Chapter 8: A Royal Birthday
The next morning Hermione woke up only to feel strong arms wrapped around her, she slowly opened her eyes coming face to face with Draco's sleeping face. Her eyes widened as she slowly turned her head only to see that everyone else was already out of bed. She narrowed her eyes and slowly unwound his arms from around her middle as slipped out of bed. Giving a sigh of relief she walked downstairs into the bathroom to take a shower. She quickly took a shower and then headed down to the Great Hall for Breakfast. When she sat down she saw the grinning faces of Ginny, May, Harry and Ron. Hermione blushed and piled her plate with fruit.
"Have a good sleep?" May teased her mouthing the words across the hall while sipping her pumpkin juice. Hermione smiled and nodded her head lightly. Just when she picked her head up Draco walked through the door, His eyes found hers and she lowered her head but not before he winked at her. May observed the scene with watchful eyes as she ate her breakfast. Soon McGonagall stood up and ushered the hall to be silent.
"Students, I'm sure by now you all know my granddaughter Amelia." McGonagall said gesturing towards her at the Syltherin table where she sat looking up at her grandmother with curiosity. "Well in two days it will be her 19th birthday, and I as well as her parents would like to throw a ball in her honor. So to help prepare, her mother has invited their personal stylist to help the ladies and men to choose a suitable outfit at Gladrags Wizardwear. There will be no classes the rest of the week and their will be a trip to Hogsmead for the Fifth years and up after breakfast." McGonagall told the students, some cheered and others being the younger years groaned but were still happy since they didn't have class.
"You didn't tell us it was your birthday." Draco told her grinning as she blushed from her grandmother's announcement. She shrugged and went back to eating her fruit. Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron came over to her and the boys after breakfast was over to head down to Hogsmead.
"You guys ready?" Ginny asked practically bouncing up and down. They nodded and left the great hall. They sat in the carriage quietly as they waited for the carriage to stop at the entrance to the Village. Once they stopped they all hopped out and began their walk towards the dress shop, when they arrived they saw that the line was clear out of the door and backed up into the walkway. Ginny and Hermione groaned saying it would take all day to get them a dress, May only smiled and walked in front of all the girls, motioning for the others to follow her. The girls in line made sounds of protest but stopped when they realized who it was.
" Stephen, It's so great to see you again." May said slipping into the shop gracefully. Stephen turned his head towards her and his smile widened as he glided towards her avoiding all the other people in the shop.
"Princess Amelia, how wonderful it is to see you. I just saw the perfect ball gown for you, and it's going to make you look ravishing." Stephen told her as he held her at arms length from his body. "Still lovely as ever I see." He told her as she blushed slightly, lowering her self into a curtsy gracefully.
"Now Stephen I'm so glad that you could come all the way here but I just happen to need a favor from you, but we'll cover that after your work here is finished." May said smiling as she sat down lightly on the chair that was next to the door. She smiled up at her friends and gestured for them to come next to her.
"And who are these charming people you have here Princess?" Stephen said as he took in Hermione and Ginny who blushed under his gaze.
"They're my friends those two lovely girls are Hermione and Ginny." The girls smiled and nodded at him. "and those four boys are Harry, Draco, Ron and Blaise." She told Stephen as she gestured to the four boys who were at the moment staring at one of the girls that walked out of the dressing rooms in a short gold dress. May rolled her eyes and winked at Stephen.
"So we need to find Hermione and Ginny dresses that will make them fabulous." She announced as she sent a discreet glance at the boys while smirking slightly, luckily the two girls didn't see her glances. The day slowly ticked on, the boys found their robes much faster, but the girls however had to wait till Stephen was done with all the other Hogwarts girls. It was nearing dinner back at Hogwarts and the girls were finally getting fitted for their dresses.
"Boys why don't you head on back, we'll be fine here, and it's going to take a little bit longer." May told the boys who started at her for a minute before nodded and each boy quickly kissed May on the cheek or the forehead before going over to Hermione and Ginny and kissed them each on the cheek. They walked back to the entrance of the village before heading back to the castle.
