Chapter 19

"Over My Head"

_THE FUCKING TRUTH_

It's the day before Valentine's Day and I don't have a Valentine, Angelina says she's still thinking about that date. I won't take no for an answer so think yes! If you haven't found the perfect gift for that special someone I recommend you get a move on it. Or if you will be celebrating alone, Derwent Shimpling will be performing his new comedic routine entitled "Loves a Bitch" tomorrow night at the Three Broomsticks.

Now to ruin the day, Rita Skeeter's book "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore" is being released for the first time in France, Spain, and the states. It's complete rubbish, if you know anyone who lives in those countries you might want to inform them that the life and lies described in this book really are in fact lies before they waste their money. She also announced her new book will be on the shelves soon "Snape: Scoundrel or Saint?"

On the cover of "Witch Weekly" is Aidan Lynch, of the Kenmare Krestals, he has won most charming smile. Aw, isn't that sweet… anyway, did you know that Nargles are real? This really just blows my mind. In this week's issue of the Quibbler there is an article about them. Neville Longbottom has actually captured one. They really are quite hideous. Neville is a great addition to the magazine, he's actually proving these crazy things always listed in here are real, I see more people actually reading it rather than using it as owl cage liner. Personally I signed up for a subscription... "What's so Prickly About a Prickly Pine Toad Stool"… sorry I got side tracked, reading the Quibbler, this article sounds interesting, listen to Lucy Wales singing, "Mountain Beast" while I read it… oh yeah this is The Fucking Truth.

Harry sat across from Angelina. They were at the Leaky Cauldron having lunch.

"What should I get Ginny for Valentine's Day?" he asked her.

"I don't know, definitely no chocolates, flowers, or stuffed animals. That's extremely stupid and girls don't really like that stuff, it's over done and requires no thought," she answered stirring her tea.

"Ginny would never like any of that stuff anyway… well the chocolates perhaps," Angelina smiled at Harry as he said this.

"Harry are you in love?" She questioned with a devilish grin.

Harry nodded as he turned bright red, Angelina started laughing, "What's so funny about that?" he asked defensively.

"It's not funny at all. It's quite cute actually how you get all flustered when you say that you love her. It's like it's the first time you've said it," she laughed.

"Well it's not," Harry tried to keep a straight face.

"Oh my god, that's so sweet that it always feels like the first time," she giggled. "Are you two really serious?"

"Yes" Harry said as he thought to himself serious enough to be engaged.

"What about a promise ring or a locket or something like that," suggested Angelina. Harry smirked at that, "What? It was only a suggestion," she responded to his look.

"I constantly think about Ginny, in fact I'm thinking about her right now. Fred and George gave me this map of Hogwarts that shows where everyone is at all times and sometimes I pull it out to just watch Ginny's name moving about the castle." Angelina smiled at the sweetness, "I have spent a great deal of my savings fixing up 12 Grimmauld Place."

"Wait, what's at 12 Grimmauld Place and what does that have to do with Ginny," she questioned shaking herself back to reality.

"It's the house of Black, Sirius Black left it to me when he died…" he paused and thought if he should tell her about him and Ginny, "you must swear never to tell anyone what I'm about to share with you," he insisted sternly.

"I swear on Dumbledore's Army," she lifting her right hand.

"I haven't even told Ron and Hermione. Especially not Ron he would kill me…" He looked around, he leaned in and whispered, "Ginny and I are engaged," she was sipping her tea which she spit out at that moment right into Harry's face.

"Sorry!" She said handing him a napkin.

"It's alright, I was a bit shocked myself when I proposed," he said while taking off his glasses and wiping them.

"Engaged? You're so young and she's still in school," Angelina said in disbelief.

"We're not getting married until she's through with school and we're going to need a place to live when we do so I had the house fixed up, it's a beautiful place it just hadn't been lived in for years," He looked through his glasses then put them back on.

"I suppose we all knew you two would get married eventually, just not this soon… I'm happy for you Harry I'm glad you finally have something that makes you happy," she smiled at him, "You better have a wicked house warming and I better be invited!"

_RON AND DRACO'S FLAT_

Draco rolled out of bed and yarned as he went to the kitchen to get a drink. "WHOA!" he fell to the ground, "What the fuck!" He stood up and turned on the light, "Weasel why the hell are you lying in the middle of the floor?"

Ron was lying on the floor by the front door blocking the way into the kitchen.

"I just got home and I was too tired to make it to my room," he replied rolling over onto his back.

"Do you have to be tired right there," he stepped over him and went into the fridge.

"I don't complain when you work over time," he yarned

"When I work overtime I make it to my room," he said pouring pumpkin juice into a glass.

"Trust me I will never do this again," he struggled to get off the floor.

"Can't handle the pressure," Draco smirked

"I can handle the pressure, it's the lack of sleep that's bothering me," he walked around to the counter on the living room side and took a seat.

"So does this mean you're not going to the Dirty Boot Tonight," asked Draco.

"Of course I'm going, now that Hermione and I are friends again I won't be skipping anymore outings," he rested his elbows on the counter and put his head in his hands, "I wonder how she would feel about getting back together," he thought out loud.

"I wouldn't recommend it," he took a sip of his juice.

"Why not, things are back to normal, we fight and get over it all the time," said Ron.

"That maybe so but those other times you weren't together. Hostility tends to stick after a relationship."

Ron sat up straight and took an accusing tone, "how would you know? How many relationships have you been in?"

