Chapter 14: Dresses and Masks (Part 1)
Hermione had made a particular effort to clean herself carefully before putting on clean underwear. She still felt her cheeks flush as she slid into a pair of trousers and donned her shirt with a deeper neckline. She did it unconsciously, as if her body had begun to demand all that attention that had been denied until then. Of course, she was a sexual woman with fantasies, of course, she touched herself at night when desire suddenly throbbed between her legs, but... that was something else. It had been so long since the last time that she barely remembered what it was like to enjoy possessing a man. And to possess him in return.
Hermione let out a sigh as she passed through the portrait of the fat lady and headed towards where some students were performing a play. The memory of what she had just done didn't leave her mind; it repeated itself over and over inside her head, and she didn't seem entirely displeased with it. She smiled a little on the way, feeling again the flow of her sex between her legs. That night had been the best of her entire existence; it had been fortunate that Pansy hadn't let her back out at the last moment. She was aware of having acquired some glimpses of Slytherin behavior during the time they had spent together, but... where had she gotten the nerve to sneak into that common room and drop her robe in front of Malfoy? She wasn't very sure of knowing the answer to that question; she could only assume that she had grown tired of not taking the initiative once and for all. And now that she had achieved her goal, she had proven beyond doubt that she was capable of doing anything.
Hermione arrived at that auditorium that she didn't even know existed and sat in the free seat next to her mother.
"Where have you been?" the woman whispered. "You've missed half of the show."
The girl shrugged, grateful that the darkness prevented her mother from noticing the small smile that wouldn't leave her lips. She discreetly brought her fingers to her mouth when her mother focused her attention back on the play. As if it were something very valuable, she carefully grazed the lips that had kissed Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. She could still taste the traces of saliva that lingered there; every inch of her hand's skin held jealously the scent of the man that had adhered to it when she had finally been able to touch his body... his naked body.
Hermione continued to gaze at the stage despite not seeing anything at all. She staunchly refused to come down from her cloud so soon, which made her completely unaware of the time that had passed while people started applauding around her and the lights came on. The students on stage approached the edge and bowed to their audience, thoroughly enjoying their brief moment to shine. The girl remembered that the next day would be her graduation, the moment she had dreamed of since she set foot in that castle. Yes, tomorrow she would graduate as the top student in her house, but somehow, she felt that she had already had her moment of glory that night.
Pansy got up early that morning. It wasn't that she had slept particularly well during the night, but she had been restless and didn't feel like tossing and turning in bed while her mind kept reminding her of that little family matter that caused her a tremendous headache.
No, this would be her day, and she wasn't going to let anything or anyone ruin it for her. She was determined to shine that afternoon, to dazzle everyone as soon as she walked through the door. After all, that's how it had always been, right? There was no reason for that day to be any different.
She walked with her head held high towards Hogsmeade when her expensive handbag slipped a little off her shoulder. She readjusted it, dismissing the annoying memory of when she believed her father had given it to her on her previous birthday. She had said it already, nothing would make her feel down that day, and she was completely determined to keep her promise.
She allowed herself to visit the town's most expensive shops, enjoyed the exquisite attention of the shop assistants, and treated herself to three beautiful evening dresses that cost a fortune each. She left the shops empty-handed; the price included the service of having them delivered to the castle for a house-elf to hang them carefully in her closet. She breathed in the fresh morning air and wandered aimlessly through the streets of the town, reveling in the solitude that felt so necessary at that moment in her life.
She came to a sudden stop when the window display of a shop caught her eye. She observed for a few seconds the items displayed behind the glass and walked inside without a second thought. The entire shop was filled with accessories, mostly for women. Bracelets, necklaces, rings... Pansy picked up a pair of earrings without bothering to look at the price. They looked like two small silver hoops with three diamonds hanging from each. They would go perfectly with any of the dresses she had bought that morning. She prepared to pay for them, but something sparkled in the showcase behind the counter, and Pansy couldn't help but be captivated. It was a golden brooch in the shape of a flower, and it was so incredibly beautiful that it overshadowed the other items nearby. Adorned with small diamonds and yellow glimmers, it seemed to be the star of the entire store.
