Chapter ten: A weekend away
Disclaimer: Chapter one
This is it, finally. The three couples in Diagon Alley, few shocks, surprises and the friendship become closer. Sorry it took so damn long but I moved out of my house and only get near the computer for a hour a visit. Work sucks.
Regeane: Why thank you. But I'm really like that. Just pity my work mates, they are all men
Andy: Your welcome. and don't worry, much more Voldie annoyance coming up
Epiphany: No probs doll
Dragonlet: PLEASE NO, not the spider. I have work and not living at home now stopping me, more often I promise
Friday
The six boarded the train and flopped down in a compartment. It was silent till Ron's stomach growled
'You can't be hungry' Beth whined 'We just ate'
'You just ate, I hauled luggage' Ron growled back 'With a broken arm may I add'
'I'm an old fashioned girl, I believe Men do the work women make the babies, not that I'll ever make babies'
'You'll have more kids then a fucking quidditch league the rate you two go' Aisling snarled
'Want a Midol' Beth sneered
The boys sighed, this had been happening since morning, the three girls, killing each other for speaking, breathing or being on the room, factor in Hermione and Ginny and it was a fun morning, the 'Rag' teams as Harry had deemed them were, Ginny and Beth in the look at me and die corner, bonding together to in the destroy the ego of every male in sight and starting the wars, Hermione and Aisling in the 'I'll hex you if you breath corner, snapping for no reason and tormenting everyone they met in the halls and Sarah in the blood lust corner, who hit, punched and kicked every male, just because they were male.
'This weekend is gonna be fun' Draco sighed
'No one invited you Malfoy' Sarah growled
'I did' Aisling screamed
'Oh wow for you' Beth mock enthused 'Not like he can do anything useful'
'More then you stupid poor boy' Sarah countered
'So what if he's poor, at least he has a dick' Beth shot back
Aisling started laughing and Harry went red
'Well at least we can take you temper as a sign you not pregnant' Sarah sneered 'Or maybe your just hormonal'
'He might be a Weasley, but we're not stupid' Beth roared
'Could have fooled me' Aisling snorted
'When I want your help Snake I'll ask for it' Sarah snarled
The boys shared a look and discretely cast sleep spells, soon the cabin was filled with snores
'Don't know which is worse' Ron whispered wiping Beth's drool from his shoulder 'Them yelling or snoring'
'Yelling definatly, yelling' Harry hissed back as he winced in Sarah's grasp, she had turned him into her big human teddy bear.
Draco was trying to edge away from Aisling as she drooped closer to him, eventually he ended up pinned to the wall, Aisling's head in his lap
'At the risk of sounding childish, Are we there yet' Draco pleaded
'Nearly' Ron sighed
The boys shared a look which read not near enough.
Beth burst out of the taxi and straight into The Leaky Cauldron. The others followed a moment later to find her huddled by the fire.
'I thought you needed to pee' Sarah asked
'I can't bloody well pee icicles, can I' Beth snapped
'Too much information' Ron groaned
'No Ron, too much information is 'Not today Harry, I'm on the rag'' Harry growled looking at Sarah who stuck up her middle finger at him
'At least they don't fart like men' Malfoy grumbled
Aisling cuffed him hard on the back of the head
'Men' Beth huffed 'Come on girls bathroom break'
The three turned on their heel and stalked off
'I hate it when their on their time, like living with you know who' Ron yelled slumping into a chair
Many patrons of the pub were staring at them oddly
'At least the queen of P.M.S. is Fred's problem for the day, how do they manage to all get it at the same time' Harry asked
'And on a weekend away as well. They have the worst timing' Draco groaned
Suddenly Beth burst from the bathroom and plonked her self on Ron's knee. Ron leaned back clearly terrified
'Beth hunny'
'Yes' She asked brightly as she wrestled the bottle of coke from Harry's hands
'You feeling okay'
'More then, I'm finished'
Ron let out a sigh of releif and the other two shot him envious glares.
'So you won't be asking for a single room then'
'Obviously. Harry, Sarah should finish tomorrow, but Dray your beyond screwed'
'No Beth, I'm not'
Beth made a face and leaned into Ron as Aisling and Sarah stormed from the bathroom, each directing a glare at Beth.
'Oh big deal so I'm finished, you two have an excuse to eat loadsa chocolate'
'I never need an excuse' Sarah grumbled sitting opposite Harry and sending him a death glare when took her hand
'Geez, sorry no more signs of affection then' Harry yelped holding up his hands in surrender
'Do you need a hedex' Beth asked sweetly earning a belt in the forehead
'Aisling, sweetie, do you want to sit down' Draco asked
'Sweetie, sweetie, do I look like a fucking sweet. No, I'm anything but a sweet you, you, you blonde whinge'
'I thought that was Luke' Beth asked.
Her reply was a salt shaker in the head
'Oww' she muttered 'Geez, I'm never that bad am I'
Ron pointedly looked at his bandaged arm 'No, never'
'What are you talking about, she shut your hand in the door of Snape's classroom and then twisted it till it broke' Harry told the red head who groaned
'Want me to put your head under a moving tyre Potter' Sarah asked 'No, then don't point out my sister's faults'
'Sorry' Harry pouted as Ron pushed Beth to her feet
'Well fun as this isn't, I'm going to bring Beth to get her robes, books and wand. See you all back here in three hours' With that he pushed the girl from the pub
'Bossy so and so isn't he' Aisling muttered sitting down before both girls looked at their boyfriends.
Harry squirmed under the glare and Draco found his shoes interesting
'Are you two dense or just ignorant, aren't you gonna bring us shopping' Sarah asked
'Well your girls, can't you go together, leave the men to drink'
Sarah stood, grabbed Harry by the ear and pulled him from the pub. The boy was stooped badly seeing as Sarah was 5'4 and Harry was 6'2. Aisling stood and began to follow, Draco hurried after realising it would be a smarter move to do as she said for the day.
When Sarah finally released Harry he pulled her to a stop
'We need to go to Gringotts' He gasped out
'Uh why, Dumbledore gave me money' Sarah replied
'I need to get christmas presents, then your stuff'
'Oh, damn I have no money for Presents, only my school shit' Sarah grumbled
'I'm getting your school stuff' Harry smiled
Sarah smiled up at him before giving his a bone crushing hug
'Rich boyfriends rule' She giggled and Harry blushed
'Yeah I guess we do, now come on' He told her, silently thank who ever listen to teenage wizards that her mood had changed
Ron followed Beth through the various shops amazed by her ability to haggle down prices, he didn't like some aspects, such as the mysterious opening of buttons on her shirt, the giggling and hair flicking when ever the assistant was a young man, she had also pulled the snobbie approaching getting produces for half price with a mere look of distaste and then the searching the product for something which would make it cheaper then annoucing the fault at top volume. Ron had to admit, she was good. She had also managed to save alot and was now dragging him to Gringotts to change her money to muggle money.
Aisling looked on huffily as Draco paid for yet another thing, never in her life had she let a man treat her like this, she believed in paying her way. But this made her feel like a trophy, of course Draco said it was only right of him, still she was seething. Together they left Flourish and Blotts and headed to Eyelops to get Aisling the owl she had harped about for a week. Once inside she cast a quick look around until her eyes fell on an evil looking Sooty Owl.
'Him' She said pointing to The owl
The shop assistant nodded and took the owl from his perch and placed him in a suitably gothic looking cage. As the till rang she heard Draco pulling out his money and quickly stepped forward
'11 Galleons' The assistant smiled
Aisling quickly put the amount on the counter
'I'll handle it' Draco said silkily
'No need' Aisling bit out
'But of cour....'
Draco was cut short by the vicious left hook he recieved. Aisling pushed her money forward, grabbed the cage and left the shop with a slight skip in her step. Draco followed a minute later scowling
'I've named him Deacon' Aisling announced 'After the coolest baddy ever, Deacon Frost'
'That's nice' Draco growled and Aisling raised and eyebrow
'Where to next' She smiled sweetly
'Mullpepper's' Draco replied shortly and recieved a clip on the head for his troubles
'Don't take that tone with me' Aisling snarled
Finally Draco snapped 'Or what you ungrateful mudblood you'll hex me'
The whole of Diagon Alley froze to watch the pair
'Hex you, oh of course not, that's not half as painful as I'd like' And with that she stalked of, leaving a very angry Malfoy behind her. As she turned into Mullpeppers she heard Draco roar
'WOMEN'
Beth pushed open the door of Weasley Wizard Wheezes and smiled when she saw George munching on a sandwich behind the counter
'Hey ya' She giggled running down the steps towards him. Ron nodded and followed close behind
'Hey guys' George smiled 'Man am I glad to see somebody'
'What' Beth gaped 'But this is like the most popular shop in Diagon Alley
'Was, till Melissa took over management, she is rather bossy, I'm here to teach her the Weasley way, if someone came in that is'
'Okay' Beth shrugged 'Hey would there be a job in say September'
'Probably' George asked eyeing the assistant singing along with the radio, loudly and out of key 'Why'
'You would consider me right'
'You, one of the most insane people to ever grace Hogwarts halls' George's face held a picture of horor, before he broke into a smile 'Cripes you could have the job now if you weren't in school'
'I could help out in Hogesmede during the weekend' Beth smiled 'If Fred doesn't mind'
'Fred, mind, he'd love it. All the assistants there drive him up the wall, chatty, primping women, I wonder why they even want to work in a joke shop.'
'Money' Ron shrugged 'And the fact that You are one of the most eligble Single men in the wizarding world'
Beth looked between the brothers
'Since when' George gaped
'Hermione got the new Witches Weekly a few days ago, they had that yearly poll, you second to Harry. Obviously, they don't know about Sarah'
'And you' Beth asked smiling
'And me what' Ron questioned
'What position did you come'
'Didn't' Ron shrugged
Beth's mouth fell open. 'The cheek of them, wait till I catch on of the writers, I'll wring their necks'
'It's okay Beth'
'No it is bloody well not okay, I suppose Malfoy came third'
'Twelfth, actually. Snape came third, then Charlie and then Lockhart'
'He's gone insane'
'Girls still reckon he's cute'
'So they pick a nut job over you'
'Beth the reason people get into that poll is because they are single. Now I think you know I'm not so drop it'
'Fine' Beth grumbled 'Can we go into muggle london now, I need to get the presents for christmas'
'Sure' Ron nodded roling his eyes
'See you later' George called 'I'll speak to Fred and he'll tell you your hours'
'Thanks' Beth winked draging her boyfriend out behind her
'Right, now for Muggle london' She smiled
Harry lazily browsed the shelves at Quality Quidditch supplies as Sarah studied the brooms nearby
'Okay' He heard 'The Fireblot Mark two, can't have Slytherin winning now can we'
Harry smiled and shook his head
'Oh you play for your house team do you' The assistant helping her smiled 'What house'
'Gryffindor'
'I was Ravenclaw, myself, Beater'
'Oh same as me'
Harry put the book he was looking at back on the shelf and turned towards the posters, he could see Sarah out of the corner of his eyes
'Maybe we could meet up some time, practice together' The male smiled, Sarah was far to engrossed in the Firebolts manual to realise what he meant
'Maybe'
'Or maybe we could just go on a date'
Harry's head shot up
'Oh I don't know, my boyfriend wouldn't like that'
'Well he's not here is he'
'Well he's around somewhere'
'Well what could he offer that I can't, I mean who is he'
'A tad jealous, he'd probably kill you or something'
'Yeah, but who wants a guy like that, It's not as if he's Harry Potter'
'Sarah, ready yet' Harry asked striding over and wrapping his arm around her waist, The other boy gaped
'Yeah, just waiting for this idiot to realise that I'm not interested and ring up the purchase'
Harry had to laugh, She was blunt. The boy looked mortified and quickly rushed to the till to ring up the price. Harry paid and deciding to play up to his jealous boyfriend role sent an evil look at the assistant before pulling Sarah out of the shop.
An hour later found Ron sat looking cranky outside of a Changing room in Top Shop. He and Beth had finished their Diagon Alley shopping and Beth had dragged him into Oxford street, claiming it was for christmas presents.
'So' She asked coming out of the dressing room
Ron looked up and goggled. She was dressed in tight black hipsters with a dark blue halter neck top
'Buy them' He smiled
'You sure, I think the top is a bit tight'
'It's fine beleive me'
'It is too tight, isn't it' Beth smirked
'Not tight enough in my opinion' Ron replied with a leer
'Okay, I'll buy it' She smiled before going back in to change.
They left the shop and bumped quite literally into Aisling and Draco
'Oh hey' Beth smiled 'What you two up to'
'I just found of they're showing Attack of the Clones in Forbiddedn Planet, I'm going to watch it'
Draco looked like he wanted to kill himself
'That sound cool' Ron piped up
Beth shot him a look
'Hey' Aisling smiled 'Look I won't enjoy it with Draco pouting beside me, so why doesn't Ron come with me and Draco go with you, We'll meet you in the leaky cauldron when it's over'
'Sure Beth smiled
'Why not' Draco shrugged
'See you later Beth' Ron said warily before setting off with Aisling down the road
'So where to' Beth asked
Draco shrugged
'Fine then, Virgin megastores'
Draco did a double take 'Where'
'It's a music shop' Beth laughed thinking no she didn't want to know what he thought.
