Chapter 13
Luna decided to wait for Gabrielle to finish her date with Harry before speaking with her. It would probably be best to approach her and not the other way around.
She hid behind some suits of armor and waited for Harry to drop her off in front of the school's entryway.
While she was pleased to see Gabrielle decide to leave Harry with a kiss, she still felt some trepidation at having to explain herself.
It gave her the jittery bugs and they didn't feel so good in her tummy.
Or it was those worms she had eaten earlier.
Slimy yet satisfying.
At any rate, the moment that Harry left, she heard Gabrielle say: "I know you're there Luna."
She sighed and came out behind her hiding place.
"How did you know?" Luna asked in wonder, "I was even thinking invisible thoughts."
"I may have seen you playing footsy with that suit of armor...or maybe I'm psychic and I'm trying to make you a part of a harem," Gabrielle answered.
As usual, Gabrielle was bold and came right out with what she wanted to discuss.
"I suppose I owe you an explanation," Luna replied slowly.
Getting in trouble for being naughty wasn't at all as fun as she had thought.
Her daddy never punished her, even when she claimed she was a bad girl.
In her storybooks, the bad kids always seemed to get rewarded. Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, etc.
Maybe she could be a bad girl to Harry and get punished, perhaps even a spanking!
"I would sure appreciate it before I start drawing any unfavorable conclusions," Gabrielle asked of her.
"Does Harry know anything?" Luna asked, wanting to get that out of the way.
Him finding out could ruin everything.
If Gabrielle had said something...well she had a plan for that, but it was rather messy and would lead to Harry speaking in a Russian accent for the rest of his life.
That wasn't exactly her favorite accent, but if she had to, she would.
"No, he doesn't, I just agreed with him that you were crazy although I might set him straight if I feel I have to," Gabrielle responded.
"No! Don't do that!" Luna begged.
"Like I said, I want to hear your side of the story first," Gabrielle told her.
Luna paused before saying, "Would you believe me if I said the nargles made me do it?"
"I find it pretty unlikely that nargles would do that," Gabrielle said.
After sighing, Luna finally decided to just tell her everything and once she opened her mouth, it just opened up like a flood, partially because she had been dying to tell someone all along and now finally could.
She told her about wanting to have lots of friends and wanting to be with Harry but also share him, and also her involvement in manipulating things so that it would happen.
Gabrielle listened to all of it before saying shrewdly, "you do realize how crazy that is right?"
"There's nothing fun that isn't at least a little crazy," Luna responded wisely.
"True," Gabrielle agreed, "however I should probably point out that you don't seem to be paying attention to what Harry or any of those girls really want."
"Yes, I am!" Luna insisted.
"How so?" Gabrielle demanded.
"They've still got their agency. They can still choose to fall in love and be happy or not. Besides I'm doing it for them," Luna argued.
"So how many girls are going to be in this harem anyway?" Gabrielle asked, "all of those girls that Harry has dated?"
"No," Luna answered, "just some of them. The others need to date Harry for other reasons."
"Such as?" Gabrielle queried.
"I want them to be happy too and that is the only way to achieve it," Luna argued.
She had to admit her negotiating skills were poor, but she was doing her best.
Gabrielle took a deep breath before saying, "Alright. Well you're going to have to allow me some more time to think about all this, can you do that for me?"
"Of course I can, busty friend forever," Luna answered.
"Thanks Luna," Gabrielle said.
Luna hoped that Gabrielle would make the right decision...or she would have to activate plan boring, and plan boring wasn't nearly as good.
TOOMANYTOOMANY
Harry woke up the next morning, yet chose to linger in bed and think about a few things.
First, he did not, for the first time in over a week, have any dates to go on or anything else to do for that matter that evening.
He figured he'd be looking forward to it, but now that he tried to think of what to do, he realized he couldn't think of anything better.
Truth be told, this past week had changed him. No longer was he the famous boy-who-lived who was only friends with Ron and Hermione.
He had mostly kept other people at a distance since he had always figured that they were only thinking of him as the boy-who-lived or a triwizard champion.
Now however he knew that simply wasn't true and that he was a genuinely likeable person under his own merits.
