Daphne tried her best to hide her snicker as her friend practically glided into the Slytherin common room, a happy grin fighting to make its way past the usual aristocratic mask she wore, "I take it things went well with Potter?" she asked innocently.
"Oh they were wonderful!" Hermione gushed quietly as she passed her friend, heading towards their room, Daphne following dutifully behind, "He asked me to the Yule Ball! And to this weekend's Hogsmeade trip!"
"Bold," Daphne said, sitting down on her bed as she watched Hermione hug her pillow. "And all it took was a dragon."
"Ugh don't remind me!" Hermione groaned, her good mood souring just a bit, "I still have nightmares about it."
"I think we all have after seeing that." Daphne sighed, then smiled at her teasingly, "did you snog him good?"
"Daphne!" Hermione admonished, blushing furiously, "of course we didn't!"
"Surprising, I thought you'd jump him as soon as he was healthy." she teased playfully, making the heiress hide her face in her pillow.
"Just wait until you get in a relationship." Hermione muttered, glaring at her over the top of the cushion.
"Thankfully that won't be for awhile." she scoffed, leaning back, "and I'm sure you've already written your father."
"Of course! This is important news!"
"And are you forgetting that Harry seems to have a grudge against your father?" Daphne questioned, "which your father also seems to reciprocate."
Hermione seemed to freeze, her already pale skin paling just a bit further, "oh…" she said quietly, her shoulders slumping a bit, "I forgot about that…"
Daphne smiled sympathetically, "I'm sure your mother will reign in your father," She said lightly, "but you may want to talk to Harry about this, I'm sure he'd rather put it off for as long as he can, but I doubt he'll be able to."
"You're right, if I know my mother she may try to run into us at Hogsmeade." Hermione sighed, "and she'd bring my father along as a rule of thumb."
"An explosive situation if Harry isn't warned." Daphne nodded, "you can probably bring it up tomorrow after breakfast."
"I know I can, but I'm worried…" Hermione mumbled, worrying her lip.
"That boy is smitten with you," Daphne reassured her, standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, "just be honest with him."
"Right…honest." Hermione agreed, then glanced at her, "thank you Daphne."
"It's a miracle you're able to get anything done without me." Daphne joked, making Hermione giggle, "now tell me where Harry's going to take you tomorrow."
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"It always boggles my mind that you never think of things like this."
Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's muttered slight, the two boys were currently sitting opposite of Ron, two chessboards between them. "I didn't think about it until the walk up here." Harry sighed, "by then all the excitement of asking her out had died down, and I realized-"
"-that you hate her father." Ron finished for him, pondering the two boards before simultaneously moving a piece on both, "or that her father tried to kill you."
"-allegedly." Draco pointed out, "we only have Harry's word and Dobby's, and both were pretty emotionally charged at the time…what did Hermione have to say about Dobby's release again?"
"She never said anything to me about it." Harry said with a frown as he moved a piece on the left board, Draco following suit soon after for the right, "there's a chance Lucius didn't even tell her I was the reason."
"There's also a good chance she didn't agree with the house elf's treatment and was quietly glad you freed him." Draco offered.
"Hermione Malfoy being happy that someone freed a house elf?" Ron asked in confusion.
"She does advocate for their fair treatment." Harry agreed, smiling fondly, "she gets really passionate about it actually."
"It's like the world's topsy turvy." Ron mumbled with a slight shake of his head as he moved two pieces simultaneously again.
Draco narrowed his eyes at the board, "have you been making the same moves on both boards?" he asked incredulously.
Ron shrugged, 'Close as I can, wanted to see if I can do it…Check in two on both by the way."
"Unbelievable." Harry grumbled, looking at his pieces, who were likewise whispering disbelief in this whole debacle, "how do you do it?"
Ron shrugged, "it just…clicks?" he tried to explain, "it's like you with your flying, or Draco with his singing, just something i've always been good at I reckon, Bill and Charlie are way better than me though."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Draco muttered, blushing a bit, "and when do I sing?"
