ambitious, cunning, adaptable | hp x dm

chapter forty seven: do you like me?

"Pansy, Pansy can I talk to you?"

Pansy looked up from her magazine towards Harry. "Hm?"

Harry looked around the room. "Alone?"

Pansy eyed him for a moment before nodding. They exited the Common Room and made their way towards a broom cupboard. They slipped inside and Pansy locked it and cast a silencing charm.

"What's the matter, Harry?"

"Well... I have a few questions."

Pansy nodded and turned in place. She overturned an old barrel and sat on it. "Go ahead."

Harry looked around before sitting on a few crates. "Um... Erm... How... How does one person traditionally go about asking another person out in Wizarding society? You know... In theory."

Pansy's brows shot up. "Well... That depends on your intention. There's Courting, which ends in Bonding. It's a promise of eternal devotion."

"Yeah, not that one."

"Well... Now most people just go on dates. Though there are some pureblooded families that pride traditional dating methods. Millicent's family for one, or maybe Ron's family, or Neville's... Maybe your father's too... I can definitely see Draco's father pushing for it, but.... The Black family definitely and likely a few others."

"Okay. How does it work?"

"Well, usually one sends a letter to the other person's parents about intentions to date. There's usually talk of honour and purity and cherishing the other person. And if the family approves the person moves on to leaving a gift, usually something small - candy, flowers, sometimes letters... They do that for three days. And if the gifts are received with good intention on the fourth morning there's a letter from the person asking to the intended to meet them in a public, but secluded area and there is traditionally a witness and the person asks and if everything goes to plan the intended says yes."

Harry nodded slowly, letting the knowledge sink in. "And who does the witness have to be?"

"Usually it's someone who knows both people well. A friend or an older member of the family."

Harry nodded again.

"If you're intending to ask anyone I'll gladly be your witness." Pansy's voice was soft, and oddly sincere.

"I'll think about it." Harry bit his lip and then looked back to Pansy and gave her a grin. "Now, can I see the pool on who I'm taking to the Ball?"

Pansy's face broke out into a grin and she pulled out a battered piece of parchment. "I'm running this with those two boys from Gryffindor. Thomas and Finnegan. They're wonderful for things like this... They're holding the money and I'm running the bets. It's all very exciting." She smoothed the parchment out on her knees. "Five to one you'll ask Cedric. Three to one you'll ask me. Four to one you'll ask Weasley."

Harry plucked up the paper and looked at the stats. There were a few others on the list. Hermione, Neville, Blaise... he skimmed the list. "Put me down for taking Ginny Weasley."

Pansy made a quiet noise and pulled over the list. "Any particular reason why?"

"Gotta keep people guessing, don't I?"

Pansy nodded her head. "By the way, Harry. If you're going to ask Draco traditionally, you'd better get on it. You have six days."

Harry didn't bother acting surprised or abhorred, he just calmly unspelled the door and opened it. "I know. And don't tell Blaise. I figure you're the one on the list rooting for me and Draco. Throw him off my trail. I want half the gold you win."