Sorry for the horrific wait for this chapter, I have been crazed with work, vacation, and migraines. (Fun, fun, fun...) I will try to have the next chapter up much sooner. Please hold the howlers for now... :)
Thanks to slasherbabe, Very evil daughter of Lord Vol, fowler Nsow, wintermoon2 (quite the picture, ay) lala, ura, Carrot (Awww, shucks, thanks!), Sowen, Yana5, driven to insanity (Of course I agree!), Anarane Anwamane, Sheree, Shelly Webster (thank you VERY much), Yami Ray, Without Permission (Careful, a loaded fork can be dangerous..:)), Morivanim, GwEnDoLyN P. MaLfOy, Ranma Hiqurashi, and Auriliayh. (Sureal moment with the commercial. I don't think you're insane, and I will let the docs in the white coats know that when they come for me....:) )
Hope you enjoy this chappie, please read and review!
Chapter VII. Frilly and Frisky
Harry ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, barely stopping long enough to shout the password to the guarding portrait. His mind was racing. What had happened? Why had he said those things? Why had MALFOY said those things?
And worse yet....why did he like it?
He couldn't deny it. He had liked the feel of Malfoy's lips on his, the strength of Malfoy's arms around him, even if it was some unknown cruelty that forced them together.
"Yep," he deadpanned. "It's official. I have definately, most certainly, absolutely lost my damn mind."
"Harry!"
Hermione burst into the common room, followed quickly by Ron. "Are you alright?"
Harry slowly turned his head toward his two best friends, with a look that screamed 'you-have-got-to-be-kidding.'
"No," he finally stated, "I have just been thoroughly snogged by Draco Malfoy in the middle of Potions, in front of Snape, half the Seventh-Year Gryffindors and Slytherins, God and EVERYBODY, and you ask me if I'm alright?!"
"Sorry.." Ron whispered.
"Voldemort I could handle," Harry continued. "Give me Dementors, give me basilisks, hell, give me Fluffy. But this?"
Hermione sat down on the couch beside the woe-is-me brunet and turned to Ron.
"Ron, I forgot my quill when we left Potions. Would you please go get it for me?"
"You have other quills, do you have to have..."
"Ron," Hermione continued, "it's my favorite, and I would REALLY like to have it back. So, please?"
"Ok," Ron finally turned to the door. "I'll be right back."
Harry was no fool. He knew when Hermione was trying to get rid of someone, even if that someone didn't seem to notice.
"Why did you do that?" Harry asked.
"Because I wanted to talk to you alone for a few minutes," Hermione explained. "I know you may not want to admit it, but, I think there may be more going on here, and I just wanted to ask you..."
Harry swallowed hard. "Ask me what?"
"Do you, well, do you have any feelings for Malfoy, you know, do you...find him...attractive?"
Harry leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. "I hate him, Hermione..."
"I didn't ask that."
What could he say. Yes, he did find the slimeball attractive. Gorgeous actually, if he wanted to admit it. And he definately did something to him...
"Why would you ask?" he finally asked.
"Because I have been doing some research and unless it is the Imperius Curse, the only way someone could make you do something against your will is if the idea was already there, even if you didn't realize it."
Harry sat up. "So it has to be the Imperius Curse!"
"No, Harry. You know what that feels like, and you have no control at all. You and Malfoy seem to have partial control of your bodies and minds, so it can't be that."
"So you think..."
"I think you both are attracted to each other." Hermione explained.
Harry scanned the room for something, anything to knock himself out with. "This can't be happening," he whispered. "Why him? Why not...anyone, ANYONE but him?"
Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry. "It's alright, Harry, honestly. Instead of fighting it, why not see what happens? Maybe you could bring out a better side of Malfoy, if he has one."
"Besides," she smiled, "that was one hot kiss."
Dobby thumbed through the copy of The Daily Prophet, anxiously looking for what he hoped would provide the answer to Harry Potter's problem. Two days ago he had written to "Dear Esmerelda", the premier source of advice for the romance challenged.
"Here it is!" Dobby squealed.
"Dear Esmerelda,
What should I do to impress the man I am in love with so romance may follow?"
-Desperately Needing Advice
"Dear Desperate,
I find that nothing fuels romance better than sexy lingerie. I would suggest you purchase something daring and dangerous, and "romance" will definately follow. Happy shopping!"
-Esmerelda
Dobby clutched at the paper with both hands. "Oh, this is wonderful, " he smiled. "All Dobby has to do is find out what this 'lingerie' is and romance will definately follow. The students' trip to Hogsmeade is tomorrow. Maybe a shop there will sell what Harry Potter needs!"
The next day held loads of promise for our hero. Harry had decided he was going to enjoy the trip to Hogsmeade, spend the day with his two best friends and forget about the recent events. The day was gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky. Nothing was going to bother him today...
Suddenly he felt drawn toward one of the side streets, one he had never been down before.
"Harry!" Ron called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I don..."
"I know, I know," Ron shook his head as he and Hermione followed after him. "You don't know."
Harry stopped in front of a shop he didn't even know existed.
"Frilly and Frisky?" Ron asked. "What kind of shop is this?"
Hermione blushed as they walked in the door, and soon Ron's face was redder than his hair. "This is..."
"A lingerie shop." Hermione smiled. "Among other things..."
Harry stood mortified. What was he doing in here...