"In the mornings when you're in the shower." Harry said dismissively, 'water pressure isn't good enough in this castle to drown that out."
"Never recognize the songs but they're catchy." Ron offered.
Draco rolled his eyes and moved a pawn, Harry moving a knight.
Ron quickly moved both pieces and stood up, 'Checkmate." he said with a grin as the two boys groaned, 'pay up."
"Complete mad man he is." Draco griped, slapping five galleons on the table, Harry doing the same with a sad sigh. "Only Ron would play two games at the same time, keep the moves about the same on both, and still get a checkmate in the same amount of moves."
"That's why we don't play him anymore," Seamus said as he and Dean walked by, heading to the dorms, "he got us with the same trick yesterday."
"Hustling us all out of five galleons." Neville said dejectedly from his corner of the room.
"Blimey Ron, are you trying to scam the whole house?" Fred asked, poking his head up from where he'd been laying down on the couch.
"He got you too Fred?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Got me and George yesterday," the older boy said, "mind you we had him on the ropes, but he's a wiley one."
"You got something special planned for this hogsmeade trip?" Harry asked.
Ron fidgeted a bit, "well…a bit.' he muttered, blushing lightly, "I needed fifty galleons for new dress robes."
"That'll do it."
"Completely understandable."
"Was gonna torch them myself as soon as you finished using them."
"Gonna regret missing out on the photo opportunity, but really can't blame you."
"I honestly thought your mother hated you when I saw those."
"Yeah, no idea what the hell was going through that woman's head."
"Glad we're all in agreement." Ron said dejectedly, leaning forward, 'been saving since mum showed them to me, I get money's tight but I'm not gonna be caught dead in those things."
"Well, here's to Ron hopefully getting some actual dress robes." Draco said cordially.
"Here here!" The cheer went around the room, Seamus and Dean continued on up the stairs while Neville and Fred joined the three around the fire.
"So, now that the trio's together, who's all taking who to the Yule Ball?" Fred asked, looking at the four younger boys.
"I don't think it's a secret who I'm taking." Harry said, "made it official today, so long as tomorrow goes okay."
"Taking her to Hogmseade eh?" George asked as he walked in, "that's probably gonna be a disaster."
"I think we'll manage just fine actually." Harry said snippily.
"They're right Harry," Neville stuttered, "if Hermione's anything like my cousin, then she tells her mother everything-"
"-and the Malfoy's seem like the family that'll want to 'conveniently' show up in hogsmeade at your first little get together," Fred finished for him.
"Probably bring Ol' Lucy as well to try and bury the hatchet-"George continued.
"-probably hoping you two will become drinking buddies-" Fred added on.
"-old pals-
"-friends-'
"-Amigos!" The twins finished together.
"Just thinking about it makes me Nauseous." Draco muttered.
"Dad's gonna have a fit." Ron added helpfully.
Harry groaned, "I'd rather that confrontation be later."
"Odds are it'll be sooner, Harry Old boy." George said dramatically.
"How much do you want to bet Malfoy's gonna try and Duel harry?" Fred asked.
"How much do you wanna bet Harry will trounce his arse in a few moves?" Draco pondered.
"How much do you wanna bet Hermione will dump him immediately if he does that?" George countered.
"What are the odds for all of these bets?" Ron asked in confusion.
"Good, very good." Neville supplied.
Harry groaned again, letting his head fall.
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Hermione smoothed the non-existent wrinkles in her purple cloak out as she giddily waited for her date for the day, making sure no strands of hair had come loose from their plait.
"'Mione!"
Hermione's small smile widened, turning around in time to see Harry running towards her, stumbling a bit on the last few steps of the stairs as he skidded to a halt in front of her, "hi." he said breathlessly, running a hand through his messy hair and straightening out the muggle jacket and pants he wore, "you look beautiful." He blurted, making her blush a bit as she gave a surprised giggle.
"Always with your wit.' she mused, giving him a peck on the cheek before looping her arm with his, "shall we go?"
