Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius that is J.K. Rowling.
We are not her. This is merely a fanfiction to tide us over until Book 6
(Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince.)
Not much Neville/Alaire action here, but it's coming.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked glancing back at a white-faced Neville as the two of them left Three Broomsticks.
"Neville and I had a bit of an accident in the dressing rooms. We kind of fell into each other. It was my fault, actually. Or maybe it was the cashmere's fault," she added with a smile. "It doesn't matter. I just hope he'll be all right."
"Cashmere?"
"Oh, I adore cashmere. It just feels so nice. I can't help but want to touch it." She gave Harry an appraising look. "Yeah, really odd, I know. It comes from when I was a little kid. Someone gave me a cashmere baby blanket." She grinned sheepishly. "I still have it; it's on my bed right now."
Harry just nodded his head while making a mental note to pick up something cashmere before he left Hogsmeade. He did need socks after all, he thought with boyish logic.
The trip to the potions store went as well as could be expected. Alaire was fascinated by all the odd ingredients. She continually badgered Harry and the store attendant for the origins and properties of various bits and pieces. The storeowner was so impressed by her curiosity and knowledge of American equivalents to English ingredients that he gave her a large book on the topic which Alaire promptly gave to Harry to lug around for her. With a smile and many thanks, they finally left after two hours, both a bit giddy from all the vapors of the shop. Standing in front of the store, they took deep breaths to try and clear their foggy brains.
"What a cool place!! My mother will love it! I couldn't believe all the stuff they have."
"What was that book you gave me?" Harry pointed to the bag he was now carrying.
"Oh, it's a book of comparative potions between Europe and America. For instance, we have wild honeysuckle for our love potions but here you use wild roses."
"Love potions? Aren't those, like, illegal?"
Alaire found herself chuckling. "No, silly. Its just that they won't work unless there is already some kind of feeling there." She gave him a shy smile and stepped close to him. "For instance, the first time I met Ron and Hermione, I knew that they had feelings for each other. I could have brewed a potion that would have let down their defenses. Then all you need is a quiet, private place . . ."
Harry's mouth fell open. "You didn't?!"
Alaire stepped closer to him. "No, I didn't. I didn't need to. Apparently some people have enough courage to say what they feel without any help. Afterall, Gryffindor does stand for courage."
Looking down at Alaire in the middle of Hogsmeade at that moment, courage was the last thing Harry had. Weak knees, yes. Butterflies in the stomach, yes. Courage? Nope. Nada. Not a bit. With a mischievous smile, Alaire hooked her arm around and steered them down the street to where a large crowd of excited students were milling about.
"Let's see what's going on," she said.
What was going on was Fred and George. The two pranksters had opened another WWW shop in Hogsmeade last year, and with this being the first Hogsmeade weekend, the place was packed.
It never ceased to amaze Harry how much Fred and George's shops looked like the Burrow. There were no right angles anywhere in the building. It seemed to be held together by magic, spellotape and hope, if nothing else. Every once in a while, a small explosion would happen and the chimney would burst forth with some sort of glittery powder.
"It looks like fun!" Alaire said grabbing Harry's arm and pulling him towards the shop.
"Yeah, fun," Harry said, with a sense of dread not knowing what pranks Fred and George may have.
Entering the store, Harry and Alaire had to dodge a Fillibuster firework as it sprang out the door. Several third-years followed laughing as one of their members burst into feathers as the result of a canary cream.
"This place is a blast!" Alaire said happily as the chimney belched forth a cloud of blue sparkles.
"You have no idea."
"Hey, Harry!" yelled George from across the busy store.
"You know the owners?" Alaire asked.
"They're Ron's brothers."
"Here," Fred said tossing something at Harry, which he caught easily. "On the house!"
"What is it?" Harry yelled over the crowd.
"Try it! It's our newest creation." Harry examined the candy in his hand carefully. Alaire watched as he gently nudged it with his finger, as if expecting it to explode.
"Honestly, don't you have any sense of adventure?" Alaire tsked as she snatched the candy out of Harry's hand, tore off the wrapper, and popped it into her mouth.
"Not when Fred and George are concerned," he scowled as he watched Alaire chew the sweet half-expecting her to turn blue or morph into a giant bowtruckle.
"Oh, you'll like this one, Harry," Fred said smiling.
A second later, Alaire's lips connected with Harry's in a passionate kiss that blew all thoughts out of his head. Kissing Cho was nothing like this. In fact, nothing in the world could compare to this feeling, even flying. A moment later, the kiss ended. Alaire opened her eyes in shock, while Harry was trying to savor the memory of the earth shattering kiss.
