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The Weak Fall First by elizabella
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The Weak Fall First

elizabella

Corsets

All through the day on Monday owls flew in and out of classrooms, delivering slips of parchment to eagerly waiting students. By the time her lessons had finished, Hermione was feeling quite worried. She still hadn't got her number yet. She looked up every time an owl flew into the Great Hall at dinner, but all the owls flew towards other people. "Don't worry 'Mione, your not the only one." Ginny sighed as she came to sit next to her. "I haven't got one yet, and neither has Parvati. But I think they'll come soon. Come on, lets go back to the common room, I don't think I can stand to listen to Lavender's costume ideas any more!" Hermione got up and followed Ginny glumly out of the Great Hall. They saw Luna Lovegood in the Entrance Hall and she wondered over to them, as usual looking as though she had no idea where she was going or how she had got there. "Oh hello." she said, looking slightly surprised "Have you seen the costume lists yet? They'll be in your common room, on the notice board. Its rather good you know, the way its all planned. Is Ronald going by the way?" Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances and Ginny tried hard to stifle her giggles. "Err yes he is going. Have you got your number yet?" Ginny asked. "Oh yes, and I'm getting my dress on Saturday. Well anyway, I have to go now. Goodbye" Luna said vaguely and drifted off.

They found another notice beside the Ball announcement on the notice board when they got back to the common room. It said:

Costume for the Masquerade Ball

You must come dressed according to the following guidelines:

If your number for the Ball ends in a 1, 2 or 3 you must dress to the theme: traditional style muggle ball garb

If your number for the Ball ends in a 4,5 or 6 you must dress to the theme: story-book princes/princesses

If your number for the Ball ends in a 7,8,9 or 0 you must dress to the theme: old-fashioned traditional style wizards' ball garb

If you tap your parchment with your wand, the number will disappear and you will see two colours. These are the colours you should base your costume on.

Thank you

"Ginny! Hermione! These two owls have been sitting on the back of your chairs for over an hour!" Colin Creevy called from near the fireplace. Ginny squealed in excitement as a large barn owl swooped towards her and landed on her outstretched arm. She untied the parchment from its leg and it took off again immediately. Hermione went over to the one perched on her chair and it stared haughtily up at her, no doubt annoyed at having to wait so long. It stuck out it leg stiffly and she untied the parchment. The owl ruffled its feathers irritably before flying out the open window. Hermione unrolled the parchment and looked at her number. It was 58. Ginny glanced over her shoulder at it. "Ugh, you'll have to wear a corset!" she said in sympathy. "Why?" Hermione asked in horror. Ginny grinned at her. "I take it you've never seen a traditional style witches' ball gown before?" when Hermione shock her head Ginny continued. "Well, they have wide skirts, ooh you'll have to wear a petticoat and the underskirts to bulk it out! The top of them is a corset style that laces up the front, back, or sides. It sometimes has sleeves or straps, but not usually." Ginny grinned evilly at her. Hermione watched expectantly for her to continue. When she did not Hermione said impatiently "Well, what's the style of the top over the corset?" To her horror, Ginny just giggled. "Oh Hermione, there's no top over the corset! Of course not!" She saw the look of horror on Hermione's face so continued "Tradition style witches' gowns were only worn on very special occasions. Like grand balls and such. It was considered the height of fashion to wear a dress like that. You might have to get it made you know." she added "I don't know anywhere that makes dresses like that." oh my goodness! Hermione thought I cannot believe I have to wear that! She tried to stop thinking about it by asking "So what number are you?" Ginny checked her parchment again, then said "86, so I'll have to make a fairytale princess type dress! You'll help wont you?" she asked Hermione anxiously. "Of course I will. Oh, and I think that even fairytale princesses have to wear corsets!" Ginny wrinkled her nose at the idea then shrugged. They were interrupted by Harry and Ron coming over, complaining loudly about today's homework. Hermione quickly hid her parchment in her pocket and saw Ginny do the same. Harry grinned. "So you've got your number then?" He said. "I got mine earlier." Hermione grinned back. "Looks like we'll have a busy day shopping on Saturday then!" But apparently they wouldn't, Harry explained that to keep all costumes a surprise, the girls were allowed in Hogsmeade on Saturday, and the boys were going in on Sunday. Hermione agreed that this was a really good idea, but was slightly disappointed because she wasn't going to get to see what kind of things the boys were buying to wear to the Ball.

~*~*~*~

"You know 'Mione, I think that almost every girl will be wearing a corset." Ginny said as they looked in the windows of Scarlet's Gowns. It was one of five dress shops in Hogsmeade, and all of them seemed to have heard about the Ball and had brought in a load of different gowns in all shapes and sizes. Hermione was glad to see that there were some quite respectable looking dresses that she may actually be able to wear in public and not die of embarrassment due to the very low necklines and revealing styles. Scarlet's Gowns was a shop at the far end of Hogsmeade and was quite hard to find unless you know where it is. Ginny said that her mum took her here a few times because the dresses were all extremely nice and also very cheap. The owner of the store, Scarlet Winters, was an old friend of Molly Weasley, and didn't believe in charging extortionate prices for garments made quickly and easily by magic. Hermione had already decided she liked her even before they got in the shop.

