A few days later, it's almost time for the Christmas party - and Bloom's trying to talk to Ron.
He's walking with an air of self-confidence she hasn't seen before - it's a good change, but Bloom just hopes it won't go to his head.
"Look, I can't help it if she's got her knickers in a twist. What Lav and I have, well, let's just say there was no stopping it. It's chemical. Will it last? Who knows. Point is, I'm a free agent."
Bloom lets out a long breath, and says "And your 'free agentness' happens to be tearing Hermione up inside. Fine, be this way. But remember, who exactly helped you study for the OWL's last year?"
Ron stops and goes sheet white as Bloom walks away to find Harry and Hermione.
Harry and Hermione are walking through the stacks, and Hermione says "He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he wants. I really couldn't care less. Was I under the impression that we'd be going together to Slughorn's party? Yes. Given the circumstances now, I'll have to make other arrangements."
Harry says "You think we can go in a group of three? As friends? You, Bloom, and I?"
"Friends? Why didn't I think of that? Thank you for the offer, Harry, and I know Bloom will offer the same, but I just had an idea."
"So, who are you taking?"
Hermione grins for a minute, then says "It's a surprise. Besides, the one we really need to worry about here is you. I know you're taking Bloom, but rumor is Romilda Vane is trying to slip you a love potion."
Harry considers the girl, long, black hair and a fine bone structure - she glances his way and starts making her way over.
Bloom walks up at that very moment, and says "Ron might be a little more discreet now, if nothing else."
Hermione smiles weakly, and says "Thanks. So, you two to the party, hm?"
Bloom blushes and says "Yeah, the three of us could go as friends though, if you want."
Hermione shakes her head, Harry grinning, and says "No, I've got an idea. Thanks anyway though."
Bloom looks confused, but says "Okay, but, be careful on who you take. I really don't want one of my best friends getting in a bad situation."
Hermione nods and walks away, and then Bloom turns and says "Hey Romilda. You heard about Professor Slughorn's party?"
Harry turns to see Romilda standing there, and she says "Yes, actually. Have you found someone to take you?"
Harry says "I'm taking Bloom. Asked her a few nights ago."
Romilda looks shocked, then her eyes dart to their intertwined hands.
At Slughorn's party, Harry's in basic black robes like a tuxedo, while Bloom is in a knee-length, deep blue dress that sparkles and glitters.
Her hair is loose, and looks like a mane of fire going down her to her lower back - Harry thinks he's the luckiest guy in the whole world.
Professor Slughorn has them both take pictures with him - from a former student, no less.
After the pictures, Slughorn has to greet the new Minister of Magical Transportation.
He tells them to mingle, and then moves off into the crowd.
"Drink?" They turn, and see Neville standing there with a tray in his hand.
Bloom's jaw drops, and Harry asks "What are you doing?"
Neville shrugs, and says "Didn't make the cut for the club. It's alright, he's got Belby handing out towels in the loo."
Bloom's look turns to one of anger, and Harry and Neville both see steam coming off the now-bubbling drinks.
Harry grabs her hand and squeezes it hard, and Neville quickly says "It's fine, really. I wasn't all that interested in being part of the club anyway."
Bloom drops her shoulders, and the drinks stop steaming and boiling away. "You're sure?"
Neville grins, and says "Yeah, I'm sure. Does Professor know about-"
Bloom quickly whispers "No!"
She looks around on impulse, then quietly says "No, he doesn't know. And I have no intention of telling him."
Harry grins, and pulls Bloom closer - Neville grins, gives him a thumbs-up as Bloom looks around again, then walks away with his tray.
Bloom suddenly sees a pair of feet sticking out from behind a crimson hanging.
She recognizes those shoes, and goes over and whispers to Hermione "What are you doing?"
Hermione yelps, and pulls Bloom, followed by Harry, behind the curtain.
Her hair is skewed and messed up, and her lipstick is smeared.
Bloom asks "What happened to you?"
"I've just escaped, I mean left, Cormac. Under the mistletoe."
Bloom smacks her hand to her face, gently, then fixes her and Hermione's makeup and hair with a snap of her fingers.
