▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐢𝐱 ━︎━︎ 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 the golden egg, the only thing he got as a clue was a loud piercing sound that almost sounded like a scream. Juniper felt her ears bleeding after that, of course she was being dramatic, but they were ringing for a solid ten seconds after that. When she saw Ron enter the room, Juniper glanced at Hermione as the two sat there and watched Ron and Harry talk. Juniper rolled her eyes and looked at Hermione before she clapped her hands.

     "Alright, now that you two are good now, Harry I need you to clean up because I'm hungry and I want food." Juniper told them. Harry and Ron exchanged looks and Harry cracked a smile and shook his head.

     "As you wish, June." He walked up to his dorm after that.

     Hermione shook her head as Juniper took a seat beside her. "I'll never understand how you do that. They never listen to me."

     Juniper smiled. "That's because if they don't listen to me they know there will be consequences." She sent Hermione a wink. "I am my mother's daughter after all." Hermione just chuckled in response.

They made their way to the Great Hall, Juniper was sitting beside Hermione who was reading the daily prophet, eating a small plate of food greedily. Harry was sat across from them, drinking some water. Ron was beside him.

     Hermione scoffed. "Look at this." Hermione slammed the paper down. "I can't believe it! She's done it again." She began reading the paper. "'Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards. Her latest prey, sources report, is none other than the Bulgarian bonbon, Viktor Krum. No word yet on how Harry Potter's taking this latest emotional blow.'"

     Juniper chuckled, taking a sip of water. "I don't know why you read that paper, that woman gets viewers from lies and twisted words."

     Hermione grabbed the paper and hit her with it. "It's not funny, Juniper!"

     "It's a little funny." Juniper replied with a smile. "I'm just saying, you should've let me curse her while I had the chance."

     "Although that would've been appreciated," Harry started, "we didn't want to have to find a way to bail you out of Azkaban." Juniper hummed in response.

     Nigel strode up to the table, a box in his hands. "Parcel for you, Mr. Weasley." He handed the box to Ron.

     "Ah, thank you, Nigel." Ron smiled, taking the box and turning back to his food. The boy continued to stand there causing Hermione to clear her throat and look at the boy with a small smile. He was staring at Harry as if he had never seen it before. "Not-not now, Nigel. Later. Go on." The boy left.

     Juniper cocked a brow. "What was that?"

     When Ron noticed all of them looking at him he said, "I-I told him I'd get him Harry's autograph." Hermione sighed and went back to her paper. Ron began unwrapping the present. "Oh look, mum's sent me something." He pulled it out, standing up to show them. It was absolutely horrendous. "Mum sent me a dress."

     "Well, it does match your eyes." Harry commented and Juniper placed a hand over her mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh. "Is there a bonnet?" Harry looked inside the box, pulling something out. "Ah-ha!" He handed it to Ron.

     "Nose down, Harry." Ron dismissed before walking over to Ginny. "Ginny, these must be for you."

     Ginny frowned. "I'm not wearing that. It's ghastly." Juniper couldn't help the laugh as it escaped her mouth, Hermione laughing with her.

     Ron turned to them. "What are you on about?"

     "They're not for Ginny." Hermione said with a smile. "They're for you. Dress robes."

     "Dress robes?" Ron asked. "For what?"

     Juniper smirked. "The Yule Ball, Ron." Ron gave her a puzzled look. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

     They all had to meet with McGonagall who was telling them about the Yule Ball. The girls were on one side of the room and the boys were on the other. In the middle of the room was a giant phonograph with Filch trying to fix the record. "The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward. And I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost a dance." Immediate chatter erupted, the boys were groaning and the girls were freaking out. Juniper was too busy focusing on the fact that she would have to wear a dress to this thing.

     "Silence!" McGonagall yelled, the students listening. "The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling bumbling band of baboons. Now, to dance is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl, a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight. Inside every boy, a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr. Weasley."

     Ron swallowed. "Yes?"

     She walked towards him, holding out her hand. "Will you join me, please?"

     Ron stood and followed her into the middle of the floor, Juniper and Hermione exchanged amused glances with each other. McGonagall continued, "Now, place your right hand on my waist."

     Ron looked horrified. "Where?"

     "My waist." McGonagall repeated and Ron did so, his brothers whistling earning a glare from the boy. "And extend your arm. Mr. Filch, if you please." Music began playing and McGonagall instructed him by counting. "Everyone come together." Immediately the girls shot up except for Juniper who Hermione had to drag up from her seat. "Boys, on your feet."

     Neville was the first to stand and hesitantly others followed suit. They all found partners and Juniper had almost laughed when she and George paired up. "Make this less excruciating for me, please."

     George smiled. "Anything for you, dear Juniper." George mocked earning a laugh from the girl. They began dancing in a joking matter and Juniper couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

     When that was over, Juniper had dragged Hermione with her to grab the gift her mother had sent her. The two girls made their way back to the dorm and Juniper stared at the present. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just open it, Jay."

     Juniper shook her head. "There's going to be a really pretty dress in there and that's scary."

     "Oh for the love of—let me see it." Hermione took the present and opened it. She pulled out the dress and smiled. "June, this dress is gorgeous."

     "Gold's not really my color." Juniper muttered.

     Hermione gave her a blank look. "It's literally part of our house colors, June. Just try it on!" She shoved the dress into Juniper's hands and she huffed, taking it and walking into the bathroom.

