So no reviews on the last chapter, so im assuming that means it was less than stellar but just above terrible? Cool, Please review though I haven't touched this story in ages so im sort of on cruise control hoping for the best since im pretty busy in my outside life and possibly working on a book of my own if all goes well. But here you go, please enjoy my lovelies
There's a saying about judging your life by how many moments take your breath away, or something like that. Well, this moment certainly caught me by surprise.
Alexander and I shook hands, and I could feel a tremendous weight lift off of my shoulders. But in that instant where our hands were talking, all I heard was "Dammit George!" and suddenly the small table we were occupying was filled with bright pink smoke, reminding me of those birds that sleep on one leg.
I could just barely breathe and couldn't see my own hand in front of my face, what was happening?
"Grace! Are you alright?" I heard an annoyingly familiar voice shout from somewhere beside me, just as the pink fog began to disappear and I could slowly begin to see again.
"What the hell guys?" I screamed as I finally looked around and saw a huge crowd surrounding the table, a crowd that slowly began to laugh and point, one particularly amused group of Gryffendor boys on the floor.
"What in Merlin's name happened over here?" Came an angry shriek which could only belong to the librarian, which could only mean even more trouble.
"Oh no." I heard the twins groan in unison, earning zero sympathy from me.
I looked over to see where Alexander was, only just now realizing the surprise had sent me flying out of my seat and left me laying on the ground propped up on my elbows. At first I couldn't find my fellow victim, but when I did I couldn't contain the laughter in my stomach.
There in all of his glory, the Slytherin prince with pink skin from head to toe, completely bald with a pig snout. If I didn't know any better id swear I saw a pig tail poking out from behind him.
"Enjoy yourself while you can." He grumbled, smirking at me.
"What?" I looked around to find a mirror but judging from the laughter still ensuing, the horrified look on the librarians face when she looked at me, and the utter horror and shame on the twins faces I realized what had happened and could feel my cheeks heat up and I balled my hands into fists.
"You Idiots!" I screamed as I launched myself up from the ground and in one short lunge tackled Fred to the ground and started swinging my arms around madly.
The laughter only got louder but all I could focus on was removing as much of Fred's hair as I could manage when I felt arms wrap around my stomach and multiple sets of hands grabbing my arms.
"I'm not finished! He isn't bald yet! I swear to God I'm going to murder the both of you" with the last part I realized I hadn't landed anything on George so before I was fully removed I torqued my body to the left and landed a swift kick to Georges thigh.
I could feel myself being dragged out of the room as I continued to shout out obscenities that would most likely have gotten my nose broken if my mother ever heard any of it.
By the time Id calmed down I only had one person with me and they were silently walking with me to what I realized was the infirmary.
"Are you better?" the unnamed figure asked, pity practically dripping from his words.
"Let's not discuss this." I muttered darkly, feeling completely embarrassed and refusing to look down at my pink stained hands.
"You were pretty impressive with that attack there, I might need you to train me." The voice answered, prompting me to look up shyly.
The voice belonged to none other than the Hufflepuff golden boy Cedric Diggory. One of the most beautiful guys at the school is talking to me, and I look like a circus freak. Great.
"I don't know if you can fully master the psycho technique. You're signing up for the tournament I take it?" I replied, trying to ignore my current state, which was now very difficult feeling an unfamiliar body part above my butt move. I seriously had a tail, even better.
"Of course, eternal glory, a chance to prove to myself I can be a champion, and to show the world that Hufflepuffs can be heroes as well." He said, pride filling his voice. "And of course the opportunity to represent Hogwarts in an epic battle between the two other most renowned Wizarding schools would be an honor."
I had to admit his answer caught me off guard, and I could feel myself frown immediately. But the way his face was set in determination staring off out of one of the windows, there was a part of me that actually felt excited to see him compete, and another piece of me somewhat hoping his name was chosen. He reminded me of how I'd use to picture Sir Lancelot when I was younger and learning about King Arthur and Camelot.
We reached the door to the infirmary and Cedric said goodbye and said he hoped id get better, which could have become a picture perfect moment if I didn't look like a pig and when he looked down at me he didn't look visibly uncomfortable from trying not to laugh.
When he left I wandered in and found Madame Pomphrey, who simply rolled her eyes and escorted me to a bed and left to go get a remedy. The springs squeaked and protested as I sat down, the whiteness of the sheets quickly blinding me.
