*Smirks while giving you a chapter that made me laugh .*
Thankful for the beta work of my Magzillasaurus.
Chapter Four
*Hermione*
The scrapping of chairs against the floor was the only sound in the room, anticipation floating in the air. Hermione took out her notepad, quill and ink, getting her original copy with questions ready and breathed in deeply.
"Hello?"
"Hi." The voice was slightly distorted. "I'm number ten."
"Nice to meet you, Ten. I'm number thirty-seven." She scribbled, 'Ten:' "What is the last book you read, Ten?"
"You have a lovely voice." Hermione's quill noted, 'Fake type, the voice is indescribable through the curtain.' "Sweetie, I don't read books. See, darling. I'm handsome and rich so for entertainment, I can take you wherever you wish to go, no matter the expense." She held her fingers against the forehead, thinking, Great the first is a dumbarse.
From the other side, the next question came, "Darling, which kind of lingerie do you like to wear?"
Hermione's quill had extra work, she crossed his number pretty hard so she couldn't miss. "Plain white cotton. Comfort is most important." Puh, take that. Could it be Blaise?
*Blaise*
"Hi…" A timid female voice reached his side of the divider.
"Hello love, I'm number sixty-nine."
"Hello, Mr. Sixty-nine. I'm number fifty-one." He had to strain to hear, it was just like a mouse whispering.
"My mother always told me to let ladies go first. What's your first question?"
"Do you like to stroll down the park, hand-in-hand?"
Blaise wrote down: 'wall-flower', "Love, I prefer my arm around your shoulders." The girl giggled, "Now my turn. Do you prefer top or bottom?"
He heard a gasp, "Excuse me? I don't understand your question."
"Love, do you prefer to be on top of a wizard or to be under him?"
"How dare you ask this?" The witch was offended and decided to remain silent. Blaise crossed off her number adding, 'Prude virgin.' He huffed.
*Draco*
He wasted no time, "I'm eighty-four, who are you?"
"You have quite a lot of guts to start like that. Mommy-issues?"
"What, woman? I'm just breaking the ice."
"Well, if you are looking for the one, be more gentle in your tone and try to be honest."
"Are you Granger?"
"Have you lost your mind? I'm so much better than a mudblood."
"What's your number, witch?"
"Twenty-four."
"Miss Twenty-four. That witch saved our lives, so you better speak about her with respect. Write my number down on the no-list, I'll do the same with yours. I believe we're no match." Next to her number, he wrote, 'bint'.
"With pleasure."
*Hermione*
"Hello, I'm number thirty-seven."
"Pleasure, I'm fifty-five."
"Fifty-five, what is the book you read last?"
"I don't read books, my best friend euh...Mi, devours them for breakfast, haha."
Mi? "Harry is that you?"
"Hermione? Oh, cool. How was your first?"
"A sex-maniac, a total dumbarse." Harry laughed heartily, "And yours?"
"Nice but bland. I'm sure it wasn't Ginny. Hey, did you know Blaise invited us to have drinks with his gang? To vent?"
"Pansy asked us out for a similar thing."
"Us and Malfoy? Drinks? Blaise called it a new leaf."
"Harry, we can see where it leads. We did testify on his behalf, maybe we should turn over a new leaf. Damn, the bell. Good luck with the next!"
"Love you, Hermione!"
"Love you too, Harry."
*Pansy*
"Who are you? I'm twenty-three."
"Sixty-six. How would a friend describe you?"
"No ladies first, then? Euh...A friend describes me? A girlfriend or a boyfriend?"
"Balls, it's not on the list...do a girl."
"My friends describe me as a fashionista, determined and trustworthy."
"Oh." He wrote, dress up doll.
"It's my turn. Are you a morning person or a night person?"
"Ah, question number one! I'm not an early bird, I like to stay under the covers for five more minutes." He could hear the scribble on the other side, "And you?"
"Don't wake me too early, I prefer to party with friends."
"Favorite food?" He didn't waste time on the next question, yet, he quite enjoyed her frankness.
"Roast beef with gravy and pudding. Yours?"
"Anything edible, preferably home-made." Ron wrote down: 'likes good food'.
"Oh. I can't cook." Pansy penned: 'easily pleased'.
"My mother can teach you." One scrawled, 'No kitchen princess', the other, 'Mummy's boy'.
In the end, both numbers remained in the yes column. She liked how he spoke, there was a goofy element in his voice; he had a good feeling about her, only her cooking skills needed some adjustments.
*Theo*
A singsong voice came through the other side, "Hello, pretty wizard, I'm number twenty-nine."
"A pleasure, twenty-nine. I'm seventy-two."
"What do you think about magical creatures, Seventy-two?"
Could it be Luna? "Depends on the creature. Pigmy's are fluffy, hippogriffs are scary."
"Your turn to ask a question, Seventy-two."
"Twenty-nine, bubble bath or shower?"
