These characters aren't mine, sadly, and I make no profit from Harry Potter. I cry out to the stars, "If only, if only."
Chapter 11: In Dumbledore's Office
"They aren't bonding like they should be," McGonagall complained at Dumbledore. "Her attention isn't focused on him."
"I've noticed," Dumbledore replied, "that her attention is focused on her schoolwork, which is a positive thing."
"They ain't gettin' close like they oughta be," Hagrid added.
"I've been watching them in class. I feel the same way," Snape said.
"They'll get closer in eight months," Trelawney said. "I saw it in the crystal ball."
"We don't have eight months, we only have seven," Snape icily reminded Trelawney.
"They'd be close already if"- McGonagall began.
"Yes Minerva, we know," Dumbledore said, thinking over how many times she'd said "if this, if that". "I cannot correct that now."
"We gotta do somethin' to bring 'em together," Hagrid said.
"Perhaps you could assign projects with "randomly" chosen partners," Dumbledore suggested. "Have you seen any signs? Any at all?"
"I believe they're close to being friends, perhaps they almost are," Snape responded.
"We need other options," McGonagall said. "We've got to speed things up. Maybe find a way to get them alone."
"Not entirely alone," Snape contradicted. "It'd be better to have a social event and give them some "alone time" during it. That way they don't suspect anything. Everyone would question the two of them being pushed off alone somewhere. We want to be subtle about this."
"I've taken your comments into mind and have begun to form a plan," Dumbledore said.
The next morning, Dumbledore announced that in two days, there would be a dance to officially welcome Deena MacDonald to Hogwarts. They wouldn't pick their partner for the evening, instead they would be given a flower before the dance, and would then find the person with the exact same flower, who'd be their partner.
For the next two days, no students were admitted to Dumbledore's office, for it was filled with flowers. Names had been chosen at random and then were attached to flowers, except for two.