"I HAVE TO ADMIT, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA MISS THAT LAST ONE." ron grinned happily. "i hope cormac's not taking it too hard." he turned to hermione. "he's got a bit of a thing for you, hermione. cormac."
hermione and paris both looked up from the paper they were reading together; hermione moving from where she was leant onto paris' shoulder. "he's vile." she frowned.
"only because you and paris are in love with eachother or something. he's an alright bloke."
ron shrugged.
"yeah, and i'm the queen of england." paris snorted. "and we're not in l— whatever." she went back to reading. "hermione would never associate with the likes of such a foul, dis—"
"okay, can we change the subject now?"
paris nodded, before remembering the sheet of parchment in her pocket. "any idea what this means?" she asked, handing the parchment to her friends. she had scribbled down what dumbledore had told her. "i know the man likes to speak in riddles, so i thought it would be wise to write it down, see if it means anything."
"that was really clever of you, paris." hermione smiled, looking proud. the brunette shrugged as the latter read the writing out loud. "in order to find our truths, we must look deep down in ourselves or through the divine minds of others...'"
"that's what i said." paris huffed. "the man's impossible. this is my future on the line, not some stupid game."
"no clue." ron shrugged, looking at the paper.
"if i think of something, i'll let you know." hermione promised. "i know how important this is to you."
"since we're asking questions," harry began. "have you ever heard of this spell, sectumsempra?" he showed them the book.
"no. i haven't!" hermione snapped. "and if you even had a shred of self respect, you'd hand that book in!"
"not bloody likely." ron scoffed. "he's top of the class! even better than you, 'mione. slughorn thinks he's a genius."
"as if." paris snorted.
"i'd like to know who's that book was." hermione got up in irritation, reaching to take it from harry.
"no!" harry shuffled away, closing it hastily.
"no? why not?"
"the binding is fragile." harry shrugged.
"the binding is fragile?" hermione repeated incredulously.
"yeah." he nodded quickly.
ginny pulled the book from harry's hands, opening up the cover.
"who's is it, then?" paris asked her.
"who's the half-blood prince?" ginny accused.
"who?"
"that's what it says right here: 'this book is property of the half-blood prince'."
"FOR WEEKS YOU CARRY AROUND this book, practically sleep with it, and yet you have no desire to find out who the half-blood prince is?" hermione asked incredulously, as the four friends trudged through the snow.
"i didn't say i wasn't curious, and i don't sleep with it!" harry protested.
"i wouldn't be surprised, to be honest." paris shrugged. "you're obsessed, harold."
"well, its true! i like a nice chat before i go to bed." ron stepped in. "now all you do is read that bloody book! it's like being with hermione."
"well, i was curious." hermione said, ignoring ron's remarks. "so i went to the library—"
"—and dragged me along too." paris rolled her eyes.
"you like going to the library!" hermione accused. "and besides, after we—"
"—after you what?" ron asked.
"it doesn't matter what happened after." paris stepped in. "point is, we didn't find anything."
"we couldn't find a reference anywhere to 'the half blood prince.'"
"well there you go, that settles it, then." harry clasped his hands together, but stopped when he saw professor slughorn walking into the direction of the three broomsticks. "does anyone fancy a butterbeer?"
they loosened their scarves as they walked through the doors of the pub, the warmth from the fireplace hitting them almost immediately. there was a moderate hum of voices and laughter and harry led them over to a table that was just visible from the bar. "over here."
"something to drink?" a man asked.
"four butterbeers and some ginger in mine, please." hermione nodded politely, removing her jacket and sitting down next to paris, opposite harry and ron.
"oh, bloody hell." the red-headed boy rolled his eyes, tucking in his chair behind him.
"what's wrong with you?" paris asked, wrapping her jacket around the back of her seat.
"slick git." ron mumbled, nodding towards ginny and dean, who were talking quite closely in a booth in the corner.
"honestly, ron, they're only holding hands." hermione sighed.
paris cleared her throat, nodding back over to the couple again, who were now kissing.
"and snogging..."
"i'd like to leave." ron said defiantly, as the waiter returned, handing them their butterbeers.
"you can't be serious?"
paris took her glass of butterbeer, bringing it to her lips and savouring the sweet flavour. "you're so extra, ronald. just don't look."
"that happens to be my sister!"
"so?" hermione frowned. "ginny's like paris and i's sister, what if she looked over here and saw me and her snogging, would you expect her to get up and leave?"
paris nearly choked on her beverage, putting the glass down on the table to stop herself from spilling it through her laughter. "that can be arranged." hermione shot her a look and she shrugged. "you said it, not me."
"that's not the same." said ron.
"harry, my boy!" professor slughorn approached the table, shaking his free hand with the brunette boy's— his other hand grasping a pint.
hermione and paris' hands subconsciously found eachother under the table, and paris absentmindedly traced light circles on the dorsal of the gryffindor's hand as they discussed with ron how dramatic he was being. "it's like still being friends with draco."
"sir, wonderful to see you!" harry greeted happily. "what brings you here?"
"oh, the three broomsticks and i go way back, further than i could care to admit!" slughorn chuckled. "i can remember when it was only one broomstick!—" he accidentally spilled some of his drink onto the table, half of it splashing onto hermione's lap.
hermione grimaced as paris helped her to clean it up. "tergeo." paris waved her wand, glaring at the clumsy professor— although, he wasn't paying much attention.
"listen, my boy, in the old days, i used to throw together the occasional supper party. for the select student or two. would you be game?"
"i'd consider it an honour sir!" harry nodded happily.
"you'll be welcome too, miss granger. and you miss lovelace. i used to teach your mother and uncle, you know! excellent students."
"oh, really?" paris asked, and the man nodded.
"i'd be delighted, sir." hermione put down her glass.
"splendid! look for my owl!" he flashed them all a crooked smile and turned to walk away. "good to see you, wallenby." he said to ron.
paris almost choked on her butterbeer for the second time in the last five minutes. "aw, wallenby didn't get an invite?"
"shut up." ron rolled his eyes before turning to harry. "what're you playing at?"
"dumbledore's asked me to get to know him." he shrugged.
"get to know him?" ron repeated.
"what the hell?" paris laughed. "what like go on a date with him, or something?" she joked.
"no— i don't know. it must be important. if it wasn't, dumbledore wouldn't ask."
hermione finished her glass of butterbeer, but unbeknownst to her, the foam from the surface had stayed on her top lip.
"you've got a bit of—" ron pointed to her lip.
hermione's cheeks went pink with embarrassment and she turned away to wipe it away.
"i'll get it." paris said, putting her hand to hermione's cheek and wiping the foam away with the side of her thumb.
instead of helping her, this action just made hermione blush even more as their eyes met.
"all gone..." paris mumbled, her eyes lost in hermione's brown ones. her hands was still on her cheek, until ron interrupted them, clearing his throat.
"enjoying yourselves?" he snickered.