"Just another drink," Harry kept mumbling every time he'd finish a
mug. Even through a more butterbeer-influenced state, he could sense
Katherine's growing annoyance with him. Finally, she became fed up.
"Look, Harry, there's no more money left for the drinks," she
snapped. "There's nothing left to buy any sweets with either. All we
have left to do is walk around outside or wait until it's time to head
back to Hogwarts."
"What is Dean doing with Ginny?" Harry said, his words slurring together a bit. Katherine eyed him and shrugged impatiently.
"I don't know...they could be on a date," Katherine said boredly. Harry laughed.
"Ha!" he shouted, "you're right!" He slammed down his mug and waved
it to Katherine. "She is! And you-a know what? I do care. I mean, I
don't care." He laughed again and tipped backwards in his seat, almost
sliding down to the floors. "'Course I wouldn't care. She's Ginny.
Dean and Ginny. Hey, I'll get to be in their wedding." Katherine, who
hadn't had a single butterbeer since Harry gone on about different keys
("Amazing! One little jagged metal can open up that door, but not that one!"), looked around the room for something to interest her while she was waiting for Harry to shut up and leave the table.
"I don't mean to rush you or anything, Harry," Katherine
said somewhat sarcastically, "but it's high time we left." Harry nodded
and jumped up. He didn't even wait for Katherine before stumbling
towards the door.
"Wait up, Harry!" a voice called behind him. Harry spun around. It
took him a minute to focus and realize it was Ron, Hermione trailing
close behind him. He grabbed Katherine by the shoulder and pulled her
over so that she was standing close by his side. Ginny, seeing this,
sat up and brushed off her skirt and led Dean to the door.
"Ron!" he shouted. "And his girlfriend!" Ron and Hermione looked
at each other briefly before throwing Harry a creeped expression.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, as if she had been meeting him after years past.
"How many butterbeers did you have?" Ron asked, walking up
to his friend and patting him on the back. It must've taken a many
several butterbeers to drive Harry into this state. All of them could
take a butterbeer - it was a light drink.
"Two!" Harry said triumphantly, holding up three fingers. Katherine
couldn't stifle a laugh. She held up Harry's shoulder so he wasn't
tipping over as he was.
"Times ten, more like?" Katherine said, not able to hide the slight
bitterness in her voice. Hermione looked to Ron and motioned to Harry.
Ron got the hint and began to swing Harry's arm over his shoulder so he
could walk him back to the gathering line back to Hogwarts. Katherine
shook her head.
"No, no, enjoy what's left of your date," Katherine insisted. She
did as Ron was beginning to do and led Harry out the door, but he
pulled away.
"I can walk my own damn self," he growled. He pulled a window
shade instead of the doorknob and walked into the wall. Ginny appeared
by Ron's side, standing closely to Harry, Katherine, and the door. Her
fingers were held lightly by Dean Thomas's.
"Ron, help!" he cried. "The door! It's - "
"Right here?" Katherine finished, grabbing his hand and putting it on the doorknob. Harry smiled a crooked smile at her.
"She's incredibly pretty," he said. No one had any clue who Harry was talking about or to you.
"Okay, here we go," she said hurriedly and swung open the door.
Even though she knew as well as anyone else in the pub he was tipsy,
Katherine blushed immensely at the drunken compliment. She didn't
really know if it was meant for her and wanted them to leave quickly.
"No rush," said a voice behind him sarcastically. It was Dean.
Apparently, he and Ginny were waiting for them the group to go out the
door.
"Back off, Dean!" Harry barked, swirling around. Dean's hand was on Ginny's shoulder and Ginny was leaning towards him.
"Calm down, you drunk," Dean said. It was a joke. Hermione, Ron,
Katherine, and Ginny all realized this. Harry took it as an insult and
lunged at him.
"No!" shrieked Ginny pulling Dean back.
"I was kidding, Harry. Sorry," Dean apologized. Ginny scowled.
"Don't apologize," she demanded. "You didn't do anything wrong.
It's Harry who can't handle a few drinks." She pushed between Harry and
Katherine angrily as Dean followed her. Harry bowed his head and did
his best not to trip all over himself as he walked away from the group.
Katherine was about to go after him, still insisting Ron and Hermione
stay behind, but Ron pulled her back. She looked at him suspiciously,
and he shook his head as a reply.