That however introduced a whole new slew of problems. Before he could ignore interest from girls because he was really only interested in them in return if they actually liked him as just Harry, and while the majority of girls probably were just interested in him because of his fame, there were plenty who just plain liked him.
Also surprising was just how much he liked them back. His interest in girls was no longer relegated to just a few girls such as Cho Chang, but many others.
It didn't even seem to matter what their body type was, they could be short or tall, fat or thin, he just liked girls and he liked spending time with them.
Of course, he liked certain girls more than others, Padma and Daphne immediately coming to mind.
He definitely intended to at least become good friends with them, but there was also something exciting about going out on a date with a new girl.
You didn't know enough about her to see how the date would go and it was all kind of a mystery.
So he had to ask himself the question...did he want to continue dating a lot?
The answer to that question was yes, he realized.
Yet what should he do about the girls he had already dated and had a good time with?
He wanted to cultivate at least good friendships with many of them and go on other dates in the future.
Perhaps he could go on two dates a week. Not the extreme every day of the week like he had been doing, but still a vigorous amount of dating and perhaps one with a girl he had already dated and one with a girl he hadn't dated before.
What about Padma and Daphne though?
He definitely wanted to see them more than at most once a week.
Well he'd have to figure something else out for them then.
Daphne however hinged on talking to her first.
It was not without a small amount of guilt that he hadn't yet talked to her after their date a few nights ago, partially because he just wasn't sure what to say.
That would have to be on his to-do list for the day, which also now involved him finding a date for George Weasley, ordering a few Christmas presents, organizing his trunk, making his bed...
On second thought skip that last one. What teenage boy actually made his bed without being asked?
With the time now saved from completing such an obviously grueling and time-consuming task, he turned his attention to the first thing on his list: finding a date for George.
He had considered simply blowing it off, but he figured he should probably at least try...and this time he wasn't going to get himself a date with the girl instead as he had with Ron.
That only caused him to think of Ron. While he really should be upset that Ron was no longer his friend, he really wasn't as he was finding that he could easily fill that space with much better friends than him.
If they were girls, and attractive girls at that...well that was even better.
Of course, his oldest friend, which also happened to be a girl, Hermione had more than proven that she was a good friend to him, and he'd never want that to change.
Perhaps he could get Hermione to go with George.
That was an interesting idea, he thought.
Not that he was trying to win the bet Fred and George had but...Hermione was attractive now that he thought about it.
She was also very smart and was actually good company when she wasn't stressing out or nagging him about something.
In truth, at least to him, Hermione was actually quite a catch and any boy should be lucky to have a date with her.
Perhaps he was just biased, but then again if George really was going to have Professor McGonagall judge, bias would undoubtedly help him.
Hermione was clearly one of Professor McGonagall's favorite students so he'd have a major advantage there.
It also occurred to him that Hermione had helped him a lot with his dating problems and even gotten him a date herself with Hannah, so he figured he'd try and return the favor.
Having decided he got up to go find her.
It did not take him long, finding her in the common room currently reading a book.
"Hey Hermione," He greeted as he sat down in the armchair next to hers.
"Hey Harry," She replied without looking up from her book.
"Um, I was wondering if you had any plans for tomorrow night?" He asked her.
At this she looked up and asked curiously, "No, why do you ask?"
"I actually kind of got wrangled into going on a double date with George Weasley and we're supposed to find each other dates and I thought of you," He stated.
She looked down at her book again and said, "I don't think that's such a good idea Harry."
"I would have said the same thing about you setting me up with Hannah," Harry commented, "I realize George may not seem to be your type, but it's only one date. Or are you worried because you want to be exclusive with Krum?"
Hermione sighed.
"It's not that, I'm just wondering why me," Hermione told him.
"Well honestly, I couldn't think of anyone that could possibly be a better date," He admitted.
She seemed to brighten at that.
"You really think so?" She asked hesitantly.
"Well yeah, you're my oldest and best friend and I know you'd make a good date for any guy," Harry argued, "besides, I kind of want to thank you for all the dating help you've been giving me."
"It's really nothing Harry," Hermione said.
"Still I just want you to know I appreciate it," Harry replied gratefully, "it really means a lot to me and I couldn't have done it without you."
He gave her a quick hug.
