Love Potion No. 9 ¾
Chapter 12: Mulling it over
Sango-sama
Author's Notes: Okay…a number of people have asked about the potion… I'm sorry to say that I am such a stingy person where plot is concerned that I can't tell you all yet, but I will make a point of addressing it in the story. All that I can say is that, I will get to it as soon as the plot allows. ::sigh:: Which means it may take awhile. I write when and where the spirit moves me…Looking back, I hadn't originally planned to have chapters 5-8, but I'm so very glad I did. ^_^
Dedication: To all my family who are now reading this story, but mostly to my Aunt who checks far too often for an update. (And, yes, you do! ^_-) And to Lady who is right now in doggie heaven with Shadow.
To all of you Happy almost New Years!
Disclaimer: I still don't own either Harry Potter or Love Potion No. 9; couldn't you just cry? ^_-
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Ginny was staring at Harry. His face had grown nearly three shades paler and he seemed to be struggling to keep his composure.
Her hand hovered in the air, ready to pat his shoulder comfortingly. But instead, she thought better of it, pulling her hand back to her chest. "Are you all right, Harry?"
Numbly, he nodded, his intense eyes boring holes into the ground.
In her own mind, it seemed like only yesterday that she had been chasing Harry about the halls of Hogwarts, sneaking glances at him from around the corners. 'It was only natural,' she supposed, 'as mum had always told me how wonderful and powerful a wizard Harry was since well before I could walk.' In spite of all of her reasoning, a deep rosy blush set upon her cheeks. 'It was just a crush, Ginny,' she chided to herself. 'Just a simple childhood crush…nothing more.'
She had forgotten that her friend was still sitting on the ground beside her, but it seemed quite certain from the slight smile and the glint sparkling in her hazel eyes that her friend had seen the blush on Ginny's face. "Ginny, I'm going in for a drink. I'll be back."
Her blonde curls springing uncontrollably, the girl jumped to her feet and was nearly through the door before Ginny had snapped out of her daze, muttering unthinkingly, "All right, Margaret."
She glanced back at Harry, still feeling the heat flushing her face. Fortunately, his eyes were still staring intensely at the ground, his lips moving slightly but only just enough to mumble without being heard well. Straining to hear his words, she moved closer, becoming overwhelmed with a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that was causing her eyes stray to his lips.
Her eyes tracked her friend through the heavy glass window, deciding it was far safer watching her than to have him catch her eyes.
Ginny frowned. Margaret's distinct golden curls had suddenly disappeared in a large crowd; she apparently had forgotten all about her drink.
Her fingernail tapped against the glass. "Harry, what's going on in there?"
"Hmmm?" Harry looked up, following the path of her fingertip.
A flash of red caught her eye. "Is that Ron? Why is everyone gathered around him?"
"I dunno," he shrugged, "but he certainly seems to have become popular rather fast." Harry grinned as he watched Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle go stomping back to their table.
"Oh my…" Ginny started giggling, her hand covering her mouth. "Is that Hermione that's attached to his arm?"
Harry chuckled, his eyes matching hers as unspoken words flew between them regarding Hermione and her relationship with Ron. 'It's about time,' they both seemed to be saying, wide grins turning both of their lips upwards.
Ginny cursed her fair complexion as the sudden heat rising to her cheeks quickly forced her to turn back to watch the scene. She was just barely able to see her brother, but one of the girls had moved out of the way just so, making his face just barely visible. She could just make out the stout figure of Millicent Bulstrode wrapping one of her bulking arms about Ron's shoulder. It was really hard to tell from the distance, but Ginny could swear Ron's face had turned green. She bit her lip to keep from laughing too hard. She was sorely tempted to go in and check, but for Harry…
Harry had gone silent, resigned to watching her peer through the glass, having already seen the crowd, up close and personal. The thought occurred to him that Ginny was the only girl he'd seen so far who hadn't been fawning over Ron. True that she was Ron's sister, but she was the only girl.
'Yes, Harry, she is a girl,' a voice seemed to whisper in his mind, sounding oddly enough like Hermione's. 'Brilliant deduction…positively spot on.' He swore that he could almost hear the voice shaking it's head at him. 'It's terribly plain to see that you've been hanging around Ron far too much.'