"I have a lot more experience then you think Weaselby," he poured the rest of his juice into the sink, "not to mention I know how she feels about you and you don't." He left the kitchen and returned to his room.

_THE FUCKING TRUTH_

It's about that time again when I must leave you with only the best music ever to remember me by as I head off into the night to party my ass off! Let's kick off the uninterrupted music time with, "The Trolls" on the Fucking Truth.

_THE SIGHLER_

"How much longer are you going to be here?" Hermione yelled down the bar to Draco. It was Friday night and Draco was working an extra shift.

"I told Shawn, the weekend bartender, that I would take his shift until one," he said filling a drink order. Draco had gotten pretty good at this, he moved quickly could talk about anything without getting orders mixed up. He could operate the cash register without problems unlike Ron who ends up hitting it until it does what he wants.

"We're going to be late," she complained.

"Only by an hour, you don't have to wait for me you know," he placed a beer down in front of a man at the end of the counter and walked back down to Hermione.

"I don't have a problem waiting," she said drumming her fingers on the counter.

"Obviously you do," he put his hand on hers to stop the tapping, she stopped and he removed his hand, "your red headed weepy eyed ex questioned my relationship experience today," Draco poured Hermione a glass of white wine and placed it in front of her.

"Why would he do that," she took a sip of the wine. "Does he not want to believe that you've had more conquest then him?"

Draco snorted, "What would Weasel know about conquest? Who would he have slept with beside you if that even happened?" Hermione looked down into her glass, "I'm sorry," he said to her reaction, "I didn't realize that you two have ever gotten that close…"

"Of course you didn't know, I didn't tell you, but it did make the break up harder," Hermione took another sip of her wine.

"First time"

"First love," She looked up at Draco, "he wasn't my first time, just the first person I loved."

Draco's eyes widen in shock, "Granger a worldly woman, who knew you'd ever go pass holding hands before marriage."

Hermione laughed, "I resent that and I'm not that worldly he was only the second guy I'd been with and I'm quite sure I was his first time."

"That bad," Hermione stuck her fingers in her wine and flicked it at Draco, he smirked. "If you don't mind me asking, who was the first?"

"Viktor," she said simply and took another sip of her wine.

"You slept with Viktor Krum? I never would have expected that," he paused for a moment to go take someone's drink order.

He came back over, "You're the only person I ever told. So if anyone ever finds out I know it was you."

"I won't say a word, but when did this happen?"

"Fourth year during the tournament, right before the black lake challenge, wasn't planned… it just sort of happened… I was curious so I went with it," She swirled around her wine.

A tall muscular boy with dark curly hair came in the front door, "we can go, Shawn just came in." Draco began to take off his apron.

Shawn came over putting on his apron, "thanks mate."

"No problem…" Hermione cleared her throat. Draco looked up at her and smirked, "I'm sorry this is Granger," he said introducing her.

Shawn and Hermione shook hands, "Actually it's Hermione," she smiled sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you," he smiled back. "I have to get to work," he said as another couple of people sat down at the bar, "cheers."

Draco and Hermione left the Sighler. They were walking up the street to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Very subtle flirting," commented Draco.

"I wasn't flirting," she protested

"Your right, cause that was absolutely pathetic," Hermione elbowed him. "Ow! I really would appreciate if you would stop hitting me."

"You're just mad because you know I can take you down," she said smartly

"Yeah right," he snorted, "just because you may have slapped me once…"

Hermione took a swing at him. Draco grabbed her arm before it hit him and spun her around. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up.

"Put me down!" she laughed

"I told you," he smirked, "you weren't going to win."

He put her down. People were staring at them as they continued playing down the street.

_THE DIRTY BOOT_

As usual the feeling at the Dirty Boot was full of excitement in the deserted place. Too many drinks and terrible dancing had become the social outlet for this group of friends.

"It's actually really fascinating," Lee was flipping through the Quibbler.

"Now that Neville here has proven what's real and what's straight from the imagination of Xenophilius Lovegood," commented Ron.

"He has actually been right about most of the things he named," said Neville.

"I think it's really great that you're doing something that you're truly passionate about," Hermione said to Neville.

"Thanks, Seamus is trying to get me to write a book so he can do the P.R for the release," he laughed as he looked over at Seamus dancing with Lavender.

"Maybe you should," suggested Ron. "You really know your stuff."

"Ron's right, you do know your stuff and the update on plant life would be greatly appreciated. I was in Flourish and Blotts last week and the latest book they had was written in 1981," Hermione informed.

"Maybe I will," Neville looked up at the ceiling getting lost in his own world.

Padma was leaning against the bar talking to Harry. Draco walked up and was ordering a drink. Padma excused herself from Harry and went over to Draco who was just about to take a sip of his drink when Padma grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the corner.

"Hey! What no Aidan tonight so you figured you'd take your sexual aggression out on me?" He took a sip of his drink, "you're fit but no thanks."

Padma punched him in the arm, "for your information he doesn't go out the night before games… Now, how long have you been in love with Hermione?"

Draco choked on his drink. Padma hit him on the back, "what the hell are you talking about! I'm not in love with Hermione!"

Padma smiled, "then why did you just call her Hermione?"

"That's her name isn't it," he tried to cover up.

"Uh huh and you always call her Granger," Padma's smile widened

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Draco was looking extremely pale, "I have to go," he set his glass down on the nearest table and rushed out of the pub.

"Over My Head" The Fray