HERE, I stayed up all night to update as quick as I can.
YOU GUYS! It's 2:55 am and I only have THREE THINGS to say to everyone who reviewed (TheDarkLordsQueen, Mari, LK-HoGwArTs-hEaDgIrL, MischiefManaged16, MrsEdwardCullen13, Courvoisier, pink-strawberries, blueskyshymoon08, TheBigBadWriter, aviddaydreamer, and jessluvsfang)
1) I can't stop saying this, THANK YOU SO MUCH from the bottom of my heart. I run on your reviews. Seriously. :)
2) Yes, I live in the Philippines :) It's warm here, but today it's extremely rainy. It's raining as I type this. There's a storm :)
3) Again... things aren't what they seem at first. ;)
A big THANK YOU! to these kind-hearted people who added my story to their Story Alert lists: Tru-Pinai 4-eva, kiwiskigirl, and Nolita Faerietale
Disclaimer: I am not Harry Potter. I do not own JK Rowling. OOPS, that's wrong, wait. I do not own HARRY POTTER. I am NOT JK Rowling. THERE. lol
For the next week, the only thing that everyone could talk about was Quidditch.
Even Hermione was paying attention to the sport. For the first time, she actually, genuinely cared about what was going to happen. Her crush captained the Slytherin Quidditch Team, while her best friend headed the Gryffindor Quidditch team (which, incidentally, was her house's team). Of course, her loyalty lay on Gryffindor.
Gryffindor had Harry as Seeker, Ginny, Dean Thomas, and Demelza Robins as Chasers, Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote as Beaters, and Ron as Keeper. Hermione didn't know how practice with Ron was going, but she heard from Ginny that Ron and Harry were now talking, but that Ron was again being an insecure player. She crossed her fingers that no further fights between Ron and the other members, especially Harry and Ginny, would ensue.
Slytherin, meanwhile, had Draco as Seeker, Blaise (Draco had forced him to join), Vaisey, and Tracey Davis as Chasers, Bulstrode and Goyle (who was a bit smarter than Crabbe) as Beaters, and Harper as Keeper. Hermione wondered how Ginny and Blaise would be as opponents.
Hermione had to patrol alone since Draco was practicing every single night. By Friday, she realized that they hadn't spoken for four days (he last spoke to her at Potions). Even Harry and Ginny had no time to hang out with her. She decided to spend her free time at the library.
Saturday morning dawned to be bright, but extremely cold. There were a few clouds on the sky, but otherwise, the day was clear.
Hermione went down to the Great Hall earlier than usual. She found the whole Gryffindor Quidditch team already seated at the end of the table. She sat beside Ginny, who was munching on some toast.
"Why isn't Harry eating?" she whispered to Ginny. Harry's plate was empty.
"Must be nervous," Ginny said. "He's been quiet for the last couple of days. Pretty obsessed, if you ask me." She grabbed some more toast. Hermione moved to sit beside Harry.
"Hey," she said softly. Harry looked up. "Eat something." She grabbed a basket of English muffins and set it in front of him.
Harry looked at her. He didn't look obsessed. He looked… sad.
Hermione looked back at him, confused. "Is something bothering you?"
Harry looked at his plate. "No," he said after about a minute. He grabbed a muffin and played with it. "It's nothing."
Hermione was about to press the matter when she saw Draco coming over to the Gryffindor table. She stood up immediately.
"You're on their side, huh?" Draco muttered, looking at her red sweater.
"What do you expect?" Hermione said. "I'm a Gryffindor."
"Yeah, yeah," Draco mumbled. "But you're not even going to wish your good friend Draco good luck?"
She laughed. "Good luck, Draco." She patted him on the back. "Now go eat your breakfast."
"Yes, madam," Draco said, sauntering away.
* * *
"Alright, you lot," Draco said, drawing the curtain of the Slytherin changing rooms for his team to be able to see outside. "See those people out there?" He motioned to the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs all wearing scarlet and gold. "Don't mind them. They're just a bunch of ninnies."
"Yeah, even Granger?" Blaise asked him when no one else was listening.
Draco scowled at him. "Oh please. What about Weaselette?" he drawled. "You're enemies today."
Blaise shrugged. "I let her down gently, 'course," Blaise murmured, twirling his brand new Nimbus 2002. "I told her we'd win. I bet my broom on it, so we better."
