Note: I'm sorry about the long wait between chapters, but the new cool internet thing I got is impossible to use. I can't log on without my mom's password and she won't tell me what it is. Anyway, I'm sorry that this chapter probably sucks, but thanks for reading anyway.
Disclaimer: Do I have to do this again? I don't own Harry, his friends, his enemies, and anything else in this chapter that's not mine.
Chapter 17: Why Can't We Just Say 'Happily Ever After?'
Several weeks into the Hogwarts school year, a much-needed Hogsmeade trip was scheduled. Hoping to enjoy some 'quality time' with Ron, Hermione was truly looking forward to this trip. No longer would she be forced to watch the happy couples snog behind the book shelves while she was trying to pick out a book, or hear the passionate whispers of others coming from a nearby table.
The only problem with Ron and her being alone for an entire day was Harry. She couldn't just leave him by himself, and Harry really wasn't in the mood to hang out with anyone else. Setting her face, Hermione decided to make it her mission to find Harry a friend for the Hogsmeade trip.
Or better yet, let Ginny find him.
"Hey, Harry!" called Dean, running up behind him just before a nice long Potions class (joy).
"Hello, Dean," said Harry glumly, already put out by the lesson ahead.
"Harry, how'd you feel about coming with a big group of us to Hogsmeade this weekend? A lot of us decided to go together and we want you in our group."
"I don't know," said Harry, hoping that he could get out of this somehow. A big group of friends to Dean means a bunch of good-looking girls, the minority being boys. "I sort of assumed that me and Ron and Hermione would go together."
"I asked Ron and Hermione, and they said that wanted to go too."
Harry, wondering when the two of them started leaving him out of Hogsmeade weekend plans, finally consented to the plan.
Ron and Hermione ran up just then, late because of a lunch brawl including house elves, bacon, and Harry's retreating form. Both looked very pleased and amiable towards each other, as well as pink. Harry assumed that the row was long forgotten.
"Hey guys, just discussing the weekend," said Dean brightly, winking at the pair.
"Oh, that's what I forgot to tell you, Harry. We were going to go with Dean and his friends. Did you want to come?" asked Hermione, her acting skills superb. ('Pure talent,' thought Ron.)
"Yeah, I was just talking to Dean about that. It sounds fun." Harry smiled, but inside he thought longingly of a nice long bath and time to do his homework after a short trip to the Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks.
"Great!" said Ron, grinning broadly. A little bit too broadly. As Ron has not quite passed the acting test late the night before, he was given the fewest lines. With the Weasley telltale ears, he couldn't keep a secret very well.
"Well, we had better get into that classroom before the bell rings," said Hermione, trying to keep Harry's attention away from Ron's red ears.
The day of the Hogsmeade trip dawned clear and bright, the sunlight streaming into Harry's face as he awoke from a long and pleasant dream about Hermione.
After breakfast the trio walked to Hogsmeade alone, planning to meet up with Dean and the others at Honeyduke's.
"Hi guys," said a familiar voice as the three friends reached the entrance to Honeydukes. As Harry wheeled around, he came face to face with none other then Ginny Weasley.
Spluttering, he backed away from her, eyes wide. He did not expect to see her here. After catching his breath, Harry remembered what Ginny had said about Dean at the end of the last semester and tried to act casual. "Hello, Ginny," he said, his voice cracking.
"Are you here with Dean?" she asked, looking pointedly at Ron and Hermione. Harry could've sworn that she winked at the two of them.
"Yes, is he here? Who else is coming?" asked Hermione, quickly releasing Ron's hand. (Harry was becoming a little bit sickened by their behaviour.) Ginny led them inside. As Harry followed, he couldn't help noticing the way Ginny's hips swayed when she walked. Forcing his eyes to the faces of the others in the candy store, Harry quickly became interested in a display of many different coloured sweets. Announcing loudly that she wanted to pick up a book at a store nearby, Hermione nodded at Ron. Ron, also speaking much louder then was necessary, volunteered to go with her. They promised a quick return to Harry, and sped out the door.
Ron grabbed Hermione's hand as they jogged down the street, towards an alleyway, completely empty save four trashcans and a dusty, boarded-up store window. As soon as they had turned the corner and were safely hidden behind a fire escape ladder and a couple of trashcans, Ron turned around and covered Hermione's mouth with his own. Relishing the feeling of her soft lips and the mint taste of her mouth, Ron began to wonder if Harry really needed them to return.
Ten whole minutes were spent in this heaven before Hermione insisted on returning to the group. Exclaiming loudly upon entering about how disappointed she was that they didn't have her book upon reentering Honeydukes, Hermione hurried over to the large group of people, which included a rather dumbstruck Harry. Ron and Hermione looked a bit flustered, but this could be because of the problem of book searching and lost orders that Hermione raved about to Ginny, hoping that Harry was listening. As he was looking this way, face bright red, she thought that he might be.
