The Hearts at Hogwarts
Gigglesweird00
A Ginny/Draco and Harry/Hermione romance story mainly, but with lot of romantic and adventure plots with some of my favorite or invented characters. I don't own Harry Potter and I'll prolly have to turn this story to AU after I finish the sixth book, but hey I can have fun with it now can't I?…..
A Deal and Dancing
Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
The opening lines from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet drifted easily through Hermione Granger's thoughts as she watched the entrance of fellow students into their Muggle Studies Class, twisting a long strand of her golden brown hair around her finger. In actuality there were 6th and 7th year students from each Hogwarts house, but Hermione watched with disappointment as Ron gave the entering Slytherins a dirty look.
"What's Ferret doing here? We all know he and those other Slytherin creeps don't want to have anything to do with muggles," he growled leaning over her desk.
"I suppose they are capable of getting just as tired of History of Magic as you and Harry, maybe even bored enough to take a muggle class." Hermione offered. "Malfoy hasn't done a thing to us since fifth year, give him a break Ron, honestly."
"I'll give him a break alright. How about a break in his skull? The only reason he keeps to himself is because his daddy is the murdering scum of the earth and everybody knows it.. He has to keep that good boy act on or everybody will think he's just the same won't they. Well, guess what, I don't just believe; I know for a fact he's the same. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree Mione, remember that. Why do you even defend him? Don't you hear what everybody says about him?"
"People change Ron." Hermione paused for a moment then continued. "Do you remember when your mother believed all that awful stuff Rita Skeeter was printing about me breaking Harry's heart in fourth year?" She suddenly asked.
"Yeah, silly woman believes everything she reads or hears." he said, scratching his head at Hermione's sudden curiosity in his mum.
"As you said so well Ron, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Hermione finished pointedly.
"What's this about apples? I'm starving." Harry had arrived. Hermione smiled as he slid into the desk behind hers rather than the one on the far side of Ron.
"Nothing Harry, just winning an argument." Hermione said with a triumphant air. Ron turned a shade of red and crossed his arms.
There were three of them and since sixth year they had run the Slytherin House. Nora Moon sauntered into the Muggle Studies classroom in between her best friends Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Even in their school robes they managed to look polished. Draco arched an eyebrow at their student prospects and began to lead the way to the back of the classroom. Nora followed the tall platinum blonde. She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. She was a slim attractive and mysterious looking young woman with a scintillating white smile, blue eyes, and flawless skin. The dark featured boy who came behind her had dark brown, almost black eyes. Blaise ran a hand through his short crop of spiky black hair and sent the Weasel boy back a glare dark enough to wilt flowers.
They took three back desks.
"Not much luck in company this class," Draco sneered. Besides Pansy, Crabbe, Bullstrude, and Goyle and a couple of sixth years there weren't many Slytherins.
"That's fine with me mate, means we're the best lookin' blokes in ere'." Blaise said smiling and popped his collar. Nora cleared her throat with a grin.
"Something in your throat Moon?" Blaise quipped.
"No, I was merely alluding to the fact that you left out that Slytherin girls are by far the best looking." She answered knowing she wouldn't get it out of either of them. She smiled haughtily.
"Speaking of good looking check out the birds on Longbottom's arms." Blaise said nudging Draco and directing his attention to the door. He was referring to Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood who were being escorted to their desks by a very different looking Neville Longbottom. Neville had grown out his brown hair and had sufficiently slimmed up. He no longer looked a bumbling imbecile, though Draco would be the last to admit that. Draco's attention, however, was on Ginny Weasley. To tell the truth his attention had been on Ginny Weasley since fifth year when her rather nasty bat bogey hex had caught his attention quite well. At first he had been set on revenge, but past events at home had changed all that. He had admired her for a year now. He inwardly burned with what he refused to admit was jealousy when Longbottom made her laugh. The petite girl giggled openly, her cream cheeks blushing and her eyes sparkling. She tucked a long strand of her bright red hair behind her ear and took the chair Neville pulled out for her. He turned to do the same for Luna.
"You can't possibly mean Looney and Weaslette. They're Potter Fan club members. They're Gryffindors. " Draco said playing his false disgust well, while watching Ginny talk animatedly to Lovegood about something.
"Hey! Being in Gryffindor doesn't make them any less attractive. Mind if I hit on the blonde? I've never been partial for red heads." Blaise said taking a closer look at the distracted sandy haired girl.