"Hermione, you should stay. I think this is something I should
talk to Harry about, alone," Ron said, turning to Hermione. She nodded
and smiled. Knowing she wouldn't see him until they were back in the
common room at school, she lightly touched his arm and kissed him
warmly on the cheek. Ron was dazed for a moment and almost forget his
mission as he touched the spot on his cheek. Remembering, he raced
after Harry; he was stumbling down the wrong direction.
"We need to talk," Ron said firmly, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the right road.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked with a loud, bubbly chuckle.
Ron quickly let go of his shoulder causing Harry to fall to the ground.
"You pushed me!" Harry accused. "Wait, no you didn't. That was me..."
"Harry," Ron ordered sternly, "there is something wrong with you.
You've become a mess lately." Harry stayed limply in the slushy snow.
He sighed and hiccuped.
"I had like," Harry began, flicking his fingers up and down as if
counting on them, "this many - " shoving a changing number of fingers
up on his hand in Ron's face " - drinks. Katherine just kept pushing
them in front of me. I swear, that girl is gorgeous but she is not so bright."
"No, she didn't," Ron said slowly. "You kept asking for them. You are ruining your chances with Katherine!"
"I know," said Harry, whining slightly. Ron smiled.
"And I know why," Ron said, now on his knees next to his best friend. "Ginny." Harry jerked his head up and stared at Ron.
"What?" he grumbled.
"You were too preoccupied with Ginny to notice how many drinks you were
gulping," pointed Ron. Harry was about to shout something back when
Hermione trudged through the slush, the melting result of snow going
past her ankles.
"Ron, Harry, can we go with the rest of the group?" asked Hermione
politely. She seemed almost afraid of Harry at this point. Harry jumped
off the ground. Suddenly, he realized a head rush coming on and stood
there with his hand clamped to his forehead. Ron would take none of
this and kept pushing Harry in front of him. Eventually, though,
Hermione and he had to carry him along with the line.
Harry awoke the next morning with a splitting headache. He could not blink without intense pain.
"Teach me about my butterbeer tolerence," grumbled Harry to
himself. Even that was too loud. His thinking was too loud. Harry sat
up and forced himself out of bed. He opened his eyes but could not see
straight. Everything around him began to spin and darken until his
backside began to hurt with a thud noise. After a few painful blinks,
he realized he must've fallen to the ground as he stood up so fast. He
looked towards the window to check what time of the day it must've
been, but the bit of light peaking above him he could not take. He
remained on the ground until he regained the strength to latch on to
the bedside table and push himself up.
"Morning, Harry!" yelled a shrill voice. The voice shot through his
ears and crashed his brain, blinding his eyes with such pain rising
against his forehead. He couldn't even bare to make a sound signaling
the voice to be quiet. "Nice night?" whoever it was continued to shout.
Harry had to close his eyes to keep the hangover of several butterbeers
in check, but opened slightly enough to realize the shouting was coming
from Hermione.
"Hermione...I don't need a lecture," he mumbled. "I need sleep..."
"I know you do," she continued, showing no mercy in her tone of
voice, "but we need to get a few things straight." Harry sighed a long
sigh. He might as well get Hermione's "talk" over with before she began
to follow him around impatiently all day, making sure he finished his
homework, ate right, and didn't touch a single drink. This, in the long
run, was the safest way out.
"Go on with it," Harry ordered, shutting his eyes tight and laying back down on the bed.
"You need to be a little more responsible when your out. Especially
with a girl, and by a girl I don't just mean me. Katherine! She had to
carry you out the door, you know that?"
"Fantastic...what else did I do yesterday?"
"You made a complete fool out of yourself. You were loud and
annoying. Not so much different then Ron most of the time," Hermione
continued with a little joke. She'd meant to be serious but the little
smile on her face revealed her heart's current inner thoughts.
"Now I'm back where I started with an incredible headache," Harry whined.
"Can we talk about how drunk you were?" Hermione demanded.
"Didn't we just?" Harry managed to snap back. Hermione put a friendly hand on Harry's shoulder.
"No, Harry," she said sternly, "why you were drinking your
weight in butterbeers." Harry breathed a heavy sigh and shook his head.
Both of these actions sharpened the headache.
