THREE: Saturday Night
"Phase one is complete. Did you get her to fancy you?"
"I think so…"
"Good, good…"
"But why are we doing this anyway?"
"Because the Prophet might run out of business. How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"Alright, sorry… But this plan just bothers me… Aren't you a little harsh?"
"The opposing company must go down. If not, we go down and the money you invested to the Prophet will be for nothing."
---
It's one in the morning and everyone in the club is filing out, tired and drunk, and happy that the next day is a Saturday.
Blaise and I sat after the slow song, we talked and laughed like any other group of people would. We had to join the others out of the club, as it was closing time already.
"Here, Blaise." I gave him my business card. "You can ring me whenever you want to. Um, you do know how to use a telephone, right?"
Blaise gave me a confused face. "Just owl me." I said, and he nodded.
"Bye then," he said before Apparating.
All I could do was just stare where he was. I was so happy that I could meet someone as nice as him.
Viv soon came out from the club, holding hands with Ron and giving each other sappy looks. I rolled my eyes.
"So, we're both in love, huh?" I asked her.
"Yeah…" She said, sighing deeply.
--
Saturday night was always poker night for us girls. It became tradition ever since Ginny had her bachelor party. We took turns hosting these 'girls-night-in' parties. Whether it be Ginny's house, my apartment, Luna's house, Lavender's house or Pavarti's house. Today it was hosted at Ginny's.
We sat around a round table in the basement. Snacks were laid out on the coffee table next to where we sat, the basement was carpeted with shag carpet (no pun intended), a shelf full of old records and a pool table.
In short, it looked like a cheap bar for motorcyclists, complete with a juke box, pool table and all.
But we don't mind. It's grown on us.
Ginny cut the cards and sat back down when she was done.
"Alright girls, put your bets on the table." She said.
We each put one or two stacks of poker chips and a couple of lipsticks or nail polish.
And so the game went on for hours. We blamed each other for cheating, bluffing and stealing the last potato chip.
"Lavender! That was the last potata chip!" Parvati said, annoyed.
"You snooze, you lose." She replied as she popped it in her mouth. "And what in bloody hell is a potata?"
"Potato, potata, same thing."
"Oh, that is so like you, to brush it off as if it were nothing…"
"Well, it is!"
"Here we go again, just like you when you were in Hogwarts…"
"Why are you making it such a big deal?"
They continued to bicker for five minutes, a usual at these poker nights. And the only one who could break them up is…
"How was the party last night?" Luna asked, raising her voice. "Sorry I couldn't come, Hermione, I had to go to a cousin's wedding."
"It's okay you couldn't come…" I began, but was cut off by a very excited Ginny.
"It was great! The DJ was wonderful and Seamus got drunk!"
"That was not his greatest moment…" Lavender said, defending her boyfriend.
"And the men…"
"Now, now, Gin, you're a married woman now…" Parvati said.
"That's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black…"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you are engaged to Dean, but you were ogling that Pat guy…"
"What? That's absurd!"
"Parvati, everyone in the club knew. Ask anyone who came to the party and they would say that you were ogling Pat…"
"Well, I wasn't the only one looking at men… Look at Vivian!"
"Oy! Ron happens to be a very nice man, he cares about me a lot and he's a good kisser!" Vivian said, offended.
"Oh, disgusting. That's my brother you're talking about." Ginny said with a sour look. "Anyway you've just met each other!"
"Not necessarily… They did meet in my birthday party." I said.
"Yes, when he spilt the fruit punch on me." Vivian continued.
"Love at first spill." Ginny sniggered.
"I wasn't the one ogling a bloke either…" She said slyly.
"Who is it?" Luna said curiously.
Everyone looked at me.
"What?" I said uncomfortably.
"Oh you know…" Lavender said sneakily.
"Tall, dark, handsome, that Zoombini guy. You know, we went to school with him…" Parvati said.
"It's Zabini." Ginny corrected her.
"Whatever." Parvati blew it off. "The point is, I saw you and him dancing the night away!"
"You can't deny it…"
I just looked blank.
They looked at me accusingly.
"Fine! I did dance with him a couple of times…"
"Right, and by 'a couple of times' you mean 'until closing time'…"
I sighed.
"Well, I guess there's no use denying it…" I gave in.
The others looked at me slyly.
"Ooh…"
"Hermione and Zabini, sitting in a tree…"
"Shut up!" I said, threatening to throw a pillow at them. "What are you? Three years old?"
"Nope, but apparently Lavender has the attention span of one." Parvati simply put, as she got back to her cards.
"Oy!" Lavender pouted.
There was a knock on the door. We all faced the door, putting all our cards on the table.
"Knock, knock." Harry said, knocking on the door.
"Hey Harry." We all said in unison.
"I've got two letters." Harry said as he walked towards the table. "One for Hermione and one for Parvati."
Harry then walked over to Ginny, kissed as if there was no tomorrow.
"Get a room!" Luna said, disgusted.
Parvati looked scared. I wasn't surprised, the letter she received had a red envelope.
"Uh-oh, a Howler? From who?" Lavender said, leaning over to Parvati.
I ignored them and opened my letter.
Hermione,
Can we talk? I'll come by your office on Monday, nine o'clock.
Blaise
I was clearly confused. He could've just flooed to the apartment tomorrow. And why at nine? He knows that I come out of work at six at night…
"PARVATI! I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO TONIGHT! WE WERE GOING TO HAVE DINNER WITH OUT FUTURE IN-LAWS, REMEMBER? GREAT, NOW I'LL HAVE TO RESCHEDULE! ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" It was Dean's voice coming out of the Howler. It hovered over the poker table and it slowly fell.
"Love you dear." It said, before it burst into flames.
Harry and Ginny stopped snogging, everyone looked towards Parvati. A very red-faced Parvati.
"Uhm, hehehe…" She laughed weakly. "Er… Got to go!" A crack was heard and she Disapparated.
Lavender recovered from all the shock first and said: "What was that about?"
--
A/N: Awh, it's pretty short again. Sorry guys. Anyhoo, thanks for all the reviews and I hoped you've enjoyed it so far!
QuotheTheRavenNeverMore – I hope I misspelled something there… And if you do have a seizure, call my mother. She's a doctor. XP Well, why would I lick myself anyway? Sounds like a very strange fetish there… Ah… Jerry Springer… The everlasting butt of every joke (for me, anyway). Oh yeah, I just realized your username is Edgar Allen Poe. XP How much of a dimwit am I?
vagrantben – Thanks! I'm glad you're not furious at me on account that I'm writing fanon!Blaise. You're Italian? I envy you so. (pouts)
jalapeno1011 – Thanks! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!
Kichou – Here you go, I've updated it! Hope you enjoy it!
vOnNiiZ – Is that a good choke or not? And don't die, I don't know CPR. XP Hope you've enjoyed it!
As I said, thanks for all the reviews. I love reviews because it gives me the will to continue on but I hate it since it makes me sound like I'm on an award show. 'You like me! You really, really like me!' 'I used up all my English!'
Teehee.