Chapter Thirty-two. And the rest is rust and stardust
Later that day when I met up with Malfoy and mindlessly walking around, indulging in the fresh scent of spring air, instead of relaxing, my mind was racing to find a way to talk to him.
Eventually, as it became clear no matter how much I tried to sort it out logically in my mind, it was likely to come out different than I planned, I decided to just go with it.
"Hey, you remember how I talked to Parkinson?" I used my best casual tone.
"Yes," He curled his lips, "I just started wondering why you haven't brought it up yet."
"I am now," I chuckled awkwardly, "Well, what she said is exactly what I expected to be, you know, like how Greengrass has a crush on you, and she only pretends to be friends with me so that she can destroy our relationship."
"Parkinson and Weasley should work on their imagination," Malfoy rose his eyebrow, "This is getting boring."
"However," I cleared my throat, and continued without looking at him, "She did make a separate point."
"I'm not sure I know what you mean by that," He squinted and stopped walking.
"She said the way you and Greengrass talk," I paused, still staring at the muddy ground, "It's, um..."
"It's what?" He pressed on.
"Alright," I finally gathered the courage I didn't know where I got from and said, "She said it's a bit flirty. And I agree."
"That's irretrievably absurd," He first sounded concerned but that worrisome soon turned into a laugh before that laugh switched back to concern again, "I figure you don't know."
"What?" Confused, I slowly lifted my head.
"As much as I want to make it all clear to you right at this moment, I believe it is't my place to tell you this," He sighed as he placed his hands on my shoulders, "And hence, dear, I'd suggest you speak with Greengrass."
"Okay?" I frowned. By the way he spoke, I already had some sense of what was coming my way, but he was right. It wouldn't be his place to tell me such. And I was proud of him for not stepping over his line.
The kind of line that Ron would never choose to see even if it was right in front of him.
I couldn't recall how extreme nervousness and anxiety felt until I pulled Daphne Greengrass aside later that evening, attempting to hold a conversation about the information I learned earlier today from her fellow Slytherin.
"What's up?" She asked in her normal cheerful tone with a half-eaten chocolate muffin in her hand.
"I spoke to Parkinson after poison class," I opened with a relatively neutral line, "And she said the things we expected her to say."
"Oh, great, she's just as predictable as I thought," Greengrass took another bite of her muffin and said in a muffled voice, "So, Granger, what's the next move and how can I help?"
"Speaking of that," I swallowed, "This is going to be a little bit uncomfortable, but Parkinson said there seems to be some flirting going on between you and Malfoy."
"And you believe that?" She stopped chewing and her eyes widened.
I nodded, looked nothing but guilty.
"Ah, I see," She took a deep breath, and said in a brooding tone that I never thought she was able to have, "Don't get me wrong, I planned to tell you this later down the road, but I guess with this situation, it left me with no choice."
I stood in silence, uneasily waiting for what she was going say next.
"Truth to be told, Granger," She threw her unfinished muffin into a nearby trash can, "You don't have to worry about me having some kind of feelings for Malfoy, you see, I like women. If anyone needs to be worried about anything, that'd be Malfoy."
I opened my mouth, but no words came out, I was simply stunned and had no clue what to say.
"Malfoy and I are never close friends," She continued solemnly, yet I could tell she began to sound chirpy again, "But we are good friends, good enough for him to know this about me. I guess we bonded over mutual resentment for Parkinson or something. Although that's ironic, because he-regardless of his constant denial-more or less dated her."
"I'm so sorry, I..." I stuttered, didn't dare to face her, "I feel horrible right now."
"It's all good," She patted on my shoulder, "I mean, Malfoy is-I can't believe I'm about to say this-kind of a catch nowadays, so I guess I understand where you come from."
"You are not mad at me?" I was surprised.
"No, why would I be? It's not like you are being irrational and scream at me without listening to what I have to say. You chose to talk to me like a sane person, so we are good," She smiled, "By the way, I don't have a crush on you, I just think you are cool to be friends with."
"Oh Merlin, I am not thinking about that," I quickly waved my hands repetitively, "And thank you for being nice and understanding. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you."
"Actually, you can," She smirked deviously, "Two things: one, how about you introduce my little sister to Longbottom, and two, get my involved in you evil plan for Parkinson and Weasley."
"You've got yourself a deal," I laughed and reached my hand out to her.
"Affirmative," She said as we shook on it.
###
Finding a way to introduce Astoria Greengrass to Neville Longbottom was no easy task. After last year, Neville's popularity had increased exponentially with quite a significant number of admirers.
"The boy who lived is taken, but this one," Daphne Greengrass said with a grin, "The one who emerged from shyness, the brand-new golden boy, is surely a catch and a target."
"You make Neville sound like a," I laughed, "What's a word for it, uh…"
"Player?" Greengrass curled her lips, "You know what, I'd say so."
"Come on, Neville's the last person to be a player," I squinted and said as if I knew better.
"Oh really?" She glanced at Neville, who was walking down the hall toward where we were standing before looking back at me.
