Chapter 10- The Hogwarts Express
The two weeks before Holiday flew by and, before she knew it, Ginny found herself sitting in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express, on her way back to Platform 9 ¾. Natasha was sprawled unceremoniously on the seat beside her, while Kaya was just walking in. She gracefully sat down on the empty bench, and Natasha let out a whoop.
“We’re finally free! I’m so freakin’ excited!”
Kaya delicately brushed a few blonde curls off her shoulder and straightened her silk cloak. “Are you going to attend the Malfoy’s Christmas party, Natasha?”
“I’m a pureblood, aren’t I?” Natasha made a face and sighed. “I have to go, it’s tradition.”
“I honestly don’t see why you’re dreading it so much. I find this whole idea very exciting.”
Natasha muttered something along the lines of ‘bully for you,’ but Ginny was saved the trouble of intervening by the compartment door sliding open. Blaise stuck his head inside, then the rest of him followed.
“Hello, ladies! Fancy some company?”
“No,” Natasha said, watching her cousin sit down beside Kaya without a second thought. “You can leave.”
“Blaise, I think we found someone who doesn’t like you.”
Natasha grinned at the new arrival and scooted over enough for Draco to sit down. “Are you two even supposed to be here? This is student transportation.”
“We’re fine.” Draco casually draped an arm around Ginny’s shoulders, twisting his fingers around the chain of her necklace. “Patrick asked for Dumbledore’s permission.”
“Special permission for the assistant director of Wicked and the new Fiyero!”
The look Draco gave Blaise should’ve frozen him to his seat. “If memory serves correct, that was supposed to be a secret until Patrick chose to announce it, Blaise.”
Ginny looked between the two, a slow smile growing on her face. “Wait a minute. . . we’ve got a new Fiyero?”
Draco pulled his gaze away from Blaise with an effort, and tamed his expression before he looked at his girlfriend. “The boy who had the part, Rob something-or-other, felt that he couldn’t handle the stress, and Patrick thinks it’s too late to have anyone else learn it.”
“Bull,” Natasha said bluntly, an uninterested expression on her face. “I don’t buy that for a second.”
“Well, that’s what he’s going to tell everyone.” Blaise just couldn’t help it; he couldn’t stand not being the center of attention. “The real reason is that Patrick doesn’t think there’s anyone else good enough to pull off Fiyero.”
Draco made a noise of disbelief. “He didn’t think Rob was good enough, he was just the best he had to work with. I think Patrick is rather relieved, to tell you the truth; Rob wasn’t coming along very well.”
Kaya shrugged unknowingly, but Ginny and Natasha both grimaced.
“I was in there the day they were doing As Long As You’re Mine,” Natasha said, distaste in her voice. “It was cringe-worthy.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Natasha jabbed Ginny playfully with her elbow. “You know what I mean.”
Ginny looked up as the compartment door opened, and burst out laughing. Natasha had a similar reaction, but managed to keep herself under somewhat more control. Kaya just ignored them and walked calmly back inside, sliding the door shut behind her. She’d gone to change out of her school robes, and her present attire was the source of amusement.
The suit really wasn’t very different from the one she’d worn her first day at Hogwarts: a very feminine white blouse, a light blue pencil skirt that reached her knees, and a close-cut jacket in the same shade as the skirt. A matching old-style hat was pinned at an angle in her golden curls, and Kaya stood at perfect ease in her white pumps.
“Laugh if you will,” she said primly, tugging a short, white dress glove onto one hand.
“Good, because I don’t think we’ll be able to stop,” Natasha choked, rolling sideways into Ginny.
“Laugh if you will,” Kaya began again, talking slightly louder than before. “But my mother is a stickler for sophistication.”
This sobered Ginny up right away. “Maybe I don’t want to come to your house after all.”
“Nonsense.” Kaya dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “I’m sure whatever you brought will be fine.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows. “Jeans and a t-shirt?”
Kaya grimaced. “Maybe she’ll be in a forgiving mood today.”
Natasha grinned and opened her mouth to say something snide when the door slid open yet again, and Draco stepped into the compartment. Ginny raised her eyebrows at her boyfriend’s attire.
“Wedding or funeral?”
Draco just narrowed his eyes at her and sat down, careful not to crease his black silk pants as he and Kaya shared a commiserating look. Ginny didn’t let it go so easily.
“What’s the occasion, baby?” She asked, straightening the collar of his white dress shirt.
“I’m going back to Malfoy Manor, that’s the occasion,” he said, ignoring her particular term of endearment as he grasped her hand to stop its fussing. “This is how it always is.”
Ginny started to say something more, but was interrupted.
“Lay off it, okay?” Blaise was just returning as well, dressed almost identically to Draco. “This isn’t exactly our idea of a good time, either.”
Ginny sat back, feeling slightly guilty, but Natasha wasn’t fazed. “Lighten up, Blaise, we were just having a bit of fun.” Her grin grew. “You know we think you’re absolutely ravishing, the three of you.”
Just then, the Hogwarts Express began to slow, and the cabin was suddenly a flurry of activity. Ginny dove to the floor and started searching for her missing trainer, whereas Natasha started digging in the seat cushions for the playing cards she’d been absent-mindedly shuffling. Draco bent to pull on his dress shoes, and Blaise yanked his trunk down from the luggage rack to try to locate his tie. Still calmly seated with her legs crossed, Kaya checked herself over in a compact mirror, freshly manicured nails catching the sunlight.
The two weeks before Holiday flew by and, before she knew it, Ginny found herself sitting in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express, on her way back to Platform 9 ¾. Natasha was sprawled unceremoniously on the seat beside her, while Kaya was just walking in. She gracefully sat down on the empty bench, and Natasha let out a whoop.
