20 Years into the Past Chapter 10: Sammi's robes and Harry's nightmare, a harry potter fanfic

Hermione woke to a grey and rainy Friday morning. Nevertheless she felt a shiver of excitement go up her spine. It was the day of the dance.

Outside the curtains of her bed, Hermione found total chaos. Lily was in a battle with her long wavy hair as she tried to comb it smooth and read from her charms textbook at the same time as lecturing Sammi about something. Sammi didn't seem to be listening as she was busy bobbing her head to music blaring from an ancient looking radio from muggle studies and trying to finish up on an essay for herbology.

Nina sat cross-legged on her bed experimenting with her hair while she shouted at Lira over the noise of Sammi's radio, and Lira was shouting back while rummaging through a bag of makeup.

"It's crazy in here." Hermione said, sitting down next to Nina.

"Nah, this is normal," Nina said, feeling around the table next to her for some bobby pins.

Hermione handed her some.

"Thanks," Nina said. "Actually, this room would be a whole lot quieter without Sammi's uh, radio." She glared at the offending object. Sammi looked over and winked.

Hermione laughed as she reached over for Lira's schedule to see what classes they had.

"Oh, that's the wrong one." Lira took the schedule back. "We have a special schedule for today's dance. I think its charms, herbology, and...history of magic, am I right Nina?"

"Hmmm?" Nina glanced down at the schedule. "Oh, I think its only charms and herbology."

Hermione stared at them. "That's only two classes!"

Lira chuckled. "Lighten up 'mione. You're like Lily. Oh mercy, we have less than 50 classes! C'mon, it's dance night. Have some fun!"

Hermione took a deep breath. Maybe Lira was right. She should enjoy what was perhaps her last day here.

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"You asked Hermione?" James stared at his best mate.

"You have a problem with that?" Sirius asked coolly

"No!" James said hastily. "No, not at all. I mean...c'mon Sirius. You had your pick of half-no, more than half-of the girls in our year!"

"And I picked her." Sirius glanced up.

Ron looked at Harry with an open mouth. He still couldn't seem to believe Sirius had asked Hermione.

"Anyway, what about Derek Damon?" Sirius said evenly.

"He's a prig." James said immediately. "Admit it; after he picked Sammi, you were the other open choice."

"Only because you picked Lily first." Sirius said. He yawned. "Anyway, what does it matter? We have our dates-." He stopped, glancing guiltily at Harry.

Harry pretended he hadn't heard.

"Who's my blind date?" Peter asked, dancing around on his toes.

Sirius didn't even open his eyes. "You'll see her tonight." As Peter walked away excitedly, he whispered to Harry, "I have to figure out who to try Petey's luck with first. Any suggestions?"

Harry stared at him. "You haven't started looking yet? What if you don't find anybody?"

"Very likely." Sirius said calmly. "Then I'd kidnap some 1st year." He winked. "Just kidding."

Classes flew by faster then Hermione could've thought. Not that anyone besides maybe her or Lily was even trying to pay attention.

James kept winking knowingly at Lily who threatened to jinx him if he didn't cut it out.

Sirius seemed to take the hint too and didn't try to heckle Hermione, but she did catch him looking at her several times when he was supposed to be taking notes.

Nina and Remus passed notes. They looked so incredibly right together it seemed like they'd have a steady relationship for quite a while. Harry inwardly wondered what had happened to her in the future, but quickly quashed that thought. He didn't want to know why, for whatever reason, Nina wasn't around anymore.

Ron kept staring at Lira with a dazed expression as if he couldn't believe his luck at finding someone like her. However, she was sitting in her chair with an unusually straight back without looking around.

Harry sat quietly in his seat staring moodily at his desk. Hermione couldn't help feeling slightly sorry for him. Back home it would've been quite a different story. No way would the boy-who-lived have been without a date.

"Hey, you okay?" She whispered as class ended.

"Mmm, what? Oh, Hermione!" Harry smile unconvincingly. "Yeah, I'm-I'm okay."

His eyes said differently. Harry smiled shakily and quickly hurried after the rest of the boys.

Hermione slowly turned towards the girls' dormitory, mentally bracing herself for what she was sure would be total chaos.

"Lira, you Hog!" Lily shouted, glaring daggers at the closed bathroom door.

Nina shook her head as she pinned up her hair. "Not my problem."

"What's happening?" Hermione asked, coming in.

"She's been in there for about an hour!" Lily exclaimed. She rattled the doorknob. " Hey Lira-"

The door opened and Lily jumped back to avoid being whacked.

Lira emerged looking gorgeous. Her hair was up and she was wearing a set of floaty, ice blue dress robes.

