RIP- Raiper, Severus Snape, Moony, Tonks, Hedwig, Dobby, Mad-eye, Colin Creevy and everyone else who met their untimely and TOTALLY UNNECESSARY DEATHS in Deathly Hallows.
This massive 32 page chapter is dedicated to Neville Longbottom, who I believe is the true hero of the seventh book; Hermione Granger, who saved Harry and Ron at least a few hundred times; Mrs. Weasley, for my favorite scene in the entire book and the only page that brought tears to my eyes (NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH); Harry and Ron, for… being cool; and lastly to JK Rowling who is really the 21st century's genius and never failed to amuse me with her incessant use of colons in the seventh book.
Anyways, this chapter is incredibly long so read on your own accord and take short breaks and MAKE SURE TO REVIEW in the end even if you can't finish the chapter.
Good luck.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Okay, Malfoy, you've had your fun. You bring her back right now and make sure you never set foot around her ever again."
"Now, now, Diggory. Let's calm down for a moment and rethink this. If I bring Weasley back from the banquet after she spent a week giddy and ironing her dress robes, who would that benefit, really?"
"It's for her safety! I'm sure she'd rather be alive, safe and sound instead of wasting her time at some absurd kind of frivolity next to a death eater."
"Look the past is the past. That was war. This is now. I've been freed of countless charges already and it's been… YEARS. Whatever happened then, I truly, deeply apologize and off my condolences but it's time to move on. I know you have probably sworn yourself to abhor the Malfoy's for life. But this is no longer for me but for Ginny Weasley. She's been waiting too much for this."
"Waiting to go to some ball? When she knows that I get invited to one every week but turn down a majority of them for her? Tell me, why would she want to go to a school's dance with you but not a formal Ministry event with me?"
"Maybe if you actually decided to stop your pathetic cowardly acts and be proud to show off a woman like Ginevra Weasley to public, she would. Turn down invitations for her? No. It's for YOU. Your class and reputation. I'm sorry, but you really have no authority whatsoever to say idiotic nonsense like that. If Ginny Weasley walks out of this passageway right now and demands that she goes back to her shop, then I will surrender her, apologize and avoid all accounts of possibly ever encountering her again. But you know as well as I do that it was her own will that brought her out here. Stop shielding her like a bloody dog or something! You're the minister's son so you were always free to roam around, heads bowing the moment you enter but you have no idea what it's like to be locked up, unnoticed, never free, never human. Give her a life if you care about her so much, won't you?"
Draco glared at him with finality, leaving a sputtering man behind as he clambered into the passageway. Jake made a movement as if he wanted to stop him further but Draco stopped him with his cold eyes that seemed so natural under his Death Eater cloak.
"Don't you dare follow me. This banquet is a private party, invitation only affair. If you step one foot into this passage, I will have no choice but to stop you physically, and we both know what I'm capable of, right?"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Mrs. Amoretti, even being well over her 40's, was referred to as the fiery vixen. She made her presence known wherever she roamed and made sure her presence lingered until she left. She stood on tip toes at 5 foot 1, and yet her voice carried her all the way to the other side of Europe. She knew every face and name in Hogwarts even though her home was in Italy. She was a woman of no shame yet showed unsurpassed dignity and esteem.
A naturally born party animal and guru, Mrs. Amoretti stepped into the stone cold steps of Hogwarts in an elegant dress robe and got ready for work. Her arm was draped around a man two heads taller and about 20 years younger. His husky presence triggered a spark of fervent whispers, yet he gazed admiringly only at Mrs. Amoretti. Still, nothing seemed to amuse her more than the scene that unfolded in front of her.
"There is only one hour before the banquet starts, Spence! Just give up on the original design! There's no way the staircase can be finished if you go along with it!"
"Well, what else do you have in mind, then? Leave the staircase as is? All this glitter and props we made for this go to waste?"
Ophelia groaned. "For goodness sakes, I should be back in my room getting ready and we're still here getting nothing done with the staircase!"
"I never asked you to help me! I can do this on my own if you're so busy."
"You're a talented kid, Spence, but you've got no such talent with decorations. I've grown up with parties. Just…" Ophelia put down her wand and sighed. "Come on, leave that there, just get the lights from McGonagall's office."
"Brillucia oropel"
The mess of glitter that lay abandoned all over the steps immediately rose into the air, above the staircase like stars and shone a sparkling gold. The two quarreling prefects turned around to the bottom of the staircase to see Mrs. Amoretti with her wand out, smiling broadly. Ophelia gasped.
"Mom! What the hell are you doing here?"
"Your Professor called and told me that you all needed help with the set up. Really, now, there's one hour left and even the staircase isn't done?"
"Caleb was supposed to do it but he didn't show and it wasn't until Spence came out to make a trip to the kitchens that we found out it wasn't done."
"Well, I'm here now so you two stop bickering and get dressed! My goodness, how did I raise you? You must be Spencer Weasley! My, this school is just bustling with good looking flesh. Why don't you ever bring one home, Ophelia?"
Ophelia scoffed and stomped off to her dorm as Spencer thanked her bashfully. "I could stay back and help a bit more if you need, Mrs. Amoretti."
"That will be unncecessary. Go and get ready. Save a dance for this old woman, won't you?"
"Why… well, of course… yes…"
OO
THE BANQUET BEGINS.
"Weasley! Weasley! Slow… Slow down!"
"You just pushed me in here without my permission and you, what… killed his mother? And I've been defending you all along, wondering why he was such a bastard to you and oh, look, turns out he has a great reason."
"Weasley, bloody merlins, woman, calm the hell down!"