'Right, of we go then'
Five minutes later Draco was staring bored at C.D's while Beth listened to the headphones on the wall
'Here' She said handing him the earphones 'They are linkin Park'
Draco carefully put them on. Beth picked up the Meteora cover and selected a song, Faint.
With in seconds Draco was into the music, head banging minutely. Beth smiled and turned to a nearby rack of music. When Draco rejoined her he was holding all three Linkin Park album's, Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish album and a kerrang compliation
'I've turned you into a rocker' Beth smiled 'Now we need to improve your look'
'What' Draco gaped
'Nothing drastic' Beth smirked dragging him towards the till.
Half an hour later Draco found himself being pushed into a chair in a hair dressers, Beth was talking rapidly
'Okay, we want it shorter then it is now, but long enough to spike a bit, and can you dye the tops, Green and Silver'
The hair stylist nodded and Beth stood by watching him work. Draco nearly whimpered as his hair was cut, but even that was better then seeing it go green, The silver made it better, but not much. The stylist them got some very stong wax and began dragging it through the hair on the top, leaving Draco changed greatly. As Draco stared into the mirror, Beth paid smiling away as she did.
'Ready' She called cheerily, Draco whimpered and followed her out, just imagining what Aisling would say, and Professor Snape, his class mates, his team mates, His father. At least, he thought sourly, she got the Slytherin colours
Sarah dragged Harry forcefully through the streets, looking for one certain building. Spotting it she entered Harry looking terrified behind her. Behind the counter sat a young man reading a magazine.
'Hello' Sarah smiled 'I'd like to get my lip peirced and my Boyfriend wants a tattoo'
'I what' Harry gaped
Sarah ignored him and pulled out a sheet of paper 'This, on his shoulder blade'
'Right, if you go through that door and fill out the forms some one will be with you in a minute. Harry, is is follow me' The man nodded
Nearly an hour later Sarah was waiting for Harry to come out. The door to her right opened and she smiled as a cranky looking Harry came out.
'You never told me this was a wizarding Tattoo parlour' He grumbled
'Wanted to scare you' She smiled 'So what's it like'
'Haven't a clue' Harry shrugged before winching
'Take of you t-shirt and show me'
Harry did as ordered and Sarah smiled before leading him to a mirror. Harry gaped at the hand sized tattoo on his back. A Golden snitch over a bolt of lighting surounded by the words 'Gryfindor seeker 1996-2003.'
'So you like it'
'Yeah' Harry breathed
'Good' Sarah smiled pulling off her jumper and showing him the one on her shoulder. A beaters club behind a bludger 'Gryffindor beater 2002-2003'
'You have one too' Harry asked
'Yeah, Beth is bringing Ron tomorrow and Ginny, Seamus, Declan and Emma will be getting theirs soon. It was Beth's idea, memories of school'
'It's a nice idea, even if it is permenant' Harry smiled 'Your lip stud looks good'
'Thanks'
'Can you still, um, you know'
Sarah replied by kissing him soundly 'I'll take that as a yes'
Aisling and Ron walked out of Forbidden Planet in silence, eyes slightly glazed over, identical expressions of awed joyous shock on their faces.
'That was,' Ron began.
'Yeah,' Aisling breathed.
'I mean,' Ron gestured.
'I know,' Aisling agreed.
'And when she,' Ron groaned.
'And when he,' Aisling sighed
'It was just…' Rons voice trailed off. Aisling nodded solemnly.
'George Lucas is God.'
'Amen.'
They fell silent for a while, eyeing the various stalls and shops filled to brimming point with Star Wars paraphernalia and crawling with Star Wars fans.
'Only,' Ron began, a frown starting between his eyes. 'The Geonosians didn't create the Death Star.'
'I know,' Aisling nodded. 'Qwi Xux did.'
'In the Maw Installation started by Grand Moff Tarkin.'
'Inside the Maw near Kessel…'
'…and was discovered by Han Solo when he and Chewie and Kyp Durron were escaping from Moruth Doole…'
'…and was also where the Sun Crusher was invented which is how Solo, Chewie, Kyp and Qwi escaped the Maw Installation…'
'…and was disposed of inside the giant gas planet Yavin, the Sun Crusher that is…'
'…until Kyp fell to the Dark Side and retrieved it and went slightly insane…'
'…blowing up the Cauldron Nebula…'
'…and the Caridan star system, such a waste…'
'…before Exar Kun was defeated…'
'…and Kyp flew the Sun Crusher into the Maw…'
'…then lived happily ever after,' Ron finished. The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.
'We have got to get out more,' Ron gasped, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
'Only when they invent portable holographs that you can play films on,' Aisling replied stubbornly. 'Then, and only then, will I think about it.'
'So we're in agreement then,' Ron said grandly. 'The film is wrong.' Aisling stared at him like he had committed blasphemy and in a sense he had.
'No,' she countered savagely. 'The books are wrong.' Ron stared at her in surprise.
'The books are nearly ten years old, how are they wrong?'
'Cos they're contradicting the films,' Aisling explained patiently, for her. 'The way it goes is, the books before the comics, the films before the books and the classics above all else.'
'But why,' Ron began.
'No, no there is no why,' Aisling sighed huffily. 'No more will I teach you this day. Clear your mind of questions.'
'Yes Master,' Ron intoned, before catching sigh of something. 'Oh my god! Action figures!'
'How did you keep your obsession a secret so long?' Aisling wondered, as they finally managed to pull themselves away from all the shops and stalls with bulging pockets and bags. Watching Ron heckling madly with a stall holder over a six inch-high wizard model of Yoda had been just one of many new experiences. Of course Aisling herself had bought four Yodas, five Obi-Wans, two Anakins, two Padmés, two Mace Windus, four Palpatines, a Qui Gon, a Dooku, a Darth Maul and the stall's entire stock of Vaders. And that was before they started on the shops.
'Thanks to Beths consistent moaning about your obsession,' Ron answered as they bounced up the street towards the Leaky Cauldron despite the weight of the bags. 'She tends to do it alot.'
'Yes,' Aisling replied. 'I've noticed.'
Just then, they were stopped by a guy wielding leaflets.
'Hello,' he beamed. 'I'm from the Society of Flying Pigs, if you'd just give me a moment of your time I'm sure,' he managed to spiel before Ron waved his right hand in a deliberate fashion.
'You don't want to sell me Death Sticks,' he said calmly. Aisling swallowed a giggle at the other mans look of bewilderment before putting on an _expression of profound wisdom.
'I don't want to sell you Death Sticks?' he repeated puzzled. Ron waved his hand again.
'You want to go home and rethink your life.'
'I want to what?' the man asked, but Aisling and Ron had already sailed serenely past him. 'Nutters,' the man muttered after a while.
Meanwhile Ron and Aisling were just around the corner laughing themselves sick.
'Oh my gods,' Aisling gasped when she recovered. 'That was classic!'
'Why thank you,' Ron preened. 'I try.'
'No!' Aisling admonished. 'Try not.' Ron grinned.
'Do or do not,' they yelled. 'There is no try!' before falling about the place again.
'What time is it anyway?' Ron asked.
'Time to get going,' Aisling said glancing at her new watch.
'Then lets move.' They gathered their shopping back together and set off, shouting lines and quotes to each other as they went, leaving a trail of bemused or bruised strangers behind them.
Beth, Draco, Harry and Sarah looked up as Ron and Aisling fell in the door of the pub laughing hard enough to bust ribs.
'How was it?' Beth asked politely, eyes already beginning to glaze over. Ron and Aisling exchanged glances and burst out laughing again.
'Unreal,' Ron gasped. 'Just, wow, and the way he, and then they, and then after that when, and in the end, and then, you know?'
'Er,' Harry answered after a beat, summing up the groups basic reaction.
'Get us a Butterbeer Draco,' Aisling said, pulling up a chair and flopping into it. 'I'm knackered.'
'Why me?' Draco asked he had just sat down after getting the last round.
'Cos you're up already,' she replied.
'Er, no,' Draco said. 'I'm sitting down, on this chair right here that I'm sitting down on.' Aisling reached across, caught the kind-of blonde and kissed him soundly.
'Now,' she said pulling away after a while. 'You're up.' There was a moment's silence in which Beth and Sarah could be heard sniggering and Ron and Harry exchanged looks. Draco got the Butterbeer.
'Bethany,' Aisling said when he had left. 'Why does my boyfriend have green and silver hair when I know I left him with you with blonde hair?'
'He said he needed a change,' Beth shrugged.
'Oh he did, did he?'
'Well, he didn't /say/ it,' Beth admitted. 'But I could tell that he definitely wanted a change.'
'Did he?'
'Not in so many words, no.'
'Oh.' There was a silence in which Aisling inspected her boyfriend's hair while he stood at the bar and Beth inspected possible escape routes. 'It looks good,' Aisling said at last. 'But blue wouldn't suit him better?'
'That's Hufflepuff,' Ron put in.
'True.' Aisling regarded Draco again, this time speculatively. 'You wanna try blue next time?' she asked Beth.
'Me?' Beth asked, surprised by the turn of events. 'Why don't you? Or get him to?'
'Cos he wont and he'll kill me,' Aisling pointed out. 'You're expendable.'
'Oh thanks.'
'You're so very welcome.' Just then Draco came back and set the Butterbeer in front of Aisling, before throwing himself into his chair in a manner that said, here I am and here I stay.
'So what's the film about anyway,' Draco asked after a while. Beth immediately reached out and thumped him, Sarah buried her face in her hands and Harry glared. Aisling and Ron however sit straight up, grinning.
'/Well/,' Aisling began and the other three groaned, 'its basically a continuation of the story of Anakin Skywalker before he becomes Vader, he's twenty and a Jedi Padawan…'
'…training under Obi Wan Kenobi.' Ron put in.
'Yes and a civil war is brewing in the Republic and the Jedi are helpless cos the Dark Side is clouding everything and there are these Separatists…'
'…lead by Count Dooku who want to be separate for the Republic and there's massive trouble because of this and there's a move to create an army…'
'…which is argued both for and against cos there hasn't been an army for the Republic since its formation…'
'…cos there wasn't a need for one but now there is…'
'…but some didn't think so which is adding to the confusion and unrest on the Republican Senate and meanwhile there are attempts made to assassinate the Senator of Naboo Padmé Amidala Naberrie…'
'…who is so fine and has these dresses and, sorry Beth.'
'So Obi Wan and Anakin are sent to protect her…'
'…but it goes pear shaped pretty quickly what with bounty hunters and all…'
'…then Anakin goes to Naboo with Padmé and Obi Wan goes to Kamino and finds this huge fuck-off army of clone soldiers…'
Beth leaned over to Harry and Sarah as Ron and Aisling went on, neither of them noticing or caring that Draco was frantically looking for ways to escape.
'So how are you?' she asked.
'In dire need of drink,' Harry replied. Without another word, the trio got up and went for the bar, leaving Draco imprisoned and cursing.
About ten minutes later, Draco stumbled to the bar and ordered two Butterbeers. Beth Harry and Sarah watched in silence as he opened the first bottle drained it, opened the second took a long gulp then put the bottle down and sighed.
'That was the longest ten minutes of my life,' he said at last, and hiccupped. Beth looked to the table where Ron and Aisling were practically nose-to-nose, yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.
'Um,' she said. Draco shrugged.
'Don't ask me, something about how Anakin became Vader and then turned back, I don't know and I don't care!'
Beth patted the shaking once-blonde on the shoulder and wandered to the table; she wasn't about to miss a fight like this even if it was abut Star Wars.
'And exactly how do you explain leaving Luke alive for so long?' Aisling was snarling as Beth sat down. 'Vader would have killed him off like every other Jedi and threat to his power if Anakin hadn't stopped him!'
'Cos Vader was making a move for the Imperial Throne and he knew that Luke was his best ally in realizing the goal!' Ron snapped back. Beth's head swivelled like a spectator at a tennis match from one combatant to the other.
'Oh puh-leaze! Vader was fanatically loyal to Palpatine he would've sooner tried taking the Throne than I'd try to walk Everest!'
'There is no /way/ that someone as powerful as Vader was content with second place! He was plotting for the Empire even more than Xizor was and the only reason he was keeping Luke alive was because the whiny git could help him get it! He says as much to him on Besbin!'
'That was a ploy!' Aisling denied, shaking her head vigorously. 'And anyway it wasn't that Vader was content with second place, I agree with you there but that /wasn't/ the reason why Luke survived the trilogy.'
'How then?' Ron sneered. 'How /did/ that thick blonde idiot manage to live through the trilogy and the Extended Universe? I'm on the edge of my seat.'
'Because of Anakin,' was the simple answer. Beth's raised eyebrow and Rons snort of disbelief occurred at the same moment.
'Anakin,' Ron repeated. 'Anakin Skywalker fell to the Dark Side, fought Obi Wan, got his lungs deep-fried, put on a black vacuum suit and called himself Darth Vader.' Aisling shook her head again.
'No,' she said firmly. 'Wrong.'
'Wrong?' the redhead asked in amazement. 'Well then please, enlighten me and lay to rest the mystery regarding the disappearance of Anakin Skywalker once and for all.' Beth settled back into her chair and waited, Aisling could hardly resist such a challenge. Aisling stared at Ron from across the table for a moment, an unreadable _expression on her face. Then she took a sip from her Butterbeer, put the bottle down and leant forward.
