The inevitable

Romance

Finally, the next Hogsmede Village trip came around. The five friends had decided to go together in a large group. So, that Saturday found them walking down the streets of the village.

"Oh, let's go to Honeydukes." Luna suggested dreamily, as her eyes focused on some candy treats another kid held.

"I want to go to Millie's Magical Boutique." Pansy requested, thinking of the wonderful clothing and jewellery the new shop held. The group groaned. Pansy and clothes shopping was a mix most people tried to avoid. She could literally shop until she dropped.

"How about the bookstore?" Hermione added.

"Quidditch." Both boys grinned.

The girls shook their heads in exasperation. "Typical. How about we split up and meet in the Three Broomsticks?" Pansy smiled, meeting Blaise and Luna's eye.

"Okay." The two boys sped off towards the Quidditch Shop, Hermione to the Book shop and Pansy dragged Luna to Millie's Magical Boutique to buy a dress for the Valentines Day Ball.

Draco mused at the different brooms and broom cleaning kits. "Hey, Blaise, what do you think of this?" He asked, motioning to a Quidditch Ball Set which could be personalised.

"Awesome." Blaise agreed.

"Yeah. I might get it."
"Me too. Hey, I found this outfit that adapts to the weather. You can set the colours to whatever Team you are playing for."

"Hmm, sounds useful."

"I thought so too."
The boys moved further into the store to look at the number of different items the shop held.

Pansy meanwhile was standing in Millie's Boutique with Luna, looking at the magnitude of different dresses. "So, what's the plan again?" Luna asked, looking at a lilac dress.

"Well, Blaise is going to lose Draco when they leave the Quidditch Shop. Draco thinks that we're meeting up in the Three Broomsticks so will head there. Hermione thinks the same, so she too will go there. We, however, will go elsewhere leaving them alone, thus setting them up." Pansy recited.

"That sounds like a good plan."
"I know. Hey, what about this dress?" Pansy asked, holding up a hot pink dress.
"It's lovely, but it doesn't match your skin tone. You need to go for more pastel colours. Try this one." Luna replied, handing Pansy another dress that suited her skin tone better.
"Thanks Luna. I thought this one for you." Pansy agreed, handing Luna a dress she had found for her.
"Wow, it's beautiful." Luna gasped, running her hands over the silk of the dress.
"Let's go try them on." Pansy all but squealed. The two girls headed into the dressing room.

In the Book Shop, Hermione walked along the aisles and trailed her fingers lightly over the leather of the book covers. She stopped at the section on Curses and began to look at them.

"Well, what do we have here?" A sly voice drawled.

Hermione looked round to see Ginny, glaring at her from the end of the aisle. "Hello, Ginny."
"Don't talk to me, Mudblood. Even when you are not friends with my boys, you're still in the way."

"But I..."

"Shut up! I will have them. You wait and see."

"Ginny?" Harry's voice echoed around the aisles.

Ginny's smirk grew before she let out a shrill scream. She flicked her wand and a red hand print appeared on her face followed by a black eye and a bruised arm.

Hermione stared in horror as the boys approached the aisle. They took one look at Ginny, who was sobbing, and glared darkly at Hermione. "You bitch. If you ever touch my sister again, I will kill you." Ron growled. "So much for thinking Ginny might be lying." He added under his breath.

Hermione put the books back and ran out of the store, Ginny's cold eyes watching her go.

Blaise and Draco went to leave the Quidditch Shop. "Hey, mate, go on ahead. I just saw Carmichael." Blaise grinned, looking over where his fellow Slytherin Chaser must have been.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. I need to ask him something."

"Okay. See you in a minute." Draco smiled before walking briskly towards the Three Broomsticks.

"Sucker." Blaise muttered. He turned and walked over to where he could see Pansy and Luna waiting beside Zonkos.

Hermione pushed open the door to the Three Broomsticks and looked around. "Looks like they're not here yet." She mused, walking over to a table by the window and sitting down.

She was just getting settled when the door opened and Draco entered. Hermione waved him over and Draco grinned.

"Hey." He greeted, sliding into the seat opposite the Gryffindor Head Girl.

"Hi. Where's Blaise?" Hermione smiled.
"He had to go see Carmichael."
"But Carmichael is over there with his girlfriend." Hermione replied, gesturing to where the chaser sat with his arm around a tall, blonde girl with blue eyes.

An idea began to form in Draco's mind and he smirked. "They set us up. Those sly gits."

Hermione giggled. "Well, that was unexpected. Not that I mind it really." She told him.

Draco sent her a smouldering look that made her melt. "I don't really mind either."

Luna, Blaise and Pansy were walking towards the shrieking shack when a large gaggle of Ravenclaws walked past. Pansy slyly used them as cover and slipped into the group, leaving Blaise and Luna alone.

When they had gone, Blaise and Luna looked around. "She's gone." Luna stated in surprise.

"I have a feeling Pansy set us up like we just did with Draco and Hermione." Blaise replied.

Luna boldly took his hand. "Oh well, I have to thank her when I see her next. Come on, let's go to Honeydukes." She said, dragging him down the street. Blaise followed, shaking his head in amusement.

Pansy watched the two walk off from her hiding spot in the alley beside the Bookshop. "Perfect." She grinned.

She went to walk out and bumped right into someone. She looked up and found herself lost in deep emerald eyes.

The person reached out to steady her and touched her arm. Electricity seemed to flow through them from the touch. Pansy and the person stared at each other for a while.

"Parkinson." The boy said with a smooth, rich voice.

"Potter." Pansy replied in a breathless voice.

Harry leant down a little, his eyes focussed on her full, pink lips down. Pansy licked them nervously and his eyes darkened slightly as watched the action.

Their lips were only a millimetre apart and Pansy's eyes drifted shut in anticipation.

"HARRY! Where are you?" The whining voice of Ginny Weasley broke them out of the trance and they leapt apart.

"Coming." Harry called, running off and leaving a dazed and slightly disappointed Pansy behind.