The Seaside Retreat

Chapter 15... The sleepover

Hermione smiled at Draco as he walked forward and opened the portrait to greet their guests. They were glad to see that everyone had arrived at the same time. Hermione was pleased that everyone was making an attempt at conversation even if it was a bit awkward. She and Draco had stayed up late the previous night talking and sharing stories about their friends with each other. The stories they told led them to be pretty sure that if the group gave each other a chance they could be friends.

Everyone trooped in and took seats around the fire complimenting the head students on their rooms. Hermione smiled and thanked them all and asked Draco to floo the kitchens with their dinner orders. She had gone to the kitchens earlier in the week and asked the elves if it was alright that she had a party in her rooms and asked if they could be served dinner there. Of course the elves were a bit put off by her presence, but once she apologized for trying to set them free and promised she wouldn’t try to do that again unless an elf specifically asked her to do so they relented. The result is that she was now more popular with the elves than ever which, she must admit, was wonderful.

It wasn’t long before three elves appeared levitating trays and set them on the table Hermione had transfigured. The meal of Sheppards pine was simple but delicious and the wine that Draco had snuck in was soon warming in all their bellies. Draco and Hermione only had to steer the conversation a bit a first. As much as it vexed her, Quidditch was certainly the easiest gateway into other subjects though it took at least an hour for the subject to be exhausted.

Millicent and Ron were currently discussing Care of Magical Creatures over dessert. Ron was telling her of Charlie and his dragons in Romania and she seemed enthralled by the stories. Harry and Ginny were sitting awfully close together though they were both talking quietly with Blaise about their plans after graduation.

All in all Hermione and Draco were extremely pleased with the way the night was going and they settled down near each other to discuss plans for the year. Draco had decided that it would be fun to host a Halloween costume party this year in conjunction with the feast and they needed to work out the details before presenting the idea to McGonagall.

When the night had wound down and it was reaching ten o’clock the boys found it prudent to return to their rooms as it was getting past curfew. Draco, in a surprisingly nice gesture offered to walk them to their tower and dungeon so they wouldn’t get into trouble. The girls said good night, tidied up the common room and made their way to Hermione’s room.

Hermione herself took a deep breath and readied herself to spill her secret to her long time and her new best friends. She had told Severus of the sleep over and he agreed that Millicent could be trusted with the secret. In fact he expressed an appreciation to Hermione for giving Millicent another female influence. She had been close with Pansy, who perished in the war and now she was the only seventh year female in Slytherin.

The girls changed into their night clothes giggling when they realized they all had the same pajamas only in different colors. If you could even call them pajamas, they were actually wife beaters in different colors with matching boy shorts. It was when they all settled onto the floor with overstuffed cushions that Millicent and Ginny presented their “house warming” gift to Hermione. She smiled widely and tore through the tissue paper to find a round liquor bottle with a happy face on it and four shot glasses. When she read the title out loud all three girls smirked mischievously. They had gotten her a bottle of “Happy Tequila”.

“I vote we pop this open tonight and get this party started!” Millicent stated matter of factly while Ginny nodded her head vigorously. Hermione giggled but popped the top off and filled three of the glasses up.

“All right girls, I propose a toast to new friendships!”

All three clinked glasses and chanted “To new friendships!” then downed their shots shuddering. Hermione then called on Dobby, leaving the other girls in the dark about her idea. Dobby appeared and smiled widely at the three girls.

“Hi Dobby! Would you do me a huge favor and section a couple of limes and grab some salt and bring it to us?”

“Dobby will be quick Miss Hermy! Is there anything else you be needing?”

“No Dobby that’s it, thank you so much!” Hermione smiled at him and when to retrieve one of the several pairs of socks in Dobby’s size that she had made over the summer for him. While they waited for him to return with her request Hermione asked the other girls where they had gotten the muggle liquor from.

“Well all I did was donate some money to the cause” explained Millicent “Ginny is actually the one who got the liquor.”

Ginny piped up then to tell Hermione the story. “It wasn’t a big deal really, I just owled Fred and George and they said they would get it. They sent the shot glasses as well; there are four because they came in a set. Now, are you going to tell us what the limes and salt are for?”

