12/21/2001

 

Great Hall

 

The Great Hall certainly seems to be the heart of Hogwarts, as every day the four houses of Hogwarts and professors alike join together in this magnificent corridor.  Even the elitist wizard or witch would be bedazzled by the sheer brilliance of this hall.

 

The room seems to be lit by an endless number of candles floating atop the five tables set up here.  Four of the tables are evenly placed beside each other, measuring at least a hundred meters each.  These polished tables seem to possess an endless number of golden goblets and platters, which are empty at the moment, but rest assured; any decent magical institution would fill them with many eats as breakfast, lunch, and dinner each roll around.  The walls adjacent with the four tables are decorated with elaborately ornamented flags of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.  Of course, seated at these four tables would be the students of these houses.

 

At the front of the room is another table, identical to the other tables in the room except for the fact that the professors at Hogwarts dine there.  Above that table is the crest of Hogwarts, proudly displayed in all its glory.  The occasional suit of armor is placed around the room, as well as a few framed pictures, but it's not like the room really needs to be decorated by things such as those.

 

Above the tabletops is a magnificent ceiling, if it's a ceiling at all.  It seems to be the starry sky itself; the ceiling stretches upward so high, it certainly is hard to tell if there's a rooftop covering the room or not.  Although someone who has been reading his or her books about Hogwarts would tell you it's bewitched to look like the sky outside.  Nevertheless, the room as a whole certainly is a breath-taking place.

 

 

Yesterday was probably one of the best days that a certain Ravenclaw Seeker has had for a long time. Though the sleeping thing was still a problem and kind of made the day go downhill. Her friends had noticed how she came back to the Common Room smiling more than she did when she left, and of course they tried to pry it out of her. Cho insisted that it was just that she had a little friendly competition over a Snitch that had her exhilarated. She didn't even win, and still, she felt great. Having come down to breakfast early, she picks at a plate of eggs and muffins and as with most popular students, she isn't sitting alone. Her friends are all giggling excitedly, talking about their dress robes or their dates to the Ball. She just politely smiles and sits there in silence. She's only going because.. well.. you know. :P

 

Unlike Cho, who sits with her friends over at the 'populated' Ravenclaw table, he sits by himself over at the Slytherin one, not that it's a big deal. Those who are late to bed are late to rise and he just missed them by only a few minutes, not that it really matters. A few moments of silence at breakfast is always welcome once and a while. He will take this as a very rare opportunity. Draco sits with his head partially bent half over his bowl containing today's meal, or a portion of it, and half over a sheet of folded parchment, marked with his neat printing. Boy, he really hopes that this is all written down right, it certainly does look free of errors, and otherwise results could be very dangerous. Hmmm... o.o He lifts a spoonful of the cereal to his mouth and munches. Mmm. Hard, crunchy stuff.

 

Glancing up from her food that's rather too cold to be appetizing now, Cho happens to glance in the direction of the Slytherin table, and catching the occupent sitting by himself. The white blond hair name the occupant quickly, as do the small size and stature. There's a pause, then she turns and asks her friends to excuse her for a few moments. She stands up, leaving her plate behind and walks around the table and towards the Slytherin table. Once she's out of ear shot, whispers start behind her, wondering where she's going, why she's heading in that direction, and they only grow more fevered when they see her destination. "Good morning, Draco." She says with a friendly (yet a tad distant) smile. Oh yes, there go her friends. (Why is she talking to a Slytherin!? Why is she talking to Malfoy!? Isn't he their Seeker?? *whisperwhisperwhisper* At least they're not giggling.)

 

If this were a romance movie, like a lot of rumors that suddenly start immediately floating about make it out to be, the scene would start with Draco lifting his head from scanning over his paper, looking up towards Cho with wide eyes before she would just.. throw her arms around his shoulders and cry away the morning, saying 'I love you' and stuff, over 'n over again. *wretch* Thank god it isn't. But it does start an awful lot like that, because he does look up from the sheet of parchment, folding it over in his hands back into a neat little square before tucking it back away into his robes. "Good morning, Cho." The young man dawns his charming smile, again. Normally, he probably would have just said something else, instead of being friendly, but... why not? He's in such a good mood from yesterday that being semi-nice and civil until it wears off certainly won't kill him. Draco'll be back to his usual, nasty self by dinner, no worries. He isn't ill or anything.

 

Oh, does that mean there’s going to be no kiss? *drat* -- Kidding, kidding. -- She'd probably slap him if he tried to kiss her. But anyway, the gossiping does indeed take this as something more than it is. (Is he smiling at her!? He is! He is! I didn't know he could smile! He's actually kind of cute like that! What is it with Cho and Seekers?) Luckily, Cho can not hear what they're whispering about, or she'd probably be quite unhappy very fast. As it is, she smiles back lowers her voice just enough so that she doesn't worry about the closest people listening. She rather doesn't want people thinking... odd things. Or at least she won't add any more fodder to it if she can stop it. "Are you still going to go to the Ball?" Now see why she lowered her voice? Most of Ravenclaw now knows she is indeed going to the Ball, though she insists she's going /alone/. No need to give them reason to think otherwise. ... Well, more reason.

