A/N: The pairing in this chapter is Susan/Ernie and I picked the prompt 'matchmaking' from the bonus round. This chapter is also written for fan-freak121's Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Appreciation Challenge, where I was giving the character of Hannah Abbott, for my own Pairing Diversity Boot Camp with the prompt "quail" and for ToxicRainfall's Favourite Hogwarts House Boot Camp with the house Hufflepuff and the prompt "butterflies in your stomach".
"I swear, you two are perfect for each other," Hannah Abbott smiled at her best friend Susan Bones. The two of them were in the Charms classroom, so she had to whisper to prevent anyone else from hearing what she had to say. "Ernie keeps glancing at you and he told me he likes the way your hair cascades down your back when you have it loose."
"I don't know Hannah," Susan sighed and glanced carefully over at where Ernie sat, a few feet away from them. He was trying hard to make his spell work and seemed to have no interest in the girls whatsoever. "Ernie really is a nice guy, but I'm not sure he feels about me that way. Or that I feel about him in that way. He's just a friend."
Hannah shook her head. "I just know that the two of you will be perfect together."
-o0o-
Later that evening, Hannah had patrol duty with Ernie.
"What do you think of Susan?" she asked.
"She's just a friend, like you. Why are you asking?"
"Oh, don't give me that. I notice the way you kept shooting glances at her," Hannah teased.
It was too dark to see it clearly, but she could have sworn Ernie blushed a little. She grinned. Ha, I knew it!
"You know, she likes how you stood up against Umbridge."
"Really?" Ernie's eyes lit up just a little. "It was not that special you know, I'm sure lots of people would have done the same…"
"I don't know if they would, but you did, and Susan admires that in you."
-o0o-
"I told Ernie the other night that you think it's very brave of him to be standing up against Umbridge," she told Susan casually a couple of days later.
"Hannah!" Susan grunted. "Why did you go and tell him that? Who knows what he'll think of me now."
"He seemed rather pleased with it, in fact." Hannah looked smug and Susan punched her.
"Ouch, why'd you do that?"
"You deserved that," Susan replied. "For not minding your business."
"But you like Ernie, right?"
"That's beside the point."
Susan tried to be cool about it, but the blush on her cheeks told Hannah everything she needed to know.
-o0o-
"Ernie, you have to ask Susan to go out with you," Hannah insisted. "Next week is Hogsmeade weekend, so that'll be the perfect occasion."
"I don't know Hannah," Ernie replied. "What if she'll say no?"
"She won't," she assured him. "Trust me, I know."
Ernie cautiously took a step in Susan's direction. Then he looked back at Hannah.
"Go on, don't quail now!" she urged him on. "Follow those butterflies in your stomach. I'm positive she'll say yes."
A bit more confident, Ernie approached Susan.
"Say, Susan?" he said.
"Yes?" Susan replied, looking up at him.
"Willyougotohogsmeadewimenext weekend?" he rattled in one breath.
From her chair a short distance away, Hannah sighed. Seriously Ernie, that's how you ask a girl on a date? she thought.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Susan asked.
Ernie took a deep breath. "Will you go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?"
Susan shot Hannah a look.
"I…I…totally understand if you wouldn't…" Ernie stammered, flushing scarlet.
"No, that's not it, I'd love too," Susan hasted to say.
"Oh, good. So…uhm…I'll see you next week then?" he asked sheepishly.
"Yes. And before that of course, since we have all our classes together."
"Oh yes, of course. Uhm…I gotta go now…" He hastily left the common room and Hannah started laughing.
"Hannah Abbott, you horrible, horrible person!" Susan said.
"What? I'm only helping…" Hannah answered innocently.
"I've never been on a date before!"
"Well, once has to be the first, don't you think?"
"What if it's horrible? What if we have nothing to talk about?"
"Susan, you and Ernie have been friends for almost five years now. Surely you'll find something to talk about. Don't worry, you'll be fine, Ernie is a sweet guy."
-o0o-
In the end, it turned out Hannah was right. Once Susan and Ernie had gotten over their initial awkwardness, they had really enjoyed their date in Hogsmeade and since that day they were together.
"Come on guys, get a room," Hannah rolled her eyes one day when she found the two of them snogging in the common room once again.
"Well, you're the one that wanted us to come together in the first place, so you can't complain now," Ernie teased and planted another kiss on Susan's lips.
"Yeah, but that was before I knew you would be glued together all day," Hannah replied wearily.
Susan laughed. "You know what Hannah? That sounds almost like you're jealous. Maybe we should fix you up with someone as well." Her eyes started glistening mischievously."Maybe you should take some moon-lit strolls around the lake too..."
"Don't you dare…" Hannah protested.
"Yeah Hannah, I've heard Terry likes the way your hair cascades down your back when you have it loose…," Ernie joined in on the teasing.
Hannah shot Susan a look and then Susan and Ernie bursted into a fit of laughter.
"Oh, shut up, you two," Hannah said.
But their laughter was contagious and soon, Hannah was laughing as well. After all, she had been the one who had started all this matchmaking in the first place.
