Disclaimer: I don't own HP or any of these characters. That belongs to JKR, Scholastic Books, Warner Brothers, etc. This is just something to pass the time while waiting for the next book.
Chapter Three
The patter of running feet sounded loudly from the hall just before the door slammed open. That couldn't be Snape, thought Draco Malfoy as he turned to look at the door.
Nope, it wasn't. As Draco had expected, Snape was not the one making such an ignominious entrance. It was the rather pretty, blonde Gryffindor who had not come in with all the others from Divination. It was rather too bad that she had made it in time. Snape would have surely taken off several points from Gryffindor, no matter what her excuse, as Slytherin was currently behind in the House Cup. Still, the girl was rather nice to look at.
However, she wasn't on Draco Malfoy's Girls-to-Date list for three simple reasons:
1) She was a Gryffindor.
2) He didn't know if she was a pureblood, mixed blood, or a Mudblood.
3) She was in Gryffindor. (It was worth repeating twice and besides, he phrased it in different ways).
The three reasons were all inter-connected naturally. The easiest way to find out what any given witch's heritage was just to ask the witch. For some reason, however, the other Houses at Hogwarts did not take kindly to being asked such questions. Gryffindors were especially sensitive and were likely to be insulted. Not that Draco cared if he insulted a Gryffindor—it was just they were taking insult for all the wrong reasons. It was just another sign of the bastardization of the Wizarding world.
Draco mentally groaned at the thought. That was the favorite subject of his father's rants—how everything in the Wizarding world was going to hell in a hand basket and how it was all Dumbledore and Potter's fault. Draco did not have any sympathies for Mudbloods, Muggle-lovers, and Potter-worshippers, but listening to his father rant and rave, groan and moan, about the same subject each day over summer was almost enough to make him go over to the other side. At least then he would not have to listen to his father's rants because his father would not bother speaking to him.
It was almost enough because instead of speaking, his father would be busy applying the Unforgivables to him.
Draco turned his attention away from the blonde Gryffindor and towards the trio of Gryffindors that he had spent a great deal of time on thinking on how to make their lives as abject and miserable as possible. It wasn't as if he was obsessed with those three or anything like that. They were making a scene, once again, as they always made scenes. Unfortunately, only Snape was willing to call them on it. All of the other professors looked the other way, except in that rare case where the Trio's transgressions were too blatant to ignore. The very thought of such favoritism made Draco sick. Potter-worship amongst his peers was bad enough. Potter-worship amongst the Hogwarts' faculty was downright disgusting.
He had to stop this train of thought. He could just hear his father now saying, "And that's yet another sign of this world going to hell!"
He often wondered what his father would do if he interrupted one of his father's many tirades to state that he was already in hell.
It was really best not to think about that.
Draco was too far away to see what the Dream Team was talking about, but it seemed like something had happened in Potter and Weasley's last class. Granger was ruthlessly plying them both with questions. Potter was blushing furiously while Weasley was attempting to dodge Granger's questions while calming her down.
He did not know why Weasley even bothered to try. Weasley had never been able to calm Granger down before and it was a good bet that he would fail in his current endeavor. Draco would advise him just to give up the chase and tell Granger what she wants to know—she would find out one way or the other, anyway, so what was the point in choosing the most painful route?
Of course, Weasley wouldn't take his advice and would only be incensed that he had bother to give it. Maybe he should yell it across the classroom just to irritate Weasley before class started.
Or maybe not—it looked like Potter was finally getting his act together and stammering out to Granger just what had happened in their previous class.
"WHAT?" cried out an irate Hermione Granger. "That old fraud said what!"
"Five points from Gryffindor, Ms. Granger," said Snape as he strode into the room. "For making such a loud and vulgar outburst."
It was perfect timing, Draco reflected. The only way it could get better was if Granger's lovelorn losers lost points trying to defend her.
"What? That's not fair. That's not fair at all!"
"You can't take points off for that—class hadn't even started yet!"