'Anakin Skywalker did not become Darth Vader,' she said in a low but carrying voice, Ron found himself leaning closer despite himself. 'Anymore than Darth Vader became Anakin Skywalker, for the simple reason that they were but two sides of one man. Look at a coin,' she said cutting off Rons objections. 'Head and tails, Light and Dark, Anakin and Vader.' She paused for a moment and nodded as what she said began to sink in. 'When Anakin was young there was no sign of Vader because Vader hadn't existed yet, he was just a young boy. A boy with remarkable potential for powers, but a boy just the same. And then he was accepted into the Jedi Order.'
' "Hate leads to suffering," ' Ron quoted, beginning to understand and Aisling nodded.
'Okay, you just lost me,' Beth said. Aisling looked at her in surprise, then shrugged.
'He missed his mother,' she explained simply. 'He was afraid for her and for himself, fear leads to anger, anger leads hate, hate leads to suffering. Yoda was worried that he would fall to the Dark Side too easily because of his mother and Padmé. Which,' she grimaced. 'Is just what he did. I'm /not/ getting into all the subtle reasons why Anakin fell /just/ now, that's enough material for a whole new debate all on its own.'
'There is a God!' Beth cried. Ron and Aisling ignored her.
'But when he /did/ fall, Vader appeared and took hold for the next twenty years.'
'So he was schizo,' Beth summarised. She was ignored be both Ron and Aisling.
'Until Palpatine tortured Luke in front of him, then Vader lost grip and Anakin took over to throw Palpatine down the well.'
'He kills Palpy?!' Beth gasps theatrically.
'But on the forest moon before that,' Ron frowned, ignoring her. 'He tells Luke "it's too late for me, son." ' Aisling nodded. Beth looked from one fanatic to the other and groaned.
'What has been started?'
'Yeah, cos Anakin was growing stronger since Vader found out that Luke was his son, but its not till then that he could actually influence the actions of Vader in any significant way,' Aisling went on not glancing up as Beth left the table, too engrossed in the conversation.
'But he had stopped him from killing Luke about ten times already,' Ron pointed out, barely noticing Beth going to the bar. 'How much more significant can you get?'
Beth managed to get to the bar without hearing the reply and received sympathetic looks from the other three. She got a Butterbeer drained it, got another took a long gulp, set it down on the bar and sighed.
'Remind me never to let Ron and Aisling talk to each other ever again.'
Finally Ron remembered that he had given Beth money to buy present for Aisling, Sarah, Harry and much to his distaste Draco. Wandering over he gave her a look
'I'm not shagging you now' She bit out and Ron sighed
'Did you get them' Ron asked hurriedly
Beth had to laugh as Sarah, Harry and Draco hurried away, obviously labeling 'Them' as something obscene.
'Yes' Beth nodded 'They are in our room'
'Can I see'
Beth nodded and they headed up stairs
'So much for not shagging him' Harry smirked
They others shared a look and turned back to the game of poker Aisling had started
'Right' Beth smiled 'Here they are'
Ron gaped as she pointed a six overstuffed bags. Quickly She grabbed the largest and moved it away from him
'Mine' Ron smirked
'Not yet, Christmas' Beth warned slapping away the questing hand
'Oh fine' Ron pouted falsely
'I think I'm gonna lock these away' Beth told him as she shrank them and placed them in her magically inhanced and warded lock box
'Meany' Ron grumbled
'You bet' She smirked going for the fisrt bag and dumping the contents on the bed. Ron gaped as roughly twelve action figures fell out 'These are Sarah's'
'What are they'
'Lord of the rings figures. You wrap Faramir, the Wraith, Saruman, Gollum, Tree beard and Gimli, I'll handle Legolas, Aragorn, Pippin, Merry, Sam and Frodo'
'Will she like them'
'She'll love them, especially as their magical and can walk around themselves, we will have carnage of plastic christmas day' Beth smirked
'But we're going to my house'
Beth dropped the sellotape in her hand
'We're what'
'Didn't I tell you, mom invited us, everyone really'
'I'm meeting your whole family at Christmas'
'Yes, don't worry they're not that bad'
'This is so cool, your mom is like an idol to me'
Ron blanched 'Your scary' He told her vehetmently
'Pfft' Beth waved him off 'Right next we have Harry's'
Ron picked up the present suspicously 'A remote, we're giving my best mate a remote'
'Douf, it's for the X-box Sarah bought him'
'What box'
'X-Box, one of the latest games console's, he's been gushing over it for weeks, ever since he read my games magazine'
'Oh yeah, didn't Hermione say those things were a waste of time'
'Yeah' Beth shrugged 'You point'
'No point, just saying'
'Right, anyway we also have these for him'
Ron picked up the stack of D.V.D's and read the title's 'Jurassic Park 1, 2, 3, Die hard 1, 2, 3. Cruel Intentions, Austin Powers Goldmember, Blade, Spiderman, Monster's INC, From Hell, Arachnaphobia and Harry Potter and the Philospher's stone'
'All good, except Arachnaphobia' Beth told him 'Although I do tend to scare easily after watching the Jurassic park ones, Dinosaurs, not good'
'Right' Ron nodded 'Next'
'Ok for Ais, A Yoda teddy'
'That's it'
'She'll love it, these are very hard to find, in fact I bought the last one'
'I'll take your word'
'You may know Star' Beth smirked 'Bores, but I know Aisling'
Ron ignored the dig 'And Malfoy'
'A Gameboy Advance silver, the latest, for the Gamecube Aisling is getting him and a few games, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Mario and the like'
Ron nodded mystified and he began wrapping it
'Herm'
'Eagle feather quills, expensive, rare, she'll love them'
Ron nodded 'Ginny'
'Avril Lavigne's Album, pure Ginny really'
Ron just nodded, who and what Avril Lavigne was he didn't know, which amazed Beth seeing as she never stopped playing the C.D herself.
'And for your family'
'MY FAMILY'
'Yes Ron. I got Fred and George a D.V.D player, A book on Ministry history for Percy, A Snake fang earring for Bill, I toyed with the idea of cute pink hair ties, but figured I'd need to know him better to pull that one. Charlie has this working model of a Dragon and for your mom, from you a gold necklace, with mum written in Diamonds'
'Diamonds' Ron gaped
'Yeah, she'll like it won't she'
'Like it, she'll cry with joy then yell at me for spending so much'
'Don't worry' Beth shrugged 'And I got her a shapphire teardrop necklace'
Ron gaped again before asking 'My dad'
'Sarah's demolished mobile, several batteries which ran out, some plugs, my old curling irons, Aisling's hair dryer, basic muggle electrics'
'My mom will lift'
'None of them work, but he can tinker about with them'
'I suppose' Ron shrugged
'What about me' Ron asked slyly looking at the box
'Socks' Beth smiled
'Socks, we're not married yet'
Beth promptly fell off the bed in shock
'Uh, Beth honey, you ok' Ron asked peering over the bed at her. She in turn gaped up before spluttering
'Married, married, I don't intend to marry you Ronald Weasley, or anyone else for that matter. I like my life and my name thank you very much'
'I was joking' Ron smirked 'I'm seventeen, marraige not high on my agenda'
'Good' Beth breathed 'Your seventeen'
'Yes'
'Cool my toy boy'
'It's less then a year, and will you get off the floor'
'How do you know it's less then a year' Beth asked as she stood and rearranged herself on the bed
'September 8th' Ron stated matter of factly 'Aisling is January 28th and Sarah is April 5th, making her nearly a year and a half older then Harry. And your all nineteen next year, your the baby of the group'
'How do you know all that'
'Sarah' Ron shrugged
'Right, when is your birthday'
'March 1st'
'Cool, the others. Well I know Harry's, everyone knows Harry's'
'Right, Hermione, the baby, will be 18 on the 19th of september next year, Draco is eighteen on the 21st of december'
Beth smiled 'An eighteenth'
'Yes'
'Party' Beth howled excitedly 'And Ginny'
'Ginny will be seventeen January 7th'
'Weird'
'What'
'Same day as my brother'
'Cool'
'I guess'
The rest of the wrapping was done in silence until Ron turned to Beth
'Wanna go back down stairs'
Beth shot him a look and he dived for her
Next day
Beth fell into a seat in the bar beside Aisling and Sarah before letting out a huge yawn. Draco, Ron and Harry appeared back carrying cups of tea a moment later. Ron clicked his fingers in front of Beth and she jerked awake a bit
'Uh, and I thought Scooby was bad' She sighed, before her head drooped
'Scooby' Ron asked
'Her fuck buddy' Aisling shrugged as the waitress appeared with their breakfasts
Ron blanched 'Her what'
'Fuck buddy' Aisling repeated 'The guy she used to meet up with on friday nights to shag. She met him through her nutty mate, Sylvia'
Sarah rolled her eyes 'The drink squad'
Draco and Harry shot them questioning looks. Aisling decided to share the information
'Sarah was working all the time and I don't live anywhere near them. Beth, did what every Renvyle House Hotel staff member does and became an Alcoholic. She had friends she got plastered with. Sylvia Tynan, Scooby and Marc. The four combined must have tried every single muggle alcohol and all the mixtures of them. Beth and Sylvia earned quite a name for themselves'
'My lesbian lover' Beth yawned 'Well that's what Mike, one of my bosses called her. Scooby was toliet head, cause of the bleach job. Oh the fun we used to have. I used to get every Saturday and Monday off work to recover. I got kidney infections, lost my appetite and blamed it on stress, oh man do I miss it'
'You miss the kidney infections, all you did at work was dash to the bathroom yelling 'Fucking kidneys'' Sarah reminded her
'Ok, well not that, but the rest definatly' Beth suppressed a yawn 'Mike and Ger used to be such great craic, and your mom, Misha, absolutly everyone' Beth suddenly giggled 'Cream of some-dumb-Jay, coffe with no coffee, bowl of snot with straws'
The others shared a look, Sarah had left Renvyle house to work in a differant hotel and had never actually seen Beth at work, although she had heard
'Your disturbing honey' Ron told her as he patted her shoulder
Beth smiled which quickly turned to a smirk 'Your getting a tattoo today'
'I'm what'
'It's a Gryffindor one, memories for the quidditch team'
'They're really cool' Harry told him
'You have one'
'Yep' Harry nodded 'Sarah too'
'Me and Aisling have Slytherin ones' Draco told him
'So I'm the only sane one here' Ron all but yelled
'I don't have one, yet' Beth shrugged
'Yet'
'Your getting it Ron, No arguements'
'But'
'Couch' Beth warned
'Oh fine' Ron sighed half heartedly 'I'll get one'
Beth smiled and kissed his cheek before digging into her breakfast, demolishing it in a matter of minutes
After breakfast the others decided to stay around Diagon Alley and chill while Beth got her boyfriend marked. Ron watched warily as she explained the tattoo to the artist. soon he was led away leaving Beth to flick through tattoo books. When he came back out, slightly pale he found Beth smirking widely and looking at her shoulder in the mirror
'You got one' He asked smiling
Beth turned to show it to him and he nearly fainted 'A Dragon' He gasped
'Yeah, I love them, they are so cool'
'But It's green and silver'
'So'
'Slytherin' Ron told her
'Oh pfft. Anyway, I already have a lion'
'You do'
'Yes, I've had it years' She sat down and displayed her ankle, sure enough a lions head was visible
'How come I've never seen that'
'Because you never pay attention to my ankles, now do you'
Ron nodded in agreement 'It's cool, nicer then the Dragon. But you said you didn't have one'
'No one else knew' Beth shrugged 'My little secret, I mean I never wear anything that would show it off'
'True, So we heading back or what'
'Lets head back' Beth told him 'I suddenly have an urge for my bed'
Ron waggled his eyebrow and the two nearly raced back to the pub
Dinner that night was far from a silent affair. Not because of chatter, or laughter. Aisling had decided to visit Fred and George. George mainly, but Draco didn't need to know that. While sitting in Their back room drinking tea as she waited for them she had spied an innocent looking open box Bertie Botts on George's desk. She had tried one. Now everytime she moved she let out a rather loud fart. Fred assured her that it would only last five hours and thankfully it was nearly time. The others at the table were trying to be restrained and not laugh, but it was getting harder. Aisling hated it and was willing to bet that one would crack soon. She reached for the salt and a loud fart echoed through the room./ Harry went red and looked down. Sarah hid her face in her napkin. Draco and Ron broke into coughing fits. Beth how ever couldn't hold it any longer. Throwing back her head she laughed long and loud.
'Classic' She snorted 'I'm gonna eat a box of those things'
The table stared at her amazed
'You what' Aisling asked carefully sitting forward, drawing out another earth shatterer
'It would be soooooo much fun' Beth laughed nearly crying 'I'd fucking have a dance to it or something, and I couldn't get in trouble. It's a natural bodily function after all'
'Would you be embarassed' Harry asked
Beth simply smiled leaned a bit to the side and the noise she emited made Aisling's sound quiet. The most disturbing thing being the look of sheer pleasure on her face. Ron stared at his girlfriend in amazement and horror.
'I can't bring you out any where can I' He gaped
'Nope' Beth smiled before gulping down her vodka and white in one gulp, following with a loud burp.
'Aisling fancy coming upstairs for a chat'
'Sure' Aisling sighed standing
As the two left Aisling didn't cringe at all, Beth had made a far bigger display of her self. Just as they reached the door, Beth let out another fart and laughed manically 'That's a stinker'
Aisling smiled brightly and the two went upstairs.
