The Young and The Magical
By PepsiAngel
Disclaimer: The last thing I want to do when I write a fic is offend a reader. Unfortunately, a character or two wanted to be flamboyantly gay... so there are a few stereotypes. Please forgive me, as I am not at all homophobic.
Dedication: To Norah, known as Black Tangled Heart on here. Happy birthday! Also, if you don't mind sharing, I would like to give this chapter to Milla. For she is a sweetheart and I did not write her anything for her birthday last week.
Chapter 4: A Decision is Made
"Hermione, doll, whatever is wrong with you?" asked Parvati, her voice dripping with fake concern.
Hermione let out another giggle, "Nothing!"
Parvati almost rolled her eyes, but caught herself at the last second. Instead, she rested her slender fingers on her roommate's arm and pressed her blood red nails into her skin. "But you are slurring your words, and you keep… laughing."
Her nemesis just shook her head and went back to chugging down yet another drink. Parvati added pressure to her hold on Hermione's arm. She gestured at the empty bottles and replied in a low, threatening voice, "Listen here, I know you're drunk, you insufferable simpleton! How one is capable of becoming intoxicated on butterbeer is beyond my comprehension, but as you have managed it I plan to use the situation to my advantage."
All her intimidating words were lost on the other girl, who simply nodded absentmindedly before wiping her mouth with her hand. "Hey, get off me!"
"With pleasure," she snapped frostily as she removed her grip.
"Why ya gotta get in my face like that, Parv?"
Her hands tightened into fists as she tried to fight the incredible urge she had to hit the drunken fool in her face. Honestly, she almost preferred the insipid Hermione to this new one. At least the old one did not call her Parv.
"Would you please not say anything else? Just leave the talking to me, sweetheart."
Hermione giggled for what must have been the hundredth time that night and opened her mouth as if to speak. However, Parvati fixed her with a glare so cold that she immediately snapped it shut again.
She beckoned her fellow Gryffindor forward and murmured in a painfully sweet voice, "Now, I want you to listen to everything I say. I'm your friend, right?"
"Of course you are."
She looked pleased, "I only want what is best for you, naturally, and with the state you're in I feel you no longer know what that is."
"But you do, right?"
She beamed, "That's correct. You're learning quickly."
Hermione smiled back, only perfectly happy to put her decision into Parvati's hands. "Well, tell me, Ron or what'shisname?"
Parvati sighed deeply but her grin never faltered. Oh, it was going to be a long night indeed.
* * *
Draco Malfoy did not think of Hermione at all for the rest of the night. He was busy with the usual male bonding ritual he enjoyed with Crabbe and Goyle on most Saturday nights. It was like any other guy's night, really. There were manicures, pedicures, fluffy stuffed rabbits, and much dancing to Cher.
Like I said, they were the same as any other male friends hanging out. They just happened to enjoy pampering themselves, thank you very much.
"What do you two think of Hermione?" asked Draco when he finally remembered to think about his date.
"Well, she's hot," Goyle commented thoughtfully.
"Yes, she is, but what else do you think of her?" Malfoy replied as he smoothed down a single hair that kept popping out of place.
Crabbe sniggered, "She's a girl!"
The other two stared at him. "Yes, we know Crabbe, but thanks so much for reinforcing that fact," snapped Draco. "I would appreciate, however, if you do not speak again unless you are prepared to utter something of significance.
Crabbe looked a bit taken aback by the utter intelligence of that statement but he managed to find his voice. "Uh, I just meant that well... you said a girl was hot, dude."
Draco and Goyle backed away from him simultaneously.
A blush rose to his cheeks, "You mean you two aren't gay?"
They both shook their heads forcefully as if they were being accused of a heinous crime.
"Really? Well, I can believe Draco... but Crabbe you aren't?"
It was Crabbe's turn to look flustered. "I'm totally straight," he exclaimed with a flamboyant flip of his hand.
Draco raised a single eyebrow and his friend turned a deeper red.
"Just because I wear a pink silk robe does not mean I'm gay!"
He and Goyle both dissolved into giggles.
"PILLOW FIGHT!" squealed Crabbe happily as Draco quickly slipped out of the room in disgust. And, well, I believe that takes care of any questions the reader's may have had about Crabbe's sexuality.
The man is clearly straight.
* * *
Ron Weasley, on the other hand, was experiencing a much less eventful night in the Gryffindor common room. He and Harry were playing a competitive game of chess and snacking on Chocolate Frogs.
"Harry," Ron began, interrupting his friend's concentration. "Do you reckon Hermione will choose Draco?"
Harry bit his lip thoughtfully, seeming to pick out his words carefully. "Well, there's a good chance she might. Girl's always seem to fall for his type. "
After seeing the crestfallen look on Ron's face he added quickly, "Don't worry, mate, Hermione isn't like other girls."
He still did not appear convinced. "She wasn't before," he said bitterly. "But now she's as giggly as the rest of them." Harry couldn't argue with that. She definitely was not who she used to be, and it wasn't just the straight hair.
"I guess I really don't know what she will do anymore," he admitted.
"That's the problem." agreed Ron. "I'm not sure I am in love with who she is now."
Harry looked down as Ron's knight brutally captured his own king, and when his eyes met Ron's again there was something funny there. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something different about Harry tonight.
Something very different.
* * *
By the time Parvati had finished helping Hermione with her difficult decision, hours had past. They had come to a consensus though, and that was all that mattered now.
As they walked back to the school, Hermione being helped along gingerly by Parvati, she turned to the other witch and said, "Thank you for helping me tonight."
"Oh, it was nothing at all. I knew you would not have made the right choice without a bit of pushing from me, I was only too happy to give that extra shove." Her smile made you wonder if she was silently adding something pessimistic like 'over the cliff '.
They made small chitchat for the rest of the walk and Parvati let her mind wonder to more important things, like reclaiming her throne as Hogwarts Most Wanted. It was only hours, now, before Hermione came crashing down from her pedestal. Pity, really, she didn't even have the chance to get comfortable up there.
"Good night, doll. You should get some sleep, you're going to have quite the hangover in the morning." Parvati told her, fighting back a smirk.
"Aren't you coming up?" Hermione asked, barely managing to keep her eyes open.
Parvati just shook her head and nudged the girl through the portrait hole. As soon as it closed, the girl bursts into peals of wicked cackles.
"Oh, Hermione, if only you knew what you are in for," she muttered before swaggering away to choruses of sleepy groans from the nearby portraits.
"If only..."
