Make You Realise... Romione

Chapter 18

Tuesday. 4 more days until Valentines Day and the party.

Hermione woke up early, the birds chirping and her mind set. She quietly got dressed, careful not to wake her sleeping roommates (Lavender included, who was snoring in the next bed). She tiptoed down to the common room, clutching a roll of parchment in one hand, and her favourite peacock feather quill and purple ink in the other.

Once she had made sure that the common room was empty, she made her way over to the portrait hole. It would have been easier to ask Harry but then he would tell Ginny, Ginny would tell Fred and George and so on. It was better this way.

Hermione quietly opened the portrait hole, as to not waken the Fat Lady, and stepped out into the corridor beyond. She shivered slightly as it was still chilly in the castle. Wrapping her clock tighter against her body, she made her way carefully down the corridor. The castle was completely still and silent. Every window she passed reflected the deep red of the sunrise onto the floor. It was quite mesmerising to look at but there was no time to waste.

Finally Hermione made it to the Owlery and silently opened the wooden door and stepped inside. If the castle was chilly, the Owlery was freezing. The sun hadn't yet had time to warm up the air and Hermione huddled her arms against her chest to keep her body heat.

She looked around the tall, circular room at all the different owls. Wow. I can't believe I haven't appreciated just how beautiful these animals are before. She thought as she watched a barn owl swoop in through one of the holes in the wall where the window would have been.

She made her way through the stands of owls, just admiring the way their wings softly beat and how their heads turned all the way around to watch her as she passed and their huge orange eyes.

Once Hermione had reached the end of the row of owls, she looked around the room for a place to write her letter. Her eyes rested on an alcove near the door that she wouldn't have seen before. Perfect.

She walked over to the alcove and sat down on the stone shelf in the wall. Then she placed her parchment and ink bottle on the wooden ledge. Opening her ink bottle, she started to think what to write.

Once she had decided how best to start her letter, she dipped her peacock feather quill into the ink and started to write.

To:

Hermione shook her head and tore off the top piece of parchment.

Dear Sophia,

Yes, that was better.

I would like to purchase one of your dresses from your shop.

She paused while she thought about the best way to phrase what she wanted to say next.

We were introduced previously by Ginny Weasley, who showed me your shop on our trip to Hogsmeade.

There is a party being held on Valentines Day by some friends of ours but I wasn't planning to go and I had no idea that Ginny had arranged to take me to visit your shop.

Hermione paused again as she watched a magnificent black owl soar through the window.

Everyone wants me to go to the party on Saturday but they don't know that I'm actually planning to go.

This is where I require your help. Last Saturday's Hogsmeade trip was the last one before the party and I still haven't got a dress.