She's A Hufflepuff ~Book One of the Hufflepuff Chronicles

Chapter Five

THAT SUMMER...

Pepper, Taylor, Beth, Avril, Ash, Duke, their friend Mack and I were hanging out in Ash's room. We decided to make things interesting and play Truth or Dare.
"Pepper, Truth or Dare?" I asked.
"Truth," she grinned.
"If you had to kiss one guy not in Hufflepuff who would it be?" I laughed and Ash bumped me.
"Um...Duke!" She bounced.
"Well then," Duke slid up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. Ash kicked him and he slid away with his hands up.
"Okay, my turn!" Pepper giggled. "Gwen-"
"Oh no," I laughed.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Oh Merlin! Um...dare."
"I dare you to kiss the most attractive person in the room!" She grinned.
"Uh really?" I groaned.
"Yes!" "Do it!" "Come one!" The room complained.
"Uh, fine," I obnoxiously sassy walked over to the boys and exaggerated thinking about which one to kiss.
"Come on!" Taylor kicked me in the butt pushing me toward the boys.
"Fine," I took Dukes face in my hands a kissed him. He didn't resist. As soon as our lips touched he put his hands on my hips. The kiss didn't end. I waited for him to pull away but he didn't. It was my first kiss but must've been okay cause he kept coming back for more. He put his fingers in my hair and slipped his tongue in my mouth. I liked it.
"Okay! We get the idea!" Ash yelled after a bit.
"Yeah!" Pepper squeaked. I pulled away and grinned at him. His face was all day dreamy. I giggled. I walked back over to Pepper and sat next to her. Ash punched his stomach to get his attention. Pepper stared at me but I was only looking at Duke.

FOURTH YEAR...

I sat in my special window seat in the common room and watched the snow fall upon my forth year. It was early in the morning and no one was awake yet. Duke would be just getting out of quiditch practice about now. I saw him flying towards the window on his broomstick. He steadied right on the other side of the glass. I waved and mouthed
"Hi baby."
He winked and blew me a kiss. He pulled a small box with a bow out of his robe. I gasped and put my hands over my mouth. I pointed behind me and he nodded and flew away. I ran to my room and got dressed as fast as I could. I grabbed my satchel which had turned into my art bag. I ran down to the hall. I met him at the door and he handed me the box. I swiped the lid off exposing a golden snitch necklace.

"Guinevere, my love, even if I never catch another snitch," he turned me around and moved my hair over my shoulder. "I have caught you. And that's even better," he clasped it and turned me around again. "Merry Christmas."
"I love it!" I put my arms around his neck and kissed him. "And I have a present for you too. I pulled a parcel out of my satchel. He unwrapped the thick gold ring. It was carved like a lions head.

"Babe! It's perfect! I love it!" He picked me up at my waist and swirled me around.
"Whoo!" I giggled as he landed me.
"Oh, I have a question for you, my love!" He took both my hands in his and knelt on one knee.
"Your not proposing are you?" I laughed.
"Not quite. Guinevere Malfoy, will you accompany me to the Winter Ball?" He grinned. I bent down till our foreheads touched.
"I'd love too," he stood and kissed me. The students around us applauded and we gave sarcastic bows and curtsies. I kissed him goodbye and went to sit at the Hufflepuff table with my friends.
"Ah!" I sighed with a grin on my face as I squeezed in next to Ash.

"Well you look happy," Pepper stated.
"Nice necklace," Ash said.
"Isn't it! Duke gave it to me!" I held the charm in between my fingers. "So Pepper? Taylor? Let's talk Ball dates."
"None!" Pepper put her face in her arms.
"Nothing to report," Taylor sulked.
"Oh! I know how to fix this!" Pepper suddenly popped up. "Taylor Simone Rodrick, will you be my date to the ball?" She preformed the question.
"Why of course I would!" Taylor put her hand on Pepper's and she kissed it.
"So you guys flying solo? It'll leave more guys to dance with so your not stuck with one all night!" I added encouragingly.
"Are you sorry you'll be stuck with Duke all night?" Ash nudged me.
"Hardly! I'd happily spend the rest of my life with him! He's wonderful!"
"He's not that wonderful," I heard Ash mumble but I was to happy to care.

I sat in front of my mirror putting on my makeup while Taylor did my hair for the ball. I looked up and down the sides of my mirror at the numerous pictures of Duke and I. He asked me out in our second year and he's been the best thing in my life since then. He's sweet and thoughtful and he cares about me so much. I grabbed the framed photo from my bedside and looked at our smiling faces. He made me so happy.
"He's the one, isn't he?" I sighed in a moment of bliss. I smelled the red roses in the vase that he had sent me that morning.
"From the way your face lights up every time someone says his name I'd say you think he is," Pepper used her wand to finish sewing the last silk flower petals to her gown. Hers was an extravagant piece of work.

"You're cutting it a little close with that dress aren't you?" Taylor asked her cousin.
"It's almost finished," Pepper tapped her temple with the tip of her wand. "Oh I know!" She jumped suddenly. With her wand she raised a bunch of fabric and stitched it in place. "Perfect!" Pepper squealed jumping up and down. "It's perfect!"
"Okay now do your hair and makeup! We're meeting the boys in thirty minutes."
"Done," Taylor announced and stepped away from my hair.
"Hmm," Pepper inspected it. "Oh, she grabbed a rose and snapped off the stem. She clipped it into the curled messy bun. She pulled out a curly piece on either side of my face.
"For framing," she nodded. "Now it's perfect. Well done Taylor," she linked arms with her cousin.
"Oh shut up Pepper! It was nothing before you fixed it. You, my dear, have a passion for fashion!" The three of us group hugged. After our hair and makeup was done we helped each other slip on our dresses. Taylor swished around in her grey and peach dress.

"Wow! We look hot!" Taylor looked in the mirror.
"Please try not to sound so surprised darling," I touched up my red lipstick.
Pepper had flattened her hair into soft, round beach curls. She had made a beaded, flowery headdress on top of it.

Her makeup was soft eyes and orange lipstick. Taylor had a thick braid swung over her shoulder with tiny pink flowers braided into it.

My own makeup was dark eyes and cherry red lips.

"Time to go!" Pepper bounced easily since she had rejected the heels for chain ankle-to-toe jewelry. Taylor slipped on a pair of grey pumps and headed for the door.
"You coming?" she looked back at me. Pepper was already halfway down the hallway.
"Yeah gimme a second." She closed the door and I turned to the mirror and fastened my golden snitch necklace. I crossed both my fingers and closed my eyes.
"Good luck Guinevere," I fastened my red platform heels.

I grabbed my wand a stuck it through my bun to look like an accessory.
"Let's do this!" I breathed. I walked through the empty common room and through the hall way. I stood at the top of the staircase that led to the grand hall. I saw the boys in dress robes talking to the girls in their swishy gowns. I stood in the center of the stairs and smiled at them. I looked down at my own gown and smiled.

Duke looked up at me and smirked. "That's my girl!" He walked to the bottom of the stairs and waited. I glided down them and took his arm. He kissed my temple. We walked over to our friends. Pepper pushed Ash's jaw up.
"Awe Ash, your the sweetest!" I rubbed my thumb on his cheek. We walked into the hall.