Sweet Juliet
Chapter 9: Choosing the Champions
(A/N: Just so all of you know, this chapter may be a bit short. I have little to no inspiration right now. Three days ago, my boyfriend assured me that he loves me, I had fixed a problem with a long-time friend, I was getting along with my parents, I was doing well in school, and I was happier than I'd ever been. Now my boyfriend has broken my heart twice in two days because he's "confused about his feelings". I had to come home from school today because I made myself sick from crying so much...I'll stop rambling now. Hopefully, after we talk tonight, everything will work out. Enjoy and review!)
Juliet found Hermione in the library—right where she knew that she would be. She sat down in the chair across from her heavily, folding her arms on the table and hid her face in them. Hermione raised her eyebrows, gently setting down the book she was reading.
"Juliet?" she asked. "I take it things didn't go so well with your dad."
Juliet looked up, confused for a moment. She had almost completely forgotten about Severus. "No," she said, shaking her head. "It's not him. I fixed things with him, and he even took away my detention. It's Draco."
Hermione's eyes hardened. "What did he do?"
Juliet sighed. "Hermione, I know you don't like him, and he is confusing the hell out of me right now, but he's still my friend, just as much as you, Luna, Harry, Ron, and Neville. I have room for all of you in my life."
Hermione smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She laid a hand on Juliet's. "I know, Juliet. I'm sorry. What happened?"
"Well," Juliet began slowly, "uh, first he yelled at me about how our houses are incompatible, then he said we were friends, then he kissed me, and then he walked away."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Woah, woah, wait. What? He kissed you?"
"Yeah," said Juliet, sitting down. "And then he walked away. I'm so damn confused."
Hermione bit her lip, eyebrows raised. "Me too. I guess you just need to...give him some time? I'm sure he was just nervous or something. If he doesn't come talk to you in the next three days, then you can conclude—"
"I can conclude he's an asshole," cut in Juliet. She sighed in exasperation. "Anyway, what are you working on?"
"The essay on Draughts for Potions, due tomorrow. If I wasn't so caught up in other classes, I would have done it the day it was assigned...regardless, I'm almost done now. What did you write yours about?"
"The proper procedure for brewing the Dizziness Draught. You?"
"Alihotsy Draught."
Juliet grinned. "The one that induces hysteria? Interesting choice for you, Hermione." She rolled her eyes, but smiled.
"Need any help?"
"No, I'm just about done. Thanks, though." Five minutes later she finished, and they returned to the common room arm-in-arm. At the bottom of the Grand Staircase, they passed Severus. Juliet gave him a tentative smile, and he returned it just as timidly. He nodded stiffly to Hermione, and she mumbled a polite "sir".
They found Harry, Ron, Neville, Fred, and George in the common room when they entered the portrait hole.
"Hey guys," said Juliet, flopping down beside Fred and George on a couch. Hermione placed herself in between Harry and Ron on the one opposite. Neville was in an armchair.
"Where've you two been?" asked Ron.
"Library. Well, I was, anyway. Juliet just got there about twenty minutes ago," Hermione replied. Ron raised his eyebrows questioningly.
She grinned. "You really want to know? All right then. After a lot of tears I made up with my dad, he cancelled my detention—"
"Your dad?" asked George, obviously confused. Fred lifted a glass of pumkin juice to his lips.
"Oh, that's right," said Juliet, her face lighting up. "You don't know. Professor Snape is my father." Fred choked, half of his mouthful of juice dribbling down his chin. Juliet cracked up, holding her aching stomach.
"Come on Fred," she said between giggles, "it's not that bad."
Fred shook his head, still in shock, and Juliet broke into another bout of laughter.
"Then she ran into Malfoy in the corridor," Hermione continued for her. "They took a walk outside to talk about their friendship, I suppose. And then...Juliet?"
All laughter had ceased at this point. She sighed. "And then he kissed me, and walked away. Plain and simple."
"Oh, God," said Fred, looking repulsed.
She glared at him. "I'm not diseased, you know."
His face flushed red, reaching all the way to his ears. "N-no, I...I didn't mean—"
She smiled. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I know what you meant."
"What are you gonna do?" asked Ron, leaning forward. She sighed.
"I don't know. Wait for him to talk to me, I guess. We've known each other for four years now. We met in Ollivander's, and he's been my pen pal and my best friend ever since. I mean, I love him, but I'm not sure I love him, you know what I mean?" They nodded, unsmiling.
"If you two start dating," said Neville with a smile, "we'll have to disown you. I don't think I could stand him being around." She laughed, but it was half-hearted.
"Well," said Hermione, "I think I'll go up to bed. See you guys tomorrow. Coming, Juliet?"
"Yeah, I'll be up in a minute." Hermione nodded and left the common room. Juliet drew up her knees and rested her forehead on them.
"Hey," said George, trying to lighten the mood, "they're picking the champions tomorrow at dinner. Who do you think will get it?"
"Krum'll definitely be Durmstrang's champion," said Ron in a far-off voice.
Juliet smiled, looking up. "I wonder about you sometimes, Ron."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She jumped up from the couch, smirking with as much malice as she could muster. "Oh, nothing. Well, goodnight boys." She skipped towards the spiral staircase to the girls' dormitories, and disappeared.
"There's something about that girl," said Ron with a smile. "You can't not like her. Even if she is a Snape." Harry, George, and Neville agreed wholeheartedly. Fred simply looking towards the place where Juliet had vanished with a small smile on his face.
"Well," he said. "Goodnight all."
THE NEXT EVENING
When Juliet sat down to dinner in the Great Hall, she was looking for Draco. He had avoided her all day, and she was starting to get irritated. After all these years, how could he be like this? She got her wish ten minutes later, when things were just getting started. She felt someone pull on her arm, and turned around to a pair of deep grey eyes.
"Draco," she said.
He blinked. "Can I talk to you out in the Entrance Hall a minute?" She nodded, rising to follow him out the large double doors. Hermione gave a her a look, one that told her to be careful. Harry, Ron, and Neville cast wary glances her way as well. She gave them a smile that she hoped was reassuring, and then turned and walked close behind Draco.
Once they were in the Entrance Hall, Draco turned to Juliet and pulled her close to him in a rib-cracking hug.
"I'm sorry I've been such an ass," he said.
She smiled, patting his chest. "Eh, it's okay. Being an ass is what you're best at." Dumbledore's voice boomed from the Great Hall, calling out 'Beauxbatons' and 'Fluer Delacour'.
Draco laughed. "I suppose you're right. Anyway, about that kiss, it was just impluse. I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't even mean to do it."
She smiled. "Well, that's exactly what I wanted to hear."
"DURMSTRANG!" called Dumbledore. "VIKTOR KRUM!"
Ron was right, thought Juliet absentmindedly. She turned her attention back to Draco as he continued.
"It is?" he asked her, and she nodded.
"Yes. I mean, you're my best friend, but that's the only way I love you. I'm not looking for any kind of romantic relationship."
"HOGWARTS...CEDRIC DIGGORY!"
"I'm so glad to hear that, Juliet," he said. "So we can just go back to being friends, then? Nothing weird?"
She poked him in the chest playfully. "Everything is weird with you, mister." He laughed, and poked her back, in the stomach. She squealed and jumped back, laughed delightedly.
"Sounds like it's time to eat," said Draco, still chuckling. "We should head back in." They did so, as discreetly as possible, and only a few people looked their way. Most of them were staring at the Goblet of Fire, which had lit up again.
It spit out another name. Dumbledore read it, a look of fear coming over his face. He looked out at the students, his blue eyes trained on the Gryffindor table.
"Harry Potter."