 

Because Seekers are really good at seeking other... Seekers? But of course Draco can smile, his fellow Slytherins certainly know this (Hey. He isn't mean to THEM, after all.). The young, blonde Malfoy heir isn't smirking or appearing insufferably smug ALL the time in front of the other houses, either. There are circumstances, like when he's using sarcasm, or using them, where he will smile in the most pleasant of fashions. n_n Moods were he isn't, though, such as this one, are one in a million (And for those who know him well enough, they'd realize that it's either because he's about to get Potter back at something or already has.). It's an actual, genuine 'No, I'm Not Using You, This Time' smile, so be happy while it lasts, because it is very, very extremely rare. This is Draco we're talking about, after all. "I will be. There's no reason for me not to go. Though I can't be sure whether or not I'll be there right in the beginning. It all depends on Aranea." He could always just hand over the slip of parchment right here and make things a whole lot easier, but naaaah. Why be a bad guy if you're just going to do favors so readily?

 

Yes, it's not unlikely that some of the students have seen him smile, but they're gossiping, so likely they are exaggerating a great deal. In fact, (She's really smiling! I haven't seen her smile like that since-- Oh! You don't think he's the reason she's going to the Ball do you? Maybe she's just asking him when the Quidditch teams will play. Oh, what do you know? u_u) At least there's one word of wisdom in the group. They're supposed to be Ravenclaws! Stop being so fickle. >.< Cho nods, still smiling, "All right. I'll keep an eye out for you." Though she's curious how he's going to hand her the list of components without anyone noticing. Then her eyebrows raise, "Aranea? Is she the person you're going with?" Aranea... Aranea... She doesn't think she knows her, but then she doesn't have many friends in Slytherin. Too bad her friends can't hear that. They would be so disappointed! She doesn't even sound jealous or bothered at all that he has a date.

 

"Indeed, she is." Aranea, a rather plain looking girl in seventh year whose opinions of the 'Potter fanclub' seem to generally follow along the same lines of his own. He's not exactly looking to take the most beautiful girl in the Slytherin house to the Yule Ball, just one that he can at least converse with. Although most girls in his house don't seem to like Potter, either, and take great joy in putting him down, the word 'bubble-head' would come to mind if attempting to list off other traits. Despite his excellent choice in picking a match, it's truly a pity that Aranea is two things: 1. Dead. 2. Actually Rita Skeeter in disguise. Hopefully, she won't show her true colors at the Yule Ball. "Will you be attending with anyone, Cho?" He'll be keeping a look out, too, if she's alone, that will make things easier... because how many people actually tend to be alone during such a social event? Don't worry about the list of components, though, for he will be able to easily think of a way to sneak them to her... Draco wasn't sorted into Slytherin for nothing, after all.

 

One reason he would certainly never be able to be around Cho for more than a couple conversations at a time. She doesn't hate Harry, and she doesn't speak badly of him. She certainly never wore one of those stupid anti-Harry badges last year. And she actually glared at any of her friends who did. At the question, she shakes her head, "No, I'll be going alone." A pretty, popular girl going to a dance completely alone. The tragedy. Pah, it's her own choice and if anyone says anything about it... well... she won't beat them down or anything, but she certainly won't listen. But if she has one more friend try to set her up with someone, she may not be inclined to just politely decline anymore. And it's a good thing one of them is in Slytherin, because she's about as sneaky as peacock on a turkey farm.

 

That's some rather funny imagery, peacocks in a turkey farm. Are there even such things as turkey farms? Who'd want to raise an entire farm of those things, anyways? Ugh. They're so ugly. It is a tragedy, kinda, but not one that he'll acknowledge, nor is it any of Draco's concern, so why should he express more than a little hint of sympathy, probably the most that he can muster. "That's a shame. It really is. I'm sure there is quite the number of young men pining for your attention." Giggle-giggle-snort-snort. That was sounding more like Draco, back to that nice but still an asshole sort of personality. "Anyways..." Casting a glance over at his watch to check the time. "There are a few things I still have to do today before the ball, tomorrow. You don't mind if I excuse myself right now, do you?" And if she does, well, tough. He doesn't care! "Have a wonderful morning." >D The boy leaves his dish at the table, along with the girl, too, because if he didn't get up right away, his player will probably pass out on the keyboard. x.@;

 

Oh there are, believe me. And they are really ugly. And the bit about young men pining for her merely earns a shrug. Cho knows she's got a few admirers, and she doesn't mind it (as long as they don't turn all stalkers at least). People are free to admire who they please, and she certainly wouldn't be insulted by the attention. "I'll see you there. Good day, Draco." She offers a final smile, then turns and heads back to her table... to hear the end of a cutoff conversation. (They'd make such a weird couple! At least they're nearly the same height!) ... Is she going to have to glare? "Excuse me?" -.- "Oh! Nothing, nothing. We're talking about.. those Gryffindor's over there."