"Now that those boys are gone my lovely ladies how about we find you the prefect dresses." Stephen said as May giggled at him from the chair she had been sitting in all day. She sat patiently waiting for Hermione and Ginny to come out in their dresses, soon Ginny came out and May gasped at how lovely she looked, Ginny stepped out wearing a-floor length black silky chiffon A-line dress, with a beaded top in a sweetheart neckline with a low cut back. Hermione stepped out after her in a blue mermaid style dress with a sweet heart neck line and a large bow where the dress flared out at the dropped waist. Hermione's dress was much more fitted then Ginny's was. May grinned wildly and gave them two thumbs up, they went back into the dressing room, when they came back out they saw Stephen handing May her dress that was covered in a bag so that no one could see it.
"Don't you worry my dear I made sure that no one will have the same style dress as you" Stephen said as he handed her the bag and gave her a kiss on the cheek before ushering the three girls out of the shop giving May a light pat on her behind.
Hermione, Ginny and May all walked along the path back towards the castle when an Ice cream shop caught May's attention. When she asked the two girls they nodded their heads and quickly ran over to the ice cream shop grateful for the warmth the shop provided. They each ordered something random and began eating their ice cream.
"Are you excited for your birthday May?" Hermione asked her, she nodded her head and smiled up at the two girls.
"What I want to know is what kind of dress Stephen gave to you, don't be so secretive and show us." Ginny said as she tried to unzip the bag and take a peak at May's dress, only to have her hands slapped away.
"You'll see it at the ball." May said smirking before finishing her ice cream. "We should probably head back the boys are probably worried about us." She said standing up and grabbed a hold of her bag and stood by the door waiting for the two other girls.
"You know for a princess you sure aren't bossy." Hermione said sarcastically, giggling slightly, May turned around and stuck her tongue out at her as she walked backwards; she turned back around only to slam into someone's back. May groaned as she landed on her butt on the hard cobblestone walk way. When she looked up she saw Fred Weasley staring down at her. He offered her his hand after a minute or two of them staring at each other in shock, May glanced at it briefly before she pulled herself up refusing his helping hand. Hermione and Ginny stood behind May looking back and forth between the two trying to decide who was tenser.
"Hey Fred, what are you doing in the village this late?" Ginny asked her older brother who finally turned to look at her and grinned.
"Oh I'm just…" Fred began only to be cut off but a girl with long brown hair came running up to him and linked her hand with his. "On a date." He finished lamely staring at May.
"Sorry I made you wait so long, but there was this weird dress showing at Gladrags Wizardwear and the normal clothes where half off." The girl said holding up her shopping bag full of clothes. Fred smiled down at her and then took a small glance over to May, only to see she was looking at him with a cold expression, her eyes flashed red then a dark blue before going back to their normal gray color, before she smiled at the couple. Hermione and Ginny both cast her worried looks before their eyes settled on Fred's guilty looking face.
"That would have been our fault sorry." May said smiling at the girl, who turned her head to one side confused before turning to Hermione and Ginny.
"Oh Hi Hermione, Hi Ginny" The girl said as she waved with her free hand. Both girls gave her tight smiles.
"Hello Katie, it's nice to see you again, how are you?" Hermione said as she tried to keep a friendly smile on her face
"Fine thanks, it's a surprise to run into you two out here at this time of the night, what do you have there anyways?" Katie asked pointing to the girls bags.
"Oh these, well McGonagall is throwing a ball at school in honor of her granddaughter's 19th birthday. It's going to be a big thing; we don't have classes for the rest of the week because of it." Ginny said grinning over to May.
"McGonagall has a granddaughter? I never knew that, who is she?" Katie asked May cleared her throat lightly before waving. Katie looked shocked for a few minutes before offering her a small smile.
"You didn't tell me your birthday was coming up." Fred said trying to gain May's attention, she turned her eyes to look at him, they quickly changed from their natural gray to a deep sad blue color.
"You never asked." She replied shortly, before turning back away from him and his date.
"Well we should be heading back, dinner isn't going to eat itself." Ginny said laughing awkwardly, glancing at May who had been relatively quiet this whole time choosing only to stare at Fred with a cold look on her face.
"Oh we should be getting back to our date Fred." All four people flinched at the word, though Katie never noticed. "Well it was nice seeing you two again" She said as she pulled Fred into the very Ice cream shop they had just walked out of. After a few minutes of silence Hermione sighed.