"Is it for the hair?" she asked the shop assistant, nodding towards it.
The girl didn't have to look over her shoulder to know what she was referring to.
"Yes," she said with an impeccable smile. "It's made of gold and has integrated Swarovski crystals, one of the most valuable jewels in the Muggle world."
Pansy didn't need to ask to know that this would probably be the most expensive item in the store. It might even cost more than her three dresses combined. Her voice didn't falter as she opened her mouth to say, "I'll take it."
Hermione had gone to pick up her parents from their room in the Room of Requirement to go down for breakfast. They had finished descending the last flight of stairs and were heading towards the Great Hall when a commotion made everyone stop whatever they were doing to see what was happening. The non-seventh-year students were boarding the Hogwarts Express back to King's Cross in a few hours, so most of them already carried their suitcases to leave them at the entrance, where a group of house-elves would levitate them to the train. However, someone mischievous had decided that fireworks should start coming out of a third-year boy's suitcase by magic. The victim was trying to pick up his clothes from the floor while awkwardly dodging the sparks and flashes that continued to come out of the inside of his suitcase.
People laughed around him; even her mother had put a hand over her mouth to conceal the smile caused by such a scene. It was at that moment Hermione realized she wasn't the only person watching. Malfoy had suddenly appeared by her side, although instead of enjoying the prank of whoever that disrespectful student was, he seemed to prefer to stay gazing at the woman.
"Control yourself," she said quietly, subtly moving closer so he could hear her. "The woman you're staring at is my mother"
The boy jumped in his place at being caught. He looked at her for a moment, squaring his shoulders and standing up straight. He didn't have to reply; Hermione didn't even expect him to, but...
"You bear a striking resemblance," he began, keeping his gaze forward. "I was just wondering if..."
"If I'll be like her when I'm older?" the girl smiled, feeling his arm against hers. The crowd had started to gather to such an extent that there was no longer any space between them. "Most likely. The women in my family have always aged remarkably well."
Malfoy slid his hand around her waist and moved so close that, when he spoke, Hermione could feel his breath brushing her face.
"There are rumors about you around the castle," he whispered. The girl couldn't help but grimace, remembering all the things Ginny had said behind her back. "I never believed they were true, but I'll tell you something... I think it's the first time I'm glad I was wrong."
Those words left the Gryffindor at a loss for a response, although it wouldn't have changed anything otherwise. Malfoy had already made his way through the crowd and was starting to move away from her.
The fireworks ceased entirely, and people began to disperse. Hermione and her parents reached the Great Hall, but even with her favorite dish in front of her, those last words from Malfoy kept drilling into her mind.
"What do you say?"
"What?" Hermione snapped out of her reverie so abruptly that the fork slipped from her fingers and clattered against the plate of scrambled eggs. "Sorry, what were you saying?"
Ron looked at her annoyed.
"What's wrong with you today? First Harry, now you."
The girl looked at her friend for answers. Harry swallowed his cereal and commented, "I wasn't paying attention either."
Hermione chuckled under her breath before biting her lip and focusing again.
"Sorry, I was thinking... about graduation."
"Anyway, I was saying that Michael Corner challenged me to a final game of Wizard's Chess. We'll do it after breakfast somewhere visible for anyone who wants to watch. He says he's perfected his technique, but he must be crazy if he thinks he can beat me," he remarked. "That guy is a bit creepy, in my opinion. I was asking if you'd come to watch the match."
"Oh... Harry can't?"
"I have things to do," he replied.
"What things?"
"Things," he retorted, looking at his friend in a way that made it clear she shouldn't ask more questions.
Hermione huffed, although she tried her hardest not to let on that she found that plan the most boring thing in the universe. She noticed from the corner of her eye how Ronald awaited her answer with a special glint in his eyes. She knew how much he loved that game and how important it was for him to prove he was the best in the castle... and after all, she hadn't been spending much time with him, right?
"Fine, I'll come," she replied, resigned.
