Chapter 8

Meet Me at Midnight





*Once again, thanks so much for the reviews...pretty much every POV again...people seem to like it, but I'm a bit tired so don't mind some spelling/ grammar errors:) thanks*





As Harry hauled his bookbag down the corridor, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Harry! Harry, wait!"

Pansy.

What was he going to say to her?

There was no time to think about that, before he knew it she was walking alongside him, slightly out of breath.

"Harry, you should have stood up for yourself."

Harry shrugged, "What's the point? It would just lose Gryffindor points, so why bother?"

Pansy cocked her head to one side, "Well, if it means that you won't know how to do the exam material then it is something to bother about..."

"Look, Pansy, it's ok. I know how to deal with Snape...I've been through more than you can imagine with that git..."

Pansy flinched.

Harry realized that she must feel like a traitor to her house, talking about her head teacher like that.

"Panse, I'm sorry...I know he's the head of your house and everything..."

Pansy was now looking at him in surprise.

"What?" he said in bewilderment.

"Panse...I like that..." she smiled despite herself.

Harry went slightly pink.

Pansy suddenly grabbed the sleeve of his robes, and gave him a quick hug.

"Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch." she whispered huskily, brushed her lips against his ear, then smiled slyly at him and rushed off to her next class as the bell rang.

Harry leaned against the wall.

Midnight on the Quidditch pitch alone with Pansy? Interesting...





Ginny and Draco (after their little incident in the library) decided to go walk by the lake to see the giant squid.

They weren't touching, but Ginny could feel something between them...something unseen, unheard by everyone...even them up until the Matching Game...

The Matching Game.

It had changed everything...made her world go upside down.

But she liked it.

Really liked it.

When Draco had kissed her in the library that afternoon, it had changed her.

She felt.....different....more mature...like nobody in the world could feel the way that she felt just when she touched him...when he ran his fingers through her hair she felt as though the world was slipping away...and she knew it felt that way for Draco too...she had seen the look of disappointment in himself for getting her in trouble...he hadn't meant to...it was just the way it had worked out.

By now, Ginny could say these things about Draco without thinking "Gin, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about! The slimy git who always makes fun of your family...?"

Because he was not slimy nor a git...and she liked him...really, really liked him...





As he and Ginny strolled by the lake, Draco wondered how this even came to happen.

The Matching Game had changed his life....for the better of course.

Now, he knew, he had Ginny, the prettiest, sweetest thing on earth.

She was not innocent, he knew that, but she was vulnerable, and he did not want to take advantage of that, no matter how much he really did want to...

It wasn't his fault...it's a guy thing...

Ginny sighed.

"What is it?" he leaned down and whispered.

"Oh nothing..."she smiled knowingly, and he knew what she was thinking of was him.

He wasn't conceited, he just knew her too well now, and knew what that look meant.

She had that look when he had been spying on her in the library...

Even when they had just been paired she had that look at the table...when they danced...right before he kissed her...

He smiled at the memory, then noticed her watching him with an amused smile on her face.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she said wryly.

"Oh, nothing..." he trailed, and smirked at her.

She stopped walking; he stopped walking.

She stared up at his eyes, and he stared into the ocean green depths of hers...

He felt he could drown in those eyes...

Wait.

Ok, check here? Wasn't he supposed to be evil........

Ginny looked at him with a look of an angel, then leaned up towards him for a kiss......

When they broke apart, Draco whispered in her ear,

"Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch..."

She nodded, smiled faintly, then turned around to head for the Gryffindor tower

Screw evil...





Hermione sat at the dinner table in the Great Hall, feeling distressed.

Harry and Ginny were already at the table, and the only seat left was next to her.

She would have to talk to Ron.

Just then, a red haired boy tentatively spoke from behind her.

"Hey...Herm....this seat taken?"

Hermione shook her head, and he sat down.

"Turnips good?" he asked quietly.

"Delicious."

"Ok."

"Are you really hungry?"

"No."

"Want to go...for a walk?"

"Sure..."

They stood quickly from the table and made their way out to the path.

There was silence until they reached the lake.

"Ron..."

"Hermione..."

"I'm sorry." They said in unison.

There was uneasy laughter, then Ron looked at her straight in the eye.

"Hermione...are you mad at me? Didn't you like...?"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Oh Ron, you think that I didn't like....? But I was the one who...."

"Yeah, but then you didn't talk to me..."

"But I was terrified....I didn't know how you'd react..."

"But....it was great!"

Silence.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh I'm so glad!"

"Why?"

"Well, because I agree with you!"

"Really?" Ron looked at Hermione, trying to see what she was thinking.

It wasn't all that hard.

Her eyes shone with laughter, and her smile had so much more ease than it had for the past few days.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ron?"

"Can I- well, can I kiss you?"

"Yes."

Ron came closer, and ran a hand through her long hair.

"You're beautiful."

Hermione chuckled, "Now you really can!"

He laughed quietly in his throat, then slid his hand around her neck and pulled her into a deep kiss, filled with intensity....

Moments later, when Hermione pulled away, Ron looked shocked.

"What?"

"Well, I knew you were smart and a good friend, but I never knew that you could dance and that you're a great kisser!"

Hermione laughed, a carefree laugh that filled the air around them, and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck.

She whispered in his ear, "Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch...We'll....talk..."

She smiled, then walked in the direction of Hagrid's house.

Girls, Ron thought, you've got to love them!