"I'm not going to talk about it," Harry muttered angrily and managed to
get away from Hermione and layback down in the bed. Hermione sighed and
flung her arms down.
"Fine, you sleep now," she mumbled. "But we're really worried
about you." With that, Harry heard her footsteps down the staircase.
Harry shook her voice off and shut his eyes, determined to go back to
sleep.
Tired as he was, Harry had gotten all the sleep he was going to get.
Harry cursed to the room and forced himself up. He changed into some
clothes lying by his bed and walked slowly down to the common room.
No one was down there except for Hermione, who was quietly studying by
the fire. He couldn't quite tell, but it looked as if she were asleep.
Harry snickered quietly to himself and continued to walk down. He was
grateful for the silence of the room.
On a table, Harry noticed a stack of books. They looked fairly old. Probably Ron's textbooks,
Harry dismissed it. But the books didn't seem to be school books. He
could hear a heavier breathing pattern from Hermione, which led Harry
to believe she really was napping. Quietly and slowly, he walked over
to the books. He kneeled to the ground and ran his fingers over the
spines as he read them. However, all the spines were worn beyond
legibility, and Harry couldn't think of a Restoration or Bookbinding
Charm. The covers were of plain colors. He knew for sure that these
were not school textbooks. Curiosity overcame Harry as he grabbed for
the top books - a pale pink book with what would've been white cover
text. He opened to a page that seemed to be deliberately dog-eared and
began to read it to himself.
The Love Serum is a very common and ineffective love potion, but it has the least side effects. It is also the least complicated to make. Other potions, such as the Cloud Nine Serum p. 204 or the Romance Potion p. 198 can cause the consumer to go into a deep depression or state of longing. Some even known to have memory loss. The Love Serum is a light serum for the consumer to become more romantically willing.
THE LOVE SERUM
Cocoa beans or one bar of pure bitter chocolate
4 hairs of The Romantic Interest
1 part moonshine powder
Make sure coooa beans or chocolate have melted completely in the
cauldron. Moonshine powder to be blended next. Finish by mixing in
moonshine powder. Let boil 3-4 hours.
It was all Harry was able to read before being startled by the thud of
feet being pounded suddenly against the ground. Harry's headache had
been relaxed for a while, but the sudden thud brought another shooting
pain.
"Ha-Harry," Hermione said, forcing herself to sound awake. "Don't touch
that..." her voice trailing off a bit by the obvious grogginess in her
voice.
"Nice, nap, Hermione?" Harry teased. Hermione was the one who
enjoyed studying - it was quite ironic for her to be the one to be face
down in the book, not unlike Ron or him. Hermione ignored his comment.
"Those are Ginny's - well, Parvati's - books. Don't touch," she
ordered. Sleepiness had immediately drained from her voice. Harry
couldn't hide his curiosity.
"What's Ginny doing with Love Potion books?" Harry asked, and even
though he hadn't meant it to come out that way, angrily. Hermione
shrugged. She didn't look uninterested; in fact, the expression on her
face showed her sudden interest as if she'd had no idea. She just
seemed to been put out as the guard over these books.
"I bet Ginny's just having some fun...you know 'love potions' are just
so hoaxy," Hermione said, laughing it off. "Not even the strongest
magic will force anyone's free will like that."
"Legally, of course," Harry said darkly. Hermione nodded quickly
and jumped over to the books, snatching them from Harry as he was still
talking to her.
"Hey!" Harry said, startled. Hermione smirked.
"What, they're not yours? What do you want Love Potion books for,
anyway?" she said teasingly. Harry shuffled his feets and crossed his
arms.
"No, no...you're right. I don't care," Harry said. Hermione was unconvinced, but let it go.
"Ginny's in the library," she pointed out quietly. Harry just looked at her blankly. His face was unreadable most of the time.
"So?" he asked. Hermione shrugged.
"Finish your homework?" she asked, running out of things to say. Harry nodded.
"Yes, Hermione," he replied boredly. Hermione looked away
awkwardly. Harry could tell there was something else she was hiding
from him.
"Well, you know, I've finished all my homework," Hermione said,
still facing away from him. Harry rolled his eyes, which ached a little
bit. What else was new? "I think I'll just do some random studying."
Clutching the books closer to her, she swung her messenger bag over her
shoulder with her free hand and rushed out.