"If I were Jake, man, the things I would have done to you. You're lucky he's got impulses as fast as a snail. Gawd, these heels are out to fucking kill me."
"You don't know anything! You have no right to say that!"
"Who needs to know the whole story? Bottom line is, he lost his mother, the woman who raised him and fed him, in your hands and there's no way of course that he would have been so okay with having his girlfriend go to the banquet with that killer."
"You're barely like a girlfriend to him! Just look around you, Weasley. Your niece and nephew hate him so much they haven't been able to show their face in your shop again. He gets invited to a party every week from the ministry yet he turns them all down so he doesn't have to deal with you asking about it. I don't care how sweet or caring he pretends to be. I'm sorry to say but he's ashamed of you. Don't ask me why or anything but it's so clear; even your 15 year old niece with the brain capacity of a screaming banshee knows this and your nephew who knows nothing of relationships sees it."
"That's not… how could you?! You have no right to say that to me! Who the bloody hell do you think you are? I know you've been trying so hard to help me and all but I really feel that I won't be needing your help. You're antagonizing ME in this situation when you know I never wanted to be any part of this at all but here you come dragging me into this… MESS of things. You know who's at fault here. You know who the REAL antagonist is. So why don't you just let your pompous ass admit your wrong doings instead of pushing the subject onto me? You're such a… a… you really haven't changed, have you? I thought I could give you a chance and I even thought you were pleasant to be with but… no, I see now. I never should have trusted you. I'm going back."
"Listen to me! You're just walking yourself back to the biggest mistake you'll ever make! He doesn't deserve you. He deserves another spoiled, rich, elite ministry official's daughter with brilliant credentials and money pouring out of her mouth as she laughs."
"Auntie!"
The two of them turned around to see Gaby running toward them, her face blazing.
"You're here! You came!"
"Yes, but don't get too excited because I was just thinking of lea-"
"Well, come on then! Thanks for the dress robes by the way." Gaby said, pulling her aunt toward the banquet.
Draco lingered, rooted in his spot, and then shrugged. Better here than there.
"Professor!"
"Oh, hello, Mr. Libby."
"Have you seen Gaby Weasley? I swear I saw her just a second ago."
"Miss Weasley? Why?"
"Well, we were supposed to meet right out here but…"
"What are you talking about?"
"What?"
"Miss Weasley was your date?"
"Well, yes…"
"Well, that's suspicious. I just saw her walk in with Mike." Draco lied.
"Mike?!" Caleb rushed forward toward the door but Draco stopped him short.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I have to find her! She's supposed to be my date!"
"We need to have a talk, buddy."
"Sorry, professor, but can it wait?"
"No. You see, what is that badge you're wearing?"
"My… prefect badge?"
"And it's your second year too. I am very ashamed of you. What kind of name are you giving your house? You never show up at meetings, and when you do, you're an hour late. You were in charge of the staircase but you never even touched it once. Spencer Weasley worked on it all day today and we had to call in a professional to get it done for us. Must I strip you of your prefect badge?"
"Well, it looks great now…"
"And you had nothing to do with it. Makes you feel swell, doesn't it? I will be speaking to Professor Sprout about this and your badge may be suspended. Meanwhile, I want you to do maintenance and I will leave all of the shifts for the rounds to you. Be glad it's not detention. You may pass."
"But… professor!"
"I know you're hot and all and all the girls in this school want you. But you cannot compare with Mike Felton. So give up on Miss Weasley and show some dignity for once. Goodness sakes."
Mumbling and cursing under his breath, Caleb staggered into the great hall.
Draco stood back in his spot, smirking as the horde of students slowly made their way through. He caught a familiar face.
"Anna Jenkins?"
She was barely even recognizable without a pile of books around her and she looked graceful and ethereal in her vintage silver dress robes made of some light floaty material.
"Well, well, you look magnificent."
"Do you think so? Do you really think so? I hope so. I mean, Miike and I have to start the dance, you know? And well, I've been practicing so hard! I mean, we've been practicing because I'm actually rather clumsy on my feet and I just know I'll trip and fall and make a complete fool out of myself. Have you seen that head boy yet?"
"Oh, yes, he went in already a while ago with Gaby Weasley." Draco lied.
"Gaby Weasley… oh, that, that lascivious creature. How could you let Mike go in with her? it's like letting an innocent soul enter a brothel with the devil. You know what could happen to him? He could die! That girl is seriously trying to see the death of me!"
Anna mumbled a few more inherent words before stalking off into the hall. Draco chuckled, leaned back against the wall and waited, waited, waited for the night to be over.
OO
"Anna! Anne!"
The girl turned around as soon as she entered the door where Mike was waving and coming toward her. Her heartbeat rose tremendously, barely able to stand. He was matching her silver dress with a light velvet robe and his jet black hair hung devilishly in front of his face.
"Ready?"
"I don't really know… what if I mess up? What if everything goes blasted and the whole banquet gets ruined and I'll be the laughingstock of the school forever!"
"We only dance for the first 10 seconds and then McGonagall and Snape will come in. It'll be fine. I'll lead you. It'll be wonderful. You look so beautiful; nobody will care if you mess up or not."
She blushed profusely, and took his hand gingerly.
The hall went deathly silent as a waltz began to play from the stage and the two heads walked toward the middle of the floor. Anna really could not breathe and was barely able to move her self to the floor. Mike was practically dragging her around the steps that they practiced endlessly for. She even began to perspire at one point but a polite round of applause signaled to her that those 10 seconds of pure agony was over. Mike leaned his head forward and whispered, "Good job." With those words, Anne flew, her feet, well, literally dancing and her heart screaming of joy. She wanted to yell at the top of her lungs, "I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU" but of course, she did not.
