Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 13

With a deep sigh of frustration, I can't help but feel overwhelmed at the thought of what to wear to Professor Slughorn's supper party. I'm torn between my favorite pair of jeans and a dress. This is such an important evening, I want to make sure I look my best.

Hearing a knock, I turn around to find Hermione standing by the door, a warm smile on her face. "Hey Sofia, are you ready to get dressed for the party?" she asks.

I nod my head and motion for her to come in. "Yeah, I'm just trying to decide between wearing jeans or a dress," I say, gesturing toward my wardrobe. "What do you think?"

Hermione takes a quick look and then turns to me with a thoughtful expression. "Well, it depends on what kind of vibe you're going for," she explains. "If you want to look more formal and elegant, then I would suggest going with a dress. But if you want to be a bit more casual and comfortable, then jeans might be the way to go."

Nodding in agreement, still feeling torn and a little frustrated. Hermione puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out," she says with a reassuring smile. "Let's try on a few options and see what looks best."

Together, we spend the next half hour trying on different outfits and accessories, experimenting with different combinations until we find the perfect look. In the end, I decided to go with a simple black plaid blazer coat, a black top, skinny jeans, and grey ankle boots.

"Thanks so much for your help, Hermione," I say, giving her a grateful hug. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Hermione just smiles and waves me off. "No problem, Sofia. That's what friends are for."

As we finish getting ready, I can't help but feel a little nervous about attending Professor Slughorn's supper party. I was told that it's an exclusive event, and only the most promising students are invited. Still, I'm excited to have received an invitation and eager to see what the fuss is all about.

Leaving the common room, as we make our way down the winding staircase towards the dungeons. We approach Slughorn's office, I wasn't sure what to expect. As my gaze swept over the room, I spotted a few familiar faces and many unfamiliar ones.

Throughout the evening, I found myself enthralled in conversation with a girl from Ravenclaw. She introduced herself as Leah and we began discussing Astronomy, a topic that I, being a Gryffindor, had always been intensely interested in. I was delighted to converse with her about the stars and galaxies that surround us.

We talked for a while about the constellations and the planets, and I was impressed by Leah's knowledge and passion for the subject. She had even discovered a new asteroid during her observations, which she was planning to name after her grandmother.

The conversation was interrupted by Draco's friend Blaise Zabini. However, to my surprise, he approached me and apologized for Pansy Parkinson's behavior towards me. Pansy and I had never been close, and our interactions were often unpleasant due to her snobbish personality.

Blaise explained that he was trying to distance himself from the toxic Slytherin crowd and was genuinely sorry for any hurt Pansy had caused me. I was taken aback by his apology, but I could sense his sincerity. He even offered to make it up to me by helping me with my studies or lending me his notes.

I thanked him for his kind offer and told him that I appreciated his apology. We then continued to talk about Astronomy with Leah, and to my surprise, Blaise showed a keen interest in the subject. He even shared some of his own observations and theories, which impressed Leah and me.

The three of us spent the rest of the evening discussing Astronomy and other subjects, and I realized that Blaise was not the person I had thought he was. He was kind, intelligent, and had a passion for learning that I had not seen before.

I was grateful for the apology and the opportunity to get to know him better. It was a reminder that people can surprise you, and sometimes it's worth giving them a chance.

Once we sat down to eat, Professor Slughorn began to ask us about our families. Hermione talked about her parents, who were both dentists, while I talked about Hayley, who is a businesswoman, and Klaus, who is an art teacher. Harry talked about his godfather, Sirius Black, and how much he missed him.

I realized as the night went on, that Professor Slughorn wasn't just asking us about our families for small talk. He was genuinely interested in getting to know us better, and he wanted us to feel like we belonged.

As we finished our meal, Professor Slughorn stood up and made a toast to all of us. He thanked us for coming and told us that he was looking forward to seeing us all again soon.

Before bidding Professor Slughorn goodbye, Harry quietly informed Hermione and me that he would catch up with us later. "So, I saw Blaise approach you when you were talking to Leah earlier. What did he want?" Hermione turned to me and asked, as we walked back to our common room.

I replied, "Oh, he was explaining how he's trying to distance himself from the toxic Slytherin crowd, and was genuinely sorry for any hurt Pansy had caused me."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "That's good to hear. Maybe people can change after all." I couldn't help but agree. It was nice to see Blaise trying to turn over a new leaf, and even nicer to have Hermione's support.

•••

Walking into the common room with Hermione, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It felt like we had been at Professor Slughorn's supper party for hours, and I was ready to just relax and unwind. However, as we made our way over to the fireplace, we noticed Ginny sitting on the couch with puffy eyes. It was clear that she had been crying, and my heart sank at the sight.

Hermione leaned in close to me and whispered that we should go talk to her. I nodded and walked over to the couch. "Hey, Ginny," I said softly. "Are you okay?" She shook her head and wiped away a tear, causing Hermione to put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Ginny sniffles as she says "Dean and I had a fight. He just doesn't understand how I feel." We nod sympathetically, knowing how frustrating it can be. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione offer.

Ginny nods and begins to explain the situation. As she speaks, Hermione and I listen attentively, offering words of comfort and support.

"I'm just so tired of arguing with him," Ginny says, her voice choked with emotion.

I place a hand on Ginny's knee and say, "It's okay to feel that way. Relationships can be difficult, but you don't have to go through it alone."

Hermione nodded in agreement and added, "We're here for you, Ginny. We'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Eventually, Ginny started to calm down, and we all sat in silence for a few moments. It was a peaceful and comforting silence, one that made me feel like everything was going to be okay. As we got up to head to bed, Ginny hugged us both tightly and thanked us for being such good friends.