Chapter 9
Due to just plain bad timing, the winter holidays were the very next week and just like last year, the Slytherins couldn't decide if they needed to stay to keep an eye of the trio of nitwits as well as Weaselette.
"Two years in a row we argue about whether or not we're staying here. It's Christmas," Blaise moaned, "It's a break from school, we need to go home. I can't be in this castle one more day!"
"Blaise, stop being so dramatic." Hermione commented from her spot in the armchair. She was flipping through a book about Parseltongues, hoping to find another way to get into the Chamber, because the only idea they had came up with so far was complicated to say the least.
"Then tell me why we wouldn't leave, Hermione? Just tell me." Blaise said. Rolling his eyes, Draco shoved the whining boy off of the couch.
"I didn't say we were," Hermione said, without looking up from her book, "I just said we should talk it over and see if there is any reason to stay."
"Any Potter related reason, you mean?" Draco asked.
"Potter, Weasel, Weaselette, Longbottom—if there is anything they could get into while we're gone we need to be around to stop it." Hermione replied, finally closing her book and looking up at her friends.
"Personally," Pansy started, "I think we should go home. Practically the entire school is, because of the basilisk."
Hermione shushed her, "You can't let anyone hear you say that. No one knows what's in the chamber."
"Pansy is right though," Draco said, "My bet is that the Weasels are going home anyway, and Potter probably will come with them."
"The only reason I would want to stay is if the Dark Lord gets the basilisk to petrify someone while we're gone." Hermione said.
"That's true," Blaise agreed, "we did pick the victims, I would hate to miss that."
"I don't think he would do it over break. Besides, are Justin and Penelope even going to be here over the holidays?" Draco asked. The three friends looked at Pansy.
"No Mudbloods are staying at the castle," Pansy told them, "it's been confirmed."
"Well then, that settles that," Draco said, "We're going home."
"Hermione, come back in here and tell us how your holiday was! We haven't seen you since the Malfoy's Christmas Party." Pansy called. Hermione turned toward her friend in their compartment of the Hogwarts Express. The Slytherins had conveniently chosen a compartment across from Potter, Longbottom, Weasel and Weaselette, and had taken turns watching the Gryffindors, specifically Weaselette.
"Have you seen the diary yet?" Draco asked. Hermione shook her head as she sat down.
"Blaise, it's your turn."
"It is possible that she won't get it out in front of them," Pansy said, "You know how nosy they are, they'd probably snatch it right out of her hands."
Draco nodded his agreement, "That's true, but we need to check anyway. It's unlikely, but it would be incredibly bad if she left it at home or isn't writing in it anymore."
"What would we even do if that happened?" Pansy asked.
Hermione and Draco both looked at each other, considering it,
"Hopefully we won't have to figure that out." Draco replied, "But I'm sure we'll think of something if it comes to that."
"What's happening over there, Blaise?"
"It looks like they're starting a game of Exploding Snap. Weaselette isn't playing—she's looking in her bag for something."
"Please, Merlin, just let it be the diary." Hermione said.
"She's gotten out ink and a quill," Blaise replied, "this seems promising!"
Draco rolled his eyes at Blaise's theatrics.
"And it's my lucky day," Blaise said, plopping back down next to Pansy, "it's the diary."
"Thank Merlin," Pansy grinned, "Now shall we talk about how the rest of our holidays went? I'm dying for some information."
"More like you're dying for gossip," Hermione teased.
"Let us not forget that we need to plan how we're going to get into the Chamber. We've gotten nowhere on that front." Draco reminded.
"Don't be such a downer, Draco," Pansy scolded, "I need gossip or I'll lose my credibility and if I lose my credibility how will we get our information about Potter?"
"Draco is right though. We need a full-proof plan and as of right now we have nothing." Hermione said.
"We don't have nothing," Pansy disagreed, "We have the rumblings of a great plan."
"Manipulating Potter is not going to be easy, Pans." Draco said. Hermione caught Pansy's blush at the nickname.
"You're right, you're right," Pansy said, "I give up. I'll get gossip later from Daphne or something."
"Right. So, we need to figure out a way to trick Potter into opening the Chamber for us, while at the same time letting Weaselette die and not seeing the Dark Lord," Blaise stated, "Sounds easy enough."
"Sounds impossible to me," Hermione groaned, "We really need to think this through."
"Well, to get Potter to believe anything we say, he has to think we want to get into the Chamber for good reasons. Like, that we want to save Weaselette." Draco replied, "He'll never help us if he suspects anything sinister is going on."
