A/N: Hey everyone! Wuzzup? I hope you like my story so far, thanx a bunch
to the people who reviewed! PLEEZ review me! This is my first fic after
all. In response to a review I did get, this is probably Harry and
everyone's 5th year at Hogwarts (it has to be since Cedric is dead, you're
right). I know that if this is the case Percy and Oliver shouldn't be
there; I don't even know if Fred and George and Lee and the Gryffindor
chasers should be. But I chose to ignore this fact and let Hogwarts go on a
few extra years. Dumb I know, but how could I leave them out?!
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and everyone else who was going to be participating got up to follow Professor McGonagall, with Fred and George in the lead. In front next to Professor McGonagall was Professor Snape, who did not look very happy and was complaining with such faces and hand motions that the students were afraid he was going to curse them before they got a chance to find their "soulmates."
Draco Malfoy in the back of the group was looking around for his mother and father, but not seeing them anywhere. "Maybe they went and splinched themselves, and won't be able to come tonight!" Pansy said. She didn't look too disappointed. Draco grinned at the thought. "I hope so Pansy," he said, smiling for once, "I wouldn't want them to see the look on my face when I get paired with you."
Up at the front, Hermione was looking exceedingly nervous. "Oh no, oh no, what am I going to do! I'm so nervous! What if I don't even like my soulmate? What if I get paired up with someone awful?" she asked, looking unusually pale, even under all her makeup. Ron nervously gave her a hug (A/N: All together: AWW!). "Its okay, Hermione," he said comfortingly, "I'm sure you'll love them." Harry had to laugh at the look on his face. He looked like he was wishing extremely hard about something, and he had a pretty good idea of what it was. Ron had always liked Hermione; everyone knew it.
Harry himself had liked her for quite a while. He, of course, also liked Cho Chang, but she never gave him any sign of returning his affection. And then there was Ginny, who really seemed to like him, judging by the way she was walking nervously with Parvati and Lavender, and stealing what she probably thought were secret glances at him. Unfortunately for her, he didn't really like her that. Besides, if he ever did, all the Weasleys would probably beat him up if he ever tried anything. Not that the reaction would be any less for Hermione, at least in Ron's case. But whatever.
Once they arrived at the [secret] back entrance to the Gryffindor common room, everyone gathered nervously around Professor McGonagall, who seemed to be the only one who knew the password to this back entrance. Once she let them in, all the participants were expecting to see the huge crowd of students whom they had last seen following Professor Dumbledore eagerly to the common room. But instead, they saw what seemed to be an extremely comfortable lounge, complete with midnight blue poufs around polished mahogany tables. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace, and big red curtains went all the way across on wall, held in place by gilded ropes.
"Whoa," the group gasped collectively. "Wipe those shocked looked off your faces! Come on everyone, we go a school of magic, for crying out loud! Professor Dumbledore and I simply added in an extra room for the purposes of show!" Professor McGonagall snapped rather unlike herself. Most likely she was disappointed that she hadn't been picked to participate.
"Okay, well I'm going to leave you here alone now," she said more calmly, "Professor Snape and Professor Sinistra and Professor Lupin are here right now though, so don't get too excited. And Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and Sirius Black should be arriving any moment also. This is certainly not a free-for- all. When you hear your name called, you will come out on stage through the door next to the curtain. Under no circumstance should you pull the curtain. For the adults, and let me emphasize adults, there is champagne in the mini refrigerators you will find against the back wall. Student, you can help yourselves to Butterbeer. And no, Fred and George, just because you helped organize this does not give you a right to enjoy the champagne. Goodnight then!" At that, she walked out the door, leaving everyone sitting and standing uncomfortably and nervously around the room.
For a second there was complete silence, with only the sound of Hermione biting her nails. Finally, Fred spoke up, "Come on guys, it's just a little game. Don't freak out! Hermione, stop biting your nails. Parvati, that smile is freaking me out. Pansy, I really wish you would stop looking at Draco like that. Professor Snape, giving Lupin the evil glare isn't going to solve your problems. Percy, you look like you're about to pass out, and frankly, you do too Penelope. Ron and Ginny, I didn't know it was possible for you guys to blush so much. Draco, you look like either you want to kill Pansy, or you want to do some very 'interesting' things with her."
No one spoke, but everyone looked over to Fred in awe that he could be so calm. "Now what do you say we help ourselves to some champagne and loosen up a little?" George said calmly, gesturing to the fridges. Professor Snape's head snapped up. "Not a chance. None of you students will be having any champagne tonight. This is a game show, not a free-for-all, and only we adults will be enjoying the champagne. So if you'll excuse me, I think I'll help myself," he said, smirking as he took a bottle of champagne out of the fridge.
