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“I will not participate in this. It’s ridiculous!”
“Hermione, it was your idea!” Ginny laughed at her friend. “ You suggested holding an auction to raise funds.”
“An auction, yes! For things. Books, antiques, furniture! Not people!” Hermione huffed, indignant.
It was true, she had suggested holding an auction. However, when the idea was taken up by the committee, they’d completely ran away with it. Auctioning off people for dates. It was barbaric.
“Ah come one, Hermione, it’s all a bit of fun. Imagine, we could both get lucky with a date tonight.” Ginny grinned giddily.
“How can you be so happy about this? Harry is in the auction!”
“And I fully intend to purchase him. Maybe.”
“Ginny!” Hermione wasn’t sure how to react to her friend’s blasé take on what was going on. “Imagine Harry is being bought by someone else, how would that make you feel, hm?” She raised an eyebrow.
“It’s fine. Loosen up, you. It’s for charity. Whoever gets Harry will go for one dinner with him. That’s it. It’s not like they’re getting the shag of their lives for their bid.”
“How will you even know you’re bidding on the right man?” Hermione looked at the auction brochure, one of which was laid out for every bidder t. There were no names or photos, merely lot numbers and a description of personality, likes, and dislikes. Nothing at all indicated who was who.
“I won’t. That’s the fun of it. How exciting, don’t you think? It’ll be worth going on a blind date for charity.”
Hermione harrumphed and went back to studying the lots, trying to determine which one might be Harry or Ron.
Lot#01: Polite and soft-spoken, a charming young man with underlying strength.
Lot#02: Cheeky and rambunctious, this young man will make your night unforgettable.
Lot#03: Artistic and athletic, this energetic young man loves Quidditch and a good laugh.
Lot#04: Strong and tall, with a lopsided grin to melt your heart. Loves Quidditch and Chess.
Hermione rolled her eyes and stopped reading. It was demeaning. Looking around the audience, it appeared she was the only one to think so. She had to stay though, after all, she was the patron of the charity. With a sigh, she drank half the wine in her glass and hoped for a quick top-up. Her hopes were answered and the glass refilled soon after.
As the auction began, she sat back and quietly observed how her friends, colleagues and even some of their mothers, turned from polite witches to heckling, jeering Harpies. She shook her head.
The lots progressed and one by one, Neville, George, Dean, Ron and Seamus were all auctioned off in short order, amidst much hilarity. They all put on a good show, and dutifully pecked the cheek of the women who’d won the bets.
By the time lot number nine - ‘Upstanding, thoughtful and handsome, book-loving charmer- - was auctioned off, she almost placed a bid. Almost. She grinned when Percy was revealed, freshly won by a girl named Audrey Higgins. Their awkward greeting led many in the room to holler and whistle. They left, hand in hand, to their designated dinner destination.
“They’ll probably leave Harry to last,” Ginny told Hermione. “He’s the pièce de résistance after all.” She wiggled her eyebrows, making Hermione laugh.
“So you’re keeping your galleons for last, are you?” Looking back at the programme, she read the final two lots:
Lot#12: A charming dark horse - athletic and demanding. A real catch.
Lot#13: The evening’s wildcard.
“You’re probably right that he’s the wildcard. After all, none of the other descriptions fit him. Look at lot eleven - ‘tall’. Or lot twelve - ‘charming’?” She chuckled at Ginny who looked back with mock outrage.
“Are you saying that Harry is not charming?”
“He’s about as charming as a troll, Gin, and you know it. He lacks subtlety. He is demanding mind. Is he a dark horse though?”
“Well, I’m keeping my bids close until the wild card. I want dinner with Harry.” Ginny folded her hands on the table in front of her and watched as Hannah Abbot escorted lot eleven: - ‘Athletic, tall, sassy, and world-class catch’ - Oliver Wood off stage.
The auction was nearly over and Hermione, after all her reservations, found she enjoyed herself immensely. Throwing caution to the wind, she placed a bid for the next lot herself. It was a silent auction, not that the room was in any way quiet, but nobody knew how much was bid at any one time. For each lot, five minutes were given as a bidding limit. In that time, bids could be written on magically enchanted parchment pieces that accompanied each brochure. The bids would vanish off the parchment, and appear with the auctioneer. The highest bid at the end of those five minutes won.
Her piece of parchment flashed red, meaning she was outbid. Ginny laughed next to her, having seen the flash of red. “You’re bidding!”
“I’m the patron so of course, I’m bidding. It wouldn’t do for me not to participate. And you were right. It did look like a lot of fun so far.” She scribbled another bid on the paper just as the auctioneer called the end of that particular lot number.
Hermione’s parchment flashed green. She stared at it, aware that she’d won. Applause rang out around her when she stood up to collect her prize. She easily navigated the three steps up to the stage and turned to the audience while she waited for her mystery man to appear from backstage.
The applause faltered, then grew louder in some parts. Hermione caught Ginny’s wide-eyed expression and she knew, just knew that she’d accidentally won Harry. She turned with a wide smile ready to greet her friend. But she found upon turning that she had to lift her head higher to meet his eyes. Bright, grey eyes, accompanied by an amused smirk.
“Evening, Granger.”