"I cannot believe we're training through lunch!" Ron grumbled.
"Oh stop being a baby!" Ginny muttered, dodging a curse sent her way by Harry.
Hermione was facing a dummy. "Activate". The dummy burst into action and began to fire curses towards her. Hermione deflected, dodged and repelled these curses before beginning the offensive. The dummy lost its wand and began to move forward using a flurry of martial arts. Hermione replied in kind and proceeded to beat the stuffing out of the dummy.
Meanwhile, Ron had found some books on time travel and deflective spells. Skimming through the chapters on deflective spells, an idea came to him. What if he could crate a spell that would replicate a shield that could protect you from the Unforgiveables? Or a shield that would repel it back to the caster? He drifted off into deep thought. What could he use as a shield against Unfoorgiveables?
"Come on Ron! Let's go to lunch!" Harry's voice broke through his thoughts.
"What? Oh...yeah." he replied distractedly.
The four friends left the Room of Requirement and made their way to the Great Hall. "So, Ginny." Harry began. "Be my Valentine date to Hogsmeade?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "OF course I will." she smirked. Ron made a retching noise
"Urgh, you make me sick you two." he said jokingly.
Hermione laughed. "Who are you going to ask then?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Ron's face flushed. "Um...I might ask this girl in Ravenclaw...She reminds me of Luna." he said dreamily.
"Luna! When did that happen?" Hermione almost screeched.
If possible, Ron's face went redder. "Oh well you know..." he broke off at the sight of food and quickly sat himself down.
"Can I have your attention please?" James announced from the teacher's table.
"Thank you." Lily smiled. "Now, we have decided to make a few changes to the Masquerade Ball this year. Firstly, if you are an official couple or already have a date, then this does not apply to you."
"Secondly," James continued. "All girls must wear a mask. These masks have been charmed to make you unrecognisable. This charm will last until midnight, where you can decide if you will reveal who you are."
"Thirdly, the boys will not be wearing masks. You must dance when asked, this will help with inter-house unity."
"Thank you. The masks are being distributed as we speak. All boys must be in the Great Hall by seven if you do not have a date."
"Have fun and see you on Saturday!" Lily and James said in unison.
"I forgot the ball was coming up." Hermione mused.
Ginny's face lit up. "Do you know what this means?" Hermione smiled. "SHOPPING!" Ginny cried ecstatically. One mask landed in front of Hermione. It was simple, white with gold trimmings. "Come on! Try it on!" Ginny squealed, bouncing in her seat.
"Later, I don't want people to know what I'm going to look like." Hermione replied, shooting a furtive glance at Remus through her lashes. Remus met her eyes. The two stared into the other's eyes for what seemed like eons, until Harry included Hermione into his ongoing debate with Ginny about dancing.
"Harry Potter!" Ginny jissed in a deadly voice, "You had better dance at this ball or I will make your life a living hell." Harry gulped and nodded meekly.
"So, Gin. When do you want to go shopping?" Hermione asked, saving Harry from an irate girlfriend.
Ginny paused. "I was thinking the whole of Friday as we have that off." she replied.
Hermione nodded, somewhat watched her smile and sighed. There was something mysterious about her. Something that drew him towards her. Why couldn't her, just for once, be a normal teenager like James or Sirius? Why couldn't he get the girl? Shaking his head, he returned his thoughts to the notebook he had complied about Hermione and his friends. He had included detailed notes and theories that he and Lily had come up with. James and Sirius obviously knew, but why didn't they let him in on the secret? Didn't they trust him?
He knew he was being paranoid, but they would crack sooner or later.
"She said Yes!" Ron yelled from across the Hall from the Ravenclaw table.
"Who did?" Sirius asked suspiciously.
"Erica Boston." Ron said from behind him.
Sirius yelped and fell out of his seat. From his position on the floor he gaped at Ron. "The hot Ravenclaw? I've been trying all week to get her on a date, and you manage it in one day? That's not fair!"
Hermione grinned impishly. "Come on. It's potions!"
"Lily, m'dear, you must attend the Slug Club Ball on Friday!" Professor Slughorn's voice boomed across the dungeon.
Lily blushed a bright red. "Sorry sir, I have to help set up the Hall with James that night."
Harry grinned. "Looks like I'm not the only one, eh 'Mione?" he whispered. Ginny grinned at this, while Hermione punched his arm. Harry winced. "That one actually hurt." he whined.
"What are you whispering about?" Lily asked suspiciously.
"Oh...er...nothing." Ginny panicked. Harry rolled his eyes.
"What my darling girlfriend means to say is that we had a teacher like old Sluggy back home."
"That's another thing, you've never actually told us where you guys came from." Sirius butted in.
"Beauxbatons." Ginny replied quickly, before the others had a chance to open their mouths. Remus noticed Hermione's eyes widened in shock, and made a quick note in his book. They were lying, and Hermione's reaction just backed that theory up.
Hermione flashed him a smile as they sat down. His heart skipped a beat as she turned around to whisper to Ginny.
"What did you do that for? Dumbledore said that we were from SpellMasters Academy, during the introduction!" she whispered furiously.
Ginny gasped. "But... no one pays attention to that thing."
"Remus and Lily do! Just be careful with what you say from now on."
Ginny nodded, unusually subdued..
Remus watched them interact with confusion. He couldn't help loving her, but she was lying to him, and he was lying to her, how would any sort of relationship work? He sighed and turned his attention to Professor Slughorn.
It was late at night, but Remus was sitting on the couch, glaring into the fire. Hermione tiptoed down the stairs and paused when she him sitting on the couch. As the fire threw his face into relief, she saw the beginnings of the Remus Lupin she knew. "Sickle for you thoughts?" Hermione asked quietly.
Remus jumped and turned to face her. He smiled. "Can I make a deal with you?" Hermione nodded. "If I can guess who you are at the Ball, will you be my date for the rest of the evening?" Hermione faltered.
"And if you get it wrong?"
"If I get it wrong, then I don't get to dance with you. Unless you reveal yourself at midnight to me." he smiled crookedly.
Hermione went weak at the knees. "Go on then. I sincerely hope you get it right." she muttered as he walked past her to the dormitory.
He smiled and went to bed happier than he had been in a long time. Hermione jumped onto the couch and soon fell asleep dreaming of the Ball.