hey there ! i just love reading your thoughts on each chapter. i seriously appreciate every review i get. but i'm done talking now- enjoy chapter four !
*kisses*
lil_irish_girl
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Previously;
Shutting the notebook and putting it back on the pile, Hermione changed into her pajamas and slept pleasantly, her dreams filled with meeting her mystery boy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hermione!" Ginny yelled as she sprinted down the corridors. It was late afternoon the next day, and Ginny had just found the perfect way for Hermione and her mystery lover to meet. If she could only find Hermione…
"Harry! Ron!" she exclaimed, finding the boys sitting underneath a tree next to the lake.
"Ginny!" Ron said, startled.
"What is it?" Harry asked, noticing her lack of breath.
Ginny held up her pointer finger, panting. She stood there for a minute, hunched over slightly, clutching her chest.
"Where's- Hermione?" she managed to sputter.
"I dunno," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.
"We haven't seen her since breakfast," Harry supplied.
Ginny let out a noise of anger.
"But I have to find her!" she said, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Why?" Ron asked.
"I have to talk to her," explained Ginny.
"What is it with girls and talking?" Ron said. "I think you girls talk too much."
"Well, whatever," Ginny dismissed. "I need to find her. Do you guys have any idea as to where she might be?"
"I thought she said something about being in the library most of the day," Harry said.
"The library?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded. "Thanks!" and she was off, running back towards the castle.
"Girls," Ron said with a roll of his eyes, making Harry laugh.
~*~
"Hermione? Hermione?" Ginny whispered shrilly, poking her head into each aisle of books. Reaching the end of the aisles, Ginny turned her head and saw the brunette sitting at a table- nearly up to her neck in books.
"Hermione!" Ginny said a bit louder than intended. Madam Pince stood up, glared at the redhead, and then sat back down.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Ginny said, taking a seat next to Hermione.
"Well I've been here since breakfast," Hermione said, bookmarking her page then devoting her full attention to her friend. "What do you need?"
"I found the perfect way for you to meet your mystery lover," Ginny said excitedly.
"Really?" Hermione asked incredulously, leaning forward in her chair. "How?"
"Well I got out of my meeting around noon," said Ginny. She worked as part of a school committee-after the downfall of Voldemort the school decided they should have a bit more fun, and the committee was in charge of just that. "I've been looking for you for two hours. But anyway, there's something we've been tossing around for a while now. Today we took a vote, and it passed!"
"What passed?" Hermione asked. "What are we going to do?"
"Hogwarts is going to have their first Masquerade Bash!" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Gin, that's brilliant!" Hermione said enthusiastically. "That's the perfect way for me to meet him. I'll disguise myself thoroughly, just in case it doesn't turn out well."
"It's going to be so much fun," Ginny said. "I'm in charge of decorations, so I assure you, the place will look gorgeous."
"It sounds perfect," said Hermione. "I can't believe it. Who proposed that idea?"
"I did," Ginny said proudly, beaming.
"There's only one problem," Hermione murmured.
"What?"
"What's my disguise gonna be?"
~*~
JPH: Do you know what every student at Hogwarts is talking about?
GHJ: No, what?
JPH: That we're going to have a Masquerade Bash next week.
GHJ: We are, hmm? Interesting. That sounds like fun.
JPH: And helpful.
GHJ: Explain…?
JPH: I figured it's the perfect way for us to meet.
GHJ: You're right. It sounds perfect.
JPH: So is it a date?
Hermione smiled; she could sense his nervousness, even though she couldn't see or hear him. Lately the two of them had this connection: they could sense what one was feeling, regardless of if they were talking or not.
GHJ: Of course. It's a date.
JPH: Great! Meet me in the middle of the dance floor at quarter to eleven. I've got to go to Quidditch practice; I'll talk to you later?
GHJ: Quidditch… Gryffindor has the pitch right now. You're a Gryffindor?
JPH: That I am. What house are you?
GHJ: Gryffindor.
JPH: You learn something new every day. Bye for now, milady.
Hermione could practically see him bowing as he said that. Closing her book, she lay down on her bed, a smile on her face.
~*~
"Ginny, I'm not so sure about this."
"What's there to not be sure of?" Ginny asked incredulously. "You look gorgeous!"
Hermione and Ginny had gone off by themselves on their Hogsmeade weekend. Originally they would have gone to Madam Milkin's, but instead they found a little dress shop off in a remote part of the village. After speaking to the kindly woman who owned the shop, the two girls gave her the situation and she immediately threw something together.
