"Thanks for helping, 'mione" Luna smiled. "I'll tell Neville right away."
"It was nothing; I'm happy to help" Hermione smiled. "By the way, what is going on between you two? You seem to have grown rather close with each other."
Luna blushed and hid behind the large novel in her hands. "It's nothing... We just spent a little time together during Christmas break last year and found some common interests" she peeped nervously.
"Does one of those interests include romantic feelings for one another?" Hermione smirked.
"Hermione!" Luna scolded. "Don't say stuff like that; and besides... I could ask you the same thing."
"What are you talking about?" Hermione frowned.
"You and Parkinson" Luna stated. "You guys seemed to have gotten pretty close too; not to mention the way she looks at you."
Hermione blushed and looked down at her feet. "Okay I'll stop with the Neville thing-"
"- what Neville thing?" Pansy asked as she approached the two girls.
"Nothing" Luna smiled nervously. "Anyway, I need to get going... I'll see you two around."
Hermione stared as Luna quickly ran off towards the great hall, leaving her with Pansy and an uncomfortable aura.
"Hey, can we talk?" Pansy asked with an awkward voice. "About what happened a few weeks ago... You know, next to the school while Draco was at the manor."
Hermione stiffened her posture and looked at the Slytherin. She had to admit that they had been avoiding the subject for an unreasonable amount of time — and this only caused unnecessary tension to form among the group.
"Very well" Hermione nodded.
Pansy let out a sigh of relief and gestured for Hermione to follow her, slowly leading her out the school as she talked.
"You were right about everything, 'mione. I didn't tell you - or anyone else - about anything, and then lashed out on you when things didn't go my way... I'm really sorry; and you had every right to be upset."
"No, it's my fault too. It was none of my business, and I shouldn't have tried to get involved when you obviously weren't ready to talk to us." Hermione shook her head. "So, I'm sorry too. Do you think we could put this all behind us and start over?"
"That's the first thing we've agreed on in weeks" Pansy chuckled. "And speaking of ' starting over '... I also have something else to say to you." She blushed.
"Oh yeah?" Hermione smiled mischievously. "And what would that be? Are you finally going to accept my offer on helping you study?"
"No- I actually forgot about that" Pansy admitted. "I actually... Uh- well" she stuttered over her words.
"Merlin, Parkinson" Hermione snorted. "By the way you're acting it seems like you're trying to confess or something."
Pansy stayed silent for a moment; but once Hermione realized that the Slytherin was making no further effort to talk she stopped laughing.
"Oh gods" Hermione blushed. "I just ruined the whole moment, didn't I...?"
"Well..." Pansy smiled. "Look, 'mione, I really like you. You are the most amazing girl in this entire school- no. The most amazing girl I've ever met. I know I've been giving you a hard time, and sometimes I can be unreasonable..."
"A bit of an understatement, but go on."
"You're not making this any easier."
"What can I say? I'm just returning the favor."
"I'd actually appreciate it if you didn't."
"Just shut up and kiss me already."
Pansy smirked and complied immediately, pulling the Gryffindor closer and capturing her lips against her. Hermione's lips were soft and gave Pansy a giddy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Hermione took a few seconds to register what was going on, but once reality finally caught up she found herself kissing back eagerly — smiling to herself as her arms draped around the girl's waist.
Pansy slowly pulled away, a definite blush painted on her face. "So that happened..."
Hermione let out a stifled laugh and rolled her eyes. "Now I understand what Harry meant when he said that Slytherins had a talent for ruining moments."
***
"You want me to what?" Ginny scoffed as she made her way towards the ROR with Theodore.
"You heard me" Theodore said with an eye roll. "I'm tired of being the one who has to gather the ingredients for that stupid potion. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a dragons' tooth?"
"That's why I made you do it" she said matter-of-factly. "And I don't get why you're complaining. It was your idea in the first place."
Theodore sighed and quickly walked ahead to the secluded hall, pacing up and down until the large door appeared. "All I'm saying is that you need to make a little more progress in getting Harry to-"
"- I told you I'm working on it" Ginny barked. "And besides, you haven't made any progress in getting Parkinson to agree to whatever the hell this plan of yours really is." She stated and plopped down on the sofa.
The truth is, Ginny didn't have all the facts about who or what Theodore really was. He made sure to only give her the highlights; which was fairly easy since her crush on Harry was clouding her judgement.
Unlike Vivian, Ginny didn't know what she was getting herself into.
"Yeah yeah" Theodore groaned. "In the meantime, we'll just have to wait until Blaise goes to home tommorow. That way we can get into your brother's head without any interference..."
***
"Finally!" Blaise cheered as Hermione and Pansy approached their table, hand in hand.
"Shut up" Hermione blushed.
Ron swallowed his glass of pumpkin juice and eyed the two suspiciously. "So... Does this mean all the uncomfortable tension between you two goes away?"
"Yes, Ron" Pansy chuckled. "All the uncomfortable tension goes away."
"Thank Merlin" he sighed. "Congratulations you two."
"You're making it sound like they just got engaged" Blaise grinned at the thought. "Oh by the way; who confessed?"
"Please don't tell me this was another bet..." Hermione whined and took a seat across from Ron.
"Um... Have you met us!?"
~ Meanwhile ~
Draco had arrived a few minutes earlier and was now waiting for Harry by the lake; both their brooms lying next to him on the sightly dried out grass.
Even though tonight was a way for him and Harry to finally get away from the stress, he couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Snape. His words were bugging him — a lot. Not to mention the letter he had received from him when the conversation had hardly begun.
He still hasn't opened it yet. And he wasn't looking forward to whatever was in it.
Draco should've known he was just putting Harry in danger by going into this relationship. Although he loved every moment he spent with the oblivious Gryffindor, guilt still invaded his thoughts.
There were so much things he was keeping from Harry. At first he was convinced that if Harry didn't know, it would be easier to protect him... But now it all seemed to be putting the boy in more danger than he originally was.
' Damn, Potter ' Draco smiled, fighting the urge to cry and scream at his own stupidity. ' what is it with you and attracting danger? '
"Ready to go?" Harry's voice pulled him out of his dark thoughts; and he was met with a curious smile from the towering Gryffindor.
"Took you long enough" Draco chuckled and handed Harry his broom before standing up and dusting himself off.
"Oh shove off" Harry replied, his smile completely ruining his annoyed act.
"And leave you here alone? Never." Draco shook his head. "Now lets get going, it's a long fly..."
Harry arched a brow and looked up at the blonde. "When I said ' date ' I meant something like going to Hogsmeade or something."
"I took the ' or something ' - obviously" Draco smirked.
"Fair enough" Harry smiled and mounted his broom. "Lead the way, Malfoy."
"Don't I always?"