Disclaimer: The "Wizard's Directory", Alex Nagle, Carlina Tyrsorg, The Potion and all the increasingly strange behaviour which abounds in this chapter of "Playground Love" belongs to me. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.

It's been a month since the last one. I don't know how long it will take more for the next one. This and Chapter Ten go together, and all will be revealed then. This chapter is rated R for language (F) and for sexual connotations. I apologise for the "jumpiness" this chapter managed to retain - reading from beginning to end is not necessarily order of events. Piece them together for yourself until the next chapter arrives which will give more clues.

I hope you enjoy this next chapter of the saccharine, the romantic, and the downright tragic:

PLAYGROUND LOVE.

***

Chapter Nine

"The Yule Ball"

I'm so tired of playing

Playing with my bow and arrow

Gonna give my heart away

Leave it to the other girls to play.

For I've been a temptress, too long…

A flurry of activity. Streamers dipped and rose over broad beams, tiny lanterns hovered mid-air. A punchbowl magically filled with a sweet-smelling red liquid. Little creatures with large ears raced around madly, shrieks emitting from their mouths every second moment.

One of them, wearing one pink sock with a purple bobble on his left ear, called out to his fellows excitedly. "It is time, Dobby knows!" Another of the creatures grinned at him happily, the twin of Dobby's earmuff warming her right ear, and he could hardly control his wavering voice as he cried out shrilly: "Open the doors! The feast is begun!"

***

"Parvati, are you sure we should be doing this…?"

"What d'ya mean?" she asked between passionate breaths.

"It's just… Seamus… he'll be devastated."

She grasped at his silky hair as it slipped through her fingers, the scarlet sliding across her brown skin. "Lavender can have him. All I want right now is you, Ron Weasley."

***

Ginny gripped her glass tightly as she stood on the edge of the dance floor, nervously watching Alex as he danced with Lavender Brown. To her mind, it was incomprehensible. Lavender… Lavender Brown? Of all people to taunt me with…She shook her head defeatedly, lifting the cup to her lips slowly, feeling a need to drown her sorrows if only in the pleasure of fruit punch.

Just as she felt the fluid reach her throat, a hand grasped her shoulder firmly and she choked slightly. "I wouldn't drink that if I were you," Harry murmured softly into her ear, and Ginny fought the urge to cough. "I suspect that's not fruit punch in there."

"Why - ?"

"Don't. Trust me. You'll feel better in the morning for it."

Nodding cautiously, she placed the cup down on a nearby table, returning to find Harry's eyes fixated on the same spot her own had been only minutes earlier. Ginny watched him watch Alex, and noted the look of utter loathing that flickered across his face as he stood there. I wonder what makes Harry hate him so. To me they're so similar, these stupid boys… never noticing what's lying right in front of them until they step in it.

A wicked thought entered Virginia's mind, and she immediately decided on a way to use this rivalry to her advantage. Grabbing Harry's hand, she pulled him close to her, running her hand slowly down the side of his waist. This isn't me, something whispered to her deep inside, but she pushed it away. So what? Fun is fun. She put her other hand on Harry's cheek, and breathed: "Let's dance."

***

She let a soft moan escape her mouth as she felt his hand caress her thigh. She knew he was pleased with himself, as he always was when he had made another conquest. And this was no ordinary conquest - she was a flirt, but nothing more. He knew he was the first to come this far.

Pushing herself against him, she knew this was a conquest for her as well. How he would hate himself when he heard the words of rejection, now only moments away. A whisper came from nowhere and travelled from her mouth to his own. "You can squeeze my lemon, baby - juice runs down my legs." She had to smother a laugh at his pathetic sighing and groaning. Soon.

He was close now. She could feel it. Almost.

This was going to be so much fun.

***

Alex grimaced as the music hammered inside his head. Glancing to his left, he saw Harry, Ginny spinning on his arm, walking, turning, eyes locked, expressions mirroring the other. Could he ever love her the way that I do? Or am I only imagining this. The lights stunned him with shades of aqua and magenta, but he avoided looking forward in case he threw up at the sight of Lavender salivating again.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed one brown eye steal a glance, and a smirk spread across his handsome face. Nevermind how Harry feels. This is war. Forcing himself to look upon the horrors that were Lavender Brown, from her hideously glittering chestnut hair to the pale green robes that matched her eyes exactly. Alex couldn't bear it anymore, but he pulled her towards him, and met her lavender lips with his own.

It wasn't, in all truth, that bad. Lavender was a nice girl, a friend. She was gorgeous, even if her hair tended to temporarily blind him every time he forgot and looked upon it once more. In reality, she wasn't the problem. Alex just couldn't fit anything more than a pair of soft brown eyes and a shock of carrot-red hair into his mind right now - something that was appearing further and further from his reach as each day passed him by.

Separating from the kiss, he tossed his head defiantly to the girl who stood behind him… the one whose place had been filled by a group of fifth years who were giggling as they attempted a square dance. He searched the crowd anxiously but couldn't spot Ginny anywhere. Something that felt unmistakably like regret welled in his throat, and he felt what she was feeling. Anger, hate, passion, hysteria, claustrophobia, sadness, tears, his hand on her cheek, his lips on her lips - pain.

Lavender brought him back to earth as she collapsed to the dance floor. "Lav?!" he yelled, dragging her back onto her feet as her eyes flickered open for a moment. She groaned before she went limp in his arms, and he lifted her onto his shoulder and carried her out of the crowd. Finding a deserted corner, he placed her gently on the ground, then sat down beside her, waiting for her to regain consciousness.

After a few moments, Lavender came back to life and Alex smiled at her weakly. She tried to stand but he held her down. "Careful," he said softly, a concerned tone in his voice. "I don't want to lose you." He saw tears slide down her face and laughingly wiped them away. "It can't be that bad. Don't worry - crowds like that get me too. Can't hardly breathe in them, so you pass out for a while. It's alright as long as there's somebody there to catch you."