"You're pathetic Zabini." Nora sighed in exasperation.
"Me pathetic for not limiting myself to my house?…Just because I'm not destined to a life of solitude like you does not make me pathetic my dear little ice queen."
"I am not an ice queen." Nora huffed crossing her arms.
"Oh yes you are." He argued. "Not a single boyfriend in seven years. In fact you scare the boys you attract. Back me up mate." he said turning to Draco.
"He's got a point Nora. Even the boys you attract you scare the daylights out of. You turned down seven invitations to the Yule Ball, you hexed Jordan Thames for attempting to kiss you last Christmas and you broke Caiden Hort's nose last year for smacking your bum." Draco told Nora shrugging.
"I turned down seven invitations from seven idiots with not enough IQ together to fill a teaspoon who would step on my feet all night and attempt to grope me. I'm pretty sure I made the right decision there and as for the last two, I don't like to be touched. Now get to the point of the conversation Blaise before I hex you just for irritating me." Nora said grumpily; she wasn't an ice queen, at least not in her mind.
"You couldn't get a date outside your house if you tried Moon." Blaise said coolly. For friends they were still competitive. Draco smiled and rubbed his palms together.
"Ooh, do I since a bet coming on?" He asked.
"Name your terms." Nora challenged Blaise.
"Have a date from another house at the Inter-House Party this Friday night in the Room of Requirements. You can only ask, in your case beg; you can't pay off or threaten your way into a date. Nobody else.." he paused looking at Draco. "Can threaten or buy you a date either. Have any of your own terms Moon?"
"You can't tell anyone about the bet and nobody, including you, can tell or pay someone not to go with me." She added her terms. "Now what do I get if I win?"
"You mean what do I get when I win. Seventy five galleons sound good enough for you?" He asked, looking at her confidently. There's no way he'd lose. A Hufflepuff boy would probably wet himself if Nora looked him over twice.
"Sounds good to me." She agreed. She would win and those galleons would by her a new outfit and a pair of shoes to go with it. She grinned broadly. "Do we have a wager?"
"We do." He agreed.
They shook hands and when wizards and witches shake, it's binding.
Ginny and Luna were talking softly about the party to be held in the Room of Requirements Friday night.
"Dumbledore even approved it as long as we use muggle music." Ginny said excitedly. "He said something about 'improving our inter-culture awareness'."
"Which means basically, WE GET TO PARTY!" Ron interrupted their conversation.
"Oh, 'improving your inter-culture awareness' is far more than partying Mr.Weasley as you'll come to find in my class." Their teacher had arrived and was smiling at Ron. She was a small elegant, beautiful woman with a Spanish accent and a dazzling smile. Her dark hair fell in waves to her waist and she wore a simple white cotton shirt and a long pleated red peasant skirt.
"Greetings class, I'm Professor Amelia Sonora. You may call me Amelia." She began.
"Close your mouth Ron. You're beginning to drool." Hermione whispered out of the corner of her mouth. Ron snapped his mouth shut abruptly and Harry muffled a snicker.
"Although we won't necessarily be "partying" in here." Amelia smiled at Ron. " We should have fun with what I have planned. You're going to learn many interesting things. The biggest thing we'll do this year is dancing." This was greeted by a groan. She ignored it and continued. "We'll also learn literature, art, music, and everyday life. Who's in charge of that Inter-House Party Friday night?"
Harry and Hermione, Head Boy and Head Girl, and the seventh year prefects raised their hands.
"Well, as a start of the term gift, you and your classmates have all access to my muggle cd's and records. You'll find them versatile. Miss Granger, as you are a muggleborn, such as myself, I expect you'll recognize some of the music. Enjoy yourselves."
Ron looked puzzled. Hermione smiled.
"I'll explain later."
"Ladies and gentlemen, our headmaster has informed me that in light of darker times our school mission this year is to strive to become unified, as a result your dance partner may are may not be from your house. To promote inter-house unity Professor Dumbledore has selected the dance partners for this term. The list will be posted at the end of this evening after dinner on the bulletin boards in each house."
This was greeted with a monumental groan.
"Oh, come off it! It's just a little dancing. You'll find it's quite relaxing after a while." Amelia told them, hands on her hips. "You all just wait and see."
For some reason Ginny didn't know how relaxing it would be if she were paired with someone she didn't know. She wasn't necessarily a shy person, but what if she got someone like Crabbe. "Oh heavens!" She looked down at her shoes. "My poor feet." was all she could think.
