Unofficial Portkey Archive

Life and Times

Rating: R

Ship: HHr (main emphasis)

The (unlovely) procedure: all rights go to JKR for previous plot and characters, Scholastic, Warner, and whoever else has their hands in HP.

Author Note: Well, I've gone over 450 pages according to Word 2007, meaning that this is officially the largest fic I've ever done. To recollect on the process, I think the most annoying or grueling part of writing (in parallel to writing scripts) is finding different words to show scenarios. There's just so many words describing a person walking or talking, for instance, and sometimes I end up choosing something similar that I've done in the past. After 450 pages, can you help that though?

I spent a lot of time on the concert scene. That's another part of not writing scripts (as the final product is based primarily on the director, his cinematographer, and the editing process what with computer nowadays) versus writing fiction that I sometime trudge through. I want to capture something so vivid, and I spend several days trying to unfold what scene in my mind in description and dialogue. Sometimes I like what I wrote, and sometimes I look back and say: If only I could show this via cinematics.

And, the previous chapter had 600+ hits in its first day with only two reviews. So, either I'm writing really well or I'm so terribly bad, it calls for silence (LOL!)

***

Chapter Twenty-Two - Addle

***

Keeping to the back like the other faculty members near the door, the last few stragglers shot in just as the Professor sauntered to the owl-carved podium. In her old age, she was slow-slower than Headmaster Dumbledore when he'd give his updates to the cast of students throughout our years. Just as everyone had thought, the very presence of Harry Potter back within the halls of Hogwarts brought the cheers and chatter to the young ones. An ocean of black, Hogwarts robes falling as one, giant curtain to the floor, eagerly struggled to get a better picture of Harry sitting beside Professor Hooch on the stage. In their seats, they'd wave at him and he'd wave back at them whenever he and Professor Hooch weren't talking.

Professor Hooch had just said something to Harry from the side. Minerva, standing now at the podium, put up her hands. Not that that did anything, Harry overly-exciting just about every pubescent girl into screaming their love for him.

"I LOVE YOU, HARRY!!!"

Minerva put her wand to her throat and shouted, "QUIET!"

I watched Harry laugh at the silent something Professor Hooch said and turned to her, her yellow-ochre, cat-like eyes monitoring the class of students. A wry grin crept on her lips, her eyes bright with anticipation of what was to come. Her gray robes offset the normal, Hogwarts attire Harry had on: a white shirt and black slacks. He wished he could have, like me in the beginning, worn his Gryffindor tie. On the other hand, I started to digress from the "norm" into more of my style, now a sporting red-and-black checkered skirt and a pin-striped shirt. I had my sleeves rolled up, my wrist cuffs, charms, and a black handkerchief covering part of my right arm pushed into my chest as they were folded. My study bag hung with its weight on my right shoulder, and I smiled when Harry grinned from far away. I was trying something new all the time and gave myself black lipstick this morning, and I could feel the paint pull on my lips as they grew in that smile.

My hand furtively waved from its confines along my chest, just coming off my shirt.

The students settled, the Professor's authoritative tone getting to them, especially her stare out into the rambunctious crowd. She cleared her throat and allowed the wand to drop from its height on her wrinkled skin.

"As I'm sure you all know," she started, her aged eyes encircling the thousand bodies sitting and waiting for the "main event". "We have a visitor amongst us this evening. You may have noticed him today on the grounds with Professor Hooch. Rumors have been flying around as to why this young man, a friend to all of us, is here with us. I hope to squash some…not so comforting ones to say that we do indeed have an up-and-coming star in our already fantastic staff of teachers."

The students rose from their seats. Shouting, chanting Harry's name, the thunderous clapping easily made me twinge. But, I smiled. Even when my hands covered my ears, I was overwhelmed by the greeting they so happily gave my would-be-husband. The enchanted candlelight above the tables, having flickered to life as nightfall approached, quivered to the beat of their applause.

"Yes, yes-," Minerva spoke once more. "I'm very happy to introduce, and it is my pleasure to introduce, a man I watched grow up here within these very walls from the little mischievous boy that stepped off the Hogwarts Express nearly a decade and a half ago."

When the Professor gazed around in the direction of Harry, the crowd livened up again. I had to close my eyes. The noise contained between the four walls made it sound ten-times louder. I opened them back when I heard Minerva say, "Harry? Madam Hooch?"

The man of my dreams stood up from the table, and I along with the girls in the room could have all swooned. He looked absolutely handsome. I'd helped him with his hair this morning, putting a bit of paste to soften the slick in the front. I combed the front part up and naturally, his black hair curled at the peak. The candlelight distinguished his subtle tan, making him stand out even more against everyone else's pale tone. He had his sleeves up, like mine, his black, skinny tie swaying by his steps.

Professor Hooch followed right along with him, her features happier than I ever saw them to be. She was always a bit on the…catty-side; but tonight, she had a skip in her walk. When Harry approached, he offered Professor Hooch the stage, but Professor Hooch redirected Harry with a flourish of her hand back to the podium. I grinned at the courtesy Harry still provided to those elders above him. He never did obtain an ego.

"WE LOVE YOU!!!!!" shouted the same groups of girls when Harry held onto the ancient wood of the podium, the candelabra before him and the cheering students wailing for him beyond. He smiled and couldn't look at them right away. When he did, he waved at some of those too-eager, too-loud girls who kept trying to get his attention on the far side of the room. When I glanced over, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised that the majority were from Slytherin mixed with the Ravenclaw House.

"So-" Harry began, but was immediately interrupted by applause.

Professor Hooch stepped in front of him on the side and put her wand to her throat to "Shhhh" them. "Girls…that's enough of that now."

Harry grinned, and I could tell he was blushing from all the attention.

"I really," Harry's voice went over the lingering claps of the few, and then silence of the crowd. "I really would like to thank Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Hooch-"

He motioned over to Professor Hooch who smiled at him.