I sighed and thought back to Cedric, chuckling at myself for getting caught up. I used to have a school girl crush on him. But after I realized my feelings for Fred, Cedric was put on the back burner and forgotten. Plus at the end of the day he wasn't my type, he was sweet and clearly heroic, but the few conversations we've ever had were polite and dull.
Fred on the other hand, he was excitement, passion, surprise, like a human firework. My own personal flame.
A flame who if I saw anytime soon id pour a bucket of water on it.
"Drink this, and keep it down. Should turn you back to normal instantly. As for your hair once you've regained your regular appearance I'll apply this gel and we will wait for it to grow back." Pomphrey instructed, as I reached for the clear vial in her hand. The murkey green liquid inside sloshed around as I went to drink it, the odor reaching me first. I nearly gagged drinking the disgusting potion, unable to place the flavor.
I looked down at my hands, the view partially obstructed by my snout and watched as the pink began to fade. The snout and tail took a bit longer but within a couple minutes they were gone and Pomphrey opened the jar of hair regrowth gel in her hands.
"It's a potent formula so we will need only a little bit but your hair will most likely be longer than before." She cautioned as she began to rub it on my shiny bald head.
I could feel my scalp warm up and a tingling sensation followed. I looked over to the dresser and grabbed a small hand mirror that she had brought out with the remedies and watched the process eagerly. My hair had only been down to just above my collar bone, and rarely had been longer. After around a half hour of waiting my hair finally stopped, and landed a few inches below my collar bone, lining up with the band of my bra. I fixed it up in the mirror, satisfied with a deep side part to my right, with the left half tucked behind my ear.
"I'd say you're ready to leave now. Please try to stay out of the Weasley twins way." Madame Pomphrey warned with a knowing sigh, walking into her office leaving me to go when I pleased.
I groaned but knew I had to show my face eventually, so I hopped of the bed and walked out, slowly dragging myself to the common room where word of today's events had surely made their rounds.
When I reached the portrait the fat lady commented on my hair, giving it her seal of approval before letting me inside. I took a deep breath and stepped through the hole, looking straight ahead making no eye contact with anybody, holding my shoulders back and chin up.
The laughter and noise quickly hushed, inviting me to look around with a raised eyebrow. Some looked at me in awe, the occasional face of fear, and some simply looking at me with curiosity.
I simply ran a hand through my hair haughtily, and continued towards the girls dormitory, but not before my path was blocked by a matching pair of familiar red heads down on their knees, bowing at the waists.
"We have come to inform you." Began George.
"That we are terrible, loathsome, disgusting." Fred continued.
"Vile and vicious."
"Deliciously handsome."
"Poor excuses for best friends." George finished, punching Fred's shoulder and giving him a warning look.
"And it would be my privilege to make it all up to you." Fred finished, finally looking up to reveal scratch marks on the left side of his neck and one nail mark on his forehead above his right eyebrow.
"Just you?" I countered, crossing my arms over my chest and raising an eyebrow.
His pause reminded me and apparently the twins that we all had an avid audience hanging onto every word like this was a muggle soap opera. Which honestly it could be.
"Alright everyone sod off! Nothing to see here get back to whatever it is you were doing before our lives became so entertaining!" George shouted as he got up and clapped his hands, prompting our audience to groan and slowly go back to their original activities.
Once everyone was sufficiently busy, Fred coughed into his hand a stood up, running a hand nervously through his hair and looking at me sheepishly.
"I like your hair." He said, a grin slowly growing on his face as he reached out to tug on a loose strand before I swatted his hand down.
"How exactly are you planning to compensate for completely mortifying me in front of everyone in the library and turning me into an experiment for one of your revenge pranks." I asked levelly, looking up at him expectantly. For once my chest wasn't racing.
"Well if you would do me the great honor of forgiving me, I was hoping that my feeble, humble request to take you on the best most impressive date of your life tomorrow at Hogsmeade would suffice?" he asked, his grin staying in place.
There goes my heart.
"I suppose that will do." I replied, voice a few octaves higher than normal, as I walked around him and approached the stairs.
I placed a hand on the railing and stopped to look back at him, "meet me in the courtyard at noon." I said and turned around to ascend the stairs to the dorms.
When I reached the top of the stairs and finally exhaled, it hit me.
"Flamingos!" I exclaimed, grinning.
"What?" a girl walking by asked, looking at me oddly.
"Nothing." I replied happily.
The color of the smoke today, it looked like flamingo feathers.
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