, it is now completely vacant. It's former owner, Miss Ashling Clarke, has recently passed away and her only daughter and her husband, Quinn and Galvin Brennan, have inherited the great manor. Choosing not to keep Cranberry Castle, they have decided to hold a contest in order to dispose of it. Whomever shows the greatest need for the space shall recieve it. Mrs. Brennan has this to say about it, "Do not tell me that you need it because you are homeless or poor or greedy, although Galvin and I do not want Cranberry Castle, we want it to go towards something that could make a change for our world today." If you feel you have the need that the Brennans are looking for, send an owl to their home in Branbridge. They will contact the winner on November 27, 2007, Thanksgiving. The cut off for entries is November 25." There was a little bit more to read but Hermione had read the most important parts.
"Hermione," Vinola was shaking slightly, due to either cold or anxiousness. "Due you realize what this is? It's a sign, I mean look at it! It's perfect for a school!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down, Vinola." this was quite unnessesary since they were so late that everyone else had already gone back to Hogwarts or inside. "It is perfect. Vinola, we have a good reason. We have a reason that could change the world today, just like they want." excitment swelled up inside Hermione, she knew inside that this was the place to begin, but she did not want to get too excited. How many other people had a cause as good as theirs that had already sent a letter?
"Hermione, you know that this is it. We have to get it. No doubt about it." Vinola too had that same feeling Hermione had. "If we were to really send in that letter we have to be absolutely sure that when-"
"IF." Hermione interjected, trying to keep down her rising hopes.
"Whatever. IF we win, that we will be 100 percent devoted to this. We can't just give up because exams have started, we have to agree to stick to it."
Hermione thought this over. She knew Vinola was right, more than anything, she wanted to create an environment for muggle-born students where they wouldn't be discriminated against. She stared at Vinola.
"Do we have an agreement then?" Vinola asked.
Hermione stuck out her hand. "No backing out."
Vinola grasped it. "No backing out." with that they shook, and ran back to Hogwarts. Their dream finally began to change into a reality.
Author's Note:
Ashling is an Irish name meaning a 'vision or dream', Quinn means 'wise or smart', and Galvin means 'the right one', I researched. I'm a clever little thing, aren't I? ) This is now my favorite chapter. I hope you liked it. Review me, even if it's critical. I have final exams tomorrow at school. Bleh! Wish me luck, readers! Also, anyone have any good ideas for a school name? That is, if their plan works. wink wink. Message me, fools. HOLLA BACK!