Did I forget to mention we were kind of stalking him? Wait, we were definitely stalking him. Such a shame. But I did make a deal, so it was what it was. Still, shame on me.
"Really," I said, less confident than earlier now that I sensed Greengrass was up to something, "I'd rather believe when someone says Malfoy is a player."
"Why? Because he looks like one?" Greengrass rose her eyebrow and jokingly scoffed, "Please, Malfoy has never been the one who messes around, even though he acts like he has. He's quite loyal, believe it or not."
Seeing I was about to say something, she added:
"No, if you were about to say 'ugh, then what about Parkinson?'. That girl threw herself at him, and perhaps he was bored."
"Stop trying to make him sound better," I carried on with that 'I know you are doing' tone, "And what's you point here?"
"I was about to get to that," She glanced at Neville once again, then a cunning grin appeared on her lips as she winked at me, "Watch this."
It was too late. Before I could say anything or stop her, she already left for her target.
I couldn't hear what was said, but I saw Neville smiling with a bit of blushing, and Greengrass twirling and tucking her silky brown hair behind her ears.
I wasn't sure what I was watching, but I surely didn't want to have this scene re-enacted in front of me ever again. Ever.
A brief moment that felt like an eternity had passed, Greengrass returned with a victorious smile on her ever-so-lovely face, and all I managed to mutter was:
"What the hell was that about?"
"Calm down, Granger," She crossed her arms and said with triumph, "I just got my little sister a date."
"What? How?" I quickly lowered my voice after realizing I was practically yelling out of surprise unconsciously, "But I thought I was the one who supposed to do that."
"Are you mad at me for taking a what you considered difficult task of your hands?" She turned her head a little.
"No, un, absolutely not," I threw my hands, acted like I didn't care, "No, no, I need to thank you for lifting that weight off my shoulders."
"You are insanely and stupidly competitive for no reason," Greengrass shook her head, "Okay, now ask me how I did it."
"Fine, how did you do it?" Though I sounded reluctant, I was genuinely curious.
"Glad you asked. It was quite simple. I just went up and asked him if he'd be down to go out with me," She shrugged and said casually, "And since he already has a crush on me, it's expected that he'd say yes."
"Hold on, what?"
"I said, glad you asked…"
"No, not that," I stopped her mid-sentence, "What do you mean he already has a crush on you? How did you know that? And doesn't he know you…"
"He doesn't, and he's not going to. I don't want to break any hearts, plus, it's fun," She continued with that careless tone, then she got closer and whispered, "And as for how I came to know his secret, well, this is hard to believe, but…"
"But?" I felt I was on the edge of my seat, even though I was standing.
"Ginny Weasley," Greengrass said after talking a deep breath, "What can I say, that girl knows some stuff."
"And why would she tell you that?"
"What can I say," She straightened her tie a little, "Because I'm the coolest."
I crossed my arms while staring at her without saying a word.
"Alright, that's too far," She cleared her throat, "I know you want me to say something along the lines of how she and I share some dark secrets together, but sorry to disappoint, the truth is, she came to talk to me. First about how I should stay away from you, and second about how Longbottom sent her to tell on him. Because he's…"
"Because he's still shy and Ginny tends to be the one gets excited about some drama and gossip," I finished her sentence for her while nodding, "Sounds about right."
"There you go," She started walking, "Now we should head back, Malfoy's going to worry what keeps you so long."
"Wait a minute," I began following her but soon stopped, "You set yourself up with a date, not your sister. You and she don't look that alike."
"Aren't you naïve?" She motioned me to follow, "I'll send Astoria there and make her tell him that I can't make it and she'll be his company. It's going to be fine."
"Do you know you are horrible and a heartbreaker?" I symbolically rolled my eyes at her.
"I know, I know," She narrowed her eyes, "I'm the worst."
I laughed and hurried to catch up with her.
"Where are we going? This is not the way to the Slytherin common room," I became suspicious after walking passed way too many hallways than usual.
"Glad you asked," Greengrass tried to sound the same as the last time she used this phrase, but somehow, she sounded a little guilty, "Funny story, I forgot a book in the Divination classroom, and we are currently heading to the Divination Stairwell."
"Fine," I sighed, "Although you need to know I hate that puzzle maze of a place."
"Noted," She nodded while leading the way.
Just as I knew since the very beginning, together with that dizzying effect infuse stairwell and hoax of a class, unwanted surprises always appeared whenever I went through that part of the castle.
However, it might just get slightly interesting today.
When we reached to the bottom of the spiral stairs, we hear chatter. Greengrass extended her arm to stop me from walking, then she quietly walked up a couple of stairs before getting back down. She motioned me to look for myself, which I did.
Stood on the middle of this dreadful stairwell, were Ron Weasley and Pansy Parkinson.
"Ginny Weasley?" I whispered, sounded more or less accusatory.
"Ginny freaking Weasley," Greengrass smirked, though that guilty look lingered for another second.