When the first dance, the happiest moments of her life in the arms of the Love Of Her Life, ended, he nodded courteously. A mob of girls suddenly infiltrated their perfect bubble and he was whisked away from her the moment their time allotted together was over.
She could not help standing there alone, eyeing Mike Felton, the star of the show, the apple of every girl's eyes, wondering to herself how she ended up there, head over heels, smitten completely over this epitome of perfection.
OO
"Well aren't you just the party animal?"
Spencer looked up to find Ophelia sauntering in with rosy cheeks, her dress swishing behind her.
"I can't stand the noise." Spencer muttered.
"Ah, I can't stand the people. Don't you look dashing except the fact that you're half drunk? I knew those robes were made for you."
"You look nice yourself, Phelia. Clean and stuff."
"You mean I'm usually not clean?"
"Well, you are… in fact, you're quite clean. I don't remember ever being disturbed by your uncleanliness before. But you look nice."
"Why thank you. What's that you got?"
"Scotch. Don't tell, but it's my dirty little secret."
"Naughty naughty. I always had you as a goody goody."
"I'm not naughty, I'm just desperate to get all this noise out of my head."
"Mind if I join ya? Someone spiked the punch with the most repulsive rum I have ever tasted."
"You're already drunk."
"Oh, and you aren't?"
Spencer sighed reluctantly and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. "Sit."
Ophelia clambered up on the stool. "Cheers."
"Cheers."
"I wonder where the house-elves are."
"Probably partying it up in their headquarters. McGonagall dismissed them for the whole weekend."
Ophelia sighed. "Merlins, I feel like such a loser. And what is with this place? It's a bloody oven in here!"
"I quite agree."
"Good merlins, this scotch is so beautiful."
"You look really great, Ophelia. Did I ever tell you that? I think I might have when you dragged me to go shopping."
"Well a girl can never be complimented too much. I'm glad to be here. At least away from those hormonal kids who've been trying to get me out of this ruddy dress for the past hour."
"Maybe it's because you look so bloody good."
"You should really get drunk more often. You're very flattering."
"I'm always flattering."
"Yes, of course you are." Ophelia chuckled and sighed, pouring herself another glass. "Bloody bastards probably think I'll be the easiest one to get into bed. HAH. Lousy bastards. They are so stupid sometimes. They believe every word another bastard says. No offense to you or anything but your gender is really a crowd of dumbasses."
"Oy, watch your language. You want detention?"
At this they both fell into fits of hysterical laughter.
"Why? I really want to know who started it too."
"Started what?"
"The uh, 'I slept with Ophelia Amoretti' craze. It's hilarious how many guys I've apparently done in this school. The best part is that I don't even know who half of them are."
"Well, you are always surrounded by at least a handful of guys almost every second of your life. I guess those sort of rumors just come with attractive girls."
"Ah, the pain of being a beauty."
"Tell me about it." Spencer said, rolling his eyes.
"But you… have a group of girls stalking you and asking for your autograph! Why aren't you called a whore?"
"Because… maybe it's because I don't look like one."
"… If I understood you completely, did you just say I look like a whore?!"
"I did not. I don't look like one because I'm always studying and you are not one because you have too much dignity to be one."
"Oh yeah? Tell me more."
Spencer scratched his head, taking another swig from the bottle. "I mean, you are… hot… and you know, very alluring and all. And you do have your fair share of boyfriends and I have caught your with different guys past curfew. Remember the first time we met? You were in that room with that boy and you were giving me attitude about letting you finish or something."
"Oh, oh yeah! Tommy… that guy was such a pathetic loser but now he's got Brittany and they've been at it for a while. Nice to be sort of a match-maker figure, you know?"
"Yes, well, if I ever see them in a deserted classroom doing god knows what, I'll know who to blame. The point is… you may look trashy or act flirty or be experienced but through the time I've known you, you're actually a very self-righteous person and you would never stoop to that kind of level."
"I don't know if this is actually a compliment or not."
"Well, I don't know either. I'm just trying to say that I believe you. You're actually sort of nice. And I'm a very harsh critic of character."
"I have never felt so honored in my life."
"Well, good. Usually, my intuitions of people are always right. If anyone gives you trouble or anything, just don't give up on yourself. I'll back you up. I know you're no whore or anything. You're just a good looking, rich, obnoxiously charming Slytherin prefect."
"Keep up with this sycophancy, and I might even fall for you."
"Oh, merlins, you might be right. I just don't get this thing about girls."
"What thing?"
"How they all… are… sort of… in love with me."
"That was a very modest statement."
"But really! Have I ever treated them kindly? Did I ever wink at them or insinuate some sort of pretense of interest to them? No! I have barely even blinked an eye toward them and they come flocking at me like a bee to honey."
"Maybe you're just that devilishly good looking. You know, Professor Malfoy often talks about how when he looks at you, he sees a teenage mirror of himself and you know how much he values his beauty."
"Do I want to look like him?"
"You should, I mean, this might sound wrong because he is our professor and all and old enough to be our father but, Professor Malfoy is hot."
But Spencer was barely listening anymore. He had just passed through a new threshold of his drunken-ness with his fourth cup of scotch and a bottle of firewhiskey that he was now gazing over Ophelia empty-headedly.
"Tell me something interesting about you." He blabbered, resting his dizzy head on the counter.
Ophelia smirked and looked at him with a glint of amusement in her eyes. Without hesitation, she put down her third glass and cleared her throat. "I am a descendent of Italian royalty."
