The Gloriana Set

Tactics

Notes:

With this chapter, "The Gloriana Set" hits another milestone: 200,000 words. This is crazy. In celebration, we actually advance the plot in a significant way and solve a major mystery. It had to happen sometime.

This chapter also discusses preparations for the Inter-House Quidditch Match. This event is a bit confusing because the teams are a mix of all houses, so I've prepared a little cheat sheet so everyone can play along at home. Ernie and his prefects are still arguing over team names (OMG, the names, just wait), so we'll call them the Hooch Team and Lavinia Team for now.

LAVINIA TEAM
Captain: Lavinia Clarke
Keeper: Astoria Greengrass (Slytherin)
Seeker: Ginevra Weasley (Gryffindor)

HOOCH TEAM
Captain: Madam Hooch
Keeper: Demelza Robins (Gryffindor)
Seeker: Draco Malfoy (Slytherin)

"How could you do that to me?" Draco demanded, slamming into the Potions Lab that afternoon. Hermione jumped, startled, and bottles rattled on the shelves.

"How could you trap me with Potter in that alcove?" he cried. "And whatever did you say to Blaise? He mentioned you and his voice was dripping with poison."

"Obviously you and Harry needed time to work out your feelings," Hermione said airily, knowing she sounded like Bluebell. She couldn't help smiling at the idea of the two men squabbling in that tiny alcove, taking a half-hour to break a ward that they should have ripped down in minutes. She knew that because the ward was set to notify her when it was broken.

"You'll pay for that little stunt," Draco growled, stepping closer, his hands on the shelf behind her.

"Promise?" she whispered. His eyes darkened and his lips brushed hers.

"No, no, stop that right now!" ordered a sharp voice. Hermione looked around Draco's shoulder at Harry, who stood in the doorway, incensed.

Draco, of course, took this as his cue to give her a hard, thorough kiss before stepping away.

"Hermione, wipe that smile off your face!" Harry snapped. "I'm here to protect you all, remember? What if something had happened while we were in that alcove? It's bad enough that Ginny saw—"

"Potter!"

Hermione blinked. "Ginny found you two in the alcove?" This was getting better and better.

"And that daft fairy, too," Harry went on, ignoring Draco's glares. "I can't believe she's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Bluebell is actually quite insightful," Hermione said, just to wind him up. Harry and Draco gave her identical looks of disbelief. Honestly, they were more alike than they knew.

"Dragged me to her classroom, she did," Harry grumbled. "Made me sit on a giant flower and take tea with her."

"Can't see why you would object, Potter," Draco said, "seeing how you adore having tea with the half-giant. Bluebell is only a step up."

The two friends glared at him. "Hagrid is brilliant," Hermione said to Draco. "Obviously, I need to bring you to tea soon." She turned to Harry. "I think Draco has a soft spot for Bluebell—she always calls him 'Lovely Boy.'"

Draco only smirked. "It's better than 'Sweet Saviour."

Harry's jaw tightened. "Aren't we here for a reason?" he asked. "Or do you two just come here to play around?"