Minerva Matchmaker
Chapter Four: You Want me to Wear What?!
By: Punurple
Rolanda peeked her head around the staff lounge door and looked into the room. No one else was present save for Minerva and herself. She snuck in and crouched behind Minerva's chair, where she was presently grading some rather smudged papers. She slowly counted to five in her head. Just as she was ready to pounce-
"I know you're there, Rolanda, so there is no use in trying to scare me." Minerva continued to interpret the student's handwriting.
Hooch stood up and smacked the back of the chair. "I hate your feline senses." She flopped onto the couch and threw her arm over her eyes. "You never let me have any fun anymore."
Minerva glanced up briefly from her work. "Must you do that? Filch doesn't appreciate your shoes on the furniture."
Rolanda ignored her question and sat up, resting her elbows on her knees. "So how did Operation Sherbet Lemon go yesterday?"
The familiar raised eyebrow began and Minerva stopped grading and set the papers to the side. ". Operation Sherbet Lemon?"
Hooch nodded. "Where you ask Dumbly to go to the Halloween Ball with you." She conjured an apple from the kitchens and bit into it with a resounding crunch.
"Yes, I asked him-"
Rolanda snorted and said with a full mouth, "I don't believe you."
Minerva shook her head. "I did and don't speak with a full mouth, sweetums."
Rolanda swallowed and ignored Minerva's last remark. "I'm sure you started to, failed to finish, and left him to interpret what you were asking for."
Min sniffed and turned towards the window. "What makes you so sure?"
Rolanda smiled and threw her apple core at the wastebasket. "Yes! Two points! Anyway, one often loses their ability to speak when they are in the presence of the great Albus Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock, Order of Merlin First Class. Humph, no wonder people are intimidated."
Minerva rolled her eyes, "Ok, so he figured it out himself. Does it really matter? We're going to the ball together."
"Ahh. but what will you be wearing? Something sexy?" Hooch waggled her eyebrows.
"Stop being ridiculous! I will wear no such thing. He said he will choose the costumes, so I have no idea what we will be going as."
Rolanda nodded, "Works for me. So, now what do we do about your two little Gryffindors?"
Minerva sighed and readjusted her glasses. "We have to get Ginny to agree to go to the ball with Harry. Seeing as she is rather insecure, it will be a bit of a challenge."
Hooch kicked off her boots and threw one leg over the arm of the couch. She tapped her lip in thought. "We could lock them in a room together until they can't take it anymore and they start snogging to death. Then she should agree to go with him."
Minerva shook her head. "I don't think so Rolanda. Potter is too gentlemanly for that and probably fears the wrath of Mr. Weasley. It would have to be something simple that would work. I just can't think of anything though!"
They sat in silence for several minutes. Hooch had set friends up many times, but students were different. She obviously didn't know them as well as she did her friends. Suddenly, she shot up out of her seat with a huge grin on her face. "Min, I have the most wonderful idea!" She proceeded to prance around the room in joy.
"Hooch! Calm down and tell me what the hell has gotten you in such a state!" She sounded rather annoyed.
Rolanda stopped and stood in front of Minerva. "Ok, here's what we'll do."
* * * *
"Ok, so run this by me again." Both Minerva and Rolanda were standing outside the doors that lead into the Great Hall. The students were currently finishing up their lunch and waiting to be released to their next classes. Minerva and Rolanda had left early in order to get into place.
Rolanda nodded, "Ok, once the children are released from lunch Ron and Harry should be going off to Divination while Hermione and Ginny walk to their classes in the opposite direction. Once the boys are out of earshot you will whip out this handy dandy fake letter," she pulled a piece of parchment out of her pocket and handed it to Minerva, "and tell me how you caught Mr. Potter passing it to Hermione in class. The girls should be able to hear us. Then, you shall begin to tell me what it says. Got it?"
Minerva smirked, "Yes, but there is one problem."
Hooch looked puzzled, "What? I think I did everything?" She began to count off items on her fingers.
"What is the letter supposed to say?"
"Oh! I forgot!" Rolanda pulled out her wand and muttered a quick spell. Sloppy handwriting appeared on the parchment. "I used a sample of Potter's work from his essay. Basically, it's a note to Hermione about how he is afraid Ginny won't give him an answer and that he might have to go with someone else. It then goes on and on about how much he loves her and how sad he will be if she goes with someone else."
Minerva raised an eyebrow and scanned the letter. "You are such a hopeless romantic. What do we do after I finish explaining it?"
"You put it in your pocket, but 'accidentally,'" here Hooch made quotation marks in the air with her fingers, "drop it. We will then walk off and the girls should pick it up. Voila! Instant dates for your love struck lions. Any questions?"
Min shook her head. "No, but you better hope they find the letter."
Rolanda put her finger up to her lips. "Shh! The students are leaving now!"
She and Minerva stood by the doors and nodded to the students that said hello. Ron and Harry walked out and started to walk towards the Divination tower. Several seconds after them, Hermione and Ginny stepped out. Just as they reached the spot where the two professors were standing, Minerva pulled out the letter.