"That will be an additional five points, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, for questioning a professor's judgment, each."
That was just like clockwork, Draco reflected. He hated to admit it but the Slytherins were truly blessed to have a head of house like Snape. If it wasn't for Snape, they would not even be in the running for the House Cup as Gryffindor would be very much in the lead.
That was all the fault of the resident teacher's pet, Granger. It was simply unbelievable how all the other professors literally fell over each other in praising Granger and awarding her points.
He supposed he should be very thankful that Granger was a Mudblood instead of a pureblood. If she was a pureblood, he could just see his father encouraging him to pursue her. Malfoys married for power and nothing else. If she was a pureblood and in a House other than Gryffindor, Draco would have no choice. He would be doomed. It wasn't as if Granger was a hag. While she was not the prettiest girl in their year, she looked more than decent. However, although she wasn't a hag, she was most definitely a nag. Draco was more than happy to let Potter and Weasley fight over her.
Of course, if she was a pureblood and his father did approve of her, he would probably lose her to Potter. He always lost to Potter. Quidditch matches had become excruciating as he spent most of each match wondering how he would lose this time. He could just see it now—he chases Granger because of parental demands and Granger runs to Potter. Two years later, he and Weasley appear together on the Wizarding Wireless Network as the main guests on Rita Skeeter Live!—Harry Potter and the Wizards Who Always Lose to Him Special.
At least he would never have to deal with that.
Time and again, he wished that Granger would fall for one of her two friends. That would certainly break up their friendship. Well, to be more specific, it would be more likely to do so if Granger fell for Potter. If Granger and Weasley got together, Draco could easily see Potter smiling and wishing his friends the best. Potter might not be so happy inside, but he wouldn't say anything, and that would not be any fun.
It would be much better, in Draco's eyes, for Granger to fall in love with Potter because Weasley would take it very badly. While Draco did not like Weasley very much, he thought that they did have one thing in common—they both habitually took second place to Potter. Draco in Quidditch matches and the like, while Weasley was seen merely as Potter's sidekick. He could not imagine that Weasley would take it well because he would not take such a situation lightly. No, if any of his friends absconded with the girl he wanted, he would make that friend's life a living nightmare.
It was not worth putting too much thought into what would happen in such a situation though. It was never going to happen. He doubted that either Potter or Weasley had realized that Granger was a girl. There were some hints that Weasley had begun to notice that there were two types of people in the world and maybe babies don't come from storks. However, there were no hints that Weasley had connected these thoughts with the idea that Granger was different from him and Potter. For Weasley treated her the same as ever in public. If Weasley had noticed Granger in that way then Draco would expect him to start less arguments with Granger and blush more around her.
Sort of like how Potter was blushing like mad before class started.
Draco shook his head, trying to clear his mind of such thoughts. It would never happen. It would never happen. No matter how much he would like to see all three of them inconsolable over unrequited love. No matter how ironic and pleasing it would be. No matter how much he would love to see their great friendship shattered because of love.
It never occurred to Draco that perhaps the Trio's version of friendship was different from the Malfoy version of friendship.
Omake Ni Wa!
Snogging 101
In Potions no less!
Harry knew he was blushing but he could not do anything to stop it. He had not wanted to tell Hermione what Trelawney had said. It would only make her upset. However, she somehow knew that something had happened in Divination as soon as he and Ron entered the room. Almost immediately, she started pestering them with questions, asking what exactly had occurred. Her questions left him unable to do anything but think about what Trelawney said and the whole situation just made him blush like nothing else.
Of course, it was also so very ridiculous. This was Hermione! His best friend, not his girlfriend! Oh, Harry supposed technically that Hermione was a girl and so she was his friend who just happened to be a girl. A very pretty girl, in his own opinion. Who just happened to be the smartest girl he knew. Who was also the kindest, sweetest girl in school. In fact, it was downright amazing that she didn't have a boyfriend!
