"Oh no! See you walking 'round like it's a funeral.
Not so serious, girl, why those feet cold?
We just getting started; don't you tiptoe, tiptoe."
Straight away, Blaise was in character. Having transfigured the vintage microphone into a modern handheld version, he was able to move his body causing a much-needed shift to the drowsy energy that had settled around the room from the last few somber song choices.
"Waste time with a masterpiece, don't waste time with a masterpiece.
You should be rollin' with me. You should be rollin' with me.
You're a real-life fantasy. You're a real-life fantasy.
But you're movin' so carefully; let's start livin' dangerously."
By the end of the song, he had managed to double the size of onlookers. Between the jaunty scandalizing tune and his engagement with the various girls in the crowd, there were few groups of outliers left lounging on the seating along the perimeter. Hermione and the other witch had stayed put, of course.
Ginny had glared at the tall gyrating figure, hatred for the obscene Slytherin on full display, through the entire rendition. She didn't say a word, but the way her leg rapidly bounced as if she was about to walk onto the Quidditch pitch, revealed the soundless brainstorming taking place inside of her head. There was no universe in which the youngest Weasley would let such a taunt go unchallenged.
Ready to go and prepare a cot in the hospital wing herself, Hermione could no longer blame the girl for her vexation. His current antic was a step too far over the fictitious line of humorous pestering, even for her forgiving nature towards the tactless wizard. Ruffling feathers? He had decided to pluck the entire freaking bird…
"If that is the way he wants to play…" Ginny mumbled under her breath. Standing, she pulled the knitted jumper from her arms, showing off her sinewy physique in the tight tee shirt and trousers combination that was chosen in a rush earlier in the night.
"What… I mean, where…?" Hermione wasn't able to articulate her many questions before Ginny pivoted and marched into the gathering of fellow students.
Afraid of the form the girl's retaliation was going to end up taking, she followed quickly behind. Weaving around all of the swaying bodies that had decided to stick around after the departure of their original entertainment, Hermione kept attempting to grab onto her friend's arm but continued to just miss. Her target intent on her predetermined destination.
As soon as the short line of revelers who were patiently waiting for their turn in the spotlight came into view, she was thankful that Ginny's plan didn't include mutilation. Her relief was immediately replaced with skepticism, "Come on, Gin… This is getting ridiculous."
"Should have told him that."
"I didn't know what he was planning or I would have!"
"Yeah yeah…" Her aloof dismissal was punctuated as Ginny leaned down and started flipping through the albums available. "If you're not planning on your own show, you shouldn't hold up the line 'Mione. It's impolite."
"Let's just go back and watch the boys play chess, please?" Hermione begged.
"I plan to, once I am done." Ginny stood back up, her selection in hand. "If you would like to head out now, I will follow shortly, promise."
"Right… If I leave you alone, you will end up in Azkaban."
A lighthearted laugh and shake of her head in denial was the only response the redhead gave to the claim. Instead choosing to gesture to the two younger witches who had joined the procession, "Continuing to waste a spot up here? Are you absolutely sure you don't want to go join your new friend and enjoy?"
"I…" Hermione's rebuttal caught in her throat as her eyes automatically scanned the crowd for the subject of her friend's ire. Naturally, he had appeared at the side of the wizard she sought. The entire entourage was there, chuckling at some inside joke. A picture of convivial comradery, the type of friend group that you want to be a part of… If you didn't know the foundation was full of rot. "I hate you sometimes…"
"You wouldn't love me if you didn't."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself to make it through the day." Her inhibitions lowered by the amount of alcohol consumed in such a small amount of time, she was unable to stop another glance in the direction of her phantom. A second self-inflicted slash of grief ripped at her middle and made it harder and harder to play nice. "Pick out a song for me then…"
Ginny rolled her eyes but did as she was directed. While she combed through the selection of albums, the next soloist moved onto the makeshift stage and started a rendition of "Blood Sucker" by the Weird Sisters.
Having already allowed her strict rules to be broken, Hermione let herself examine the object of her temptation. Her very own forbidden fruit, brought to life for the sole purpose of her hermitic torment. An all-encompassing hurt that she wasn't able to share with those who could help her.
He stood there in the center of the mass of fellow Slytherins. The indifferent sun for the orbiting shadows. He looked… absolutely bored. Even with his new seductive ornament hanging off of his arm and pressing her body boldly against him. Too posh for the gauche surroundings that he had found himself in.