* * *
Hermione pressed her palms down on her lap and shook her head roughly to ease her nerves. She looked like a complete prat, but it didn't matter; no one could see her. She was sitting alone in the topmost stands, while everyone was facing the Quidditch pitch.
The crowd roared and Hermione jumped. She glanced down and saw that the Gryffindor team had made their way out of the changing rooms and into the Quidditch pitch. She bit her lip. Ron, as usual, looked scared and nervous. But what scared her most was that Harry looked even worse.
Her eyes strayed away from Harry once the Slytherin team entered the Quidditch pitch. Draco walked in, his cheeks pink from the cold, his hair matted and tousled from having gotten out of bed and not having taken a shower, and his emerald green Quidditch robes silky and flying behind him. He was clutching his Nimbus 2002 in his right hand. He looked around the stands, and Hermione wondered if he was looking for her. The thought made her smile.
"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch yelled over the noise.
Harry and Draco stepped forward and stood looking at each other. The crowd instantly fell silent. Hermione was at the edge of her seat. Would they shake? Who would offer his hand first?
All of a sudden, Harry's hand drooped forward. His face was straight, and it showed no sign of emotion. Draco raised an eyebrow but shook Harry's hand. The crowd was still silent.
"Mount your brooms!" Madam Hooch said (she didn't have to shout this time). A few moments later, she blew her whistle and fourteen people took off. The crowd finally roared.
* * *
Draco gritted his teeth in frustration. Why did Weaselette have to be so bloody good? She scored fifteen goals for Gryffindor already; she might as well have been their seeker. But more than that, she managed to distract Blaise every single time she tried. Blaise was by far the best Chaser on his team, but he was being useless; he had eyes for the redhead minx, not for the red Quaffle. Gryffindor was leading with two hundred points; Slytherin had forty. Draco had never felt so mad at Blaise in his life.
Just then, Blaise took hold of the Quaffle.
"Blaise Zabini in possession," came Luna Lovegood's dreamy voice from the podium. "I wonder if he can score again this time… He's lost a hundred points to Ginny; I wonder how his teammates feel about that…"
Draco gritted his teeth. Another thing he hated about the match was Loony Lovegood's madcap commentating. She was making them look worse.
"Ooh! Look there she goes again!" Luna exclaimed. Sure enough, Ginny had taken the Quaffle from Blaise with just a flick of her hair on his face. Draco growled.
"Zabini!" he yelled. "Do you want to lose your broom?"
Blaise shrugged. "Her hair blinded me! All I could see was red---"
"If you keep that up, I swear, I'll make you see red!" Draco roared.
Blaise flew to chase Ginny. He cut in front of her sharply, startling her. She dropped the Quaffle and he caught it. "Nice try, love!" he called to her as he flew to the goalposts to score.
"Ooh, that was a good recovery by Blaise Zabini!" Luna commented. "Slytherin's only up by ten points though. They'll need a miracle to win…"
Draco looked at the podium. He was starting to hate Loony's guts.
"Goodness!" Luna exclaimed. "Is that the snitch behind Harry?"
Draco's eyes darted to Harry, who was way above him. The Golden Snitch was flickering a few meters behind him. He flew towards Harry immediately. He panicked. Harry had spotted the Snitch, too. He was starting to fly towards it.
He reached Harry in the nick of time. Harry was just stretching his hand towards the little ball.
Draco flew upwards. He was about to elbow Harry out of the way when he saw that Harry's hand had inched backwards a little bit.
"Take it," he heard Harry whisper.
"What?" Draco hissed. Was Potter telling him to steal the Snitch and win? "Is this a trick?"
"No," Harry whispered. "Take it. I'm tired. Go on."
"But your team---"
"You haven't been listening to the commentator," Harry said dryly. "We would be even."
He was right. Slytherin had fifty points and Gryffindor had two-hundred. If Draco caught the Snitch, it would be a draw.
"Ooh, it looks like the Seekers are both struggling to get the Snitch!" Luna's voice said, overpowering the excited yells of the crowd. "Who will get it first?"
Harry sighed. "Just don't tell anyone," he mumbled.
"Thank you, Potter," Draco said, looking at Harry and giving him a rare smile. He reached for the Snitch, which had inched away while they were having their whispered conversation. Harry flew towards it, too.
