ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀᴀᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʟɪʟᴀ ʜᴏʟᴍᴇꜱ || ᴅʀᴀᴄᴏ ᴍᴀʟꜰᴏʏ x ᴏᴄ || ʏᴇᴀʀ 4

rebel rebel, how could they know?

"You know, I reckon you're spending too much time with Malfoy," Ron told me on the way back from Care of Magical Creatures.

"Why do you say that?" I asked innocently.

"He looks the happiest he's been since Moody turned him into a ferret," Ron said, motioning over with his head. Draco did in fact look quite pleased with himself. He must have said something funny, because Blaise was laughing and Pansy was evidently trying hard not to.

We were both in good spirits because our Potion had finished brewing last week, and we were soon to set our plan in motion — we just needed to wait for the best time.

The entrance hall was crowded when we reached it. Ron and I stood on our toes to read aloud what was on the notice board, Harry and Hermione exchanging exasperating looks at our chorusing voices.

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY. STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.

"Brilliant!" Harry said excitedly. "It's Potions at the end of the day on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!"

"Only a week away!" Ernie Macmillan exclaimed from nearby. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him. . ."

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" Ron snorted after Macmillan had hurried off. We pushed through the crowd.

"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione pointedly. "I've heard he's a really good student — and he's a prefect."

"You only like him because he's handsome," Ron said bluntly, looking rather miffed.

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" Hermione protested.

Ron coughed out the word "Lockhart" in retort. I laughed, but I was preoccupied. So, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons would be arriving on the thirtieth. What a perfect opportunity for Smith to lose his hair.

"I was thinking exactly the same," Draco told me as the two of us sneaked discreetly into Myrtle's bathroom the following afternoon. Our potion was still bubbling languidly as expected. "A few drops of this and perhaps he'll never speak again."

"What if he snuffs us out?" I asked with a frown. "I'm not keen on the idea of real detention, especially if Sprout decides to get involved."

If it were Draco and I against the Venemous Tentacula, I might as well have started writing my will then and there.

"He can't prove it was us," Draco reasoned. "A first year could brew a Hair-Loss Potion. It wouldn't take any special affinity for the subject. He'll suspect it was us, of course, but if there's no proof, he might as well be talking to a wall."

"Fair, but this means we should have as few liable parties as possible, meaning we can't ask one of his housemates to smuggle out his shampoo," I replied thoughtfully. "So how do we get it?"

"Easy. All students will be required outside to greet Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, meaning we'll slip into Hufflepuff while that's happening."

"Great," I recalled that Draco, for all his merits, wasn't the greatest at plans. "Do you know where the common room is?"

Draco opened his mouth, then closed it.

I fought back a smirk. "And their password?"

More silence. Luckily, an idea was forming in my head.