She seemed a tad surprised, but returned the hug nevertheless.
He had admittedly never been very hugsy with Hermione, but his recent experience with girls had caused him to open up more to it.
She nodded and then said, "Okay, then I guess I will go on this double date with you."
"Thanks Hermione, I'll try to make sure George behaves himself," He said.
"If he tries to prank me..." She warned.
"If he tries to prank you, I'll make sure he gets punished so badly he won't want to pull another prank again," Harry insisted.
In truth this would be a favor to George. What he might do would be nothing to what Hermione could do to him.
"What a loss to the world," Hermione answered sarcastically.
"Yeah what would we do without George's pranks?" He agreed.
After speaking to Hermione, he went down to breakfast to find that Padma was actually sitting at the Gryffindor table.
She even knew to sit at his regular spot at the table.
After sitting down next to her, she explained: "I figured I'd shake things up and sit at your table this morning."
"Works for me," He agreed with a shrug of his shoulders.
They were only just starting to eat when the Weasley twins came by with grins on their faces.
"Good news Harry, we found you a date," Fred told him.
"More like I found him a date," George corrected him, "a very good, sure to win date."
"We're not going to tell you who it is though," Fred insisted in a singsong voice.
Padma looked at him playfully and asked, "What's the matter Harry? Have you fallen so far that you are desperate enough to get other people to get you dates again? You really should have asked me, I could have helped you out."
"I don't know, do you know any beautiful girls who'd like to go out with me?" He cheekily replied.
"I can think of one," She answered just as cheekily.
"Then I simply must meet this girl," He claimed as he looked back at her.
"We want to meet her too," George claimed, "maybe if me and Fred are good boys, Harry will gift us with some dates he doesn't have time for."
"Nope, they're all for me," Harry argued teasingly, "I'm addicted to dating now."
"Then that would make us your date dealers," Fred commented with a grin.
"Perhaps we should expand into a new market," George agreed, "dates for desperate celebrities."
Deciding to finally explain to Padma what was going on, he told her, "Fred and George decided to bet each other who could get a better date for the other on a double date, me or George."
"I see," Padma answered, "well, I noticed that you didn't ask me."
He nearly coughed at that.
"I would have asked you, but picking you would have been an automatic win and been too easy," Harry said, rather proud of himself of thinking of such an answer on the fly.
"You know I have to agree with you Harry," George said, "which is why I'm grateful he didn't ask you, although you are a twin, and who doesn't like twins?"
Fred and George both clapped each others hands at that.
Padma sighed and said, "Do you get the "because we're the only twins at Hogwarts, we should totally hook up" thing that people keep spouting?"
"Are you suggesting something?" Fred coyly asked with a grin.
"Absolutely not," Padma said, sounding a tad annoyed, "sorry, but you and your brother just aren't my type."
"Well what is your type so we can match it?" George asked.
Padma looked over at Harry and said, "Oh, handsome, dark hair, beautiful emerald green eyes."
Fred sighed and said, "I guess that means we'd better get working on a spell to change our appearances."
"Forget it dear brother, we've lost her, she's already fallen for boy-who-scored over here," George told his brother as he put his hand on his back for comfort.
"Shame," Fred agreed, "so Padma, about that sister of yours?"
You had to give credit to Fred for trying to bounce back.
Padma laughed and said, "I don't think you're her type either."
"Don't tell me, dark hair and emerald green eyes is her thing too?" George asked.
Padma was about to reply, when Fred cut in.
"If you have a threesome with Harry, can we at least watch?" Fred begged.
Both he and Padma spluttered at that.
"You don't have to answer that," Harry cautioned, trying to save her from any further embarassment...and himself as well.
"Good because I'm not going to," She replied hastily.
"Would you mind not bothering her like that?" Harry asked of the twins.
"Woah, just take it easy Harry," Fred answered, "I was only trying to help you out."
"I don't need help to get laid," Harry replied.
Had he really just said that?
"Oh ho, I had no idea we had a little stud here," George answered.
"Hold on, no way Harrikins is that good," Fred said, seeming unable to believe it.
"What are you talking about?" Padma asked as she laid a kiss on Harry, "he's definitely good."
Both twins were stunned to silence, quite possibly a first for them at Padma's assertion.
