(A/N) I'm back. I hope this chapter does not freak too many of you out. It is a tad different, but I just could not get the idea out of my head and just had to post it.
Chapter 8 or I Don't Think That Was An Amour Potion.
Harry, Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors sped from the dungeon as fast as they possibly could after the doors had opened and released them. Neville had been unusually lucky; Snape was still trying to coax Draco out from under the desk he had hidden under after the explosion, so had not had the chance to take points or issue a detention to the poor boy before the doors opened and the class dispersed.
Harry and Ron ran up to the common room to drop off their books before dinner. Harry had it all planned out. He would run up to the Owlry before dinner and have a school owl deliver his declaration of everlasting love to Pansy while they ate. He chucked his books on the bed and frantically searched for the precious piece of parchment, but to his dismay he couldn't find it. He started rummaging through his belongings, painstakingly turning every page of each book that he carried in his bag, but it was no use…..The parchment was gone. He turned panicked eyes towards his red headed friend.
"Ron! It's gone." He cried in dismay. Ron turned and gave him a confused look.
"What's gone, Harry?"
"My angst filled missive of love is gone!" Harry turned beseeching eyes towards his friend. "Help me find it, Ron." Ron sighed in disgust.
"It is just a poem, Harry. You can rewrite it tonight before we go to bed." Harry gave up searching and sat down on his bed with his head in his hands.
"You don't understand, Ron." He wailed miserably. "I had a brainstorm during Transfiguration, and I don't know if I can remember everything I wrote!!" Ron turned disbelievingly towards the abject boy on the bed.
"Oh, come on, Harry!" Ron implored. "It is just a love poem. I will help you write another one tonight. Now come on. It is dinner time and I am hungry." As if on cue, Ron's stomach growled and Harry looked up at his beleaguered friend from his position on the bed.
"Promise to help me, Ron?" He questioned hopefully. Ron grinned and offered his hand to help Harry up off the bed.
"Yup. Now come on, let's get to the hall and eat."
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Harry turned to Ron on their way to the Great Hall for dinner. "After we eat, we really should go and see Hermione." Ron grinned and pointed towards a figure at the end of the hall.
"No need, Harry." Harry followed Ron's finger and saw a smiling, healthy Hermione waiting for them by the doors leading into the Great Hall. Harry and Ron ran down the hall towards their friend.
"All right then, Hermione?" Both boys said at the same time upon reaching the beaming girl.
"All right, boys." Hermione smiled wider and pulled both boys in for a hug. Ron grinned at Harry over Hermione's head.
"Hermione sandwich!" He bellowed and both boys proceeded to squish the giggling girl between their bodies. All thoughts of his missing poetry flew from Harry's head as he delighted in being with his two best friends once again.
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After Hermione had extracted herself from between the two exuberant boys, she hauled them towards their table.
"Come on you two!" She urged. "I'm starving." Dinner was well under way by the time the trio walked into the hall, and only a handful of students glanced up from their plates to notice their late entrance. Seamus glanced up upon hearing Hermione's voice and smiled in relief. He made room at the table for the trio and stood to help Hermione into her seat next to him. Hermione smiled and tried to reassure the boy that no lasting harm had been done, but Seamus insisted on apologizing every few mouthfuls of food. While Hermione was yet again reassuring Seamus and Ron started stuffing his face with food, Harry let his gaze wander towards the Slytherin table and Pansy.
Harry was happily watching Pansy dip her sleeve in gravy when he felt a gaze on him. Turning his gaze away from the fumbling girl, his eyes connected with a pair of hostile blue eyes. Blaise Zambini had been noticing all of the attention Harry had been paying to Pansy and he didn't like it one bit. Slytherins and Gryffindors just did not mix, he thought malevolently. Raising an eyebrow at Harry in question, he slowly raised his arms above his head in a lazy stretch and when he brought his arms back down, his left one was firmly and strategically placed around Pansy's waist. Pansy turned and smiled at the handsome blonde boy holding her and Harry blanched and turned away from the display of blatant possessiveness.
Ginny watched Harry turn dejectedly away from his view of the Slytherin table and half-heartedly pick at his dinner. She had been watching the entire time and was sickened by the thought of Harry being in love with Pansy. Yes, Pansy was a Slytherin, but that did not disgust her so much as the thought of anybody else having Harry except herself. She had heard all about the incident surrounding Hermione's afternoon in the infirmary, and was not impressed in the least by Lavender and Hannah's display of childishness. She harrumphed in disgust at the thought of Harry with Hannah or Lavender and was more determined than ever to overcome her shyness around Harry and get her man. She smiled and looked down at the concealed book in her lap. Yup, Madame X's Release Your Inner Vixen and Win the Man of Your Dreams was definitely going to help her there. Why she was already up to the Naughty Nine Ways to seduce your man and she could not wait to try some of them out on Harry.