By the time Pansy realized it, people had already started to fill the streets of Hogsmeade, but she still didn't feel like going back to the castle. She pondered what else she could spend her parents' dirty money on that morning. She decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to visit one of the most exclusive tea shops in the entire magical world. She walked there and pushed the door, making a small bell above it ring cheerfully. She was quickly greeted by a young girl who invited her to sit in a comfortable armchair with a small round table in front of it. Her order was taken by a middle-aged witch, who asked her with a smile if she wanted to add some lemon zest to her lavender tea. When the same woman returned a few minutes later, she brought with her a golden tray with a teapot and a porcelain cup, along with a small plate and a silver spoon. She delicately served the hot tea and then added the zest by waving her wand and making them appear. Pansy flipped through the magazine they had offered her while the waitress walked away and waited a bit before taking the first sip to avoid burning her tongue.
The bell on the door rang again. Pansy didn't bother to lift her gaze from the interesting article about witch hunts in the 17th century, but ended up doing so upon hearing that familiar voice in the distance. She held her breath as she identified him from behind while he seemed to be ordering sweets at the counter. She closed the magazine without bothering to fold the page corner to return to the article later, then jumped up from the armchair. Pansy approached and tapped him on the back with her finger, causing the boy to almost have a heart attack right then and there. He turned to look at her, an expression of surprise taking over his face instantly.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.
"No, what are you doing here?" she replied, smiling slightly as she looked at the pink box he was holding in his hands. "Since when do you like sweets from this place? Can you even afford them?"
Pansy knew Potter would have stared at his feet if the box hadn't been in the way. A sudden blush spread across his face from side to side; she could almost feel the nervousness growing inside him, making his chest move faster with each breath.
"They're for you," he finally said, leaving Slytherin speechless for the first time in her life. "I'm sorry, is it too much? It's just that... I've been thinking of ways to make you feel better after... you know, about your parents. I thought you might prefer this to Honeydukes treats."
The boy had started speaking so fast that he was almost unintelligible. Pansy reached out to touch his face. The contact of her cold fingers contrasted with the boy's burning face, which had suddenly acquired a rather funny shade of red. Slytherin hurried to put his glasses back on the bridge of his nose when she realized they were about to fall, and her hands were busy holding that box full of sweets. Pansy gradually moved closer to give him a small kiss on the lips, also feeling her unusually flushed cheeks as they parted. She no longer cared if they were seen together; for her, it was as if the other people in the place had disappeared with a snap and left them alone as soon as he walked in through the door.
"Thank you," she whispered. "It's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."
Without waiting for a response, she took the box from his hands and turned around to place it on the table where her tea was. She gestured for him to sit in front of her and called the woman who had attended her earlier.
"Another cup, please."
Pansy smiled broadly while he simply controlled the pace of his breathing. The waitress soon returned and poured the tea into a second cup.
"Lemon zest, sir?"
"Huh?"
Harry was so nervous that he hadn't even realized the woman was already by his side. She smiled at him as she held her wand close to his cup.
"Lemon zest?"
"Oh... Okay."
The boy continued to look around discreetly when they were left alone again. Pansy stirred the violet liquid a couple of times with the spoon.
"What are you looking at?" she wanted to know.
"This place is too fancy for me," he confessed.
"You don't like being treated as if you're important?"
"Having my tea served with lemon zest isn't going to make me feel important. I actually don't like so much attention."
"Then what do you like?"
"I like spending time with my family and friends... the place is irrelevant."
"I guess I learned to splurge money when I saw that neither my family nor my friends wanted to spend time with me."
Pansy tossed her hair back with an air of superiority. She didn't regret anything she had bought today, even though she was sure it had been a fortune. She didn't usually shop very often, but when she felt stressed or angry about something, she didn't hesitate to spend whatever it took until those feelings disappeared. She had never felt bad about spending huge amounts of money on things she didn't really need, so now that she had found out that her entire life had been a lie, she couldn't care less.
"I want to," he replied, his voice trembling a bit from start to finish.
"Fearing girls doesn't say much about you as a Gryffindor," she teased. "Although I must confess, I find it quite endearing."