"All right Harry, you win," George said, still sounding surprised.
"You mean he won the dating contest?" Fred tried to pry out of him.
"No, absolutely not, I'm still going to win that," George insisted, "Harry might...dare I say it...be better than us with the ladies."
"No, say it isn't true!" Fred pleaded.
"We might as well give up now," George said sadly.
"I'm going to join a monastery," Fred told his brother.
"I'll join you, at least we'll get to continue to call each other brother," George remarked.
Both twins retreated and headed down to the end of the table, shaking their heads.
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," Padma apologized, "if you want me to go set them straight or something..."
"That was brilliant!" He commented, "it totally shut them up."
"Of course now everyone is going to think we had sex," Padma pointed out.
"Oh, right," He answered, just now realizing that.
"Although it would make me famous, being the girl who took the boy-who-lived's virginity and made him a man," Padma observed.
He blushed at that, before saying, "I wouldn't be too upset about that."
Once again, feeling like he stuck his foot in his mouth, he apologized, "I didn't mean..."
"I know," She said with a blush now on her face, "not now of course, but in the future...I wouldn't be too upset either."
"Yeah," He agreed, still feeling awkward.
Padma then decided to change the subject, "so who did you get to go on a date with George?"
"Hermione," He admitted.
"Hermione?" Padma asked with some surprise.
"I figured it was a good choice," He said.
"Uh huh," Padma said, sounding as if she was not willing to really answer.
"What are you not telling me?" He queried.
"I'm just surprised you'd be willing to set Hermione up on dates with other guys that's all," Padma answered.
"Why wouldn't I? Hermione is a great girl and she deserves to have some fun. Any guy would be lucky to have her," Harry replied.
"I totally agree Harry," Padma said supportively.
There then was a brief pause before Padma decided to change the subject again.
"Who would you get if you were trying to set me up on a date?" She asked.
He pretended to give it some thought before giving his answer.
"Um...Goyle," He answered.
She laughed and said, "Goyle huh? You really think Goyle would be perfect for me"
"Well no, but it would make me look better in comparison," Harry admitted.
"Ah, so that's your plan, hope that I go out with awful guys so that I'll realize how great you are?" Padma teased.
"Well I realize that we're going to be dating other people, but I also don't want to lose you to somebody better," Harry confessed.
"Oh, well in that case, I should probably start setting you up with awful dates too, you know, to help with your dating addiction," Padma claimed with a smile.
"Ah, and what totally awful girl did you have in mind?" He queried.
"How about Lavender?" Padma suggested jokingly.
"What's wrong with Lavender?" Harry asked, even though he knew perfectly well what.
"Oh, just that I think she would be too ditsy and wears way too much makeup for you," Padma replied.
"Actually I kind of like having fun with Lavender and she's pretty," Harry said, "so the joke would be on you."
"Well in that case, maybe I should get you and Lavender together, you'd make such a great couple," She teased.
"Don't worry, I'll send you a wedding invitation," Harry answered.
"Hey Lavender, you want to go on a date with Harry?" Padma said.
It was clear that Padma was only joking again, but Lavender looked up from her seat further down the table and said, "Sure."
Harry shot Padma an angry look.
Padma whispered hastily, "Sorry, I forgot I was sitting at the Gryffindor table."
It was an honest mistake, but it still put him in a dilemma.
She really had been right, he really wasn't all that interested in Lavender. In addition to being the school gossip, it was widely believed that Lavender was becoming the school slut.
When not wearing her mandatory school robes to classes, she always wore very short shorts and low cut tops to show off just as much of her body as she could.
While some guys liked that and were after her because they considered her easy, he himself was not impressed.
Of course, her rather ditsy and gossipy personality were also deterrents to him.
However, Padma had already asked and he didn't want to embarrass anyone...besides himself...by setting the record straight.
Besides, it might be a way to get back at Padma by actually agreeing.
He looked over at Lavender and announced, "How about Friday at 7?"
"Sure," Lavender agreed with a grin on her face, no doubt just waiting to discuss it endlessly with Parvati.
"What are you doing?" Padma whispered to him, looking angry.
"I thought you wanted me to date Lavender?" He pointed out with a grin.