Beth pushed the door shut and leaned against it when they reached Aisling's room
'I hope you appreciated that' She panted
'What' Aisling gaped
'I did all that to make you feel better' Beth huffed 'You very lucky I can fart at will'
'You did' Aisling smiled hugging her friend 'Your the greatest
Once the beans had worn off the two girls had gone back down stairs and settled in for the night
'Why would he do that?' Aisling asked, eyebrow raised. Even from across the room, the tone was evident.
'Oh god,' Beth groaned. 'Who started them off again?' Harry and Sarah were nowhere in sight, re-christening their room no doubt. Draco shrugged he, like Beth, was at the bar about ten foot from the table where Aisling Ron and now three others were sitting.
'Its slightly obvious isn't it?' Ron replied. 'Why would Palpatine or Vader leave Naboo alone? Or the Gungans?'
'I swear people set them off just for entertainment,' Beth remarked, rolling her eyes and taking a drink.
'More for betting than anything else I'd say,' Draco disagreed, noting a certain amount of money changing hands in at least three different sites.
'Oh yeah?' Beth craned to see. 'What are the odds?' Draco shrugged.
'Looks like Aislings running favourite.'
'The Gungans would never have been left alone,' Aisling agreed. 'The slave labour potential was too great to ignore as well as their technology.'
'Dark Lord protect us,' Draco moaned. 'We're here for the long haul.' He made some kind of a half-whine noise in his throat and drank deeply.
'Technology?' Ron repeated, surprised. What technology did the /Gungans/ have?'
'The way their cities were constructed slash grown /alone/ would have helped the Empire immeasurably for planets like Mon Calamari.'
'But the Mon Calamari had their own aquatic technology,' Ron pointed out.
'Oh god,' Beth cried. 'Its spreading!'
'Yes but the Empire in general and Vader in particular were bastards for seizing on new ways to subvert different technologies, no doubt they used the Gungan bubble pods for a few things.'
'Er,' one of the newcomers to the table said. 'Weren't we on about Naboo?'
'Please,' Draco murmured. 'Someone please shoot me.'
'Yes as a matter of fact we were,' Ron remembered. 'So we agree that the Gungans wouldn't have survived regardless of the fate of the rest of the planet?'
'Me first,' Beth added. She turned to Draco. 'You wanna leave the party?'
'Yes,' Aisling agreed. 'But not to the idea that Palpatine and Vader destroyed Naboo.'
'I thought you'd never ask!' Draco replied, polishing off his Butterbeer with enthusiasm, then he stood and offered his arm.
'But why would Palpatine and Vader leave Naboo alone when they knew that the planet was potentially the most dangerous opposition to their new Empire may I ask?' Ron countered.
Beth swiftly finished off her own drink and left the pub, with Draco following behind. Neither Aisling nor Ron noticed a thing.
'How the hell was Naboo supposed to be the most dangerous planet to the New Order?' Aisling threw back. 'It was the most peaceful planet in the Republic with the possible exception of Alderaan.'
'Naboo had already thrown back the Trade Federation with almost no help from the rest of the galaxy remember? It was also the homeplanet of the Emperor.'
'And? It was Padmé and Boss Nass that pulled the planet together enough to throw back the Trade Federation that time remember that? /And/ it took the Gungan army to do it. The army, Padmé /and/ Boss Nass were well gone by then. And the fact that it was Palpatines homeplanet would serve it more than harm it.'
'How? It was where Palpatine grew up but to him that would mean nothing at all except as a danger.'
'A danger?' Aisling laughed in disbelief but Ron was unabashed.
'Yes a danger, because there would have been records of him as a young lad and people would have known and remembered him then, before he was Emperor. He would see that as unacceptable. How is he to be respected and feared when there are old women going around saying that they changed his nappy?'
'They'd have to be pretty damn ancient to be able to say that,' Aisling pointed out, then she was silent for a moment, reflecting on the argument. Finally she nodded. 'Okay, I can buy that Palpatine would destroy his homeplanet but why would Vader aid him? Padmé was from there.'
'Exactly!' Ron was warming to the debate now, his face was flushed and his eyes were dancing as he realised that he was on the verge of wining her over, that he was about to win a Star Wars debate against Aisling O' Connell! 'He'd have had to visit Naboo in the beginning at least to make sure that everything was running smoothly and he would have /had/ to go to the Palace at /least/ once. The memories of Padmé being there would have been too much for him to cope with without either going completely spare or giving into Anakin again. So being a Sith Lord he destroyed everywhere that he and Padmé had been to to erase the memories and the feelings that the places invoked. However, this meant the entire /planet/ because of the fact that she was /from/ Naboo. Therefore he either destroyed the planet completely or had it built over it to the extent that it was unrecognisable to what it had once been.' Here Ron paused for breath and he realised that there was silence, the audience hung on his words. 'So you see, Palpatine and Vader /had/ to destroy Naboo, they couldn't possibly have done otherwise and succeeded in the Empire.'
There was silence for a few moments and everyone turned to look at Aisling. Her head was bowed as she mulled over his arguments, trying to find a loophole that he had overlooked. Ron held his breath as she raised her head, praying that she didn't have a final point that would skewer all of his and make him look like a fool. Aisling stared him in the eye for a moment then, finally, she smiled broadly and began to clap.
'Well done,' she said, then laughed suddenly. 'I haven't been beat in a debate for a long time. Well done.' The crowd around the table began to clap and cheer and Ron blushed and laughed, though there were more than a few curses from those who had bet against him. 'I could do with a drink,' Aisling said after a while when the commotion died down. 'You want one?'
'Please,' Ron answered. Aisling got up and went to the bar to give her order, casting an eye around the bar while she waited. The door opening caught her eye and as she watched, Draco and Beth staggered in. An eyebrow immediately went up, she hadn't even noticed them leaving. She immediately ordered another two Butterbeers for them and by the time she returned to the table, Beth was snuggled back up to Ron and Draco was sitting on the other side of the table on his own, the three new-comers had left.
'There you guys go,' Aisling said, setting a Butterbeer down in front of each of them and sitting down in the chair beside Draco.
'Cheers Ais,' Ron said and then got back to telling Beth about how he won a debate, a Star Wars debate no less! against Aisling O' Connell. And for some reason Beth was listening avidly, her eyes not leaving Ron.
*Most be getting horny again* Aisling thought, shrugging off the notion that her best friend was scared to look at her or Draco.
'So,' she said turning to Draco. 'What did you and Beth get up to?'
'Nothing,' Draco said swiftly. 'What makes you think that me and Beth would get up to anything?'
'Oookay,' Aisling said looking at him in surprise. 'You're not acting suspicious at /all/.'
'What have I to be suspicious about?' Draco retorted, then paused. 'When did I stop making sense?'
'Right about the time you opened your mouth.'
'Thought so.' Draco glanced across to Ron who was /still/ regaling Beth with his victory who /still/ hadn't yawned or looked away. 'So how /did/ you lose to Weasley?'
Everyone jumped when Beth suddenly bolted from her seat and raced across the room, minute's later Harry was shoved forcefully in their direction. Sarah whined as Beth dragged her upstairs to her room and cast a locking spell and an silencing spell
'Okay what's the big secret' Sarah asked the girl who was frantically checking under beds and turning portraits to face the wall
'Secret' Beth squeaked 'No secret'
'Who did you screw' Sarah smirked taking a seat on the couch
Beth paused and went red
'Well' She sighed sitting beside her friend 'It all started when we left Aisling and Ron to 'talk' about Star wars
'MALFOY, DRACO MALFOY' Sarah yelped and Beth dived forward to cover her friends mouth
'Sssh' She hissed
Sarah pushed her friends hands away
'You shagged Malfoy, he hasn't even been dating Aisling a week and you shagged him, you slut, you bitch, my hero'
'But I feel so guilty' Beth whined
'Oh forget the guilt, I want details'
Beth drew in a deep breath and began
~*~*~*~*~
Draco sunk to the ground outside of the leaky cauldron and let out a deep breath
'We need to get them apart' He groaned
'Who you telling' Beth grumbled joining him
'Damn you for getting us together' Draco fake snarled
'Oh please you fancy the arse off her, you told me as much after the prank war'
Draco suddenly looked thoughtful
'You owe me' He smirked
'Owe you' Beth repeated 'How the hell do I owe you'
'You told me you'd pay me back'
'Uh, Aisling, your girlfriend, I got you together'
'But that doesn't count' Draco purred and Beth's eyes widened as she realised what he meant. She scrambled to her feet and went to run but Draco was faster, none to gently he slammed her into the wall and pinned her there
'Let me go' She hissed angrily
'You have your wand, make me'
Beth looked between the wand in her hand and the man infront of her, sadly her will power had left the building
'I'll scream' She told him
'I hope so'
'Not a word'
'On my hon..........okay I promise'
'Fine then' Beth shrugged pulling his head down and kissing him
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
'And that's all you need to hear' Beth finished
'What' Sarah gaped 'It was just getting good'
'It's not porn Sarah, it's my life and I'm not going to share the sordid details with you' Beth shot back
'Fine' Sarah huffed 'But seriously, in a alley, you shagged him in an alley'
'What do you suggest, we stroll up here. Ron can't ever find out, ever, ever, ever. I'll sit in a tub of spiders before I'd let him know'
'Whoo, okay' Sarah yelped 'I get it' She smiled slowly 'Your in love'
'In love, ME, never, I just, uh don't wanna lose a good shag'
'Yep' Sarah giggled
'I'm not, am I' Beth gaped
'What's the first thing you think about in the morning'
'Ron.........only cause he's there'
'Last thing at night'
'Ron, he's there again'
'If Voldemort attacked the school, who would you run to'
'Ron...........cause...he's uh, taller, yeah taller'
'Who's name do you scribbled on your parchment, repeatedly'
'Ron....because...oh because' Beth waved
'You love him Beth and don't even begin to deny it'
'So I'm in love with Ron, Everyone has a weakness, it'll pass'
'Yeah right thirty years time you'll be married with kids'
'Doubt it' Beth snorted
'Whatever' Sarah giggled 'Mrs. Ron Weasley'
Beth smiled widely before groaning 'Shut up'
'Aww Beth loves Ron'
Beth threw a pillow at her friend
'Well you love Harry'
'Yep' Sarah smiled 'And he knows it too, does Ron know you love him'
'Er, when he said he loved me I told him I loved rum'
'You arse'
'Yeah'
'Then you shag his worst enemy'
'Yeah'
'What next his brother'
'I'm not that bad.......okay maybe I am, but I wouldn't'
'I believe you, millions wouldn't' Sarah smiled 'Anyway we'd better head down'
'I guess' Beth nodded and together they headed down
'What up' Aisling asked as they sat down
'Apparently I'm in love with Ron' Beth shrugged 'Was news to me'
Ron was now gaping widely at his girlfriend, A guilty look flashed over Draco's face and Aisling groaned
'Well duh, it isn't for the rest of us' Aisling groaned 'I mean your head over bloody heels with the boy'
'Really' Beth gaped before looking at her completely shocked boyfriend, she stared for a moment before smiling 'I love you Ron, I really, really do'
'Ron then, not rum' He asked carefully
'No definatly Ron'
'Good, Love you too'
Beth beamed before smirking 'Wanna prove it'
Ron's chair fell to the floor as he stood hurriedly 'Well come on then'
Beth joined him and they left quickly. The others shared a very stunned silence before Harry excused himself to go to the bathroom and Aisling went to the bar. Draco noticed the way Sarah was looking at him and shifted uneasily in his chair
'Yes Sarah' He asked finally
'You must feel really guilty right now' She sighed lighting a cigarette 'The other man, that little wedge between the most in love of couples, must suck'
'Wh....what do you mean' Draco croaked casting a look around at the bar where Aisling was chattting to the barman
'She's my best friend Draco, like she wouldn't tell me what happened on the others side of that wall not even half an hour ago' Sarah took a long satisfiying pull on her fag 'Your very luck Ron and Aisling don't and believe me won't ever find out, at least not from me'
'You should be a reporter' Draco sighed
'Hmm' Sarah contemplated 'Sound good, could you imagine my biography'
Draco gulped 'I'd pay you to leave details out'
'I bet' Sarah smirked stubbing out the last of her cigarette 'It would be worth a lot'
'A whole lot' Draco nodded solemly
Aisling suddenly appeared beside them and handed out the drinks, Harry joined them again.
'Beth got a dragon tattoo' Draco blurted out to break the silence
'And you know that how' Aisling asked, eyes narrowing
'When we left to check out Diagon Alley at night, Her idea. she showed me'
'Where is it' Aisling asked carefully
'Shoulder blade'
Aisling let out a small sigh
'Okay'
Ron suddenly fell into a seat beside Aisling, not looking pleased
'She's asleep' He bit out 'Comatose to be exact'
'Beth' Harry and Aisling gaped
'Yes Beth' Ron snapped 'I'm glad we're going home in the morning, shopping obviously tires her out'
Sarah smirked slightly and shot Draco a look
'I'm going to play pool' Harry said to break the tension 'Fancy a game Aisling'
'Sure' The girl smiled standing 'Prepare to have your arse kicked Potter'
'I'm gonna take a long cold shower' Ron groused. The three departed leaving Sarah and Draco alone
'So. Shopping fancy buying me a drink'
Draco groaned loudly, he was never going to live this night down
Disclaimer: Chapter one
This is it, finally. The three couples in Diagon Alley, few shocks, surprises and the friendship become closer. Sorry it took so damn long but I moved out of my house and only get near the computer for a hour a visit. Work sucks.