"-For welcoming me in their ranks. You know," He looked out into the crowd, at the first years to the seventh years. "Every soul in this room has a lot to be thankful for. It didn't really occur to me, until my fifth of sixth year, how much time and effort these teachers put in to help us grow and achieve who we want to be. Being here, I hope to do the same-to reach out and be that person, not just a professor, or pseudo-professor-"

Professor Hooch winked at him when Harry looked back at her.

"-That you all can come to and feel comfortable talking to if you ever need anything. I hope to be here for a while, and I hope I don't muck anything up in the process."

Harry snickered and the Great Hall shook with laughter.

"Before I let Professor Hooch say a few words about my place here, for I'm not taking her place as Flight Teacher-"

A few boos sung out and Professor Hooch scoured the group with squinty eyes.

"-I just would like to add that, in addition to all these wonderfully, tremendously talented teachers and faculty here that helped me get me to where I am today, the beautiful, brown-haired woman in the back of the room wearing the red-and-black checkered skirt-"

Harry pointed at me, and I immediately drew in a breath. The whole room shot around to look at me, including the faculty and tutors surrounding me. I couldn't hide my face, but I didn't-couldn't-look at all those eyes upon me. The room had already grew warmer in temperature; looking into their eyes, the room would have shot up another dozen degrees. I heard a few whistles from the far corners of the room, but my focus became intent on Harry.

"-She is my everything, my support system. With my fiance, Hermione, I really wouldn't be here right now. So, I thank her with all my heart as well."

My eyes flicked from one side of the room to the next when they suddenly applauded. I smiled and waved meekly at them, wanting to be like a snail and hide in my shell at the moment. Maybe hide underneath a table if nobody would see me.

Where's his damn invisibility cloak when I needed it?

"She also got accepted this morning into Oxford University, so give my wife-to-be another round of applause…even though, I think I've scared her half to death," Harry's voice boomed, but wavered when the crowd went into an uproar at his sentiment. Rolling my eyes, mostly out of embarrassment, I was now the one in the spotlight.

Harry winked at me.

I smirked, feeling the subtle dimples rise in my blushing cheeks.

***

I showed up late on purpose.

Well, late as in I was usually the first one anywhere; thoroughly prompt to any event, especially to something like this. I just thought, with Cho and Katie already at Ginny's, she couldn't try anything. Not that I was exceptionally worried… I just didn't want to chance it. While I got dressed, transformed really, I thought I was way overreacting. Tonight would be better. Nothing would happen-or, I wouldn't let anything happen. The wedge between me and Harry evaporated like a single raindrop on a hot, summer's day. The puzzle pieces in our world fit too perfectly to be broken by something as silly and trivial as Ginny's…whatever she had on her mind.

Of course, I was lying to myself all the while. I loved her and Neville too damn much to just let it slide. But, I couldn't keep dwelling on what had happened or I'd give myself a stroke. I really am glad to have someone so sensitive to my needs. Harry could see me begin to worry, even the very beginnings of my neurotic thoughts, and would hug me. He'd tell me everything would be all right and he'd get to the bottom of it. He hinted he had an after-plan if worse came to worse, but decided not to tell me-which was great. I didn't need my already-wound imagination to crank any further into that area I didn't want to go.

"Damn." That's all Harry said when he slipped into the master lavatory upstairs. He clung to the door's frame and his head, his face, came into view within the picture-cluttered mirror I bent towards. Over the counter, I was putting the final touches on my outfit for the concert: a morbid-resembling porcelain doll look-a-like. An extra-feminine creature birthed from mixing Alice in Wonderland with Tim Burton's mind. One of the darker music videos Shade Epsilon had done entitled "Innocence," I glanced at Harry, my eyes having turned white as snow from their original cinnamon color.

"You like it?" My brunette hair gone for the night; vibrant curls of neon pink, ebony, and purest ivory swung from the growing crop of crimson strands. "You don't think I went too far with the potion?"

Harry stepped in and looked, staring at my waist embraced tight by an off-white corset. The black thread pulled and knotted behind me, one could really get a graphic sense of my hourglass shape. He took mental pictures, getting a varied look at my Victorian-styled shorts, knickers, and the ripped fishnet and black hosiery on my legs. I'd splattered what was "blood" from the video with my fingers, splotches in random places along the white fabric of the doll apparel.

My hand, interweaved with black ribbon amongst my fingers, held onto Harry's on my hips. He glanced at me and smirked. I knew he wanted to kiss me, but was afraid he'd mess up the sanguine lipstick I'd so carefully applied in the shape of a heart in the middle of my lips; the two hills of the upper portion on my top lip, the point of the heart on my bottom lip, so when joined they formed the shape. I painted a teardrop in black, my face masked in white, powdered make-up. Epsilon's eyeliner and shadow was made to look as if she cried, so I smudged as much as I could to the areas around my eye with black.

Spikes stuck out from my leather wrist cuffs. I didn't want to stick Harry, but all he did was examine me. I took time out to do all this at least he could answer my question. I squeezed his hands to rouse him from eyeing the new, gothic features.

He smiled at me. "From the bottom of your boots to the rich, warm red of your hair, you look exactly like you wanted." I'd hung a printed picture of Epsilon's outfit with tape on the mirror all the while I set to emulate her look for the night.

"Good, then my job is done." I smirked up at him. He may not have wanted to muddle my acquired look, but I didn't care. I slid my arms around his neck, again, making sure not to knick him with the points of the spikes, and stood on my tip-toes to snatch a quick kiss.

"Just…one, little thing…," He said when I released from our brief caress. I eyed him curiously.

He blinked and gave me another hasty once-around, and then smirked, "…think you could…"

He looked into my eyes, into my white contacts, "…do it all over again some other time? Keep the outfit? Just a suggestion." He winked at me and pulled me, yanked me to him.

I had to step once, and smirked like him when we were hip to hip.

"I think I can manage that…," I bit at my bottom lip and smashed my front into his, squeezing him as he squeezed me.

"Mm…," He smacked my bottom and let me go, slipping away.

