The 10-day Bet
Hermione is scheming on Blaise to indulge a dare. Draco is scheming on Hermione to win a bet. And someone's banking on them to hook up. All in 10 days.
I. Games and Stakes
"WHAT?!"
"I said," Pansy looked at Hermione straight in the eyes as she answered. "I dare you to make a guy fall in love with you in ten days."
"Nice dare, Parkinson," Lavender said as she clapped a hand on Pansy's shoulder. The latter just returned her a naughty grin.
It was a Friday night and in honor of the weekend, the students of Hogwarts broke down to various social circles to hang out. Most of the seventh year girls confluxed at the Head Common Room with Head Girl Pansy Parkinson and played "Spin-the-Bottle".
Hermione was flabbergasted. "That's not how a dare should be! It should've been simple things like hop on one leg around the room or something!"
"What are you a circus performer?"
"C'mon Granger! This may be what your comatose love life needs!"
Comatose love life?! Hermione looked adamant. "My love life is not half dead!"
Pansy eyed her evilly. "Really? When was the last time you ever flirted with a guy?"
Aw shit. Does sharing an ice cream in kindergarten count? "Well…not that…too long…ago."
Pansy crossed the circle the girls made for the game and crawled to Hermione. "You're not going to weasel out of this game, are you?" she asked in a low husky voice.
"After all," Parvati whispered at her ear. "…you taught us this game."
"And," Susan Bones whispered in Hermione's other ear. "…the jinx has been placed in the bottle. Whoever refuses to comply will suffer the consequences."
"C'mon girl," Mabel, the black girl form Ravenclaw hollered. "You're the smartest witch in our year! You've handled our O.W.L.S. well. A boy can't be more difficult, can it?"
Mabel sure knows her power of persuasion. Hermione heaved a sigh. "Okay, okay. I'll do it. I'll choose a guy and get this dare over with!"
Pansy was quick on the uptake. "Not so fast, Granger. We," she gesticulated to the rest of the group. "…will choose the target."
There was a chorus of excited shrieks and giggles among the girls. Pansy, though smiling, never looked scarier than now.
Drat, I really am going to concede to this dare! Hermione thought helplessly.
The black-haired Slytherin seemed to enjoy the torture. "Okay, down to business. I need suggestions."
"How about Potter?" Mabel asked.
"Pffft, no way! He's too gay to function!" Lavender said with a lazy wave.
"Ron Weasely?"
"Ugh, too stupid." Parvati.
"Goldstein?"
"Are you kidding me? It would be an easy play! He wanks at the mere sight of Granger!"
Hermione blushed furiously. "Wha-"
Ignoring her, the suggestions continued pouring.
"Draco Malfoy?"
"Uh-uh," Pansy shook her head. "He's too smart. He'd be able to figure it out on the first hour. Besides, even I am not that extreme."
Hannah Abbot looked at Pansy thoughtfully. "So we need someone straight and stupid?"
Hermione snorted. "You could've thrown in Zabini!" She gave out another snort. "Straight and stupid…," she echoed Hannah.
"Perfect!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, why didn't I think of him?"
"Uh-huh, Mr. I-can't-live-without-a-hairbrush!"
Pansy crossed her arms over her chest. "I guess we have our target."
Blaise 'flip-my-hair' Zabini. Ew.
oOo
"So you banged Chang, huh?" Blaise asked with a sneer.
Enjoying the attention, Draco Malfoy just smirked enigmatically. Being the Head Boy, he missed hanging out with the other boys in the Slytherin Common Room. Sharing the Head Dormitory with Pansy only made this rare opportunity more enjoyable.
"I'm not telling, Zabini," Draco replied. He watched the effect his words received. He's not really the braggart type but hearing Zabini boast of the girls who'd been kissing his beautiful ass has been getting into his nerves. Stealing some of his limelight wouldn't hurt. After all, Zabini may be Hogwarts' resident girl magnet but he, Draco Malfoy, is the black horse in the dealings with the opposite sex.
Crabbe was practically drooling. "Wow. You really know your way with girls, Malfoy."
"Yeah, you know how to play with them around your fingers, figurative or otherwise," Goyle scoffed.
Blaise gave a casual laugh. "But of course, there are girls immune to your charms, Malfoy."
Envious, Zabini? "I don't think the world has produced the girl who can resist me," Draco drawled.
"Really? How about Parkinson?"
"What you don't know won't hurt you."
"Ginny Weasely?"
"She was interested. I wasn't."
Asshole. "The Patil twins?" Blaise suggested.
Sneer. "Did you not wonder who was the reason behind their sibling rivalry episode last year?"
"It was you?" Goyle was awestruck.
"Uh…how about Hermione Granger?" Crabbe asked.
Her?! "Who?" Draco suddenly felt the urge to give Crabbe the Cruciatus Curse.
Bingo. "Hermione Granger," Blaise repeated. "Resident nerd, epitome of quirkiness, most 'unfemale' female…" He eyed Draco with mocking eyes. "Bet she has never shown interest."
"She's too smart for Malfoy, Zabini," Harper jested. "She'll never take interest unless he's a librarian.."
"Granger may not have shown any interest yet, but I do pride myself for being 'charming'" Draco said pompously.
"You want to bet on that?" Blaise eyed him intently.
"Bet on what?" Draco asked.
Blaise eyed him menacingly. "Here are the terms: have Granger hook up with you in ten days, no love potions, no magic. Just have the shrew fall madly in love with you."
"And the stakes?"
"A hundred galleons and a nasty hex. If you're lucky, you might even get to shag the girl.'
Indecision did not even plague Draco. The more he thought of it, the more he liked it. Granger may be difficult, but not insurmountable.
"Well?" The boys all looked at Draco expectantly.
"Granger will never know what had hit her."
Blaise watched the hooting and cheering group. Draco will never know what had hit him.