After a moment, Juniper walked back out and Hermione felt the breath leave her lungs. It was a beautiful gold dress, a subtle shimmer to it. The sleeves went off the shoulders and reached down right above her ankles, that way she wouldn't trip on it when she walked. She looked absolutely beautiful in that dress, Hermione couldn't pull her eyes away from her even if she tried. She followed Juniper's every move, watching as she walked over to the box the dress came in, grabbing a pair of gold heels her mother had sent with it. She strapped them on and ran her hands down the fabric.

     "Well?" Juniper breathed. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad does it look?"

     Hermione stared at her for a moment before realizing the girl had asked her a question. "It doesn't look bad at all, June. You look. . . breathtaking."

     A blush rose to Juniper's cheeks and she managed a small smile. "Thanks, 'Mione."

     "Well, give it a spin." Hermione smiled. Juniper did as she asked, and the dress moved with her, it was the most elegant thing Hermione's ever witnessed. "How does it feel?"

     "It feels like my mom spent way too much money." Juniper muttered. She sat on the bed, taking the heels off and then walking back into the bathroom to change. When she came out she hung the dress up in hopes of preventing wrinkles. She stared at the dress and sighed. "It isn't the worst dress."

     Hermione smiled. "No, it isn't."

     "How long do you think it'll take before the boys try to ask one of us?" Juniper hummed, turning to look at Hermione.

     "I reckon during Snape's study hall." Hermione answered. "Although, I'd have to decline."

     Juniper rose a brow. "Oh? And why's that?" Hermione didn't say anything. "Oh don't go all shy on me now, Hermione. Who are you going with?"

     Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "Krum."

     Juniper's eyes widened, and although a pang of jealousy ripped through her heart, she smiled. "Hermione, I'm so happy for you."

     Hermione gave her a small forced smile. "Yeah." She cleared her throat. "What about you?"

     Juniper smiled. "Fleur asked me a few days ago."

     Hermione nodded, her heart seeming to rip apart in her chest. "Good. Good, I'm glad."

     "I've never been one for dances, but maybe this one won't be so bad." Juniper sat on her bed. "You know, my mom told me stories about how my dad always had to go to these balls, that he absolutely loathed them. He didn't have a choice in going to them, it didn't help that he wasn't a big fan of his family and the people they kept around. I think that's why I decided I didn't like them. Justice for my dad, you know?"

     Hermione nodded. "I get that. But June, you can't base your preferences off of everyone else's experiences."

     Juniper sighed. "I know." She shook her head. "Both of my parents, they didn't have the best lives growing up. Well, my dad more than my mom. Did you know that my mom's parents were killed when she was just eleven? Death Eaters. And then my dad's family were Death Eaters."

     Hermione frowned. "I didn't know." She took a seat beside of Juniper, grabbing her hand. "Where did she go? Your mom, I mean."

     "The Potter's. They took her in. She and Harry's dad practically became siblings. That's why mom wants to adopt him. Because she wants to do for him what James did for her." Juniper looked at Hermione who gave her a small smile. Juniper smiled back and placed her head on Hermione's shoulder.

The next day, they were sitting in the Great Hall, Snape watching over them as they did their work. Juniper was sat across from the other three, focusing on getting her work done to get away from Snape. After what happened last year, she hated being in the same room as him.

     "This is mad," Ron whispered. "At this rate, we'll be the only ones in our year without dates." Snape walked up behind him and quickly turned Ron's head back to his work. When Snape walked away, Ron continued. "Well, us and Neville."

     "Yeah, but then again, he could take himself." Harry whispered back.

     Hermione stopped what she was doing and turned to look at the two. "It might interest you to know that Neville's already got someone."

     "Oh!" Ron sighed, defeated. "Now I'm really depressed."

     From beside her, George passed Ron a note. Ron read it silently before glancing at Snape who had just walked by and then looking at his brother. "Who you going with, then?"

     George smirked before throwing a balled up piece of paper at Angelina, a girl in his year. The girl turned to him. "Oi, Angelina!" George whispered.

     "What?" The girl asked.

     "Do you," he pointed at her, "want to go to the ball," he began making a dance move, "with me," he pointed at himself.

     "To the ball?" Angelina asked, a smile on her face. "Yeah."

     George looked to his brother and sent him a wink. Juniper had to stifle her laughter, finishing her assignment while a smirk of amusement was on her lips. She glanced up at Ron who leaned towards Hermione. "Oi, Hermione. You're a girl."

     "Very well spotted." Hermione muttered. Harry tried to tap Ron's arm, trying to silently tell him that Snape was coming.

     "Come with one of us?" Immediately, Snape hit him in the head with a book and Juniper had to place her head quickly on the table to stop herself from busting out laughing. When she calmed herself, she sat up and watched with pure amusement as Ron continued. "Come on. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone. For a girl, it's just sad."

     "I won't be going alone because believe it or not, someone's asked me!" Hermione snapped. She stood up and Juniper quickly handed her assignment to Hermione for her to turn in. Hermione turned them both in before walking back over to them and grabbing her things. Juniper stood up. "And I said yes!" She walked away and Juniper chuckled before following after her.

     "He's insufferable!" Hermione ranted as they made their way down the hall. "Why would he think no one would ask me?"

     "It's Ron." Juniper shrugged. "He's just jealous that you can get a date and he can't. Bless the poor soul who ends up going with him. I'm sure that'll be a miserable night." Hermione chuckled at that. Juniper swung an arm over Hermione's shoulders. "If you ask me, Hermione, I say we have bragging rights."

     Hermione smiled. "Yes, June, I think we do."