Author's Note: The answer to the riddle in the Part 6 is: Anything that goes in it! This time, I'm asking about favorite characters (not including Harry) from the books. Put your answer with your review!
Your choices are:
- Hermione
- A Professor (specify)
- Draco Malfoy
- Dumbledor
- Ron
Who's your favorite? Tell me in your review!
"Hello?" A male voice called into the room, where Ariele sat racking her brain for another insult to throw at Malfoy. "Hermione?"
"Harry?" Hermione sighed in relief as Harry's lean figure entered the room.
"I've been looking everywhere for you guys! McGonagal wanted me to give you this list…It's for the additional class choices. She wants you to sign up again, because she wasn't sure if you wanted to use the you-know-what again this year. Ariele needs to pick hers too."
"Thanks," Said Ariele shyly, as Harry passed her the listed. Harry ran his fingers through his hair, and waved coolly as he left the room.
Ariele exhaled loudly when Harry had disappeared.
"I'm glad that's over," Ariele said quietly, almost to herself.
"What's up?" Hermione said, gazing at the list.
"People always make me nervous," Ariele said in a hushed tone, "They always have."
"I don't," Hermione didn't look up from the list, "Malfoy doesn't."
"Malfoy scares me more than anyone," Ariele confided, "Please don't tell anyone. He's always scared me. He's too forward, and I've heard how unfriendly he is to others…I'm so afraid of him it's unbelievable."
Finally Hermione looked up. "Actually, I think you make him nervous. You're excellent at thinking up rude replies--he never knows what you're going to say! By the way, how do you always think of the right think to say to him? I always just…Freeze."
Ariele blushed. "There was a guy like him at Dremwick. Culvert Mandway was his name. He was mean and rude. He pushed me and pulled my hair, tripped me when the teachers weren't looking. Pretended he wanted to carry my books, then dropped them all over the floor, making me late for class. One day I just decided I wasn't going to put up with it any longer. I tripped him in the hall, I used every nasty reply I could think of. Once, a teacher saw me trip him in the hallway…I got detention."
"Was he the reason your parents transferred you?" Hermione asked.
Ariele's lips tightened. "No," She said sharply. Hermione didn't ask any more. There was an embarrassing silence.
"We'd better get to dinner," Hermione said finally, "Someone will wonder where we are…Someone like--Malfoy."
Ariele turned scarlet, but finally she smiled and they rushed to the Great Hall.
~~~~*~~~~
"She's like that every time I mention her transfer," Hermione concluded after telling Harry and Ron about Ariele's weird actions. They were in their common room and it was almost ten o'clock.
"I don't know what to make of it," She added.
"Quit mentioning it," Ron suggested.
"Don't talk about Dremwick," Harry said sleepily, closing his eyes. Hermione rolled her eyes. These two were impossible to talk to about anything like this.
"I'm going to bed," She announced, then added slyly, "We met Malfoy again today."
Harry's eyes snapped open, and Ron sat bolt upright.
"What is that scum trying to do?" Harry demanded.
"I don't know," Hermione smiled to herself, "But he did invite her to go for a Butterbeer next Hogsmeade trip."
Hermione started up the stairs to her bed, with Harry calling behind her, "She didn't accept did she?" and Ron repeating, "What a creep!" Hermione grinned
~~~~*~~~~
ONE WEEK LATER:
Hermione watched Ariele shove Malfoy away as she walked down the Hogwarts steps. It was time for the first Hogsmeade trip, and she and Ariele were going as buddies, to celebrate Hermione's September birthday. When she'd told Harry and Ron that she was going with Ariele, they'd seemed very hurt.
"Are you sure you want to go?" Ariele asked tentatively, "If you want to hang around with Harry and Ron, it's okay with me."
Hermione shook her head. "They'll be fine," She said. She was thinking, Why don't we just go together? But she thought better of asking Ariele, since Ariele was so shy.
"Why don't we just all go together?" Ariele said slowly, almost reluctantly. Hermione looked up in surprise.
"You'd want to?" She asked. Ariele smiled.
"Sure, why not?"
They ran caught up with Harry and Ron, who were climbing on the Hogsmeade bus.
"We wanted to know if you wanted to hang out with us," Hermione said.
"Sure!" Harry exclaimed, then he frowned. "Oh…I can't." He looked at a pretty girl who sat patiently waiting.
"I promised Cho I'd go with her."
Ariele didn't look the least bit disappointed.
"I'll go," Ron said, "I'm not going with anyone else."
"Hey, you're blocking the path!" A voice behind them called, and they hurried to find seats. Malfoy glanced at Ariele as he walked past.
"Come sit with me," He invited, "I see a great spot near the back."
"Sit with you!" Ariele sneered, "Malfoy, I'd rather sleep in a pig pen."