"Ah, I'm so sorry ... I mean to say ...that was...I gotta go," Alaire said in a flustered voice before she turned and rushed out of the shop, leaving her bags behind her. Harry barely heard her as he was trying to stop the world from spinning. When he was finally able to form a coherent thought, he sought out Fred and George. The twins were grinning from ear to ear from behind the counter. "What in the bloody hell was that?" Harry asked, still catching his breath.
"Passion pills. They're part of a new line of candies we've created to stir up love interest for the Valentine's season. They're still in testing though. I mean it's not even Halloween yet, but we thought you could use it."
"I never thought I'd say this, but Fred, George, thank you for letting me be your guinea pig."
"Do you want a sample of the others, Harry?" George said smirking.
"Others?"
"We've got others. There's the Pucker-up Pop, Lust Lollies, Snickersnogs," Fred explained. "We're having slight problems with the Bondage Bars."
Harry's eyebrows shot up as he looked at the twins.
"Long story."
"I don't even really want to know."
"Good choice," George answered before motioning out the window. "Don't you think you better catch that bird of yours?"
"Uh, oh!" Grabbing his bags and Alaire's, Harry ran out of the door.
"That went well. Don't you think, Forge?"
"Bloody brilliantly, Gred."
"Do you think we should have mentioned to Harry that we sent both Ron and Hermione packages of Tantalizing Taffies, Snickersnogs and Lust Lollies?"
"Best he not think about that."
Harry searched the street for any sign of Alaire. Glancing up toward the Shrieking Shack, he thought he saw a glimpse of blue through the trees. Hoisting their bags over his shoulder, he hurried toward the house.
He found Alaire sitting on a log staring into space and shaking her head. Her face had gone pale except for two bright spots on her cheeks.
"Alaire?" he asked cautiously.
She jumped up and whirled to face him. Words began to spill out. "Oh, Harry. I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me!"
"It's OK."
"One moment, I was fine and the next I was . . ."
"No, really . . ."
"This has never happened before . . ."
"Alaire, honestly, it wasn't your fault."
"But I kissed you and you didn't ask me to and . . ."
For a second, Harry thought that perhaps the only way to shut Alaire up was to kiss her again but seeing her anxious state, he decided against it. Instead, he put down the bags and took her by the shoulders. He gave her a little shake as he said her name.
"Alaire! It was the candy you ate!!"
"What?!!" She stopped babbling for a moment.
"It was a rigged candy. That's what they do there!"
"Candy?"
Harry nodded.
"Then it wasn't me?" She paused to catch her breath. "It wasn't my empathy gone wild?"
"No. Alaire, I like you. I like you a lot," Harry found himself admitting, "but I have no intention of snogging you senseless in a public store in the middle of Hogsmeade surrounded by students."
"Oh." Alaire grew quiet. "Do you understand why I was worried? I thought I had lost control and that wouldn't be good," she said shaking her head. "I wouldn't be able to go anywhere alone with anyone. I couldn't even be in a crowded room with Seamus!" she added with a slight grin.
Harry could feel her relaxing but he kept his arms on her shoulders. She smiled at him and moved closer to him so that he couldn't help but hug her.
"Don't worry. The moment I see you kissing Seamus Finnigan, I'll know you're out of your mind."
They both began laughing and soon the awkward moment was over. Alaire raised her head to look at Harry and the playful look came back into her eyes. "So was it so bad? The kiss?"
Harry swallowed hard. Why was it so hard to say what he felt? The kiss had been wonderful, one of the best things to happen to him in a very long while. But he found himself stammering out an answer. "N-No," he spluttered. "It was f-fine."
"Oh, just fine. Hmmm." Alaire stepped back out of his arms and gave him what he now recognized as her teasing look. "Well, next time I kiss you, Harry Potter, I will be doing so of my own free will without the help of any," She reached over for the candy wrapper that Harry still clutched. "Of any 'Passion Pills – Guaranteed to create a response in your loved one! Caution: Effects last only 60 seconds. After that you're on your own!'"
She walked back to him and drew so close that their noses were touching and Harry could feel her soft breath on his cheek. Staring into his eyes, she added, "And it will be much more than 'fine'. I guarantee that!" she added with a slow Southern drawl.
Now it was Harry's turn to blush. He stood rooted to the spot until she held out her hand. "Now, shall we join the others and tell them what really happened or would you like to let the rumor mill go crazy?"
With a smile, Harry took her hand and together they walked back towards the village and their friends.
Neither heard the sound of crunching leaves behind them or the soft thud of a bunch of honeysuckle fresh from the greenhouses being tossed as far as it could be thrown.
