The Hollow Beneath Hogwarts

96. I Got My Mind Set On You

Kingsley stuck to his word and the very next day he went into the Ministry and went straight to the Record Keeper. He requested records for every cupid registered throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, giving the poor old wizard barely enough time to put down his morning tea before being handed what was quickly becoming a mountain of paperwork.

While Kingsley buried himself in Ministry records, Draco and Sloane spent what remained of their holiday exactly how they wanted to.

Together.

For a few precious days there were no monsters, no investigations, no emergency meetings and no terrifying discoveries hidden beneath Hogwarts.

Just normality.

Or at least as normal as life could be for a group of magical teenagers preparing for one of the biggest social events of the year.

Which was exactly how Sloane found herself being dragged upstairs by Hermione, Ginny and Luna on the morning of the ball.

The guest room on the second floor had been completely transformed overnight.

Joanna and Narcissa had apparently taken the phrase getting ready as a personal challenge.

Ginny reached the door first. She pushed it open. Stepped inside. Then immediately stumbled backwards and slammed the door shut again.

"Holy Merlin on a unicycle!"

The hallway fell silent.

Hermione blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

Ginny stared at the door. Then at Hermione. Then back at the door. "Someone pinch me."

Luna immediately stepped forward and nipped her arm.

Hard.

"OW!"

 Luna shrugged. "You asked me to."

"I wasn't being serious!"

"But you said to pinch you." Luna frowned. "I am confused."

Ginny opened her mouth.

Paused.

Then closed it again.

"You know what? It's my fault - I asked you."

Luna smiled. "Thank you."

"Is something wrong?" Draco asked as he, Harry, Ron and Blaise appeared at the top of the staircase.

Ron was already looking around in amazement. The entire house still fascinated him. He had spent the last two days repeatedly getting lost. Twice he had accidentally wandered into the east wing.

Once he'd somehow ended up in the wine cellar.

Nobody knew how.

"This room," Ginny squealed. "It's...it's..." She looked utterly speechless. "It's like something out of a dream."

Sloane couldn't help laughing. She opened the door again.

The group stepped inside.

Every single one of them stopped.

Even Draco.

The room looked less like a guest bedroom and more like a luxury bridal suite.

Vanity stations lined one wall, each surrounded by glowing mirrors framed with soft golden lights. Several changing screens had been arranged in one corner. There were racks of dresses. Jewellery displays. Tables covered in perfumes. Hair accessories. Cosmetics. An entire section dedicated solely to shoes.