Chapter 11 - Hermione's Reaction
Harry had to admit: what Hermione's expression was when she had opened the box was a predictable one, but not the one that Harry was expecting.
She had placed the gift box flat on the table and gently tugged on the sides of it, making the cover come off in one motion. Harry was baffled at how silent the Great Hall had become and how many other students from other tables were just as interested in Hermione opening the box as everyone else was, as if they were about to see the solution to a great mystery…
"Oh wow…" gasped Hermione as she pulled the contents out from the gift box.
"Oooh!" chorused the rest of the students the were watching.
Hermione pulled the elegant red dress from the box and held it by the shoulders at arms length to admire it. Ginny looked to be the most excited.
"Hermione!" she squealed. "It's… it's a dress…!"
Ron had to repress a snort. "She knows what it is Ginny."
"You know what this means Hermione?" said Ginny energetically, ignoring Ron. "You can go to Ball tonight!"
Hermione didn't answer. She was in awe of the beautiful dress before her.
"This is…" she siad, baffled, "this is…" She didn't really know how to finish the sentence.
"Beautiful…?" finished Ernie from behind her.
Hermione's head swiveled around and she looked at him ecstatically. "Did you do this Ernie?"
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Colin automatically turned to Ernie to, anxious as to what he was going to say. Harry, however, was the most anxious. He better not say the wrong answer…
"Well… uh…" started Ernie, "I hate to tell you this but…"
Everyone's attention seemed to grow and the tension got stronger.
"Nope, sorry Hermione. But I didn't send you this. I wish I had though," he added as an afterthought, "seeing the joyful look on your face."
She smiled back at him in understanding and turned back to her dress.
"You sure it's for you?" asked Ron.
"Yes," said Ginny, motioning in the direction of the tag. "It says, 'To: Hermione' on it."
"Well you were right about one thing Harry," said Ron.
"What's that?" asked Harry.
"It's not dangerous, but it is expensive," said Ron, matter-of-factly.
There was another unusual silence. Everyone was staring at Ron. "What?"
"And how do you know it's expensive Ron?" asked Ginny accusingly.
"Just by the way it looks!" Ron answered defensively. He could feel Hermione staring at him and he caught her eye.
"Hey don't look at me!" said Ron, putting his hands up in a defending way. "You know that I haven't got anything to buy even the fabric for that thing!"
Harry was silent the entire time, which, he realized, probably wasn't a god idea if he wanted to keep the person who contributed the gift a secret. He coughed, which unavoidably got the attention of Hermione. Harry started to tremble in his seat slightly, looking at the dress wide-eyed and pretending to be just as astonished as everyone else.
"Did you have anything to do with this Harry?" Hermione asked, hopeful that he was going to say yes. Everyone else looked at him too.
Harry shook his head slowly. "No…" he said carefully, but not carelessly either.
"Do you know who might have been involved?"
"No idea…"
"It's too bad that I don't know who sent it," said Hermione. "Otherwise I would have attended the Ball with that person to thank him…(Harry's insides fell like a stone) well, assuming that the sender was a guy. You wouldn't have minded would you?" she asked Ernie.
"Of course not," he answered, though it looked like he was going to be disappointed.
"Well we do know one thing for sure Hermione," Ron interjected. "There's someone out there that really wants you to be his or her best friend."
"I have to find this person that gave you this," said Ernie. "Without his or her generosity, you wouldn't be able to attend the Christmas Ball tonight."
Harry sighed to himself. Everything was going according to plan, but why did he suddenly want to tell Hermione that it was he who gave her the dress?
No, Harry told himself, it's less complicated this way…
"Well, Colin and I have to get going," said Ginny. "we'll see you all at the Ball." She specifically winked at Harry.
No you won't, thought Harry.
"Speaking of leaving," said Ron, looking at his watch, just about when Ginny and Colin disappeared, "I need to go find Rachel. She said she wanted to talk to be about something. See you guys!"
With that, he was gone.
"Come on Hermione," said Ernie excitedly, tugging on her arm. "Let's go see how that dress looks on you."
"But Harry will be left by himse…"
"I'll be ok," said Harry, in the best normal voice he could do. "You two go along and have a good time."
Hermione looked at him concerned. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," replied Harry. "Besides, I have to… uh… finish some things…"
"Well ok…" said Hermione regretfully. In the blink of an eye, she and Ernie were gone.
"Well… that went well…" said Harry with a half breath of relief and half sadness. He picked up Secrets of Potions: Made Easy and continued where he had left off. He might as well find something to do because he wasn't doing anything special tonight…