I was left watching him move out of the door. I let my weight fall to one side, my hand going to the sink countertop. He moved quickly. I knew he didn't want me to go-and that kept my smirk upon my face.

He flipped around to me before walking out-of-sight and sighed, uttering another grunting "Mm…," before stating, "Do you have to go so soon?"

I tilted my head to the side and laughed, pivoting around to gaze at myself. The next adventure would be Ginny's, and then the concert, Epsilon's Messy Wet Tour. The concert was being held at the Manchester Arena. I was to apparate to Ginny's and we would all Floo to the Floo Depot, and then Floo out to Manchester. So much Floo-but, I trembled with excitement. I really did look good, glancing from the photo of Shade to myself.

I was like her identical twin.

***

"Mi-Mi!!"

Ginny swooped in on me like a hawk. Neville had opened the door when we arrived and hit the doorbell. Neville gave me a hug, and then went to handshake with Harry as I slipped on by them to greet. I could see Katie and Cho, having walked halfway down the hallway, sitting in the den. They were waiting for my arrival, and all looked up in smiles at me. Katie fell over the back of their sofa to wave at me and Cho leapt up to follow suit behind Ginny.

Ginny, the walking billboard, dressed in a bright neon blue and pink leotard. Obviously, the outfit Epsilon wore in her video "Culture," Ginny was very much in the spotlight. From her flaming Weasley-red hair to the extra-strength color on her body, I could pick her out from practically anywhere. On her face were these enormous sunglasses, the trim the same neon blue and pink, one lens each of the color.

Cho, now behind her as she latched onto me and embraced, wore a candy striper ensemble. Her pink-and-white striped top and skirt duo stopped mid-thigh where her exposed white garter and hosiery led from her knee down to white heels. Atop her head, a rosy-pink bow, her hair in pigtails; her outfit trying to catch the Epsilon look in her single, "Candy".

Katie, who I grinned at, was the star for the night. She would be leaving for Quidditch training tomorrow. Weeks ago when she got her letter from the League, we decided to do something special-something other than a dinner or a girl's night. Part of me felt better that we'd done our night this way, what with all of us going to a public soiree. Ginny caught on when I didn't embrace her back as tight, not sure of where we were in our relationship. I did hug her, though; it just wasn't the same. She looked at me when she released for Cho to get in, but sort of shrugged it off to allow Katie on through.

Katie's lacey dress, the rough texture rubbed against the bare parts of my skin. Thin, with a corset on like myself but black with white trim, the majestic garb came down to her hips where a poof of the dress splayed outward; the same white in ribbon-form cascading down from her middle. Katie the Queen, a look-a-like from the song "Alice," transparent fabric clung to her arms to her white lacey gloves. Her hair in curls draped down her back.

I hugged her tight and asked with a laugh, "How are you expecting to move in that tonight?"

"Slowly," she grinned and me and tightened in another hug.

Harry hung back with Neville of course. They were going to do "guy things," whatever that entailed, at Number Twelve. Skirt-chasing? Belching? Looking at nudie magazines? Not that Harry did any of these things; it was just his underlining meaning, our secret code. He was going to casually speak with Neville-be nosey, like me for a change. Let me off the hook for the night, thank goodness. They were probably just going to drink butterbeer and watch a movie. My only rule for tonight was to have fun with Katie…as much as Ginny kept giving me shifty glances from the corner of her eyes.

"You really do look beautiful, `Mione," Ginny told me as we ran to get in line for autographs before the concert. Numerous people already forming the line, we got somewhere in what we thought was the middle until we realized with time passing that soon we were up front.

"Thanks," I gave Ginny a quick smile, but turned the conversation to Katie who continued to peek above the heads at the curtain Shade would be coming out of to sit at the table to begin the signing.

"So, how long will you be AWAL from us?" I used military terminology because Katie made it out like she was going to boot camp.

Katie smirked at me and stated, "Four months, give or take. They're starting me with the Flying exercises for a few weeks and that'll be boring as Hell… You'd think when they scouted me they had enough footage of me on a broom to know how fast I can fly."

"How fast can you fly?" piped in Cho, looking over my shoulder. She and Ginny were behind me and Katie, talking about the other people dressed in various Epsilon-inspired attires.

"I can fly the length of an average Quidditch pitch in about ten seconds. That is, if it's not raining or the weather isn't cooperating. My fastest was clocked at a little over seven seconds going from one end to the other."

"Wow," I was taken back. That was pretty fast.

She smiled at all of us, how our mouths hung open, "Of course, it helps when they give you the most updated broom. Our stuff isn't even on the market-top secret!"

"Kate-don't become a Quidditch player. Become one of those spies for the Ministry," Ginny made us all laugh. We were in a large open area of the arena, just outside of where we were to go in to find a place to watch. The crowd around us began getting antsy. They began chanting, "Ep-sil-on! Ep-sil-on!"

"We can never get any information out of you to save our lives!" Ginny had to get close to us, our heads huddled together, for any of us to hear her. She then shouted and pointed behind us, "Hey! Isn't that Rosmerta?! She's looking good for her age!"

Sure enough, clad in a canary-yellow spandex suit with black skulls, the owner of the Three Broomsticks chatted happily away with a group surrounding her. I guessed they were from work, or friends, as none of them gave much of any other vibe. A scene like this as I glanced around at the other concert-goers, younger and older, some Muggles while others I'd seen from strolling the streets of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. I hoped for this in the future, for any music of mine which could branch out and reach this array of demographic. I never wanted to be "popular," but with music, I'd always hoped that there would come a day when people could see me, approach me and say, "Hey, that song of yours really touched me this way."

Not to mention, bringing the best and creative parts of us out. Not one face resembled sadness, especially when I caught the curtains flowing aimlessly and the crowd coming to a cheer. The media swarmed the area before us. I stood on my tippy-toes, like the rest of the group, and could just see something-people-coming out of those curtains. Then, all at once, the barraging cameras and questioning journalists broke by the muscularly large arms of two men in suits. I guessed they were her bodyguards, Shade Epsilon breeching from the shell of shutterbug bodies.

Whistles, claps, hollering from all around, when Epsilon approached the table she stood there a moment and waved at all of us in welcome. She gave us a kiss, her black latex, fingerless glove going to her mouth. One of the two men pulled out her chair and she shifted in to sit down, pulling away a glittering diamond band across her eyes. Platinum blonde hair, super-straight, fell far down her back and mismatched against a black latex bodysuit covering all the way to her feet where black stiletto heels poked out. Shoulderless and sleeveless on her left side, her bronzed, tanned skin showed to the fingerless glove. A Chinese symbol tattooed on her back. Her right side was clad in that black latex, an oversized, gaudy diamond perched on her shoulder.

One after the other, she took care of her fans when they came to her table. I watched them chatter small talk, or at least see Epsilon smile, her severely pink lips curling into a smirk and her head nod when she was asked something by one of her adoring fans. Some guy actually whipped up his shirt. Her two guards, who tried to keep at bay the photographers who continued to try and swarm Shade and her fans, nearly rocketed to take down the guy. I laughed when Epsilon shooed them away and stood up, leaning over the table to sign the guy's chest with her white marker.

"No one's asked her for a photograph…," I glanced around at Ginny who had spoke up, her hands fighting inside the sleeve of her suit for something. "I'm going to ask her for a picture!"

"What are you doing?" I asked, seeing her really struggle to free something from her tight sleeve.

Only when she sighed and the black "something" fall out did I see it was her cellular phone. "Eureka!" The leotard snapped back to her wrist. She looked at me beneath her sunglasses, covering much of her face. Her golden brown eyes set on me for a second, but she left me with haste.

We were almost next, the presence of the singer looming closer-only six people ahead of us. I dropped my hand into my pocket and plucked out my own phone, the one I carried around in case Harry called me, or some other emergency.

"Is there any way you guys can send me and Katie one, too?" Cho peered between our phones. "I need to get me one of those. Not much use while pushing papers for the Ministry…"

"Sure-yeah," Ginny flipped hers open and then closed it. "I think the phone has to be hooked up to one of those computers or something, but Neville's good with that stuff."

She shrugged, "I'll ask him when I get home."

Well, at least I know now they're still talking…

Parts of me wanted to investigate further, but I took a deep breath and allowed Harry entrance into my mind. He told me to let it go… Let him handle it. I let the breath escape from me and smiled, turning to see only a group of three girls in front of us, then…our turn!

The international sensation had an incredibly high stack, two feet worth of posters to her right. She pulled one for each of those three girls and asked for their names, where they were from. Even just talking, she made the girls go crazy with squeals and giddy giggles. I had a hard time containing myself, too. I hoped I didn't make a complete fool of myself. I remembered the days of Gilderoy Lockhart, how dreamily I thought of him, a fan of his "works"-how I'd asked him dumbfounded for an autograph… One of the girl's in the group asked for a hug, and Epsilon nodded her head and got up to give them each an individual hug. Her bodyguards kept watch for anything crafty, but the three girls were so involved in jumping that the thought of pulling something shouldn't have even crossed their minds. Screaming in giggles, they hopped away like bunnies with their personally signed Shade Epsilon Messy Wet Tour posters.

"Next!" yelled the bodyguard to her right.

Epsilon rolled her sparkling blue eyes hidden behind thickly black eyelashes. "Don't mind him," she said on the sly. "He's having an off day because one of the pap's stepped on his new shoes."

Epsilon smiled up at us, her extremely white teeth dazzling against her tan. "Hey guys-," she spoke when we just sort of stood there, stunned. My heart was beating fast, and I knew if I talked, I'd become my worst nightmare-that giggly little girl. "Love the outfits."

"You're prettier in person!" exclaimed Ginny, pushing her way in-between Katie and I. "I absolutely love your song, `Culture'!"

"As I can tell," Epsilon's smile curled as she reached for the stack of posters to pull out four. "So, what are your names?"

Epsilon glanced at Katie first and pointed with her white marker, "'Alice' first."

"Katie Bell!" shouted a surprised Katie. She was planted like me, and when she opened her mouth, she yelled. Her hands immediately went to her mouth. She muffled, "Sorry…"

Epsilon laughed, "It's all right. I remember those days, too." She turned her eyes to me. "What about our `Innocent doll'? I think I know you already, though."

"You do?" I asked, cocking a brow. I shook my head and smiled, flush coming to my white-powder face. "I mean, it's Hermione."

Epsilon's smile grew wider, "I thought so." She winked at me and said, "I think I should be asking for your autograph."

I smirked, and couldn't cease it. Embarrassed, I shook my head.

"She's just humble," Ginny stuck out her hand and Epsilon shook it. "I'm Ginevra-Ginny. Weasley."

She pointed her marker at Ginny, "I've seen you around, too." She smiled at Gin, her straight bangs parallel with her lips. "I've got quite the famous duo coming to see my concert. Have you guys been fans long?"

"Long-long!" said Gin, ecstatically nodding, her red hair shaking around awkwardly. Part of it hit my face.

"Since you started, really," I replied, nodding too while fighting with Ginny's out-of control hair.

"It's gratifying to know female heroes like you guys have been fans of my music for so long," Epsilon peeked around at Cho and smiled at her. Cho waved from my left apprehensively. "I haven't forgotten about you, sweetheart. I see you there-what's your name?"

"Cho Chang," said Cho promptly in response. She grinned at Epsilon. I put my arm around Cho when she began retreating from us and the spotlight suddenly put on her.

"Well, Miss Chang-" started Epsilon, placing the marker on the photograph of herself, dressed in black-and-white striped prison garb. She was holding up a plaque that said, 0249, Paparazzi. "You're up first! How would you like for me to sign?"

She winked at Cho and Cho blushed.

"Just, `To a loyal fan'. That's all. I'm easy to please."

Epsilon nodded and began writing in white ink across the mostly black poster, beneath the pink-painted lettering of Messy Wet Tour and beside her mug-shot. She blew the ink when she was done and carefully handed the poster to Cho, "There you go, love."

I could tell Cho wanted to jump out of her socks the moment Epsilon gave her that piece of musical history.

"Katie here is leaving for Quidditch League training tomorrow," announced Ginny, putting her hands on either side of Katie's shoulders. She shook her, Katie's face turning red. Because Epsilon came from that world, she very much knew what Ginny spoke about. America had their Quidditch team after all.

"Wow-that's really cool. K-A-T-E-Y?" Epsilon began on another poster in her own form of girlish cursive. She looked up at Katie and asked, too, "What about you, sweetie?" before asking the question, "And where are you going to be playing?"

"K-A-T-I-E, and surprise me?" Katie laughed and Epsilon resumed her smile, writing: Katie - With Lots of Love ~ Shade Epsilon. "And, I've joined the British Quidditch Team. Flying lessons tomorrow, and then who knows for the future. I hope I get drafted."

Shade handed Katie her signed poster, "Well, I hope to see you at the World Cup in four years, Katie. Maybe I'll be singing at that one, too!"

"As for you two…," she pointed at both me and Gin with the end of her white marker. "I don't think I can say enough with this little ol' pen. But, I'll try."

I shrugged with a grin, "It was nothing, really."

"Nothing my ass," chuckled Shade from behind the table. She turned to Ginny and asked sweetly, "How do you spell `Ginevra'? With an `e' or an `i'?"

"G-I-N-E-V-R-A." Ginny sighed. "I blame my mother for such a hideously abnormal name. I should have been named something simple, like `Heather'."

I rolled my eyes. Ginny was who she was because of her name-she stood out, original, from those "normal names".

I was glad Epsilon reaffirmed my inclination when she said in response, "But, it's so refreshing to write something other than `Mary' or `Karen'. Think of it as a blessing in disguise. I caught a lot of flack when I was younger, being named `Shade'; but, now look at where I am."

Shade wrote after spelling "Ginevra":

With this, I am more than glad you were put here on earth. I can't thank you enough, your fan ~ Shade Epsilon

She handed the poster to Ginny and Ginny nearly doubled over. She said, "Thank you!" once and then said it again a thousand times over.

"And, for Miss…or should I say, Misses?" Shade winked at me. She must read the Prophet because they were all over me and Harry daily, our whereabouts and what we were up to, especially after reporting Harry's proposal a few months back. I felt of my engagement ring with my thumb and smiled at Shade. She started working, writing in her cursive my message in shimmering, white ink:

You're my inspiration! I really can't thank you enough for everything you did to save that portion of our lives. You're truly an inspiration to all women. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise ~ Shade Epsilon

She handed me the poster and winked, "There you are, hun."

My heart skipped a beat, and all I could do was smile at Epsilon's grinning face.

"Can we get a picture with you, Shade?!" Ginny broke in, showing Epsilon her cell phone.

"Sure! Anything for my fans!" She started up, standing, but nodded to the people behind us. I gazed backward to see a few with their hands on their hips, impatiently waiting. "But, it'll have to be quick."

The cameras from the media photographers flashed simultaneously. I'm sure they heard my name, the wizarding ones, when I said it and were ready to catch me alongside Epsilon: tomorrow's headline picture, no doubt. Shade took Gin's, and then my phone, and set it up so we got all five of us huddled together-with her in the middle. I stood, leaned into the frame on Shade's left side. Ginny stood on her right, mimicking me into the frame. Cho kept to my left and Katie on Gin's right. We all smiled, Shade saying above the chattering crowd:

"Say, `Messy Wet'!"

"Messy Wet!" we all said, laughing, together.

A white flash overtook my atmosphere, time captured in the bytes of my phone's camera.

I couldn't wait to show Harry how I got up-close-and-personal with the charmingly thoughtful, Shade Epsilon.

That is, if I remembered before he got a hold of the Prophet tomorrow morning.

***

Well, I accomplished something.

Throughout the night we all but separated, me and Katie doing our thing while Ginny and Cho were beside us, but doing their thing. The scene reminded me of those immature, labeled cliques in Hogwarts. I was… Well, I wasn't giving her the attention I usually gave her. Did I have a choice? I mean, things were different, and I wasn't about to give her any lead on one way or the other. I wanted to show her how I felt without telling her-I couldn't hurt her. I loved her too much, and besides damn it! They're getting married! Why the Hell did she have to do what she did, anyway? Everything was going so…smoothly… Ride off in the sunset with her Prince Valiant and me with my Prince Charming.

Manchester Arena was void of seats. The chairs I suspected would have been there were gone. One huge combination of bodies, the entire amphitheatre was hot. With each soul, especially all packed, I sweated-we all sweated. So much for my face paint and make-up, if I could see myself I knew the white was drizzling away. The black around my eyes clouded my vision at one point and I had to smear it away. The pyrotechnics didn't help, either. With flames and lights going off everywhere, the heat rose from ninety-eight degrees. The concert-goers leapt in synchronization with the beats, the hidden speakers throbbing the heavy base. The cement underneath my feet shook from the sweltering, loud music.

Strobe-lights continued into the last song of the night. I could briefly see Ginny and Cho together, grinding to the rhythm, Shade with four shirtless men with black bowties back-up dancing to her performance. Katie was close by, enough for us to bump, my arms in the air as I would leap with the rest of the crowd when the base would thump in coordination with the fast-paced melody. Multi-colored, flashes of light hit the entire crowd. I glanced at Ginny, her hair dripping from perspiration, Cho's getting there too. Katie put her arm around my waist loosely when we all jumped again. I still couldn't believe she could move in that Victorian gear, but she proved me wrong when her body twisted right alongside my more flexible attire.

Ginny paid no attention to me. The more I would look, the more I began to think she was doing this on purpose. One time she caught my eyes, but she diverted away with a swish of her hair, moving back in with Cho. I shook my head, making it look like I was doing it to the song, but in reality I did because I was irritated.

Fine-she wants to act like that, suit herself!

I fell back along with Katie, an explosion happening over our head. An orange hue came over the people, including me through the white-to-black strobe. Gasping with the rest, I glanced to see holograms appear behind and around Shade and her dancers. I couldn't tell if they were from magic or not, the personas coming from thin air looking too real for either. From the first explosion came similar, smaller ones above our heads. Colored in various saturations, the explosions of fire produced blues, and greens, and violets unlike normal fiery explosions.

Words, bolded and in glittering gold, formed from these explosions. Small, fragments of sentences spread and encircled us. Things like "The New It Girl!", "Want Me Now!", and "You Can't Have Me!" shot around us like comets. The gold lingered in the air behind a tail, the remains of the gold washing down into rain, getting us soaked amongst our already sweaty skin. Looking between me and Katie, we both laughed and continued swaying, whirling to the rippling quake that was both Shade's booming lyric and techno-electronic sounds.

Epsilon, having changed a dozen and more times between songs, now choreographed with her shirtless men, the feminine holograms, in a striking neon yellow and black-striped latex bodysuit. In the stroking white light, the yellow would glow, words like "Hot," "Messy," "Taste," and "Sweat" appearing where the black lines were on her form.

I sung, hearing Katie nearby, and Ginny and Cho not far away with the people around, Shade's belting lyrics after the men boomed a countdown, "ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!"

"I'm your biggest fan! I'll follow you until you love me! Papa-Paparazzi!" I turned to see a few guys singing along and I smirked at them, facing away to observe Katie-and then Katie's hip when she hit mine. "Baby, there's no other superstar! You know that I'll be! You're Papa-Paparazzi!"

Katie and I faced each other and screamed into the roaring, swinging crowd, "Promise, I'll be kind! But, I won't stop until that boy is mine!"

Shade rigidly moved as if she were being slapped around. Her body went at angles from her torso upward with each quick, hasty movement amongst strong, hard beats. She acted like a robot. A face-Shade's evil, grinning face-blinking to life above the stage. She winked at all of us and when opening her mouth, suds spewed forth. Her face transformed into a camera, the lens now expelling the deluge as it flashed its own strobe-light on us. The front rows got the soap first, the suds spilling like a wave and hitting us in the middle of the pack, going toward the back afterward. Soap or not, the texture was slippery, but thankfully it neither stung when it hit my eyes and when it seeped from a crack between my lips, the substance tasted sugary sweet.

Now sticky, wet, sweaty-I just looked over at Katie who rolled into hysterics. I followed behind her in giggles, wiping the foaming candy off my face, parts of my hair standing on end from the slight force of the wave.

Suddenly, the lights all went out after followed her lyric, "Baby, you'll be famous! Chase you down until you love me!"

She screamed, a blood-curdling scream, the words, "Papa-PAPARAZZI!" when the lights ceased into darkness.

If the strobe couldn't get any quicker, it did. I had to close my eyes at first, but soon they adjusted to the rapid succession. On stage a swarm of paparazzi, camera and people everywhere. In the middle, bound in chains in about the areas of the black stripes held taut Shade Epsilon to her spot. Where yellow had laid wrapped police caution-tape expressing the words, "Do Not Enter!" Risque, the caution-tape almost didn't hold to her privates' well enough when she moved. Some people screamed out, and even I was startled for a split-second thinking she might be in danger until she started her following lyric.

Her hair turned dark, black, pulled high into the air and into a Mohawk-like figuration. The stiffened top of her head didn't react to her pull as she struggled to unbind from the chains keeping her still. "Real good! We're dancin' in the studio! Snap!" Her head flicked to the left, and then to the right, the cameras around her on stage striking her, the bulbs going off without pattern. "Snap! To that shit on the radio!"

Robotic, a manly roar of "SHADE EPSILON!" rang out.

"Don't stop for anyone! We're plastic!" Her hair-tingling scream shook the Arena. "But we STILL HAVE FUN!"

She fell to the stage, the media swooping in, encroaching onto the chains that bound her. When she glanced up at her fans, the tens of thousands around her, we all heaved, my breath drawing in when I saw Shade-with each succession of a camera flash-cause blood to erupt from parts of her body starting from beneath the metal, burdened chain links.

Male voices broke her trembling voice from nowhere and everywhere, "ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!"

"I'm your biggest fan! I'll follow you until you love me! Papa-Paparazzi!" Shade cried out, her voice gurgling and in strain as she crawled toward us, toward the end of the stage. Some people around me, really in-tune with her performance, literally broke down in tears. The paparazzi around Epsilon hounded her, following her struggling crawl, blood spewing in streams. "Baby, there's no other superstar! You know that I'll be! Your! Papa-Paparazzi!"

The media gripped onto the chains that bound her and pulled her back, staining her body with her own blood. She went to crawl away but slipped in her pool of sanguine color, her hand dripping with the darkened hue when she reached out to her audience, "Promise! I'll be kind! But, I won't stop until that girl is mine!"

From somewhere, a sinister laugh rang out which sounded like it came from over our heads.

"Baby, you'll be famous! Chase you down until you love me!" We heard her cough, and then standing on her knees, the chains tightening around her, she coughed up the same sanguine color. Her blood dripped off her chin, the media streaming those lens flashes, capturing every moment of her fight-her death.

"Papa-PAPARAZZI!"

Like fireworks, the lights went out after her last, abrupt word and those colorful explosions re-appeared. Blue smoke released more words, two gold sentences which rained down more water upon us. They read, blinking through the rain to read them:

"Love me!"

The other read.

"Hate me!"

Between them appeared two eyes, Shade's eyes, peering down at us. She winked, and Manchester Arena shook with applause. My hair matted down, my clothes officially clinging, stuck to my body, I glanced over at Katie when the lights came back on-Shade having vanished. Looking up at the golden rain, she peeked to her left at me and grinned. She hugged me tight and I hugged her, too.

This was the end. After this, she was leaving us. I tightened my embrace of Katie and looked over at Cho and Ginny. Cho immediately ran up and hugged Katie from behind. Ginny, however, stayed put. Her eyes went away from mine, and she crossed her arms, glancing away from our touching moment.

