Almost ll 𝚂𝚂/𝙷𝙶 [οиgοιиg]

October

.

The Prefects gathered in the staff room on a snowy October night. Dumbledore sat in front of them. Hermione looked at him with a broken heart; her headmaster was hunched over. The curse was spreading through his body unimpeded.

But that didn't stop him from smiling. "We are going to have a Hallowe'en dance," Dumbledore said excitedly. "For the next week, all of us will meet in here to discuss the dance preparations and organize our first Hogsmeade trip so that the students can buy costumes. It's a masquerade!"

Best friends Madam Hooch and Professor Sprout began tittering in the corner. Severus rolled his eyes. He didn't even have to look behind him to know that Trelawney and Roberts were both eyeing him like a piece of meat.

Hermione resisted the urge to squirm in her chair, since she was in the front row facing the teachers. Professor Estrella was slowly eyeing her up. Ginny had assured her that the Secretary Charm would keep her skirt down no matter how short, but Hermione had lately started wearing mini-shorts under her skirt because of the DA practices.

Thank Circe! she said to herself. Estrella's eyes were raking down her legs for the third time. Suddenly she realized that Anthony was leering at her too. Since Severus had mentioned it, she had noticed that Anthony liked to hit on her—a lot. Inwardly Hermione cringed. What if Anthony asks me to the Masquerade?

Dumbledore brought the meeting to a close. Hermione immediately jumped to Severus's side. She stood between him and Minerva to protect herself from both Anthony and Estrella.

Anthony pouted and left the staff room alone. Estrella flirted with Professor Sinistra since he couldn't get to Hermione.

The next day, the school was abuzz with the news. Everyone was invited to the Masquerade and Dumbledore had encouraged his students to buy costumes. He wanted to see his students have fun before he died—and before the war took a hold of them all.

Neville, Ron, and Harry sat whispering furiously at the Gryffindor table during Friday's dinner.

When Hermione sat down across from them, they all turned to her. "Thank God!" Harry said.

"What?" Hermione asked, bewildered by their reaction to her arrival.

"I need some advice," Harry began nervously. He started to flatten down his hair, much like his father James did whenever Lily Evans was near. "There's this whole dance thing coming up…"

"I'm quite aware of that, Harry, I'm planning it," Hermione joked as she piled food on her plate.

"Yeah and I kinda want to ask someone…" Green eyes darted nervously around the Great Hall. "But I don't know how…"

"Harry, if you ask Ginny to go with you, she'll say yes," Hermione said exasperatedly.

Harry reeled back. "You think so?"

"If you ask her and she says no, I'll hug a blast-ended skrewt," Hermione said. "But you better ask her fast before someone else does."

Ron and Neville nodded feverishly. "That's what we've been saying the whole time!"

Lavender appeared at Ron's elbow. "Hi Ronnie," she bubbled. "We should shop for a couples costume in Hogsmeade tomorrow!"

Ron laced his fingers through Lavender's. "What did you have in mind?"

Hermione gazed at the happy couple in front of her. She wished she could hold her crush's hand…

"I'm going to do it tonight!" Harry said forcefully, trying to ramp up his courage.

Hermione shook herself out of her reverie. "Do what?"

"Ask Ginny to go to the dance with me!"

"That's wonderful!"