Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I don't own anything, okay?
AN: Okay, this was written for A Very Potter Challenge of HPJellicleCat.
The quote I got was:"No, it's not that, it's Hermione. It's just like, I can't get her outta my head and every time I look at her, I have these pains in my chest and I just know it's her fault... that bitch..."
And the character I got was: Hermy-one/Herman.
…So here goes nothing! Please read and review!
Edited: December 27, 2010 AN: I edited this chapter to add and change some of the details but the plot is still the same. I just fixed it so that the story will be better.
Cupid's Game Board
A DraMione FanFic
By: Mieux-Mystery-Otaku
Chapter 1: The Lost Bet
Hermione and Harry had decided to spend the whole summer at the Burrow. It was already the last two weeks before the start of the new term at Hogwarts and they were already making the most out of it.
Hermione originally intended to go back to Hogwarts after the war but Ron and Harry took a lot of convincing before they said yes. Harry, being together again with Ginny, said yes in order to spend more time with her and in order to continue his ambition of being an Auror. But in Ron's side, Hermione and Ginny weren't exactly sure what the contributing factor was…or rather…WHO the contributing factor was.
"Who do you think it is?" Hermione whispered to Ginny. Ron was currently sitting at the dining table but unlike the usual, he wasn't eating. He was writing a letter. A love letter, to be exact.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders as an answer. "To whom is he writing this time?" She stood at the couch and peeked at the letter Ron was writing. "Luna and Pansy, just like always. I wonder who his real girlfriend is."
When Ron heard whispers behind him, he immediately turned around and looked at the two girls.
Ginny, who was formerly standing on the couch, immediately sat down when she saw Ron starting to turn around. She pretended to fiddle with something on her shirt while Hermione pretended to fold her sleeves.
Ron, failing to see something unusual with the two, just shrugged and went back to what he was doing.
"I don't know. I don't remember him saying something about those two to me and Harry." Hermione shrugged her shoulders. She got up and started to go out to the garden. Ginny followed her.
"Ron never talks about those kinds of things, Hermione." Ginny cocked an eyebrow. Her face was saying something like 'DUH!' And then she smirked. But it wasn't just a simple smirk. Along with it, she had this certain gleam in her eyes that was so familiar to Hermione. "Wanna bet instead?"
"Bet? You want to have a pool involving your brother's love life?" asked Hermione incredulously. It was already safe to talk in normal volume now that they were outside the house and out of Ron's earshot.
"Why not? It will be fun, don't you think? Now, come on." Ginny urged. She tugged on Hermione's sleeve.
Hermione gently shook her head at the redhead, her lips curving into a smile. "You never change."
"Would you want me to?" Ginny pouted. But she didn't wait for an answer. "Now, come on. It's just a bet. Please?"
Hermione sighed in defeat. "Do I have a choice?"
"No," came the nonchalant answer.
"Okay, then. Seeing as my opinion doesn't matter the least bit. I'm in." Hermione agreed in resignation.
"YAY! But about the consequences…Hmmmm. I can't think of anything yet at the moment. Why don't we just say the consequences when we already know the winner?"
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Okay, so," Ginny started, "Oh, wait, I know! Let's do the Oath of Fate first."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Wait, what? The Oath of Fate? Are you mad?" She almost screamed at her face. "The Oath of Fate is like another version of the Unbreakable Vow! You must be out of your mind!"
"Ain't I always?" Ginny smiled sweetly at Hermione. That only made Hermione's eyes widen even more in horror.
"Oh, no. No. Definitely not! I'm not taking that oath just because of a bet about your lovesick brother." Hermione raised her hands in the air, palms up, as a final gesture to her refusal.
Ginny's nose crinkled. "Come on, it's not like you're gonna die if you break an oath of fate." Ginny argued.
"Oh, not death, yes. But Queen Fate will have the time of her eternal life playing with you! And Lady Luck will definitely not vouch support for you!" Hermione explained, her arms flinging exasperatedly. "You will experience not only bad, but terrible luck. Don't you get the idea of that? You will be cursed all your life, bad luck will follow you. Fate will play with you. You'll be as good as dead if you break the oath, Ginny."
"That's right, IF you break the oath. That's the point, Hermione. You aren't planning on breaking the oath, are you?" Ginny looked at Hermione.
"Of course not!" Hermione huffed indignantly. Never in her life had Hermione broken a promise.
"There you go. If you're not going to break the oath, you have nothing to worry about." Ginny happily said.
"But, but, but!"
"No buts!"
"But…Just BUT!"
"Oh, come on, Hermione! You have nothing to worry about, I promise you. Besides, we haven't even talked about your punishment. I promise, your consequence wouldn't be too painful." Ginny finished with a wink.
Hermione snorted as she put her hands on her hips-something that both she and Ginny always do along with the trademark raised eyebrow. "Heh! Wait right there, young woman. Who told you that you'll win, may I ask? You won't win against me!"
"Oh really?" Ginny challenged, her stance mirroring Hermione's.