With a few flicks of her wand, a dress had come together, and Hermione currently had it on. Madam Greyrose (the owner) was now making small adjustments.
"But it looks so much like a wedding dress," Hermione said, turning her back to the huge mirror; to face Ginny. The dress was made of a pale blue silky material; it would be strapless had it not been for the small sleeves that just covered her shoulders. It didn't really have a neckline, instead it immediately dropped to just above her cleavage. There were beads and sequins along her sleeves and chest, making it sparkle even more.
The dress hugged her every curve right up until just below her stomach. A diagonal line below her stomach started about three layers of a seemingly more silky material, except it had been ruched, keeping to a diagonal pattern. It flowed straight down to the floor.
Ginny gave a dramatic sigh. "So?" she said. "It's absolutely perfect for this! You can't look me in the eye and tell me you don't feel absolutely breathtaking in that dress."
"You're right," Hermione said, turning back to face the mirror. "I feel beautiful. But is it too much?"
"It's a Masquerade Bash," Ginny stated, placing her hands on her hips. She knew she only needed to push Hermione a bit further until she agreed. "You can't go too far into your costume."
"You're right," Hermione said again, sighing quietly. She turned to Madam Greyrose. "Is this going to cost a fortune?" she asked her.
"For you, dear," Madam Greyrose said sweetly. "I'll make a discount. The two of you seem so sweet."
"Oh, no, Madam Greyrose," Hermione said, her eyes widening. "We couldn't possibly buy this dress on a discount. You worked so hard."
"But dear," said Madam Greyrose. "I couldn't possibly be paid a lot for having fun. You two have made my job today so much more enjoyable; it's not every day I get to make a beautiful dress for a beautiful young lady."
Hermione blushed slightly at her praise.
"Thank you so much, Madam Greyrose," Ginny said.
"No trouble at all, girls," said the woman, waving her hand. "If you need anything else, just ask."
"Actually," Hermione said softly. "I'd hate to be a bother-"
"No bother, dear," Madam Greyrose said, smiling. "What do you need?"
"I was just wondering; would it be possible to get a mask that matches this dress?" Hermione asked.
Beaming, Madam Greyrose waved her wand and in her hand appeared the most beautiful mask. Hermione carefully took it from the woman's outstretched hand and put it on. It was pale blue, matching the dress. Hugging her face, it just barely covered her eyebrows, and continued down, stopping at the tip of her nose. The same beads and sequins were used, so its sparkle complimented the dress perfectly.
"Oh, it's perfect," Hermione breathed.
"Do you girls need anything else?" Madam Greyrose asked. "Shoes, maybe?"
"I don't have any shoes to match this dress or this mask," Hermione confessed quietly.
"Neither do I," Ginny said.
"But I do," Madam Greyrose said happily. Going behind her counter, she entered a back room and emerged with a pair of three inch high heels. Slowly, Hermione put them on. They were silver in color, with three thin straps going over her feet in an abstract design.
"They fit me perfectly," Hermione said, amazed.
"I thought they might," the woman said, smiling. "Will that be all?"
"Yes, that's all we need," said Hermione happily. "Thank you so much, Madam Greyrose. For everything."
"It's no trouble at all," Madam Greyrose said. "I was a teenager once; you deserve to have a little fun."
After paying for the dress, the mask, and the shoes the girls walked out of the store with a small bag. They had shrunk all of their purchases so that no one would be suspicious.
Calmly walking back to the castle, they walked into the common room and literally ran into Ron and Harry, who were just walking out.
"Hermione! Ginny!" Harry said, picking himself up off the floor. "We were just going to go out looking for you."
"Yeah," Ron agreed, rubbing his head. He had collided with Ginny. "You two have been gone for at least two hours."
"More like three and a half," Ginny corrected, shaking her hair with her fingers.
"But who's keeping track?" Hermione added, smiling at Ginny.
"Why are you two smiling like that?" Ron asked, looking at both Ginny and Hermione.
"No reason," Ginny said, raising her eyebrows at her brother. "We've got to go put this bag upstairs," she motioned to the bag clutched in Hermione's hand. "We'll see you two later."
As the girls walked up the stairs, Harry could have sworn he heard them giggling.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
kay, so there's we go. and in case anyone who read this couldn't really picture the dress, here's the link for it:
(http://petticoatsandpistols.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/j1168maggie-sattero-wedding-gown-2008.jpg)
keep an eye out for the next update ! (:
