Loved :||: Loved Series #6

22) Without Further Adieu

Ft. Harry and Ginny

Lily's POV

Draco and I plonked down on the Gryffindor table together, both Ginny and Harry sitting up straight and eyeing us warily. I couldn't blame them. Today was Friday, the last day of Prankmester and the results would be tallied tonight. There were only several teams left, everyone was bound to be a little angsty about losing their shot at winning so close to the finish line. 

"Careful," Ron smirked, watching his friend and sister. "The last time these two sat down at the Gryffindor table together someone got pranked."

"Relax," I laughed. "I wouldn't dream of pranking my brother and best friend so late in the competition." 

"If anything, if we were going to prank you, we'd have done it at the beginning of the competition."

"Mmm," Ginny mused, sitting forward slightly to sip at her orange juice. "I think it's more than that, there's a competition here to see who can win not at pranking each other but at competing against each other for who can win."

Harry and I smirked at each other. "Damn, right."

"Besides Ron, it's Friday, Draco and I always sit together on Fridays."

An unsure expression crossed Ron's face and he glanced at his fiance across the table from him, who nodded in confirmation in that matter-of-fact way of hers we've all come to love. "Oh."

There was the high pitched sound of an owl shrieking as I reached for the toast and the Hall began to fill up with the beautiful creatures delivering their masters mail. One nearly took my head off as it swooped low on its descent to the table a few seats from me, in front of Seamus and Dean. "Whoops, sorry Lil."

Katie sat between me and her boyfriend, who detached the letter from the brown owl. "Hey look, it's from Neville."

Seamus sat forward excitedly as the owl flew off. "I haven't heard from that bugger in months! Quick open it."

Dean reached for the clasp just as Katie glanced back at me with a grin on her beautiful face. Ripping it open he was met with ink exploding in his face. The entire table gasped before laughing as he and Seamus sighed in disappointment and defeat, the ink dripping off Dean's chin onto his breakfast plate. Katie and I high-fived amidst our laughter, Dean slowly turning to look at me and Draco sitting there smirking proudly at ourselves.

He sighed using a napkin to wipe it off his face, but only the excess came with it. Seamus' eyes widened. "Lily, is that squid ink?"

I shrugged, taking a sip of my coffee. "Maybe."

Dean sighed and shook his head, setting the napkin down on the table. "It's permanent. Meaning I could be graduating with this blob all over my face."Indeed it was a blob, the blackness of the ink stuck out from his already dark skin and his wiping it off had created an uglier mess. "And I suppose this was Katie's idea."

"No, because then we would be disqualified for collaborating with an already disqualified team. It was her idea for you to be my target, however."

He nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Of course it was."

"Don't worry you're pretty little head about that mess on your face, after tonight when the winners are announced I'll concoct something that'll take it off." I turned my attention to Harry and Ginny across from us. "By the way, that's two pranks from us and only one from you."

The couple shared a look, one I couldn't read before going back to their breakfast.

 ...

The school was a rabble of excitement as everyone gathered in the Great Hall to find out the winners of the first annual Prankmester. Draco and I were once again seated at the Gryffindor table, so we could see Harry's and Ginny's face when we won. Hermione sat on my other side, bouncing in her seat with excitement as was every other person. I'd spied some money being passed around and knew bets had been made on who would win tonight.