The group of about nine people began the leisurely walk to the Three Broomsticks, Ron and Hermione slightly pulling Harry back. Discussing the homework they would face upon returning to the castle, Ron and Hermione hoped to distract Harry from realizing that they were gone. However, this seemed unnecessary, as Harry was in a daze, unaware of what was going on around him.
Dean pulled three tables together, and the group ordered drinks. As everyone was in on the plot, save Ginny and Harry, they let Harry order first. Harry got himself a butterbeer, as did Ginny, who ordered second. Dean decided that he would get a lemonade, and everyone else followed suit. Ginny found this rather odd, but Harry didn't notice. He was oblivious to the world; if Voldemort had burst in at that moment, he would probably just have sat there.
When their drinks were received, everyone put the Puking Pastilles into their own drinks. Soon after everyone had taken a sip, the bathrooms were full of vomiting teenagers, who were all trying to choke down the second half of the pill. Ron, having managed to get his cure down his throat, was holding Hermione's hair and was trying to convince Harry and Ginny that they could stay at Hogsmeade, while everyone else went back to Hogwarts.
"We'll be fine, honestly. Must've been something in the drinks. Never again will I get lemonade," Ron insisted.
Ginny looked at him skeptically, but Harry just nodded his head, his eyes slightly misted over. However, he was jerked back to his senses quite suddenly when everyone left Ginny and himself standing in the doorway of the Three Broomsticks.
"Brilliant," stated Dean when they were safely back on the Hogwarts grounds.
However, Hermione was a little bit nervous about what Harry and Ginny would do left alone. If they got into a fight, or the silence was too awful to stand, she didn't know if she could forgive herself. However, she thought that throwing up her breakfast was punishment enough.
Dean had made sure that all of Harry's and Ginny's friends were out of Hogsmeade for some reason or another. They would have to spend the next hour and a half together, unless they decided to come back to the castle. 'Still, even if they did come back,' he thought to himself, 'they would have to walk together.'
End of chapter 17. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this. I've tried posting it on Checkmated to get it beta-ed and see what other people think, not that I don't totally trust my ff buddies. Unfortunately, my second chapter for this story has been repeatedly denied. Anyway, hope you sort of liked this chapter, despite my terrible writing.
Disclaimer: Do I have to do this again? I don't own Harry, his friends, his enemies, and anything else in this chapter that's not mine.
Chapter 17: Why Can't We Just Say 'Happily Ever After?'
Several weeks into the Hogwarts school year, a much-needed Hogsmeade trip was scheduled. Hoping to enjoy some 'quality time' with Ron, Hermione was truly looking forward to this trip. No longer would she be forced to watch the happy couples snog behind the book shelves while she was trying to pick out a book, or hear the passionate whispers of others coming from a nearby table.
The only problem with Ron and her being alone for an entire day was Harry. She couldn't just leave him by himself, and Harry really wasn't in the mood to hang out with anyone else. Setting her face, Hermione decided to make it her mission to find Harry a friend for the Hogsmeade trip.
Or better yet, let Ginny find him.
"Hey, Harry!" called Dean, running up behind him just before a nice long Potions class (joy).
"Hello, Dean," said Harry glumly, already put out by the lesson ahead.
"Harry, how'd you feel about coming with a big group of us to Hogsmeade this weekend? A lot of us decided to go together and we want you in our group."
"I don't know," said Harry, hoping that he could get out of this somehow. A big group of friends to Dean means a bunch of good-looking girls, the minority being boys. "I sort of assumed that me and Ron and Hermione would go together."
"I asked Ron and Hermione, and they said that wanted to go too."
Harry, wondering when the two of them started leaving him out of Hogsmeade weekend plans, finally consented to the plan.
Ron and Hermione ran up just then, late because of a lunch brawl including house elves, bacon, and Harry's retreating form. Both looked very pleased and amiable towards each other, as well as pink. Harry assumed that the row was long forgotten.
"Hey guys, just discussing the weekend," said Dean brightly, winking at the pair.
"Oh, that's what I forgot to tell you, Harry. We were going to go with Dean and his friends. Did you want to come?" asked Hermione, her acting skills superb. ('Pure talent,' thought Ron.)
"Yeah, I was just talking to Dean about that. It sounds fun." Harry smiled, but inside he thought longingly of a nice long bath and time to do his homework after a short trip to the Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks.
