2.

Theo stood still behind a bookshelf in the restricted section and cursed inside his head, then he cursed Potter, and then he cursed some more.

How was he supposed to sneak off the extra book he needed besides the book he took as a cover for what he really wanted? No one should even know that he's been in the restricted section except for Madame Pince who let him in here and Professor Binns who managed to authorize the note. Who knew that the ghost still had authority over here in Hogwarts?

It was just his fantastic luck that on his way out, Harry Bloody Potter happened to have set camp near the only entrance to the restricted section. I mean, it wasn't as if he was actually perusing much less studying but he was just standing there looking between the spaces from the shelves. It looked almost as if he was spying on someone.

Typical. And it just happened that it had to be the day that he was doing something illicit and would actually qualify him for suspension that Potter decided to practice his ninja skills in spying on somebody. Damn.

Theo shifted from one foot to another and suppresed his groan and decided to just wing it and be damn to hell if Potter sees him or not. He was coming out.

He was halfway out the door when Potter straightened out from looking from between the shelves and in came Hermione Granger.

Theo froze, halfway in and halfway out from the restricted section as Harry Potter pulled Hermione Granger into his arms for a fierce embrace.

WHAT. THE. FUCKING. HELL.

Theo jumped back in the restricted section. He thought he might just have forgotten to breathe. And then he smiled when he thought how good of a material this is for him to use to get exactly everything he wanted. This was absolutely bloody fucking brilliant.

Draco Malfoy apparently is his new best friend from now on.

''Whatever you're planning, just get rid of it.'' Blaise sighed, closing his book and then slouching some more in the leather couch inside the Slytherin's Commons.

''I'm not planning anything.'' Theo said trying to make sure that his face showed nothing. He blinked.

''Man, and that's why you always lose to me in Wizard's Poker.'' Blaise smirked as he pointed his book at Theo's eyes. ''You're so bad at lying and being sneaky that I keep wondering when will the Professors catch you on your dangerous games.''

Theo flinched and then mentally scolded himself for actually reacting. Blaise was right, he needed to work on his poker face. ''This would end everything if we actually manage to bring Potter and Malfoy into the games. This would be a big finale and with those loaded guys, I can actually graduate from this school without having to worry about which dark and murky street I'm going to end up on.''

Blaise sat up staraight on his seat and scowled at his friend. ''You actually think that Potter and Malfoy would gamble their inheritance on your stupid adventure games? I hate to break it to you mate but we're not actually kids anymore that can place bets on which bean from Bertie Bott's we would end up picking. You were almost exposed by that idiot Creevey last year when he took that picture! What makes you think Dumbledore's Golden Boy Potter and the future Lord Malfoy wouldn't turn the table around and let you fall flat on your face because they thought it was funny! Come on mate! Even Smith and Finch-Fletchey woke up and severed ties with those two arseholes! And don't get me started on that Granger-girl...''

And that's when Theo started laughing, laying down on the sofa and really laughing.

''How can you even laugh at this?'' Blaise said disaprovingly and Theo stopped, wiping a tear on his cheek. ''I think they really messed the girl up. Just look at Granger mate. She's like the perfect epitome of how much power they hold over the school.''

Theo smiled at what Blaise said. A few days ago, that's what he had thought about Hermione Granger. A few years back, that girl was like a spitfire of a rampaging dragon that fought on head to head with Draco Malfoy. It was insane back then that he even made sure to always get out of their way when those two were in the same room. Then suddenly, when Granger came back from an abrupt one week vacation in the middle of their fourth year at Hogwarts, it was like she was just a shell of her former self. He even had this weird conversation with Luna Lovegood that her soul or essence was spirited away by the faeries living in the greenhouse when they were both doing their detention for Professor Sprout. It was a joint detention for all year levels who got caught with the Weasley's school prohibited merchandise. He learned that she was caught with a puking pastil and used it to skip her Potions class with Snape so she could loiter around Hogwarts hunting for one of those non-existing creatures she always goes on about. Interesting girl.

''Only true love can bring her back you know.'' She said to him in her trademark dreamy voice while almost pulling out a mandrake without her earmuffs on. He managed to place her earmuffs on that was hanging around her neck just in time when the mandrake came screaming out of the pot, spraying dirt all over them. Neville Longbottom on the other hand wasn't so lucky. They had to take him to the Hospital wing and Padma Patil wasn't that thrilled as she levitated him and managed to accidentally bump his unconscious little skinny body on the solid corners of their school. Madame Pomfrey was suspiscious.