"May are you okay?" She asked, May nodded her head and started walking back to the castle.
"I'm going to kill him." Ginny whispered to Hermione as they walked behind May, noting the way her shoulders where moving up and down showing the girls that she was crying. When they got back to the castle May went and sat next to Draco and Blaise at their table, one of the house elves brought their dresses to their room.
"May is everything alright?" Blaise asked looking at her from her left as she played with her food on her plate; she shook her head softly before getting up from the table and running out of the Great Hall, her face buried in her hands. Draco and Blaise looked over to the girls who were both wearing angry looks on their face. Draco and Blaise both stood up to rush after her when Hermione sent them a look and shook her head before she and Ginny got up and followed her, they found her in the prefects bathroom in the pool, with her arms on the side looking out the window at the stars.
"May, don't be sad over a stupid prat like my brother. He's useless when you really think about it." Ginny said as she placed her hand on May's shoulder
"Yeah, come on you're going to have a ball in your honor, don't let a stupid boy ruin your day. Have fun, plus we have that big feast tomorrow that McGonagall's throwing you." Hermione said as she smiled over to May.
"I just thought that maybe he could have been the guy that I've been looking for, you know." May told them sighing. Hermione and Ginny shared a look before Ginny sighed softly
"If it makes you feel more comfortable you don't have to come to my house for the holidays… we could all stay at Harry's house." She told her, May looked up at her gratefully and smiled, but shook her head.
"No you offered and I already said yes it's rude to decline an invitation." May told the girls, who grinned, before pulling herself out of the tube and steam dried herself.
"Thanks you guys, I don't know what I would do with out you two." May said after she finished pulling her uniform on and all three girls walked out of the bathroom and back down to dinner. She sat next to Draco and Blaise before Ginny and Hermione came over to the table and sat down next to her. The two girls sent the boys looks telling them silently not to ask about why she was upset.
"I wonder if my Parents are going to come to the ball." May wondered out loud, this caught some of the other girl's attention. They turned their heads slyly so they could listen in on her conversation. "If they come then my sisters are bound to come… Father never did trust them to be at home by them selves. I wonder if my brother will come though, I haven't seen him in quite some time." May asked herself out loud the other Syltherin girls looked at her slyly before going back to their dinner. Hermione and Draco stared at the other girls before sharing a look and moving closer to May.
When May saw that Hermione and Draco where slowly getting closer together she smiled to herself, while she drank her pumpkin juice she began forming a plan in her head. She looked over to her grandmother before getting up from the table and walking up to the Head table.
"Yes Amelia?" McGonagall asked as she stared at her from the over the top of her glasses.
"How much trouble would I get in if I used a little bit of my special magic to get two people…. Or four people together" May corrected herself as she saw the way that Blaise was staring at Ginny as she laughed loudly at what Hermione had said.
"Would they get hurt?" McGonagall asked after taking a sip of her water, May shook her head after thinking for a moment. "Very well, but make sure you don't get caught." McGonagall said smirking, May smiled and went and sat back down next to Draco and Blaise. Who started at her before they shrugged and went back to eating. May stood up saying that she was going to go to the bath room before exiting the Great Hall. She ran up to the head's dorm before going through her drawers to find a small bottle of what looked like glitter, she smiled wildly before entering Hermione's room. She sprinkled a bit of the glitter into her hand before blowing it over her pillow, she watched it disappear into her pillow before leaving her room and going to Ginny's and doing the same; she then went into Draco and Blaise's room and did the same to their pillows. She put the glitter back into her special magic box and ran back to the Great Hall.
"Where did you go?" Ginny asked May smiled at her and just continued to eat her food.
"Oh before I forget, I wanted to know how to get to your house." May asked, changing the subject. Ginny opened her mouth to respond before she closed it thinking.
"We could just pick you up; we could apperate if you would like that better." Ginny said looking at May, who nodded her head.