Not much Neville/Alaire action here, but it's coming.
"What was that all about?" Harry asked glancing back at a white-faced Neville as the two of them left Three Broomsticks.
"Neville and I had a bit of an accident in the dressing rooms. We kind of fell into each other. It was my fault, actually. Or maybe it was the cashmere's fault," she added with a smile. "It doesn't matter. I just hope he'll be all right."
"Cashmere?"
"Oh, I adore cashmere. It just feels so nice. I can't help but want to touch it." She gave Harry an appraising look. "Yeah, really odd, I know. It comes from when I was a little kid. Someone gave me a cashmere baby blanket." She grinned sheepishly. "I still have it; it's on my bed right now."
Harry just nodded his head while making a mental note to pick up something cashmere before he left Hogsmeade. He did need socks after all, he thought with boyish logic.
The trip to the potions store went as well as could be expected. Alaire was fascinated by all the odd ingredients. She continually badgered Harry and the store attendant for the origins and properties of various bits and pieces. The storeowner was so impressed by her curiosity and knowledge of American equivalents to English ingredients that he gave her a large book on the topic which Alaire promptly gave to Harry to lug around for her. With a smile and many thanks, they finally left after two hours, both a bit giddy from all the vapors of the shop. Standing in front of the store, they took deep breaths to try and clear their foggy brains.
"What a cool place!! My mother will love it! I couldn't believe all the stuff they have."
"What was that book you gave me?" Harry pointed to the bag he was now carrying.
"Oh, it's a book of comparative potions between Europe and America. For instance, we have wild honeysuckle for our love potions but here you use wild roses."
"Love potions? Aren't those, like, illegal?"
Alaire found herself chuckling. "No, silly. Its just that they won't work unless there is already some kind of feeling there." She gave him a shy smile and stepped close to him. "For instance, the first time I met Ron and Hermione, I knew that they had feelings for each other. I could have brewed a potion that would have let down their defenses. Then all you need is a quiet, private place . . ."
Harry's mouth fell open. "You didn't?!"
Alaire stepped closer to him. "No, I didn't. I didn't need to. Apparently some people have enough courage to say what they feel without any help. Afterall, Gryffindor does stand for courage."
Looking down at Alaire in the middle of Hogsmeade at that moment, courage was the last thing Harry had. Weak knees, yes. Butterflies in the stomach, yes. Courage? Nope. Nada. Not a bit. With a mischievous smile, Alaire hooked her arm around and steered them down the street to where a large crowd of excited students were milling about.
"Let's see what's going on," she said.
What was going on was Fred and George. The two pranksters had opened another WWW shop in Hogsmeade last year, and with this being the first Hogsmeade weekend, the place was packed.
It never ceased to amaze Harry how much Fred and George's shops looked like the Burrow. There were no right angles anywhere in the building. It seemed to be held together by magic, spellotape and hope, if nothing else. Every once in a while, a small explosion would happen and the chimney would burst forth with some sort of glittery powder.
"It looks like fun!" Alaire said grabbing Harry's arm and pulling him towards the shop.
"Yeah, fun," Harry said, with a sense of dread not knowing what pranks Fred and George may have.
Entering the store, Harry and Alaire had to dodge a Fillibuster firework as it sprang out the door. Several third-years followed laughing as one of their members burst into feathers as the result of a canary cream.
"This place is a blast!" Alaire said happily as the chimney belched forth a cloud of blue sparkles.
"You have no idea."
"Hey, Harry!" yelled George from across the busy store.
"You know the owners?" Alaire asked.
"They're Ron's brothers."
"Here," Fred said tossing something at Harry, which he caught easily. "On the house!"
"What is it?" Harry yelled over the crowd.
"Try it! It's our newest creation." Harry examined the candy in his hand carefully. Alaire watched as he gently nudged it with his finger, as if expecting it to explode.
"Honestly, don't you have any sense of adventure?" Alaire tsked as she snatched the candy out of Harry's hand, tore off the wrapper, and popped it into her mouth.
"Not when Fred and George are concerned," he scowled as he watched Alaire chew the sweet half-expecting her to turn blue or morph into a giant bowtruckle.
"Oh, you'll like this one, Harry," Fred said smiling.
A second later, Alaire's lips connected with Harry's in a passionate kiss that blew all thoughts out of his head. Kissing Cho was nothing like this. In fact, nothing in the world could compare to this feeling, even flying. A moment later, the kiss ended. Alaire opened her eyes in shock, while Harry was trying to savor the memory of the earth shattering kiss.
