Chapter 19: Hogsmeade Dating
"Ginny, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" Harry Potter politely asks.
"Sure, Harry." Ginny replies. "What about my brother and Hermione join us at a double date?"
"Great, Ginny." Harry comments. "Then we'll be around to help when he becomes a prat again."
"I still can't believe they made up after the train misunderstanding." Ginny says. "Of course, it probably wouldn't have worked without my little help."
"Little help?" Harry asks. "You said you'd bat-bogey-hex him until he agreed to hear her out."
"It worked, didn't it?" Ginny asks.
The two couples agree with the double date. Later on, they approach the gates and are stopped by Professor Severus "Snivellus" Snape. "May I see your permission slips?" He asks. Ginny hands hers. "You're free to go, Ms. Weasley. But where are the others?"
"Here is mine." Hermione says.
"Mione, we're no longer underage!" Ron exclaims. "Sure, the Muggle World will still say otherwise until you're eighteen but this is the Wizarding World."
"I know." She replies. "That's why I've signed it myself rather than having my parents do it."
"But what's the point of signing the permission if we're no longer underage?" Harry asks.
"It'll work as a disclaimer that'll free Hogwarts from responsibility if something happens to us." Hermione explains. "Harry, didn't you see your slip when you got this year's list?"
"I was so glad to have my parents back I let them handle it all."
"And Ron, have you never heard anything about this from your brothers?" Hermione asks.
"I don't remember about Bill and Charlie." Ron explains. "And I thought Percy was being a prat and that the twins were joking."
"Fortunately the Potters and the Weasleys have anticipated this and sent the forms so they could sign them now." Professor McGonagall explains as she appears.
Later on, the go to the Honeydukes and meet another couple. "Oops, let's get back another time." Ron suggests.
"Why?" Hermione asks.
"Look." He replies, pointing at Draco and some Slytherin girl. "Malfoy."
"So what?" Hermione asks. "He's no longer an enemy. Don't let him ruin our date."
They enter as Draco is leaving. "Potter. Weasleys. Granger. This is my girlfriend Astoria Greengrass. Astoria, I believe you already know them."
"You know, that surname Greengrass seems familiar." Hermione comments after Draco and Astoria leave.
"You must have met her sister Daphne Greengrass during your O.W.L. tests." Ron replies.
"I wonder what happened to Parkinson." Harry says.
"Even Malfoy couldn't stand her for long." Ron replies. After that, they go to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "Harry, do you know what the best part about being here is?"
"Seeing your brothers worship my Dad?" Harry asks.
"Nope. It's the fact Malfoy is no longer allowed here since he was caught using the shop's merchandise to help Voldemort." Ron happily explains.
"Ron, you finally said the name!" Harry exclaims.
"Really? Well, we haven't had any reason to bring him up into conversation lately so I haven't noticed when I stopped fearing the name."
"Ron, I'm so proud of you." Hermione says and then kisses him. Harry then approaches Ron. "You did it to impress Mione, right?" He whispers.
"Totally worth it, mate." Ron replies.
After that, they go to the Shrieking Shack, where they see Draco and Astoria arguing. "Potter, I'm glad you're here." Draco says. "You can help us to settle a bet."
"What bet, Malfoy?" Ron asks.
"I told Astoria I believe that, instead of spirits, this place housed Remus Lupin during his student days so he wouldn't attack anyone even during full moons and she thinks I'm mistaken." Draco explains. "Which one of us is right?"
"You'd love to know anything that would help your Dad to drive Dumbledore away from Hogwarts, wouldn't you, Malfoy?" Ron asks with a triumphant glare.
"Who's trying to drive Dumbledore away?" An ex-werewolf arrives and asks.
"Auror-in-training Lupin, Draco came up with a crazy theory about the Shrieking Shack." Astoria explains and then tells Draco's theory.
"Draco is right." Remus Lupin explains. "That's the truth behind the Shrieking Shack."
"Professor, aren't you afraid the Malfoys will use it against Dumbledore?" Harry asks.
"You can use your newfound prestige to protect him, Harry." Lupin suggests. "And I'm not your professor anymore."
After that, the students head back to Hogwarts.
Please review. About the permission slips, I don't know how they work in canon for seventeen-year-olds. It just came to me while I wrote the chapter. I first imagined Snape trying to use an excuse to pick on the Golden Trio and then it came to me.
