A/N: Thank you to the people who reviewed/favorited/story alerted/author alerted me or the story. :)

Chapter Two: A Not So Covert Operation

Daphne was stirring her tea idly, as the rest of them waited for Pansy who was once again late, before they started their second meeting on Operation Set-Up Swotty Bookworm and Albino Ferret, as nicknamed by the twin doofuses. Of course she'd never say that in front of her sister. Nor to her future in-laws. She chuckled quietly as she realized she and her sister would be marrying into the same family. Suddenly, the fireplace flared up and Pansy stepped out, impeccably dressed as usual.

"I do believe that the concept of punctuality is foreign to you, Pansy dear." Daphne drawled lazily.

"I only feel the need to be punctual when in good company." Pansy scoffed. Suddenly, Harry came into the room bringing a tray of scones.

"Oh, good, everybody's here. We can start while you taste the scones I made."

Ginny eyed the scones Harry set on the table warily. "Is it edible?"

Harry scoffed. "Of course it is. I cook for myself whenever Hermione threatens Kreacher to go on day-offs."

"Speaking of Hermione," Luna said as she nibbled on a scone. "What happened to your plan, Harry?"

"Horribly." Butted in Astoria. "Harry assigned Draco and Granger to the Department of Mysteries break-in case."

"They had to spend overnight in the Department of Mysteries! It was supposed to get them to spend alone time together in the dark!"

Astoria rolled her eyes. "Real smooth."

"Harry is a firm believer of 'snog and get it over with'." Ron explained with a pointed look at Pansy that made the witch flush.

"How did you know it went badly anyway?" Lavender asked curiously.

Slowly, Harry faced them and began to unbutton his shirt. Fred and George quickly covered Astoria's eyes. The rest stared at The-Boy-Who-Lived as he became The-Man-Who-Stripped.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Oh, for Merlin's sake, get your minds off the gutter! Harry is not stripping in front of you." Then she added quietly, "some things are for my eyes only."

True enough, Harry's shirt buttons were opened only up to the third from the top. He pulled down one side exposing a blackish purple patch of skin just below his shoulder. Ron winced at the sight.

"So I guess this is enough proof how badly the debacle ended?" Harry told them as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Oh, dear. What happened, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"The culprit was apprehended of course. Malfoy and Hermione are my best Aurors after all."

"I mean with Hermione and Malfoy."

"When they came to the Ministry the following morning, they were more aggravated at each other if that was even possible. I was with them at the lift and I went off a floor before my actual stop because I couldn't stand the tension crackling between them." Astoria said.

"I was at my office that time, doing paperwork. Suddenly, one of the other Aurors, Nott, I think barged in the room and demanded I break off Malfoy and Hermione before they kill each other." Harry told them. "Apparently, they were at the Auror training grounds, on the pretense of a sparring match between partners. But you could see the intent to maim in Hermione's eyes, and Malfoy wasn't any better." Harry shivered as he recalled the image. "I began to come closer to stop them when a stray hex hit me. I guess me getting hurt was a good thing, as I don't believe anything short of the Head Auror crumpled in pain by their feet would divert their attention."

"You should have just stunned them." Said Pansy as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Well, sorry for not hexing my best friend and my top Auror."

Pansy responded with an eye-roll.

"That's one plan down the drain, I guess." Spoke Fred thoughtfully. "Any more ideas? Preferably one that might work this time."

"I resent that." Harry chimed in.

"Do you people still think that this is a good idea? Getting Malfoy and Hermione together? I mean, they obviously hate each other!"

"Tut, tut, little sister," George said patronizingly, "I didn't think that you would suggest that something like schoolyard rivalry is a damper of any kind to love."

"Didn't think she'd suggest it while safely cocooned in her Big, Bad, Slytherin's arms, Georgie." Butted in Fred.

"They're right, you know." Ron said suddenly. "Everyone of us here has hated our partners at least at one point in our lives. Yet we're strangely happy in our current predicament. Who's to say that it won't be the same for Hermione and Malfoy too?" Everyone stared at Ron in awe. Suddenly, Fred and George prostrated themselves before Daphne.

"We thank you, m'lady, not only for being the wonderful sister to our lovely, lovely princess," Fred gestured to Astoria, "but also in widening the emotional range of our brother."

"I do think his emotional range is a tablespoon now, Freddy. He has come a long way from the annoying git of last week who only knows how to say 'preposterous' at every new bit of information."

"Shut up." Ron said, reddening slightly, as Daphne chuckled at the twin's antics.

Ginny huffed. "Fine, you got me there. However, let me just say that any future plans about this needs to have supervision throughout to ensure that no blood is spilled." Nobody argued. Everyone knew how explosive their fights could be. Petty bickering between them has ended to a full-blown wizard's duel more times than they care to count.

"I got it!" Blaise exclaimed. "The Zabini monthly gala is next Saturday!"

"Yes!" Lavender replied with equal excitement. "It would be the perfect opportunity to doll Hermione up."

"And make Malfoy pull his head out of his arse." Pansy added.

"And at the same time, let us keep an eye on them." Harry said. "It's perfect, Zabini! You're a bloody genius!"