"I'm not afraid of you," he retorted, glancing at her sideways and taking his cup. "Maybe a little respect, but not fear."
"Oh, come on, I'm not going to bite you..." she leaned in a bit over the table to add in a lower voice, "...unless you want me to."
Potter spat the sip of tea he had just taken onto the table. The scene was quite comical because he then tried to quickly reach for his wand to clean up the mess, but it seemed to be stuck inside the pocket of his jacket.
"Don't worry, the cleaning service here is..." an apron-clad elf appeared with a snap, levitated everything on the table, wiped the surface with a cloth, then returned everything to where it was, and vanished as quickly as it had come.
"Were you going to say fast? Because I think that's the most fitting adjective," she remarked.
"That's exactly what I was going to say," Pansy opened the box of sweets Harry had just bought and looked at them for a moment before deciding she wanted to try the one with edible glitter on top. "How are you doing for this afternoon?"
"Do you mean the opening ball?" she nodded as she nibbled on the cake. "I won't say I'm excited about the idea, but... I would definitely be much more nervous if you hadn't helped me. Although I think I'm more worried about my friend."
"Herm...?" she shifted in the armchair to cover up her slip of the tongue. "Granger?"
"Yeah, I tried to teach her what I learned from you... but it was no use. I don't know how things will go this afternoon."
"It's a shame that now I kind of like her; in other circumstances, I would have laughed at her for her way of dancing... I haven't seen her yet, but I can imagine her."
"Now... you like her?" Harry seemed visibly surprised.
"I don't dislike her entirely. Don't tell her, but deep down, I always thought she was a cute girl. I thought so since first year and regretted it as soon as she opened her mouth to correct someone or raised her hand so high it seemed like her shoulder was going to dislocate, but... well, she doesn't seem as insufferable as in the early years of school anymore."
"Well, Ron also thinks that."
"That she's insufferable?"
"No, that she's cute," Harry shrugged. "To me, she's just Hermione."
Pansy chuckled before wiping the corners of her lips with the cloth napkin. That good-for-nothing Weasley didn't stand even the slightest chance with Granger, she knew that firsthand.
Hermione lathered her hands with soap and rubbed them thoroughly under the sink's water. It's not that her hands were dirty, she just didn't feel like leaving. She had excused herself for a moment to go to the bathroom simply because she didn't want to be in the midst of the crowd when Ron and that Ravenclaw boy started their chess game. They had decided to carry it out in the Great Hall after Professor McGonagall had given them the green light, not without warning them not to make a fuss while they were there. Her parents had stayed, curious to discover the differences between a Muggle chessboard and magical world pieces.
Knowing she couldn't prolong her stay there any longer, she headed for the door, turned the knob, and stepped back into the hallway. She couldn't take more than two steps before coming to a complete stop. Draco Malfoy was waiting for her, leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed, and a slightly furrowed brow as he gazed at his shoes. The door closed behind her, making a small sound that caught his attention, causing him to lift his gaze from the floor. They both glanced at each other for a split second before he spoke first.
"Hello," he said, lowering his arms and moving a bit away from the wall. "What plans do you have?"
"Hello," she replied, trying to maintain a steady breath. Come on, she had already slept with him... having a normal conversation couldn't be so difficult. She straightened up a bit and tried to regain all the security and confidence that seemed to have deserted her at that moment. "I'm supposed to be supporting my friend in a magical chess match."
He raised an eyebrow, taking a step in her direction.
"That sounds boring," he added, glancing both ways down the hallway before getting closer. He bit his lip in what seemed like an involuntary gesture and leaned in a bit to speak near her ear. "I propose something infinitely better."
Hermione forced herself out of her confusion, mentally slapping herself a couple of times. Her legs were trembling, damn it.
"Something better than watching your friend play chess?" she tried to sound confident, almost provocative. "I can't think of anything you could offer me to top that."
