Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 68 - The Slug Party

Hermione and I were getting ready for the party the following day when I told her what had happened the night before.

"I'm so happy for you!" she said with a wide smile. "Didn't I say you were meant to be together?"

I frowned. "Well, er, I don't know... I mean— we didn't actually say that we were— you know— more than friends," I struggled to form a coherent sentence.

"Oh, come on," she sighed dramatically, "he didn't ask you because he wants to be friends!"

"How do you know?" I asked grabbed my dress and shoes.

"Because he hasn't stopped talking about you and being jealous whenever you'd be talking to other guys!" she exclaimed, making me frown.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air.

"Because you said you wanted to move on! I thought I was helping by not telling you!" She said, sounding actually sorry.

I sighed, a small smile on my face. "It's okay, Mione. I know you meant well."

After a while, we were both finally ready for the party.

"You look gorgeous!" I said as I looked at her beautiful pink dress. "Whoever it is you're going with won't be able to resist you," I said with a small laugh, causing her to look at me in alarm.

"You think so?" She said nervously.

I frowned, thinking her reaction quite odd. "Who are you going with?"

"I told you, it's a surprise," she said as she looked at herself in the mirror, quickly fixing her hair. "Anyway, it's Harry that won't be able to resist you."

I laughed uneasily as I stared at myself in the mirror: I wore a short lilac dress with a surplice neckline with matching heels.

"Okay, let's go," I said nervously and she nodded, leading the way down the stairs to the common room.

Harry was standing in the middle of the room, tugging nervously at the sleeves of his dress robes. I smiled to myself before he turned around, his eyes first landing on Hermione before he noticed me behind her. He stayed silent for a moment and gulped nervously, causing Hermione and I to exchange a look.

"You look... great," he said.

"Thanks," I replied with a small smile. "You're not so bad yourself."

He chuckled, looking down at his feet. "Thanks."

We then headed toward Slughorn's office, which was where the party would be held. The sounds of music and laughter filled my ears as soon as I stepped inside the room. The ceiling and walls had been draped with emerald, crimson, and gold hangings, and live fairies were fluttering around a large lamp hanging from the center of the ceiling.

"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn said almost as soon as we stepped inside. Come in, come in, somany people I'd like you to meet!"

Professor Slughorn grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him away, I smiled, planning to go meet up with Ginny or find out who Hermione's date was when I felt Harry grip my arm tightly and drag me along with him.

"Harry, I'd like you to meet Eldred Worple, an old student of mine, author of Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires —and, of course, his friend Sanguini."

Worple, a short and stout man, grabbed Harry's free hand and shook it enthusiastically. Sanguini, the vampire, simply stood behind his friend, nodding.

"Harry Potter, I am simply delighted!" Worple said. "I was saying to Professor Slughorn only the other day, 'Where is the biography of Harry Potterfor which we have all been waiting?'"