Just then Dobby popped back into the room and set the plate of limes and salt in the middle of the group along with a huge chocolate pie. Hermione smiled and thanked him then presented him with his socks. Dobby positively beamed at the three of them and winked back to the kitchen with watery eyes. The girls laughed about his excitement over socks and made a vow to get him some other elf sized clothes for Christmas.

“Good now I can show you what the food is for, minus the pie of course, Dobby always goes overboard.” Hermione smiled as she filled the shot glasses again. “Now, you take a bit of salt and pour it between your thumb and pointer finger.” She demonstrated the technique as she spoke. “Then lick the salt off, take the shot and quickly suck the lime wedge.” All the girls did as instructed and immediately decided they like the way those crazy muggles did things.

“Alright Hermione, now that you have distracted us for awhile, its time to spill about what happened with Snape over the summer.” Ginny said after winking at Millicent.

Hermione sighed and decided it was time to bite the bullet. She was excited about having someone to talk about him with, but she was a little nervous about their reactions.

“Professor Snape” she replied automatically. “Okay girls you win, but you have to promise me that whatever you say doesn’t leave this room. I mean it you two; if I can’t trust you then I will make you take a wizarding oath”

The girls looked wide eyed at Hermione but nodded their heads and scooted closer to her, eager to hear all the gory details. Hermione told them everything in minute detail, starting with running into him on the pier all the way up to Monday night when he slept over. The girls were shocked but got over it quickly enough when they heard how he interacted with Hermione.

“Sooo” purred Ginny “Does he have a big cock?” Hermione sputtered and had to spit he tequila back into the shot glass to keep from choking on it.

“I suppose I could ask the same about Harry, you two seem to be getting awfully close this year. I must admit I am relieved that your together, I though he was gay. Now I just have to worry about Ron.” When Millicent hear her analysis of Ron she started turning red, which caused Hermione and Ginny to grin at each other and look at Millicent with raised eyebrows.

“What? There isn’t anything between us; tonight was the first time we really talked. I think I kind of like him” she stated while smiling dreamily. “You don’t mind do you Hermione?”

“Me? Why would I mind?”

“Well I know you two had a thing for awhile. Everybody kind of thought you were going to be barefoot and pregnant the year after graduation. Personally I thought it would be a waste of your giant radioactive brain, but whatever floats your boat.”

Hermione laughed at Millicent’s description, but was quick to reassure the girl of her and Ron’s platonic relationship.

“Good” she replied “because if you cared I would just tell you to shove it, you can’t have sexy Snape and Ron. Hermione took a moment to act indignant, but the effect was ruined when Ginny’s pillow smacked her upside the head. The three girls were so involved in laughing and having their pillow fight that no one heard the whoosh of the fireplace or see the black haired head in the flames eavesdropping.

For Severus’ part, he wasn’t actually intending to show up during the very sexy pillow fight, more to see what the girls reactions to the “big” news was. He was curious about whether or not Hermione had told them. His unasked question however was answered soon enough when a streak of red hair launched on top of Hermione screaming “your precious Snape isn’t here to save you woman!”

Severus held back a snicker at the antics though when they all collapsed in a pile laughing and began feeding each other bites of the chocolate pie he couldn’t stop the steady chant of “yeah that’s nice, now kiss” that was running through his mind.


A/N: Once again, thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read my story. The input is amazing and it really keeps me working at the story!

amd2175- I love your idea about Draco, and I will definitely try to work it in and see where it goes. I love me a jealous Snape… yum.

bluezauza- I couldn’t agree with you more. I am definitely planning on making the three Slytherins sincere about their choices. It always struck me as very sad that JK Rowling didn’t write more about the group being remorseful. After all the world isn’t black and white, people change and they do it in very big ways.

sinbad- thanks again for the encouragement! I am actually about to start reading your fic!

catysmom- thanks so much for your continued reviews.

Anyway, next chapter is going to be Hermione’s birthday and it should be fun. I am thinking maybe 5 or 6 more chapters then I’ll wrap it up. I may tr my hand at a couple one shots after this. See ya later everyone!