"Ah, I'm so sorry ... I mean to say ...that was...I gotta go," Alaire said in a flustered voice before she turned and rushed out of the shop, leaving her bags behind her. Harry barely heard her as he was trying to stop the world from spinning. When he was finally able to form a coherent thought, he sought out Fred and George. The twins were grinning from ear to ear from behind the counter. "What in the bloody hell was that?" Harry asked, still catching his breath.
"Passion pills. They're part of a new line of candies we've created to stir up love interest for the Valentine's season. They're still in testing though. I mean it's not even Halloween yet, but we thought you could use it."
"I never thought I'd say this, but Fred, George, thank you for letting me be your guinea pig."
"Do you want a sample of the others, Harry?" George said smirking.
"Others?"
"We've got others. There's the Pucker-up Pop, Lust Lollies, Snickersnogs," Fred explained. "We're having slight problems with the Bondage Bars."
Harry's eyebrows shot up as he looked at the twins.
"Long story."
"I don't even really want to know."
"Good choice," George answered before motioning out the window. "Don't you think you better catch that bird of yours?"
"Uh, oh!" Grabbing his bags and Alaire's, Harry ran out of the door.
"That went well. Don't you think, Forge?"
"Bloody brilliantly, Gred."
"Do you think we should have mentioned to Harry that we sent both Ron and Hermione packages of Tantalizing Taffies, Snickersnogs and Lust Lollies?"
"Best he not think about that."
Harry searched the street for any sign of Alaire. Glancing up toward the Shrieking Shack, he thought he saw a glimpse of blue through the trees. Hoisting their bags over his shoulder, he hurried toward the house.
He found Alaire sitting on a log staring into space and shaking her head. Her face had gone pale except for two bright spots on her cheeks.
"Alaire?" he asked cautiously.
She jumped up and whirled to face him. Words began to spill out. "Oh, Harry. I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me!"
"It's OK."
"One moment, I was fine and the next I was . . ."
"No, really . . ."
"This has never happened before . . ."
"Alaire, honestly, it wasn't your fault."
"But I kissed you and you didn't ask me to and . . ."
For a second, Harry thought that perhaps the only way to shut Alaire up was to kiss her again but seeing her anxious state, he decided against it. Instead, he put down the bags and took her by the shoulders. He gave her a little shake as he said her name.
"Alaire! It was the candy you ate!!"
"What?!!" She stopped babbling for a moment.
"It was a rigged candy. That's what they do there!"
"Candy?"
Harry nodded.
"Then it wasn't me?" She paused to catch her breath. "It wasn't my empathy gone wild?"
"No. Alaire, I like you. I like you a lot," Harry found himself admitting, "but I have no intention of snogging you senseless in a public store in the middle of Hogsmeade surrounded by students."
"Oh." Alaire grew quiet. "Do you understand why I was worried? I thought I had lost control and that wouldn't be good," she said shaking her head. "I wouldn't be able to go anywhere alone with anyone. I couldn't even be in a crowded room with Seamus!" she added with a slight grin.
Harry could feel her relaxing but he kept his arms on her shoulders. She smiled at him and moved closer to him so that he couldn't help but hug her.
"Don't worry. The moment I see you kissing Seamus Finnigan, I'll know you're out of your mind."
They both began laughing and soon the awkward moment was over. Alaire raised her head to look at Harry and the playful look came back into her eyes. "So was it so bad? The kiss?"
Harry swallowed hard. Why was it so hard to say what he felt? The kiss had been wonderful, one of the best things to happen to him in a very long while. But he found himself stammering out an answer. "N-No," he spluttered. "It was f-fine."
"Oh, just fine. Hmmm." Alaire stepped back out of his arms and gave him what he now recognized as her teasing look. "Well, next time I kiss you, Harry Potter, I will be doing so of my own free will without the help of any," She reached over for the candy wrapper that Harry still clutched. "Of any 'Passion Pills – Guaranteed to create a response in your loved one! Caution: Effects last only 60 seconds. After that you're on your own!'"
She walked back to him and drew so close that their noses were touching and Harry could feel her soft breath on his cheek. Staring into his eyes, she added, "And it will be much more than 'fine'. I guarantee that!" she added with a slow Southern drawl.
Now it was Harry's turn to blush. He stood rooted to the spot until she held out her hand. "Now, shall we join the others and tell them what really happened or would you like to let the rumor mill go crazy?"
With a smile, Harry took her hand and together they walked back towards the village and their friends.
Neither heard the sound of crunching leaves behind them or the soft thud of a bunch of honeysuckle fresh from the greenhouses being tossed as far as it could be thrown.