The Order Of The Serpent

Chapter 15

Saturday came around looking bright and sunny.

"Good morning Order!", Theo cheered. "Lady and gentlemen, it's a beautiful day and Daphne is vomiting while Astoria holds back her hair. Here's a hair of hers Princess, quickly chuck down the Polyjuice so we can hit the town!"

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and added the hair to the potion. She filled a cup and drank it down without thinking.

"How do I look?", she asked as the awful melting feeling died down.

"Shagable", Blaise smirked licking his lips.

"Fine", Draco answered, hitting Blaise to the back of his head. "Let's go, remember, we stay together."

They walked through the common room and out the door, hands on the wands in their pockets. When they reached the main door of the Entrance Hall Hermione breathed in the fresh air. She felt absolutely giddy being out in the sun again and gave Draco a bright smile.

He smiled back at her as they walked down the pad to the village.

"Where are we going first?", she asked.

"Costumes!", Theo cheered pulling them all in the shop. Draco, Vince and Greg chose their costumes fairly quickly, but they spent hours watching Theo and Blaise try one costume after the other. While Hermione was busy judging Theo's knight costume, Draco wandered into the women's section. Suddenly he saw the perfect outfit for Hermione and he had it packed with his costume without anyone noticing.

"I'm going with the gipsy costume", Blaise decided, "The ladies won't know where to look first."

They waited for Blaise to finish up and left the store together.

"Let's get lunch, I'm starving", Draco decided.

"Draco!", a voice called out behind them.

His shoulders stiffened as he turned around.

"Mother", he said, "Father. What are you doing here?"

"Oh just some shopping on this fine day", Narcissa Malfoy answered. She eyed Hermione curiously.

"Who is this lovely lady?", Lucius asked cocking his eyebrow.

"This is miss Greengrass", Draco answered taking Hermione's hand. "She decided to grace us with her presence today. Astoria, these are my parents Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy."

"Pleased to meet you", Hermione said, her voice wavering a bit.

"Miss Greengrass", Lucius said, "Lovely. Well, we won't take up any more of your time."

"Bye Draco", Narcissa said kissing his cheek, "Don't forget to study for your exams. The Dark Lord decided to reside in our Manor, so we expect great results to show him."

Draco nodded and swallowed hard.

"Shit mate", Blaise exclaimed as Draco's parents walked away, "He's living with you?"

"Don't worry", Hermione said determined, "We'll make it work. So much for winging it eh?"

Draco scowled at her, but didn't answer.

After lunch they decided to head back, the news of Voldemort's residence put a bit of a damper on everything.

"Oh wait!", Hermione exclaimed as they passed a shop with all kinds of little knick-knacks, "I forgot something! I'll be right back."

She went into the shop and came back out two minutes later with a small bag.

"What's that?", Draco asked curiously.

"Nothing important yet", Hermione answered, "I'll show you when it's done."

When they arrived back at the dorm Blaise and Theo headed over to the girls, showing off their new costumes. Vince and Greg took liberty of their new found entrance to the kitchen.

"Bring me back some brownies please!", Hermione called after them. They put up their thumbs.

When she closed the door she saw Draco eying her from their bed.

"When are you changing back?", he asked.

"Any moment now, why?"

"It's bloody weird to have Astoria in my room alone", he smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know what she looks like underneath these clothes?", she asked walking over.

"Not interested. Are you going to tell me what you bought?"

Without a word Hermione gave him the bag. He looked inside and found six identical silver pocket mirrors.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, but she just smiled and kissed him, changing back to her own appearance.

"Hmmm... Suddenly I don't really care anymore", Draco said pulling her down on the bed with him.

***********

"Don't I look fabulous?", Blaise asked Friday evening, showing off his gipsy costume consisting of tight brown leather pants, a satin white shirt and burgundy silk mask.

"Wait", Theo called, "I've got just the thing to finish the look!"

He handed Blaise a golden earring.

"Wicked!", Blaise smirked, putting it in his ear.

"What do you think Princess?", Theo asked twirling around in his musketeer costume with a blue mask and a faux moustache.

"You look dashing", Hermione smiled. "As do you two", she added looking over to Vince and Greg in their gladiator costumes with black masks.

Silently she sighed and looked at her hands. Secretly she hated letting Draco go off to the Ball without her, with all those girls hanging around him.

"I bet you'll look great in your costume too", Draco whispered in her ear.

Surprised she turned around to him. He looked every bit the Roman emperor in his costume with a dark green mask covering his eyes.

"You didn't think I was going without you, did you?", he smirked, tossing her a costume bag. "Hurry up Sweetheart, we don't want to be late."

"We're always late", Blaise commented.

"Well you know what they say", Draco shrugged, "The party doesn't start until I walk in."

"I don't know about this Draco...", Hermione said walking over in her dark green Roman princess dress.

Draco eyed her up and down. The short dress showed off her legs nicely, not to mention her pretty arse. The back scooped down low, being held together by a delicate golden chain at the top of her shoulders and a golden shackled belt around her waist.

"Just a moment", Theo sang, pushing Hermione down on a chair. "Daphne made me into a great hairdresser."

He pulled Hermione's hair into a high ponytail with a green ribbon, finished with gold pendants and put a lace green mask on her. He gave her a red lipstick and a pair of high heeled gold sandals with fine straps crisscrossing over her calves.

"And now", Draco said sinking on his knee in front of her, "The finishing touch."

Hermione gasped as she saw the jewellery in his hands. It was a pair of golden earrings shaped in his initials and a golden necklace that made it look like a baby dragon with emerald eyes was curled around her neck.

"I have to make sure everyone knows you're mine", Draco smiled moving to kiss her.

"Ah no no", Theo said holding him back, "You'll ruin her lipstick. Save it for later."

"Tonight, don't drink too much", Draco ordered. "We're safe enough at the party, but don't leave it on your own."

"Yes father, now let's go!", Blaise exclaimed, ushering everyone to the door.