***

"…I don't know why you guys didn't want to go home and just come back here. Cho, you even said the shoulder strap was chafing you!" I stumbled into Number Twelve, the hallway and beyond into total darkness.

"Because we wanted to bug you, silly. We'll apparate later," Cho replied.

Someone shut the door and the flat succumbed to darkness.

"Didn't you say Harry and Neville would be here?" Katie was right behind me, her hand clutching my corset as I led them further into the apartment.

"He…was," I knew where I was going, having done this several times before. My hand traced the wall and slowly I felt the wall end and an edge of a frame begin. This was the kitchen, and just inside the kitchen was the light switch. "I guess they went out."

"Did anyone bring their wand? Whatever happened to Lumos?" I heard Ginny, and then I heard her knock over the umbrella stand. "Ack! Sorry…"

I fingered for the switch, and when I found it I flicked it on. The lights in the kitchen buzzed, the fluorescence coming to life. "There," I said when we could all see. I stepped around, my shoes sloshing from the leftover essence of rainwater, when I saw in front of me numerous pairs of eyes.

In the den, a scroll fit to the wall. When I glanced to catch the object, it unrolled to reveal:

Congratulations, Hermione! Best of luck at Oxford!

I gasped.

Inside the den, those sets of eyes-my friends, Harry included-all began to clap. Beside me, Katie started, and then Cho and Ginny followed her.

"Congratulations, Love!" shouted Harry enthusiastically. My hand, which covered my mouth, now held onto my chest. I let out a tiny giggle and drew in a breath.

"Congratulations!" shouted the rest of our crew. Tables between us four and them were set with food and beverage, obviously a set up for a party. Neville stood alongside Harry. Dean and Oliver were on our sofa with Luna standing on her knees to get a better look at my reaction after their surprise.

I quickly turned to see the three girls, their hair matted to their faces, split-ends and dry, make-up in disarray. If everyone wasn't aware of where we were they'd probably think we had one rough night out. "You guys were in on all of this!?"

"So much for our know-it-all," briskly announced Ginny. "Can't get anything by you, can we?" I saw her try and smile, but it falter when she came around to lightly hug me. She broke away and stepped on down into the den, heading towards Neville.

Katie and Cho hugged me tight and said in unison, "Congrats!"

Katie came back to hug me again. "You're going to go far, I can feel it."

"Your name should be beside mine up there with the congratulations, Kate," I said, hugging too.

When she let me loose, I noticed the train of people coming at me with Harry the engine, right in front.

"Just so you know," I paused to smirk. "I'm still a little wet."

They all laughed at the painfully obvious conclusion of my severely drenched state.

"That's never stopped me before. Come here, you!" Harry smiled and lifted me up, embracing me tight with a swirl. I gave him a kiss when he set me back down. "Congrats again, baby."

"You…," I pointed at him when he stepped away to let Neville in to hug me. "You're so going to get it tonight!"

"Uh oh… Should we go?" Neville smirked and laughed through his nose. He looked between me and Harry, and then gave me a tight, friendly hug. "Congratulations, `Mione."

"Thank you, Neville," I said with a smile, my arms around his neck.

"Let us in there!" Dean and Oliver both grasped me in one, large group hug, pushing Neville to move. They all laughed. I patted both their backs.

"Does this mean we get a free copy of your CD when it comes out? Maybe some free concert tickets?" Oliver was in all smiles, digging his hands in his pockets to ask me the question.

"Nah-it means you'll have to pay double!" Dean punched Oliver's arm, and I raised a brow. They went off to wrestle, and I stood there, chuckling at their roughhousing.

I didn't even see Luna until I felt her warm, light embrace. She wore this white, draping with transparent cloth little number, making her ethereal-like a ghost. Butterbeer bottle caps for earrings with striking, bright orange lipstick, she lowered to my ear and whispered, "You smell like marmalade and schnoozleberries…"

"Um…," All I could do was smile. "Thanks, Luna."

"Okay," Katie was pulling at her stuck-to-her-skin dress. When she let it go, it snapped back with a wet splat. "So, now I'm apparating back home and changing."

"Same here," Cho nodded in agreement.

Cho started down the hallway with Katie, but Katie turned to me and the rest, her hand on the ledge leading to the hallway. "You're such a ditz…"

I stuck my tongue out at her, making her and Cho giggle all the way out the door. I looked for Ginny and saw her picking at the finger foods from the table, placing them in a napkin. I shrugged and looked around to those who were still watching me, Dean and Oliver wrestling off in the corner oblivious.

"Not to be a horrible hostess for my own party…," I tugged on the bottom rim of my corset to squeeze out a bit of water. "But, as you can see…"

"Go get changed," Harry addressed me. He'd been on my left through all the brouhaha and congratulatory greetings of our friends. "We'll be down here waiting with baited breath."

I rolled my eyes with a smirk and lifted to my toes as I began to step towards the staircase, giving a wave to the bunch who observed me, "I'll be right back down in a second."

"We'll be counting!" Neville voice called out after me. "One! Nope! Too late! Come back down!"

I heard Harry's snicker as I raced up the stairs to our bedroom.

I put on something simple, something fast with room. Being tied down with the corset, I needed room. I slipped into a knitted, gray shirt with black hearts embroidered arbitrarily in the cotton. The loosened shirt collar fell farther down my chest than I wanted it for the piece had been worn in several times before. One bit of clothing I'd had for a while. I had to put on a black tank top underneath, sliding into a pair of black, ripped-up jeans and my Converse shoes. I shook my hair around, trying to make it fuller with my fingers from the too-flattened, dampened mass it was left in from the concert. The potion was losing its effect, the tips of my hair now all that was left of the reds, whites, and blacks.

When I came back down, I headed for the den where I saw everyone mingling. But, before I could drop off the last stair, a hand shot out and took me by the arm. Harry led me into the kitchen, intertwining his fingers within my own, holding my hand. He brought me up against the wall just inside the kitchen and lay me back against it, snatching a quick kiss from my lips and asking, "You seemed pleasantly surprised."