"Hooch, you'll never guess what this is."
Roland spoke in a rather loud voice, "Oh, is that the love letter you took from Mr. Potter today in your class? The one for Ms. Weasley?"
The girls stopped several steps away and stared at the two teachers. Ginny looked rather anxious to hear what they were saying.
Minerva shook her head. "No, it's a letter for Ms. Granger. Apparently, Mr. Potter is rather worried that Ms. Weasley would never give him an answer about going to the ball with him and decided to ask Ms. Granger for some advice. I took it before he passed it to her."
"Does it say anything else?"
"Does it? He only goes on and on for over half the letter about how much he loves her and how he doesn't know what he'll do if she says no."
Hooch smiled. "Ahh, young love. Well, I better go if I want to get to the pitch on time. Good-bye, Professor McGonagall."
"Good-bye, Madam Hooch." Minerva went to slip the letter into the pocket on her robes but let it fall out of her fingers. She started to walk off and only turned around when she could barely see the spot where she and Rolanda had been standing. Ginny and Hermione were both standing there reading the letter. Minerva turned towards Hooch and nodded, who did the same in return. They were both sure that Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley would have dates to the Halloween Ball tomorrow.
* * * *
Minerva knocked on the door to Albus' rooms nervously. She had no idea what to expect. It opened and she stepped inside. Standing before her was Albus, dressed in a pinstriped suit with matching fedora and overcoat. He held a gun in his hands.
Minerva's eyes bulged. "Albus! Who in the name of tartan are you supposed to be?!"
Albus replied in an American accent, "I am one half of the notorious pistol packin' and bank robbin' criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde, sweetheart!"
She shook her head. "I don't think so, Albus."
He switched back to his normal voice, "You, my dear, agreed that I could choose the costumes. And as you can see, I did exactly that." His eyes twinkled at her annoyance.
Minerva started to reply but stopped. She had agreed that he could choose what they wore. She sighed, "Very well, Albus, where is my costume?"
Albus smiled, "That's the spirit, Tabby! Your costume is in my room. You may change there as well."
She walked into his bedroom to change. Several minutes later she walked out with and stared him down. "Albus, I can't believe you!" She was wearing a dangerously revealing dress along with matching shoes, hat, and accessories. She too had a gun. "This is too much. I can't wear this to the ball! There is no way, Albus, no way."
"You look wonderful! Remember, Bonnie and Clyde were American so you need to use an American accent, sweetheart." He offered her his arm so they could begin to walk to the Great Hall.
Minerva sighed and took his arm, _The things I do for him._
Chapter Four: You Want me to Wear What?!
By: Punurple
Rolanda peeked her head around the staff lounge door and looked into the room. No one else was present save for Minerva and herself. She snuck in and crouched behind Minerva's chair, where she was presently grading some rather smudged papers. She slowly counted to five in her head. Just as she was ready to pounce-
"I know you're there, Rolanda, so there is no use in trying to scare me." Minerva continued to interpret the student's handwriting.
Hooch stood up and smacked the back of the chair. "I hate your feline senses." She flopped onto the couch and threw her arm over her eyes. "You never let me have any fun anymore."
Minerva glanced up briefly from her work. "Must you do that? Filch doesn't appreciate your shoes on the furniture."
Rolanda ignored her question and sat up, resting her elbows on her knees. "So how did Operation Sherbet Lemon go yesterday?"
The familiar raised eyebrow began and Minerva stopped grading and set the papers to the side. ". Operation Sherbet Lemon?"
Hooch nodded. "Where you ask Dumbly to go to the Halloween Ball with you." She conjured an apple from the kitchens and bit into it with a resounding crunch.
"Yes, I asked him-"
Rolanda snorted and said with a full mouth, "I don't believe you."
Minerva shook her head. "I did and don't speak with a full mouth, sweetums."
Rolanda swallowed and ignored Minerva's last remark. "I'm sure you started to, failed to finish, and left him to interpret what you were asking for."
Min sniffed and turned towards the window. "What makes you so sure?"
Rolanda smiled and threw her apple core at the wastebasket. "Yes! Two points! Anyway, one often loses their ability to speak when they are in the presence of the great Albus Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwump, Chief Warlock, Order of Merlin First Class. Humph, no wonder people are intimidated."
Minerva rolled her eyes, "Ok, so he figured it out himself. Does it really matter? We're going to the ball together."
"Ahh. but what will you be wearing? Something sexy?" Hooch waggled her eyebrows.
"Stop being ridiculous! I will wear no such thing. He said he will choose the costumes, so I have no idea what we will be going as."
Rolanda nodded, "Works for me. So, now what do we do about your two little Gryffindors?"
Minerva sighed and readjusted her glasses. "We have to get Ginny to agree to go to the ball with Harry. Seeing as she is rather insecure, it will be a bit of a challenge."
Hooch kicked off her boots and threw one leg over the arm of the couch. She tapped her lip in thought. "We could lock them in a room together until they can't take it anymore and they start snogging to death. Then she should agree to go with him."