"Ah, yes, Mr. Potter!" A voice from behind the counter called out. "I've been expecting you."
End of Chapter VII.
Thanks to slasherbabe, Very evil daughter of Lord Vol, fowler Nsow, wintermoon2 (quite the picture, ay) lala, ura, Carrot (Awww, shucks, thanks!), Sowen, Yana5, driven to insanity (Of course I agree!), Anarane Anwamane, Sheree, Shelly Webster (thank you VERY much), Yami Ray, Without Permission (Careful, a loaded fork can be dangerous..:)), Morivanim, GwEnDoLyN P. MaLfOy, Ranma Hiqurashi, and Auriliayh. (Sureal moment with the commercial. I don't think you're insane, and I will let the docs in the white coats know that when they come for me....:) )
Hope you enjoy this chappie, please read and review!
Chapter VII. Frilly and Frisky
Harry ran up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, barely stopping long enough to shout the password to the guarding portrait. His mind was racing. What had happened? Why had he said those things? Why had MALFOY said those things?
And worse yet....why did he like it?
He couldn't deny it. He had liked the feel of Malfoy's lips on his, the strength of Malfoy's arms around him, even if it was some unknown cruelty that forced them together.
"Yep," he deadpanned. "It's official. I have definately, most certainly, absolutely lost my damn mind."
"Harry!"
Hermione burst into the common room, followed quickly by Ron. "Are you alright?"
Harry slowly turned his head toward his two best friends, with a look that screamed 'you-have-got-to-be-kidding.'
"No," he finally stated, "I have just been thoroughly snogged by Draco Malfoy in the middle of Potions, in front of Snape, half the Seventh-Year Gryffindors and Slytherins, God and EVERYBODY, and you ask me if I'm alright?!"
"Sorry.." Ron whispered.
"Voldemort I could handle," Harry continued. "Give me Dementors, give me basilisks, hell, give me Fluffy. But this?"
Hermione sat down on the couch beside the woe-is-me brunet and turned to Ron.
"Ron, I forgot my quill when we left Potions. Would you please go get it for me?"
"You have other quills, do you have to have..."
"Ron," Hermione continued, "it's my favorite, and I would REALLY like to have it back. So, please?"
"Ok," Ron finally turned to the door. "I'll be right back."
Harry was no fool. He knew when Hermione was trying to get rid of someone, even if that someone didn't seem to notice.
"Why did you do that?" Harry asked.
"Because I wanted to talk to you alone for a few minutes," Hermione explained. "I know you may not want to admit it, but, I think there may be more going on here, and I just wanted to ask you..."
Harry swallowed hard. "Ask me what?"
"Do you, well, do you have any feelings for Malfoy, you know, do you...find him...attractive?"
Harry leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. "I hate him, Hermione..."
"I didn't ask that."
What could he say. Yes, he did find the slimeball attractive. Gorgeous actually, if he wanted to admit it. And he definately did something to him...
"Why would you ask?" he finally asked.
"Because I have been doing some research and unless it is the Imperius Curse, the only way someone could make you do something against your will is if the idea was already there, even if you didn't realize it."
Harry sat up. "So it has to be the Imperius Curse!"
"No, Harry. You know what that feels like, and you have no control at all. You and Malfoy seem to have partial control of your bodies and minds, so it can't be that."
"So you think..."
"I think you both are attracted to each other." Hermione explained.
Harry scanned the room for something, anything to knock himself out with. "This can't be happening," he whispered. "Why him? Why not...anyone, ANYONE but him?"
Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry. "It's alright, Harry, honestly. Instead of fighting it, why not see what happens? Maybe you could bring out a better side of Malfoy, if he has one."
"Besides," she smiled, "that was one hot kiss."
Dobby thumbed through the copy of The Daily Prophet, anxiously looking for what he hoped would provide the answer to Harry Potter's problem. Two days ago he had written to "Dear Esmerelda", the premier source of advice for the romance challenged.
"Here it is!" Dobby squealed.
"Dear Esmerelda,
What should I do to impress the man I am in love with so romance may follow?"
-Desperately Needing Advice
"Dear Desperate,
I find that nothing fuels romance better than sexy lingerie. I would suggest you purchase something daring and dangerous, and "romance" will definately follow. Happy shopping!"
-Esmerelda
Dobby clutched at the paper with both hands. "Oh, this is wonderful, " he smiled. "All Dobby has to do is find out what this 'lingerie' is and romance will definately follow. The students' trip to Hogsmeade is tomorrow. Maybe a shop there will sell what Harry Potter needs!"
The next day held loads of promise for our hero. Harry had decided he was going to enjoy the trip to Hogsmeade, spend the day with his two best friends and forget about the recent events. The day was gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky. Nothing was going to bother him today...
Suddenly he felt drawn toward one of the side streets, one he had never been down before.
"Harry!" Ron called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I don..."
"I know, I know," Ron shook his head as he and Hermione followed after him. "You don't know."
Harry stopped in front of a shop he didn't even know existed.
"Frilly and Frisky?" Ron asked. "What kind of shop is this?"
Hermione blushed as they walked in the door, and soon Ron's face was redder than his hair. "This is..."
"A lingerie shop." Hermione smiled. "Among other things..."
Harry stood mortified. What was he doing in here...
"Ah, yes, Mr. Potter!" A voice from behind the counter called out. "I've been expecting you."
End of Chapter VII.