Malfoy moved away enough to look her in the face. He glanced over her features, which to Hermione felt like an eternity, then began walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of the entrance. The girl took a deep breath, giving him time to create some distance between them, then started following him as he seemed to head into less traveled places of the school. She didn't know how many minutes had passed since she had encountered him after leaving the bathroom, but she completely lost track of time when, turning a corner, he was waiting to grab her and pin her against the wall. Hermione gasped a bit as she felt his strong fingers gripping her face and waist, his thin lips silenced her when they collided with hers, and a viper-like tongue moved inside her mouth.
She let him press against her body so forcefully that she began to feel short of breath. She didn't care. Feeling her lungs burning because that kiss deprived her of oxygen didn't matter at all. All she could think was that she had finally achieved it, but now for real. Parkinson had been right in saying that after last night's action, he would be the one to start looking for her once and for all. He had done it, he had looked for her, and now he was kissing her lips and touching her body. By Merlin, a blazing fire seemed to ignite and die in her groin from the first contact. Malfoy stopped kissing her to start sliding his lips down her jawline.
"I don't know what the hell is going on between you and Theo," he said in a low voice, but with a hint of aggression in his tone, "But just in case..."
Hermione opened her mouth wide when she felt those lips suddenly sucking on her neck. She let out a small muffled cry upon feeling the concentrated pain at that point on her body while it mingled with the pleasure of being in his arms. That combination of such powerful sensations made her sex throb so fast that it ended up exploding when she felt the bulge of Slytherin's pants against her intimate parts. She moaned louder than she had expected at first. Malfoy left her neck and looked at her again, but didn't move an inch away from her body. He kept his arms around her while he licked his lips to clean the saliva remains. Hermione fixed her gaze on them, now pinkish and visibly more swollen.
Both stood there until their hearts stopped pounding in their throats. The Slytherin took one of her hands and brought it to his face, breathing in the smell of her palm with his eyes closed. He inhaled deeply, holding the air in his lungs for a couple of seconds before looking at her again and exhaling through his mouth.
"I don't know what you've done to me," he said, shaking his head a bit. Hermione couldn't tell if he was angry or extremely confused. "But if you think I'm going to share you, you're very wrong."
"He was never anything," she replied, resting her head against the wall.
"I hope so... because I want, I need more from you," saying that out loud seemed to be eating him up inside in some way. He was handing her over on a silver platter one of his weaknesses... and it wasn't just one, it was the biggest one. And it was her.
Hermione got rid of the fingers holding her hand and raised it to caress his face with the back. He glanced at her sideways, still keeping his haughty attitude intact. She knew exactly what to say to provoke him.
"Your actions betray that you've been wanting me all this time, stop pretending it's not true."
She gave him a lopsided smile upon seeing him scrunch up his nose. She didn't reply, just looked away and pressed against his body. She bit her lip while seeming to check that they hadn't been discovered.
"Tonight I'm hosting a party at my place. If you think you're clever enough to assume that, figure out how to get there and what to do to get in," he said, distancing himself from her and taking a couple of steps back. "Obviously, you're not on the guest list, but I would definitely like to see you there."
Hermione found herself mesmerized as he walked away without looking back. She regained her composure as soon as he completely disappeared from her field of vision. She smoothed out her shirt and tried to tidy up her hair. Then she returned to the Great Hall as if nothing had happened and stood behind the crowd supporting one side or the other in that chess match. At one point, she saw Harry making his way through the crowd to go further, then a girl stopped near her.
"Your friend is charming," said the Slytherin, pretending not to speak to her.
"And your friend is quite hot," Hermione knew that Parkinson had glanced at her briefly after that. She moved her hair a bit so she could see the hickey she had on her neck. "He searched for me and kissed me until I had some kind of... orgasm. Yes, without needing to touch me beyond that."
"Well, well, the good girl..." a couple of students noticed them having that strange attitude of talking without really looking at anyone. "We need to discuss this in private."
"I'll follow you."
Both left the Great Hall, keeping their distance, and met again in a secluded place in the dungeons. Hermione realized at that moment that she was holding a pink box in her hands.
"They're sweets, would you like one?" Hermione shook her head a bit.
"Potter bought them for me to make me feel better."
