CHAPTER 20: TWENTY, ER, TEN QUESTIONS

"Well, Mr. Charming, I do recall the fact that I owe you an explanation." BLUE smiled. "I also believe that display earlier was self-explanatory."

"I would like to know if you have figured out my identity." Oliver was unsure she had made the reference intentionally.

"I would recognize your smirk anywhere, my Prince." her unfamiliar sapphire like eyes shined. "All that's left, of course, is my own masked identity for you to figure out, sir."

"Alright, how about twenty questions to quicken the concept?" He offered as they sat at their table, oblivious to the world surrounding them.

"I'll allow five." his Cinderella countered.

"Why not fifteen?" Oliver responded smoothly.

"Ten, that's my final bargain." she gave a playful glare.

"Okay, I'll take what I can get." the currently fair-haired Keeper replied. "What year are you in, Cinderella?"

"I'm in fifth year, same as you, Mr. Charming." she pulled a brownie from the refreshments table right beside them.

"Well, what house are you in? Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?" he knew his housemates and her eyes were too lovely a shade of blue for any fifth year Gryffindor girl.

"Neither," She responded lightly.

"You're a Slytherin?!" Oliver's voice was filled with surprise. He found it hard to believe that there were two amazingly cool Slytherins in one generation.

"No, I'm your housemate." anger was audible in her voice and visible in her eyes. "But is there something wrong with Slytherins?"

"Not as a whole, but certain people just don't have magnetic personalities." He was honest while defending himself.

"Like one Marcus Flint?" the honey-blonde pianist offered, sporting a knowing smirk.

"Especially that sorry excuse for a person. The guy's an arrogant, self-centered, cheating prick and I was ecstatic when you put him in his place. I didn't enjoy it as much when it happened to me." his glare was contradicting playful.

"Next question, please." Cinderella prompted.

"Would you rather have chocolate or vanilla ice cream?" Oliver asked.

"A scoop of both," she replied with the hint of a grin on her beautiful features.

"What topping?" Oliver questioned swiftly.

"Hot fudge, caramel, and sprinkles." the girl responded, her mind imagining the taste of her described sundae. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry. What else?" she added as an after thought.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" he inquired.

"I believe you only experience lust at first sight." she countered, her expression far from judgmental. "I think love requires knowing someone. You have to love them for their little details, like nervous habits and ambitions." she elaborated sensibly. "You can't learn that with a mere glance."

Oliver looked pensive. "How do you do that? How do you answer every question I ask with such passion and effort and not tire of it?"

"I put a lot of passion and effort in many aspects of my life, my Prince, it's one of my many quirks that help keep life interesting. Life has to be interesting and insane sometimes. Otherwise it's just a bunch of Thursdays strung together." she returned, once again full of emotion and logic.

He left the subject there and moved on. "Were you disappointed when you discovered who I am?"

"No, I enjoy your company, Mr. Charming." her smile widened.

"If I ask you to dance, does it count as a question?" he questioned warily.

"No, but that one did." she retorted with a smirk.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered a hand.

"Most definitely, Mr. Charming." she accepted gracefully.

As they danced, conversation was put on hold for a moment. The song was coming to a close when the comfortable silence was broken.

"I feel like I know who you are, but I just can't place it. Your eyes keep throwing me off." Oliver spoke his thoughts quietly.

"I expect as much." she replied casually.

"How can I have seen you before, but not know who you are now?" he asked her.

"Maybe you were looking, but not really seeing." she suggested.

"Maybe," the Keeper leaned in for a kiss but switched tactics at the last moment. His lips brushed her cheek lightly, and the softness surpassed his expectations.

"Always a charmer." She smiled her beautiful smile at him. "You have one more question, your Highness." she winked.

"Do you, Cinderella, ever want to see me again after tonight?" the song had ended and the couple had stopped spinning.

"The question is, after you discover my identity, will you want to see me again?" Her previous air of confidence had faltered in seconds.

Before he could respond, the pair was approached by her companion in red.

"What is it?" the blonde inquired.

"It's 11:58, we need to go, now!" RED exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Charming, but I must go." the pianist told him. "I'm late."

"For what?" he asked her, worried.

"Reality." she leaned forward and kissed his cheek gently, yet briefly. "Good-bye Prince Charming." with those words, the masked musicians disappeared from sight.

The clock struck midnight with the sweet voice of his unbelievably stunning Cinderella still ringing in his ears. Everyone's masks disappeared, revealing the identities of the Hogwarts students.

The night of magic and mystery was over and Oliver had no idea who he was dancing with the entire evening.

He was the first to return to the tower and silently climbed up to bed. Oliver Wood was disappointed and distressed, and that was never a good combination for him.

Fred, on the other hand, was ecstatic. Not only did he know his date's identity, but he was almost positive that she felt the same for him as he did for her.