"Yeah sure, I'll give you something so you can keep in contact with me when I'm with my family before I leave. I'll let you know by that where you can get me" May told the girls who nodded and went back to eating. The group was talking amongst themselves, Harry and Ron had joined them after Ginny and May talked about the details to May staying over. A Ravenclaw boy with sandy blonde hair walked up to the table, and up to May. She looked up at the boy with a smile.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to go to your birthday ball with me." He asked her with a blush as he produced a bunch of red roses to give to her. She smiled at him and took the roses.
"That is so sweet but I'm actually not allowed to being a date, it's a custom in my family, but I promise I'll save you a dance." May said as she leaned over and kissed to boy on his cheek. "but maybe you should ask that girl at your table that looks a little sad that you came to ask me instead." May said pointing over to the girl he blushed and walked back to his table.
"You can't bring a date to your own ball?" Blaise asked her, she shook her head and continued to eat.
"It's a custom in my family on a girls 19th birthday that she has a grand ball and she dances with all the eligible bachelors that attend." May told them as she played with her hair.
"Why?" Hermione asked her. May turned and winced
"To see who I'll marry. In my family the girls are married when they turn 19, and have children in their 20's, that's just the way it is in my family." The group looked at each other shocked. May just shrugged and smelled her roses she had just received.
"I'm going to bed." May said before she leaned over to Harry and whispering in his ear, he smiled at her and nodded his head. They both stood up from the table and when he turned around May jumped on his back and Harry gave her a piggy back ride out of the hall up the Head's Dorm. The Great Hall was filled with whispers as the two left the hall.
Hermione and Ginny shared a look with each other and then stared after the two.
Harry and May had just walked back into the head's common room, May climbed off his back and smiled at him.
"You know that move just made people think that we're dating." Harry said smirking at May. She smiled at him and giggled.
"Good then maybe your fan club will dwindle a little; we wouldn't want your head growing too big now would we." May said giggling as she stuck her tongue out at him. Harry growled playfully at her and chased her up the stairs. May ran up giggling she jumped on the bed only to be tackled by Harry a few seconds later.
"So I have a secret that I need to tell you." May told him as they lay on the bed. He turned towards her and raised an eyebrow. " So I'm sure you've noticed the way that Draco looks at Hermione" May started, Harry smirked and nodded his head and then let her continue. "Well I decided to help him in admitting his feelings to her with some of my…special magic." Harry's eyes widened before he started laughing "So heads up don't lay your head on Hermione or Draco's pillows and don't lay on Ginny's or Blaise's either." May said grinning at him. Harry chuckled and rolled over.
"I have to wash my hair, it feels gross to me." May said as she lay on her back next to him playing with her blonde and pink hair.
"You're hair is fine." Harry told her rolling his eyes.
"No it isn't I haven't been in salt water in days." May said pouting at him. Harry stared at her.
"You use the ocean to wash your hair? Haven't you ever used shampoo before?" Harry asked her, May shook her head. "Okay come on I'll wash your hair for you." May got up from the bed and followed him into the bathroom. Inside there was a pool half the size of the one in the prefect's bathroom, the floor was lined with tile but it was slightly warm inside despite the tile. Harry turned around and left the bathroom so May could undress and jump into the pool.
"Harry you can come in now." May called out as she placed her hands on the edge of the pool pulling herself up slightly.
"You know, I almost forgot." Harry said chuckling as he started at her tail. May giggled and smiled up at him brightly.
"Me too." May turned around and faced so her back was facing Harry, she ducked under the water wetting her hair, coming back up she lifted her hair so it sat on the edge of the pool to where Harry could reach all of it. He poured a glob of shampoo into his hand and began to gently rub it into her hair. May sighed happily at the wonderful feeling of having someone wash her hair for her, she began to hum softly. Soon he finished washing her hair and told her to dive under the clean water to rinse her hair out. When May came back up Harry had left the bathroom and left a towel for her. She smiled and pulled her self out of the pool and steam dried herself and wrapped the towel around her body.
Walking out of the bathroom and up into her room she saw Harry waiting for her on the bed. He took one glance up at her and blushed deeply before covering his eyes behind his hands.
"Can I just wear one of your uniform shirts? I can't keep wearing Hermione and Ginny's clothes to bed." May asked him smiling, he nodded his head, still covering his eyes, he pulled out his wand and summoned a shirt for her and then held it out for her to take. May giggled and then walked back into the bathroom after she grabbed undies and a bra to wear under Harry's shirt. May walked back into the room, her hair was down, and the shirt came down to her mid thigh.