Hermione breathed an almost sigh of relief when she reached
the library and Ginny was there, parchment strewn across the table, an
inkbottle clutched in one hand, a quill in the other.
"Ginny," Hermione whispered, and with a thump dropped the books on the table. "These are your's, right?" Ginny looked up from her essay and pushed her things aside.
"No," she whispered a reply, shaking her head. She grabbed a book off
of the top, the pale pink one, and skimmed through it. Eyes wide, she
snapped the book to her chest, hugging it tightly. "They're Parvati's.
She was going to give them away, I just thought I might take a peek."
Hermione eyed the book but decided it was best not to straight out ask
for it.
"Uh huh," she breathed, nodding. "So Parvati's in on the Spring
Ball idea, right?" Hermione wasn't really that interested, even though
she imagined herself in pretty robes and her hair done up specially,
and for her to dance in the center of the floor, Ron's hands on her
waist, her hands on his shoulders...something from a faerie tale.
Hermione blushed at her own thoughts and pushed the idea away for the
purpose of not drifting too far away from reality.
"Yeah," Ginny said brightly. "I think that would be so much fun!
Heaven knows I'd never fit into those robes from the Yule Ball
though...I might even be forced into wearing Ron's
old dress robes. Mum probably wouldn't let me get new ones." Ginny and
Hermione shared a giggle. Hermione eyed Ginny's thin frame for a moment
in envy. Hermione thought that she, herself was probably the one who's
robes would fit tighter then when she was 14.
"Would you go with Dean?" Hermione asked playfully. Ginny blushed.
"I suppose...well, yes, if he asked I would," she replied with a small smile.
"Oh, Ron wouldn't ever agree to go," Hermione said with a sad sigh. Ginny shrugged.
"If you wanted to, he would put on more frilly robes in a heartbeat,"
Ginny insisted. It was her turn to breathe a sigh of quiet jealousy.
Dean and her were definitely not like that, no matter what she wanted
others to think. He was a great guy and all, of course...cute, funny,
and...not an idiot. He liked her and enjoyed going out with her. He was
the one who suggested they get back together. In her fifth year, they'd
been somewhat of a couple. But there was
a reason they split up. Ginny couldn't quite remember what that was. He
was sweet and complimented her, whether it be what she was wearing or
her marks in Potions. Not terrible at kissing either, Ginny
reasoned with herself. But she also thought that maybe she just was
with him because it was conveinient and nice to have someone like him
there...always there. She looked at Hermione. There was something
anxious about her fingers tapping against the table and her feet
swinging under the seat. Was there something she didn't know?
"Well, if that time comes," Hermione said quietly. Then, changing
the subject, she asked, "Well, Quidditch game next week...Gryffindors
and Slytherins. Are you on the team, or didn't you resign last
semester?" Ginny shook her head.
"There's something amazingly rushy about Quidditch that I love,
but I'm not as cut out this year I suppose," Ginny said. "I haven't
played at all this year." Hermione nodded.
"I guess we should let Harry know it's not a good idea to 'Drink
and Fly,'" Hermione remarked. Ginny leaned forward in her seat and
laughed at the reference to the day before.
"Safe to say Katherine won't be on the sidelines for him," she
said haughtily. Hermione sat up quickly and attentively. She shifted a
little so she was up straight and facing Ginny directly. Ginny looked
at her suspiciously. "What? You awake?"
"Oh, fine," she said smiling an even more curious smile. There was
definitely something else about Hermione that Ginny couldn't put her
finger on. Did she know something? "Shame about Katherine though,"
Hermione continued concerningly. Ginny nodded understandingly. Hermione
was getting frusterated again, and Ginny could tell. Finally, she
blurted, "You seem awfully excited that Harry's available." Ginny stared at Hermione, in shock.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ginny snapped. Hermione shrugged, blushing.
"It's just that...there's something Ron and I notice about him...well,
you, too, but mostly Harry - " Hermione tried to explain, but Ginny
wouldn't have it.
"What about me? Harry has issues, but who can blame him?
We all saw what he had to go through. He needs someone who can
understand that, and if his two best friends can't see that, then - "
Ginny was almost shouting now. There weren't many people in the library
either, but the ones who were most likely were listening to Ginny.
Hermione grabbed Ginny on the shoulder and pat her gently.