Malfoy kicked Ron's bench as he walked past to sit in the 'great spot' by himself.
Ariele put her head in her hands.
"Why me?" She moaned, "Why, of all people, me."
"That was great, where do you come up with those?" Ron asked with a grin.
Hermione frowned. "He's really getting to bug you, isn't he?"
Ariele gave Hermione a Look that clearly said "Obviously, do you think I'd go through all this trouble if I didn't?"
"What if," Hermione began slowly, "What if, you really did go out with him--Just once!" She added, seeing Ariele's horrified face.
"No, wait," Ron grinned, "What if you pretended you were going out with him and broke up, but when you did, made a really big scene of it?"
"No way! Are you kidding? Do you know how embarrassing that would be?" Ariele grimaced.
"Ariele, you wouldn't be teased, but Malfoy would," Ron explained.
Ariele sighed. "I suppose it's worth a try," She agreed, "But only because I haven't a better idea…"
~~~~*~~~~
Hermione sat with Ron at a table at the Three Broomsticks. They both were watching Ariele, who was laying it on Malfoy harder than ever.
"I changed my mind," Ariele was saying sweetly to a bewildered Draco. "Since I'm new, everything is so different. I've been shy, and haven't wanted to do anything. I apologize for being so rude. I was just covering up."
Malfoy had his eyebrows raised. A waitress bustled over to Hermione and Ron's table.
"May I take your order?" She drawled. They both asked for butterbeers. When the waitress left, they glanced at Malfoy who was ordering Ariele a butterbeer also. When he turned away, she looked at Hermione and winked methodically.
"Oh Malfoy, " Ariele smiled flirtatiously, "You're so sweet. Thank you so much!"
They talked and talked. Actually, Malfoy did most of the talking, so Ariele just nodded a lot, then gasped and giggled at all the appropriate parts of his stories. Finally they finished. Malfoy still seemed slightly confused, but his mind was cleared when Ariele turned and blew him a kiss as she left the Three Broomsticks.
Malfoy ate some more, then left also. Ron turned to Hermione in amazement.
"She's good, isn't she?" He said with approval.
"You haven't seen anything yet." Hermione grinned.
~~~~*~~~~
"So, what now?" Hermione sighed contently. She and Ron had just left Honeydukes after sampling fudge, and had, before that, had gone to Zonko's Joke Shop, where Ron purchased some sneezing powder.
"There's Ariele," Ron pointed. She had her arm linked with Malfoy's and was chatting away animatedly. When Malfoy turned, Ariele glanced across the path to Hermione. She gave Hermione a Look that said, "How much longer do I have to put up with this?" Hermione responded with a pitied expression. I feel sorry for her! She thought, I'd die being that close to Malfoy.
"Hey look!" Ron nodded in another direction, "What's that?" He pointed to a large, new-looking building. A sign on the front said, "GRAND OPENING! TICKETS HALF PRICE!"
"It's a cinema!" Hermione exclaimed, "Rose and I go to these during the summer!" The thought of Rose hurt, but she covered her pain well.
"What's a cinema?" Ron asked.
"It's kind of like a theater," Hermione explained, "Except you see videos. Let's go!"
Ron shrugged, and they walked up to the building. They each bought a ticket and went into the darkened room where previews were being shown. Hermione snuggled into her chair and watched the screen.
"There they are!" Ron hissed in her ear. Ariele was entering the room with Malfoy. She had a pained look on her face, but whenever Malfoy glanced at her she smiled. They sat several rows ahead of Hermione. Ariele immediately laid her head on Malfoy's shoulder. It was too much for Ron, who snorted in laughter. Hermione jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.
The movie began and within moments they were all spellbound.
~~~~*~~~~
"I like cinemas," Ron told Hermione as they wandered through the darkening streets. "Let's go again."
Hermione nodded. Then she glanced in the window of The Golden Goblet, a three star restaurant. Harry and Cho sat across from each other at a table for two. Harry's body was erect and his face was tense, as if he was worrying about his next move. Cho, however, sat relaxed and comfortably on the other side of the table. She was speaking was lots of expression, and smiled continuously.
"I hope he's having fun," Hermione said shortly.
"Thanks for taking me with you," Ron grinned as they walked onward, "I wouldn't have gone to the cinema by myself." Then he did something Hermione couldn't believe. He spun her around to face him, and kissed her gently.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, "What was that for?"
"Just because," He replied with a shrug. Hermione felt suddenly shy. She wondered if Ron could see her blushed, since the streets were so dimly lit. They continued to walk, but there was a sudden awkwardness between them.
"Look at the time!" Ron finally spoke, "We'll miss the bus back to Hogwarts." Hermione nodded, and they turned around and rushed back to the place they were to be picked up. The bus was gone.
~~~~*~~~~