Chapter 106: Aw, crap!
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Daphne looks into my eyes and I assume finds the truth. "It's from Greek mythology; Ophion is a serpent who coils around an egg lain by the supreme goddess Eurynome, out of which the universe is born."
"My family traces its roots back to ancient Greece, and by tradition the Greengrass family gives their children Greek names. Mine means laurel, Astoria is a form of Astraea, the star-maiden."
"Wow," is all I can say. I really had no idea.
Daphne chuckles. "You really didn't know what effect it might have. And here I thought you were being exceedingly clever, though I was a bit concerned at the message you might be trying to send."
"My mother was practically ready to sign a marriage contract," Astoria says with some amusement, which then fades, "until my father told her about your—er, you."
I grimace a bit. "Ah, you heard about that, did you?"
Astoria nods her head and Daphne frowns apologetically. "Sorry, William, I didn't know he was going to tell her."
I shrug. "It's okay, as long as she hasn't changed her mind about the Ball tonight."
"I haven't," Astoria says firmly.
"Well, good, 'cause I'm not giving back the tie, cufflinks and studs, or the boutineer! So—" I say, sticking my tongue out.
Astoria giggles at my childish display.
"Thank you for those, by the way, they look really fancy. I'm glad we'll match now. Some of my friends didn't believe I was going with the prettiest girl in the school, but when I showed up with—ow! That's right where Hermione always hits me!" I mock glare at Daphne.
"You shouldn't have told her that," Astoria says, still giggling.
"Aw, crap."
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"Ugh, these ruffles are awful," Ron laments again.
"I dunno, I think they kind of go well with the longer hair," I say. They kinda do, it makes him look like an old vampire or something.
"They're not even noticeable if you don't fidget with them all the time," Harry points out.
He still fidgets. We're outside the Great Hall with Harry and Ron watching the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower, Neville watching the opposite stairs toward Ravenclaw Tower, and me watching the corridor that leads to the Slytherin dungeons.
It occurs to me that I didn't even ask Daphne who her date was. Oh well, I suppose I'll find out soon.
Luna is the first of our dates to appear, and she looks...well, like Luna: a bizarre, ethereal beauty in a ruffly gray dress that matches her large gray eyes.
Her normally straggly blonde hair is elegantly pulled back except a pair of thin, loose waves falling down either side of her face, partially obscuring her large silver earrings encrusted with purple gems.
The dark violet flowers in the corsage on her left wrist are surrounded with glittering silvery tendrils and hoops, and she has a similar decoration on her right wrist without the flowers.
"Wow, Luna looks beautiful," Harry says sincerely, glancing at Neville.
"She does. Mouth closed, Neville," I say jokingly, clapping him on the back as he makes his way toward her.
Parvati actually comes down the Gryffindor stairs with Padma; the pair of them dressed in what I think (based on my extensive experience entirely based on a particular Bollywood movie I've seen) are some kind of traditional Indian dresses. Parvati is wearing amber trimmed in crimson, while Padma is wearing crimson trimmed in amber.
They both have their hair parted in the center with a silvery chain draped down the center, from which a small pendant hangs near the top of their foreheads. The chain splits into three near the top of the heads, wraps their hair, and comes from behind their heads to attach to their earrings.
Their wrists are adorned with stacks of colorful bangles. It's completely different from what the rest of the girls are wearing – even the other Asian girls, but the twins pull it off extremely well.
Padma splits off and meets with a Ravenclaw boy I don't recognize, while Parvati comes to Ron. The pair of them clash horribly despite the almost identical shade of crimson.
An intake of breath from Harry signals the arrival of Hermione, which I quickly spin to catch. She's walking down the stairwell slowly and slightly unsteadily on the silver heels that she'd only worn during our practice sessions.
The heels peek out from long cascades of wispy, pale blue ruffles, which coalesce into a snug bodice held up by very thin strips of material over her shoulders.
Her hair completely lacks any hint of its usual bushiness: it's slicked back and pulled up except for a few seemingly random yet elegant ringlets falling to her shoulders.
The only jewelry is a thin silver necklace and small, silver drop earrings.
Before I realize it, Hermione is standing in front of us, clearing her throat. I recover enough just to nudge Harry.
"Uh...er...wow!" he says eloquently.
Hermione smiles coyly, clearly enjoying the effect she's having on us.
"Hermione, you look..." I begin, but the act of speaking aloud restarts my thought processes. I'm supposed to let Harry go first, and I don't think saying 'wow' counts.
"...beautiful," Harry says. I nod dumbly.
"You guys are doing that on purpose," she says, pursing her lips to hide a smirk.
I remember I only get to compliment a single feature, but I'm having trouble choosing one. At least one that might be appropriate with everybody else around. "Um, your...hair...looks amazing."
She blushes at our behavior, then, after a commotion behind me, glances over my shoulder. "You may want to save your eloquence for that, William." She gestures for me to turn around, and when I do I see the Greengrass sisters emerge from Slytherin corridor.
Daphne has a form-fit, shimmering dark green dress that only slightly flares out below her hips and just barely reaches her ankles, showing off her glittering gold, strappy heels and a hint of the shapely calves underneath.
The delicate gold jewelry accentuates the outfit perfectly.
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