"BLIBBERING HUMDINGERS!" Luna cried. "Draco Malfoy caught the snitch! It's a draw!"
The crowd fell silent again.
* * *
Hermione fell off her seat. It was so close…
The crowd started to clap after what seemed about a whole minute. No one could believe Draco had beaten Harry.
Hermione saw Blaise and Ginny fly towards each other and snog in mid-air.
"Ooh! Slytherin and Gryffindor are having a bit of a celebration, look!" Luna said.
Hermione looked far above Blaise and Ginny's heads and saw Draco and Harry looking at each other. Something was fishy…
A moment later, she saw them both flying towards her. Rather, Draco was flying towards her; Harry was flying towards her direction, but he wasn't looking at her. Draco landed in front of her while Harry flew on towards an empty spot near the Ravenclaw stands.
"There you are," Draco said. "I've been looking all over for you."
He saw that she was looking at Harry.
"Go on," he said. Hermione turned to look at him. "Talk to him. Ask him."
"Thanks," Hermione mumbled. She walked towards Harry.
Harry was sitting with his head in on his knees. His Firebolt was lying in front of his feet.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, sitting beside him. "What happened back there?"
"I gave the Snitch to him," he muttered.
"You what?" Hermione sputtered.
"I gave the Snitch to Malfoy," Harry said, a little bit loudly this time (but not loud enough for the dispersing crowd to hear).
"But why?" Hermione cried. "Don't you want to win?"
"No one would win anyway," he mumbled. "Besides, my mind's a bit full at the moment."
Hermione couldn't believe it. Harry's mind was actually full of something besides Quidditch? She stared at Harry. He was looking at the commentator's stand. Luna was in there, talking to Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams, Professors McGonagall and Snape, and Madam Hooch.
"Oh my goodness," she breathed out. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before. Did you and Luna… break up?"
Harry looked at her. "We were never together."
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "But the dates… and…"
Harry sighed. "I thought so, too, Hermione" he said. "But it's all friendship, reading the Quibbler, and talking about Snorcacks with her… When we go on dates she thinks it's a just-friends thing. I started to notice during the Hogsmeade trip. She has no ability to like people that way."
"Really?"
"I dunno," Harry muttered, "But she definitely has no ability to like me. And I don't care anymore, anyway." He got up. "I'm going to the changing rooms." He walked away.
"You don't care…?" Hermione asked, but he was already too far away.
* * *
Draco caught sight of Harry flying back to the Gryffindor locker room. He started to walk towards Hermione but Ginny and Blaise stopped him in his tracks.
"It's official," Blaise said. "It was a draw. Slytherin and Gryffindor party in the Room of Requirement tonight!"
Ginny whooped and they both flew away.
Draco was very taken aback. Did they just tell him that there would be a Slytherin and Gryffindor party?
"Hey," Hermione said. She had walked towards him. "Did I just hear…?"
"Yeah," Draco said. "I can't believe it either."
Hermione laughed. "I bet those two initiated it. There would be no such thing otherwise."
Draco nodded. "I guess…" He looked at Hermione. He had missed her. He realized they hadn't snogged in a week. He looked at the emptying Quidditch pitch, then back at Hermione. "Hey, do you want to fly---"
"NO."
Draco flinched. Did Hermione just reject him?
"I'm afraid of flying," Hermione murmured.
He relaxed. "Oh," he said. "Alright then, we won't fly. We'll work on it some other time." She smiled and he smiled back. "But do go with me to that wacky party, will you?"
Hermione looked at him. "As friends?" she mumbled. "Or are we supposed to check if anyone breaks any school rules?"
Draco laughed. Then he cleared his throat. "No," he said. "Um… I meant… Can we go… together…? Like, together?" He groaned. Why was he stammering? He never stammered! Then again, he never had to ask anyone out, either. They asked him.
"It's a date," Hermione said joyfully, slipping her fingers through his.
* * *
Hermione felt giddy as she brushed her hair; she could barely do straight brush strokes.
She finally, finally had an official date with Draco. She bit her lip in excitement. It must've been the tenth time she bit her lips today; her lips seemed a bit bruised.
