A/N: A huge hello to all of my readers and reviewers!!! THANK YOU for your wonderful reviews!!! I'm terribly sorry for the shockingly late update – the last few months have been hectic, and when the holidays for Christmas finally came, I spent my time updating my other story, Hogwarts At The Zoo. This story, Who Wants To Play Spin-The-Bottle? was, if I remember correctly, the story that I first started working on, and then I got sidetracked by Hogwarts At The Zoo and my quick one-shot Even In My Dreams You Haunt Me. However, with seven chapters posted successfully in Hogwarts At The Zoo, my inspiration has decided to leave that story alone for now, and I am suddenly brimming full of ideas for this story once more. So, I have once more taken up writing this story, and my evil mind has conjured a new twist to make this much, much, more interesting even after the Spin-The-Bottle sections!
Once more, I just want to say that I'm sincerely sorry for the appallingly late update. Please forgive me!
By the way, I can't help but send out a teensy little bit of advertisement:
1: Anyone who is reading this and/or reviewing this, please read my other stories, two of which are mentioned above – I have yet to encounter a single negative review for any of them, which in itself speaks well of them. If you enjoy my style of writing, I can guarantee that you will enjoy my other stories, particularly Hogwarts At The Zoo, if you enjoy a dash of humour with the lovely, sizzling hot Malfoy-Hermione romance! ;-)
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Disclaimer: I own nothing! ...Except for Draco Malfoy! :::Insert evil cackling here as author drags a kicking, screaming Malfoy from the pages of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and whisks him away into the night.:::
…Well…ahem…considering it's impossible to steal a non-existent character from the pages of a book, I would say I still own nothing…Pity, really…I'll have to settle for snatching up Tom Felton. ;-)
Just to clear the air: I'm probably insane and I own nothing, I tell you! J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, my brother thinks I'm insane, too…oh, and did I mention I don't own anything? Except the plot, naturally. :)
On with the story!!! (Finally!) ;-)
Who Wants To Play Spin-The-Bottle?
Chapter Two: Possessive Slytherins
Hermione sighed happily as she leant back in her chair, gazing at her friends sitting around her in Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlour. Ginny grinned at her as she ladled more Choc-Mint Burst ice cream onto her spoon, flinging her long red hair back. Harry, too, was slouched in his seat, lazily licking a Raspberry 'n' Nut Swirl ice cream cone, while Ron was busy devouring a huge banana sundae. Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron accidentally flicked ice cream onto the table and Ginny exchanged a look with her, silently agreeing.
Harry sighed. "You've got no idea how happy I am to be back in the Wizarding world."
"I take it the Dursleys were horrible, then?" Hermione asked him.
He frowned slightly. "Well, not horrible, exactly – not after Lupin, Tonks and Moody had threatened them. But it gets annoying after a while when people treat you like you're a bomb that's about to go off."
"Better than being bullied, though."
"Yeah." Harry grinned. "Dudley spent most of the holidays shuffling sideways through the house and covering his bottom. He's not even brave around me even when he's got his gang with him, 'cause he knows I'm of age now and can happily hex him without getting into trouble."
The four friends laughed.
After a moment, though, Ginny looked disgruntled. "I can't believe I've still got to wait another whole year till I'm of age." She groaned. "It's so unfair. I'm going to be the only one in the family not able to do magic at home."
Ron suddenly snorted. "Speaking of your coming of age…" he began, grinning at his younger sister.
Ginny suddenly frowned. "Shut up, Ron."
Harry and Hermione traded confused looks.
"Er – what's the matter?" Harry ventured curiously, looking between the two red-headed siblings.
Ron sniggered. "Mum got a owl from the Zabini family a few weeks ago."
Harry looked baffled. "Zabini?" he repeated faintly.
"Pureblooded family." Ginny supplied.
"Were they – "
"Voldemort supporters? No," Hermione answered for him. "I've heard that they were fairly neutral about the whole war during sixth year, and that they just stayed out of the way."
Ginny nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. There have been rumours that they helped Dumbledore during the war, but if they did, it was kept secret. Probably for their safety from Voldemort."