"I definitely prefer a shower, feels like rain pouring down on me. For you as well?" Theo wrote, want to see again.
*Ginny*
"Greetings, earthling. Number forty-nine behind the curtain."
"I'm number twenty, but I don't know who that earthling is."
"My best friend and my boyf… my other best friend showed me mooviies on the tellies, and one of its characters said it. Oh, well, forget what I said. Women and Quidditch, yes or no?"
"No. This is no sport for weak women." Ginny rolled her eyes, scrapping the number off her list, moron. "My turn, on a scale of one to America, how free are you tonight for a drink?"
"On a scale of one to Azkaban, how long do you think it takes me to hex you into oblivion?"
"Witch, there's no need to be violent?"
Ginny drummed with her fingers to contain her rage, she had already drilled a hole on the place where the quill had rubbed the parchment. NEXT! She thought.
*Draco*
"Hello, I'm number eighty-four. Who are you?" It was his fourth table of the day, by now two were very weak yes's and a very determined no, making him wonder if Granger's plan was viable at all.
"Welcome eighty-four. I'm thirty-seven, do you mind if I go first?"
She sounds polite, the first today, "No, be my guest. My mother taught me good manners." a chuckle.
"What is the last book you read?"
He was caught by surprise, "Oh Salazar's euh, let me think, it's called Pride and Prejudice by Jane-"
"Jane Austin, oh I love it. Why are you reading that?"
Be genuine, said the bint. "I have this acquaintance, to whom I've not been really friendly, and I saw her carry that book around for a long time. I thought I could start righting my wrongs by seeing things from her point of view, enter this book."
His revelation met silence for a moment, "Are you enjoying it?"
"I must admit I am. It's quite intriguing and funny at times." He chuckled, and she laughed softly with him. "How would a friend describe you, Thirty-seven?" He was already writing her number on his yes column, somehow he liked her.
"Oh, Merlin. Should you really ask me that? Let me see, I ramble, always know an answer, often lack a sense of humour because I can be too serious, but when push comes to the shove, they like to have me at their side because I protect those I love. Too much?"
"I know a girl just like you." Draco kept drawing circles around her number, she was becoming a certainty.
"Let me fire the same question at you, how would they describe you?"
"Now I'm sure you'll scrape my number off your yes-list. My friends would tell you that I'm a man that makes the wrong decisions for the right reasons. Hotheaded, can be mean - which I often regret later, reliable. Incredibly handsome too."
"I'm writing honest but a show-off." They exchanged laughter, "Morning person or a night owl?"
"Depends. I love to fly in the early morning, while life is still quiet, aside from nature. But I don't turn down a nice evening with friends at a pub with a good firewhiskey." He drew loops on his parchment, absently. "What would you change about yourself, Thirty-seven?"
"Change? More calm down my impulsiveness. I tend to lose sight of the whole picture when I'm angry. You?"
"Not take someone else's truth as absolute, but see the world through my own eyes, not a clouded judgement."
"Do you regret your past actions so much?"
"I do. I just don't know how to make it up to her."
"A simple apology, when genuinely sincere, can perform miracles."
"I'll keep your advice in mind, for when I see her again."
Hermione ended the session with a smile, drawing a big exclamation mark next to his number. Eighty-four was the first who charmed her. And he reads good books.
-oOo-
Three hours later, everyone emerged into the common area of the Ministry, sighing. One had a happy face, others rather an annoyed look on theirs. The mixed group of Slytherins, Gryffindors and a few other housemates gathered as planned in the Leaky Cauldron.
The girls flocked together, "I didn't know there were so many gits in our world." Ginny blew off, "Really Hermione, one of the firsts asked me top or bottom, what an arse." Pansy and Hermione exchanged looks. "What about you, sis?"
"I had one asking me what type of lingerie I wear." Thinking about that nutter still riled her up.
Draco mumbled, "Plain white cotton."
"What was that, Malfoy?"
"I said, grandma's underwear." His signature smirk plastered on his face.
"Pansy, if you come across number ten, that's your friend over here." She thumbed towards Draco.
"For your information, Granger. I'm not ten. Two, it was just a deduction. We all know how much of a prude you are." Harry and Ron abstained from coming to her defence, knowing too well she could handle Malfoy every day and twice on Sunday.
Blaise intervened, "I hoped curly hair here to be more of a still waters run deep sort."
Hermione's eyes sparkled, "For you a question, for me an answer." Harry and Ginny coughed discreetly, just like Ron. Ginny especially, knew Hermione's obsession with a certain underwear shoppe in Muggle London. Too often for Harry's taste, he stood outside waiting for the girls to finish their shopping session.
Harry asked, "What's the score?"
Ron sipped his beer, "I have a really good hunch on one, but I'm afraid I'll have to send her to my mother. She admitted she can't cook." He didn't notice the glare from across the table.
Blaise followed, "I have two who know what top or bottom is, a third that is open to learning and a few others who made feel happy for having a curtain separating me from them, or my bullocks would be gone by now."