Her hair, instead of becoming straight, turned a bit shaggy and wavy because of her brushing. She decided to leave it alone. Earlier, she had changed into a snug purple sweater and gray tights. It was so cold that she decided to bring a jacket along.
She stepped out of her room and found that Draco was still in the bathroom. She rolled her eyes. How could it take her ten minutes to get ready and him, an hour? She tutted and sat down on one of the armchairs.
A moment later, Draco stepped out of the bathroom. He was wearing all black; black sweater, black jeans, black canvas slippers. She had a feeling the clothes were all from Armani or somewhere equally expensive. She started to feel shabby again.
Draco seemed to think otherwise. "Looking great, Granger," he said. "Let's go."
* * *
Draco looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. She looked sexy with her messy hair, bruised lips, pink cheeks, and tight clothes. As they walked together, she looked like she's just been snogged by him.
Good, he thought. That'd keep the blokes away from her.
They walked into the Room of Requirement. Music was playing, Slytherins and Gryffindors were mingling (he really, really couldn't get over it), and some people were hanging by the snack tables. Draco looked around and the first thing he saw was Barbary, surrounded by Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown. He was wearing a hairy black Weird Sisters sweater that the girls were fawning over. What's he doing here? He's a teacher!
"I think Ginny and Blaise invited him," Hermione whispered, looking at Professor Heath's direction.
"Speak of the devils," Draco muttered. Ginny and Blaise walked over to them. Ginny was wearing a baggy green shirt and Blaise was wearing a big red sweater. They looked like they had swapped clothes.
"Having fun?" Ginny asked them.
"We just got here," Hermione said, laughing.
"We're having a drinking game soon," Blaise said. "We're just waiting for the firewhiskey to come; Theo's bringing it." He waited for Hermione's reaction.
"Excellent," Hermione breathed out. "Call us when it's here."
Blaise looked mildly taken aback.
* * *
Hermione excused herself while Draco talked about Quidditch with Ginny and Blaise. She had spotted Harry and Ron. They were both sitting in a corner, looking glum. Hermione took a deep breath and walked towards them.
"Hey," she said.
Ron's ears turned pink. Harry looked at her then looked at Ron. "Right, I'll go get myself some gillywater, so you later." He stalked off.
Hermione nervously sat beside Ron. Thankfully, he didn't budge. "How've you been?" she said.
"Oh 'Mione!" Ron cried. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I want to be friends again, please forgive me!"
Hermione blinked, looking at him. She didn't expect him to apologize so quickly.
"Ron, I---"
"I understand now," Ron continued. "You want to be with Malfoy, and I should accept that…"
"Yes, Ron, but---"
"I've accepted that," he went on, "I've learned I shouldn't let my feelings get in the way of our friendship…"
"Oh, alright, Ron, you---"
"You can go on and see him if you like, I won't get in the way," Ron rambled, "I support you a hundred percent, okay, maybe fifty, he is Malfoy…"
"Really, well---"
"So, what do you say?" Ron finished. "Friends?"
Hermione looked at Ron. Again, she could do nothing but blink. She opened her mouth and closed it. "Okay," she said, laughing. "Okay, okay, okay! That's what I've been trying to say. OKAY."
"Gee, 'Mione, I get it, you don't have to be so pushy."
* * *
"Everyone, please gather round. The drinking game is about to begin!"
People flocked around Blaise and Ginny.
"We have here three glasses," Blaise continued. He motioned to three extremely tall glasses in front of him. "Three people at a time will drink. The first one to finish can…"
"…snog anyone in the room that he or she would like to snog," Ginny finished. "Disregard the relationships, boys and girls! Oh… but I'm not kissing Ron, that's gross."
"Right back at you," Ron said to general amusement and laughter.
"Okay, who wants to start?" Blaise asked.
Draco glanced around, too. He definitely didn't want to go first. Watching the game would be more amusing.
"I will!" Ron said loudly. He walked over to Blaise and Ginny.
"Hey, me too," Dean Thomas said, stepping forward.
"Count me in," Seamus Finnigan mumbled.
Reckless Gryffindors, Draco thought.
Ron, Dean and Seamus took their places in front of the glasses.
Ginny stepped forward. "Three, two, one, go!"
The three boys raised their drinks and started chugging them down.
Ron finished first. Everyone cheered and waited for him to kiss somebody. Most eyes darted to Hermione.