Now louder so that Lavender could hear, he said, "Great, I'll see you then."
Lavender immediately turned to Parvati who was sitting next to her and started talking excitedly with her.
"Why did you do that?" Padma demanded.
"What? Get a date?" He asked.
"With Lavender," Padma replied, sounding frustrated.
"The way I see it, no matter what I do, I seem to get lots of dates anyway. At least this way, I get to choose my dates," Harry commented.
"With Lavender though?" Padma argued, "do you know what a Lavender date means?"
He shook his head.
"Come with me," She said, as she got up from her seat.
He followed her, wondering what the big deal was.
Perhaps she was bothered a lot more by him dating other girls than he had realized.
Finally, when they got outside the great hall, she explained.
"Guys who date Lavender are guys who date her because they want someone easy...you know...to have sex with," Padma said worriedly.
"What!" He exclaimed in alarm, "I don't want to...I really didn't expect to..."
"I'm surprised you haven't heard the stories," Padma told him, "that's one reason why I teasingly suggested Lavender...because we were talking about you losing your virginity earlier."
"I tend not to follow gossip," He claimed.
"At first I was worried that was what you wanted from her," Padma said.
"Why would I want that? I'm too young, and do you really think I would want to lose my virginity to Lavender Brown of all girls?" He pointed out.
She sighed and said, "I suppose not, but it still worried me."
"What am I going to say to her if she...you know...?" He asked nervously.
"Just tell her you don't want that," Padma said.
"Okay," Harry agreed, as he let out an exhale of breath, "I'll do it."
His life was once again complicated, he thought, but then again when was it not?
They stood there for a moment, both of them feeling awkward.
"So what did Daphne say when you talked to her?" Padma chose to ask.
"I still...haven't talked to her yet," He confessed.
"You haven't talked to her yet!" Padma asked in surprise.
"I wasn't sure what to say!" He insisted.
"Poor girl, she's probably been worrying and waiting for days, wondering if you hate her now," Padma said.
"I don't hate her, in fact I think she could become a really good friend of mine...or more than that," He said.
"You don't just leave a girl hanging like that," Padma cautioned.
"I was scared and what if I mess things up?" He queried.
"Still, you don't just put it off because you're scared," Padma pointed out.
He put his head down and said, "I know, I'm sorry. I guess I'd better go do that."
Padma looked at him before asking, "Do you want me to go with you?"
"Would you?" He asked as he looked up at her, extremely grateful that Padma would make such a generous offer.
"Yes, I think it'd probably be better that way actually," Padma answered.
With that, they headed back to the Great Hall and over to the Slytherin table...only to find that Daphne had left several minutes ago.
They both rushed over down the route to the Slytherin common room to try and intercept her.
Finally, he spotted the back of Daphne's head walking down a hallway and they managed to catch up, although with both of them out of breath.
Although in his defense she was more out of breath than he was.
"Daphne, um, we were wondering if we could talk to you," Harry began.
"We?" Daphne asked as she kept her eyes on Padma cautiously.
"We," Padma agreed, "I figured I should probably also be here, since it kind of effects me too."
Daphne still seemed a bit skeptical about Padma being here, but said nothing further.
Padma gave him a push with her shoulder against his and he began.
"I just wanted to let you know how good of a time I had with you the other night," He told Daphne.
"I had a good time too Harry," Daphne agreed with a smile.
"Admittedly though, it caused me a lot of anguish. You know I like Padma, but I also found I really like you as well and I honestly don't want to lose either of you," He explained, "I'd really like us to be friends..."
"Okay, I'm taking over," Padma interrupted.
"Why?" He asked.
As far as he knew he had been doing well explaining.
"Since you used the dreaded, "let's just be friends," Padma answered before addressing Daphne, "I'm betting you're probably worried more about me than Harry, so I'm just letting you know, I'm not mad and I'm not blaming you for anything. You were on a date, and people kiss on dates. However Harry was quite worried about me when he came and told me, but we managed to work it out. We both agreed that we wouldn't be dating each other exclusively, which means we'll certainly be dating in the future, but we're free to date other people. That being said, I know Harry really likes you and if you would like to go with him on future dates, that that is okay, but also recognize that he won't be exclusive with you either."
