John thumbed through his Potions book while Sherlock was getting materials ready. They were paired up with each other every year in Potions class when working on assignments (except for the hellish fourth year when Sherlock was paired with Anderson and John with Rose). Sherlock put a few ingredients into their cauldron, then cleared his throat. "John…you're going to the ball with Donna Noble, correct?"
"Yes," John said confusedly. Sherlock never brought up the topic of the Yule Ball. In fact, he tried avoiding it every time someone brought it up in a conversation. "How?" Sherlock asked. John was wondering if he heard his Potions partner correctly. "What do you mean?"
Sherlock sighed frustratingly, "How did you ask her?" John stared wide-eyed at Sherlock. Did he just ask him for girl advice? No. That's impossible. Some fumes must've made him act like…not himself. "Was it difficult?" Sherlock continued.
"Umm…kind of, but, not really. I've known her for a long time," John answered, still trying to take in the fact that he was having this conversation with Sherlock Holmes. A silence fell over the two students before Sherlock continued, "You never answered me, John." "Oh, umm…I…what was the question again?"
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "How do I ask a girl to accompany me to the ball?" he asked slowly. It sounded like he was choking on each word. "I'm not sure I'm the one you should ask." "Why?" snapped Sherlock. He was starting to get a little impatient. "Well, I learned everything I know from Dean Winchester," John answered.
"Dean?" Sherlock thought for a moment. "Of course. It's so obvious you idiot," he scolded himself. "I still remember some stuff though," John said. Sherlock looked down at his friend, who was inches shorter than he was. He would've rather talked to Dean about this but he wanted to put his plan into action as soon as possible.
"Fine," sighed Sherlock. "Okay," John said, completely ignoring the cauldron bubbling over with hot water, "rule one is to never ask her in front of her friends. Wait until she's alone." That makes sense, Sherlock thought. "And, ummm, flatter her tremendously. They like that." John didn't add that that trick didn't work on Donna.
"Look confident, even if you're not and don't forget to…" John kept listing rule after rule. Sherlock remembered them all easily. He had never thought of Dean as one for following any type of rules.
Before they both knew it class was over and they had done basically nothing work-wise. The professor walked by, evaluating everyone's potions. "Okay Holmes, Watson, let's see what you…" he trailed off when all he saw was a cauldron overflowing with extremely hot water and a few burnt ingredients.
His face was blank as he pointed towards the door. Sherlock and John took that as their cue to leave.
They both laughed as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall.
As their laughing subsided John asked, "So, what was all that back there anyway? Asking about how to -"
"Experiment," Sherlock interrupted. John gave his friend the look he always gave him when he wanted to know more about something. Sherlock complied, "It's an infatuation experiment. That's all you need to know."
John smiled and said, "So you've finally found someone. It's about time." "Don't be absurd," Sherlock replied, "I'M not the one who's in love. I just need to find someone who is…or will be once I ask them. I want to see what infatuation does to the mind."
"That's not how it works, Sherlock. Women don't automatically fall in love with you just because you ask them out," explained John. Sherlock became agitated when he heard this. He would never understand emotions. But one way or another he was determined to make his experiment work.