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Malfoy sunk back into his chair, staring darkly back across towards the crowd as Pansy draped an arm on Ron's other arm. His eyes narrowed sharply.
'Must be a potion, then. A charm or a spell would have been loud enough to hear. He likely still would have the vial on him.' A malevolent smirk made him appear to be in far higher spirits. 'Wouldn't Professor Snape love to have that…'
"Crabbe, Goyle…" Draco was at his feet. "We're leaving now."
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The door to Three Broomsticks flew open as a few of Hufflepuff boys left the restaurant, rather disgusted looks on their faces.
"Ger off! The lot of you!" a stifled voice bellowed from inside.
Ron's hands were flailing wildly about, throwing off the many hands that had somehow managed to rest on his shoulders and his arms. The crowd pulled back just enough to be out of arm's length, but not much further.
Hermione looked hurt but was quick to release her grip on his arm. The shimmer of tears had begun to well up, threatening to let one slide down her cheeks.
A pang of guilt flashed in Ron's eyes, but he steeled himself to it, sliding out of his chair and racing out of the restaurant, as far away from the crowd as his long legs could carry him.
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Review thanks! Terra (I won't complain if you review more than once! ^_^) , Squin, Lady Norbert, Palin Weasley, Caylen Ryder, Aurin, Naoko, loremaster, Chira-chan!!!! (Arrigato!), Meo, Csunstar, Khristale, L.uMiNafyre, pokey, ACIshida, FireFinch, Adnap Nottap, Brianna Darknight the Angel of Darkness, Catwho, Lady of the Cosmos, Night Walker, Hence, jus1digigirl, *strawberrykisses*, Sarah, CrazyBlondeBaby, Lala, Clara, Rini, Pheonix, Goblynn, Betty-hikaru Darknight, Rogue Runaway, The curses, shadowman150, Lioness Rampant, Piemur, Marna, Sarah, w&m_law, LionHeartbeater, Caitie, Lilly, Shankz, fleur, and taboo. I truly appreciate all of you taking time to tell me what you think of this story!
Chapter 12: Mulling it over
Sango-sama
Author's Notes: Okay…a number of people have asked about the potion… I'm sorry to say that I am such a stingy person where plot is concerned that I can't tell you all yet, but I will make a point of addressing it in the story. All that I can say is that, I will get to it as soon as the plot allows. ::sigh:: Which means it may take awhile. I write when and where the spirit moves me…Looking back, I hadn't originally planned to have chapters 5-8, but I'm so very glad I did. ^_^
Dedication: To all my family who are now reading this story, but mostly to my Aunt who checks far too often for an update. (And, yes, you do! ^_-) And to Lady who is right now in doggie heaven with Shadow.
To all of you Happy almost New Years!
Disclaimer: I still don't own either Harry Potter or Love Potion No. 9; couldn't you just cry? ^_-
************************************************************************
Ginny was staring at Harry. His face had grown nearly three shades paler and he seemed to be struggling to keep his composure.
Her hand hovered in the air, ready to pat his shoulder comfortingly. But instead, she thought better of it, pulling her hand back to her chest. "Are you all right, Harry?"
Numbly, he nodded, his intense eyes boring holes into the ground.
In her own mind, it seemed like only yesterday that she had been chasing Harry about the halls of Hogwarts, sneaking glances at him from around the corners. 'It was only natural,' she supposed, 'as mum had always told me how wonderful and powerful a wizard Harry was since well before I could walk.' In spite of all of her reasoning, a deep rosy blush set upon her cheeks. 'It was just a crush, Ginny,' she chided to herself. 'Just a simple childhood crush…nothing more.'
She had forgotten that her friend was still sitting on the ground beside her, but it seemed quite certain from the slight smile and the glint sparkling in her hazel eyes that her friend had seen the blush on Ginny's face. "Ginny, I'm going in for a drink. I'll be back."
Her blonde curls springing uncontrollably, the girl jumped to her feet and was nearly through the door before Ginny had snapped out of her daze, muttering unthinkingly, "All right, Margaret."