"Feel better?"
"Yes, well, it's a long story. First, tell me what happened with Draco in my absence."
Hermione began to narrate the events from start to finish, trying not to forget any details along the way. The Slytherin had opened the box and was listening while chewing on a chocolate pastry. She didn't stop smiling mischievously for a moment.
"Congratulations, Granger. You've done it," she commented after swallowing the last bite. "I told you, you had him in the bag."
"Yes, but I still have one last thing... he invited me to his party tonight."
Pansy looked at her as if it was extremely hard for her to believe she was telling the truth.
"Well, that I didn't expect."
"He mentioned something about finding out how to get there... and then knowing what to do to get in. I've been puzzling over it until you arrived, but I don't understand what he means."
"He means it's a masquerade party where everyone must enter with their partner. I don't know how he could have thought you'd reach that conclusion on your own."
"I don't have a mask."
"I can fix that."
"I also don't have a partner."
"That's not a problem. What concerns me here is that you have the perfect dress for the occasion."
Hermione bit her lip, raising both eyebrows.
"Can't I go with the one from the graduation?"
"I don't know how your graduation dress is, but I can assure you that at Malfoy's parties, everyone is much more elegant than that. Besides, who repeats an outfit when you can wear two dresses in one night?"
"Well, I don't have another one," complained the girl.
"Come on, don't be such a party pooper. You know I wouldn't let you miss that party for anything in the world," Hermione slightly curved her lips, forming a smile. "I have the perfect dress for you."
"Where did you disappear to?" Ron asked as lunch began. His tone of voice was clearly reproachful.
"I've been here the whole time."
"That's not true."
"Of course, it is."
Hermione sipped calmly from her glass of water. She didn't regret breaking her word; she wouldn't have traded that second encounter with Malfoy for anything in the world... but at least she had to pretend.
"I was looking for you and you were nowhere to be found," the boy continued.
"There were a lot of people, Ronald."
"I saw her," Harry intervened. The girl smiled at him for coming to her defense. "She was away from all the commotion, but she was there."
Ron muttered something under his breath and let it go. He was particularly whiny that day because he was about to lose the chess match, and it's not like he took being almost defeated at chess very well.
"Do you want to practice the steps I taught you? There are still almost three hours before the graduation ceremony begins."
"I think I'll pretend to be petrified so I won't have to dance in front of everyone."
"You'll do fine," Harry told her. "You just need to memorize when each foot moves and in what direction. Take it as a class assignment."
"I hadn't seen it that way. I guess three hours are enough to get an A+."
Both boys laughed, making Ron smile a bit for the first time that day.
Pansy went down to the common room after lunch. It was going to be a long day, and she knew she needed to rest to stay fresh all night, but first, she needed to solve a little issue... She went straight to her room, checked that there was no one inside, and knelt in front of a trunk at the foot of one of the beds. She easily opened it with her wand. Finding what she was looking for relatively easily, she stashed that object in her bag and returned to the common room. She picked a book from the shelf, left her jacket on the back of the sofa, and removed her bag to be more comfortable. The cupcakes Harry had given her were on the table in front of the fireplace. A smile escaped her lips when she realized she had thought of him by his name instead of his last name.
She was about to sit on the couch when a girl entered through the common room door.
"Angelina," she said, trying to catch her attention, taking a few steps toward her.
"Pansy," she greeted with some reservation. She seemed to be on the defensive when spoken to.
"Relax, dear. I just wanted to congratulate you. I knew you were capable of summoning a fire snake without any trouble, but I didn't expect the spell to be so perfect."
The addressed girl put a finger to her lips and hissed almost desperately. She looked around, making sure no one had heard what had been said.
"It's okay, thanks," she whispered. "Just remember that we don't have any unfinished business."
"Until next time," Pansy replied, turning around and returning to the sofa with a smile. She sat down and put her feet up for more comfort.
Angelina Priori disappeared so quickly that she didn't even have time to read the first word of the book, but another Slytherin appeared in her place. He was so stealthy that he almost managed to go unnoticed by the girl... almost.