“We’re finally free! I’m so freakin’ excited!”
Kaya delicately brushed a few blonde curls off her shoulder and straightened her silk cloak. “Are you going to attend the Malfoy’s Christmas party, Natasha?”
“I’m a pureblood, aren’t I?” Natasha made a face and sighed. “I have to go, it’s tradition.”
“I honestly don’t see why you’re dreading it so much. I find this whole idea very exciting.”
Natasha muttered something along the lines of ‘bully for you,’ but Ginny was saved the trouble of intervening by the compartment door sliding open. Blaise stuck his head inside, then the rest of him followed.
“Hello, ladies! Fancy some company?”
“No,” Natasha said, watching her cousin sit down beside Kaya without a second thought. “You can leave.”
“Blaise, I think we found someone who doesn’t like you.”
Natasha grinned at the new arrival and scooted over enough for Draco to sit down. “Are you two even supposed to be here? This is student transportation.”
“We’re fine.” Draco casually draped an arm around Ginny’s shoulders, twisting his fingers around the chain of her necklace. “Patrick asked for Dumbledore’s permission.”
“Special permission for the assistant director of Wicked and the new Fiyero!”
The look Draco gave Blaise should’ve frozen him to his seat. “If memory serves correct, that was supposed to be a secret until Patrick chose to announce it, Blaise.”
Ginny looked between the two, a slow smile growing on her face. “Wait a minute. . . we’ve got a new Fiyero?”
Draco pulled his gaze away from Blaise with an effort, and tamed his expression before he looked at his girlfriend. “The boy who had the part, Rob something-or-other, felt that he couldn’t handle the stress, and Patrick thinks it’s too late to have anyone else learn it.”
“Bull,” Natasha said bluntly, an uninterested expression on her face. “I don’t buy that for a second.”
“Well, that’s what he’s going to tell everyone.” Blaise just couldn’t help it; he couldn’t stand not being the center of attention. “The real reason is that Patrick doesn’t think there’s anyone else good enough to pull off Fiyero.”
Draco made a noise of disbelief. “He didn’t think Rob was good enough, he was just the best he had to work with. I think Patrick is rather relieved, to tell you the truth; Rob wasn’t coming along very well.”
Kaya shrugged unknowingly, but Ginny and Natasha both grimaced.
“I was in there the day they were doing As Long As You’re Mine,” Natasha said, distaste in her voice. “It was cringe-worthy.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Natasha jabbed Ginny playfully with her elbow. “You know what I mean.”
Ginny looked up as the compartment door opened, and burst out laughing. Natasha had a similar reaction, but managed to keep herself under somewhat more control. Kaya just ignored them and walked calmly back inside, sliding the door shut behind her. She’d gone to change out of her school robes, and her present attire was the source of amusement.
The suit really wasn’t very different from the one she’d worn her first day at Hogwarts: a very feminine white blouse, a light blue pencil skirt that reached her knees, and a close-cut jacket in the same shade as the skirt. A matching old-style hat was pinned at an angle in her golden curls, and Kaya stood at perfect ease in her white pumps.
“Laugh if you will,” she said primly, tugging a short, white dress glove onto one hand.
“Good, because I don’t think we’ll be able to stop,” Natasha choked, rolling sideways into Ginny.
“Laugh if you will,” Kaya began again, talking slightly louder than before. “But my mother is a stickler for sophistication.”
This sobered Ginny up right away. “Maybe I don’t want to come to your house after all.”
“Nonsense.” Kaya dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “I’m sure whatever you brought will be fine.”
Ginny raised her eyebrows. “Jeans and a t-shirt?”
Kaya grimaced. “Maybe she’ll be in a forgiving mood today.”
Natasha grinned and opened her mouth to say something snide when the door slid open yet again, and Draco stepped into the compartment. Ginny raised her eyebrows at her boyfriend’s attire.
“Wedding or funeral?”
Draco just narrowed his eyes at her and sat down, careful not to crease his black silk pants as he and Kaya shared a commiserating look. Ginny didn’t let it go so easily.
“What’s the occasion, baby?” She asked, straightening the collar of his white dress shirt.
“I’m going back to Malfoy Manor, that’s the occasion,” he said, ignoring her particular term of endearment as he grasped her hand to stop its fussing. “This is how it always is.”
Ginny started to say something more, but was interrupted.
“Lay off it, okay?” Blaise was just returning as well, dressed almost identically to Draco. “This isn’t exactly our idea of a good time, either.”
Ginny sat back, feeling slightly guilty, but Natasha wasn’t fazed. “Lighten up, Blaise, we were just having a bit of fun.” Her grin grew. “You know we think you’re absolutely ravishing, the three of you.”
Just then, the Hogwarts Express began to slow, and the cabin was suddenly a flurry of activity. Ginny dove to the floor and started searching for her missing trainer, whereas Natasha started digging in the seat cushions for the playing cards she’d been absent-mindedly shuffling. Draco bent to pull on his dress shoes, and Blaise yanked his trunk down from the luggage rack to try to locate his tie. Still calmly seated with her legs crossed, Kaya checked herself over in a compact mirror, freshly manicured nails catching the sunlight.
To Be Continued.
Extreme Dancer is the author of 3 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 31 members. Members who liked Wicked also liked 926 other stories.
This story is part of the series, Rhapsody. The previous story in the series is Angel of Music.
This story is a favorite of 31 members. Members who liked Wicked also liked 926 other stories.
This story is part of the series, Rhapsody. The previous story in the series is Angel of Music.
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