Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid has already single-handedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees for the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors. Large groups of guys tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time Estella went past, which caused blockages in the corridors; fortunately, however, Estella's frequent wanderings had given her good knowledge of the castle's secret passageways.
Ron was under the impression that despite the fact Hermione asked him to Slughorn's party, he was a free agent and that since she kissed Viktor Krum, she couldn't complain about him.
Estella had spent much more time with Hermione, as she and Ron seemed unlikely to ever speak to each other again. Hermione refused to sit in the common room while Ron was there, so Estella and Harry generally joined her in the library, which meant that their conversions were held in whispers.
"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. "I really couldn't care less."
She raised her quill and dotted an i so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment. Neither Estella nor Harry said anything.
"And incidentally," said Hermione, looking at Harry, "you need to be careful."
"For the last time," said Harry, speaking in a slightly hoarse whisperer after three-quarters of silence, "I am not giving this book back, I've learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn have taught me-"
"I'm not talking about your stupid so-called Prince," said Hermione, giving his book a nasty look. "I'm talking about earlier. I went into the girls' bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion that Estella wouldn't notice. They're all hope they're going to get you to take you to Slughorn's party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm afraid to say probably work-"
"Why didn't you confiscate them then?" demanded harry.
Estella simply glared at her paper as she wrote.
"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom," said Hermione scornfully. "They were just discussing tactics. I'd just invite someone to go with you, beside Estella because they don't count her as your date. They're getting desperate."
"Hey, he hasn't even asked me so as far as I'm concerned I've said no to at least twenty boys for nothing," murmured Estella.
Harry gaped at her and Hermione laughed.
"T-twenty boys," he sputtered.
She glanced up from her essay.
"Yes, Harry."
"Tonight, study room, will you?" asked Harry.
It was their spot...well, that or the Astronomy Tower but that had become increasingly difficult to access due to new security measures.
"Are you just coming up with this now?"
Harry frantically shook his head. "No, I had planned to ask you. You're just always busy," he said quickly.
"Hmm...I suppose I could make time for you," she whispered.
"You suppose?" teased Harry, his hand resting on her thigh.
"I suppose."
"Hang on a moment," he said slowly. "I thought Filch had banned anything bought at Weasleys' Wizards Wheezes?"
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Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic
Fanfiction"He'd do it again if it meant she got the chance to live." "He looked at her, actually looked at her, and wondered how anyone who saw her, didn't fall in love with her." "A trade was to be made." "Friendship was going to be the only way to get throu...
