2

When Hermione went to bed that night she found Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil waiting for her crossed-legged on her bed. Hermione groaned audibly.

"What is it you want?" Folding her arms across her chest, Hermione glared. She was not in the mood. Malfoy had annoyed her enough for one day; she wasn't mentally prepared to deal with her roommates from hell and whatever sinister plan they had conducted as well. Until they moved, though, Hermione had no choice but to hear them out. She wasn't sure the rules allowed for cursing roommates who wouldn't move out of your way, and Hermione hated breaking the rules.

"We heard your conversation earlier," Lavender said. Hermione didn't like the smirk that played across her face.

"What conversation?" she asked cautiously.

"About Draco Malfoy," Parvati supplied eagerly.

"Oh, not you as well!" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Look, can you just move? I want to go to bed."

"We're not moving anywhere until you hear us out."

Hermione angry-sighed and uncrossed her arms. She let them fall uselessly to her side and tilted her head upwards, sucking in a deep breath. Honestly, why did she have to get stuck with the nightmare-girls for roommates? If only she were a year younger, she could have educated conversations with Ginny before bed instead of dealing with incoherent conversations about boys.

"I don't really want to talk about how attractive you find Draco Malfoy, thanks," she said finally. "Please. Just move."

"The thing is," Parvati started.

"-We think it's you who finds him attractive." Okay. Hermione hadn't expected that. The confusion and disgust must have been written across her face because Lavender continued: "It was how you were talking about him."

"With disgust?"

"Oh please! Girls only get annoyed with boys when they like them."

Hermione snorted.

"See!" Parvati pointed at her enthusiastically. "That kind of reaction just proves it!"

"I don't see how."

"Well, of course, you don't. You're in denial. We, however, are experts in love. Trust us."

"Okay, sure, whatever." Hermione shook her head and pulled out her wand. She had had enough of their rubbish now. If they weren't going to move from her bed, then she would just have to make them. Screw the rules. Fortunately, her roommates were not complete idiots. They knew Hermione could handle a wand better than either of them could ever dream too. Climbing from her bed, they both looked Hermione up and down as they passed her, a glint in their eyes that made her feel uncomfortable.

With her bed finally free, Hermione climbed in and pulled the curtains shut. She didn't re-open them once she had changed into her pyjamas. She didn't want to deal with her idiot roommates again. She stared at the ceiling for a while, trying to comprehend what an earth they had been thinking. She just couldn't figure out their logic, of lack of.

"You know I hate Malfoy right?" Hermione said finally, unsure whether the two girls were still awake in the now silent dormitory.

"We know you think you do," Lavender replied eagerly, almost instantly.

"No, I actually do hate him."

"Why?" Parvati asked sleepily.

"Because he's vile. He's a Slytherin. He's pure evil. He's tried to have Harry killed and expelled. He hates me. I could go on."

Hermione's curtains opened, and suddenly there was Lavender's face, smiling eagerly; a girl on a mission.

"I will admit, most of that is true." Lavender nodded, "but opposites attract."

"Not in this case!"

"Trust me, Hermione, the way you spoke about him with that venomous passion – you dig that arse." Dig that arse? She really was just speaking to a moron, wasn't she? Hermione rolled over, turning her back to Lavender.

"Good night, Lavender."

"You're just further proving my point." Hermione hated how smug Lavender sounded, it irked her beyond belief. She rolled back around.

"Why won't you let this drop?"

"Why do you want me to drop it?"

"Because it's ridiculous. I hate Draco Malfoy, and he loathes me."

"But you could change that." Lavender's eyes were twinkling in the dull light. Parvati had obviously succumbed to exhaustion; there was no way she would be so quiet otherwise.

"I don't want to change it."

"But you admit you could?"

"I admit nothing."

"Oh come on! I thought Hermione Granger thrived for challenges!" She had Hermione there. There were no challengers that Hermione liked to back away from. She strived for perfection in everything she did. "See, now you're interested."

"What are you suggesting?" Hermione asked slowly. She couldn't believe she was even humouring Lavender. This whole conversation was beyond insane.

"Well, I'm thinking a little bet is in order."

"Nope. No." As soon as Lavender mentioned the word bet, Hermione started shaking her head. She wasn't going to like whatever it was the other girl suggested, and she wasn't going to go through with some childish bet for the sake of… what? This was a waste of her time. She could be sleeping right now. She didn't want to be tired for lessons tomorrow.

"You haven't even heard my suggestion yet."

"And I don't want to. Go to bed, Lavender."

"So you're afraid of a little bet? How an earth are you worthy to hang around with Harry Potter?" Okay, that struck a nerve.

"I'm not afraid."

"Oh really? So you'll hear me out will you?"

"Just spit it out."

"I think it's time for the snake to fall for the lion. Trust me here, I'm doing you both a favour, you'll thank me one day." She paused, waiting for Hermione to protest. When she didn't, Lavender continued. "I'll give you… let's say… one month to convince Draco Malfoy to fall in love with you."

"Right. Of course. Even if I were stupid enough to try it, what makes you think even a hundred years would be enough time to make Malfoy like me, let alone love me?"

Lavender tilted her head, as if in thought. "I just… see something there. A flame. A flame fighting against a blizzard." Hermione couldn't help but raise her eyebrow there. Hadn't she herself compared her anger towards Malfoy as a flame in a blizzard? She knew Lavender took divinations seriously; she hoped she couldn't read minds now!

"And why would I do this?"

"To prove yourself?"

Hermione laughed. "Try again."

"Okay, how about to humiliate me then? Let's say, if you win, I have to… flash my boobs at Snape? And vice versa."

"Ew, no!"

"Okay, no boobs. Right. Okay, well seeing as the theme of this bet is love… whoever loses has to publically admit their love to Snape and give him a kiss."

"He'd kill us."

"He'd try, but Dumbledore wouldn't allow it."

"You know this is childish, stupid and possibly even dangerous right?" Hermione couldn't believe she was actually contemplating entering this pathetic bet that she stood no chance of winning. The idea of Lavender having to embarrass herself in front of the entire school was appealing, though. And the thought of turning down a challenge made Hermione feel sick.

"Most fun things are," Lavender said. She held out her hand confidently. "He has to say the words, though, otherwise, it doesn't count."

"He will never say those words to me. Ever. I don't want him to either." Despite that, Hermione shifted her hand. She didn't take Lavender's, not yet.

"Never say never," Lavender said. "Are you going to shake my hand or not?"

"Are you going to leave me alone if I don't?"

"Probably not."

Hermione took Lavender's hand in her own and shook it. She was sure she was making the biggest mistake of her life, but Hermione never liked to shy away from a challenge, and Lavender had just handed her the ultimate one.