"No way!"
"Oh, don't think of it like that. My mother is the mistress of the king and I am merely the mistaken offspring."
"No way!"
"Yup. My father's elite group of royal advisors bought my mother and I the house we live in to stay mum about it. Which works out well, anyways, so my mother doesn't have to worry about a house."
"But, if this gets out…"
"Yes, but it won't be getting out. So according to everyone else, my father is supposedly dead and left a great will. Nobody will ever find out that in fact, my father is actually the Italian king."
"You're the illegitimate love child of the Italian king!"
(Author's note: I don't know what government Italy is in right now and I'm pretty sure it's not a monarchy but this is fanfiction and if I say Italy is a monarchy, then Italy is a monarchy. Booyah. (I LOVE ITALY. THAT PLACE IS GORGEOUS))
"Wow, thank you for telling me! That was very kind of you."
"I'm sorry, it just came out but… wow. You're the…"
"You already said it once, Weasley, no need to scream it out again." Ophelia chuckled slightly. "But it's okay. Who needs the king as a father? It'll just get pretentious ideas in my head. No, I live a normal life. Well, we are rich, and we do live in a luxury home and we basically have the power over the Italian government because we can create a scandal that could be disastrous for them. But none of that has to do with me, right? I'm just the problematic child who got in the middle of things."
"My parents are almost never at home. They're charm breakers, but they live in Egypt with my uncle. So basically, my sister and I live with our aunt and even though she offers all the time, we could never take any kind of allowance from her because she makes just enough from her shop to make ends meet and to support us comfortably."
"What's it like?"
"What's what like?"
"Just… living…"
"Well, it's different, you know? Everyone lives differently. You live in luxury, powerful with all the right connections. I live in humble modesty. It's different. We all live in the same world but the way we live… that's sort of our choice isn't it? How we live?"
"But sometimes you don't get a choice. Sometimes you get born into a mess and other people decide what to do with you. The moment I was born, people said, 'you will live in a house that the king will provide for you as long as you keep this newborn child a secret to the country.' So they send me here every year. Did they ask me what I wanted to do? Did they ask little baby Ophelia, 'how do you want to live the rest of your life, baby doll?' It's just… sometimes, people are controlled. Moved around like figurines on a play set. Nobody lets you make any choices for anything."
"Well, then, how do you want to live the rest of your life, baby doll?"
Ophelia remained silent, overcome suddenly by the question and searched herself for an answer.
"Me?"
"Ophelia Amoretti, how do you want to live the rest of your life?"
Ophelia tilted her head backwards and laughed merrily. She took the bottle of scotch and raised it.
"How do I want to live my life? With a lot of alcohol."
At this, they both cackled even harder, and Ophelia even fell off the stool.
"How do you want to live the rest of your life, baby doll?" Spencer asked, louder, almost singing.
Ophelia jumped up. "Lots of sex!"
"HOW DO YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE?" Spencer screamed at the top of his lungs, standing up, inspired by a rush of drunken, yet maddening exhilaration.
"I'LL HAVE 28 BOYFRIENDS, 9 FIANCES, 4 HUSBANDS BUT ONE LOVER." She threw her arm in the air, the one holding the bottle of scotch as the liquid splashed out, spraying the two of them. Feeling her now wet dress, she began tearing it off, her giggles never ceasing. "I'LL NEVER WEAR CLOTHES AND RUN AROUND STARK NAKED ALL OVER DIAGON ALLEY!" She said with finality as she pulled off her dress robe all the way, clad in a mere thin black under-dress
The two of them tottered to the floor, shaking in laughter, unable to breathe a single breath of sober air.
OO
Mike was finally able to get free of all the girls trailing him when he spied Gaby at the snacks table, stuffing her face with all the finger foods. He made his way, taking a chocolate croissant.
"Are you here stag?"
Gaby didn't look up from her food. "I am right now."
"What happened to coming with Caleb Libby?"
"Apparently Professor has him on maintenance."
Mike coughed. "Only? I would suspect he'd give him a lot more than just that."
"Well, Professor's in a good mood because he's got himself a hot date tonight."
"Oh, which supermodel is it today?"
"My aunt." Gaby grinned widely, nodding over to Ginny who was on the other side of the table, striking a conversation with her old friend, Professor Longbottom.
"You're aunt, eh?"
"Professor Malfoy is totally ga-ga over her. It's so obvious. Hey, auntie, come meet our head boy. He's perfect."
"No I'm not!" Mike exclaimed profusely.
"He's supposed to be. Mike can be very modest at times."
"Ah, well, Mike, it's very nice to meet you. Head boy, huh? Who's the head girl? I swear, it's Hogwarts legend that the head boy and girl hook up at least once during the school year. And even if they don't even like each other, the pressure of the myth does it for them anyways. See, I'm lucky the head boy was Bra-" Gaby cut Ginny off.
"Auntie, you're talking too much. Mike is practically gay."
"No I'm not!" Mike cried wildly.
"Never had a girlfriend the entire seven years he's been here."
Ginny looked surprised. "No way!"
"Well, if you don't count the fact that the majority of the female population would lose their virginity to him, then yeah. This man is a lone ranger."
"Gaby, Gaby, don't talk in such a vulgar vernacular. I swear, if your mother was here, she would not stop going off on you in her French English." Ginny warned the girl.
"Then I'll just blame it all on you!"
Ginny shook her head. "Un-fair. How do you deal with this child, Mike?"
"I don't know, Miss Weasley. I manage somehow."