"I know, I know," she said in an effort to calm Ginny down. Ginny
sighed. Hermione cleared her throat and said, "It's just that...we want
to help him. And we don't know how. It's clearly not just his past that
has him distracted." Ginny raised one eyebrow.
"What are you getting at?" she asked curiously. Hermione took her
hand off of Ginny's shoulder and grasped her hands together, resting
them on the table.
"It's just that," she continued. "Harry won't let himself be happy." Ginny guffawed.
"That makes no sense," Ginny grumbled. Hermione nodded again.
"Of course it doesn't," Hermione said. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"What I mean is, you're wrong." Hermione crossed her arms.
"Oh?" she challenged, "then what do you think?" Ginny sat there silently for a moment, then Hermione said, "Thought so," triumphantly.
"But Harry deserves to be happy!" Ginny whined, as if they were
talking about her and not Harry. Hermione slammed her hands on the
table, palms upward.
"Of course he does!" she yelled, almost laughing. "Why do
you think we're trying to help him?" Ginny nodded. She rest her arms on
the table in a crossed way and lay her head down in them.
"I wish I could make him happy," she said, her voice muffled.
"What?" Hermione asked, surprised. Ginny jerked her head up and looked at Hermione, blushing.
"I just mean," she stumbled, "that I wish Harry could enjoy
himself." Hermione bit her lip in order to keep her from saying
something else stupid. She looked down at the table. As she did, she
realized that Ginny and flung the book she'd been clutching across the
table, close to Hermione, in the midst of their brief argument. Ginny
rest her head back on the table. Hermione thought quickly, as she was
curious about the contents of the book and why Ginny wanted them.
Casually, she picked up the book. She slid her chair back and rest the
book on her lap and began flipping through the pages. Ginny snapped her
head towards Hermione again and quickly grabbed the other edge of the
table and pulled herself up.
"Give me that!" Ginny demanded shrilly and lunged for the book.
Hermione couldn't hold back a giggle that time as she slid her chair
farther back. Ginny flopped over the table and landed in front of
Hermione. When she got up, she pushed back her messed hair and threw
Hermione a somewhat murderous glare.
"No, let me take a look," Hermione insisted. She stood up from her
seat and began walking backwards as she continued to flip through the
pages. Ginny kept her glare on Hermione and kept taking slow steps
towards her. "Oh, the Romance Potion? Love Serum? Oh...the...wow, Ginny
aren't you a little young for this potion..." Ginny's face was scarlet
now, from anger or embarassment, and Hermione felt really guilty for
teasing her younger friend. She decided to take one last cheap shot to
get the information she'd been hunting for. "Things between you and
Dean a little cold? Or are you just looking for a little something
new?"
That was it. The breaking point for Ginny was right there. She couldn't
think of what to do next. Should she draw her wand? Hit her? What?
Before she was able to strike her best friend, she dropped everything.
And left.
"Ginny, slow down," Ginny's brother called after her as she
stormed down the corridors. She whipped around, her ponytail swishing
with her.
"Yeah," she replied shortly. Ron smiled at her. This was a little
strange to Ginny, seeing as her brother rarely smiled like that at her
unless he was making a joke with her or at her. That was the kind of
smile he saved for Harry or sometimes Hermione.
"I need to talk to you," he said almost in a whisper. He pushed back
his fiery hair from his face and slowly walked towards her.
"About what?" she asked, trying to sound disinterested even though she
was really curious. Ron's smile got wider and a little twinkle shown in
his eyes. Ginny didn't care about hiding her curiosity any longer and
rushed after her older brother like a little rabbit chases a carrot.
"Now, you have to remember not to tell anybody," Ron warned. "Harry doesn't know, Hermione does not
know - no one knows, Ginny." Ginny nodded eagerly. Ron breathed
nervously and close his eyes tightly for a second. "Now, I haven't done
anything yet. I just bought this on impulse. You have to promise
me not to make a big deal out of this." Ginny nodded and then eyed the
pocket of his robes, which Ron's hand was in, slyly.
"C'mon, out with it then," she demanded encouragingly. Ron sighed
and took out something from his pocket and showed it to Ginny. Ginny
shrieked and clamped her hand to her mouth.
"Ginny, shut up - "
"Ron!" Ginny gasped in a loud whisper. "That - that's a ring!"
