Delusion (A Severus Snape love story/Harry Potter fanfiction)

Chapter Eight - Party Atmosphere

Chapter Eight

"Remind me why I'm doing this again." Melody growled, arm in arm with Hermione as they teetered down the steps and towards the Gryffindor common room. After long hours of preparation, during which she was nagged senseless, Melody was finally ready for Slughorn's Christmas party.

"Why you're going or why you're taking Ron." Melody smirked and made a show of trying to decide.

"Both." They stepped out into the dimly lit room and Melody enjoyed the extra head room, the steps were rather narrow, especially in a ludicrously high pair of black and red gothic stilettos.

"You're going because I don't want to be stuck with McLaggen all night," She supressed a gag as she saw him waiting on the other side of the room, looking her up and down lewdly. "And you're taking Ron so that he doesn't sulk for a week."

"He's going to sulk for a week anyway." Melody laughed, looking at her scowling brother who was standing beside McLaggen, occasionally giving him a filthy look before rolling his eyes to Harry.

"Why?" Hermione asked and Melody gave her a broad grin.

"Because you didn't ask him." The bushy haired (Not so much as it was tied up in a elegant bun) girl huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Harry, looking dapper, as always." She punched her friend on the arm and he winced slightly before engulfing her in a large hug, choking on her perfume.

"You look good Hermione." Harry murmured to where a rather downcast Hermione was standing, frowning at her feet. At the mention of her name her head shot up and she gave him a weak smile,accidentally meeting Cormac's gaze.

Melody took the time to scrutinise her brother's robes, snorting at the memory of the hideous lacy dress robes he had had to wear for the Yule Ball back in forth year. Luckily, Fred and George had bought him a new set (Somehow).

The group made their way through the portrait hall and into the hallway in awkward silence. Melody had to bunch up her skirts in order to get through the hole in some sort of dignified manner, makingCormac raise his eyebrows. Ron scowled at him.

"Come on Melody, I need a drink." He grabbed her arm and swiftly dragged her down the corridor, ignoring Luna's wave as they passed the eccentrically dressed girl.

"Gerrof Ron. What's your problem?" She snapped, coming to an abrupt stop and trying to smooth out her crinkled skirt that came halfway up her thighs.The underskirt was a rich, shiny red material that billowed slightly from her pinched chest. On top of that was a layer of netted black fabric and then an elegant black skirt that flowed up to the tight corset tight tightly with red lace.

"McLaggen. He was looking at you the wrong way." Melody rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, forcing him into step beside her.

"Relax Ron. I don't care about McLaggen looking at me, and neither should you. Besides, you know I like Oliver." She smirked when Ron's scowl increased. No matter how much he tried to hate Wood because he was involved with his sister, he couldn't help but laugh at his jokes and generally like him.

"Now, when we get in there, I expect you to dance with Hermione-" She ignored his interruptions"No excuses. I know you've been dying to get your hands on her."

"But-I-But-But-"

"Don't try to deny it Ron." She smirked and he grumbled under his breath, scowling at his feet as the sound of gently swelling music began to fill the air, along with the chatter of students andraucous laughter of those having had a little bit too much to drink already.

As soon as they set foot in the room, Melody was swept away by Slughorn, leaving Ron to his own devices which included muttering, scowling and drinking. Melody smiled at the group of men she had been introduced to, one of them being an elderly gentleman with a brooding, dark haired young man who glanced up when she approached.