I Am A Gaunt *Completed!!!!!*

Chapter 5

The photo above is Hermione's Dress. What do you think of it?

Dedicated to EmilyHale905 and HeatherHale4 for being awesome fans! Love you two!

*EDITED*

- Hermione/Alliana's POV -

"What about this one dear?", I look over and see her holding a pink dress with sparkles covering every square inch of it. It looks like a dress someone would wear to parade. Shaking, my head we continue looking for a dress.

We are almost to the back of the shop by now. None of the dresses we have seen suited me very well. I am about to give up and tell Katrina, that we should just go to another shop when someone bumps into me. "Hey! Watch where you are going, bimbo!", I say to the person. Katrina raises her eyebrows at my choice of insult but says nothing, for now.

I shrug at her innocently and turn to the person frowning. Just as I am about to say something, I smell his scent. That darned cologne! "Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss. Granger. You wouldn't be following me by any chance, now would you?", he throws my own words at me and smirks.

"No, Malfoy, I am in fact not following you. I am shopping for a dress.", he raises his eyebrows and I lean up to him, saying in a lower voice "Don't think of yourself so highly, sweet heart!", I get back him by throwing his own words at him! He looks at me surprised but says nothing for Katrina comes over to me and holds up a dress.

My breath catches. It is beautiful. I go over to it and feel it's cloth between my hands. "It's stunning. Much to nice for me or a spring casual.", I say to her. She just smiles and looks past me at something behind me. I turn and see Malfoy staring at the dress and his eyes seeming entranced.

"Malfoy?", I say to him as I look at him. He seems to be short of breath and his eyes are almost fully dilated by now. Taking a cautious step forward, I frown and block his view. "Malfoy, are you okay?", what is wrong with him?

He looks at me and his eyes clear up. With an awkward clearing of his throat he ignores me and proceeds to snap at me. "You can't get that dress. It is not appropriate for any occasion and looks like you are trying to get a guy to hook up with you.", what the heck? He walks past me taking the dress from my still smiling shopping partner and hangs it up. Turning to her he says, "I am sorry, ma'am, but she can not wear that dress.", Katrina smiles even more and nods. What the heck is going on, here?

Once he leaves, I look at her confused as she picks the dress back off the hook and hands it to me. "What is going on?", she just smiles at me and repeats what I said earlier.

"Bimbo?", she says with a teasing and confused look. I smile a bit and laugh embarrassed.

"It was the best I could come up with! I am not exactly one to go around cussing.", she just chuckles and pays for the dress. Once we finish, she links arms with me and we apparate to the manor.

"Okay, go get ready, darling and I shall meet you when you are finished.", I nod and quickly head to the bathroom to change.

- At The Lunch Gathering -

There is more than I expected to be here. Professors, ministry workers, family friends - according to Howard -, but mostly people I don't know. Right now, Katrina and Howard are walking around mingling while, I sit at my bedroom balcony window watching. They told me to wait until everyone arrives before going down.

"Hello?", I turn around and see a person standing at my door. It is one of the few people I was horrified about being invited.

"Can I help you?", I say cautiously. She just smiles shyly and walks over to the window next to me. Staring out, she sighs and smiles dreamily.

"You know, when I was invited here, my first thought was to say no.", I look at her and listen.

"What changed your mind?", I ask.

"Look out there.", I turn and look at the people mingling and laughing enjoying a good time. "All my life it was, 'Be your best Pansy' and 'Don't mess up Pansy' or even 'You are nothing but a failure Pansy. A piece of dirt'", I watch as tears start to go go down her face. "When Draco, told me that you would be here....well, it gave me hope. If anyone can forgive me, you can!", I start to feel a pang in my chest. "I look out there and I see people no longer worrying about the war, but cherishing the fact that they still have the friends they do. I want that. I need that!", she looks at me and I feel nervous. "So, what I am asking is, even though I made many, many, many mistakes, will you forgive me? Even if you don't want to be my friend, will you give me one more chance?", every fiber in my body says to forgive her. Why should I? Well, because I'm a good person, and every deserves forgiveness. Even Pansy Parkinson.

Nodding, I - hesitantly - hug her. "Alright, Pansy, but only one more!", she hugs me back and squeals with delight.

"Let's go. I came up here to let you know your mom wants you outside now. When she was looking for someone to do it, I took the opportunity to ask you!". She smiles sheepishly and without saying a word, I stand up, holding out my hand. Once she takes it, we smile and together walk downstairs, ready to go outside.

Howard sees me and walks over, allowing Pansy to head outside, and for him to lead me out.

My life may not be normal, but times like these, make up for it. Times like these, are what keep me going.