Harry was getting worried. It was nearly midnight and Hermione and Ginny still hadn't returned to the common room.

Harry knew this because he had been keeping a close watch of the portrait hole ever since they had left almost four hours ago.

He was the only one left in the common room.

He just sat there staring into the dying fire while Dobby moved around the room tidying up.

"Still here, Harry?" a voice said behind him.

Turning he found Parvati Patil leaning over the back of the sofa.

"Hello Parvati. What are you still doing up?" he greeted his friend. Surprisingly the two had become quite close friends. Maybe it was because she filled him in with all the gossip and told him what people were saying about him and his guy friends behind their backs, and he returned the favour by filing her in on all the gossip from the boys end.

"I could ask you the same question. Still waiting for Hermione, then?"

Harry nodded and motioned for her to come and sit beside him, which she did.

"You've still got it bad for her haven't you?"

"Pathetic isn't it? Seven years later I'm still in love with her, and I still can't get the courage together to ask her out."

"You're the bravest person I know, Harry. How could you not pluck up the courage to ask a girl out? I mean, look at all the stuff you've done. You can have enough courage to defeat Voldy-shorts but you can't ask the girl you love out on a date?"

"Don't rub it in. I know I'm pathetic. Sometimes I wish Neville had lost his toad on the train and she had never helped him find it."

Parvati shot him a questioning look.

"That was how we met. She came into our compartment looking for that blasted toad."

"But I seem to remember you not getting on for ages."

"You're right. That first Halloween Quirrel let that troll into Hogwarts, do you remember? Hermione was crying in the girls toilets and Ron and I saw it go into them. We saved her from the troll and she covered for us when the teachers found us. After that we became-"

"Hogwarts Golden Trio. And the rest is legend. I think you should just ask her. That would be the safest way of finding out what she feels about you. And your competition."

"You know about that?"

"Oh Harry, don't be silly. The whole school knows about this contest. It's the biggest gossip we've had for about a year. Everyone wants to know who Hermione's gonna pick. Smart money's on you to win."

"Great! What about Ron?"

"He only gets a look in because he's friends with her. He's such an insensitive prat that he won't do very well. She's never shown much interest in Oliver either. He ranks higher than most of the others because she knows him. She doesn't know a lot of the boys that are interested in her, so no one will back them. The Weasley twins might have some standing."

"Which one is the favourite? Because if she chooses one then the other will never forgive the one who won."

"Actually both are the favourites. Lots of people reckon she'll choose both of them."

"Somehow I don't think Hermione's into threesomes."

"Whatever. I'm going to bed. You should go too."

Parvati leant over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, which he ignored, and sauntered back to the girl's staircase.

"Parvati!" he called before she reached them.

"Yes?" she turned to face him as he looked over the back of his sofa.

"I have a job for you. Ginny knows who Hermione will choose. See if you can get the information from her. Will you do that?"

"If you really want me to, of course I will. Good night Harry."

Harry waited a moment before deciding that he too should go to bed.

The next evening he noticed that Hermione and Ginny were, once again, missing from the common room. He went up to bed early, but when he thought everyone had gone to bed he slipped back down the stairs.

The common room was dark and Harry tried to creep across it quietly, but he bumped into a table. Swearing to himself he tried to manoeuvre his way around it when several table lamps went on simultaneously.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Harry became aware of the stares of Ron, Fred, George, Oliver, Seamus, Dean and Neville from various seats around the room.

"We thought you'd be back, Harry."