"How are we supposed to get him to believe anything we say? They hate us and we hate them." Blaise said, bluntly.
"Somehow we need to convince them that we, or at least one of us, care about Weaselette." Draco said.
"We all know that Weaselette likes Potter," Hermione said, "What if she liked someone else? Someone who actually liked her back." Hermione glanced at Blaise.
"Why are you looking at me?" Blaise asked, widening his eyes.
"That's not a bad idea," Pansy said, grinning, "If for the next several months, Blaise pretended to fancy Weaselette…"
"Then when she went into the Chamber, his concern would be warranted." Draco added, with a smirk.
"Absolutely not," Blaise said, "I don't like gingers!"
"And since Blaise is our friend, our concern would be understandable as well." Hermione finished.
"You're going to owe me big for this," Blaise conceded, "You all have to tell the Dark Lord that this plan wouldn't have worked without me—that I seduced Weaselette and it's all thanks to me that we got into the Chamber."
"Deal," the three friends said, simultaneously.
"Then let the seduction begin."
"You know what I'm only just now realizing?" Pansy said, as the two girls got ready for bed later that night.
"What?"
"If Blaise is pretending to fancy Weaselette, we're going to have to be nicer to all of them, aren't we?" Pansy grimaced.
"I suppose it would be expected of his friends to not torment the girl's friends." Hermione answered.
"Do you think this will be enough?"
"I've been thinking about that. Draco and I talked about it as well," Hermione admitted, making a face, "We have a plan that can be used as a last resort."
"And?"
"It's sort of like what Blaise will be doing with Weaselette—pretending to fancy her. Only it's about you… and Potter or Weasel, depending on who is giving Blaise the most trouble."
Pansy's jaw dropped, "Why me? Why not you?"
"You know I'm way too mean to them both. They would never buy it. You, however—now that's a much better story."
"Hermione, you know how I feel about Draco, this will complicate all of that!"
"No, it won't," Hermione reassured, "We'll all know it's for show—just like Blaise and Weaselette., except as a distraction. Besides, are you ever even going to tell Draco that you like him?"
"Eventually," Pansy said, defensively, "I'm waiting for a sign! It's not like he's been treating me any differently than he's treating you."
"I don't have a nickname, Pans," Hermione ribbed.
"That's because there's no cute nickname for 'Hermione.' As you so eloquently complained when Daphne tried to start calling you 'Mione! Or when she tried out Herms."
Hermione burst into laughter, "Okay, you're right, that did happen. But don't worry, Pansy, we don't even know if you'll have to do it. Let's just see how Blaise progresses with Weaselette the next several weeks."
At first, it was going well—mostly because Potter, Weasel and Longbottom were too wrapped up in their own lives to notice anything happening with Weaselette. But Blaise wasn't subtle—it wasn't in his nature, so him showing up to talk to her after class, after dinner… it was only a matter of time before the boys noticed.
"Oi, Zabini," an angry voice yelled from behind the Slytherins, "What do you want with my sister?" The Slytherins turned around to face Potter, Longbottom and a very angry Weasel.
"Calm down, Ron," Pansy said, already falling into her nicer role.
The Gryffindors looked confused.
"Did you just call me by my name?" Weasel asked, a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Look, Blaise likes your sister—I feel like we can be civil with each other, can't we?"
"You've put some kind of curse on her, haven't you? Slipped her a love potion?" Weasel retorted.
"Love potion?" Blaise asked, playing his part perfectly, "So she likes me back?"
"Calm down, Ron," Harry muttered, "He's allowed to fancy your sister."
The Gryffindors began to walk away.
"Bye," Pansy called, sweetly. The friends waited until the nitwits were out of sight before bursting into laughter.
"This is getting sillier by the day," Pansy said, giggling, "I'm not even this nice to you lot."
"Let's just hope they bought it." Draco replied, "Only three more months until she goes into the Chamber."
Author's Note: I'm getting quite good and writing a chapter right after I've uploaded one. I was going to try to upload on Friday's, but I was too excited to wait so I just decided to post it now. I might post again on Sunday because I'm going home this weekend. Please review and tell me what you think or tell me how your day was or anything! I love to hear from you all.
Thank you so much for reviewing Ellybelly07, cleotheo, mollu123456789, Fl0ra, Wingwizard161 and Ramyfan! Virtual hugs to you all.
