The lesson was a lot of fun, we didn't get very far, but we did figure out the basics. Next time we would start on the actual incantation. I stayed with George until dinner time, Fred and Angelina came and we all ate a meal together. I made a pot of vegetable soup, while George fixed up some sandwiches. We ate quickly, chatting happily, before I had to leave. I returned back to Hogwarts to find Harry and Ron waiting for me in the common room. Katie Bell had been attacked by a cursed necklace. Harry was firmly of the opinion that it was Malfoy's doing. The really scary thing was, I couldn't come up with too many arguments against Malfoy being a Death Eater. I honestly believed Harry. It seemed like Draco had indeed joined their ranks.

Harry had another lesson with Dumbledore the next week, and he came back late at night bursting with excitement. He'd gotten to see the first time Dumbledore met Riddle. I personally found the story chilling, how could he have been so scary even as a kid?

The rest of October passed by in a haze of papers and potions. November came, and drifted by dully. George couldn't come to visit, and all Hogsmeade weekends had been canceled until further notice because of the attack on poor Katie. Before I knew it, it was the last week of November.

I was studying in the library with Harry when he suddenly mentioned Slughorn's Christmas party.

"And incidentally," I said after a pause. "you need to be careful." Harry glared at me before responding in a biting tone.

"For the last time, I am not giving back this book . I've learned more from the Half-blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn have taught me in—"

"I'm not talking about your stupid so-called prince," I snapped, I paused and took a breath, attempting to remain calm as I glared at the stupid potion book. Harry still hadn't let it go, becoming, if anything, more attatched to the book. "I'm talking about earlier. I went into the girl's bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane , trying to decide how to slip you a love potion. They're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party, and they all seem to have bought George and Fred's love potions, which I'm afraid to say do work -" I knew the way that George and Fred did there potions, I had no doubt they'd work, and work well. What's more, they didn't come in easy to detect packages…

"Why didn't you confiscate them then?" Harry demanded suddenly, as though it was my fault he could get slipped a potion. Really, did he think so little of me?

"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom" I answered, rolling my eyes in annoyance as I finished a paper. I flipped to a new piece of parchment before continuing, "They were just discussing tactics. As I doubt the Half-blood prince could dream up an antidote for a dozen different love potions at once, I'd just invite someone to go with you, that'll stop all the others thinking they've still got a chance. It's tomorrow night, they're getting desperate."

"There isn't anyone I want to invite." Harry mumbled darkly. I smirked at that, I knew exactly who he would like to invite. He just couldn't even though she'd totally come with him.

"Well, just be careful what you drink, because Romilda Vane looked like she meant business." I told him, dipping my quill in some ink before continuing with my Arithmancy.

"Well, who are you taking?" He asked curiously. Really? He had to ask? George and I had declared our love in front of him, wasn't it obvious.

"George of course." I said, huffing with annoyance. He looked embarrassed and nodded his head as though he expected that.

"Hang on a moment," Harry said suddenly after a brief pause. "I thought Filch had banned anything bought at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"

I sighed at that before replying, "And when has anyone ever paid attention to what Filch has banned?"

"But I thought all the owls were being searched. So how come these girls are able to bring love potions into the school?" How had he not know this?

" George and Fred send them disguised as perfumes and cough potions, it's part of their Owl order service." It was really brilliant honestly, they wouldn't be traceable that way. As much as it annoyed me, it was impossible to be mad at.

"You know a lot about it." Harry said, looking at me suspiciously.

"I'm dating George, of course I know about his business." I answered quickly, I didn't like his tone at all. "I don't go around putting potions in people's drinks."

"Yeah, well, never mind that," Harry said quickly, clearly sensing he'd upset me. "The point is, Filch is being fooled isn't he? These girls are getting stuff into the school disguised as something else! So why couldn't Malfoy have brought the necklace into the school -?"

"Oh, Harry... not that again..." I believed him, I really did. Harry just was so obsessed with Malfoy being a Death Eater that I couldn't listen to it anymore.

"Come on, why not?" Harry asked, sounding indiganant. I sighed again before shutting my book and giving him my full attention.

"I do believe you Harry," I said with a sigh, "However Filch uses, Secrecy Sensors detect jinxes, curses, and concealment charms, doesn't he? They're used to find dark magic and dark objects. They'd have picked up a powerful curse , like the one in the necklace, within seconds. But something that's just been put in the wrong bottle wouldn't register - anyway Love potions aren't dark or dangerous -" Harry cut me off with a glare.

"Easy for you to say," He muttered, he did have a good point. I couldn't know how it felt to be afraid to take a drink of bite of something.

"You're right, I'm sorry. Still, it would be down to Filch to realize it wasn't a cough potion, and he's not a very good wizard, I doubt he can tell one potion from -" I froze and stopped mid sentence when I heard somebody moving in the aisle behind me. Madame Pince, it was well past closing time. I should have been out of here ages ago!

