AU!
THC, August Monthly Challenge
Prompt: (action) brushing hair
WC: 1664
"Okay, Theo, I know this is going to be very, very difficult for you, but you have to keep in mind that as soon as you accomplish this dangerous mission, you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour," Blaise said solemnly, placing his hands on Theo's shoulders and nodding his head at the tall, lanky boy, who looked a bit green.
They were standing on the platform and waiting for Draco to show up so that they could get onto the Hogwarts Express together. Students chattered and ran to say their goodbyes to their families. The sound of owls hooting and cats yowling mixed with snippets of conversations could be heard all around them. Someone bumped into Blaise and almost fell over, but Blaise quickly righted the kid and shooed him away.
"Okay. What should I do?" Theo looked like a man who was heading to the gallows with his head held high, and Blaise didn't blame him one bit.
Theo was, as far as Blaise was concerned, a man on a mission. His only goal was to gain the romantic affection of one Miss Hermione Granger.
Why? Because he was head over heels in love with her, of course.
For the past six years, Blaise had watched Theo wallow in his self-pity and whine about how Granger would never give him the time of day. He often wondered why Theo would need the witch to tell him the time when Theo's wand was still functional. This year, Blaise had decided to school his best friend in the art of love, so that he could finally get his dream girl.
The only problem was that Hermione Granger wasn't a normal girl.
Oh, she looked normal enough, but Blaise had overheard someone whispering about how Granger could actually bite off men's heads. He had tried to dissuade Theo from trying to capture Granger's heart, but Theo was a lost cause (not from the lack of trying). Therefore, since Blaise didn't want Theo to die so young, he had researched a few defensive spells that would work against Granger's jaws of death.
Blaise crossed his fingers behind his back and hoped for the best.
"Go up to her and introduce yourself."
Theo frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. "But...she already knows my name...I think."
"Formally introduce yourself. You're a pureblood, Theo—you have to do things right."
"Okay, but every time I try to speak to her, my mouth goes dry and I start sweating like a sinner in a church." Theo wiped his brow, and Blaise gaped at him with disbelief.
"A sinner in a what?"
"Never mind. It's a Muggle phrase. I overheard Granger say it," Theo muttered, the two high splotches of red on his cheeks seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
"Well, maybe you could talk about it with her? Start a conversation about that!"
"I—I don't think talking about sinners and churches is going to get me a date."
"Hmm," Blaise murmured, frowning as he looked around. He caught sight of a Hufflepuff girl with thick long braids, and Blaise's twisted, twisted mind came up with a strange and convoluted idea. He grinned and turned back to Theo. "Guess what, mate? I've got an idea."
"Every time Blaise says he has an idea, we all get into trouble," Draco said, suddenly appearing beside them as if out of thin air. He was dressed impeccably in a Muggle tuxedo of all things, which was obviously tailored to fit him. The sight confused Blaise for only a few seconds before he was distracted by remembering his own genius.
"Draco's right," Theo said pointedly, "but it's always you two that get into trouble. Not me."
"Of course, we could never besmirch our precious little Head Boy's reputation," Blaise teased, reaching up and ruffling Theo's hair.
"Do you even know the meaning of 'besmirch'?" Theo grumbled as he tried to pat down his hair.
"Don't know, don't care, nerd-boy. It fits in the sentence and you didn't tell me I used it wrong," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "Now, listen to my plan because it's great, it's awesome, and it's perfect."
"Oh, Merlin, this can't end well," Draco muttered, but both boys leaned towards Blaise to listen to him.
"Hold still, Draco," Theo hissed, smacking Draco's shoulder and forcing the blond to sit still on the floor of the train compartment. Theo stuck his tongue out and scowled as he tried to figure out where exactly the section of blond hair in his hand needed to go.
"You're doing it wrong," Blaise whined from his spot on the opposite seat. He held an issue of Witch Weekly in his hand, leaning against the train window. "You should brush his hair first before you braid it. It says so in Witch Weekly."
"I have half a mind to hex your bollocks off for what you have forced me to do," Draco snarled, shifting to find a more comfortable position. Theo smacked his shoulder again and he stopped moving.
"Oh, trust me, Draco," Blaise said, smirking at the blond. "When Potter sees you looking all pretty with your hair braided, maybe he'll finally realise he's gay for you."