Hermione looked at Harry. "Blaise Zabini is in our year level, in Slytherin. He's best friends with Malfoy."
Ron glowered at the table. "Even more reason not to trust him."
Ginny sighed. "Ron, grow up or shut up."
Ron glared at her, outraged.
Hermione rolled her eyes, and then quickly cut in before a fight was started. "So, Ron, what did the Zabinis want to say to your parents?"
Ron looked up at them. "You'll never believe it." He said with a grin, his eyes dancing. "They wanted to propose a match between Ginny and that Slytherin git."
"I'm presuming you meant Blaise, by that." Harry said dryly.
Ron's eyes darkened. "Yeah." He turned to ruffle Ginny's hair. "Dunno why they wanted to pair him up with Ginny, though. They won't get her anyway. Mum kept raging on and on for ages. She demanded to know if Ginny was dating the git, then was even more furious when she realized they'd made the offer without even saying a reason."
Hermione frowned. "Isn't that a bit strange? To not have a reason?"
Ron looked at her, his brows furrowed. "Yeah – yeah, it is. They didn't even say anything about why they thought it'd be a good match for each family or anything like that."
Ginny buried her head in her arms with a groan. "Why me?"
"What's the matter, Kitten? Not happy about my parent's offer? I must say, I rather thought it was an excellent idea." An amused voice sounded out to their left, marred by a slight drawl.
Ginny jerked upright with a gasp, and all of them swung round. Blaise Zabini winked roguishly at Ginny, his black hair falling into deep blue eyes. Draco Malfoy stood beside his best friend, surveying the group of Gryffindors with his trademark smirk.
Ginny glared at the dark-skinned Italian boy. "Why the hell would you want me?"
"Temper, temper, Kitten." Blaise scolded, visibly amused. His eyes swept over her form almost casually, and darkened considerably. "Why would I want you? Why, merely because I have my sights set on you, and Zabinis are well-known for being highly possessive, and have a passion for always getting what they want."
Hermione glared at the two boys. "Leave her alone, Zabini. Since when have you enjoyed tormenting any of us?"
Harry's eyes were narrowed as he looked from the Slytherin students to Ginny, his hand sliding down to grasp his wand.
Blaise looked at Hermione after warily glancing at Harry. "Tormenting? No, Granger, I'm not tormenting her, merely reassuring her that I will claim what's mine."
"What's yours?" Ginny exclaimed incredulously. "I'm a person. You don't own me!"
"Besides," Ron added defiantly, his ears glowing a bright red, "Mum hasn't signed those stupid papers you sent us, so nothing's official and nothing ever will be!"
Blaise studied his nails nonchalantly. "Actually, Kitten," he drawled lazily, glancing at Ginny and pointedly ignoring Ron, "You technically are mine. Not as a possession, exactly, but nevertheless, you belong to me." His eyes darkened as he pinned her with a strong, determined gaze.
Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed at him. "Zabini, that's ridiculous. If they haven't signed any papers, Ginny doesn't belong to you in any way, shape or form."
Malfoy's eyes glittered. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, Granger." His eyes slid over her, darkening to molten silver. "Ginny Weasley isn't the only girl about to be claimed."
Harry's eyes blazed even as Ron leapt from his seat.
"Are you threatening Hermione, too?" Harry asked quietly, wand gripped tightly in his hand. Ron snarled at Malfoy, his face twisted into a nasty glare.
Malfoy looked genuinely surprised for a moment. "Threatening her?" He scowled. "No, of course not." He hesitated slightly, glancing at Hermione's confused face. "I'm just warning her about what's to come."
"Malfoy," Hermione said dryly, "Since when have you ever not threatened me or harmed me in some way?"
He glanced at her. "You don't believe me when I say I've got no bad intentions?"
"No." Hermione said bluntly.
His eyes narrowed. "Ever heard of giving someone a second chance?"
"After all the times you've hurt me, called me horrible names like 'Mudblood' and just been an all around git? I have no more chances to give to you, Malfoy." She crossed her arms, staring at him defiantly.