Hermione smiled, seeing in her minds eye Ron's open mouthed look.

Lily stomped into the bathroom with her robes and locked the door.

Lira rolled her eyes at Nina who was just about done. "Well, I'll see you guys downstairs." She turned towards the door and was almost knocked over by Sammi who came running in at full speed.

"Whoa Sammi," Nina said as Sammi dashed for her trunk and began rummaging through her stuff, throwing clothes over her shoulder in her haste.

"What's up?"

"I can't find my dress robes," Sammi muttered, sitting back on her heels with a frown. "It was in my trunk before..."

Lira rolled her eyes. "Trust Sammi to lose her dress robes 30 minutes before the dance.

Sammi shook her head. "It was in my trunk last night! I'm sure of it!" She began rummaging through her things again.

Nina got up to help and Hermione looked around. "What's it look like?"

"It's black and silky," came Sammi's muffled voice.

Lira sat stiffly on the edge of her bed. Hermione glanced at her. Was she still slightly jealous at Sammi for taking Derek?

Lily came out of the bathroom 20 minutes later to find her friends huddled around a pile of stuff heaped around Sammi's trunk.

"It wasn't me!" Lira exclaimed looking genuinely sorry. "I swear!"

Sammi smiled patting her on the shoulder. "I know Lira. You wouldn't do something like this."

Lira reddened as she nodded.

Sammi looked around. "I know it was them! Derek's stupid fan club."

The other girls stared at her.

"They're still sore that Derek asked me out." Sammi explained. "A bunch of them took and hid my book bag yesterday."

"Oh." Lily made a face. "Jerks."

Lira sighed and stood up. "C'mon, it's 8 minutes to 7. We'll get you ready some other way Sammi."

Sammi glanced around at the group of her friends. Lira was in her gorgeous blue dress robes. Nina's was a nice shade of amber. Lily was dressed in a dark midnight blue and even Hermione had borrowed a dress robe of a shade of pale peach from Nina. She alone was dressed in her ordinary black ones. Sammi turned away.

Hermione and Lily looked at each other. "Don't you have any extras?" Hermione asked softly. "Like Nina did?"

"I don't usually wear dress robes," Sammi muttered. "Those were the only ones I had."

Lira snapped her fingers. She seemed to have gotten over her envy of Sammi. "I have an extra pair in my trunk! I couldn't decide which set to wear so I brought them both from home."

She went to her trunk and pulled out an expensive looking pink pair.

Sammi smiled shakily. "Thanks a bunch Lira. You really saved me."

No one had to say the unspoken fact that as Derek's date, she was supposed to look better than everyone else.

Sammi took the dress robes and immediately realized something.

Lily with her sharp eyes saw it too. "Oh Sammi!"

Lira was maybe an inch above average height. Sammi was much more under average height. The hem of the robes trailed onto the floor and the sleeves went past her hands.

Sammi's face fell.

Lily took out her wand. "C'mon, I think we can-." She stopped, looking at Lira. "Oh sorry, it's your robes."

Lira swallowed. "I'd really like to do something to them, but my mom would kill me."

Sammi nodded as she handed the robes back. "It's okay, really." She sighed, smoothing down her robes. "You think it would be okay if I just wore these?"

Nina glanced at Lily. "Ummm…."

Lira shook her head firmly. "You can't so that! Only really nerdy girls would wear their school robes to the dance. You have to-."

At that moment, the clock from downstairs sounded. "7 o'clock." It said happily. "It's now 7 o'clock." The dance had started.

The Gryffindors looked at each other.

"Go on." Sammi said suddenly. "You guys will be late."

They hesitated.

"We should wait-." Lily began.

"Go." Sammi said looking thoughtful. "I have an idea. I'll meet up with you guys downstairs.

"If you're sure," Lira said slowly.

"I'm sure." Sammi said firmly.

She saluted them as the headed down the stairs to where the boys were waiting impatiently in the Common Room.

"Wow Lira!" Ron exclaimed, his mouth dropping open.

For some reason, Hermione burst out laughing. He glared at her.

"You guys took a while," James said taking Lily's hand. She made as if to pull away but then seemed to change her mind.

Sirius grinned as he twined Hermione's fingers with his own. "You look awesome," he whispered in her ear.

Hermione blushed.

"Where's Sammi?" Harry asked, looking around.

"She had a situation," Lira said mysteriously.

"Oh." Harry frowned.

Hermione noticed both he and Ron were still dressed in school robes, but as most of the guys wore black, it didn't seem to matter much anyway.

The group headed down the hall and towards the Great Hall.