"Where's your date anyways, Gaby? Did you chase them all away?" Ginny asked.
"Nah. Professor Malfoy just went sadistic on him but he's coming over here now. Hey, Caleb!"
Caleb walked over to where the three of them were and put on a forced smile. "Sorry… Professor Malfoy had me…"
"Yeah, yeah, we know. You poor thing." Gaby patted Caleb's back.
"Serves you right though. How in the world did you get your prefect badge in the first place? Do you have no such thing called responsibility?" Mike grumbled bitterly.
Caleb looked up at the head boy, his ego obviously bruised. "Excuse me?"
"I would think Professor Malfoy would have taken away your badge at the very least. You know how much stress you put everyone through because of your senseless frolicking?"
"What are you talking about? Who the hell are you?"
"And you never show up to meetings, hence you can't even recognize the head boy." Mike muttered.
"You!"
"Yes, it is me, is there a problem?"
"At least I have the decency not to steal another man's date into the banquet. What kind of lousy play is that?" Caleb argued.
"What are you talking about?"
"Professor Malfoy said you were the one who came in here with Gaby! Who the hell do you think you are, stooping that low?"
"Excuse me? I was here since a half an hour before the banquet began to finish preparing because some prefect didn't get any of their duties done."
"But…"
"Nobody dumb enough would believe a word Professor Malfoy says."
"I'll have to agree with Mike on that." Gaby piped up, obviously amused by the little quarrel.
"You're supposed to be on my side, Gaby! You're my date!" Caleb exclaimed, rather childishly.
"I know, babe, I know. Mama's here for you." Gaby teased, petting his hair.
Blushing, Caleb cleared his throat.
"Oh, yeah, great game yesterday, by the way! You completely swiped the Slytherins off their feet."
"Oh, yeah, thanks."
"What was the score, like 230 to 120? And your team didn't even get the snitch but managed to win anyways!"
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't get too excited because we're playing you next, Hufflepuff." Gaby retorted, a smirk playing on her lips.
Caleb laughed loudly. "Oh yeah? With me on the team? I don't think so."
"Now, now, I wouldn't be saying things before the game, Libby."
"You may be a swell chaser, but you're just a girl, Gaby. You're just so cute nobody can play against you because you're so damn distracting but don't worry; I'll train my boys up. Although, I, myself, might need some extra coaching in that matter." Caleb commented, winking.
However, his cheesy attempt of a pick up line failed tremendously. Gaby chortled, not flirtatiously but derogatorily.
"Good one, Caleb. I'll try not to look so damn distracting when I play you guys next week because oh, you know, I'm just that attractive when I'm kicking your ass." Gaby replied, every word lathered in sarcasm.
Mike snorted, earning himself a glare from the belittled Hufflepuff.
"Well, then, may I have this dance, Gabrielle Weasley?" Caleb asked, clearing his throat and offering his hand.
Gaby sighed, stuffed the last strawberry in her mouth and followed him out to the floor, waving at her aunt on her way out.
"I just don't get it." Mike said, sighing.
"Get how anyone would still like her even with her vulgar language, credits to her uncle Ron, and her attitude?" Ginny asked.
"No, how anyone could still like him. I don't even know why he's a prefect."
"He seemed pretty… well, no, but he wasn't that bad…"
"He never does anything! He's got the responsibility of a five year old, he doesn't care about school at all and he's always off somewhere doing god knows what leaving everyone else to clean up after his mess. And he's just about as supercilious as professor Malfoy but without the credentials."
"Wow that totally does not sound like Gaby to me!" Ginny gasped, smirking.
Mike opened his mouth, struggling. "Well… Gaby's different. She's…"
Ginny gave him a knowing look, grinning widely.
"Huh… then maybe they are made for each other." Mike grumbled, bowing politely and hulking off to the entrance where Professor McGonagall was beckoning him.
OO
"Miss Weasley, where do you think you're going?"
Ginny pivoted slowly on her feet, like a deer caught in headlights.
"…out?"
Draco leaned against the door of the great hall.
"Who said you could just… leave?"
"For goodness sakes, Malfoy, I don't have time to kid with you. I'm not a student and I have full rights over myself so good night and have a swell time."
"But," Draco grabbed the collar of his shirt dramatically. "How could you just leave your date just one hour into the dance? So rude! What if I am never to be the same person again?"
"Oh, please, I was not your date since you pushed me through the passageway and forced me here."
"Now, now, you can't talk to your customers like that, can you? And I'm a regular as well… shame on you. Shame, shame, shame."
"Quit it, Malfoy. I'm in no mood to joke with you."
"Are you just going to stay mad at me forever?"
"And what if I do?"
"What good will that do? You'd have lost a regular customer, I won't be there to spy on the twins for you and you'd be stuck with some jerk forever, and then I'll be pretty bored all by myself here, I'll be drinking shit coffee, and I won't be able to apologize to you."
"I have enough regular customers to keep me eating and sleeping. And, I don't need you to be 'spying on the twins' because I have something called trust and Jake is not a jerk. I don't care if you're bored all day or if you drink shit coffee and I highly doubt that Draco Malfoy would have the brain capacity to apologize to anyone."
"Well, maybe I normally don't go around apologizing or saying thank you but I was raised with perfect etiquette and manners. And I know what I said earlier tonight was sort of a Jake Diggory-esque thing to do. So surprise, surprise, I'm sorry. If I should have insulted anyone it's Jake."
"And of course, as a Malfoy, you always find your way around things that would lower your self esteem. You wronged Jake, Malfoy! Why can't you just suck it up and admit it?"
