Hermione relaxed in the shell shaped bath, allowing the fragrant steam to caress her. Suddenly she raised herself up in panic. "pants! Draco!" she exclaimed. She sloshed water all over the floor as she hurriedly jumped out of the bath, grabbing her robe she ran to the fire.
"Ron!" She yelled, Hermione's face then emerged in the fire embers at Grimmauld place.
"Ron!" she shouted again.
The harlequin was dozing slightly in his chair the hand in his lap was lightly clasping a glass tumbler. The sudden cry of his name shook him out of his repose.
"Flipping hell" Ron exclaimed, splashing his drink all over himself.
"Hermione! You just scared me half to death. Couldn't you have just popped back normally? I've spilt my whiskey all over me, I'm going to smell like a drunk!"
"Sorry," Hermione focused on her wandless magic; the stain on Ron's outfit vanished. "I've just got out of the bath, I'm in my dressing gown, didn't want to floo back completely. Just forgot to say, Malfoy will be at the house in an hour can you wait outside and let him in the usual way?"
"Do I have too?" groaned Ron
"Yes, and be nice Ronald. Let him use the floo to Hogwarts when he arrives."
"Will you be wearing more clothes when he arrives?" Ron asked bitterly.
"No, Ronald; Your right, I'm going to the party in a dressing gown."
Ron huffed derisively,
"Go on, get ready; I'll let the ferret in, I will be nice... Ish."
Hermione's face retreated into the fire disappearing into the ash.
Ron began to pace around the kitchen. He was strangely nervous about the ball, he worried about his girlfriend who blew hot and cold most of the time. The young man wondered which temperature she would be selecting tonight, he hoped it would be somewhere in between.
Glancing up at the clock, Ron decided it was time to await Malfoy.
Groaning he realised he would have to cover up his colourful outfit.
Grabbing a long cloak from the hall way, He Turned to the door, Once the door was opened Ron hastily glanced up and down the street.
'It a good job its Halloween.'He thought. 'No one should think the cape odd.'
After a few minutes, Ron spotted Draco Malfoy sauntering along street. He too was wearing a long concealing cloak. The late afternoon light was beginning to fade and a chill was in the air. Ron shivered keen to be back by the fire.
Draco approached Ron head held high. Giving a curt bow he said "Mr Weasley."
"Hermione's not here ferret, so lets not pretend."
"Fine, Weasel suits me. Let's get this over with, blindfold me."
Having dispensed with their pleasantries, Ron performed the vital ritual to get them in the safe house.
Once inside Ron marched ahead leading the way to the kitchen fireplace. Taking his cloak off and throwing it over the kitchen chair, he spun around to face Draco.
"I will be watching you! No funny business." Ron snarled.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist weasel, I will try to be on my best behaviour, if I fail...At least I will see you coming in that ensemble, interesting outfit choice. Harlequin? Did Granger choose it?"
"So What if she did? What are you wearing anyway?"
Ron was curious despite himself.
"It Means that little fuzzy head know it all, has a sense of humour."
Draco removed his cloak in a fluid movement, draping it over one arm.
The aristocratic looking young man was wearing a black padded doublet, with fancy Medieval sleeves.
A snake motif was picked out in silver and green sequins on the arm.
Across one shoulder was a heavily embroidered half cape, secured with a silver chain. His breeches were made of leather. Swashbuckling knee high, black turnover boots with silver toe cap's finished off the look. Withdrawing his wand he conjured a mask, silver in colour covering the face around the eyes. A long pointed nose completed the disguise.
Ron grimly took note of all these details.
"She certainly does have a sense of humour. You don't need to bother with that ridiculous mask, she's advertised your slytherin allegiance All over you. What are you supposed to be anyway, apart from the slytherin pinup boy?"
" Disclosure of my identity did cross my mind too, but the house of slytherin still exists within the school does it not? I will not be the only supporter. I also remain true to who I am."
"Yeah a ferret!"
"Change the record Weasel. I'm Scaramouche."
"Who's that?"
"A rich playboy, adventurer! Fitting I thought."
"Well, you look like a knob head."
"As do you weasel, as do you." Smirked Draco.
Draco looked over to the fire place and reached out for a pot containing floo powder.
"Can I go now? Is this the floo?"
"Yeah" was the monosyllabic reply.
Draco took a handful of floo powder.
"I like your outfit, very you,'Harlequin'
An impoverished joker! A loser with the women." He finished speaking quickly, jumping into the fire shouting "Hogwarts" just before Ron's withdrawn fist could connect with his face.
Ron exclaimed in annoyance,
"Ye gods, I hate him!"
Before he had time to recollect himself the door opened.
There was Cho; resplendent in an outfit of black and cream, gold braid and buttons adorned it. The open jacket's shapely princess seams were outlined in two rows of rich gold braid, enhancing her tall willowy figure. Her blouse In gleaming cream damask fitted snugly against her pale skin. A long elegant jacket fastened with a row of golden buttons drew the eye to the tiny waist. Falling from which was a full overskirt of plain black dropping to a decorative trim in gold and black lace. Below this rustled a white skirt with a stripe of cream damask.