"I am-it's wonderful, love," I kissed him, hovering my lips beside his when I released only to kiss him again. "I couldn't ask for anything more."

Harry left my hand to grip my middle, sliding his hands down to my hips. He watched his hands, snickering when my tummy retracted at the slight tickle, and how I fidgeted by that tickle. "I," he smiled at me, gazing into my eyes. "Couldn't ask for anything more."

When he leaned into me, I fell backward. The back of my head propped against the wall and he kissed me hard. Removing his lips, he nudged my nose with his and said in a breath, a smile, "How was the concert? Wet?"

I chuckled, "Just a little bit…and, it was brilliant. I loved it. I want to go again."

He kissed my lips briefly when I paused, to say when he released, "…What about…you know? You didn't just all out and ask him, did you?"

Harry shook his head, "He's very excited, too excited about their next step in life. He showed me the ring-and it's extremely expensive, a huge rock on this gold band, something Gin will absolutely love."

I laughed and smirked, "She does like her diamonds… How much did she fuss about the engagement ring you gave me?"

Harry nodded and kissed me, "He's trying to please her… What about…?"

I shook my head, "Actually…she's been giving me the cold shoulder. She spent practically the entire night with Cho, so I don't know…"

"Remember that `plan' I fleetingly talked about?"

I sighed, my focus going from his mouth to his eyes, "Another surprise?"

Harry laughed at my annoyed tone, "…We're going to get away, leave all this, just the two of us for a week."

"But, their wedding, Harry?"

"We'll be back in time. I've already discussed it with Neville because Ginny's, you know, wanting you there for everything, every little detail," I went to say something, but Harry stopped me when he added. "She'll be fine. We'll be back, trust me. I think we-you-deserve to get away. Besides…"

He stepped up to me until the toes of our shoes touched each other. He kissed me before continuing the sentence he broke off. I studied the mouth he so lovingly used to caress me. "…I'm thinking this could be like…our pre-Honeymoon."

"Pre-pre-pre-pre-Honeymoon," I giggled and pulled him down to me by the front of his shirt. I kissed him in a smile.

"A trip into solitude…alone…," he kissed me, and I trapped his bottom lip between mine when he pulled away. I let his lip snap back into place and laughed when he squeezed my hips. "…with lots of…"

He glanced away from my eyes, and then intently stared into them when he came back to me, "…alone-ness."

I tilted my head to the side and laughed, only to find him and his lips again when I came back straight.

"All right… I'm going to talk to Professor Hooch to see if I can get off next week. Do you think you can?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I think so. I'll ask Josephine, too, seeing how I took some of her work load when she got ill last month."

"Okay-it's a date, then," Harry smiled and stepped to my side. "I've kept you from your party. The people out there want to see you after all-they're probably wondering where you are, taking you secretly from them like this."

"Mm…," I quickly kissed him as I turned and began to walk from the kitchen. A sharp, sudden wince of pain happened when Harry swatted my bottom. I gasped and swished around to see Harry come up behind me and wrap his arms around me. I grinned and let him walk me from behind, moving from the kitchen and nearly smacking into Neville coming in.

"Hey, you two!" Neville backed up when Harry and I almost tripped over into him. He looked around me at Harry, "I should have known you'd steal her away."

"Yeah, well-" Harry laughed through his nose and kissed the top of my head. "What do you expect, eh?"

Neville nodded, "Yeah, nothing surprising. Ha-but, anyway-"

He shook his head and pointed over to where the hallway began with his thumb, "Gin's not feeling well-"

Glancing over at the beginning of the hallway, I saw Ginny turn away and leave from my sight. Her shoulders slumped. Her skin tone had turned pale.

"And, before you guys go into Savior-mode!" Neville put his hands up, knowing first how I'd react, and then Harry to our best friends. "I've got her. Don't worry-go, do your thing, have fun. You guys deserve it."

I looked back at the entrance to the hallway, the spot empty where Ginny had been.

"All right, mate," I heard Harry speak, and then felt him as he shook hands with Neville. "Keep Hermione and I in touch if anything goes down. You know our number."

"Right, right-" Neville nodded his head and put his hands in his pockets. "She's just tired. No big deal."

"Congratulations, again, Hermione." Neville added, walking away from us.

"Hey!" I called out after him. Neville hadn't made it but three steps when he pivoted around. I sighed, "Don't I get another hug before you leave?"

He grinned. Harry let me go so I could embrace Neville when he came around me, wrapping his arms loosely. "We love you two, Neville." I whispered into his ear.

"Thank you, `Mione," Neville said, and then ended saying, "Harry."

"Go tend to your girl," Harry's palm and Neville's palm slapped together as they shook each other once again. "Don't keep us in the dark."

"Thanks guys," he slipped away and rounded the bend, following the hallway and out of our sight. He gave us a wave before disappearing.

I glanced back around at Harry and he immediately re-wrapped his arms around me. "Come on," he said, ushering me on with a bob of his head to the chattering friends within the warmth of the hearth inside the den. "They'll be okay."

"Yeah," I blinked and twisted my head to look back at the hallway. "Yeah… They'll be okay."

{Inspirations for the Chapter: Sticking with the whole "different" concept, I thought about some of the same things I thought of back when I wrote "Hermione"-something girly, something popular, and also something with an Avant Garde feel. So, I chose Lady Gaga, inspired by her "Paparazzi" song as it fit so well with what I'm discussing presently. I think she'd enjoy the concert I portrayed; something she'd do. I'd laugh if she read HP fiction - lol

Also, I've seen people post links to images before, but I'm not entirely sure of the protocol so if I'm going against some rule I haven't read on here tell me. I don't think it's a problem. But, to give an extra layer to the atmosphere, I was inspired by the Victoriandustrial singer, Emilie Autumn, and this was in mind for the outfit Hermione wore to the Epsilon concert:

http://www.alternativmusik.de/images/emilie.jpg }

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