"Yes, really! Okay then, you're on!" She finally agreed. But somewhere in her pathetic mind, she had the thought that something would go definitely wrong.
"That's my girl!" Ginny squealed in delight. She held out her left hand while she took out her wand with her right.
Hermione held out her hand as well but instead of clasping her and Ginny's palms together like what someone would do to perform the ritual for the Unbreakable vow; they just hooked their index fingers together.
Ginny raised her wand, pointed it at her finger and started saying her promise. "I, Ginevra Molly Weasley, hereby promise to do whatever Hermione Jean Granger will tell me to, if ever I lose, as a consequence for our bet." The tip of Ginny's wand illuminated with silver light as she finished her oath. The light landed on the base of her index finger.
Hermione took a deep breath before whipping out her own wand and pointing as well to her finger. She started her oath. "I, Hermione Jean Granger, hereby promise to do whatever Ginevra Molly Weasley will tell me to, if ever I lose, as a consequence for our bet." Hermione finished and then an identical shade of light erupted from her wand and landed at her finger.
The light magically encircled the bases of their fingers until it formed a gleaming band of silver around their fingers. The light faded but in its place, now rested a brown mark, a symbol of their oath to remind them of the consequences of breaking the magical promise.
"Wow, that's kinda creepy." Ginny said and then she pocketed her wand.
"Tell me about it." Hermione replied as she surveyed the dark brown mark on her finger while thinking… This can't be good… But then an idea struck her. She didn't have to pick the losing side, right? If there was someone who Ron would have as a girlfriend, the girl will more probably turn out to be Luna. "Okay then, I bet Luna!"
Ginny appeared to be startled by Hermione's sudden statement. Not to mention shocked to hear her pick Luna. Her eyes widened. "Whoa! Wait, I'm supposed to pick Luna!"
"No, no, no! I picked her first. You have to go for Pansy now." Hermione said triumphantly.
"Ugh! Not fair! Right after doing the oath. Ugh! You dirty player! Fine, then! I go for Pansy." Ginny sulked.
"That's what you get for being slow."
Ginny stuck her tongue out at Hermione. But nevertheless, gave her a smile.
Hermione smiled back while thinking. This doesn't sound too bad at all. I'll definitely win! Or so she thought…
The last two weeks of summer passed by in haste. Before the trio and Ginny knew it, they were already waiting for the scarlet train in platform 9 3/4. Ginny stood hand in hand with Harry. Hermione was having a conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley while Ron was anxiously looking around the platform.
"What's wrong, mate?" Harry asked his best male friend. Ginny suddenly excused herself for a moment to talk to Hermione and the two boys were the only ones left with each other.
"I'm just waiting for someone, Harry." Ron said while still looking around.
"For who?"
"Pansy"
"Pansy? Parkinson?" Harry raised his eyebrow. Why the heck would Ron wait for the Slytherin princess?
"Do you know any other Pansy who would board the train?"
"Well, no." Harry told Ron. "But why are you waiting for her?"
Ron looked at Harry like he was losing his mind. "Is there something wrong with seeing my girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend? Pansy? Are you serious, Ron?" Harry exclaimed, his eyes about to pop out of its sockets.
"Of course, mate. How can I-" Ron was cut off midsentence when Pansy suddenly emerged and hugged him from behind.
Harry only had the ability to gape at the ridiculous couple in front of him, too shocked to mutter anything more than "Holy Pigfarts."
Hermione and Ginny didn't miss the exchange between the two boys. In fact, their eyes might be looking at each other but their ears were focused on the two boys' conversation. So when they both hear what Harry said, they were shocked as well.
"Hmmm. Pansy. Well, I guess I win, Hermione. I didn't really expect that and I don't really like her for that matter. But…" Ginny said. It was hard to tell if she was happy to know that she won or just simply disgusted with Pansy and Ron. "I won. I'll just tell you my condition later." She, then, left and sauntered to Harry. She took a hold of his chin and closed his mouth for him so that no flies could enter.
Hermione, on the other hand, was left with her jaw on the floor. She expected to win. She expected Ron to have Luna as his girlfriend. She was so confident with betting for Luna. Ron and Pansy, really? Well, who would've thought? The Slytherin Princess and a Gryffindor. The world must have gone to the dogs.
They boarded the train exactly a couple of minutes before 11:00. Ginny and Harry found a compartment while Hermione followed Pansy and Ron.
The three of them went to the Prefect's compartment where they found the other prefects. There were a total of eight of them in their year plus some more from the other years. Ron and Hermione were for Gryffindor, Malfoy and Pansy for Slytherin, Justin Finch-Fletchly and Hannah Abbott for Hufflepuff and Padma Patil and Terry Boot for Ravenclaw. They were the ones in line for the Headgirl and boy positions.
The ride to Hogwarts seemed rather long to Hermione. She spent the whole trip staring at Ron and Pansy from her seat across the couple, still not believing her own eyes. But she wasn't the only one.
