Chapter 13 - Sac of Mangoes
"Wait a second," said Harry while walking in the halls with Ron, "What just happened?"
Ron sighed. "Harry are you completely stupid?"
"Uh..."
"Anyway. Basically, we just caught our best friend rolling around on the floor with a potential rapist, and she asked you to the dance. Nothing big, really," answered Ron.
Harry was wide-eyed. "... No."
Ron looked sympathetically at Harry. "Yeah, I know, sorry mate..."
"No ... no.. it's not that. It's just..."
"Yes I know, but we'll get through this together, okay?"
"NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND -"
"Well, obviously not, I didn't just get asked to the dance by Hermione -"
"I have nothing to wear you moron!"
Pin drops.
"Oh."
A few days later, Harry enters the Gryffindor common room, and spots Hermione sitting by the fire, apparently writing something.
"Hello," croaked Harry. He clears his throat. Nothing to worry about. It's just your best friend. Even if you are going to the dance with her.
"Hi."
"So... uh, what are you writing?"
"Oh just a new book of mine."
So now she writes books. That's... nice...
"... And it's about?" inquired Harry.
"Some Puerto Rican basketball players who get stranded in the middle of snowy mountains, who get rescued by some guy on a donkey holding a sac of mangoes."
Harry stares at her.
"Don't worry, it also includes, and I quote, seductions of team players, realizations, and haunting details of their past lives that change their lives forever. Hey, sex sells."
"I see..."
"I'm naming one of the characters after you, Harry."
"I'm flattered. Will I be the guy on the donkey or the one that gets seduced?"
"I'm thinking the seduced one will be more exciting. I'll be sure to include some steamy details, you know," said Hermione excitedly.
And you thought Hermione was innocent...
"So... about the dance..." started Harry.
"Yeah..?"
Uh, I kind of meant for you to finish the sentence. You know, like, I'm sure we'll have a great time or something? thought Harry. "Well, I mean, are you looking forward to it?"
"Oh yes, I'm sure it'll be lots of fun."
Harry grinned. Now this was more like it. "Yeah I'm pretty excited myself."
"So who are you going with?" asked Hermione with a smile.
Harry grinned back. Now she's pretending she doesn't know. Joking back, he said "Heehee, I don't know, how about you?"
"I don't know either," laughed Hermione.
"No really, I'm sure we'll have fun."
"..."
"We... are going together right?" asked Harry uncertainly.
"Oh Harry I didn't mean I would actually go with you.. you know..."
Harry flushed a brilliant shade of raspberry.
"I was ... just.. joking..." managed Harry, and he ran up to his dormatories.
Crap, thought Hermione. Now you just made your best friend think you wanted to go to the dance with him. "Who cares anyways?" said Hermione aloud with a careless giggle, "He's just Harry. I mean, in the end, we always become good friends again." And with that she continued on her story. This part was getting exciting. This was the part when Harry has to make his big choice... I mean, should he give in to the compliments or not? Hermione was getting the chills just writing it.
*****
La de da...