"This is a lot more comfortable then Ginny's shorts." She told him giggling as she jumped on the bed next to him. "Harry, do you think I'll be alright?" she asked, he turned his head and looked down at her. He stared at her for a minute before nodding his head.
"I think you'll find what you're looking for." He told her smiling, she grinned up at him.
"I meant will I be alright at Ginny's house with Fred around." Harry stared at her and then burst into laughter, May pouted up at him.
"Yeah you'll be fine, plus you'll have the girls and Ron and I… we'll take care of you." Harry said smiling, May grinned up at him.
"So tell me about your family." Harry said looking down at her. May stared up at him before sitting up and crossing her legs.
"Well what do you want to know?" She asked him, he shrugged his shoulders
"Everything." May rolled her eyes but nodded.
"Well you know my grandparents." May said smiling. "My family story is a little complicated. My parents are the King and Queen of our kingdom, every one of our people loves them dearly, all but one. She was my mother's ladies maid and took care of me when I was a baby. Nerissa was jealous of my mother's happiness for her lover had died in a battle fought for my father; she never forgave my father for, in her eyes killing her beloved. Nerissa betrayed my parents secretly and cast an evil spell on me when I was 8, 'Find true love's kiss in the world of humans and you live peacefully if not then everyone you care for in this kingdom will forever be trapped and unhappy.' May whispered. Harry looked at her in shock.
"My parents don't know of the curse, I've kept it to myself all these years, that's why I've been so determined to find love up here. I'm trying to save my family and my people. My father just thinks I'm being rebellious, and trying to follow in the footsteps of my two older siblings… My sister left and found love, and my brother didn't wish to be king so he ran, or swam rather, away from home. My other sisters don't understand why I've been so obsessed with finding true love's kiss, they all think I have bubbles in the brain for believing in it." She told him laughing lightly before sobering up and staring up and out the window to the darkened sky full of stars. "Nerissa tried to kill my father through poisoning him with her magic, she was caught and killed, she had a daughter who was taught Nerissa's magic and no one has seen her since her mother was caught so there isn't anyone in the whole world that can reverse my curse, and I only have three more months to find love and save my people." She told him and leaned back onto the bed and lay quietly. Harry sat there before sighing.
"Both of my parents were murdered, when I was a baby. The Dark Lord killed them because they disobeyed him and stood up for what was right. I was left with my aunt and uncle and cousin who hated me, and until last year I along with the rest of the Hogwarts students fought against the Dark Lord. I was the only one that could kill him. I've seen more death in my life time then anyone should see in a million. Dumbledore was like a father to me and he was killed, and so was my godfather, I have no real family besides the Weasley's and since I was 11 I've had the weight of the world on my shoulders, but you know what got me through all that? My friends I told them when I was stressed or unhappy I didn't keep it to myself. So when you need to talk I'll be that friend for you." Harry said nudging her leg with his foot. May smiled and climbed up next to him again and snuggled into his arms.
"Oh gross, get a room." Ron said as the other pilled into the room and onto to bed.
"I'm pretty sure we had one and then you lot came in and ruined our moment." Harry said smiling; May rolled her eyes before sighing and then snuggling deeper into his arms. Ginny and Hermione giggled while Draco and Blaise gagged.
"So guys are you excited for the party?" Harry asked, the girls nodded while the other boys shrugged.
'I know Ron can hardly wait for the feast tomorrow night." Ginny said teasing her older brother, who glared as the other laughed. "I can hardly contain my excitement for your birthday party though." Ginny said as she bounced up and down on the bed.
"I'm excited to see what will happen tomorrow." Harry said smirking, May giggled before kicking his leg. The others stared at them oddly. "Time for bed." Harry said as she kissed May's check before moving to get out the bed, May grabbed the back of his shirt he sighed and moved back into the bed with her.
"Goodnight" Ginny called as the rest of them went back to their rooms. Ron went downstairs and transfigured the couch into a bed for himself.
"I can't wait to see what your magic will make them do." Harry said as he looked down at May only to see that she was already asleep. Harry smiled and closed his eyes and let himself drift away.