The Light

Chapter 37- The Dress

The next day, Dumbledore had announced that, due to the ball the following weekend, students would be allowed out to Hogsmeade to buy dresses and dress robes and whatever else they may need.

Hermione had parted with her boys as Lily dragged her away, claiming that, "This was a girls' day," and "Not even Remus, the most understanding person on the planet, would be able to understand makeup."

Although she wouldn't admit it, Hermione was quite relieved by this. Sirius still seemed shy, and couldn't bring himself to look directly at her (although why, she had no idea). Peter just kept grinning suggestively and waggling his eyebrows at her every time she looked at him, and she felt like she didn't know Lily well enough.

And so, that saw Lily, Hermione, Mary and Marlene, all wrapped up warm in scarfs and hats, gloves and woolly coats, traipsing down the winding, snow-covered path to Hogsmeade.

"Is that Dorcas?" Mary asked, but it was muffled as her scarf was wrapped tightly around the bottom of her face, hiding her mouth and nose.

"Where?" Marlene demanded, head whipping round to locate her friend. Sure enough, a tall girl with brown hair and brown eyes stood at the very bottom of the path, by the village sign. She was wearing a pastel blue coat, and had pink cheeks from the frosty wind that kept oscillating in it's ferocity.

Hermione recognised her. It was the same girl who had faced the boggart in her defence lesson, and the one she always saw hanging with Marlene.

"Oi!" Marls shouted, and because she was loud, it didn't matter that Dorcas was about 200 metres away; she heard anyway.

Dorcas turned around, and her face lit up, morphing into a grin. Her skin was quite tan, and Hermione would guess her family probably originated from Spain, or somewhere equally as exotic. She looked deceptively quiet, but she was best friends with Marlene (who was, in the simplest way of explaining, a female version of Sirius), so she couldn't be that quiet. If you were quiet around Marlene, she'd probably end up forgetting you.

They all sped up to accommodate for Marlene's impatience.

"I thought you weren't coming today?" Marlene questioned when they got close enough. She tugged on Dorcas' scarf, unravelling it from her neck.

"I wasn't," she replied, frowning and sorting out her scarf.

"So why are you here?"

Dorcas raised an eyebrow. "Because I changed my mind. Is that a crime?"

Marlene pulled a righteous face at her tone, and said, "Yes. You didn't tell me. Careful, I'll start to think you don't like me anymore."

"That wouldn't be hard. You're quite clingy. It's wearisome."

The two girls stared at each other, before they both began to smile, and Marlene leapt forward, hooking her arm through Dorcas' and snuggling into her side.

"Oh, Hermione," she announced, suddenly remembering they hadn't actually met. "This is Dorcas. Dorky, this is Mione."

"Hi," Dorcas smiled.

"It's lovely to meet you!" Hermione replied. "I've heard so much about you."

"Hopefully good things."

"It's Marlene," she said, deadpanned, as if this was answer enough. It was, if they were being honest; Marlene never seemed to have anything nice to say about anyone, regardless of whether or not she actually liked them.

Dorcas snorted. "Good point." She flicked her cat-like eyes to Lily and said silkily, "So, what's this about you and Bernie? I saw him when I went to see Em. He was very excitable after that party which I wasn't invited to."