Draco stood up and walked over to Professor Snape expectantly. "I'll take some champagne, Professor," he said self-satisfiedly, holding out a fluted glass that he had picked up from the counter by the fridges. Professor Snape looked at him seriously. "No, Mr. Malfoy, you won't," he said, "What would Daddy dearest say if he found out that little Draco had been drinking?"
"He would say," Mr. Malfoy (Lucius) said, walking into the room with Narcissa (his wife, obviously), and Sirius Black walking a safe distance behind, "That Draco would be in serious trouble. That is, on any normal day. But tonight I am going to try to pretend that I don't know him, because I am here to enjoy myself, not baby-sit a whiny brat. So Severus, it is entirely up to you whether or not Draco drinks any champagne."
Draco frowned at his father, but quickly realized that this was actually a good thing, because now he could do whatever he wanted without Mr. Malfoy yelling at him. "So I'll have some now," he said, once again holding out his glass. Professor Snape poured some into his own glass, looked pointedly at Draco, and placed the cork back in the bottle. Draco curled his lip and walked back to his pouf next to Pansy.
Once Professor Snape was done dealing with Draco, he turned his attention to Sirius Black. "Black," he snarled, looking daggers at him. If Severus Snape had given the same look to Neville, Neville might have started crying. But Sirius Black just took it in stride. "Sevvie! Long time no see! How's life? How's Lucius? How's the champagne?" he asked, laughing. Since his name had been cleared, his personality was virtually the same as the Maurauder he had been years ago.
At this comment, Lucius gave him a glare that rivaled Snape's, Draco frowned at the mention of champagne, and Professor Snape looked at him with a loathing that was very similar to the way he loathed Harry. "Oh come on, Sev, loosen up! It's only Blind Date! The worst thing that could happen would be that you'd end up going to the dance with Hermione! Or Lucius, but I suppose that wouldn't be a problem, would it?" Sirius grinned, causing Snape to squeeze his champagne glass so hard almost everyone in the room thought it was going to break.
Hermione, however, didn't laugh. She was taking the whole thing very seriously, and getting paired with Professor Snape would be her worst nightmare. Snape didn't seem to look happy either, but that wasn't just because he didn't want to be paired with his most annoying student. "Let's get a few things straight, Black," Snape snapped, running a hand trough his greasy hair, "Number one, my name is not Sevvie or Sev. I don't do the nickname thing. Number two, I don't know why it is that you seem to enjoy talking about me and Lucius, but it is completely ridiculous. I don't like him, he doesn't like me, and he is married. Number three, the day I go to a dance with Hermione Granger will be the day I ask Harry Potter for his autograph. So if you could do all of us a favor and shut up, I would really appreciate it."
Sirius rolled his eyes and sat down with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. After greeting Harry, he turned his attention to Hermione. "You look terrified, Mione! What's the matter?" he asked, giving her a hug. Hermione's lip was quivering. "This could be the night I find out who my soulmate is! And- and- what is I don't even like him?" she asked, biting her nails some more. Harry and Ron looked from her to Sirius, waiting for one of them to say something else. "Don't worry, Mione," he said, smiling, "If you don't like the person you get paired with, then it messed up. If you do, great! But it's not going to determine who you spend the rest of your life with unless you let it. Besides, you'll probably end up with Harry or Ron! Relax and have fun, okay?"
Hermione nodded, and looked from Harry to Ron slightly happier. In good spirits, Sirius went off to get a glass of champagne and sit next to Lupin. As best friends, they had a lot of catching up to do. Hermione perked up a little more as Parvati and Lavender walked over. "Hey Mione," Lavender said, holding back laughter, "You'll never guess what Parvati just said!" Parvati blushed, but didn't look too fazed. "What?" Hermione asked curiously, looking at Parvati. "I said," she whispered, laughing, "that Sirius Black looks totally hot!" Hermione smiled (finally), much to Harry and Ron's relief.
"I heard that!" Professor Snape said, rolling his eyes, "And that is totally inappropriate!" Sirius nodded and rolled his eyes. "Totally," he said imitating Professor Snape. But to the amusement of Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati, he winked at them. Harry and Ron sighed. "I will never understand girls," Ron said, shaking his head. "I will never understand how girls understand guys," Harry said in agreement. "I will never understand how girls understand how guys don't understand girls," Ron said, looking around the room. "I will never understand how girls understand how guys don't understand how girls don't understand guys," Harry said seriously, "What the heck did I just say?"
At that moment, Fred and George Weasley walked over to them. "You know what I don't understand?" George asked Harry and Ron. They both shook their heads. "I don't understand," Fred said laughingly, "how guys are willing to waste their time trying to understand girls when they know it is pointless and they should be spending their time wondering who they'll be paired with!"