Theo couldn't see Draco's face, but he had a feeling the blond was redder than the Gryffindor crest. Theo smirked and Summoned a brush from Draco's pocket, and Draco squawked, "Hey, that's mine!"
"I'm using it to brush your hair," Theo said pointedly.
"Just… be careful with it. It's priceless."
"Everything you own is priceless." Blaise rolled his eyes and turned to his magazine again. "It says here that you need to brush his hair to get any tangles out—"
"My hair is perfect, thank you very much," Draco drawled, interrupting his instructions.
Blaise went on, "before taking a section of hair and dividing it into three. Then, pull the first strand towards the middle, then the third strand towards the middle, then the second strand, then the first strand—"
"This is so confusing! Argh!" Theo angrily scrunched up Draco's hair, and Draco cried out in protest. Theo scowled and muttered an apology.
"Here, let me do it," Blaise said, yanking the thick brush out of Theo's hand and shoving him to the side. "You sit here and watch the expert work his magic."
"Where's the expert?" Draco frowned, and Theo and he looked around the compartment.
"I'm the expert, you idiots!" Blaise forced Theo to scoot away and then, he lifted the brush and said, "Now, watch me carefully, Theo. You'll have to use this on Granger's hair one day and—"
"I don't think she'll ever let me near her hair," Theo muttered, his lip jutting out in an obvious pout.
"She needs to let you near her first before she lets you near her hair," Draco stated, which made Theo pout even more.
"Okay, now shut up, both of you." Blaise began slowly brushing out the tangles from Draco's hair and said, "Theo, first of all, you have to know that Granger's hair is different from Draco's. You'll have to use a wide-toothed comb or a paddle brush."
"Oh...kay," Theo said cautiously, and Draco tried to cock his head to the side to look at Blaise.
"Next, you'll have to part her hair in a few sections," Blaise instructed as he divided Draco's hair into a few sections. "Then, you'll slowly and very sensually brush out the ends and make your way up towards the head."
Draco snickered but kept his mouth shut as Blaise continued to speak, "Make sure you brush in downward motions—don't you dare brush upwards or else she'll kill you with her bare hands."
"Remember, Theo needs to gain her trust first before he can get to her head," Draco said, unable to stop himself from interrupting.
"Oh, she won't have any other option available once I'm done with her." Blaise's tone came out more mischievous than it should have been.
"I'm a bit nervous for Granger now," Draco said cautiously, trying to wiggle away.
"She'll be fine. She'll have her knight in shining armour ready and waiting nearby."
Theo muttered something under his breath, but neither boy heard it. Blaise continued to show him how to brush out the tangles from Granger's hair; Draco thought Blaise knew more about hair than he himself did, but he didn't say anything at the moment.
Blaise was teaching Theo how to properly hold the brush in his hand to get the right angle when the door opened and Granger entered in a flurry of robes. Sunlight reflected off the Head Girl badge pinned to her chest, almost blinding Blaise and Theo.
"Uhh… What's—" Granger trailed off as she looked at the two boys huddled together with their hands in holding various pieces of Draco's long hair.
"It isn't what it looks like!" the three chorused; Theo's eyes were wide with horror while Draco tried to pull his hair away from Blaise's tight grip, only to yelp at the pain when he moved too quickly.
"I don't want to know," Granger said immediately, straightening her shoulders before meeting Theo's panicked gaze. "We're meeting the prefects in five."
"He'll be there," Blaise said quickly, and Theo nodded in agreement.
Granger nodded before glancing down at Draco's hair, Blaise's hands, and Theo's hunched shoulders. Her furrowed brow and the slight purse of her lips revealed her obvious confusion, but she didn't ask. She left the compartment and shut the door behind her.
Theo moaned as he leaned against the window. "She probably thinks I'm interested in Draco's hair…"
"She probably thinks you're interested in Draco." Blaise grinned. Draco leaned back to smack him in the shins.
"You're such an idiot," Draco grumbled. "What if she tells Potter?"
"Granger is smart enough to know that no one will believe her if she told them what happened," Blaise said smoothly, going back to brushing Draco's hair.
"Thank Merlin for small favours," Theo muttered.