Hermione saw with a start that Peter was walking with a small girl of around 4th year with pale blond hair and wide eyes.

"That's the blind date?" She whispered into Sirius' ear. "You set him up with a 4th year?"

"3rd Year actually." Sirius muttered. "She was the oldest taker. There were a few 1st years. Everyone else seemed to have...other interests."

Hermione rolled her eyes but she couldn't help grinning.

The music was on full blast when the Gryffindors entered the Great Hall.

"Wow." Nina breathed. "Everything's so pretty!"

It looked much like it was at the Yule ball, with ice sculptures and blue and silver tinsel everywhere giving off a snow globe look.

Lira laughed as she twirled. "I can't wait!"

Unfortunately, no on else in the room at the moment seemed as enthusiastic. Most of the students were piled around the food table looking slightly self-conscious. Others chatted or giggled nervously.

Lira looked at Ron. "C'mon! Let's get this party started!"

Ron turned a beetroot color. "Let's not," he mumbled, looking pained.

Lira frowned as she turned around pointedly to talk with one of her Ravenclaw friends nearby.

The Gryffindors spread out towards the rest of the students. James offered Lily a glass of punch while Sirius whispered something in Hermione's ear. Peter and his 3rd year partner looked positively petrified. Harry wandered around sampling some refreshments and observing the other students. Maybe this dance wouldn't be so bad. No one was actually dancing. Maybe this would just sort of turn out to be like one of those social chatting things.

At that moment, there appeared to be a ripple effect from the students.

"What's happening?" He asked Nina who was sitting near him.

"Mmmm." She craned her head and suddenly burst out laughing. "Well what do you know, Sammi and her grand entrances."

Harry felt like the bottom of his stomach had just dropped. Sammi?Oh god, he'd forgotten about her.

There she was, dressed in a long, scarlet dress robe. She'd done something to her hair to make it look sleek and shiny, and her smile made Harry want to go right up and hold her. That didn't seem possible however, for next to her, coolly holding her left arm was the freakishly handsome Derek Damon.

This was only the second time Harry had seen him, and this time it was up close. His blonde hair reminded him infuriatingly of Malfoy's. His bottle green eyes looked infuriatingly like his own. Everything about him made Harry feel insanely jealous and inferior, from the guy's infuriatingly classic Roman nose to the firm jaw line.

Lira squinted. "What's that she's wearing?"

"A dress robe, right?" Ron said. "What else would she be...?" He stopped.

Harry tilted his head. Those robes looked vaguely familiar...

"Oh my gosh." Nina whispered. "Those are her quidditch robes!"

Around him, everyone was murmuring.

Sammi and Derek stood just outside the door as if uncertain. Well, Sammi did. She whispered something to Derek who shook his head. He looked around at the rest of the students who had gathered to see what the commotion was all about.

Derek smiled peculiarly and glanced down at Sammi who fingered her quidditch robes nervously. Then he tilted her face up to his.

Harry knew what was going to happen the second he started to lean down. Oh my god. Harry quickly averted his eyes but his ears heard the murmuring from the crowd, the hoots from the boys, the angry screeching from some of the girls.

The immediately struck up a slow, smooth song. Derek and Sammi looked at each other. Sammi shrugged as if to say, what the hell, then Damon led her onto the dance floor. Harry closed his eyes, sure he was trapped in some nightmare. This was too perfect for them. The dramatic late entrance, the first couple to dance, the…kiss.

Harry opened his eyes and saw Sammi leaning her head against Derek's broad shoulders. Harry turned away.

YES! YES YES YES! Sorry, but I FINALLY GOT THE MONITER! For those of you who don't know, my moniter busted so I couldn't get in and update. I had to retype the story all over again, but I decided to split the dance into two chapters for your enjoyment.

I understand many people might have abandoned the story by now from lack of update, but I sincerely thank those who stayed.(Gosh, I'm up to 10 chapters!)

and the chapterly thanks to my wonderful reviewers...

Mrs. St. John Allerdyce: Thanks for the encouragement. I have a vague idea how to end this.

Hotkat144:Here you have it. :)

Wolfgirl99:If you're here I want you to see this. I'm so glad you said what you did because it's an extremely good point that lots of people don't follow. I just got lazy about thinking up a suitable explanation. Maybe I'll revise this story 50 years from now. jk

Golden Angel71: Glad you did!

Aria DeLoncray:Thanks for the support

White Alchemist Taya:I feel flattered from all this praise from everyone.

air element: Sorry about not updating soon.

Arokat: This had been ur shortest review yet! What's it been, a month since I updated?