Harry smiled, blushing furiously as they walked out of the entrance hall to many surprised stares, (why anyone was surprised is a surprise in itself), "where do you want to go?"
"I was thinking of going to Skrivenshafts, they were having a sale on parchment," she said, "and Daphne recommended Madam Pudifoots, she says it's good to go too anytime that's not Valentines."
"Never heard of it." Harry said honestly.
"It's popular with couples from what I've gathered." she said, ignoring the blatant stares they were getting, honestly, the two had been friends since before the first task, hasn't the novelty worn off by this point?
"We could stop there after Skrivenshaft," Harry offered, "my treat.'
"Aren't you a gentleman.' she laughed, pressing a little closer to him as the wind picked up a bit, "I wanted to warn you." she began, rolling her eyes when his eyes almost immediately shot to hers in panic, "oh calm down," She chastised, "I only wanted to say that there's a…small chance, that my mother might orchestrate a 'chance meeting' today."
Harry deflated a bit, "that's what Neville said," he admitted, "we were talking about it yesterday, the general consensus is that your mother may try and organize a chance meet up."
"I'm surprised Longbottom was that accurate." Hermione mused, "he was spot on actually."
"Neville's a lot more knowledgeable than he lets on." Harry said, "He's a good friend too."
"Loyal to a fault." she supplied, "I know he's jumped on Goyle before when they try and have a row at you."
"Forgot about that," Harry chuckled, smiling fondly at the memory.
Hermione rolled her eyes with a small smile, "Gryffindors," she sighed in faux exasperation. They continued on in a companionable silence until they entered the town of Hogsmeade, "I could go for a cuppa." Harry whispered to her, shivering a bit at the cold.
"Agreed, Madam Puddifoot's we go." She said, "the walk here chilled me more than I thought it would."
"Winter you know." he quipped, chuckling when she nudged him. "I've never been to Madam Puddifoots before."
"It's a quaint little tea shop." She mused, "though they get a little outrageous during Valentines; according to Daphne, Madam Puddifoot is really big on romance." She gave his arm a reassuring pat when she noticed how uncomfortable he looked, "Don't worry, from what I've heard it's very tame during the rest of the year."
"I'll take your word for it." he said lightly as they reached the tea shop, surprised to find the rustic shop fairly quiet, the decorations reflecting the incoming winter season, with faux icicles dangling from the ceiling with enchanted snow falling gently above their heads, disappearing before it could hit the tables or the patrons.
"Welcome to Madam Puddifoots!" a nearby woman greeted them, she was older, wearing a heavy dress and with her silver streaked orange hair done up in an intricate braid, "I am Madam Puddifoot! Will it be just the two of you?"
"Yes ma'am," Harry said.
"Wonderful! Follow me!"
The two followed after the witch, looking over the quaint tea shop and the few patrons in it. Hermione's steps stuttered just a bit when she caught a pair of familiar silver headed adults, "oh bugger." Hermione whispered, catching Harry's attention, leading him to see the same duo about the same time as Narcissa spotted them.
"Hermione! Mr. Potter! Oh how surprising it is to see you here!" Narcissa Malfoy exclaimed in faux surprise as she elegantly rose to her feet and approached her daughter and boyfriend, Lucius following behind her with a surly expression.
"Mother." Hermione greeted with a tight smile, "I Didn't know you would be in town today."
"Oh I was visiting Theodora Nott and wanted to stop for a spot of tea, lucky that we ran into you isn't it darling?" she simpered, giving her daughter a hug and a kiss on her cheek, "and Mr. Potter! How lovely it is to see you again."
"Lovely." Harry echoed in agreement, not taking his eyes off of Lucius, "Mr. Malfoy." He greeted as politely as he could."
"Potter." Lucius returned, his voice a few degrees above freezing.
"Well! Shall we all sit together?" Narcissa asked in a chipper voice. Ignoring the tension in the air as she ushered them all into a seat, Madam Puddifoot was already heading back to get their tea together-having been informed by Mrs. Malfoy well before the young couple had arrived.