"Hermione, when I told you to be careful, I meant careful of people like Cormac! Why would you come with him?"
"I thought it would annoy Ron the most. But he's a menace! He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant!"
Bloom asks "You didn't know that before? Hermione, next time you need to invite someone to a party, ask me for help picking a guy out. Or, better yet, take Harry and I up on the offer of coming with us as three friends."
Hermione half-chuckles, and a waiter asks "Dragon Tartare?"
Hermione declines, until the waiter says "Just as well, it gives one terrible breath."
"On second thought, maybe it'll keep Cormac at bay."
She pops two in her mouth and grabs the tray, and then Harry peeks out of the curtain to find Cormac headed for the hangings.
"Here comes the man himself!"
Bloom turns Hermione invisible, just before Cormac comes into the space - good thing Harry's holding the tray of snacks, Harry grabbed them as Bloom was rattling off the incantation.
Snape is looking bored on the edge of the party, when he sees yet another person enter the wall hanging.
Bloom asks "Looking for someone?"
"Yeah, Hermione."
He picks one of the blobs off the tray in Harry's hands, and says "Slippery little minx, isn't she? Likes to work her mouth to, yak, yak, yak. What am I eating, by the way?"
Harry can feel the heat in the small space spike, rising with every word out of Cormac's mouth, but Bloom smiles and says "Dragon Balls."
Cormac froze, and then the hanging gets swept aside to reveal Professor Snape.
"What is going on here?" Cormac doesn't answer, just spews all over Snape's shoes.
Snape eyes the damage darkly, then says "You just bought yourself a month of detention McLaggen."
Cormac bolts, and the other occupants of the hanging start to follow.
Snape passes along a message from Dumbledore, wishing them a happy Christmas and telling them that he'd be travelling for a while.
When he leaves, Boom does the reverse incantation for the invisibility spell on Hermione.
Hermione was dying of laughter when Bloom told Cormac he was eating dragon balls, trust Bloom to settle a score like that in some way.
Hermione says "Thanks Bloom, really. You have no idea how much you've saved me tonight."
"I might disappear myself for the rest of the party Hermione. I came, I showed my face, talked with Slughorn. What more exactly do I need to do?"
Suddenly, they hear a familiar voice yell "Get your hands off me, you filthy squib!"
When they all look out, they see Filch holding Draco roughly by the arm and he's looking mad.
"Found this one lurking in an upstairs corridor. Claims to have been invited to you party."
Draco snarls "Alright, I was gate-crashing! Happy now?"
Snape says "I'll escort him out."
Bloom whispers "I'll follow. Be back in a bit guys. Enjoy the party without me."
She quickly turns invisible, then teleports out.
She follows them silently to a deserted corridor, and finds Draco slumped against the wall in lazy insolence and arrogance, and Snape pacing in front of him.
Draco says "Maybe I did hex that Bell girl, maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"
"I swore to protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow. That is not something done or taken lightly-"
Draco yells "I don't need protection. I was chosen for this, me! Out of everyone else, I was chosen! And I won't fail him!"
Snape faces Draco and says "You're afraid, Draco. You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you-"
"No! I was chosen, this is my moment!"
Draco storms off, followed by Snape - and Bloom quickly teleports back outside Slughorn's party and turns visible again.
She finds Harry with Hermione, keeping her in sight and an eye out for Cormac.
She quickly gets over to them through the crowd, avoiding Slughorn and his now-drunk mingling, and whispers "Harry, Hermione, we really need to talk."
"Did you find Draco?"
She nods worriedly, and says "Yeah, that's what we need to talk about."
AN: Ooh, that can't be good. Now Bloom knows for sure something's up - but what? We know Draco's trying to kill Dumbledore in some way, keep reading to find out! PS. Yes, it seems Bloom is totally back to normal once again - really people, dying and coming back to life is not the kind of thing one gets over in a day, she just needed some time to re-wrap her head around the whole scope of her power. Being told you have this power inside you, or discovering it as Bloom did, is not quite the same as actually dying and coming back to life because of it.