Ginny sent him a death glare, "Consider yourself lucky that I wasn't bloodthirsty today, Zabini." Harry rubbed her back, whispering, "That's my girl."
Pansy mentioned condescending, "I have a few catches as well, one stood out for being easily pleased. He eats anything that's edible, especially if it's homecooked."
It rang a bell for Ron.
"And you, Draco?" Pansy probed, "Hermione?"
"Some yes-"
"Only one or two." Draco stopped talking as they both were talking at the same time. "Ladies first."
"Thank you, Malfoy. I'm glad some of your mother's lessons stuck." She faked a smile, "I have one that stood out above all others, plus a few maybe's. And a large pile of big no's."
"Why does he stand out, Granger?" Theo wondered, forcing his gaze to move away from Luna. He was convinced he met her earlier, but wasn't entirely sure; cursing the damn curtain for distorting the real voice.
"Similar tastes in books and so on."
"Don't remind me, Hermione. I had a tosser that thought Quidditch not to be appropriate for women." Ginny stuck the toothpick in a green olive and turned it around before the brunette's face while venting.
"I bet the guy lost to the Harpies in the past." Hermione headed to the bar and ask for some crisps. "I'm hungry. He feels threatened." Shortly after, a large plate of freshly baked fries appeared in front of her. Picking one out she blew on it, before dipping it in the ketchup pot.
Ron pulled the plate in front of him, but she hit on his hands gesturing him to take one but not claim the whole portion. He smiled sheepishly and returned her share, which she slid to the middle of their table. Nearly everyone picked one. "Malfoy, I didn't lace them with poison, they are safe for consumption."
He hesitated.
"Alright, I confess, yours is filled with a love potion, so you fall in love with me. Imagine your parents' horror, their precious pureblood son worshipping the ground a mudblood walks on."
Pansy sent her a warning glare, picked a random crisp and asked, "Is it this one?"
"How did you guess, Pansy?" She took the one right after, "This one is completely safe, though." Ketchup on it and it disappeared in her mouth, licking her fingers off with loud pops.
The Slytherin witch copied her moves and ate with big gestures her bounty, "Oh Morgana, I'm so in love with you, Granger. Let me kiss you!" Stretching her arms out, she dove after Hermione, who jerked away, roaring. "Don't hide from me, love. C'mon, one kiss…"
Everyone around her barked in laughter, except a blond. He stood up, "You know, Granger? I thought earlier today that one of the witches was you, and I called her your name. She made me out for a lunatic, considering herself to be so much better than you. I put her number in the no-column. I guess I made a mistake." He made the motion to leave.
It worked like a bucket full of ice cubes.
"Oh, fuck." Hermione's eyes roamed the table, encountering confused and displeased glares in return.
"Make it right, Granger. I'll not give you a second warning." Pansy's smile vanished in a second.
Blaise added, "He regrets what he did to you, he just doesn't know how to apologise."
Ginny remarked with a wave of a hand, "Saying sorry like you mean it, perhaps?"
Hermione saw his blond hair pass outside their window, "Damn it." Out of breath, she yelled moments later, "Malfoy, stop!"
He kept walking.
"Annoying ferret, can you please show me the decency of waiting until I can say I'm sorry?" She ran after Draco but remained a few feet away, unable to reach him. Much to her relief, he halted.
"You push my buttons." She panted, "I push yours...I don't like you...neither do you like me. But I'm sorry, I hurt you somehow, and I'm sorry."
"Someone told me today, a genuine apology could help. It does, and I forgive you." She was still fighting for breath, and he watched her meticulously as if he was memorising every inch of her face. "I want to apologise too. I was wrong my entire life about you, I've been cruel, and in the end, you still come to my defence. It makes you the better person. Sorry doesn't even begin to cover the whole of it."
"But it's a start if you mean it. Now, worship me the rest of the way to the Leaky, before Pansy skins me alive."
"I still believe you're wearing a grandmother's type of knickers, plain, boring white cotton ones."
"You still ask your mother for a goodnight story."
The mood improved visibly when both joined their table. The plate of crisps was replaced by a new one. Hermione picked the biggest, dipped it on the ketchup and held it before his lips.
He feigned a dirty look between her face and the potato.
"Eat the damn crisp or your house-elf will have trouble getting the tomato stain off your shirt after I paint a Picasso on it." She seethed.
"You wouldn't dare to ruin my silk shirt."
"Mr. Malfoy, wanna bet?"
Holding her gaze in his, he opened his lips slowly, engulfing the crisp in his mouth and nearly biting in her fingers while retreating. His lips closed for a second around the tips. A flicker of heat passed in her look.
"Don't you ever threaten me again, you might not like the consequences."
"The first Malfoy that scares me has yet to be born."
Behind them, Blaise whispered, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
Ginny confirmed, "It's like sparks, I call it a pent-up sexual attraction."
Pansy verified it, "It is."