"Because I know I didn't. You don't know my side of the tear jerking tale Diggory cried and you don't know what I've been through. There's nothing for me to admit except that Diggory doesn't have half the maturity to accept the past."
"How can someone accept that his girlfriend is going to a dance with his mother's murderer?"
"Because he knows well enough that I was clearly under the imperius curse when I crucio'ed his mother and I almost killed myself trying to fight it and by the time I broke the imperius, she was far beyond being a sane mortal and was begging me to just finish her off."
"If that's so, why don't you just tell him that? I'm sure he would forgive you."
"I don't want to be forgiven by him. I know he hates me and I believe he has the full right to. Think about it. If anyone had killed your mother, no matter the consequences, you can't help but still feel hatred for that person. That's why when he calls me a murderer and a killer and a death eater, I can't help but just let him. But when he takes that out on you or causes you to get stuck into this mess between the two of us, I can't forgive him. You have nothing to do with me killing his mother and I hate the way he treats you like dirt just because of me."
Ginny stood there looking like a goldfish, not knowing how to refute him or what else to chide him about.
"Do you forgive me now?"
"Why do you care so much about how Jake treats me? Why does everyone care so much?"
"Because you're too dumb to see what an ass he is and you're too nice to be with someone like him. It's easy. Everybody hates him and everybody loves you and immediately, everyone close to you will come to hate him even more."
"And you call yourself 'close to me?'"
Draco smirked. "I will be if you dance with me."
"I don't dance."
"You're a liar. If you're not mad at me anymore and if you would just try to have a good time, I can't find any reason why you can't just come back and dance with me." He drawled.
"No, I'm sorry, I think you misunderstood. I don't dance… with a Malfoy." Ginny taunted, with a mischievous glint in her eye and she took steps back to the hall.
"I thought you'd say that so I prepared this before I left tonight." Draco said, turning around, his head down and his back against her.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?"
Draco spun back around his hands on his hips. Immediately, Ginny fell into a fit of thunderous laughter. Draco was sporting a pair of black rimmed, round glasses and he had drawn a lightening shaped scar on his forehead.
"I'm Harry Potter. I am big and famous because I killed Lord Voldemort." Draco sauntered to Ginny, swaying his hips provocatively. "Look at my glasses. They make me just sooooo seeexxxxyyy. Not at all nerdy. I know you want me, Ginevra, baby. I know you can't get enough of this scar on my face because you know; my love for you is like lightening. It's electrifying. Tsssss." Draco hissed.
"Stop-it! You're humiliating me and yourself." Ginny panted between her giggling.
"Humiliating? What are you talking about?! Can't you just… feel me?" He whispered dramatically, grabbing her hand and pulling her hips to him with his other arm as he tango'ed her back into the great hall.
(A/N; that was by far the wildest Draco will ever get in this story. Oh, what good fun it was to write. Hehe.)
OO
"First kiss. What was it like?" Spencer asked, spread out on the kitchen counter next to Ophelia. His stuffy dress robes were long forgotten and his shirt was hanging with Ophelia's dress over the shelf because it was drenched with scotch and rum.
"First kiss? Why so interested?"
"Just."
"You're in for a surprise." Ophelia warned, giggling.
"Hit me."
"Mike Felton."
"No way!"
"My second year. I was just walking to class and suddenly I see this boy running and running toward me so I start to move aside a little but suddenly, this random stranger grabs me and kisses me."
"Wow."
"Yeah." Ophelia chuckled. "And then this tall, haughty looking girl walks up, tears us apart, slaps me across the face and slaps him twice and then she screams 'How dare you do this to me, you lousy bastard!' And she walked right off and this bloke picks up my books, and walks me straight to class. Turns out, she'd been stalking him for ages and he was trying to get her to leave him alone for once."
"He actually kissed a stranger to get rid of a stalker?"
"Ah, well, whatever works, you know? Mike Felton really is something. You put Mike Felton on the pedestal and worship that guy… but there's a reason he's a Slytherin, you know."
"But even I would never do that!"
"Exactly. That man is a bloody metamorphmagus! And he damn acts like it too. He mixes in with the crowd so well that his little fan girls would just pass right by him until one of them somehow ends up recognizing him. He's smart when he's in class, he's ruthlessly ignorant when it comes to girls, he's chill when he'll when he's with his friends… this man is a human chameleon."
"He's…"
"You idolize him too much, Spence. Nobody can be perfect. I know how much you look up to him and strive to be like him, but you really shouldn't. And honestly, you can't. Mike's a great guy and he's been like the father I've never had, but I've got to say… he's messed up beyond repair."
"Well, he's still…"
"Amazing, okay, but he's not God."
"So unbelievable. What is there about you that I DO know?"
"Well… let's see… nobody was lying when they said I was the school's best kisser."
"Who said that?"
"Just about… everybody."
"Who's the modest one now?"
"I'm serious!"
Spencer snorted. "Oh, yeah, whatever makes you happy…"
Disgruntled, Ophelia rolled over on top of him.
Spencer choked. "Jesus, Ophelia! You're going to suffocate me to death!"
"You take that back!"
"Absurd!"
Ophelia finger combed her hair together into a ponytail, away from her face, holding it all behind her with her right hand. She looked down at Spencer and smiled. "You're going to regret it, young man."
She took his upper lip and pushed it upward and his bottom lip downward. She spread his lips apart then brought her head down and kissed him. He lay motionless and still, in a hazy shock. He had never kissed a girl in his life before yet the way Ophelia molded her lips around his caused an instant reaction. Whether it was all the booze or not and the fact that he was completely wasted, he was somehow managing to kiss her back. His body reacted on its own, letting her tongue in, and then his hand coming up to her neck and caressing her ear.
