A Little Bit of Love and Laughter

The population of people inhabiting Hogwarts castle had more than doubled since the two neighboring schools had arrived earlier that night. The Beauxbatons girls and the Durmstrang boys had not hesitated for a moment before integrating themselves with the Hogwarts students. Many Hufflepuff girls had crowded around a small group of Durmstrang students, while the Gryffindors continued gawking at the Beauxbatons girls. As the students were all sent back to their respective common rooms, and the visiting students were ushered in the opposite direction, Violet and I began to plot our counter-attack on the competition. The makeover had been Violet's original idea, and as she completed her vision, I, too, began to believe that it was going to work.

"Really, Emmy, I think you look magnificent," Violet said with a grin. "And Roger must think so too."

Roger was on his way across the common room, smiling his dashing half-smile with that charming twinkle in his eye. It nearly made me sick, it was so perfect.

"Wow, Em, you look incredible. Have you done something with your... hair, perhaps?"

When I had looked in a mirror only a few moments prior, I hadn't noticed much that was different. My naturally wavy, dark brown hair was pulled back with a butterfly clip, and my eyes were still their same shade of sapphire blue, just now highlighted with the lovely contrast of brown and pink makeup. Violet had done some general maintenance on my features, but other than that, I was still the same scrawny, pale-faced, frizzy-haired girl I had always been.

I smiled back at him and replied nonchalantly, "Just pulled it back, is all."

"It looks great. You should do it more often."

"Maybe I will then."

He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Um... listen. Em. I... uh... I was hoping that maybe you and I could... um... hang out or something?" It had originally been meant as a statement, I was sure, but my "new" look had shaken his playboy confidence.

"Like a date?" I asked, trying to help him out a bit.

He nodded. "Yeah! Like a date. Maybe at the Quidditch pitch tonight or something. We could play some Quidditch one-on-one."

"I'm no good at Quidditch, and you're pretty much the best we've got here. That's not very fair, now, is it?" I replied coyly and winked.

"Well, that's all the fun of it. I'll even go easy on you."

"Really? You'll go easy on me?" This, I had just realized, was the longest (and best) conversation I'd had with Roger.

He half-smiled again. "Unless you'd prefer I didn't."

"Don't. Don't go easy on me." I paused and raised my eyebrows in a more seductive manner than I had thought myself able. "I like a challenge."

"That's my kind of woman," he said, his eyes meeting mine. I got up to head out of the common room when he gently grabbed my arm to hold me back for a moment. "I'll see you in a bit, then."

I nodded and as he let me go, I continued out of the common room. Making my way down the stairs, I ran into Fred and George. Both were still dressed in their school uniforms, but Fred had ditched his cloak and rolled up the sleeves on his white shirt.

They began in unison, "Hey, Em, how'd you like to join us for... Whoa..." Obviously, they had noticed my new look mid-sentence.

I chuckled. "Join you for... what?"

Fred shrugged. "I dunno. For... um... a walk around the Quidditch pitch or something?"

"Can't. Have plans tonight."

"With who?" Fred demanded. George nearly needed to hold him back.

"With whom," I corrected. "And Roger."

"Davies?" George asked, most likely for clarification purposes.

"The very same."

Fred grumbled, "Let's go", and pushed past me as he made his way up the staircase.

George innocently shrugged and followed his brother, and I continued on my way.