Love Potion No. 9 3/4
Chapter 4: The Test
Sango-sama

Author's Notes: Nothing too much to say. Just a thank you to my reviewers. You guys keep me writing! Reviews are like Chicken Soup to the fanfiction writer's soul! ^_^

Disclaimer: Restating the obvious. Don't own Potter. Don't have lots of money. Don't have a problem.

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Hermione stood at the top window in Griffyndor Tower. The hill and dale of the moor to one side and the cerulean ocean waves pounding heavily at the craggy rocks at the cliff base on the other. The sky was dark yet, though a streak of pink was slowly but steadily climbing up on the horizon.

This was a place where she had often come to think, to read away from the eagle eyes of of Madame Pince, away from the girlish prattle of Lavender and Parvati, and away from Harry and Ron, for when she needed time alone. But at the moment, thinking was one of the furthest things from her mind.

Her arms still tingled; although the warm, fuzzy feeling that had seared deep into her arms when his hands touched them, it was merely an echo of how it had felt the evening before. 'Why can't I push this from my mind?' Her fingers absently traced over the tingling, as she cheeks were slightly pink from the memory. Being in his arms felt so warm, so incredibly safe and, at the same time, so incredibly dangerous. It was a perfect contradiction, just as Ron was: kind yet infuriating, protective yet antagonistic. It had caused such a whirlwind of emotions that, as tired as she had been last evening, she simply wasn't able to take it all in.

But now, she was awake and was all too aware of her feelings. She bit at her lip nervously. 'Ron probably doesn't even realize....'

As the wooden door slowly creaked open, a chilling draft picked up, gently lifting her bushy hair up off of her shoulders. Shivering, she pulled her school robes tighter.

A hand fell on her shoulder. "Hermione?"

She jumped reflexively.

Ginny's eyes widened. "Oh. I'm sorry, Hermione," she gushed. "I hadn't meant to scare you."

Hermione held her hand over her heart, vainly trying to slow her racing pulse. Seemingly unsuccessful, she took a few slow deep breaths. "That's all right, Gin. I wasn't really paying much attention. Just a bit frightened...I really should have been more careful."

"Are you okay? You looked a bit pale just now."

"I'm fine." She busied herself with smoothing down her hair, looking at Ginny seriously. "Did you bring him?"

She dug about the pocket of her robe, pulling out a small albino rat. "Right here." It's beady red eyes jumpily scanning around the room.

Hermione smiled at the tiny creature, gently stroking the fur atop its head. "We'll have to do this quickly or it'll take Crookshanks hours to catch him again."

Ginny nodded, setting the tiny rat into the makeshift cage. The 'bars' were merely stacks of books, borrowed from the library, as Hermione had been quite unwilling to part with any of her own books lest they possibly be chewed through by a hungry mouse. With a bit of help from Dobby, they had found an old bottle used to care for the student's familiars who had taken ill while their master was in school.

Hermione pulled out the vial, dropping one drop into the water bottle. She turned the bottle upside down, very close to it's head. It sniffed the bottle, giving a quick once over, before clamping its tiny teeth over the rubber cap.

Ginny smiled. "Looks like it works just fine."

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"Honestly...are we going to have to do this every morning?" Neville whined.

"Not unless he gets up on his own." Dean muttered, pulling his sweater down over his head. "McGonagall'd have all of our hides if he missed class."

Ron turned onto his side, his mouth opening into a soft snore.

The all mutely nodded their heads in agreement. Harry watched from the side, straightening his robes.

"Harry, do you have any ideas?" Neville asked.

Harry frowned. "Not really..."

A smirk crossed Seamus's face. "I've got it!" He turned around, rummaging through his drawer, pulling out a Canary cream he had bought. "Fred and George must wake him up at home, right?" He tossed it into the air, catching it.

A grin spread across each of the boys' faces, as the gathered about the bed posts, a Canary cream moving ever closer to Ron's mouth.

Seconds later, a very angry, very yellow canary stared up at all of them.

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Ginny and Hermione were already sitting in their normal places at the Griffyndor table, each finishing off their plate.

Ginny looked up from her meal first. "What took you both so long?"

"Someone slept in late...again." Harry looked across the table at Ron as the both sat down beside Hermione.

Ron glared back at Harry, who was working quite hard to conceal his snickering--until he hiccupped a handful of yellow feathers, which landed across his empty plate, his robe, and behind him on the previously spotless shoes of one very unhappy Draco Malfoy, who sneered at Ron.

"Careful, Weasley," he spat. "You can't afford to have the shoes cleaned."

He nearly jumped from his seat, his face crimson. He stalked towards Malfoy, but didn't get more than two steps away, when Hermione held fast to his sleeve.

He turned to her, confused and clearly angry.

Calmly, she mouthed, "Not today. Please, Ron?"

Ron looked torn. He felt his features softening under Hermione's gaze. With one more "please", he had resignedly plopped himself back into his seat.

Malfoy frowned, picking up one of the feathers Ron has coughed up. "Feathers?" His maliciously cold grin returned, waving the small feather right before Ron's eyes. "And hiding behind a girl. You really must be chicken, Weasley."

Clenching his teeth, Ron grabbed the feather away from Malfoy, tossing it onto the floor below him.

"It's a canary."

Much to everyone's surprise, Neville had spoken up.

"What was that, Longbottom?" Draco's cruel eyes turned from Ron and Hermione to Neville.

Neville's eyes went wide, as he shrunk back, hunched over the table. "Th-th-they're canary--."

"Is there a problem, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall's tone was shrill and terse.

Draco looked smugly at Ron, turning then to Professor McGonagall, . "No, Professor. We were simply having a nice chat."

Her eyebrow rose. "Well, Mr. Malfoy. I'd suggest you'd stop talking and eat your breakfast quickly. I will not accept you being tardy for class this morning. that goes for all of you." As soon as Malfoy and company were gone, McGonagall returned to her own seat, her heeled boots clacking against the floor boards.

They all breathed in a quick sigh of relief. Harry muttered. "Let's just finish breakfast."

Out of the corner of their eyes, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione watched with baited breath as Harry lifted the glass of pumpkin juice to his lips.