Ophelia suddenly pulled back, panting and rolled back off of him, lying there, breathing heavily next to him. Spencer stared, dumbfounded, at the ceiling, admiring the lights and his mind racing.
"You know, when I was little, I once had a little mouse." Spencer said.
Ophelia nodded. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I named him mousey and he was my best friend."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. And then, one day, I came home and it was gone."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Apparently, Gaby's snake ate it."
"No way!"
"Yeah. So I buried it in my backyard that day and then Gaby bought me a dog."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. And then, one day, Gaby's snake bit it and it died from losing too much blood."
"Oh dear."
"Yeah. So we had to confiscate Gaby's snake. And our mom bought us each an ice cream sundae."
"Well that's good."
"Yeah. And then…"
"Spence?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you talking?"
"I don't know. When I get nervous I tend to talk. Well I usually just sit there and read but there are no books here."
Spencer sat up, and then slipped down off the counter. Ophelia looked up, saw he had come down and sat up too. Spencer offered her his hand and she jumped down.
"I'm sorry, Ophelia."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Spencer slid his hand up her bare, shivering arm, and brought it to her chin, lifting it slightly. He stepped forward, the wall between them obliterating, and his entire body engulfed her, her lips warm yet trembling, her skin soft yet throbbing, and her body, dainty, weightless, and bare, yet beautiful against his.
OO
Mike sighed and tapped Gaby harder. "Gaby, get up. You're getting in the way of all the cleaning up."
"I can't stand anymore."
"Oh, come on, you're the grand Quidditch player. One night of dancing couldn't have killed you."
"Yeah, but Quidditch lets you use brooms."
"That's no excuse. You're a slave driver. Come on. People have to sleep you know."
Gaby groaned loudly and pushed herself up exhaustingly, and trudged over to the table and plopped down.
With a flick of a wand, the floor was completely cleared of trash and glittery sparkles.
"Did you have a good time?" Gaby asked.
"Didn't really have a lot of time to enjoy myself."
"It must suck to be the head boy."
"Yeah, well, I would rather have had all these trivial jobs to do instead of dance with 40 girls. How'd it go with your prince charming?"
"Prince charming? Nah. He's a lousy dancer. But at least Caleb Libby can look good while dancing like a buffoon."
"How meaningful of you, Gaby."
"I know. But what a sweet guy. He even asked me out today."
"No, really?"
"Right after the dance ended. Outside. Then I came back in here to pester you while you cleaned."
"Oh yeah? Well you're doing a very good job at it."
"Aw, come on don't be a spoilsport."
"What'd you say?"
"What'd I say? You mean to Caleb?"
"No, I meant what'd you say to Professor Snape, no of course Caleb."
"Well, I said yes of course! Who wouldn't say yes to those gorgeous eyes."
"And amazingly, by the minute you become even more superficial."
"Oh, please, the whole personality thing is so overrated. I'm young and restless and free. But no longer single. Ah, well, I hope he lasts me until Christmas."
"I don't know how I was able to stand you until now, Gaby."
"Me too."
"Were you always this… air-headed?"
"I wouldn't say I'm air-headed, Mikey, now, that's just mean."
"You know… forget it. I can't bother trying to make a real conversation with you."
"Are you mad?"
"I don't know, do you think I'm mad?"
"Yeah."
"Then maybe I am. Now, unless you're going to stay in here the whole night, you should head back. I'm locking up."
"What's you're problem, Mike? Seriously. Did you eat something wrong?"
"No."
"Is this about Caleb? How you don't approve of him?"
"Well, I really don't approve of him but…"
"For goodness sakes, Mike. I don't need your damn approval to date someone. You're just my tutor, not my father. So quit your frowning just chill out."
"I'm not mad because of Caleb. I'm mad at myself because I acquainted myself with someone like you. I never realized what a shallow bimbo you really were. I think you and Caleb are perfect for each other. You're both brain-less, arrogant, small minded, immature, and irresponsible."
"Yeah? I always admired you, Mike. You know for what? I admired because you were just so cool-headed with everything and unpretentious but you're just as much of a pest as Spencer could be except I actually love Spencer for it."
"You date a guy because he's just so good looking and popular and if you do go out with him, you'll be the envy of all the other girls."
"At least I actually have a life."
"You call that having a life? How about I have enough self-respect to try to find people who I can actually be happy with and not just look good with?"
"I'm not that dumb! Caleb is a sweet guy and he makes me happy."
"Wow, Gaby, you're even worse that Ophelia. At least Ophelia doesn't try to justify herself."
"I am so tired of you comparing me with every other girl in this school. It's always Anna this or Anna that and now it's Ophelia. I don't even know why I'm still bothering to talk to you now because you're being such a stubborn, anal bastard and obviously, I won't be able to get anything through you today. So good night, Mike, and I hope you have a fantastic sleep."
Gaby stomped off out of the hall and away from Mike's sight.
OO
"You should go back, Malfoy. Filch might catch you after curfew." Ginny whispered as Draco walked her back to the store.
"I'm a gentleman and gentlemen always walk their lady back home."
"You just want coffee, don't you."
"Okay, yes, that did cross my mind a few times."
"Come in, then. But I'll kick you out in five minutes. A woman needs her beauty sleep."
They scurried into the warm shop and Draco sat down again in his regular stool.
"Tea, please."
"Tea? That's a surprise." Ginny said, grinning.
"Yes, well, I changed my mind."
"Here you go."