"Oh, Theo," she said, straightening up again and closing the book on her lap. "Come, we need to talk."
"What do you want?" the boy stood there, seemingly with no intention of approaching her.
"I can come to you if you prefer, but I don't think you want those over there to hear what I have to say to you."
Theo turned to look at a group of fourth-year Slytherins sitting at a table and speaking in hushed tones among themselves. They seemed to be plotting something, but that didn't mean they weren't keeping an ear out for what was happening around them. He sighed and, with a sour expression, walked over to where she was.
"What do you want now?" he repeated. She stretched a bit before responding.
"Your family's secret is so big that I wouldn't mind a little help to keep guarding it."
"Stop with the mysteries, Pansy. Tell me what the hell you want already."
"Your mask. Give me the mask you were going to wear tonight at Draco's party."
"Why? What for?"
"You don't need to know why I want it. Just give it to me so I can remember how much damage I could do to your family if something were to slip out unintentionally."
"You're cynical," he reproached. She chuckled sweetly in response. "If I don't have one, I won't be able to get in, and I'll leave my companion hanging."
"Oh, don't worry about that. I've taken care of it."
"What have you done?"
"Your companion was Daphne, right?" Theo watched her open her bag and show him the inside so he could see the woman's mask inside. "Unfortunately, she won't be able to attend the party either. It's a shame. And I know what you're thinking. You still have time to go to Hogsmeade and buy new ones, but believe me, it's better if you don't."
"What are you talking about?"
"There's another guy who will enter the party using your name, Theo. There's only one Theodore Nott on the guest list, and it won't be you."
"But..."
"Enough questions," she cut him off. "Now give me your mask already, I need to rest."
The hours had passed devilishly slowly as Harry attempted to get them both in sync with the dance, but now, as he was getting ready in his parents' room, he could feel the minutes starting to whirl around the clock astonishingly fast.
"Close your eyes, darling," his mother requested, applying a bit of black mascara to his lashes once he complied. "Great, all done. Now, let me put on this lipstick I bought especially for the occasion. I saw it at a beauty shop when I visited Hogsmeade and thought it would go really well with your dress."
"In fact, it was bought by Harry's parents," said his father from the bathroom. "You didn't have... what's the name of the money here?"
"Galleons," Hermione replied.
"That's it, galleons."
"But I've already told them that I'll treat them to lunch when they come to London," replied the woman, who seemed to have become very friendly with James and Lily.
Hermione smiled before parting her lips to let her mother finish applying her makeup. The fact that she offered no resistance surprised both herself and her mother. A bit of makeup wouldn't hurt her that day. She rubbed her lips to spread the lipstick and got up from the bed to look at herself in the wall mirror next to the door. She adjusted her hair, which she had straightened a bit with magic to cover the mark on her neck. Then she took a moment to analyze her reflection and took a breath, feeling somewhat overwhelmed suddenly. She was finally going to graduate from Hogwarts, and she would do so feeling better than she had in a long time. Even that dress seemed to fit her better than when she tried it on at that Muggle store in the city center. It was red, long, satin, and had straps. Its simplicity was the main reason she loved it. It didn't have much cleavage, but an elastic band accentuated her waist and enhanced that part of her body.
Hermione bent down to put on her heels. They were high enough to be considered "party shoes" but low enough not to fall flat on her face after the fifth step.
When she straightened up again, the mirror showed her that behind her, her mother had brought a hand to her mouth due to emotion.
"Liam, stop fixing your hair and come here!" she exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "Isn't our girl just beautiful?"
Her father poked his head out of the bathroom door, entering the room as soon as he saw his daughter ready for her graduation.
"I've never seen such an elegant young lady as you," he put an arm around his wife and drew her closer to him while keeping his eyes fixed on Hermione. "You look absolutely gorgeous, sweetheart."
A small black tear escaped from the girl's eyes. Her mother approached to prevent it from ruining the rest of her makeup, then hugged her and called her husband to join the moment. The three family members shared the love they felt for each other before finally descending the stairs to the celebration venue.
Reviews? :)
Cristy.
