The Astronomy Tower < #wattys2016 >

Slughorn's Party

Saturday, December 23rd, 1995

Hermione stared blankly at her reflection in her mirror in the girls dormitories. Her hair was still very frizzy, and she hadn't done much with her makeup. She was wearing a pink dress that was a little tighter around the waist and draped out into a flowy skirt that stopped just below her knee. Hermione hadn't really liked the way that she looked until fourth year, when Harry had shot a spell at her that had made her teeth grow to four times their normal size. Ron had take her to Flitwick, and she had gotten him to shrink her teeth, but instead of putting them back to their usual size, she had opted to tell him to shrink them just s little further, so that they looked normal.

Good enough she thought, still looking soberly at herself in the mirror. But then again, who was she trying to impress.

She had only asked Cormac to go with her because she knew that Ron hated him. But now she was wondering if it had really been worth it. McLaggen was positively awful. He would wink suggestively at her in the hallways, still wearing that positively awful smirk on his face. She wished so hard to slap it off. Not only did she catch him winking suggestively at her, but then he would turn around and do it to another girl.

Hermione was getting awfully sick of the lingering stares that he would send her from the other end of the Gryffindor table. He would watch her, same boring smirk, sucking on the tips of his fingers, or letting his eyes liner to where they shouldn't. Cormac, truth be told, was a pig.

She thought briefly of Ron. They had been planning on attending the party together, before he had snogged Lavender. She wondered if she would be feeling the same way right now if she were going with him instead of Cormac. Hermione felt a strange twinge in her chest, and became sad. The same self doubting thoughts plaguing her mind.

She glanced at herself once more, before shoving her feet in her silver sandals. They were simple and elegant, with a small heel. Nothing big enough to make her feet hurt. and they had small silver flowers on each. They were Hermione's go to's for when she didn't feel like wearing anything extravagant.

She quickly slipped down the stair to the common room. Her small heels clicking happily on the stone steps. When she reached the bottom she saw Cormac sitting in one of the red chairs by the fire. When he saw her he stood, and looked her once over.

"You look wonderful" He said with a smile.

"As do you." she replied politely. Cormac was handsome, there were no doubt about it, but he was handsomely boring. He had a chiseled jaw, that looked as if it were able to crush through rock. He had a broad nose, the flared at the end, and full lips. His eyes took on a light blue colour, and his sandy hair complimented them perfectly. Cormac was without a doubt handsome, and a lot of girls would be falling over him, but Hermione found him a bit too good looking, and utterly boring.

He offered her his arm, and Hermione look it, interlocking their elbows. And with that they made their way down to Slughorn's office.

When they got there they made small talk with the other guests. Cormac surprisingly good at this. He would talk to the other part goers with ease: complimenting a girls dress, or commenting on how delicious the food was. Hermione stayed silent by his side, and he seemed to notice.

"You could try being a bit friendlier." He whispered to her through his teeth. Hermione was about to tell him where he could go, and how to get there, but was interrupted when more guests walked up to them to say hello.

"Hello Hermione, Cormac." Dean Thomas beamed at them, Ginning on his arm, looking miserable. Ginny, and Dean were snogging, but it was no secret that they bickered constantly, and were on the verge of breaking up. It was not secret to Hermione either that Ginny was still head over heels in love with Harry, and that Harry reciprocated those feelings, deeply.