Lavender took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. "It wasn't that. I… I saw Seamus. In the crowd. He was kissing Parvati's hand and - and they were leaving the hall. She told me that she was ready… that she wanted to give it away and that she knew whose it would be. Parvati - she never told me who it was, but now I know. It was Seamus all the time." Her sobs echoed in the small space, and Alex shushed her.

"Don't think, Lavender, just relax. It's going to be fine - you'll see."

She stared up into his beautiful grey eyes, and her heart felt as if it would burst. Maybe destiny isn't inside a crystal ball, Lavender wondered, maybe it's inside you. I wonder if fate doesn't sometimes let us have a go ourselves. As his face blurred into nothing but swirls of grey, Lavender closed her eyes.

"Oh, Alex… just kiss me. Kiss it all away."

***

"Carlina? I need to speak with you."

She rolled her eyes at him, and stumbled slightly as she shifted her weight. "Whatta you want, Potter?"

He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose before replying: "How did you do it? How can I ever repay you?"

Carlina coughed. "Huh? You're not makin' any sense, Potter."

"With Ginny. How did you ever convince her to come here with me? What do I have to do for you so that this isn't a one-off?"

She grinned smugly, downing the contents of her glass quickly. She saw Harry eye it suspiciously, and she giggled underneath her breath. "N'matter, Potter. It was a favour that needs no repayment. B'sides," she added, venom in her previously sweet voice, "just as long as Nagle's outta the way… after what he's done, he doesn't deserve a normal life."

Harry nodded vehemently. "He's a menace. Anyone who can set a fire in a building without even thinking of the consequences is out of their mind…"

"No!" Carlina's eyes were flaming. "Anyone who can kill three people and then get away with it doesn't deserve to live themselves." She spat the words and Harry stepped backwards. Hot tears spilled down Carlina's face. "Why me? Why did he have to come here and shove it all back in my face again? He ruined my life, because now I'm supposed to be the role-model." She choked on a laugh and she pointed to herself for emphasis. "Me, Carlina. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I'm the youngest, the troublemaker. Why did they have to leave me all alone?" She crumpled to the floor and curled into a ball, crying into the carpet.

Harry stood above her, unsure of what to do, unable to comprehend everything she had just told him. Truly, the drunken rambling of a seventeen-year-old girl are more tragic than I could ever have perceived. As he pondered this thought, Carlina raised her head momentarily, swaying to the faraway beat of the music before throwing up all over the bottom of Harry Potter's sapphire blue dress robes.

***

"Draco… stop."

"What?"

"I - I'm not ready for this."

"Like hell you aren't! I've been waiting for this all night, lady of the house."

"Don't call me that. I can't do this."

"Am I like all the others? Do you think you can use me up and throw me away? I don't care who you think you are, but no one ever screws with a Malfoy."

"It's not like that."

"You want me, I know it. I've always known it - I can tell that look in your eyes. You need someone like me, someone who'll strip you and hurt you and make you happy again. That is, unless you just hate me."

"No… Draco, I'm in love with you. I just need some time."

"Fuck you, Carlina. You talk about love but what do you know? I could have had you since fifth year but at least I made myself clear. It's now or never. This is your last chance. We were made for each other… we've both suffered because of our families and our obligations. This is one thing we'll never regret."

"Draco… I -"

"Save it for someone who cares, Carlina. I'll just go find some whiny fifth year who wants a real man."

"No…"

***

"And what are you doing, looking so lonely, Mr. Weasley?" Ron turned to see Parvati standing next to him, a flirtatious grin plastered across her pretty face.

He sighed heavily, sipping from the glass in his left hand. "Parvati. Hello. Why aren't you with Seamus?"

"Because I'm here with you, silly!" She tittered anxiously at her own joke, and Ron stared into the red viscous liquid inside his glass. Parvati peered over his shoulder and asked: "What are you drinking?"

"Punch." Ron drank the remainder before dropping the cup into a nearby trashcan. "Have you had any?"

Parvati nodded. "Mmmm. It's good."

Ron raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Yeah. Good."

Suddenly, Ron felt his arms begin to tingle, soon followed by his legs. The tingling gave way to a tired numbness, and he soon found himself leaning up against Parvati, who smiled at him. "Give in to the feelings, Ron. Tonight is special for everyone… especially for you."

"Hermione…" he mumbled, his thoughts churning in his head. An image of her flashed across his mind, lying on her bed, her hair fanned out behind her and tearless eyes full of an intense pain. "I'm coming, Herm… I'm coming…"

Parvati pulled him back down to earth. "You're mine now, Ronald Weasley. It took me six years, but you're finally mine." She pulled him towards her, and as she kissed him the image of Hermione melted away into drips of pink and purple.

***

Everything was jumbled already. What would a little more do? It was possible that it mightn't even work at all - the man who had sold it to him didn't exactly advertise in the Wizard's Directory.

In the back of his mind, Dobby knew that no matter what, a little stirring in the pot could do more harm than good. But, then, somebody needed to sort this school out. Enlisting Winky hadn't been an easy feat, but a present of one of Dobby's prized socks had ensured success. She was now the envy of the kitchen, if not the entire House-Elf community. And in Dobby's eyes there was no finer elf to wear such a prize.

"Just a drop or two," he had warned her, "we don't need much. Save the rest for another time." And there it was, perched on the table, and they were ready to begin. He gazed out at Winky and her sock, and excitement coursed through Dobby's veins. This was more exhilarating than the night Dobby had been given clothes.

"Open the doors!" Dobby cried, and the screams of the elf mingled with those of the students outside. "The feast is begun!"