The rest of the class was then spent on class wide discussion of Muggle and Wizard entertainment. It seemed like time really flew in Muggle Studies, contrary to History of Magic where time was in temporary paralysis. The bell rang and the class was dismissed with a smile, a wave, and a "check your bulletin boards."
The day passed by in a blur of moving students, lessons, and assignments. At last the day drew to an end and the golden plates were filling in the Great Hall.
"I….I can't eat!" Ron whined hysterically. A shocked Harry watched as his friend pushed his plate away.
He nudged Hermione with his elbow and whispered, "Better write this down, Mione. Ron, here's refusing food." Hermione giggled, but then leaned around Harry to look at a very nervous looking Ron.
"Oh Ron, honestly, eat something. It's not all that bad." Hermione ordered.
"Not all that bad? You won't be saying that if you end up cheek to cheek with Crabbe or Goyle." Ron said flatly.
"Oh, but Ron…." Hermione started, but Neville interrupted her.
"Don't encourage him Hermione. This is my one chance to get the last chicken leg." He laughed taking the last chicken leg from its platter. "I expect you to be back to your old gluttonous self tomorrow though Weasley, otherwise I won't keep my new figure." Neville joked gesturing at Ron with the chicken and patting his newly toned abs. Ron looked thoroughly disgusted.
"How can you eat at a time like this? For all you know tomorrow you could be Millicent Bullstrude's stomping partner?"
"You're making too big a deal over this mate. Isn't he Harry?" Neville said smiling confidently at Ron.
Harry nodded, but for once in a lifetime he thought maybe he was less sure of himself than even Neville Longbottom. Some very embarrassing memories of dancing came to mind when Harry thought about dancing. The Yule Ball was a night he preferred to forget. Hopefully, his partner would be understanding to his lack of dancing ability.
After dinner Hermione rushed along with the boys towards the common room. Ron was desperate to know who he'd be forced to embarrass himself with. After bellowing the password, he barreled through the portrait hole. Startled Gryffindors cleared the way for him to the bulletin board.
"IT'S NOT HERE!" Ron shouted frantically. " I can't believe it's n.."
"Here it is." Hermione handed him a blue sheet of parchment that had just popped up on the bulletin board. Neville and Harry peered over his shoulder searching anxiously for their names.
Partners for Muggles Studies Dance session
Terry Boot & Tai-Lee Meshatari
Vincent Crabbe & Pansy Parkinson
Colin Creevey & Emily Hilton
Justin Finch-Fletchley & Millicent Bullstrude
Seamus Finnigan & Bethany Bartholomew
Gregory Goyle & Hannah Abbot
Dale Grover & Analeice Hart
Neville Longbottom & Nora Moon
Draco Malfoy & Ginny Weasley
Gage Naxon & Valerie Rose
Harry Potter & Hermione Granger
Emilio Santorine & Edgarina Talbot
Hector Santorine & Alison Doe
Leo Tanner & Jezzaree Marks
Dean Thomas & Padma Patil
Ron Weasley & Lavender Brown
Blaise Zabini & Luna Lovegood
Harry felt an a wave of relief was over him. If anyone could teach him to dance, it was Hermione. Hermione always understood him. He smiled and tried to ignore the fact that he had secretly been hoping Hermione would be his dance partner.
"Who'd you get Harry?" Hermione asked noticing the pleased smile on his face.
"You." He said simply. Hermione felt warm. He was pleased to be dancing with her and she knew how badly he hated dancing. He was happy about it. She smiled brightly.
"That's wonderful." She said and to her surprise, Harry gave her a brief hug. Before strolling off to talk to Kirk about Quidditch.
This exchange of affection didn't go unnoticed by Ron and he wasn't at all happy about it. Nor was he happy at the dancing arrangements. He had been hoping that Hermione would be his dance partner. Lavender wasn't bad, but frowning he thought "Hermione would have been so much better. Why does Harry get everything I want?"
"Ron saw Lavender approaching and shoved the list into her hands. "You're with me." He snapped and brushed past a very disapproving Parvati.
Who's Nora Moon?" Neville asked.
"That dark haired Slytherin chick that hangs out with Mal-ferret and Zabini." Ron said moodily. 'At least someone was worse off than him.'
Neville nodded, suddenly not feeling so confident, but at least he hadn't gotten Millicent. "Poor Justin."
End Chapter
So what do you think? Review please….by the way flames will be ignored completely.