Daphne nodded and said, "That's actually a lot better than I had hoped for...I had actually feared that I might have driven you away Harry or that I had hurt you Padma."
"It all worked out," He answered, "so as I was saying, I'd like us to be friends...only I'd like to be able to go on more dates with you in the future, so we're..."
"Friends with benefits?" Daphne suggested.
"Some benefits," He corrected.
"Like kissing?" Daphne replied.
"Yeah, that's a benefit I wouldn't mind," He said easily.
Daphne grinned and said, "Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't."
However she still looked at Padma as if to ask her permission as well.
"Only if you'll let me do the same," Padma announced.
"Deal," Daphne replied.
As if to assert this, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
There was a brief pause before Daphne invited, "Would you like to go play this game that my grandma sent me? She must have sent it to me for Christmas, but it got here early and she didn't bother to wrap it, so I figured that she wouldn't mind if I used it now."
"What's the game?" Padma asked.
"I don't know, I haven't heard of it before. It's called Dungeons and Dragons," Daphne admitted, "it looks kind of cheesy, but it looks like it could be fun."
"Ah, why not?" Harry said, deciding to play.
Daphne reached around her back and pulled the game out of her pack.
"Where do you want to play it?" Padma queried.
"How about the History classroom?" Daphne suggested.
"Professor Binns won't mind if we use it," Padma agreed.
"Well judging from the picture on the box, it has a picture of a goblin on it, so there has to be some sort of historical stuff we could learn," Harry sarcastically said.
The name Dungeons and Dragons sounded familiar to him for some reason, but he really couldn't place it.
On the way, however, he spotted Luna coming down the hallway, or rather skipping and singing down the hallway.
He could have just ignored her but he remembered his conversation with Gabrielle the night before as he learned quite a bit about Luna that he had not known.
Unbidden, as he looked at her, an image of a younger version of himself came to mind...a boy who was much like her, unusual and labeled a weirdo and a freak with no friends...bullied and alone.
It was apparent that she was friends with Gabrielle, but he still could not in good conscience let her just go.
Besides, for some reason the game just seemed to be right up her alley.
"Hey Luna," He greeted, "you want to go play a game with us?"
Luna brightened with a smile and said, "I'd love to play a game with you!"
Padma and Daphne seemed surprised by his gesture, but made no argument.
When they got inside the history classroom, Daphne opened up the box.
"So how exactly do we play this game?" Padma asked, now rather perplexed.
"I know how," Luna volunteered.
"How do you know how?" Daphne questioned.
"I've played this game before silly," Luna stated.
Luna explained to them the rules before they picked out their characters.
Harry decided to be a human warrior, Daphne was an elf maiden, Padma was a witch, and Luna for some reason was a goblin.
It admittedly was a rather weird game, but it was still rather fun...especially because of how Luna got into it.
In addition to adopting a goblin-like voice the whole time, she was a big help in proceeding on their quest...namely getting to a dragon guarded castle.
"We'll need to get a cloak of invisibility to get past the dragon and get the ruby," Luna said halfway through the game in her goblin voice.
"Why can't I just use a summoning charm to get the ruby?" Padma pointed out, "I'm a witch aren't I?"
"Yes, but in this game you can't just use summoning charms," Luna answered.
"Well I have a real cloak of invisibility already so we don't need to try and find one," Harry added.
"Except we lost it frolicking in the forest, remember Ernesto?" Daphne asked his character.
Luna gave Daphne a smile in thanks for being willing to follow the game.
"Oh yes, you're quite right," He or rather Ernesto agreed, "that's what happens when I frolick with beautiful Elf Maidens in the forest. I tend to forget stuff."
Padma sighed and said, "I suppose me doing the same thing has caused me to forget how to do a summoning charm."
They then turned back to the game, allowing themselves to get into it...even if it still didn't make sense.
At the very least Luna was grateful to them, which made that alone worth it.
Later on as they were questing to find a magic dagger, his character was currently involved gifting non-playable characters with gold pieces in hopes that they might have one.
"You're going to be out of gold soon," Daphne commented.
"Unlikely," He answered, "I've still got plenty of gold."
"In the game or in real life?" Harry asked.
"Both," He admitted.
