NOVEL NEXT Chapter 319: Idiot.
Loki looked at all the arrangements he'd made according to Daphne's suggestions. The preparations had been kept a secret from Hermione by Loki and Daphne under the cover of something to do with a new comic being serialised in the newspaper.
However, they also hadn't realised that Hermione had already seen them 'planning' something and was under the misconception that Loki was going to the ball with Daphne.
Loki had rented the classroom from Professor Snape by lying to him and telling him that it was going to be for duelling practice between Daphne and Loki.
But the classroom looked quite unlike any room a person would use to duel in. It had regal velvety deep rose pink curtains, a chandelier, a candlelight table with food borrowed from the kitchens and a small bouquet of fragrant roses. There was also a full-length thin mirror whose border was decorated with roses.
Loki was holding a ring in his hands as Daphne was examining him and the suit he was wearing underneath his robes.
"Are you sure black is a good colour for this? I personally think neon pink would suit me-"
Even before Loki could finish the sentence Daphne flicked her wand and caused Loki's mouth to be transfigured shut.
Loki *whined* in discomfort and Daphne ignored him, opting to fix his bowtie. Once she was done with it and found everything to be perfect, Daphne nodded and flicked her wand once again, freeing Loki from silence.
"Good. You look decent." Daphne nodded. "When's Hermione coming here again?"
"I called her to meet me about the newspaper as you said." Loki said pulling out his pocket watch and looking at the time, "I told her to come here in another thirty minutes."
Daphne nodded and then looked right into Loki's eyes, "I don't think you need to do anything else. Everything's ready and done, I hope you don't mess this up."
Loki nodded and with a soft smile he said, "Thanks for helping me out Daphne. I don't know how I would've done all this without your help. Who knew you were a little girl like your sister at heart."
Daphne glared at him and then turned around, walking away from the classroom wordlessly. Before she left however she dropped a "Good luck."
With nothing to do but wait, Loki sat down on a cushioned chair that he'd transfigured earlier for Hermione and himself to sit on and dine.
Loki contemplated how things would go from here on out and rehearsed the dialogues Daphne had written for him several times as he waited. He paced around the room several times to drown out his nervousness and pumped himself up to appear confident.
*Knock* *Knock*
Loki heard the knock on the door and froze before arranging his bowtie a little since he felt Daphne had put it on too tight. After which he walked towards the door and opened it softly without allowing it to *creak*.
"Mione!" Loki greeted the girl still in her uniform with a little excitement.
"Yeah hello Lok-" Hermione's words failed to leave her mouth as she spotted Loki fully dressed and the beautifully arranged room behind him.
Loki moved aside to invite Hermione into the room and pulled her in while gently grasping her hand.
"Come on in!"
Hermione's mouth opened and closed like a fish as she finally broke out of her shock and asked, "What's this?"
"Ah…just something for a special someone.", Loki said cryptically but it had an unintended side effect in Hermione's mind.
'It's for Daphne?'
'He truly loves her to go to such extents for her doesn't he..but how did he hide it so well? I mean…isn't he usually the type to spill his secrets since he doesn't even think before he speaks?'
Hermione suddenly felt like she'd swallowed a stone.
'Why does he want to show me all this? To flaunt that he's no longer single? I mean I get I'm not a looker but *sigh* whatever, let's get this done with. I heard people go mad in love but I guess I'll have to bear with it for Daph….'
'Don't worry Daph! I'll send this dense idiot to you!'
"You want my opinion on this? Is it for your yule ball date?"
Since Hermione was looking away from Loki he couldn't catch her changing expression so he spoke calmly with a smile, "Yeah. I'm planning to take someone to the Yule ball. I was wondering if she'll like it."
"It's nice. I see you prepared it all in the style Wizarding Nobles use to court their fiance." Hermione said with a little cringe, 'Daphne has that princess vibe going for her, she'll probably like it.'
Loki's smile widened, "Of course, I did because the person all this is for is no less than a noble princess herself. To me at least."
'Gosh! He's being so cheeky!!! Daphne come get your husband!!!'
"Is that all? Cause I'm a little busy. I need to leave sor-" Hermione began walking towards the exit but was forced to a stop after Loki held her hand.
"If you like it then why not stay a little longer?" Loki asked calmly while holding her hand.
Hermione became confused but she quickly realised.
Almost all of a sudden things started to click in place in her mind as she put pieces together.
'No way!!!'
'This dense idiot!'
'Don't tell me he asked Daphne to help in asking me for going to the ball!?'
'Is he crazy!!!!'
'How did Daphne even have the heart to help him after he did such a silly thing!?'
'Oh! Poor Daph!'
'I should torture him with stinging hexes!'
Holding back the tears that were threatening to break out of her eyes because of holding back her laughter, Hermione spoke softly to confirm if she was thinking along the right lines.
"...Loki, won't your date be here soon? I should get leaving…or she might think something else."
"Hahaha~ I mean, why shouldn't you be here?"
"I don't want to be a third wheel Loki. I'm sure your date will appreciate it if she's alone with you. Not with me watching. And what am I even going to do? Talk to her about books? I'm not interesting like those other girls."
Hermione tried to free her hand from Loki's grip but he held on tighter.
"Don't worry about being a third wheel, she's already here." Loki said, causing Hermione to deadpan and make a blank face that expressed her emotions perfectly.
'I can't believe it.'
'This idiot…'
'Did he still not realise that Daphne liked him!?'
'Seriously!?'
'He's almost as bad as Mr. Error!'
'God are all men such fools!?'
"You wanna see her?" Loki asked with a wide smile as he looked at Hermione, thinking the plan he'd made with Daphne was working since he assumed that Hermione was confused about who he was talking about.
'Oh god! I thought these lines weren't going to work! But I can see Hermione's lips twitching! She's only playing hard to get! I'm sure she's already realised that I'm going to ask her to the ball!'
Hermione gulped but Loki didn't let her respond, he dragged her towards the full-length mirror in the room.
"The roses smell good, I'm sure your date will love it." Hermione said with a fake smile as she noticed the border of the mirror.
"Is that so…" Loki said looking directly into Hermione's eyes in the mirror. "Well, I'm glad that you like it then, because if you like it my date will love it too."
Hermione nodded with a deadpan expression as she tried her best to formulate words inside her mind to explain to Loki what was wrong.
It felt tortuous to hold back her tears and keep on a smile without bursting out laughing.
Hermione finally slipped away from Loki but was suddenly forced to stop when Loki spoke, "Wanna be my date to the yule ball Mione?"
Hermione's eyes widened, her lips trembled and her body froze.
'This idiot!'
Loki laughed as he watched Hermione's shoulders tremble, thinking Hermione was just being shy.
"I shall ask you again then, no matter how embarrassing it is. Would you like to be my date to the yule ball Mione? I mean…this isn't as like a real couple…but I think you're the only other person closest to me-"
'-apart from Elane.'
Hermione turned around instantly. Her eyes narrowed as she stomped on her way to Loki before picking up the bouquet of roses and slamming Loki's chest with it.
"You-"
"-Are-"
"-An-"
"-Idiot-!!!"
Loki became startled and looked at Hermione with worry.
"This…what happened!?" Loki asked with a little frown as he wondered if something had gone wrong.
'I knew it! I should have worn neon pink instead!'
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