Draco frowned and quickly stood beside her.
Ron, however, was not aiming for Hermione.
He walked to the other side of the room and seized Pansy Parkinson.
* * *
"I can't believe that just happened," Harry muttered.
"Ditto," Hermione murmured, rubbing the back of her neck.
Ron and Pansy had snogged each other like there was no tomorrow. They had to be pulled apart by magic. They decided to get out of the room to continue their business.
"Next!" Blaise yelled.
Lavender and Parvati giggled, stepping forward. Professor Heath looked a bit alarmed. Hermione whispered this to Harry and Draco. They both laughed.
Millicent Bulstrode stepped forward. Blaise took a step back.
"Wow, Ginny, it's cold, isn't it?" they heard him say. "I think I'll go to the bathroom and have a quick leak…" He disappeared.
Nevertheless, Millicent competed against Parvati and Lavender. She won. Apparently, in her book, the next best thing to Blaise was Vincent Crabbe.
The crowd was treated with a spectacular view comprising Bulstrode, Crabbe, and tongues.
"NEXT!" Ginny screamed, a little too quickly. Thankfully, Millicent took this as a cue to pull away.
Tracey and Daphne stepped forward, giggling and staring at Professor Heath. "I think I'll join Blaise in the loos," Hermione heard him say to Ginny.
Theo joined in. Of course, he beat Daphne and Tracey.
He walked over to Parvati and kissed her.
Parvati pulled away. "Hey, I thought you were going out with Padma!"
Theo looked surprised. "Oh, are you Parvati? My mistake."
Everyone laughed.
"Next," called Blaise, who had come back from the bathroom.
"I'm joining!" Ginny said.
"What?" Blaise exclaimed. "But you can always kiss me!"
Ginny rolled her eyes.
Gregory Goyle stepped forward. He looked around the room, looking for possible girls to snog. Parvati, Lavender, Tracey and Daphne mentioned something about fixing their hair. They all disappeared.
Harry shrugged, stepping forward.
"Alright," Ginny said. "Three, two, one!"
She, Harry and, Goyle downed their drinks.
Harry finished first. He looked around the room. The girls had come back. Parvati flicked her hair at him. Tracey and Daphne whispered something to each other, giggling. Eve Lavender winked at him.
Slowly, Harry turned around. He grabbed Ginny and kissed her on the lips.
The whole room gasped; Blaise's was the loudest. Harry and Ginny didn't seem to hear; they continued to kiss. After ten more seconds, they pulled apart, looking at each other.
Suddenly, Hermione understood why Harry was acting so weird.
A loud slam broke her thoughts. Blaise had marched out of the room. Professor Heath came back in. "I just saw Blaise leave, he looked pretty angry…"
No one said a word. Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. She ran from the room. Harry followed her.
"Right, let's continue, shall we?" Professor Heath said. He stepped forward. "I'm going to try my luck."
All the girls squealed. Professor Heath turned to Hermione, the only female who hadn't squealed. He winked at her.
Draco growled. "I'm joining!"
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Heath said. "I guess it's just the two of us?"
No one moved to join them. "Let's get this over with," Draco muttered.
"Three, two one, go!" the girls cried.
Hermione held her breath. She didn't know what would happen next. But if there was something she had learned from the day, it was to expect the unexpected. She did just that.
Professor Heath finished first. He dropped his bottle to the floor. Draco finished two seconds later, fuming.
He looked at Professor Heath, and then he looked at Hermione. Calm down, he told himself. It's just a game.
Hermione stood still. She couldn't breathe. She looked at Professor Heath. Professor Heath looked back at her.
She closed her eyes, waiting. But then, she got nervous, so she opened them again.
Draco felt his hands curl up into fists. Why couldn't Barbary just get it over with already? Everyone knew he wanted to kiss Hermione. Come on Barbary, just get it over---
All thoughts flew from his mind as Professor Heath grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him on the lips.
Hey, remember what I said in the beginning??? AND the chapter title...
Go on, ask the questions you want to ask!!! I'll ask them for you.
Is it the end for Blaise and Ginny?
Is Professor Heath... GASP! GAY?
Draco has finally grown a pair... but what will happen next?
Oh... and please don't tell me you expected THAT bit at the end. I went through great lengths to keep that a secret. LOL