Draco "the Ferret" Malfoy was also staring disgustingly at the ridiculous couple. Unfortunately for him, he was sitting directly beside Pansy. He was unluckily treated to the sound of their supposed sweet murmurings in each other's ears. Draco's pleasure regarding the moment was displayed by his disgusted face and crinkled nose. He was inching, bit-by-bit, away from the couple and towards the windows. In no time at all, he was already squished against the window.
At last, after what seemed like centuries, they arrived at the platform. From there, they went to the carriages and travelled towards the castle. Hermione made sure that she was a fair distance away from Ron and Pansy, who seemed to have been permanently glued together. As a result, they had to adopt Pansy and let her board the carriage occupied by the Gryffindors plus Luna. Hermione, Luna and Neville had to sit at one side. Ginny and Harry, being the ones not favored by Lady Luck, were sitting beside Pansy and Ron on the other side. Nobody seemed to be delighted at the situation, except Luna, that is.
Luna was beaming at the couple. She had her eyes trained at them the whole ride and her eyes had a contented gleam in it. Hermione noticed this reaction from Luna and decided to ask her the very question that was bugging her mind.
"You know, Luna. I really thought you were Ron's girlfriend, what with those letters and all." Hermione whispered as low as she could to Luna, who was luckily sitting at her right.
Ginny who was sitting directly in front of her, caned her neck towards them at the sound of Hermione's voice. She, too, looked interested in knowing why she didn't lose. She didn't exactly like the outcome of their bet. Don't get her wrong, she was happy she won. She just didn't like Pansy very much for Ron.
"You did?" Luna chimed with her gentle voice. "Well, I was just trying to help, you know?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"I don't think I should really tell you." Luna said as her eyes drifted merrily towards Ron and his clinging octopus once again.
"We'll not tell anybody, Luna." Hermione assured her.
Beside Luna, Neville seemed to be getting interested at the matter too. Even Harry focused his attention to the low conversation they were having. Only Ron and Pansy were the ones oblivious to it.
Luna looked at all of them before she hesitantly answered. "He just asked for my advice and help as to how to tell Pansy about his feelings."
"When did it all start?" Harry mouthed to Luna. He couldn't risk being heard by Ron, who was sitting just beside him.
"I'm afraid I cannot betray the information. I can't tell you about that." Luna's eyes flickered apologetically at each of them. "Why don't you ask Ron? I'm sure he'll tell you."
Hermione and Harry shared nervous looks at the thought of asking Ron why he fell for the Slytherin girl. Everybody knew how Ron acted when it came to love. He was defensive and rather violent in terms of words, so to say.
It was not long after that when they reached the castle and they all filed down the carriages and towards the gates. Each and every one of them was absorbed in their own thoughts.
After arriving at the castle, they all went to the Great Hall and watched the usual routine at the Welcoming Feast.
The new Headmistress, McGonagall, welcomed each and every one of them. She introduced the new teachers, including their new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor and new Head of Gryffindor who was none other than Remus Lupin once again. He was welcomed rather cheerfully by the Gryffindors. And then the announcement for the Headboy and Headgirl came. Hermione listened intently at the announcement, tentatively forgetting her lost bet and who knows what consequence she had to pay.
"Now, for our Headboy and Headgirl…as you all know, due to the unfit curriculum of the school in the past year, we have rendered it useless. But this year, we'll have a new set of Headboy and Headgirl who are chosen because of their outstanding grades, their sense of responsibility and nothing more. The Headboy and Headgirl will be leaving their House dormitories and will stay at the Heads' dormitories, instead." stated McGonagall. By that time, there were several Oooooh's and Aaaaaah's as well as some wolf-whistles. "The Head Girl, I'm proud to announce, is Ms. Hermione Granger."
Cheers and applause erupted from the Gryffindor table. "Well done, Hermione," some said, "Just as expected," some murmured with a smile. But the best reactions were from Hermione's two best friends, Harry and Ron – who, finally, had been separated from Pansy due to school rules.
"'Mione, I'll miss you. But you will still help us study, right?" said Ron. He momentarily forgot about his grumbling stomach and his girlfriend, which was a miracle. Hermione rolled her eyes with a smile.
"We'll miss you in the common room. We'll miss the kill joy." Harry said with a chuckle. Hermione playfully smacked his arm.
Ginny, on the other hand, decided to talk to her.
"Wow, Headgirl, huh? I think I found the best penalty for you, Hermione." Ginny said with a smirk. She was sitting beside Hermione. This is my chance to take Ron away from that octopus with the help of Hermione, she thought. Surely, the Headboy would be Ron, right? "I want you to make the Headboy fall in love with you."
"And for the Headboy…" McGonagall continued her announcement.
Both Hermione and Ginny waited for the announcement of the Headboy. But when they heard the name, both of them thought they had heard their own funeral march. For the Headboy was none other than…
"Draco Malfoy…"
AN: There's the first chapter. Please send me reviews. It will totally be appreciated.