When she pushed open the door a bell sounded somewhere at the back of the shop announcing their entry. Hermione found herself surrounded by the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen, all unique and special. Some simple, some complicated, with beadwork and embroidery. She jumped when she heard a voice directly behind her, and turned around to find Scarlet Winter smiling at them. "Hello Ginny dear! It's been awhile since I last saw you. And who is your friend?" she asked, smiling at Hermione. Scarlet Winter was mid-forties, slim, with shoulder length dark hair in ringlets. She was wearing a deep purple robe, with moons embroidered round the cuffs and hem. "Hello Scarlet!" Ginny said cheerfully. "This is Hermione Granger, she's in the year above me. Have you got any dresses that…" Ginny got no further than that because Scarlet turned and ushered them through to the fitting room at the back of the property. "You are looking for Ball gowns, yes? What theme did you get? Oh, and the colours?" she enquired, looking at Hermione. "I have got the traditional witches dress, and the colours are sky blue and dark blue." Scarlet thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll bring out a selection. Ginny dear, I'll see to you in a minute." She went out of the room and they could hear her rummaging through the racks of dresses. She can back a few minutes later with three dresses. Hermione gasped as Scarlet held up the first one. It had a floor length pale blue skirt that parted at the front to reveal a deep blue underskirt. The bodice of the dress was also pale blue, with the lacing at the front in the same deep blue as the underskirt. It was strapless, with a low (but not too low) neckline that had tiny silver stars embroidered round it. "Oh its beautiful!" Hermione exclaimed. She only quickly glanced at the other two dresses, both of which she did not like nearly so much. Scarlet smiled. "There's a dressing room through there" she said, pointing down a corridor. "Go try it on while I get Ginny sorted out with hers." Hermione went down the corridor and found the dressing room. She went in and tried to work out how exactly you were supposed to put the dress on. She was very glad that she picked a dress that wasn't just a corset, a bodice is a completely different thing she told herself. As she began taking the layers apart to discover how to put it on, she found to her horror that actually the dress did have a corset. She groaned. well at least you'll have something over the top, so its not just a corset! she thought. She found that the dress had three layers; the corset and a net type skirt that made the outer skirt stay wide. Then came the underskirt and after that the bodice and outer skirt. She had got as far as the underskirt when scarlet called to her to ask if she needed any help. "Yes please!" Hermione said, wondering how exactly she was meant to get out of all this.

Hermione emerged from the dressing room a few minutes later to find Scarlet standing in front of Ginny, wand in hand, making adjustments to her dress. "Ginny you look wonderful!" Hermione gasped as her friend turned to face her. She was wearing a beautiful dark green gown with little silver beading on the skirt and the short puffy sleeves. The dress really set off her red hair and brought out the green-blue of her eyes. She squealed when she saw Hermione. "Wow Hermione! That dress really suits you! You look great!" she said, looking her up and down. "Really?" Hermione said doubtfully. "You don't think I look stupid in it?" Ginny replied that she certainly didn't and Scarlet agreed. "You both look wonderful! Hermione dear, I think that waist needs to go in a bit, but other than that it looks super!" she twirled her wand and Hermione felt the dress tighten around her waist.

It took them ten minutes to get out of their dresses and into their normal clothes. When they finally got back to the front of the shop Scarlet had two large bags in her hands. "Here you go dears. And don't worry about the cost Ginny, because I'll sort it out with Molly when I see her next week." Hermione paid for her dress and they took their bags and left just as three giggling fourth year girls came in.

Hermione saw Harry sitting in the common room by the fire working on a wiggling diagram for quidditch practice and went over and sank into the chair beside him, grateful to be able to sit down. Harry grinned at her "Hard day shopping 'Mione? You get what you wanted?" She smiled back at him. "Oh you should see it Harry! Its really beautiful! But I'm just going to look silly in it though." she sighed. Harry reached over and put his hand over hers. "Don't be stupid Hermione. You're going to look great, really." Hermione looked up at him and saw that he was being serious. That made her feel better. And he hadn't taken his hand off hers, which made her feel even better. "Thanks Harry. You're going to look great too." She smiled at him and he grinned back, happy that he managed to cheer her up, he hated seeing her upset. Suddenly Ron appeared and slumped down into a chair, making them both jump. Harry took his hand away quickly, and wondered why he felt so reluctant to do so. Which made him suddenly realise that Hermione was a girl, as well as his best friend. He had no idea what made him think of that but as Ron started a long rant about Malfoy tripping him up, he studied Hermione. She had changed a lot since their first year he realised. He wondered how he had never noticed before how much she had changed. she was no longer the bossy swot with bushy hair that he had known in his first year. Now she had grown up into a young woman. A very good looking young woman he thought, then instantly wondered what part of his brain that thought came from. Stop it! he scolded himself she's your best friend, you shouldn't be thinking these things about her!

"Harry? Hello? Harry? Oi!" Harry jumped as Ron threw a book at him, causing Hermione to frown. "Ron!" she snapped, picking up the book, "You really could have damaged this you know!" Then she added when she saw the look on Harry's face "Oh, and hurt Harry too." she grinned at him and put the book back on the table. "As I was saying Harry, d'you want to go down for food now, I'm starving!" Ron moaned as his stomach rumbled loudly. "Yeah sure, you coming Hermione?" Harry asked as he got up and put away his quidditch diagrams in his bag. "I don't think so, I've got to go put the dress away properly. And anyway, I can't eat anything for the next week or I won't fit into that stupid corset!"