"Great!" said Ron, grinning broadly. A little bit too broadly. As Ron has not quite passed the acting test late the night before, he was given the fewest lines. With the Weasley telltale ears, he couldn't keep a secret very well.
"Well, we had better get into that classroom before the bell rings," said Hermione, trying to keep Harry's attention away from Ron's red ears.
The day of the Hogsmeade trip dawned clear and bright, the sunlight streaming into Harry's face as he awoke from a long and pleasant dream about Hermione.
After breakfast the trio walked to Hogsmeade alone, planning to meet up with Dean and the others at Honeyduke's.
"Hi guys," said a familiar voice as the three friends reached the entrance to Honeydukes. As Harry wheeled around, he came face to face with none other then Ginny Weasley.
Spluttering, he backed away from her, eyes wide. He did not expect to see her here. After catching his breath, Harry remembered what Ginny had said about Dean at the end of the last semester and tried to act casual. "Hello, Ginny," he said, his voice cracking.
"Are you here with Dean?" she asked, looking pointedly at Ron and Hermione. Harry could've sworn that she winked at the two of them.
"Yes, is he here? Who else is coming?" asked Hermione, quickly releasing Ron's hand. (Harry was becoming a little bit sickened by their behaviour.) Ginny led them inside. As Harry followed, he couldn't help noticing the way Ginny's hips swayed when she walked. Forcing his eyes to the faces of the others in the candy store, Harry quickly became interested in a display of many different coloured sweets. Announcing loudly that she wanted to pick up a book at a store nearby, Hermione nodded at Ron. Ron, also speaking much louder then was necessary, volunteered to go with her. They promised a quick return to Harry, and sped out the door.
Ron grabbed Hermione's hand as they jogged down the street, towards an alleyway, completely empty save four trashcans and a dusty, boarded-up store window. As soon as they had turned the corner and were safely hidden behind a fire escape ladder and a couple of trashcans, Ron turned around and covered Hermione's mouth with his own. Relishing the feeling of her soft lips and the mint taste of her mouth, Ron began to wonder if Harry really needed them to return.
Ten whole minutes were spent in this heaven before Hermione insisted on returning to the group. Exclaiming loudly upon entering about how disappointed she was that they didn't have her book upon reentering Honeydukes, Hermione hurried over to the large group of people, which included a rather dumbstruck Harry. Ron and Hermione looked a bit flustered, but this could be because of the problem of book searching and lost orders that Hermione raved about to Ginny, hoping that Harry was listening. As he was looking this way, face bright red, she thought that he might be.
The group of about nine people began the leisurely walk to the Three Broomsticks, Ron and Hermione slightly pulling Harry back. Discussing the homework they would face upon returning to the castle, Ron and Hermione hoped to distract Harry from realizing that they were gone. However, this seemed unnecessary, as Harry was in a daze, unaware of what was going on around him.
Dean pulled three tables together, and the group ordered drinks. As everyone was in on the plot, save Ginny and Harry, they let Harry order first. Harry got himself a butterbeer, as did Ginny, who ordered second. Dean decided that he would get a lemonade, and everyone else followed suit. Ginny found this rather odd, but Harry didn't notice. He was oblivious to the world; if Voldemort had burst in at that moment, he would probably just have sat there.
When their drinks were received, everyone put the Puking Pastilles into their own drinks. Soon after everyone had taken a sip, the bathrooms were full of vomiting teenagers, who were all trying to choke down the second half of the pill. Ron, having managed to get his cure down his throat, was holding Hermione's hair and was trying to convince Harry and Ginny that they could stay at Hogsmeade, while everyone else went back to Hogwarts.
"We'll be fine, honestly. Must've been something in the drinks. Never again will I get lemonade," Ron insisted.
Ginny looked at him skeptically, but Harry just nodded his head, his eyes slightly misted over. However, he was jerked back to his senses quite suddenly when everyone left Ginny and himself standing in the doorway of the Three Broomsticks.
"Brilliant," stated Dean when they were safely back on the Hogwarts grounds.
However, Hermione was a little bit nervous about what Harry and Ginny would do left alone. If they got into a fight, or the silence was too awful to stand, she didn't know if she could forgive herself. However, she thought that throwing up her breakfast was punishment enough.
Dean had made sure that all of Harry's and Ginny's friends were out of Hogsmeade for some reason or another. They would have to spend the next hour and a half together, unless they decided to come back to the castle. 'Still, even if they did come back,' he thought to himself, 'they would have to walk together.'
End of chapter 17. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this. I've tried posting it on Checkmated to get it beta-ed and see what other people think, not that I don't totally trust my ff buddies. Unfortunately, my second chapter for this story has been repeatedly denied. Anyway, hope you sort of liked this chapter, despite my terrible writing.