Regeane: Why thank you. But I'm really like that. Just pity my work mates, they are all men
Andy: Your welcome. and don't worry, much more Voldie annoyance coming up
Epiphany: No probs doll
Dragonlet: PLEASE NO, not the spider. I have work and not living at home now stopping me, more often I promise
Friday
The six boarded the train and flopped down in a compartment. It was silent till Ron's stomach growled
'You can't be hungry' Beth whined 'We just ate'
'You just ate, I hauled luggage' Ron growled back 'With a broken arm may I add'
'I'm an old fashioned girl, I believe Men do the work women make the babies, not that I'll ever make babies'
'You'll have more kids then a fucking quidditch league the rate you two go' Aisling snarled
'Want a Midol' Beth sneered
The boys sighed, this had been happening since morning, the three girls, killing each other for speaking, breathing or being on the room, factor in Hermione and Ginny and it was a fun morning, the 'Rag' teams as Harry had deemed them were, Ginny and Beth in the look at me and die corner, bonding together to in the destroy the ego of every male in sight and starting the wars, Hermione and Aisling in the 'I'll hex you if you breath corner, snapping for no reason and tormenting everyone they met in the halls and Sarah in the blood lust corner, who hit, punched and kicked every male, just because they were male.
'This weekend is gonna be fun' Draco sighed
'No one invited you Malfoy' Sarah growled
'I did' Aisling screamed
'Oh wow for you' Beth mock enthused 'Not like he can do anything useful'
'More then you stupid poor boy' Sarah countered
'So what if he's poor, at least he has a dick' Beth shot back
Aisling started laughing and Harry went red
'Well at least we can take you temper as a sign you not pregnant' Sarah sneered 'Or maybe your just hormonal'
'He might be a Weasley, but we're not stupid' Beth roared
'Could have fooled me' Aisling snorted
'When I want your help Snake I'll ask for it' Sarah snarled
The boys shared a look and discretely cast sleep spells, soon the cabin was filled with snores
'Don't know which is worse' Ron whispered wiping Beth's drool from his shoulder 'Them yelling or snoring'
'Yelling definatly, yelling' Harry hissed back as he winced in Sarah's grasp, she had turned him into her big human teddy bear.
Draco was trying to edge away from Aisling as she drooped closer to him, eventually he ended up pinned to the wall, Aisling's head in his lap
'At the risk of sounding childish, Are we there yet' Draco pleaded
'Nearly' Ron sighed
The boys shared a look which read not near enough.
Beth burst out of the taxi and straight into The Leaky Cauldron. The others followed a moment later to find her huddled by the fire.
'I thought you needed to pee' Sarah asked
'I can't bloody well pee icicles, can I' Beth snapped
'Too much information' Ron groaned
'No Ron, too much information is 'Not today Harry, I'm on the rag'' Harry growled looking at Sarah who stuck up her middle finger at him
'At least they don't fart like men' Malfoy grumbled
Aisling cuffed him hard on the back of the head
'Men' Beth huffed 'Come on girls bathroom break'
The three turned on their heel and stalked off
'I hate it when their on their time, like living with you know who' Ron yelled slumping into a chair
Many patrons of the pub were staring at them oddly
'At least the queen of P.M.S. is Fred's problem for the day, how do they manage to all get it at the same time' Harry asked
'And on a weekend away as well. They have the worst timing' Draco groaned
Suddenly Beth burst from the bathroom and plonked her self on Ron's knee. Ron leaned back clearly terrified
'Beth hunny'
'Yes' She asked brightly as she wrestled the bottle of coke from Harry's hands
'You feeling okay'
'More then, I'm finished'
Ron let out a sigh of releif and the other two shot him envious glares.
'So you won't be asking for a single room then'
'Obviously. Harry, Sarah should finish tomorrow, but Dray your beyond screwed'
'No Beth, I'm not'
Beth made a face and leaned into Ron as Aisling and Sarah stormed from the bathroom, each directing a glare at Beth.
'Oh big deal so I'm finished, you two have an excuse to eat loadsa chocolate'
'I never need an excuse' Sarah grumbled sitting opposite Harry and sending him a death glare when took her hand
'Geez, sorry no more signs of affection then' Harry yelped holding up his hands in surrender
'Do you need a hedex' Beth asked sweetly earning a belt in the forehead
'Aisling, sweetie, do you want to sit down' Draco asked
'Sweetie, sweetie, do I look like a fucking sweet. No, I'm anything but a sweet you, you, you blonde whinge'
'I thought that was Luke' Beth asked.
Her reply was a salt shaker in the head
'Oww' she muttered 'Geez, I'm never that bad am I'
Ron pointedly looked at his bandaged arm 'No, never'
'What are you talking about, she shut your hand in the door of Snape's classroom and then twisted it till it broke' Harry told the red head who groaned
'Want me to put your head under a moving tyre Potter' Sarah asked 'No, then don't point out my sister's faults'
'Sorry' Harry pouted as Ron pushed Beth to her feet
'Well fun as this isn't, I'm going to bring Beth to get her robes, books and wand. See you all back here in three hours' With that he pushed the girl from the pub
'Bossy so and so isn't he' Aisling muttered sitting down before both girls looked at their boyfriends.
Harry squirmed under the glare and Draco found his shoes interesting
'Are you two dense or just ignorant, aren't you gonna bring us shopping' Sarah asked
'Well your girls, can't you go together, leave the men to drink'
Sarah stood, grabbed Harry by the ear and pulled him from the pub. The boy was stooped badly seeing as Sarah was 5'4 and Harry was 6'2. Aisling stood and began to follow, Draco hurried after realising it would be a smarter move to do as she said for the day.
When Sarah finally released Harry he pulled her to a stop
'We need to go to Gringotts' He gasped out
'Uh why, Dumbledore gave me money' Sarah replied
'I need to get christmas presents, then your stuff'
'Oh, damn I have no money for Presents, only my school shit' Sarah grumbled
'I'm getting your school stuff' Harry smiled
Sarah smiled up at him before giving his a bone crushing hug
'Rich boyfriends rule' She giggled and Harry blushed
'Yeah I guess we do, now come on' He told her, silently thank who ever listen to teenage wizards that her mood had changed
Ron followed Beth through the various shops amazed by her ability to haggle down prices, he didn't like some aspects, such as the mysterious opening of buttons on her shirt, the giggling and hair flicking when ever the assistant was a young man, she had also pulled the snobbie approaching getting produces for half price with a mere look of distaste and then the searching the product for something which would make it cheaper then annoucing the fault at top volume. Ron had to admit, she was good. She had also managed to save alot and was now dragging him to Gringotts to change her money to muggle money.
Aisling looked on huffily as Draco paid for yet another thing, never in her life had she let a man treat her like this, she believed in paying her way. But this made her feel like a trophy, of course Draco said it was only right of him, still she was seething. Together they left Flourish and Blotts and headed to Eyelops to get Aisling the owl she had harped about for a week. Once inside she cast a quick look around until her eyes fell on an evil looking Sooty Owl.
'Him' She said pointing to The owl
The shop assistant nodded and took the owl from his perch and placed him in a suitably gothic looking cage. As the till rang she heard Draco pulling out his money and quickly stepped forward
'11 Galleons' The assistant smiled
Aisling quickly put the amount on the counter
'I'll handle it' Draco said silkily
'No need' Aisling bit out
'But of cour....'
Draco was cut short by the vicious left hook he recieved. Aisling pushed her money forward, grabbed the cage and left the shop with a slight skip in her step. Draco followed a minute later scowling
'I've named him Deacon' Aisling announced 'After the coolest baddy ever, Deacon Frost'
'That's nice' Draco growled and Aisling raised and eyebrow
'Where to next' She smiled sweetly
'Mullpepper's' Draco replied shortly and recieved a clip on the head for his troubles
'Don't take that tone with me' Aisling snarled
Finally Draco snapped 'Or what you ungrateful mudblood you'll hex me'
The whole of Diagon Alley froze to watch the pair
'Hex you, oh of course not, that's not half as painful as I'd like' And with that she stalked of, leaving a very angry Malfoy behind her. As she turned into Mullpeppers she heard Draco roar
'WOMEN'
Beth pushed open the door of Weasley Wizard Wheezes and smiled when she saw George munching on a sandwich behind the counter
'Hey ya' She giggled running down the steps towards him. Ron nodded and followed close behind
'Hey guys' George smiled 'Man am I glad to see somebody'
'What' Beth gaped 'But this is like the most popular shop in Diagon Alley
'Was, till Melissa took over management, she is rather bossy, I'm here to teach her the Weasley way, if someone came in that is'
'Okay' Beth shrugged 'Hey would there be a job in say September'
'Probably' George asked eyeing the assistant singing along with the radio, loudly and out of key 'Why'
'You would consider me right'
'You, one of the most insane people to ever grace Hogwarts halls' George's face held a picture of horor, before he broke into a smile 'Cripes you could have the job now if you weren't in school'
'I could help out in Hogesmede during the weekend' Beth smiled 'If Fred doesn't mind'
'Fred, mind, he'd love it. All the assistants there drive him up the wall, chatty, primping women, I wonder why they even want to work in a joke shop.'
'Money' Ron shrugged 'And the fact that You are one of the most eligble Single men in the wizarding world'
Beth looked between the brothers
'Since when' George gaped
'Hermione got the new Witches Weekly a few days ago, they had that yearly poll, you second to Harry. Obviously, they don't know about Sarah'
'And you' Beth asked smiling
'And me what' Ron questioned
'What position did you come'
'Didn't' Ron shrugged
Beth's mouth fell open. 'The cheek of them, wait till I catch on of the writers, I'll wring their necks'
'It's okay Beth'
'No it is bloody well not okay, I suppose Malfoy came third'
'Twelfth, actually. Snape came third, then Charlie and then Lockhart'
'He's gone insane'
'Girls still reckon he's cute'
'So they pick a nut job over you'
'Beth the reason people get into that poll is because they are single. Now I think you know I'm not so drop it'
'Fine' Beth grumbled 'Can we go into muggle london now, I need to get the presents for christmas'
'Sure' Ron nodded roling his eyes
'See you later' George called 'I'll speak to Fred and he'll tell you your hours'
'Thanks' Beth winked draging her boyfriend out behind her
'Right, now for Muggle london' She smiled
Harry lazily browsed the shelves at Quality Quidditch supplies as Sarah studied the brooms nearby
'Okay' He heard 'The Fireblot Mark two, can't have Slytherin winning now can we'
Harry smiled and shook his head
'Oh you play for your house team do you' The assistant helping her smiled 'What house'
'Gryffindor'
'I was Ravenclaw, myself, Beater'
'Oh same as me'
Harry put the book he was looking at back on the shelf and turned towards the posters, he could see Sarah out of the corner of his eyes
'Maybe we could meet up some time, practice together' The male smiled, Sarah was far to engrossed in the Firebolts manual to realise what he meant
'Maybe'
'Or maybe we could just go on a date'
Harry's head shot up
'Oh I don't know, my boyfriend wouldn't like that'
'Well he's not here is he'
'Well he's around somewhere'
'Well what could he offer that I can't, I mean who is he'
'A tad jealous, he'd probably kill you or something'
'Yeah, but who wants a guy like that, It's not as if he's Harry Potter'
'Sarah, ready yet' Harry asked striding over and wrapping his arm around her waist, The other boy gaped
'Yeah, just waiting for this idiot to realise that I'm not interested and ring up the purchase'
Harry had to laugh, She was blunt. The boy looked mortified and quickly rushed to the till to ring up the price. Harry paid and deciding to play up to his jealous boyfriend role sent an evil look at the assistant before pulling Sarah out of the shop.
An hour later found Ron sat looking cranky outside of a Changing room in Top Shop. He and Beth had finished their Diagon Alley shopping and Beth had dragged him into Oxford street, claiming it was for christmas presents.
'So' She asked coming out of the dressing room
Ron looked up and goggled. She was dressed in tight black hipsters with a dark blue halter neck top
'Buy them' He smiled
'You sure, I think the top is a bit tight'
'It's fine beleive me'
'It is too tight, isn't it' Beth smirked
'Not tight enough in my opinion' Ron replied with a leer
'Okay, I'll buy it' She smiled before going back in to change.
They left the shop and bumped quite literally into Aisling and Draco
'Oh hey' Beth smiled 'What you two up to'
'I just found of they're showing Attack of the Clones in Forbiddedn Planet, I'm going to watch it'
Draco looked like he wanted to kill himself
'That sound cool' Ron piped up
Beth shot him a look
'Hey' Aisling smiled 'Look I won't enjoy it with Draco pouting beside me, so why doesn't Ron come with me and Draco go with you, We'll meet you in the leaky cauldron when it's over'
'Sure Beth smiled
'Why not' Draco shrugged
'See you later Beth' Ron said warily before setting off with Aisling down the road
'So where to' Beth asked
Draco shrugged
'Fine then, Virgin megastores'
Draco did a double take 'Where'
'It's a music shop' Beth laughed thinking no she didn't want to know what he thought.