Ron and Harry were about to try to respond when Lee Jordan's magically magnified voice echoed throughout the room. "And without further ado, let's call out our first group!" he said, sounding excited, "Would Hermione Granger, Angelina Johnson, Ginny Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Parvati Patil, and Penelope Clearwater please report to the stage?"
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and everyone else who was going to be participating got up to follow Professor McGonagall, with Fred and George in the lead. In front next to Professor McGonagall was Professor Snape, who did not look very happy and was complaining with such faces and hand motions that the students were afraid he was going to curse them before they got a chance to find their "soulmates."
Draco Malfoy in the back of the group was looking around for his mother and father, but not seeing them anywhere. "Maybe they went and splinched themselves, and won't be able to come tonight!" Pansy said. She didn't look too disappointed. Draco grinned at the thought. "I hope so Pansy," he said, smiling for once, "I wouldn't want them to see the look on my face when I get paired with you."
Up at the front, Hermione was looking exceedingly nervous. "Oh no, oh no, what am I going to do! I'm so nervous! What if I don't even like my soulmate? What if I get paired up with someone awful?" she asked, looking unusually pale, even under all her makeup. Ron nervously gave her a hug (A/N: All together: AWW!). "Its okay, Hermione," he said comfortingly, "I'm sure you'll love them." Harry had to laugh at the look on his face. He looked like he was wishing extremely hard about something, and he had a pretty good idea of what it was. Ron had always liked Hermione; everyone knew it.
Harry himself had liked her for quite a while. He, of course, also liked Cho Chang, but she never gave him any sign of returning his affection. And then there was Ginny, who really seemed to like him, judging by the way she was walking nervously with Parvati and Lavender, and stealing what she probably thought were secret glances at him. Unfortunately for her, he didn't really like her that. Besides, if he ever did, all the Weasleys would probably beat him up if he ever tried anything. Not that the reaction would be any less for Hermione, at least in Ron's case. But whatever.
Once they arrived at the [secret] back entrance to the Gryffindor common room, everyone gathered nervously around Professor McGonagall, who seemed to be the only one who knew the password to this back entrance. Once she let them in, all the participants were expecting to see the huge crowd of students whom they had last seen following Professor Dumbledore eagerly to the common room. But instead, they saw what seemed to be an extremely comfortable lounge, complete with midnight blue poufs around polished mahogany tables. There was a fire roaring in the fireplace, and big red curtains went all the way across on wall, held in place by gilded ropes.
"Whoa," the group gasped collectively. "Wipe those shocked looked off your faces! Come on everyone, we go a school of magic, for crying out loud! Professor Dumbledore and I simply added in an extra room for the purposes of show!" Professor McGonagall snapped rather unlike herself. Most likely she was disappointed that she hadn't been picked to participate.
"Okay, well I'm going to leave you here alone now," she said more calmly, "Professor Snape and Professor Sinistra and Professor Lupin are here right now though, so don't get too excited. And Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and Sirius Black should be arriving any moment also. This is certainly not a free-for- all. When you hear your name called, you will come out on stage through the door next to the curtain. Under no circumstance should you pull the curtain. For the adults, and let me emphasize adults, there is champagne in the mini refrigerators you will find against the back wall. Student, you can help yourselves to Butterbeer. And no, Fred and George, just because you helped organize this does not give you a right to enjoy the champagne. Goodnight then!" At that, she walked out the door, leaving everyone sitting and standing uncomfortably and nervously around the room.
For a second there was complete silence, with only the sound of Hermione biting her nails. Finally, Fred spoke up, "Come on guys, it's just a little game. Don't freak out! Hermione, stop biting your nails. Parvati, that smile is freaking me out. Pansy, I really wish you would stop looking at Draco like that. Professor Snape, giving Lupin the evil glare isn't going to solve your problems. Percy, you look like you're about to pass out, and frankly, you do too Penelope. Ron and Ginny, I didn't know it was possible for you guys to blush so much. Draco, you look like either you want to kill Pansy, or you want to do some very 'interesting' things with her."
No one spoke, but everyone looked over to Fred in awe that he could be so calm. "Now what do you say we help ourselves to some champagne and loosen up a little?" George said calmly, gesturing to the fridges. Professor Snape's head snapped up. "Not a chance. None of you students will be having any champagne tonight. This is a game show, not a free-for-all, and only we adults will be enjoying the champagne. So if you'll excuse me, I think I'll help myself," he said, smirking as he took a bottle of champagne out of the fridge.
Draco stood up and walked over to Professor Snape expectantly. "I'll take some champagne, Professor," he said self-satisfiedly, holding out a fluted glass that he had picked up from the counter by the fridges. Professor Snape looked at him seriously. "No, Mr. Malfoy, you won't," he said, "What would Daddy dearest say if he found out that little Draco had been drinking?"