She glanced back at Harry, still feeling the heat flushing her face. Fortunately, his eyes were still staring intensely at the ground, his lips moving slightly but only just enough to mumble without being heard well. Straining to hear his words, she moved closer, becoming overwhelmed with a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that was causing her eyes stray to his lips.
Her eyes tracked her friend through the heavy glass window, deciding it was far safer watching her than to have him catch her eyes.
Ginny frowned. Margaret's distinct golden curls had suddenly disappeared in a large crowd; she apparently had forgotten all about her drink.
Her fingernail tapped against the glass. "Harry, what's going on in there?"
"Hmmm?" Harry looked up, following the path of her fingertip.
A flash of red caught her eye. "Is that Ron? Why is everyone gathered around him?"
"I dunno," he shrugged, "but he certainly seems to have become popular rather fast." Harry grinned as he watched Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle go stomping back to their table.
"Oh my…" Ginny started giggling, her hand covering her mouth. "Is that Hermione that's attached to his arm?"
Harry chuckled, his eyes matching hers as unspoken words flew between them regarding Hermione and her relationship with Ron. 'It's about time,' they both seemed to be saying, wide grins turning both of their lips upwards.
Ginny cursed her fair complexion as the sudden heat rising to her cheeks quickly forced her to turn back to watch the scene. She was just barely able to see her brother, but one of the girls had moved out of the way just so, making his face just barely visible. She could just make out the stout figure of Millicent Bulstrode wrapping one of her bulking arms about Ron's shoulder. It was really hard to tell from the distance, but Ginny could swear Ron's face had turned green. She bit her lip to keep from laughing too hard. She was sorely tempted to go in and check, but for Harry…
Harry had gone silent, resigned to watching her peer through the glass, having already seen the crowd, up close and personal. The thought occurred to him that Ginny was the only girl he'd seen so far who hadn't been fawning over Ron. True that she was Ron's sister, but she was the only girl.
'Yes, Harry, she is a girl,' a voice seemed to whisper in his mind, sounding oddly enough like Hermione's. 'Brilliant deduction…positively spot on.' He swore that he could almost hear the voice shaking it's head at him. 'It's terribly plain to see that you've been hanging around Ron far too much.'
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Malfoy sunk back into his chair, staring darkly back across towards the crowd as Pansy draped an arm on Ron's other arm. His eyes narrowed sharply.
'Must be a potion, then. A charm or a spell would have been loud enough to hear. He likely still would have the vial on him.' A malevolent smirk made him appear to be in far higher spirits. 'Wouldn't Professor Snape love to have that…'
"Crabbe, Goyle…" Draco was at his feet. "We're leaving now."
************************************************************************
The door to Three Broomsticks flew open as a few of Hufflepuff boys left the restaurant, rather disgusted looks on their faces.
"Ger off! The lot of you!" a stifled voice bellowed from inside.
Ron's hands were flailing wildly about, throwing off the many hands that had somehow managed to rest on his shoulders and his arms. The crowd pulled back just enough to be out of arm's length, but not much further.
Hermione looked hurt but was quick to release her grip on his arm. The shimmer of tears had begun to well up, threatening to let one slide down her cheeks.
A pang of guilt flashed in Ron's eyes, but he steeled himself to it, sliding out of his chair and racing out of the restaurant, as far away from the crowd as his long legs could carry him.
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Review thanks! Terra (I won't complain if you review more than once! ^_^) , Squin, Lady Norbert, Palin Weasley, Caylen Ryder, Aurin, Naoko, loremaster, Chira-chan!!!! (Arrigato!), Meo, Csunstar, Khristale, L.uMiNafyre, pokey, ACIshida, FireFinch, Adnap Nottap, Brianna Darknight the Angel of Darkness, Catwho, Lady of the Cosmos, Night Walker, Hence, jus1digigirl, *strawberrykisses*, Sarah, CrazyBlondeBaby, Lala, Clara, Rini, Pheonix, Goblynn, Betty-hikaru Darknight, Rogue Runaway, The curses, shadowman150, Lioness Rampant, Piemur, Marna, Sarah, w&m_law, LionHeartbeater, Caitie, Lilly, Shankz, fleur, and taboo. I truly appreciate all of you taking time to tell me what you think of this story!
