Disclaimer: I don't own it!

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Chapter Eighteen: Preparing for the Ball

Two days later, Hope awoke and sat up with a groan. Looking over at her alarm clock, it read 4:30 A.M. She glanced down at her stomach and saw the bandages that were wrapped tightly. Sighing, she gently edged out of bed and walked toward the bathroom. Wincing, she removed the bandages and sighed.

"Need some painkiller?" Her father asked from the doorway.

Hope turned toward him. "My dress is never going to be comfortable with this on my stomach."

He smiled in sympathy as he gave her two pills and a glass of water. She grabbed them and popped them into her mouth before taking a drink of water and handing it back.

"I'm going to get a shower and get dressed. Can you wake the others up for me?"

Severus nodded. "I'll be back in to rewrap that whenever you get dressed. I'll contact Molly and see if she has any suggestions about your dress."

Hope turned quickly and gasped in pain. "No way. I don't want Ginny knowing anything about it. That'll make her gloat. I will wear my gown tonight without any show as to how it hurts."

Severus smiled at his daughter. "Good. Go get ready."

Hope turned around and turned the water on.

An hour later, everyone was downstairs in the living room, looking tired. Hope was leaning against a wall with a hand protectively guarding her stomach. Hermione was sitting next to Draco on the couch with her head laying on his shoulder. Everyone was waiting on Harry to come downstairs.

"Good Morning, everyone!" He called out as he came downstairs.

Everyone turned to glare at him.

"Must you be so happy?" Hope asked.

Harry stepped closer to her. "Of course. I get to spend the day helping decorate for the most beautiful ball that the wizarding world has ever seen. Plus," he said, stepping even closer until he was invading her space, "I get to do it in the company of the most beautiful girl in the world."

Hope smiled at him. "Save your lines for tonight. We have to get busy if we're going to be back in time for you guys to go shopping and for us to get ready."

Harry titled his head, as if in deep thought. Surprising everyone, he took a step back and led the way to the fireplace. Severus smiled at the dazed look on his daughter's face before making his way to the fireplace. He grabbed the floo powder.

"Hope has opened the wards to anyone who has an invitation to the ball. That requires everyone to have their invitations tonight."

"But, sir. We didn't get invitations." Hermione pointed out.

Hope pushed off the wall with a wince. "I already introduced you guys to the wards. You can come and go as you please."

Everyone nodded. Ready to get started, Hope grabbed a handful of floo powder. Everyone else did the same. Hope went to throw her powder in first, but Severus pulled her back, whispering in her ear.

"The floo does not seem to be your best friend. I would prefer you not tumble into something when it spits you out. Let me go first."

Hope nodded. Severus went forward into the fireplace, threw down his powder and called out, "Collins Manor."

Everyone followed suit and eventually, all were standing in the living room of Hope's house. Looking at all her friends, she saw looks of awe on their faces.

Smiling, she let them glance about in amazement for a few minutes before showing them to the ballroom. With glass doors and synthetic glass floors, the room was a sight to be seen. The chandelier was an antique the Severus said was passed through the family. The windows were from ceiling to floor and could be charmed to show different scenes outside, as well as letting the viewer actually view the outside world.

Hope pulled out her wand and unshrunk the box of decorations that Hermione pulled from her pocket. Hermione started pulling things out.

Hope went over to help, but her father's hand on her shoulder stopped her. Turning around, she rolled her eyes. "What now?"

He raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "I realize that you are excited, but please do remember that you need to take it easy. Your wound could easily reopen and I would hate to ban you from attending your own ball."

He gave her a knowing look as she sighed. She went back to sorting through boxes as she watched her father say something to Harry and Draco. Both nodded as they glanced in Hope's direction. Rolling her eyes, she helped Hermione.

Pulling out some glass moon decorations, she used her wand to levitate them into the air. Hermione used her wand to spell them to stay there until they were taken down. Smiling at each other, they looked at the ceiling. Hope raised her wand and turned the ceiling into a dark midnight blue, which reflected off the glass moons perfectly.

Hermione and Hope continued hanging decorations as the boys worked on setting up the chairs and tables. They had it set up to where the entire ballroom itself was set for dancing and the room off the side would be for conversation and sitting. That was where the snacks and refreshments would be set up.

Around two in the afternoon, the ballroom was glittering in its beauty. Hope called her house elf and kindly asked it to have all the food set out by seven thirty in case anyone arrived early. Holding her stomach against the pain it was now admitting, she turned to gave one last glance to the ballroom.

"It's perfect," she whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded and together, they made their way to the room where the boys were. They had to laugh. Harry was having problems getting his magic to work against the tables and chairs.

"Oops," Hope muttered, brandishing her wand. She muttered a spell and the chairs that were fighting Harry immediately stilled. "Sorry guys!"

Harry and Draco glared at Hope. "You couldn't have told us hours ago that the furniture fought back. Do you know how many times we've had to repair these stupid glass tables because they wouldn't stay put?!"

Hope laughed. "My parents wanted to be sure that nobody could take them from the house. They're charmed so that any magic other than magic from someone in the Collins line would cause them to come alive, more or less. They're safe now, though," she said as she pushed the white couches around a little bit with her wand. Content with what the boys were doing, she went and sat down on a couch, closing her eyes.

After several more minutes, Harry and Draco sighed as they had the last glass table and the chairs all in place. Hope opened her eyes and moved a few things around with her wand before standing and declaring it perfect. Summoning the dark blue tablecloth from the box by the doorway, she set it on the table where the food would be.

"I believe everything is ready. You boys go ahead and go back to the manor. Remember to be here by six!" Hope cried as they hurried out of the room. Hope banished the box up to her room before turning to Hermione.

"Want to see the bathroom I was telling you about?"

Hermione smiled as she nodded eagerly. Hope led the way up the staircase and pulled open a door on the third floor. It led to a bathroom that was more the size of a bedroom. Hermione pulled open the drawers and found every kind of make up and hair supplies that they could imagine. She turned to Hope in awe.

"The house elves like to make sure everything is stocked. If there is something missing, they'll go get it for me. Understand why I didn't want you to buy any make up now?"

Hermione nodded, still in a trance.

Hope laughed and pulled her forward, shoving her forward into a chair. "Want to know what's better? The house elves got into contact with the lady who used to do my mom's hair, nails, and makeup for big balls. She's coming over."

Hermione gaped. "You're kidding!"

Hope shook her head as she smiled. She opened the door and in walked a girl in her mid thirties. "Hermione, meet Regina."

"Hello, girls." Turning to Hope she smiled sadly. "I knew your mom since I was a little girl. Then when I was a teen, she hired me for help her prepare for a ball. I'm so glad you'll let me do the same for you."

Hope smiled as she sat down. "I'm glad you'd do it on such short notice! We only have three hours, so let's get moving!" She said jokingly. Regina laughed as she pulled out some supplies.

"Okay, let me explain how we are going to do this. We'll start with nails, then move on to hair, then makeup, then dresses, and finally your jewelry."

Hope winced at that. "Must we wear our dresses?"

Hermione looked at Hope in alarm. "Is yours going to be too tight now? It was tight before, but now it could be painful."

Hope shrugged. "I'll be okay. Ginny isn't going to knock me down."

Hermione looked reluctant, but nodded. "We'll put them on right before time to go down. That way we won't have to wear them so long."

Hope sighed and nodded. Finally they began the long process of getting ready.

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A/N: This is being posted by my wonderful beta Nita. I'm currently someone in the Caribbean. :) So she's posting it for me, and next week's also. So review and be nice so I come home from an electronic free vacation to lots of reviews!!