A/N: This (pretty long) chapter was brought to you courtesy of JK Rowling and Tuesday's particularly boring Biology lesson. ;)
Hi Hermione,
Just wanted to check that we're still on for this weekend?
Zach.
.oOo.
Zacharias -
Yes, we're still on. Meet you in the entrance hall at ten tomorrow morning? I've still got some things to sort out with regards to the Yule Ball before we go.
Hermione.
.oOo.
Hermione
Ten o'clock will be fine! I'm really looking forward to it! Wrap up warm though; I've heard it's going to be chilly! See you then!
And please, call me Zach!
Z.S
Hermione -
You look really flustered. You normally love Charms, but you don't look like you're concentrating. What's up?
Harry
.oOo.
Merlin, Harry... Zacharias is driving me crazy, and I haven't even spent a day with him yet! He keeps reminding me to wrap up warm...I'm eighteen, not eight! And he keeps asking me to call him Zach, which just feels weird...he's always been Zacharias. It would be like calling, I don't know...Professor McGonagall "Minnie" or something. It's just wrong.
.oOo.
Um, I don't know how to break this to you, but pretty much everyone except you calls McGonagall "Minnie". But I get your point.
Why are you going with Smith anyway? You never told us...
Harry
.oOo.
Well... it kind of just happened...Draco was pissing me off, and I told him that my boyfriend wouldn't appreciate the things he was saying. I said it just to shut him up, you know? But it didn't work and he pestered me until I told him I was dating Zacharias Smith... and then of course I had to actually make it look like I was going out with him, so I asked Zacharias to spend our Hogsmeade day with me...
It wasn't exactly one of my better plans.
.oOo.
Blimey, Mione! I don't know what Malfoy said, but I wouldn't have suggested going out with Smith as revenge.
.oOo.
I know, I know... but Draco just made me SO angry! I wanted to make him realise he didn't know everything.
.oOo.
Well, why didn't you say you were going out with me or Ron instead? Then at least you could have had fun with us...
Anyway, what was Malfoy's reaction? When you told him you were dating Smith, I mean?
.oOo.
Ummm...well he swore a lot, and said I wasn't going out with Zacharias if he had anything to do with it. Whatever that means.
And I don't want people to think I'm going out with you! You're practically my brother! That's virtually incest.
.oOo.
He swore a lot? Why does he care so much about who you go out with?
.oOo.
I don't know, but Blaise said Draco was in hysterics because I'm going out with Zacharias...
.oOo.
Are you on first-name terms with EVERYONE in Slytherin, Mione? Why were you talking to Zabini?
.oOo.
Grow up, Harry, I call them by their names as a matter of courtesy. we're all on the same side now. Blaise tossed me a note in Transfiguration to ask me "what the deal was" with me and Zacharias, because Draco was in hysterics over it, and it was pissing him off...
.oOo.
Really? Wait..Transfiguration yesterday? That was when Malfoy punched Zabini... you don't think it had something to do with Zabini ribbing Malfoy for fancying you?
.oOo.
NO I don't think that, Harry James Potter. I think it was for a completely unrelated matter.
.oOo.
Why do you think that? Have you asked him?
Oh, and what's the incantation for Wingdam's Semi-Engorgement Effect? I missed what Flitwick just said.
.oOo.
I haven't spoken to him, no. But I doubt Draco would make such a fuss over Blaise saying he fancied me. Draco would laugh and be sarcastic. He doesn't fancy me, he's the one making lewd comments. If he fancied me he wouldn't keep pissing me off, would he?
It's Caramesco Engorgius. You should be paying attention, Harry.
.oOo.
Lewd comments? Well, maybe he just wants to see how you react, to see if you like him back...sounds like the Malfoy way of flirting to me.
.oOo.
Mione?
.oOo.
Mione, come on, reply! NEWTs are six months away! You don't need to start studying yet!
.oOo.
Mione, Please, I'm your best friend, I'm just trying to help you out...
.oOo.
Harry, I don't fancy Malfoy. I find him to be intensely annoying, uncooperative and arrogant.
.oOo.
Yet you're trying to make him jealous by going to Hogsmeade with Zacharias Smith?
.oOo.
I'm NOT trying to make him jealous! That's ridiculous. No. Just...no. I'm going with Zacharias to stop Draco from trying to convince me to go to bed with him. It's getting tiresome. I figured if I went out with someone else he would shut up.
.oOo.
He does WHAT?
.oOo.
He's obviously not serious, but it's still aggravating.
.oOo.
I dunno, Mione...it all sounds a bit dodgy to me.
.oOo.
It doesn't matter, Harry. I don't fancy Draco, I'm not going out with Zacharias after this, and I don't think Draco fancies me.
Now, let us do some Charms.
So Granger, what've you got planned for your hot date with Smith tomorrow?
- Malfoy
.oOo.