Minerva shook her head. "I don't think so Rolanda. Potter is too gentlemanly for that and probably fears the wrath of Mr. Weasley. It would have to be something simple that would work. I just can't think of anything though!"
They sat in silence for several minutes. Hooch had set friends up many times, but students were different. She obviously didn't know them as well as she did her friends. Suddenly, she shot up out of her seat with a huge grin on her face. "Min, I have the most wonderful idea!" She proceeded to prance around the room in joy.
"Hooch! Calm down and tell me what the hell has gotten you in such a state!" She sounded rather annoyed.
Rolanda stopped and stood in front of Minerva. "Ok, here's what we'll do."
* * * *
"Ok, so run this by me again." Both Minerva and Rolanda were standing outside the doors that lead into the Great Hall. The students were currently finishing up their lunch and waiting to be released to their next classes. Minerva and Rolanda had left early in order to get into place.
Rolanda nodded, "Ok, once the children are released from lunch Ron and Harry should be going off to Divination while Hermione and Ginny walk to their classes in the opposite direction. Once the boys are out of earshot you will whip out this handy dandy fake letter," she pulled a piece of parchment out of her pocket and handed it to Minerva, "and tell me how you caught Mr. Potter passing it to Hermione in class. The girls should be able to hear us. Then, you shall begin to tell me what it says. Got it?"
Minerva smirked, "Yes, but there is one problem."
Hooch looked puzzled, "What? I think I did everything?" She began to count off items on her fingers.
"What is the letter supposed to say?"
"Oh! I forgot!" Rolanda pulled out her wand and muttered a quick spell. Sloppy handwriting appeared on the parchment. "I used a sample of Potter's work from his essay. Basically, it's a note to Hermione about how he is afraid Ginny won't give him an answer and that he might have to go with someone else. It then goes on and on about how much he loves her and how sad he will be if she goes with someone else."
Minerva raised an eyebrow and scanned the letter. "You are such a hopeless romantic. What do we do after I finish explaining it?"
"You put it in your pocket, but 'accidentally,'" here Hooch made quotation marks in the air with her fingers, "drop it. We will then walk off and the girls should pick it up. Voila! Instant dates for your love struck lions. Any questions?"
Min shook her head. "No, but you better hope they find the letter."
Rolanda put her finger up to her lips. "Shh! The students are leaving now!"
She and Minerva stood by the doors and nodded to the students that said hello. Ron and Harry walked out and started to walk towards the Divination tower. Several seconds after them, Hermione and Ginny stepped out. Just as they reached the spot where the two professors were standing, Minerva pulled out the letter.
"Hooch, you'll never guess what this is."
Roland spoke in a rather loud voice, "Oh, is that the love letter you took from Mr. Potter today in your class? The one for Ms. Weasley?"
The girls stopped several steps away and stared at the two teachers. Ginny looked rather anxious to hear what they were saying.
Minerva shook her head. "No, it's a letter for Ms. Granger. Apparently, Mr. Potter is rather worried that Ms. Weasley would never give him an answer about going to the ball with him and decided to ask Ms. Granger for some advice. I took it before he passed it to her."
"Does it say anything else?"
"Does it? He only goes on and on for over half the letter about how much he loves her and how he doesn't know what he'll do if she says no."
Hooch smiled. "Ahh, young love. Well, I better go if I want to get to the pitch on time. Good-bye, Professor McGonagall."
"Good-bye, Madam Hooch." Minerva went to slip the letter into the pocket on her robes but let it fall out of her fingers. She started to walk off and only turned around when she could barely see the spot where she and Rolanda had been standing. Ginny and Hermione were both standing there reading the letter. Minerva turned towards Hooch and nodded, who did the same in return. They were both sure that Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley would have dates to the Halloween Ball tomorrow.
* * * *
Minerva knocked on the door to Albus' rooms nervously. She had no idea what to expect. It opened and she stepped inside. Standing before her was Albus, dressed in a pinstriped suit with matching fedora and overcoat. He held a gun in his hands.
Minerva's eyes bulged. "Albus! Who in the name of tartan are you supposed to be?!"
Albus replied in an American accent, "I am one half of the notorious pistol packin' and bank robbin' criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde, sweetheart!"
She shook her head. "I don't think so, Albus."
He switched back to his normal voice, "You, my dear, agreed that I could choose the costumes. And as you can see, I did exactly that." His eyes twinkled at her annoyance.
Minerva started to reply but stopped. She had agreed that he could choose what they wore. She sighed, "Very well, Albus, where is my costume?"
Albus smiled, "That's the spirit, Tabby! Your costume is in my room. You may change there as well."
She walked into his bedroom to change. Several minutes later she walked out with and stared him down. "Albus, I can't believe you!" She was wearing a dangerously revealing dress along with matching shoes, hat, and accessories. She too had a gun. "This is too much. I can't wear this to the ball! There is no way, Albus, no way."
"You look wonderful! Remember, Bonnie and Clyde were American so you need to use an American accent, sweetheart." He offered her his arm so they could begin to walk to the Great Hall.
Minerva sighed and took his arm, _The things I do for him._