"He would say," Mr. Malfoy (Lucius) said, walking into the room with Narcissa (his wife, obviously), and Sirius Black walking a safe distance behind, "That Draco would be in serious trouble. That is, on any normal day. But tonight I am going to try to pretend that I don't know him, because I am here to enjoy myself, not baby-sit a whiny brat. So Severus, it is entirely up to you whether or not Draco drinks any champagne."
Draco frowned at his father, but quickly realized that this was actually a good thing, because now he could do whatever he wanted without Mr. Malfoy yelling at him. "So I'll have some now," he said, once again holding out his glass. Professor Snape poured some into his own glass, looked pointedly at Draco, and placed the cork back in the bottle. Draco curled his lip and walked back to his pouf next to Pansy.
Once Professor Snape was done dealing with Draco, he turned his attention to Sirius Black. "Black," he snarled, looking daggers at him. If Severus Snape had given the same look to Neville, Neville might have started crying. But Sirius Black just took it in stride. "Sevvie! Long time no see! How's life? How's Lucius? How's the champagne?" he asked, laughing. Since his name had been cleared, his personality was virtually the same as the Maurauder he had been years ago.
At this comment, Lucius gave him a glare that rivaled Snape's, Draco frowned at the mention of champagne, and Professor Snape looked at him with a loathing that was very similar to the way he loathed Harry. "Oh come on, Sev, loosen up! It's only Blind Date! The worst thing that could happen would be that you'd end up going to the dance with Hermione! Or Lucius, but I suppose that wouldn't be a problem, would it?" Sirius grinned, causing Snape to squeeze his champagne glass so hard almost everyone in the room thought it was going to break.
Hermione, however, didn't laugh. She was taking the whole thing very seriously, and getting paired with Professor Snape would be her worst nightmare. Snape didn't seem to look happy either, but that wasn't just because he didn't want to be paired with his most annoying student. "Let's get a few things straight, Black," Snape snapped, running a hand trough his greasy hair, "Number one, my name is not Sevvie or Sev. I don't do the nickname thing. Number two, I don't know why it is that you seem to enjoy talking about me and Lucius, but it is completely ridiculous. I don't like him, he doesn't like me, and he is married. Number three, the day I go to a dance with Hermione Granger will be the day I ask Harry Potter for his autograph. So if you could do all of us a favor and shut up, I would really appreciate it."
Sirius rolled his eyes and sat down with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. After greeting Harry, he turned his attention to Hermione. "You look terrified, Mione! What's the matter?" he asked, giving her a hug. Hermione's lip was quivering. "This could be the night I find out who my soulmate is! And- and- what is I don't even like him?" she asked, biting her nails some more. Harry and Ron looked from her to Sirius, waiting for one of them to say something else. "Don't worry, Mione," he said, smiling, "If you don't like the person you get paired with, then it messed up. If you do, great! But it's not going to determine who you spend the rest of your life with unless you let it. Besides, you'll probably end up with Harry or Ron! Relax and have fun, okay?"
Hermione nodded, and looked from Harry to Ron slightly happier. In good spirits, Sirius went off to get a glass of champagne and sit next to Lupin. As best friends, they had a lot of catching up to do. Hermione perked up a little more as Parvati and Lavender walked over. "Hey Mione," Lavender said, holding back laughter, "You'll never guess what Parvati just said!" Parvati blushed, but didn't look too fazed. "What?" Hermione asked curiously, looking at Parvati. "I said," she whispered, laughing, "that Sirius Black looks totally hot!" Hermione smiled (finally), much to Harry and Ron's relief.
"I heard that!" Professor Snape said, rolling his eyes, "And that is totally inappropriate!" Sirius nodded and rolled his eyes. "Totally," he said imitating Professor Snape. But to the amusement of Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati, he winked at them. Harry and Ron sighed. "I will never understand girls," Ron said, shaking his head. "I will never understand how girls understand guys," Harry said in agreement. "I will never understand how girls understand how guys don't understand girls," Ron said, looking around the room. "I will never understand how girls understand how guys don't understand how girls don't understand guys," Harry said seriously, "What the heck did I just say?"
At that moment, Fred and George Weasley walked over to them. "You know what I don't understand?" George asked Harry and Ron. They both shook their heads. "I don't understand," Fred said laughingly, "how guys are willing to waste their time trying to understand girls when they know it is pointless and they should be spending their time wondering who they'll be paired with!"
Ron and Harry were about to try to respond when Lee Jordan's magically magnified voice echoed throughout the room. "And without further ado, let's call out our first group!" he said, sounding excited, "Would Hermione Granger, Angelina Johnson, Ginny Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Parvati Patil, and Penelope Clearwater please report to the stage?"