''They've used Granger's life force out.'' Blaise murmured.

''I don't think so. She's still there mate. Still very much alive I tell you.'' If only he could actually think of a plan on how to sufficiently use Granger as a bait for Potter and Malfoy to take that needed bite... Then he would be completely settled. The game wasn't the problem, it would be easy enough to collect the profits as soon as those two heirs would join. It was a sure win. But how to use Granger without causing Draco Malfoy to act like a lunatic like his aunt?

It was a no brainer for anyone to see how dangerously obsessed that blond git is to Hermione Granger. It was like seeing a firewhisky addict go cold and fall into crazy withdrawal when Granger isn't in his sight. Being roommates with that type of guy was kind of scary. He was a manipulative bastard and really cunning but when it comes to Granger, Malfoy couldn't think straight. It's like he lost his common sense and was only left with nothing but his drive to get any type of reaction, any at all, from Granger. That git is a Granger-addict.

He's been a witness to the cruel pranks from their earlier years and even joined some back then. The one he remembers the most was during the Slytherin Week of Hogwarts. It was Salazar's Slytherin birthday and it was being celebrated by their house. They were third years. One of the most cruel pranks he's ever seen was to have that scavenger hunt-like game wherein they had to literally hunt Granger for the whole week and steal the given item of the day whether it be her prized Hogwart's A History boook, her homeworks, her robes and even her wand. It was all Draco Malfoy's idea ofcourse and he laughed out loud when his best friend back then, Zacharias Smith managed to get her wand and used it to stun then levitate her, then drop her to the Black lake.

It was winter.

Bunch of crazy lunatics. He was sure that one of them would end up in Azkaban some day. Or perhabs a miracle would happen and the lot of them would be all locked up. Happy thoughts. Such happy thoughts.

He enjoyed a prank every now and then but that stunt just woke him up as if he was also sent splashing down under the great lake at the beginning of winter. It felt like his whole body froze up. They were just thirteen. Still kids. He wondered how much cruelty they would come up with when they're older. He stood there as they all laughed, walking back to the castle without a care in the world. Nobody even looked back to see if Granger surfaced from the water already.

Theo waited. His breaths came out puffy and he clenched his fists, Blaise anxiously going closer to the lake and calling out her name.

Still he waited.

''Granger?'' Blaise called out.

Come out. Come on Granger. Come out of the bloody lake. Come out.

''Granger! Where are you?'' Blaise shouted again. No response.

Come out you stupid know-it-all. Come out!

That time, Theo thought that Granger needed to come out so he could outscore her on their upcoming Transfigurations exam. He needed to prove that he was smarter than her. It was one of the games that he invented in his head. Beat Granger in Transfigurations.

Come out you bloody Gryffindore! Come out!

''Granger! The heck! Can you hear me?'' Blaise turned around to look at Theo, a really scared look on his face.

Theo took a small step thinking he would just fucking jump in the lake and save her bloody arse. He would save her and then she would owe him and then he would beat her at Transfigurations.

''Y-yyyy-ooooouuu... aaaarr-eee so n-no-noooiissyy Zzz-zaabbb...'' She was slowly trudging towards Blaise, his wand lighting her way. She took a deep breath, finding it difficult to pronouce my friends surname. ''Z-zzzaabbb...'' She took another deep breath and glared at me. I was frozen in awe. Leave it to Granger to go and save her own arse.

''You can call me Blaise.''

I laughed out loud when she took his wand dried herself up then thrusted his wand into his chest.

''What? No thanks Granger?'' I grinned at her as she walked passed us towards the castle.

She gave me the one finger salute. The offending one. I laughed again. I wondered what kind of payback she was going to pull over Malfoy. I didn't have to wait long since she punched him straight in the nose the next day when he taunted her. We all thought she was going to run away what with her turning her back like that. But then she turned back around and went for the sodding git. That girl is absolutely brilliant.

Now... How did Potter manage to snag the girl under his best friend's nose?

Theo was just too curious to know.

''I have an idea.'' He said. Blaise groaned and covered his head with a pillow.