"Here."
A sleeved record was pushed into her trembling hands and Hermione tore her eyes away from her preoccupation to check the title of the single. "You have to be kidding me!"
"Come on… It'll be fun!" Ginny coaxed, her eyebrow raised with an unspoken dare.
"I wouldn't be caught dead singing this at home, in my room, with no one else there. And you want me to sing in front of a group of people… Have you lost the plot completely?" Hermione scoffed and shook her head in disbelief at the audacity.
"Maybe…" The gutsy witch allowed, pretending to give the inquiry serious thought for a second before a smirk crossed her lips. "But, it might be a good reminder to Mystery Guy of what he is missing!"
Their short squabble was interrupted by yet another change of vocalists, moving them up in line so that Ginny was the very next performer. A seventh-year Hufflepuff, Zara Valli, was in charge of operating the enchanted gramophone and took her selection. "Song number?"
"Three, please and thank you!" Ginny cheerfully answered. Excited to enact whatever plan her deranged mind had concocted, she was able to remember the manners that had abandoned her.
Apparently fed up with all the jovial revelers she'd had to deal with over the course of the night, the short dark-haired witch blinked in response. Without saying a word, she looked towards the spiraling golden words that floated towards the ceiling and disappeared, ending the terse conversation.
Hermione started shifting from foot to foot, anxiety racing through her veins. She was no longer sure if the unknown but undoubtedly malicious scheme or the spontaneous expectations caused the majority of her overwhelming turmoil. The only way to calm the sickening fear would be to run…
And she couldn't leave.
If she left Ginny to her own devices and there were consequences… It would be her fault.
She had convinced the girl to come.
So she stayed, on the brink of retching the entire time the wizard on stage attempted to swoon his presumed sweetheart. Her companion giddy with anticipation for whatever was going to happen next.
Finally, there was no more time left, and Ginny, with all the confidence in the world, sauntered into place. Silence fell as the crowd realized that year's Quidditch star had materialized and started bouncing to the beat.
"Hello, it's so good to see you.
We met before but nice to meet you.
Yeah, I don't really wanna be here.
What's my name? Do you remember?
I'm pretty sure you have my number.
So let's pretend we like each other."
Hermione froze as the increasingly scandalous lyrics washed over the unsuspecting crowd and the murmuring started. Even the grumpy little Hufflepuff's attention had been stolen and a newfound respect flashed in her hooded eyes…
Following Blaise's example, Ginny interacted with the audience. Choosing casualties at random to start with, her targets became more and more targeted towards her new nemesis's group. Easy targets since they were still positioned at the frontline.
"Everybody in this party's fucking fake.
And so am I, but I just got here, so I gotta show some face."
The Slytherins' reactions were rather tame. Mostly sneering and rolling their eyes at the pointed insults. All but one of them were grudgingly enraptured. Nott was the odd man out. Staring down at the witch who was cuddled up against his lifelong friend, with the same anguished look from the other day at lunch plastered on his face
"To the people I don't like,
You're trying too hard.
To the people I don't like,
To the people I don't, don't, don't, don't, don't…"
For her grand finale, Ginny stood directly in front of Zabini. A smirk on her face as she stuck her hand in his face, her middle finger extended. Before anyone could respond she pushed past him, making sure to knock her shoulder into his, and kept walking until she slammed the gothic door behind her.
Still stuck in place, Hermione blinked slowly. Trying to let her mind catch up to the theatrical public belittling she had just witnessed.
Zara quickly resumed her duties, taking the record from trembling hands, she teased, "Your turn…"
Hermione started to shake her head no, but her refusal was ignored. The other witch grabbed her by the arms and pushed her on stage. Taking away her ability to sneak away unnoticed. Embarrassment colored her cheeks as the bewitching rhythm filled the room.
She clenched her fists and took a step forward, intent on retracing Ginny's departure…
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Song Credit:
"Cake by the Ocean" by DNCE*
"People I Don't Like" by Upsahl
Yes, I know that some of the lyrics in this song clearly date it and are pretty questionable considering recent events. I do try to avoid using these kinds of songs, but I searched and searched and couldn't find a different song that "fit" like this one did for me. Hopefully, y'all are not too mad and can forgive me!
P.S. We be loving Kesha's lyric change in this house! Enough said.
P.S.S. What song would you have chosen for Blaise and/or Ginny?