Gryffindor 5th Year Girl's Dormitory; Shortly before 10 PM

It had started out as a little idea, just the fifth year girls having one last late night gabfest before getting on the train and going their separate ways for however long before summer meet-ups started. The thing was, at least for Sophie, her best friends weren't just the fellow fifth years she shared a dorm with. She had come to love (or at the very least care) about all her housemates. From the first years that had so often seemed underfoot to the seventh years who would never trespass the grounds again. So a note had been passed from Gryffindor Girl to Gryffindor Girl - no matter the age at yesterdays evening meal. With all the packing that could be done done, the room filled with pillows, and bodies, and giggles.

It was nice, having that one last night together. After a year that had been filled with so many ups and downs, personal and public tragedies it was comforting to know that in a pinch they could all come together and giggle over butterbeers and cupcakes. She had worried, at first anyway, that it would be more sad than happy - more good byes than making memories. She had been so very wrong; and it made her extremely happy. Her camera was being passed around and every so often another flashbulb would go off followed by a spike in laughter. The room also smelled of nail polish and popcorn; which was another strangely comforting thing (or maybe she was just getting high from the fumes.

Moving on the heels of her feet she toddled over to Rich's bed and flopped down looking up at the caramel skinned girl with an impish grin, "Tell me this doesn't beat the hell out of packing and trying not to cry because we're all a bunch of sentimental babies, go on just try to tell me"! She couldn't help but look ridiculously gleeful as she waved her hands in the air trying to dry them. She had decided five minutes ago there was no way to dry nails and look anything but ridiculous so it was better to make peace with it. She just didn't want to get any on her vastly oversized I'm a G shirt, Lou had picked it out for her. Despite everything sixteen had turned out to be a good birthday; and fifth year a surprisingly good year (all things considered).

Ricci's sleepwear

Slumber parties. They had to be a girl’s favorite pastime, consisting from gossip to sweets to nails being polished. Staying up past the wee hours of the morning was a plus too, even if there were a bunch of deliriously happy, or, in Ricci’s case, extremely grumpy girls rampaging the halls of Hogwarts the day after. This slumber party, however, was produced by a special occasion: the last of the Hogwarts year. Fifth year had wrapped up quite nicely for the Italian, and she was glad her O.W.L.S. were over and done with. She just wanted to relax and have fun with her fellow Gryffindor girls.

Finishing up painting her toes a bright red, Rich placed the brush back into the glass bottle filled with paint and reached for her wand to dry them. A quick incantation passed from her lips and a slight breeze tickled her feet. Once testing to see if they had fully dried, she slipped her slippers back on. They were odd looking, with the head of a Muggle cartoon as the front of the sleepwear. They had been a gift from her cousin, Storme, who had found them in a Muggle shop one day. Apparently, the monster liked cookies, which was totally Ricci’s thing. She had taken a liking to them. They were comfortable and gave her a laugh every time she looked at them.

‘So…many…sweets!’ Rich thought to herself, eyeing the cupcake topped with delicious looking gold icing nearest to her. She was going to get a sugar high, she just knew it. And then she wouldn’t be able to sleep, and when she finally was able to sleep, it would be time to wake up for the train ride home. But the thing was that Ricci didn’t even care. Tonight was about having fun and leaving her fifth year at Hogwarts with a bang.

Feeling her bed slope downwards, she looked over to see Sophie, waving her arms around like a maniac. Rich couldn’t help but laugh loudly. She looked like a baby owl trying to fly, but failing (obviously).

“Y’know,” she started. “You could use that charm, what’s it called? Oh, I forget, but look; it did wonders for my toes!” At this, the girl removed her feet from her slippers and flexed her newly painted toes towards her friend. “And of course this is better than packing! Slumber parties beat anything about the last day of school, especially crying and worrying about your O.W.L.S. scores.” She shivered at the thought, but quickly reversed her thinking and grabbed a chocolate candy from her bedside table. “Love the shirt, by the way.”

While munching on her candy, she looked around the dorm and simply grinned. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. Of course, why wouldn’t you be?

All year long, Raine had been in the habit of avoiding most of the little get-togethers of her fellow Gryffindors in an attempt to sustain her tendencies to sit and brood, much to the detriment of her social life. But this was one party that she could hardly avoid, seeing as how it took place in the 5th year dormitory-- nor did she necessarily want to be absent. The school term had been slow and difficult and altogether stressful for her. This was precisely what she needed. A chance to sit with a drink and shed the seriousness of the year.

The witch sat cross legged on the edge of her bed, leaning against the poster frame and nursing a cold bottle of butterbeer. She wore a proper pair of pyjamas-- her favourite, the white ones with animated penguins that imitated her mood. Everyone was carefree and delighted... the smell of nail lacquer mingled with the sweeter, intoxicating fragrance of chocolate sweets. Girlish giggles were abound and tonight they sounded charming rather than grating. Whenever someone else entered the room - an older or younger housemate - the girls would cheer with familiarity or someone would yell out a name in tones of joy. Raine smiled to herself, happy to remain where she was for now and absorb the general merriment. There was something nice about being surrounded by the Gryffindors alone. Regardless of whether or not they got along or spoke, it felt like everyone formed a protective shell around each other-- a camaraderie.

Somewhere across the room, someone was waving their arms about and another housemate  appeared to be showering the girls sitting on the floor with foil-wrapped candies. Raine's smiled widened into a grin. She took another swig of her butterbeer and felt, for the first time since their OWLs had begun and ended, like she could finally relax. It was safe here.