"We'll just have to see, then." He smirked at Harry and Ron, then he and Blaise turned to leave. Before the Slytherins left, they cast lingering glances at the two girls, their eyes seeming to devour the girls they had taken an interest in.
Hermione glared, highly affronted, as she felt Malfoy's eyes sweep once more over her figure. She shivered, feeling as though Malfoy's eyes were blazing through the thin material of her top. Beside her, Ginny was having similar problems with Blaise.
Hermione bit her lip, and gazed at her spoon, a long-forgotten scoop of cookies 'n' cream ice cream upon it. Her hand lifted up the spoon and took careful aim at the blonde head in front of her.
Malfoy swore loudly when he felt something icy and wet strike the back of his head. Lifting a hand to his hair, it came away sticky with creamy cookie ice cream. Noting Hermione's devious smirk, he glared at her, outraged.
"So terribly sorry, Malfoy." Hermione said sweetly, eyes sparkling with mischief. "My hand just – slipped. An accident, I assure you."
"Of course," he responded wryly.
Blaise was grinning and busy thanking Merlin that Ginny didn't seem to be as violent and creative with food as Hermione as.
Malfoy glanced at his now laughing friend, and swung his eyes back to a slightly guilty looking Hermione who was still, nevertheless, smiling. His lips twitched into a crooked smile.
"I may have deserved that." Malfoy admitted ruefully. "Besides," his grin grew wider, "It's a hot day, and I needed to cool down."
Ginny smothered a laugh behind her hand, whilst Harry and Ron were gaping at Hermione.
Malfoy drew out his wand and muttered a cleaning spell. He bowed mockingly to Hermione. "A point to you, Granger." He turned and disappeared into the crowd, shaking his head.
Blaise lingered behind to smile at Ginny before turning to Hermione and grinning impishly. "I must say, Granger, well done. The look on his face was priceless." With a laugh, he strolled after his best friend.
……o.::.O.::.o……
Blaise's eyes narrowed as he searched the crowd in Diagon Alley for his blonde best friend. Swearing softly, he cast one last glance around before striding off down the street, scowling darkly. 'Trust Malfoy to disappear and just expect me to follow him like a good little puppy.' The thought made his frown deepen.
His eyes spotted a flash of brilliant blonde hair in the Quidditch shop. Rolling his eyes, Blaise entered the store and slid up silently behind his friend, vaguely observing the Firebolt on display.
"Well?" Blaise murmured quietly, his dark blue eyes flicking upwards to face stormy grey eyes.
Malfoy sighed and ran a hand through his hair, flipping it away from his eyes. "Did you see the way they looked at us? We've got no chance with them." His eyes turned back to face the Firebolt, anguish hidden well within the grey depths.
Blaise frowned slightly. "Perhaps." He cast a glance at his friend. "Don't give up. If neither of them will accept the truth, we'll go to Dumbledore."
Malfoy snorted. "Ask that Muggle-loving fool for help? I doubt he'd even lift a finger to point us in the right direction, let alone actively help us."
"You seem to be forgetting that yours is Muggleborn. I'd suggest not scorning Dumbledore's love of her parents' type." Blaise said dryly.
Malfoy groaned. "Blaise, you know as well as I do that I don't believe any of that 'purebloods are better' crap that Lucius spouted off. It's just that Dumbledore won't help us to 'ruin' the lives of two of his favourite students."
Blaise laughed softly. "I suppose you're right in saying that the girls will think their whole lives and futures have been ruined. Still, Dumbledore just might understand our problem."
"The key word there is 'might', Zabini." Malfoy said dryly.
The two Slytherins turned to look outside the shop, casually studying the four Gryffindors walking past, their laughter tinkling over the noises of the crowd.
Malfoy's eyes followed the brunette witch as she linked arms with Ginny Weasley, smiling happily.
"We've got no hope." Malfoy muttered glumly.
"Shut up, Draco. Sulking doesn't suit you."
"Thanks."
"Anytime, my friend."
……o.::.O.::.o……