Of course, she frowned thoughtfully, she would have to take care that no one saw this book. No one- as in Hermione who would most certainly confiscate the book. It was meant for a much older witch than herself, but, Ginny smiled to herself, love is love no matter how old you are. She was sure that after a few minor modifications she could pull off several of the Naughty Nine listed in the book. Giving a determined nod and flashing a diabolical look towards Harry's end of the table, she got busy with planning her strategy.
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While Ginny was busy planning her seduction and subsequent capture of Harry, Lavender was meeting up with her best friend outside of the Gryffindor Common Room. "Were you able to get it?" She eagerly stepped towards Pavarti and held out her hand.
"Yes." Pavarti smiled triumphantly and brought the small round bottle out from under her robes. Lavender eagerly reached for the small bottle, but Pavarti pulled her hand back slightly so that Lavender had to go of the bottle. "Lav, you know I would do anything for you right?" The girl began hesitantly. Lavender frowned in puzzlement and went for the bottle again, but Pavarti pulled her hand back further.
"Pavarti? What are you getting at?" Lavender again reached for the bottle only to have it pulled out of her reach again by her friend. "Just give me the bottle!" She growled in frustration.
Lavender, you don't need this." Pavarti again tried to reason with the pretty blonde. "You are beautiful and have loads of guys after you already." She paused and turned aside as Lavender made another lunge for the bottle. "So what if Harry hasn't noticed you, Dean and the others have." She was about to add more, but just then both girls noticed Madame Hooch walking down the hall towards them. The professor was obviously on her way to the Quidditch pitch as she had her broom slung over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall.
Lavender made a last ditch attempt to get the tiny bottle from her friend, just as Madame Hooch drew abreast of them. Pavarti, seeing the professor eyeing the bottle they were both clutching at became agitated and let go of the bottle. Lavender was not quite prepared for Pavarti to let go and tried to get a better grip on the bottle and both girls watched in horror as the bottle hit the flagstones and shattered. The pink glutinous potion contained within splattered all over the front of their instructor making her gasp as the front of her robes was drenched. Some of the liquid was running down the professor's face and into her open mouth. Both girls would later contend that Madame Hooch must have been in shock, for if she had been thinking clearly she surely would never have closed her mouth and swallowed the liquid.
The two girls watched in frightened dismay as their instructor doubled over clutching her stomach and groaning in pain. Whimpering, the two girls did not dare watch what was happening, and put their hands over their eyes as Madame Hooch fell to the ground gasping for breath. After a few seconds silence the two girls slowly lowered their hands from their face and looked at their professor. Fright quickly gave way to shock and dismay as the two girls took in the sight before them. Lavender looked away and blinked in confusion at Pavarti who stood with eyes wide and mouth open.
"La-Lavender." Stuttered the shocked girl. "I-I don't think that was an Amour Potion."
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(A/N) Yes, I am back with yet another wacky idea. I hope this one is not too too far out for you all. I played around with this idea for a couple of days and just could not get it out of my head, so I finally decided to just put it in the story. That is one reason why the chapter is so short. I have an alternate chapter written up, but I wanted to see what kind of reaction this would get. Please. Let me know if you like it, hate it or think it is just a plain stupid idea. I have a definite idea about where this story is moving and how to get there now. It should not have too too many more chapters, probably 5 or 6 more and then the story will be done. I need to address a few comments and suggestions that were given to me since last chapter:
DementedInnosence: Hang in there. I promise all will be explained within the next few chapters.
Frankie: I hope this chapter does not take you over the edge. I had to chuckle over your review. I could just imagine you shaking your head at the horror and insanity of the beginning of this story. Hang in there, I promise; the story won't get too much more demented than it already is.
Crimson Mage: Thanks for the tip. I really do appreciate it. I tried working your idea into this chapter, but did not succeed. I am not too sure that I can write Fleur well enough to fit her in this story, but I may still try.
John: My most faithful reviewer. Reviewing every chapter and heaping tons of praise on me. I really appreciate the loyalty and hope that this chapter does not change that. John also gave me the idea for the title of Chapter 7, so big hand to John!!
My niece Becka: I know, I know. The cheap dream sequence totally cracked you up. I promise to try harder to get some real smut in this story, but you know how much I blush while I am writing smutty scenes!
Phantom: Thanks for the suggestion. I just may put a ball in this story!! Great way to work Ginny back into the story!! I put more girly action in the last chapter just for you, so I hope you liked it.
To all my other reviewers: Thanks!! You all Rock!! I really appreciate all of the feedback that you are giving me, and I try to address any direct suggestions or comments in my Author's Notes. I am always open to suggestions, so feel free to add to the creative juices that sometimes get stuck in veins. Your ideas just may find their way into my story if I can find a way to work them in!!
Love Lisa