'Right, of we go then'
Five minutes later Draco was staring bored at C.D's while Beth listened to the headphones on the wall
'Here' She said handing him the earphones 'They are linkin Park'
Draco carefully put them on. Beth picked up the Meteora cover and selected a song, Faint.
With in seconds Draco was into the music, head banging minutely. Beth smiled and turned to a nearby rack of music. When Draco rejoined her he was holding all three Linkin Park album's, Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish album and a kerrang compliation
'I've turned you into a rocker' Beth smiled 'Now we need to improve your look'
'What' Draco gaped
'Nothing drastic' Beth smirked dragging him towards the till.
Half an hour later Draco found himself being pushed into a chair in a hair dressers, Beth was talking rapidly
'Okay, we want it shorter then it is now, but long enough to spike a bit, and can you dye the tops, Green and Silver'
The hair stylist nodded and Beth stood by watching him work. Draco nearly whimpered as his hair was cut, but even that was better then seeing it go green, The silver made it better, but not much. The stylist them got some very stong wax and began dragging it through the hair on the top, leaving Draco changed greatly. As Draco stared into the mirror, Beth paid smiling away as she did.
'Ready' She called cheerily, Draco whimpered and followed her out, just imagining what Aisling would say, and Professor Snape, his class mates, his team mates, His father. At least, he thought sourly, she got the Slytherin colours
Sarah dragged Harry forcefully through the streets, looking for one certain building. Spotting it she entered Harry looking terrified behind her. Behind the counter sat a young man reading a magazine.
'Hello' Sarah smiled 'I'd like to get my lip peirced and my Boyfriend wants a tattoo'
'I what' Harry gaped
Sarah ignored him and pulled out a sheet of paper 'This, on his shoulder blade'
'Right, if you go through that door and fill out the forms some one will be with you in a minute. Harry, is is follow me' The man nodded
Nearly an hour later Sarah was waiting for Harry to come out. The door to her right opened and she smiled as a cranky looking Harry came out.
'You never told me this was a wizarding Tattoo parlour' He grumbled
'Wanted to scare you' She smiled 'So what's it like'
'Haven't a clue' Harry shrugged before winching
'Take of you t-shirt and show me'
Harry did as ordered and Sarah smiled before leading him to a mirror. Harry gaped at the hand sized tattoo on his back. A Golden snitch over a bolt of lighting surounded by the words 'Gryfindor seeker 1996-2003.'
'So you like it'
'Yeah' Harry breathed
'Good' Sarah smiled pulling off her jumper and showing him the one on her shoulder. A beaters club behind a bludger 'Gryffindor beater 2002-2003'
'You have one too' Harry asked
'Yeah, Beth is bringing Ron tomorrow and Ginny, Seamus, Declan and Emma will be getting theirs soon. It was Beth's idea, memories of school'
'It's a nice idea, even if it is permenant' Harry smiled 'Your lip stud looks good'
'Thanks'
'Can you still, um, you know'
Sarah replied by kissing him soundly 'I'll take that as a yes'
Aisling and Ron walked out of Forbidden Planet in silence, eyes slightly glazed over, identical expressions of awed joyous shock on their faces.
'That was,' Ron began.
'Yeah,' Aisling breathed.
'I mean,' Ron gestured.
'I know,' Aisling agreed.
'And when she,' Ron groaned.
'And when he,' Aisling sighed
'It was just…' Rons voice trailed off. Aisling nodded solemnly.
'George Lucas is God.'
'Amen.'
They fell silent for a while, eyeing the various stalls and shops filled to brimming point with Star Wars paraphernalia and crawling with Star Wars fans.
'Only,' Ron began, a frown starting between his eyes. 'The Geonosians didn't create the Death Star.'
'I know,' Aisling nodded. 'Qwi Xux did.'
'In the Maw Installation started by Grand Moff Tarkin.'
'Inside the Maw near Kessel…'
'…and was discovered by Han Solo when he and Chewie and Kyp Durron were escaping from Moruth Doole…'
'…and was also where the Sun Crusher was invented which is how Solo, Chewie, Kyp and Qwi escaped the Maw Installation…'
'…and was disposed of inside the giant gas planet Yavin, the Sun Crusher that is…'
'…until Kyp fell to the Dark Side and retrieved it and went slightly insane…'
'…blowing up the Cauldron Nebula…'
'…and the Caridan star system, such a waste…'
'…before Exar Kun was defeated…'
'…and Kyp flew the Sun Crusher into the Maw…'
'…then lived happily ever after,' Ron finished. The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.
'We have got to get out more,' Ron gasped, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
'Only when they invent portable holographs that you can play films on,' Aisling replied stubbornly. 'Then, and only then, will I think about it.'
'So we're in agreement then,' Ron said grandly. 'The film is wrong.' Aisling stared at him like he had committed blasphemy and in a sense he had.
'No,' she countered savagely. 'The books are wrong.' Ron stared at her in surprise.
'The books are nearly ten years old, how are they wrong?'
'Cos they're contradicting the films,' Aisling explained patiently, for her. 'The way it goes is, the books before the comics, the films before the books and the classics above all else.'
'But why,' Ron began.
'No, no there is no why,' Aisling sighed huffily. 'No more will I teach you this day. Clear your mind of questions.'
'Yes Master,' Ron intoned, before catching sigh of something. 'Oh my god! Action figures!'
'How did you keep your obsession a secret so long?' Aisling wondered, as they finally managed to pull themselves away from all the shops and stalls with bulging pockets and bags. Watching Ron heckling madly with a stall holder over a six inch-high wizard model of Yoda had been just one of many new experiences. Of course Aisling herself had bought four Yodas, five Obi-Wans, two Anakins, two Padmés, two Mace Windus, four Palpatines, a Qui Gon, a Dooku, a Darth Maul and the stall's entire stock of Vaders. And that was before they started on the shops.
'Thanks to Beths consistent moaning about your obsession,' Ron answered as they bounced up the street towards the Leaky Cauldron despite the weight of the bags. 'She tends to do it alot.'
'Yes,' Aisling replied. 'I've noticed.'
Just then, they were stopped by a guy wielding leaflets.
'Hello,' he beamed. 'I'm from the Society of Flying Pigs, if you'd just give me a moment of your time I'm sure,' he managed to spiel before Ron waved his right hand in a deliberate fashion.
'You don't want to sell me Death Sticks,' he said calmly. Aisling swallowed a giggle at the other mans look of bewilderment before putting on an _expression of profound wisdom.
'I don't want to sell you Death Sticks?' he repeated puzzled. Ron waved his hand again.
'You want to go home and rethink your life.'
'I want to what?' the man asked, but Aisling and Ron had already sailed serenely past him. 'Nutters,' the man muttered after a while.
Meanwhile Ron and Aisling were just around the corner laughing themselves sick.
'Oh my gods,' Aisling gasped when she recovered. 'That was classic!'
'Why thank you,' Ron preened. 'I try.'
'No!' Aisling admonished. 'Try not.' Ron grinned.
'Do or do not,' they yelled. 'There is no try!' before falling about the place again.
'What time is it anyway?' Ron asked.
'Time to get going,' Aisling said glancing at her new watch.
'Then lets move.' They gathered their shopping back together and set off, shouting lines and quotes to each other as they went, leaving a trail of bemused or bruised strangers behind them.
Beth, Draco, Harry and Sarah looked up as Ron and Aisling fell in the door of the pub laughing hard enough to bust ribs.
'How was it?' Beth asked politely, eyes already beginning to glaze over. Ron and Aisling exchanged glances and burst out laughing again.
'Unreal,' Ron gasped. 'Just, wow, and the way he, and then they, and then after that when, and in the end, and then, you know?'
'Er,' Harry answered after a beat, summing up the groups basic reaction.
'Get us a Butterbeer Draco,' Aisling said, pulling up a chair and flopping into it. 'I'm knackered.'
'Why me?' Draco asked he had just sat down after getting the last round.
'Cos you're up already,' she replied.
'Er, no,' Draco said. 'I'm sitting down, on this chair right here that I'm sitting down on.' Aisling reached across, caught the kind-of blonde and kissed him soundly.
'Now,' she said pulling away after a while. 'You're up.' There was a moment's silence in which Beth and Sarah could be heard sniggering and Ron and Harry exchanged looks. Draco got the Butterbeer.
'Bethany,' Aisling said when he had left. 'Why does my boyfriend have green and silver hair when I know I left him with you with blonde hair?'
'He said he needed a change,' Beth shrugged.
'Oh he did, did he?'
'Well, he didn't /say/ it,' Beth admitted. 'But I could tell that he definitely wanted a change.'
'Did he?'
'Not in so many words, no.'
'Oh.' There was a silence in which Aisling inspected her boyfriend's hair while he stood at the bar and Beth inspected possible escape routes. 'It looks good,' Aisling said at last. 'But blue wouldn't suit him better?'
'That's Hufflepuff,' Ron put in.
'True.' Aisling regarded Draco again, this time speculatively. 'You wanna try blue next time?' she asked Beth.
'Me?' Beth asked, surprised by the turn of events. 'Why don't you? Or get him to?'
'Cos he wont and he'll kill me,' Aisling pointed out. 'You're expendable.'
'Oh thanks.'
'You're so very welcome.' Just then Draco came back and set the Butterbeer in front of Aisling, before throwing himself into his chair in a manner that said, here I am and here I stay.
'So what's the film about anyway,' Draco asked after a while. Beth immediately reached out and thumped him, Sarah buried her face in her hands and Harry glared. Aisling and Ron however sit straight up, grinning.
'/Well/,' Aisling began and the other three groaned, 'its basically a continuation of the story of Anakin Skywalker before he becomes Vader, he's twenty and a Jedi Padawan…'
'…training under Obi Wan Kenobi.' Ron put in.
'Yes and a civil war is brewing in the Republic and the Jedi are helpless cos the Dark Side is clouding everything and there are these Separatists…'
'…lead by Count Dooku who want to be separate for the Republic and there's massive trouble because of this and there's a move to create an army…'
'…which is argued both for and against cos there hasn't been an army for the Republic since its formation…'
'…cos there wasn't a need for one but now there is…'
'…but some didn't think so which is adding to the confusion and unrest on the Republican Senate and meanwhile there are attempts made to assassinate the Senator of Naboo Padmé Amidala Naberrie…'
'…who is so fine and has these dresses and, sorry Beth.'
'So Obi Wan and Anakin are sent to protect her…'
'…but it goes pear shaped pretty quickly what with bounty hunters and all…'
'…then Anakin goes to Naboo with Padmé and Obi Wan goes to Kamino and finds this huge fuck-off army of clone soldiers…'
Beth leaned over to Harry and Sarah as Ron and Aisling went on, neither of them noticing or caring that Draco was frantically looking for ways to escape.
'So how are you?' she asked.
'In dire need of drink,' Harry replied. Without another word, the trio got up and went for the bar, leaving Draco imprisoned and cursing.
About ten minutes later, Draco stumbled to the bar and ordered two Butterbeers. Beth Harry and Sarah watched in silence as he opened the first bottle drained it, opened the second took a long gulp then put the bottle down and sighed.
'That was the longest ten minutes of my life,' he said at last, and hiccupped. Beth looked to the table where Ron and Aisling were practically nose-to-nose, yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.
'Um,' she said. Draco shrugged.
'Don't ask me, something about how Anakin became Vader and then turned back, I don't know and I don't care!'
Beth patted the shaking once-blonde on the shoulder and wandered to the table; she wasn't about to miss a fight like this even if it was abut Star Wars.
'And exactly how do you explain leaving Luke alive for so long?' Aisling was snarling as Beth sat down. 'Vader would have killed him off like every other Jedi and threat to his power if Anakin hadn't stopped him!'
'Cos Vader was making a move for the Imperial Throne and he knew that Luke was his best ally in realizing the goal!' Ron snapped back. Beth's head swivelled like a spectator at a tennis match from one combatant to the other.
'Oh puh-leaze! Vader was fanatically loyal to Palpatine he would've sooner tried taking the Throne than I'd try to walk Everest!'
'There is no /way/ that someone as powerful as Vader was content with second place! He was plotting for the Empire even more than Xizor was and the only reason he was keeping Luke alive was because the whiny git could help him get it! He says as much to him on Besbin!'
'That was a ploy!' Aisling denied, shaking her head vigorously. 'And anyway it wasn't that Vader was content with second place, I agree with you there but that /wasn't/ the reason why Luke survived the trilogy.'
'How then?' Ron sneered. 'How /did/ that thick blonde idiot manage to live through the trilogy and the Extended Universe? I'm on the edge of my seat.'
'Because of Anakin,' was the simple answer. Beth's raised eyebrow and Rons snort of disbelief occurred at the same moment.
'Anakin,' Ron repeated. 'Anakin Skywalker fell to the Dark Side, fought Obi Wan, got his lungs deep-fried, put on a black vacuum suit and called himself Darth Vader.' Aisling shook her head again.
'No,' she said firmly. 'Wrong.'
'Wrong?' the redhead asked in amazement. 'Well then please, enlighten me and lay to rest the mystery regarding the disappearance of Anakin Skywalker once and for all.' Beth settled back into her chair and waited, Aisling could hardly resist such a challenge. Aisling stared at Ron from across the table for a moment, an unreadable _expression on her face. Then she took a sip from her Butterbeer, put the bottle down and leant forward.