He felt no guilt in admitting that he was rich. It was already a well known fact even without him mentioning it.
"So that would mean that we should expect some decent Christmas presents from you this year," Daphne pointed out teasingly.
"Once we slay this dragon, you shall receive the best of all gifts," Harry gallantly declared.
"Ooh, the best of all gifts huh?" Daphne asked in mock eagerness, "what could that be?"
"The dragon's treasure of course," He said, although he had a pretty good idea just what gift she had in mind.
"So what do you want for Christmas anyway Harry?" Padma asked.
"Some chocolate would be nice," He claimed, trying to make it easy on them.
"I'll keep that in mind," Daphne answered, "just so, you know, I like diamonds."
"Ah, I see how it is, I ask for chocolate and you ask for diamonds, I'm not that rich," Harry argued.
Daphne pretended to pout and said, "I thought that's what I got for being your friend."
"If I gave all my friends diamonds...I would definitely have a lot more friends or at least wanting to be my friend," He joked.
A thought suddenly struck him as he thought about who his friends were...or at least the ones he cared enough about to get gifts for.
Hermione, Padma,Daphne, and his godfather were a given, and Luna who he actually had a great idea for a gift for, but everyone else...
Maybe he should get gifts for the girls he had been on dates with. Just small gifts, but something left them know he was thinking of them.
He hadn't really had a ton of contact with some of them afterwards, but he still wanted to keep them in mind in case he cared to date any of them again.
It was a good idea and one he decided to do.
He then turned his attention back to the game.
In the climax, they went to face the dragon.
He flung his sword at the dragon's chest.
"It bounces off the dragon's hide, causing the dragon to only become more enraged," Luna announced.
"Wait!" Padma said, "I still have my staff and I can use that spell to turn the dragon to stone."
"You'll need a 17 or above for that," Luna said as she handed the dice to her.
Padma rolled...before it landed on a 15.
"Hold on, I have that jewel that allows you to increase the dice roll by two," Daphne pointed out.
"Then...," Luna said with as much build up as she could muster, "the dragon is slain!"
Each of them cheered.
If only a real dragon was this easy to defeat, he thought.
He could have used a dragon being turned to stone spell last month when he'd faced a real one.
Both Padma and Daphne decided that their victory deserved a quick kiss, which he gave to each of them.
Yet as he looked at Luna, she looked like she was hoping she might get one as well.
He shrugged his shoulders and couldn't help thinking,
"Ah, why not?"
Going over to her he leaned over to her and kissed her.
The kiss surprised him, not only because of how good of a kiss it was, but because of how...he couldn't put his finger on it, but it just seemed to symbolize something...the beginning of something.
Yet as he drew away, he looked at Luna who was smiling, looking positively radiant.
Beautiful even.
She looked at him with an expression of...love?
He wasn't sure, but it was that that caused him to realize he wanted to be friends...or friends with benefits with Luna.
That should have surprised him too, but it really didn't. It just felt right, and that was enough for him.
While Harry was thinking this, Luna was having thoughts of her own.
Harry had kissed her! Finally after waiting so long, she'd gotten this far.
It had been difficult and their had been rough patches, but she still couldn't help but be pleased with what she had achieved...and she knew that this was only the beginning.
The others didn't fully realize this, but they had already formed a circle of friends, a circle which she and they were a part of and would become so much more in the future.
It was indeed the beginning: the beginning of the harem.
Author's Note: Things are finally shifting into place for Luna's plan as we see where things are going. In case any of you didn't get it, it was never my intention to have all the girls that Harry dates end up in the harem. I like having him be with lots of different girls, but of course it would be unreasonable to have above a certain amount of girls be in the harem...or act as semi-major characters.
Of course some girls might end up coming back for further dates, or even end up in the harem eventually, but it depends on a lot of factors, in particular how the first date went. However if he doesn't, there is still a reason why he ends up dating each girl as it has a ripple effect...even as I've been leaving subtle clues along the way as I do with all of Luna's plan for you to notice and try to figure out. Don't worry for any of you Harmony shippers though, Harry and she will be getting to become "friends with some benefits" soon.
Finally, if any of you have any great and fun date ideas, feel free to suggest them. The crazier and fun the better. Please review anyway if you don't.