Dress Code - Pansmione

Chapter 5 - *Angrily Plans Party*

"Lavender, how many times have I told you we do not have money for balloons!" Ron was arguing with Lavender, in the way that only two people who had had each other's tongues in their mouths could argue. Ron had once gushed about Lavender's perfect smile and even more perfect tits (gross), but now it seemed he was entirely anti-Lavender. Relationships always make things more complicated. Hermione wasn't sure if Ron actually cared about the balloons, or he just cared about disagreeing with Lavender, either way, Hermione was uninterested.

"Is it even a party without balloons?" Lavender was lying upside down on the sofa, her head hanging over the seat and her legs curving over the top. They had been arguing over the logistics of the party for hours, and Hermione, who was usually fond of planning, was incredibly bored. Would snacks be provided? What music would they play? Should they strategically place buckets in case someone needed to hurl?

"It will have firewhiskey and pot, yeah it's a fucking party," Ron muttered under his breath, just loud enough that Lavender's face turned sour.

"I agree with Lav, I think it adds to the atmosphere," Parvati shrugged while popping a chocolate frog into her mouth. Ron had decided the party-planning conversation would go smoother if people had snacks to heed their hunger, to prevent any hunger-induced fighting. Hermione figured it was working, but she found the combination of her friends' complaining and loud chewing to be infuriating.

"Think about the sound of every single balloon popping as a bunch of drunk teens bump into them," Ginny argued. Hermione already had, which was why she was on Team Anti-Balloon. She tried not to engage too much though, she already had the reputation of being a killjoy, she didn't need to provide her friends with more evidence of it.

"Yikes," Neville responded. Neville liked to take a less active role in these meetings, preferring to interject with reactions rather than participate in the heated debates.

"But the atmosphere!" Lavender complained, waving her hands wildly in annoyance. Parvati sighed, "They don't get your vision, Lav." Lavender frowned and leaned her head on Pavarti's shoulder.

Hermione, remembering her duty, spoke up, "It isn't about vision, guys. We simply do not have the funds to spend on nonessentials like balloons." She probably could have shifted around some galleons and pulled something together, but she did not need the added static electricity the balloons would bring to the party, her hair was bad enough as it was. A lack of funds was a good excuse to not buy balloons, which Hermione was grateful for.

"Potter can be our financier!" Seamus proclaimed, "Buy us balloons, will you Potter?" Seamus called out to Harry, teasingly throwing a pillow at his head to catch his attention. Seamus had a good-natured mischievous air about him, so good-natured that Harry barely flinched as a throw pillow smacked him in the face.

"I think I'm a bit short on cash right now," Harry lied through his teeth, the common room groaned. Harry had never been short on cash in his life, well at least not since starting Hogwarts.