'Anakin Skywalker did not become Darth Vader,' she said in a low but carrying voice, Ron found himself leaning closer despite himself. 'Anymore than Darth Vader became Anakin Skywalker, for the simple reason that they were but two sides of one man. Look at a coin,' she said cutting off Rons objections. 'Head and tails, Light and Dark, Anakin and Vader.' She paused for a moment and nodded as what she said began to sink in. 'When Anakin was young there was no sign of Vader because Vader hadn't existed yet, he was just a young boy. A boy with remarkable potential for powers, but a boy just the same. And then he was accepted into the Jedi Order.'
' "Hate leads to suffering," ' Ron quoted, beginning to understand and Aisling nodded.
'Okay, you just lost me,' Beth said. Aisling looked at her in surprise, then shrugged.
'He missed his mother,' she explained simply. 'He was afraid for her and for himself, fear leads to anger, anger leads hate, hate leads to suffering. Yoda was worried that he would fall to the Dark Side too easily because of his mother and Padmé. Which,' she grimaced. 'Is just what he did. I'm /not/ getting into all the subtle reasons why Anakin fell /just/ now, that's enough material for a whole new debate all on its own.'
'There is a God!' Beth cried. Ron and Aisling ignored her.
'But when he /did/ fall, Vader appeared and took hold for the next twenty years.'
'So he was schizo,' Beth summarised. She was ignored be both Ron and Aisling.
'Until Palpatine tortured Luke in front of him, then Vader lost grip and Anakin took over to throw Palpatine down the well.'
'He kills Palpy?!' Beth gasps theatrically.
'But on the forest moon before that,' Ron frowned, ignoring her. 'He tells Luke "it's too late for me, son." ' Aisling nodded. Beth looked from one fanatic to the other and groaned.
'What has been started?'
'Yeah, cos Anakin was growing stronger since Vader found out that Luke was his son, but its not till then that he could actually influence the actions of Vader in any significant way,' Aisling went on not glancing up as Beth left the table, too engrossed in the conversation.
'But he had stopped him from killing Luke about ten times already,' Ron pointed out, barely noticing Beth going to the bar. 'How much more significant can you get?'
Beth managed to get to the bar without hearing the reply and received sympathetic looks from the other three. She got a Butterbeer drained it, got another took a long gulp, set it down on the bar and sighed.
'Remind me never to let Ron and Aisling talk to each other ever again.'
Finally Ron remembered that he had given Beth money to buy present for Aisling, Sarah, Harry and much to his distaste Draco. Wandering over he gave her a look
'I'm not shagging you now' She bit out and Ron sighed
'Did you get them' Ron asked hurriedly
Beth had to laugh as Sarah, Harry and Draco hurried away, obviously labeling 'Them' as something obscene.
'Yes' Beth nodded 'They are in our room'
'Can I see'
Beth nodded and they headed up stairs
'So much for not shagging him' Harry smirked
They others shared a look and turned back to the game of poker Aisling had started
'Right' Beth smiled 'Here they are'
Ron gaped as she pointed a six overstuffed bags. Quickly She grabbed the largest and moved it away from him
'Mine' Ron smirked
'Not yet, Christmas' Beth warned slapping away the questing hand
'Oh fine' Ron pouted falsely
'I think I'm gonna lock these away' Beth told him as she shrank them and placed them in her magically inhanced and warded lock box
'Meany' Ron grumbled
'You bet' She smirked going for the fisrt bag and dumping the contents on the bed. Ron gaped as roughly twelve action figures fell out 'These are Sarah's'
'What are they'
'Lord of the rings figures. You wrap Faramir, the Wraith, Saruman, Gollum, Tree beard and Gimli, I'll handle Legolas, Aragorn, Pippin, Merry, Sam and Frodo'
'Will she like them'
'She'll love them, especially as their magical and can walk around themselves, we will have carnage of plastic christmas day' Beth smirked
'But we're going to my house'
Beth dropped the sellotape in her hand
'We're what'
'Didn't I tell you, mom invited us, everyone really'
'I'm meeting your whole family at Christmas'
'Yes, don't worry they're not that bad'
'This is so cool, your mom is like an idol to me'
Ron blanched 'Your scary' He told her vehetmently
'Pfft' Beth waved him off 'Right next we have Harry's'
Ron picked up the present suspicously 'A remote, we're giving my best mate a remote'
'Douf, it's for the X-box Sarah bought him'
'What box'
'X-Box, one of the latest games console's, he's been gushing over it for weeks, ever since he read my games magazine'
'Oh yeah, didn't Hermione say those things were a waste of time'
'Yeah' Beth shrugged 'You point'
'No point, just saying'
'Right, anyway we also have these for him'
Ron picked up the stack of D.V.D's and read the title's 'Jurassic Park 1, 2, 3, Die hard 1, 2, 3. Cruel Intentions, Austin Powers Goldmember, Blade, Spiderman, Monster's INC, From Hell, Arachnaphobia and Harry Potter and the Philospher's stone'
'All good, except Arachnaphobia' Beth told him 'Although I do tend to scare easily after watching the Jurassic park ones, Dinosaurs, not good'
'Right' Ron nodded 'Next'
'Ok for Ais, A Yoda teddy'
'That's it'
'She'll love it, these are very hard to find, in fact I bought the last one'
'I'll take your word'
'You may know Star' Beth smirked 'Bores, but I know Aisling'
Ron ignored the dig 'And Malfoy'
'A Gameboy Advance silver, the latest, for the Gamecube Aisling is getting him and a few games, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Mario and the like'
Ron nodded mystified and he began wrapping it
'Herm'
'Eagle feather quills, expensive, rare, she'll love them'
Ron nodded 'Ginny'
'Avril Lavigne's Album, pure Ginny really'
Ron just nodded, who and what Avril Lavigne was he didn't know, which amazed Beth seeing as she never stopped playing the C.D herself.
'And for your family'
'MY FAMILY'
'Yes Ron. I got Fred and George a D.V.D player, A book on Ministry history for Percy, A Snake fang earring for Bill, I toyed with the idea of cute pink hair ties, but figured I'd need to know him better to pull that one. Charlie has this working model of a Dragon and for your mom, from you a gold necklace, with mum written in Diamonds'
'Diamonds' Ron gaped
'Yeah, she'll like it won't she'
'Like it, she'll cry with joy then yell at me for spending so much'
'Don't worry' Beth shrugged 'And I got her a shapphire teardrop necklace'
Ron gaped again before asking 'My dad'
'Sarah's demolished mobile, several batteries which ran out, some plugs, my old curling irons, Aisling's hair dryer, basic muggle electrics'
'My mom will lift'
'None of them work, but he can tinker about with them'
'I suppose' Ron shrugged
'What about me' Ron asked slyly looking at the box
'Socks' Beth smiled
'Socks, we're not married yet'
Beth promptly fell off the bed in shock
'Uh, Beth honey, you ok' Ron asked peering over the bed at her. She in turn gaped up before spluttering
'Married, married, I don't intend to marry you Ronald Weasley, or anyone else for that matter. I like my life and my name thank you very much'
'I was joking' Ron smirked 'I'm seventeen, marraige not high on my agenda'
'Good' Beth breathed 'Your seventeen'
'Yes'
'Cool my toy boy'
'It's less then a year, and will you get off the floor'
'How do you know it's less then a year' Beth asked as she stood and rearranged herself on the bed
'September 8th' Ron stated matter of factly 'Aisling is January 28th and Sarah is April 5th, making her nearly a year and a half older then Harry. And your all nineteen next year, your the baby of the group'
'How do you know all that'
'Sarah' Ron shrugged
'Right, when is your birthday'
'March 1st'
'Cool, the others. Well I know Harry's, everyone knows Harry's'
'Right, Hermione, the baby, will be 18 on the 19th of september next year, Draco is eighteen on the 21st of december'
Beth smiled 'An eighteenth'
'Yes'
'Party' Beth howled excitedly 'And Ginny'
'Ginny will be seventeen January 7th'
'Weird'
'What'
'Same day as my brother'
'Cool'
'I guess'
The rest of the wrapping was done in silence until Ron turned to Beth
'Wanna go back down stairs'
Beth shot him a look and he dived for her
Next day
Beth fell into a seat in the bar beside Aisling and Sarah before letting out a huge yawn. Draco, Ron and Harry appeared back carrying cups of tea a moment later. Ron clicked his fingers in front of Beth and she jerked awake a bit
'Uh, and I thought Scooby was bad' She sighed, before her head drooped
'Scooby' Ron asked
'Her fuck buddy' Aisling shrugged as the waitress appeared with their breakfasts
Ron blanched 'Her what'
'Fuck buddy' Aisling repeated 'The guy she used to meet up with on friday nights to shag. She met him through her nutty mate, Sylvia'
Sarah rolled her eyes 'The drink squad'
Draco and Harry shot them questioning looks. Aisling decided to share the information
'Sarah was working all the time and I don't live anywhere near them. Beth, did what every Renvyle House Hotel staff member does and became an Alcoholic. She had friends she got plastered with. Sylvia Tynan, Scooby and Marc. The four combined must have tried every single muggle alcohol and all the mixtures of them. Beth and Sylvia earned quite a name for themselves'
'My lesbian lover' Beth yawned 'Well that's what Mike, one of my bosses called her. Scooby was toliet head, cause of the bleach job. Oh the fun we used to have. I used to get every Saturday and Monday off work to recover. I got kidney infections, lost my appetite and blamed it on stress, oh man do I miss it'
'You miss the kidney infections, all you did at work was dash to the bathroom yelling 'Fucking kidneys'' Sarah reminded her
'Ok, well not that, but the rest definatly' Beth suppressed a yawn 'Mike and Ger used to be such great craic, and your mom, Misha, absolutly everyone' Beth suddenly giggled 'Cream of some-dumb-Jay, coffe with no coffee, bowl of snot with straws'
The others shared a look, Sarah had left Renvyle house to work in a differant hotel and had never actually seen Beth at work, although she had heard
'Your disturbing honey' Ron told her as he patted her shoulder
Beth smiled which quickly turned to a smirk 'Your getting a tattoo today'
'I'm what'
'It's a Gryffindor one, memories for the quidditch team'
'They're really cool' Harry told him
'You have one'
'Yep' Harry nodded 'Sarah too'
'Me and Aisling have Slytherin ones' Draco told him
'So I'm the only sane one here' Ron all but yelled
'I don't have one, yet' Beth shrugged
'Yet'
'Your getting it Ron, No arguements'
'But'
'Couch' Beth warned
'Oh fine' Ron sighed half heartedly 'I'll get one'
Beth smiled and kissed his cheek before digging into her breakfast, demolishing it in a matter of minutes
After breakfast the others decided to stay around Diagon Alley and chill while Beth got her boyfriend marked. Ron watched warily as she explained the tattoo to the artist. soon he was led away leaving Beth to flick through tattoo books. When he came back out, slightly pale he found Beth smirking widely and looking at her shoulder in the mirror
'You got one' He asked smiling
Beth turned to show it to him and he nearly fainted 'A Dragon' He gasped
'Yeah, I love them, they are so cool'
'But It's green and silver'
'So'
'Slytherin' Ron told her
'Oh pfft. Anyway, I already have a lion'
'You do'
'Yes, I've had it years' She sat down and displayed her ankle, sure enough a lions head was visible
'How come I've never seen that'
'Because you never pay attention to my ankles, now do you'
Ron nodded in agreement 'It's cool, nicer then the Dragon. But you said you didn't have one'
'No one else knew' Beth shrugged 'My little secret, I mean I never wear anything that would show it off'
'True, So we heading back or what'
'Lets head back' Beth told him 'I suddenly have an urge for my bed'
Ron waggled his eyebrow and the two nearly raced back to the pub
Dinner that night was far from a silent affair. Not because of chatter, or laughter. Aisling had decided to visit Fred and George. George mainly, but Draco didn't need to know that. While sitting in Their back room drinking tea as she waited for them she had spied an innocent looking open box Bertie Botts on George's desk. She had tried one. Now everytime she moved she let out a rather loud fart. Fred assured her that it would only last five hours and thankfully it was nearly time. The others at the table were trying to be restrained and not laugh, but it was getting harder. Aisling hated it and was willing to bet that one would crack soon. She reached for the salt and a loud fart echoed through the room./ Harry went red and looked down. Sarah hid her face in her napkin. Draco and Ron broke into coughing fits. Beth how ever couldn't hold it any longer. Throwing back her head she laughed long and loud.
'Classic' She snorted 'I'm gonna eat a box of those things'
The table stared at her amazed
'You what' Aisling asked carefully sitting forward, drawing out another earth shatterer
'It would be soooooo much fun' Beth laughed nearly crying 'I'd fucking have a dance to it or something, and I couldn't get in trouble. It's a natural bodily function after all'
'Would you be embarassed' Harry asked
Beth simply smiled leaned a bit to the side and the noise she emited made Aisling's sound quiet. The most disturbing thing being the look of sheer pleasure on her face. Ron stared at his girlfriend in amazement and horror.
'I can't bring you out any where can I' He gaped
'Nope' Beth smiled before gulping down her vodka and white in one gulp, following with a loud burp.
'Aisling fancy coming upstairs for a chat'
'Sure' Aisling sighed standing
As the two left Aisling didn't cringe at all, Beth had made a far bigger display of her self. Just as they reached the door, Beth let out another fart and laughed manically 'That's a stinker'
Aisling smiled brightly and the two went upstairs.
