A/N: Okay, so I was planning on this story being a one shot about...oh...three chapters ago. Yet somehow, it is still going. A few days ago a posted a second chapter for a friend of mine, then this idea kind of spewed out. Tell me what you think! Sorry this chapter is short and not as funny, I will update soon. Love you all and thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!
Almost a year had passed since that fateful Valentine's day. Inter-house relations had improved drastically. The house tables were still in place, but no one sat according to house-at least, not until today they hadn't. Unfortunately, the Slytherin and Gryffindor truce had fallen through after a particularly nasty fall out of Hermione and Snape's, in which he bade her never return to the dungeon. Her house defended her, the Slytherins had defended Snape, and that was the end of the peace. Tonight, they strode in together, glaring at the other houses defiantly.
Dumbledore promptly stood. "My dear Slytherins. Congratulations! You have indeed learned from the other houses. Such bravery! Truly Gryffindor of you!"
He raised his wand and the Slytherins screamed, diving for all the other tables. Too late. The cupids once again regained control of the Great Hall. This time, the students were prepared. Ron jumped onto Gryffindor table. "Plan 472! Ravenclaw, MOVE!" As one, the Ravenclaws began conjuring books to throw. Susan Bones jumped up next to Ron.
"Broomsticks" She ordered, and every Quidditch player in the room summoned their brooms. She nodded at the Slytherins, who stood meekly, unsure if the escape plan still included them. "Yes, you too. Draco, Blaise - First years!"
Without panicking, they began a swift evacuation. The Ravenclaws and Hermione began to wingardium leviosa the books to the Quidditch players, who immediately began an aerial bombardment on the cupids. The Slytherins formed a defensive wall, behind which the first years were swiftly herded out of the Hall by the rest of the students. The Slytherins followed, wands still held at the ready but unused. As soon as everyone else was clear, the Air Force (so dubbed by Colin Creevy) dove sharply, extended a hand to the student who had been supplying their ammo, pulled them onto the broom, and sped to the Shrieking Shack.
Sure enough, the Whomping Willow proved quite the effective defense against the cupids, and Dumbledore was forced to concede defeat. A mighty cheer arose from the tunnel when he vanished the cupids. Dumbledore pressed his wand to his throat. "Impressive. I hope this has been a good reminder of why inter house unity is so important. Merry Christmas!"
The next morning found Hogwarts in a state of great cheer. An uneasy truce had developed between Slytherin and Gryffindor- whenever Dumbledore could see, they would not fight. This lasted up until a week from Christmas break, when the students arrived for the pre-Christmas feast. Ginny Weasley and Blaise Zabini had arrived at the same time, and he attempted to shove past her.
"Get to your rightful place, blood traitor." He hissed softly, smiling sweetly in case Dumbledore could see them. She favored him with a grin that did nothing to hide the ice in her eyes.
"Why thank you," she responded acidly, stepping gracefully around him and through the door. He cursed and moved to get one last shove in, only to run directly into her.
She swore. "What the bloody hell, Zabini! Dumbledore can see us!"
A cheerful voice sounded from directly behind her. "Au contrair, Miss Weasley, I have my eyes focused quite firmly above you."
They automatically cringed and glanced upwards. When no cupid appeared, they looked back at him in confusion. "It has come to my attention," Dumbledore intoned, his voice ringing through the now silent hall, "That all inter house hostilities have not ceased. As you have successfully defeated my cupids and they are rather out of season anyway, I have developed a new way to improve inter house relations. Oh, look! Mistletoe!"
He beamed at Ginny and Blaise, who stood horrified beneath it, their feet firmly stuck to the ground. Dumbledore continued on, unperturbed. "Not to fear, it will appear only when two people of different genders within the same age range are underneath. Cheers!"
Ginny gaped in horror. "He...enchanted...mistletoe?" Blaise nodded grimly.
"Attacking mistletoe... I suddenly cannot wait for Christmas to end. Listen, I need to call a strategy meeting. This could get real ugly real fast. Will you tell Ravenclaw?" Ginny nodded swiftly.
"Just don't tell Ron how we found out about it, okay?" A quick peck on the lips and they parted, both sprinting for their respective towers. Halfway there, she ran straight into Harry. She cringed and glanced up in exasperation as she felt her feet stick tightly to the floor.
"Listen, Dumbledore enchanted mistletoe to trap anyone of the same age and different gender underneath it until they kiss. Sorry!" She kissed him quickly. "Tell everyone!"
She ran on, leaving Harry gaping after her. She was at the Ravenclaw entrance when Terry Boot came up behind her. She cursed loudly and threw herself out of the range of the stupid mistletoe. A quick hex had him frozen a safe distance away.
"Terry, no offense, but I do not want to kiss you right now. We have an emergency. Dumbledore has created attacking mistletoe to force more inter house cooperation. Apparently he found out about the SlythGryff feud. Anyone within the same age group of a different sex is stuck in place until they kiss. Can you tell Ravenclaw and meet us in the Room of Requirement? Have the boys travel in one group and the girls in another, and for the love of Merlin don't let the groups get too close to each other." She spun around, lifting the hex and sprinting for the Gryffindor tower.
She reached the tower with no further incidents to find the girls on one side of the common room and the boys on another. She sighed in relief.
"Oh, good. I see Harry found you. School wide meeting in the Room of Requirement – now. Boys, you go first. Avoid all passages that any other house might take, I don't know which sex they are sending first. I will be directing traffic in the corridor we will all have to share. Hermione, come with me, we need to talk." The two girls sped out of the common room, running carefully towards the RoR.
"Mione, what happened between you and Snape? We've respected your privacy, but it had so better be worth dodging boys until after Christmas." Hermione sighed.
"The usual. He said I was a know-it-all, I said he was a greasy git, some second year asked if it was true we were engaged, he said we weren't even friends, and I got my feelings hurt. I said we were not going to be until he apologized, and he has not."
Ginny glared at her suspiciously. "I'm not buying that. You are both too upset. What really happened?"
Hermione groaned at how perceptive her friend was. "Well, I might have thrown in some comments that were slightly below the belt."
Ginny arched an eyebrow. "Let me guess...literally?"
Hermione flushed crimson. "I was really angry! He said some equally terrible things!" Ginny roller her eyes.
"I'm sure he did, but Snape is a proud man he is definitely not just going to forgive you for that! Never mind, we will finish this conversation later." They had arrived.