Her black hair gleamed in the fire light; coquettishly Cho raised her mask on its golden stick to her eyes and peeped through enchantingly at Ron.
Ron noticed immediately it was the mask of the harlequin she was matching her date, and out of one jacket pocket peeped a harlequin handkerchief.
The young man stuttered slightly in appreciation.
"Y...you. Look beautiful."
"Thank you."
"Wait till my brother see's you!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, indeed." Cho winced slightly.
Ron didn't notice her sudden unease. He was busy pondering over Malfoy. 'Just wait until Malfoy see's her, I'll show him, a loser with women, he will eat his words.'
Just then a knock could be heard at the door. The loud noise immediately alerting mrs black to intruders. Her screeching began in Earnest.
"Filth, Traitors! Polluting the noble house of black!..." her words trailed on.
"Excuse me" muttered Ron.
He walked past Cho into the hall.
A loud bang silenced the screaming old hag. " Shut your cake hole, you Stupid old bint!"
Shouted Ron, re-pocketing his wand and stalking off to the front door.
"Bill! Fleur! Come in"
The two redheads smiled broadly at each other, punching each others shoulders jovially.
"Hi Fleur, how are you?" the younger brother smiled shyly at his siblings spouse.
"I am very well thank you Ronald et iz good to see you."
Ron ushered them in to the house, then through to the kitchen.
The kitchen was empty.
"Cho!...Cho!"
There was no reply to Ron's call.
"I don't know where she's gone, she was here a minute ago, maybe she's gone to the bathroom. I will make us a drink she will be here any minute. What would you like?"
"A cup of tea would be nice, Ron."
"Goodness Bill, you've gone all middle aged!"
"Got to grow up some time bro, I'm going to be a dad, so now would be a good time."
Ron paused at the kettle as this sunk in.
"Really? I'm going to be an uncle? That's awesome! Congratulations. Does mum know?"
"Yes, we told her an hour ago she's very excited." Replied Bill
"I bet she is! Wow fleur...how do you feel?"
"I feel a little tired, but zat iz fine, I'm vairy happy."
Ron hugged them both and returned to the tea. After handing them their steaming beverages, he excused himself.
"I think I will see where my girlfriends hiding, I hope she's not nervous about meeting you. Wait there a mo."
Ron left the couple sat by the fire drinking their tea happily.
Cho had sneaked upstairs as Ron opened the front door. She listened from the landing to the Weasley's arrival. Once Ron had taken them through to the kitchen she quickly made her way to the front door. With a Flourish of her wand she sent a signal; immediately four grim death eaters appeared in the street, peering intently at the muggle houses either side of the disillusioned wizard home.
The witch alerted them too her presence. This allowed the Death eaters to see and access this once secure home.
For once Mrs Black was silent in her observation of the new guests. She obviously felt a kinship to them.
Quietly the group made their way upstairs a muffliato spell cast around them. Cho left them to wait in one of the upper room's and made her way back to the kitchen.
At this point she collided with Ron in the hall.
His hands gripped her arms and he stooped a little to look at her face.
A small tear ran down her porcelain cheek.
Ron instinctively went to brush it away with his hand.
"Cho whats wrong? Bill and Fleur are here. My family are nice I promise, they have good news too...Fleur's pregnant."
Cho gasped slightly and another tear rolled down her face.
Ron pulled her to him. "What's the matter Cho, your scaring me?"
Cho hugged him tight her arms wound around his neck, her wand still grasped tightly in her hand. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." She whispered.
"What on earth for? Have you gone mental?" your wonderful." He patted her back in what he hoped was a soothing gesture.
"You poor boy, it's going to be fine ...I promise. Its all for the greater good."
Her word were softly spoken in his ear, no one nearby could have heard.
Before the bewildered young man in her arms could express his confusion, she flicked the wand held behind his back and whispered "Stupefy!"
Ronald Weasley slumped in her arms.
He was heavy. "Mobilicorpus!" she levitated his unconscious form up the stairs and into his bedroom. Arranging him carefully on the bed she removed his wand. Closing the door, she once more crept downstairs towards the kitchen, casting a stealth charm, she entered the room without detection from Bill or Fleur.
The couple were happily cuddling by the fire blissfully unaware of the horrors that awaited them. They had their backs to the approaching witch. Cho raised her arms, pointed both wands at them, then concentrated on her silent magic. 'Stupefy!' she visualised the spell and two red jets of light shot from the wand's hitting the Weasley's from behind. "Mobilicorpus!" In her haste she verbalised the spell, quickly catching them before they crashed to the floor.
Lowering them gently, The stricken woman looked at the door to make sure she was not observed. Moving over to the bodies by the fire she ignored Bill and reached for fleur. Cradling the inert form she pressed her hand on the small swell of her stomach. "Tueri Fetus!" she whispered. A warm glow of light lit up Fleur's body for a brief moment. "That's all the help I can give you. I'm Sorry for what you are about to go through. The end always justifies the means." The words fell uselessly on their deaf ears, the witch was comforting herself, alone.
Pushing Fleur back to the floor, she composed herself. Then she levitated the bodies upstairs to the waiting death eaters.