Beth pushed the door shut and leaned against it when they reached Aisling's room
'I hope you appreciated that' She panted
'What' Aisling gaped
'I did all that to make you feel better' Beth huffed 'You very lucky I can fart at will'
'You did' Aisling smiled hugging her friend 'Your the greatest
Once the beans had worn off the two girls had gone back down stairs and settled in for the night
'Why would he do that?' Aisling asked, eyebrow raised. Even from across the room, the tone was evident.
'Oh god,' Beth groaned. 'Who started them off again?' Harry and Sarah were nowhere in sight, re-christening their room no doubt. Draco shrugged he, like Beth, was at the bar about ten foot from the table where Aisling Ron and now three others were sitting.
'Its slightly obvious isn't it?' Ron replied. 'Why would Palpatine or Vader leave Naboo alone? Or the Gungans?'
'I swear people set them off just for entertainment,' Beth remarked, rolling her eyes and taking a drink.
'More for betting than anything else I'd say,' Draco disagreed, noting a certain amount of money changing hands in at least three different sites.
'Oh yeah?' Beth craned to see. 'What are the odds?' Draco shrugged.
'Looks like Aislings running favourite.'
'The Gungans would never have been left alone,' Aisling agreed. 'The slave labour potential was too great to ignore as well as their technology.'
'Dark Lord protect us,' Draco moaned. 'We're here for the long haul.' He made some kind of a half-whine noise in his throat and drank deeply.
'Technology?' Ron repeated, surprised. What technology did the /Gungans/ have?'
'The way their cities were constructed slash grown /alone/ would have helped the Empire immeasurably for planets like Mon Calamari.'
'But the Mon Calamari had their own aquatic technology,' Ron pointed out.
'Oh god,' Beth cried. 'Its spreading!'
'Yes but the Empire in general and Vader in particular were bastards for seizing on new ways to subvert different technologies, no doubt they used the Gungan bubble pods for a few things.'
'Er,' one of the newcomers to the table said. 'Weren't we on about Naboo?'
'Please,' Draco murmured. 'Someone please shoot me.'
'Yes as a matter of fact we were,' Ron remembered. 'So we agree that the Gungans wouldn't have survived regardless of the fate of the rest of the planet?'
'Me first,' Beth added. She turned to Draco. 'You wanna leave the party?'
'Yes,' Aisling agreed. 'But not to the idea that Palpatine and Vader destroyed Naboo.'
'I thought you'd never ask!' Draco replied, polishing off his Butterbeer with enthusiasm, then he stood and offered his arm.
'But why would Palpatine and Vader leave Naboo alone when they knew that the planet was potentially the most dangerous opposition to their new Empire may I ask?' Ron countered.
Beth swiftly finished off her own drink and left the pub, with Draco following behind. Neither Aisling nor Ron noticed a thing.
'How the hell was Naboo supposed to be the most dangerous planet to the New Order?' Aisling threw back. 'It was the most peaceful planet in the Republic with the possible exception of Alderaan.'
'Naboo had already thrown back the Trade Federation with almost no help from the rest of the galaxy remember? It was also the homeplanet of the Emperor.'
'And? It was Padmé and Boss Nass that pulled the planet together enough to throw back the Trade Federation that time remember that? /And/ it took the Gungan army to do it. The army, Padmé /and/ Boss Nass were well gone by then. And the fact that it was Palpatines homeplanet would serve it more than harm it.'
'How? It was where Palpatine grew up but to him that would mean nothing at all except as a danger.'
'A danger?' Aisling laughed in disbelief but Ron was unabashed.
'Yes a danger, because there would have been records of him as a young lad and people would have known and remembered him then, before he was Emperor. He would see that as unacceptable. How is he to be respected and feared when there are old women going around saying that they changed his nappy?'
'They'd have to be pretty damn ancient to be able to say that,' Aisling pointed out, then she was silent for a moment, reflecting on the argument. Finally she nodded. 'Okay, I can buy that Palpatine would destroy his homeplanet but why would Vader aid him? Padmé was from there.'
'Exactly!' Ron was warming to the debate now, his face was flushed and his eyes were dancing as he realised that he was on the verge of wining her over, that he was about to win a Star Wars debate against Aisling O' Connell! 'He'd have had to visit Naboo in the beginning at least to make sure that everything was running smoothly and he would have /had/ to go to the Palace at /least/ once. The memories of Padmé being there would have been too much for him to cope with without either going completely spare or giving into Anakin again. So being a Sith Lord he destroyed everywhere that he and Padmé had been to to erase the memories and the feelings that the places invoked. However, this meant the entire /planet/ because of the fact that she was /from/ Naboo. Therefore he either destroyed the planet completely or had it built over it to the extent that it was unrecognisable to what it had once been.' Here Ron paused for breath and he realised that there was silence, the audience hung on his words. 'So you see, Palpatine and Vader /had/ to destroy Naboo, they couldn't possibly have done otherwise and succeeded in the Empire.'
There was silence for a few moments and everyone turned to look at Aisling. Her head was bowed as she mulled over his arguments, trying to find a loophole that he had overlooked. Ron held his breath as she raised her head, praying that she didn't have a final point that would skewer all of his and make him look like a fool. Aisling stared him in the eye for a moment then, finally, she smiled broadly and began to clap.
'Well done,' she said, then laughed suddenly. 'I haven't been beat in a debate for a long time. Well done.' The crowd around the table began to clap and cheer and Ron blushed and laughed, though there were more than a few curses from those who had bet against him. 'I could do with a drink,' Aisling said after a while when the commotion died down. 'You want one?'
'Please,' Ron answered. Aisling got up and went to the bar to give her order, casting an eye around the bar while she waited. The door opening caught her eye and as she watched, Draco and Beth staggered in. An eyebrow immediately went up, she hadn't even noticed them leaving. She immediately ordered another two Butterbeers for them and by the time she returned to the table, Beth was snuggled back up to Ron and Draco was sitting on the other side of the table on his own, the three new-comers had left.
'There you guys go,' Aisling said, setting a Butterbeer down in front of each of them and sitting down in the chair beside Draco.
'Cheers Ais,' Ron said and then got back to telling Beth about how he won a debate, a Star Wars debate no less! against Aisling O' Connell. And for some reason Beth was listening avidly, her eyes not leaving Ron.
*Most be getting horny again* Aisling thought, shrugging off the notion that her best friend was scared to look at her or Draco.
'So,' she said turning to Draco. 'What did you and Beth get up to?'
'Nothing,' Draco said swiftly. 'What makes you think that me and Beth would get up to anything?'
'Oookay,' Aisling said looking at him in surprise. 'You're not acting suspicious at /all/.'
'What have I to be suspicious about?' Draco retorted, then paused. 'When did I stop making sense?'
'Right about the time you opened your mouth.'
'Thought so.' Draco glanced across to Ron who was /still/ regaling Beth with his victory who /still/ hadn't yawned or looked away. 'So how /did/ you lose to Weasley?'
Everyone jumped when Beth suddenly bolted from her seat and raced across the room, minute's later Harry was shoved forcefully in their direction. Sarah whined as Beth dragged her upstairs to her room and cast a locking spell and an silencing spell
'Okay what's the big secret' Sarah asked the girl who was frantically checking under beds and turning portraits to face the wall
'Secret' Beth squeaked 'No secret'
'Who did you screw' Sarah smirked taking a seat on the couch
Beth paused and went red
'Well' She sighed sitting beside her friend 'It all started when we left Aisling and Ron to 'talk' about Star wars
'MALFOY, DRACO MALFOY' Sarah yelped and Beth dived forward to cover her friends mouth
'Sssh' She hissed
Sarah pushed her friends hands away
'You shagged Malfoy, he hasn't even been dating Aisling a week and you shagged him, you slut, you bitch, my hero'
'But I feel so guilty' Beth whined
'Oh forget the guilt, I want details'
Beth drew in a deep breath and began
~*~*~*~*~
Draco sunk to the ground outside of the leaky cauldron and let out a deep breath
'We need to get them apart' He groaned
'Who you telling' Beth grumbled joining him
'Damn you for getting us together' Draco fake snarled
'Oh please you fancy the arse off her, you told me as much after the prank war'
Draco suddenly looked thoughtful
'You owe me' He smirked
'Owe you' Beth repeated 'How the hell do I owe you'
'You told me you'd pay me back'
'Uh, Aisling, your girlfriend, I got you together'
'But that doesn't count' Draco purred and Beth's eyes widened as she realised what he meant. She scrambled to her feet and went to run but Draco was faster, none to gently he slammed her into the wall and pinned her there
'Let me go' She hissed angrily
'You have your wand, make me'
Beth looked between the wand in her hand and the man infront of her, sadly her will power had left the building
'I'll scream' She told him
'I hope so'
'Not a word'
'On my hon..........okay I promise'
'Fine then' Beth shrugged pulling his head down and kissing him
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
'And that's all you need to hear' Beth finished
'What' Sarah gaped 'It was just getting good'
'It's not porn Sarah, it's my life and I'm not going to share the sordid details with you' Beth shot back
'Fine' Sarah huffed 'But seriously, in a alley, you shagged him in an alley'
'What do you suggest, we stroll up here. Ron can't ever find out, ever, ever, ever. I'll sit in a tub of spiders before I'd let him know'
'Whoo, okay' Sarah yelped 'I get it' She smiled slowly 'Your in love'
'In love, ME, never, I just, uh don't wanna lose a good shag'
'Yep' Sarah giggled
'I'm not, am I' Beth gaped
'What's the first thing you think about in the morning'
'Ron.........only cause he's there'
'Last thing at night'
'Ron, he's there again'
'If Voldemort attacked the school, who would you run to'
'Ron...........cause...he's uh, taller, yeah taller'
'Who's name do you scribbled on your parchment, repeatedly'
'Ron....because...oh because' Beth waved
'You love him Beth and don't even begin to deny it'
'So I'm in love with Ron, Everyone has a weakness, it'll pass'
'Yeah right thirty years time you'll be married with kids'
'Doubt it' Beth snorted
'Whatever' Sarah giggled 'Mrs. Ron Weasley'
Beth smiled widely before groaning 'Shut up'
'Aww Beth loves Ron'
Beth threw a pillow at her friend
'Well you love Harry'
'Yep' Sarah smiled 'And he knows it too, does Ron know you love him'
'Er, when he said he loved me I told him I loved rum'
'You arse'
'Yeah'
'Then you shag his worst enemy'
'Yeah'
'What next his brother'
'I'm not that bad.......okay maybe I am, but I wouldn't'
'I believe you, millions wouldn't' Sarah smiled 'Anyway we'd better head down'
'I guess' Beth nodded and together they headed down
'What up' Aisling asked as they sat down
'Apparently I'm in love with Ron' Beth shrugged 'Was news to me'
Ron was now gaping widely at his girlfriend, A guilty look flashed over Draco's face and Aisling groaned
'Well duh, it isn't for the rest of us' Aisling groaned 'I mean your head over bloody heels with the boy'
'Really' Beth gaped before looking at her completely shocked boyfriend, she stared for a moment before smiling 'I love you Ron, I really, really do'
'Ron then, not rum' He asked carefully
'No definatly Ron'
'Good, Love you too'
Beth beamed before smirking 'Wanna prove it'
Ron's chair fell to the floor as he stood hurriedly 'Well come on then'
Beth joined him and they left quickly. The others shared a very stunned silence before Harry excused himself to go to the bathroom and Aisling went to the bar. Draco noticed the way Sarah was looking at him and shifted uneasily in his chair
'Yes Sarah' He asked finally
'You must feel really guilty right now' She sighed lighting a cigarette 'The other man, that little wedge between the most in love of couples, must suck'
'Wh....what do you mean' Draco croaked casting a look around at the bar where Aisling was chattting to the barman
'She's my best friend Draco, like she wouldn't tell me what happened on the others side of that wall not even half an hour ago' Sarah took a long satisfiying pull on her fag 'Your very luck Ron and Aisling don't and believe me won't ever find out, at least not from me'
'You should be a reporter' Draco sighed
'Hmm' Sarah contemplated 'Sound good, could you imagine my biography'
Draco gulped 'I'd pay you to leave details out'
'I bet' Sarah smirked stubbing out the last of her cigarette 'It would be worth a lot'
'A whole lot' Draco nodded solemly
Aisling suddenly appeared beside them and handed out the drinks, Harry joined them again.
'Beth got a dragon tattoo' Draco blurted out to break the silence
'And you know that how' Aisling asked, eyes narrowing
'When we left to check out Diagon Alley at night, Her idea. she showed me'
'Where is it' Aisling asked carefully
'Shoulder blade'
Aisling let out a small sigh
'Okay'
Ron suddenly fell into a seat beside Aisling, not looking pleased
'She's asleep' He bit out 'Comatose to be exact'
'Beth' Harry and Aisling gaped
'Yes Beth' Ron snapped 'I'm glad we're going home in the morning, shopping obviously tires her out'
Sarah smirked slightly and shot Draco a look
'I'm going to play pool' Harry said to break the tension 'Fancy a game Aisling'
'Sure' The girl smiled standing 'Prepare to have your arse kicked Potter'
'I'm gonna take a long cold shower' Ron groused. The three departed leaving Sarah and Draco alone
'So. Shopping fancy buying me a drink'
Draco groaned loudly, he was never going to live this night down