Sure enough, Madame Pince walked around the end of the aisle, rounding on us with a disapproving frown. She still like me, but couldn't stand Harry for some reason.

"The library is now closed," she said glairing darkly at Harry, "Mind you return anything you have borrowed to the correct - what have you been doing to that book, you depraved boy?" She asked in a shocked voice, looking at the Half Blood Prince with nothing short of horror.

"It isn't the library's, it's mine!" Harry yelled, clutching the book to his chest before she could grab hold of it.

" Spoiled!" she hissed . "Desecrated, befouled !" I was having to fight not to laugh at the sight of Pince and Harry fighting over a book. Harry insisted it was his and that it had merely been written in a wee bit.

Madame Pince looked like she was torn between fainting or hitting Harry. I quickly packed my supplies, murmured a spell to return my books, and grabbed Harry by the shoulder right as Madame Pince decided to descend upon him. She glared at our retreating backs, mumbling something about mistreated books.

"She'll ban you from the library if you're not careful. Why did you have to bring that stupid book?" I hissed at him as we exited the library. He glanced at me, looking momentarily ashamed before promptly smiling again.

"It's not my fault she's barking mad, Hermione. Or d'you think she overheard you being rude about Filch? I've always thought there might be something between them..." I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed. Truth was, I suspected she did have something for Filch, not that I'd ever tell Harry. We reached the common room a few minutes later, laughing happily and feeling in the holiday spirits.

"Baubles" Harry said to the Fat Lady, she looked up from her cup of wine and smiled cheerily.

"Same to you," She said with a roguish grin. Creepy, did she really just flirt with Harry? She swung forward with a creak and allowed us through.

We were pounced on the minute we got through the door. "Hi, Harry!" none other than Romilda Vane asked. She glared at me momentarily before turning back to Harry. "Fancy a gillywater?" I snorted as I fought back a laugh at that. Harry glanced at me horrified as I just rolled my eyes. This would have been a brilliant told-you-so moment.

"No thanks," Harry said too quickly, blinking rapidly. He backed up a step and stood next to me, tense and nervous.. "I don't like it much." He finished, lying, I knew he rather enjoyed a gillywater.

"Well, take these anyway," Romilda said, completely undeterred. She thrust a box of something in his hands, grinning in what she thought was a seductive way, but really just made her look like her stomach was upset. "Chocolate Cauldrons, they've got firewhiskey in them. My gran sent them to me, but I don't like them." Firewhiskey indeed, I bet it would leave him breathless alright. Plus, she wasn't even old enough to have Firewhiskey.

"Oh- right - thanks a lot." Harry stuttered, looking terribly uncomfortable. He clutched the box tightly, looking around the room, clearly hoping for some sort of escape. I had mercy on him and grabbed his arm.

"Harry and I are going over there, talk to you later, Romilda." She glared at me as I took Harry's arm and led him away. I made a big show of laying out papers and books. She huffed after a moment and headed towards the dormitory.

"Told you," I said, unable to suppress a giggle at his obvious worry. "Sooner you ask someone, sooner they'll all leave you alone and you can -" I stopped, wondering what had gained his attention, I let my eyes drift around the room and saw him staring at Ginny snogging Dean.

Oh dear.

"Umm, have you seen Ron?" I asked quickly, trying not to sound like I was searching for a way to change the subject.

Harry answered without moving his eyes. "He's with Luna. They've been spending a lot of time together."

"He really likes her." I said off handedly, looking over Harry's Charm essay and making a few corrections.

"Never would have pictured the two of them together." Harry said, finally giving me his full attention. My lips quirked up in a smile and I nodded my head.

"Yep, Ron and Luna, they seem to work though, don't they?" Harry laughed and nodded his head.

"They're both kind of Looney." He replied, smiling finally. I grinned even wider, handing him back his Charms essay.

"So," he asked after looking over my corrections. "Who do you think I should ask?" I nibbled on the end of my quill as I thought that over.

"Some one who would like to go but isn't actually invited. Someone who knows you'll be going as a friend." I said, mulling over the possibilities in my head.

"How about Parvarti?"

He started at that, staring at me with a cocked eyebrow. "Pavarti?" He said, talking as though he thought it was a crazy idea.

"Well, yeah," I said, trying not to sound too defensive. "She's been dying to go, and she knows you are just a friend. Plus, you've gone out with her before." I finished, wringing my hands nervously. I didn't want to hurt his feelings or make him more uncomfortable, I had thought it was a good idea. Maybe it hadn't been…

"Yeah," he finally said, smiling slightly. "That's not a bad idea. You sure she wouldn't mind?"

"No," I answered, letting out a relieved sigh. "She won't mind at all."

A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Hope you like this chapter :)