"Thank you." Draco held the cup with both his freezing hands and sipped, the scorching liquid melting his insides.
"I don't know how to say this but I actually had fun tonight." Ginny said.
"A woman never goes home dissatisfied from Draco Malfoy."
"Oh, please, don't start again."
"But really… I'm going to have an interesting set of weeks coming up."
"Oh yeah? How?"
"Could you not see all the sexual tension everywhere? I mean, first off, it's so obvious Mike Felton has a thing for your little niece."
Ginny snorted. "What, Gaby? Such a guy like Mike? No…"
"I'm so serious. They used to have tutoring sessions in my classroom, and I tell you, it was like watching a couple on a date. The entire time it's flirt, flirt, flirt, giggle, giggle, giggle… I couldn't stand it and had to kick them out. And then there's Anna Jenkins. She's a lovely girl… extremely smart and very pretty and she's completely head over heels for Mike."
"You sure do a lot of observations."
Draco shook his head profusely. "It doesn't even take observation skills. Just five minutes looking at everyone, you can just see it. No wonder how Dumbledore always seemed to know who was hooked up with who."
"Tell me more, then."
"Well, this one puzzles me incredibly but did you notice that Spencer and Ophelia were barely present for the entire dance? I mean, I wasn't very surprised Spencer wasn't there but Ophelia disappeared too…"
"Ophelia? Ophelia Amoretti? Her mother is…"
"Too young to be over forty but it's just a suspicion."
"Yes, well, I'm afraid I'll have to destroy your dreams of hooking up the head boy with Gaby. She and Caleb seemed to be hitting it off tonight."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, you think I couldn't tell? But even better. Now we can give Mike a chance to get all jealous and bam, they'll be married by the end of the year."
"Don't get too excited, Malfoy. Just warning you."
"I've never been let down before."
"I never knew you were so interested in matchmaking."
"It's not an interest… it's just sort of a talent. I think I have the sixth sense or something."
"That's… great…"
Draco chuckled and leaned forward across the counter. "I mean, not to get awkward or anything but I guess I'm just so drawn to you because we have a very pleasant sense," he whispered.
"Oh yes, very pleasant." She said, rolling her eyes.
"See? You're a sarcastic person… so am I!"
"A match made in heaven." Ginny said, snorting.
"Well, fine, laugh at me. But my cup is empty and I believe my five minutes are over so I'm quite sorry to have to close up our night to an end."
"And I'm going to be closing up the shop. Here's your cloak. Thank you." Ginny said, handing him his dress robe.
Draco nodded. "No, thank you. Now, usually I leave ladies with a little something to remember me by but then again, I don't think this will be the last time I ever see you so I'll be leaving you guilt-less."
Ginny frowned, shaking her head. "I don't even want to know what you're talking about."
Draco slipped Ginny his mug over the counter which she took. As she held the mug, he took her hand, brought it to his face and kissed it. He smirked, throwing on his robes and nodded curtly.
"Au revoir, mademoiselle."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WOWWWWWWW
I HOPE THIS 8400 WORD SUCKA MAKES UP FOR THE LONG UPDATE. AND THIS IS THE ABRIDGED VERSION. IT WAS NORMALLY LIKE 10,000 WORDS BUT I REALIZED THAT I COULDN'T EVEN READ THROUGH IT ALL IN ONE SITTING SO I'VE CUT OUT BITS AND PIECES OF IT AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE THE ENERGY RIGHT NOW TO READ THROUGH IT ALL AGAIN TO SEE IF IT FLOWS SO THIS CHAPTER IS A BIT CHOPPY.
ANYWAYS, I SAID THAT THE BANQUET WON'T BE A CENTRAL POINT OF THE STORY BUT I'M AFRAID I'VE SORT OF MADE IT A BIG PLOT-POINT. OH, WELL, IT'S EXPECTED RIGHT? YOU JUST CAN'T EXPECT ME TO WRITE ABOUT A BANQUET WHERE EVERONE GOES, HAS FUN AND GOES TO BED.
ANYWAYS, I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE MIKE-GABY FIGHT AT ALL. I'VE MADE GABY SOUND WAAAYYYYYY TOO BRATTY AND MIKE SOUND WAYYYY TOO BITCHY BUT DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK AND REREAD IT AND EDIT IT. OH MAN. THIS IS REALLY THE LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN.
ANYWAYS, I HOPE NONE OF YOU FELL ASLEEP OR ANYTHING AND WERE ABLE TO DEAL THIS MASSIVE CHAPTER. TRUTHFULLY, WHEN I READ STORIES WHOSE CHAPTERS ARE TOO LONG, I JUST GIVE UP. SO I HOPE YOU GUYS DON'T DO THAT AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
REVIEW!
I REALLY NEED A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS NOW AFTER FINISHING 8400 WORDS.
I WOULD EXTREMELY APPRECIATE IT.
ANYWAYS. I promise you that I will never write a chapter as long as or longer than this one ever again. It's just that I didn't want to have to divide the banquet into two parts and everything… and there was just so much to say.
ANYWAYS, I'm so tired, I really don't care if this chapter is really cheesy/corny because you try writing beautifully when you've got a relationship to break, another relationship to break and then reassemble, and a distant relationship to bring closer in one chapter.
So yeah.
Please review. Because this time I think I actually need a little pat on the back. Even if you hated it (which I did), just be like "GOOD JOB ON FINISHING ONE MASSIVE PIECE OF SHIT!"
Thanks, guys, for your patience and your love and your existence. I love you and you and you and you.
G'NIGHT!
-your one and only (HOLY CRAP, THIS IS 32 PAGES)
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