Not that it's really any of your business, but we have plans to go on a romantic stroll through the village, and then stop for lunch at Madame Puddifoot's – you know, the cute place with the little cherubs? – anyway, and then we were thinking of coming back to the Head's Common Room and just spending the evening together. I figured you wouldn't mind since you've brought people back before and all... we'll use a Silencio charm!
— Hermione
.oOo.
Bloody hell, Granger —
You've turned into a right soppy mess. A romantic stroll? Madame Puddifoot's? I would never have said that was to your taste. But what do I know?
What concerns me the most is that you think it's okay for you to bring him back to our Common Room...why should I have to see him? And I REALLY hope you won't need a Silencio charm for the reason I THINK you'll need a Silencio charm... that's really an image I could have done without, thanks.
.oOo.
Frankly, you don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to me bringing people of a more-than-platonic nature back to the Common Room when you have a different girl in your bed every night. You're not the only person with "needs", Draco.
.oOo.
If you have "needs", Hermione, all you have to do is say so...
You don't need buffoons like Smith to help you. He's not exactly a winner with the ladies, so you might find yourself less than satisfied, if you get my drift. If that happens, give me a call...
.oOo.
Draco, I don't know what you've been taking, but you must be on something to think I'll be letting you anywhere near my body. I don't know where you've been.
.oOo.
Ouch.
.oOo.
Oh, sorry Draco, did I touch a nerve there? A little too close to the truth? Hm, girls get so much crap about being sluts, but you are a prime example of a man-slut if I ever saw one.
.oOo.
A man-slut? Granger, that's bull.
.oOo.
You've slept with more girls than there are owls in the Owlery, Malfoy.
.oOo.
Aw, back to the last name thing already? Shame.
.oOo.
It's not like you were returning the favour. Why should I bother? It's a waste of my energy.
.oOo.
Yeah, energy you should be saving for your "wild night" with Smith tomorrow...
.oOo.
Precisely.
Zacharias—
I'd just thought I'd let you know that I would really appreciate if we could avoid Madame Puddifoot's tomorrow? It's just not to my taste.
Hermione
.oOo.
Hermione—
Of course, anything for you! I had made a reservation there, but it's fine, honestly! I'll cancel the reservation and try to get a table at the Three Broomsticks instead, ok?
Also, will you ever just call me Zach?
— Z.S
.oOo.
Zach (if it really means that much to you, I'll try to remember to call you Zach)
The Three Broomsticks sounds great. See you tomorrow!
Hermione
Merlin, Harry, you have no idea how close I came to having lunch with Zacharias in Madame Puddifoot's. Luckily Draco's sarky comments reminded me to check with Zacharias that we weren't ACTUALLY going there...phew!
— Hermione.
.oOo.
Wow, lucky you! But...Why were you talking to Malfoy about Madame Puddifoot's?
Harry.
.oOo.
He just asked what I was doing with Zacharias tomorrow. I told him it was going to be extremely romantic, and that we were going to Madame Puddifoot's, even though I would never set foot in there, really. Which he pointed out to me. And THEN I realised that Zacharias would probably want to go to the stupid place, which of course he did, and I had to make him cancel the reservation. It was a lucky escape.
.oOo.
Malfoy was interested was he...? Sounds like he's jealous to me.
.oOo.
Harry, can you forget that idea already? DRACO DOES NOT FANCY ME.
.oOo.
Fine...if you say so...Man, but you're scary even when you're yelling at me on paper...
Blaise, mate —
You free tomorrow? I got a hot date to crash...
Draco.
.oOo.
Drake, man...I said don't get involved...not that you've ever listened to me. I don't understand your fixation with Granger, but you're my mate, so I guess I'm free tomorrow...even if I don't think Granger's worth it.
Blaise.
.oOo.
You're the best, man. See you in the entrance hall at ten. I'll tell you the plan then.
Draco
Ron—
We've got to keep an eye on Mione tomorrow at Hogsmeade, I don't know but I've just got a feeling that something isn't quite right...
Harry
.oOo.
Totally agree with you, mate. I've always thought that Smith was a bit of a shifty character...
I have to go and give my essay into Minnie first, you know the one that I forgot to do? So I'll meet you in the entrance hall at ten.
R.
.oOo.
It's not Smith I'm worried about, but whatever. See you at ten.
- Harry
A/N: Wowee readers! So very many reviews! Give yourselves a massive pat on the back! I have big love for you all.
I'd just like to explain something to you all. It was pointed out to me by my ever-faithful reviewer MayFairy that Blaise appears to be a little OOC, in that he doesn't seem to mind that Draco appears to fancy a Muggleborn. The reason for this is because this story is set after the War, so I thought Blaise would have lost the prejudice that he was sort of forced to have before...so although he doesn't really understand Draco's attraction to Hermione, he isn't hateful of her as a result of her Blood Status.
That's how I see it, anyways, it's up to you what your opinion is XD
Now PLEASE review some more! My target for this time is a total of 60 reviews! Let's do it, people!
In fact, my 50th and 60th reviewers will receive a PREVIEW of the next chapter!
Much love xoxox