That thought stopped Harry cold. Why had he never realized this before! He was such a daft git!
***
Hermione was concerned. While she was not happy over what Trelawney had said, she had to worry at Harry's reaction. Really, facing the rumors again would be bad, but it wouldn't be that bad, would it?
Certainly not bad enough to justify banging one's head onto the desk over and over again in frustration.
She couldn't bear to watch him. He would only give himself a concussion and he got enough of those as a Seeker. So she placed both hands around his head and forced him to look up at her.
"Harry, stop that! There's no reason to do that!"
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"Sorry for not realizing sooner."
Hermione had every intention of asking him what was it that he had not realized. However, it had become a tad difficult to speak as Harry had thrown all caution to the winds, stood up, and attached his lips to hers.
Harry was kissing her.
He was kissing her.
And boy, did he know how to kiss!
It was at that point that Hermione decided to forget analyzing the situation logically. Instead, she pressed her body close to his, and began to match him, kiss for kiss.
***
The sudden slurping noises behind him startled Ron Weasley.
He turned around to see a sight he had never, ever wanted to see.
His two best friends going at it, snogging full steam, in the middle of class.
Sure, if they wanted to snog, who was he to stop them? Let them have their fun. In public even if that's what they wanted. But please, please, please not with him in a front-row seat.
He just had to stop them before his innocence was completely lost.
"Come on, guys! Don't do that here! Get a room!"
They ignored him. Obviously they were too wrapped up in what they were doing (and Ron did not want to think about everything that they could be doing) to pay any attention to him.
Snape had no such difficulties heeding Ron's words, although not in a manner Ron would have chosen.
"Potter! Granger! Stop that disgusting display of affection in my class immediately!"
Of course they didn't.
"That's it! That is it! I've had enough of this! One hundred fifty points off Gryffindor—EACH!"
Ron couldn't ignore that. Forget his best friends snogging—he was happy for them really, and they were perfect for each other. But Snape couldn't take off points like that and Ron was just the wizard to let him know that.
"You can't do that! You can't just take off three hundred points like that—it's not fair!"
"Shut up, Weasley. Since when have I ever been fair? Be quiet before I take off points from you."
"What for? I haven't done anything so you can't take points off me."
"Haven't done anything? I just know that you were encouraging them."
"Encouraging them? Why, oh why, would I want to see my best friends swap spit?"
"Enough! You've been egging them on like Black always did. Fifty points, Mr. Weasley—for aiding and abetting!"
"Argh! I did not do a thing, you slimy git." Ron pulled out his wand. "Alright then—if you're taking off points for me aiding and abetting, then I'm going to damn well aid and abet. Natkingcolius!"
With that, music filled the air, to provide a better atmosphere for his friends' activities:
L is for the way you look at me.
O is for the only one I see.
V is very very extra-ordinary.
E is . . .
THUMP>
"Thump? E's not supposed to be thump?" Ron was genuinely confused. He was positive that he had cast that spell right. He had only seen his father cast it at least a dozen times after Arthur Weasley had found a stack of old Muggle vile-nil.
"That was Malfoy," said Neville. "He fainted."
"Malfoy fainted, huh?" Things were beginning to look up for Ron. "That only leaves Snape." Ron turned to the front of the classroom, with the intention of telling Snape off. However, Snape had already moved in front of his desk.
Snape looked absolutely terrible. He looked like he was having an apoplectic seizure. He was waving his arms about and foaming at the mouth. His mouth was also opening and closing, as if he was attempting to take more points off, but he was unable to form any coherent words in his rage.
"Excellent. Snape's out of commission as well." Ron looked at the scene around him.
"Best friends snogging in back of me, Snape raging in front of me," said Ron, throwing a friendly arm around Neville's shoulders. "And you're here stuck in the middle with me."
"Um Ron—I'm not like that."
~end omake~
*omake—Japanese anime and manga sometimes contain spoofs of themselves
after each issue or episode. These spoofs are known as omake.
