Spoon

Author's note

: This chapter is a lot happier than the past ones, (and a lot longer! It was so much fun to write!) because this is what it's all about in the first place! I didn't set out to make it depressing or dramatic. So, here it is, with a little bit better style (hopefully) and a lot more quirky humor.

Oh...sorry about the HTML coding before! It's needed on riddikulus.org where I've been posting it if you want italics or bold script or anything. Sorry again! I believe I've ridded this chapter of all coding.

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Harry woke up feeling scared on the morning of St. Ottoman's. Or maybe apprehensive was the word. Yes. He had to be careful with his words. It wouldn't do to make mistakes. After all, the Boy Who Lived had to also be the Boy of Superior Intelligence. And unlike Ron, he knew that distraught was not the same as distracted.

He sat in his bed for a few moments, listening to the rustling of sheets and snoring coming from his fellows. This was his 6^th year knowing them, and he smiled appreciatively. He really couldn't have been luckier that day. His friends weren't yet awake to hear him getting ready for a very important day, and this very important day was on account of one very important Slytherin.

As Harry reached the Great Hall that morning, he remembered why he was so apprehensive. To add to it, he was now very self-conscious. Despite his best efforts, his hair stuck out in all directions and he had put on a horribly uncoordinated outfit under his school robes. Green and orange-red never got along very well. He'd spent a ridiculous amount of time getting ready and mentally preparing himself for lunch later that afternoon, but his day had hardly begun and he was a nervous wreck.

Draco was not yet at the Slytherin table. Most Slytherins preferred to eat in their common room, anyway.

The only other Gryffindors at the table at this hour were Ginny and Dennis. Most Gryffindors preferred beauty sleep or just sleep over getting up early when breakfast was served until 8o'clock. God forbid, quite a few of them needed beauty sleep.

He hurriedly ate an orange biscotti, pumpkin juice, and a pastry. He had to grab his bookpack before double potions. There wasn't any sense in getting the house points reduced after Seamus' incident at the beginning of the term.

***

Draco most definitely preferred eating in the Great Hall early in the morning rather than the dank Slytherin dungeons. His fellow Slytherins, while being superior to Gryffindorks, were still inferior to him. But he didn't want to have to deal with Harry Potter that early in the morning. Not only that, but 2 solitary strands of hair absolutely refused to stay down. It wouldn't be proper to go out in public like this.

He stood impatiently in front of the mirror and combed back his hair for the umpteenth time. After (precisely) 9 times re-gelling and combing his hair, he let out an impatient grunt, slapped the comb on the sink and ruffled his hair. At least now it looked like he hadn't been trying.

He took a deep breath, checked his face in the mirror one last time, and set off for the Great Hall.

When he arrived, there were very few students left in the hall. A few Ravenclaws were discussing an upcoming test in History of Magic. Draco noticed one face amongst the crowd - Aidan Finnigan. Draco had assumed he was that Gryffindor's brother, but was much more intriguing. Where the other Finnigan had a smile and charm, this one seemed more refined. Not that it really mattered, anyway. The boy was two years younger than he was.

Draco grabbed a biscuit from the Slytherin table and stalked off once again to the dungeons. He carefully placed his elbows in the way of every oncoming person. He was, after all, a 6^th year and mere 3^rd years had better not dare cross his path early in the morning. Or any other time of day, for that matter.

***

When Harry reached Gryffindor Tower, there were still a few students lounging in the comfortable chairs. They mustn't have any classes this morning. Lucky buggers. He ran up the stairs to the 6^th year boys' dormitory and grabbed his pack from his four-poster. He set off to the dungeons. It was going to be a long morning.

***

Draco entered the commons quietly and slipped into his room. He grabbed his black bag from his bed and walked back out. Lucky for him, the Potions room was just across the hall from Slytherin quarters. He ducked into the room and set himself at the front. It was a good thing he established his seat far from Potter from the beginning. Now he wouldn't have to look at him. On the other hand, he couldn't look at him. Haha. Very funny. I don't have to look at him, but I can't look at him. Is it ironic? I think not.

He set his books, quills and ink upon the desk and leaned back in his chair. Even with his hair "ruined," he looked like a beautiful young man. He was definitely Lucius' son. All eyes were on him. It's got to be the hair. Father always said I needed to be more patience; it is a virtue after all.

***

Harry entered the dungeons and gave Snape a resentful glare as he passed the desk. It's not as if the old codger would notice. He walked to the back of the room where Hermione and Ron were already sitting, looking extremely uncomfortable. He tried his best not to look in Malfoy's direction, but it was entirely impossible. He sighed and sat himself down in between them. There were still 5 minutes before class began.

He leaned over to Ron. "What's the matter, Ron? Girls got you down?"

"Yes, in fact, Harry. I swear. You can't like two girls at the same time can you!?" he whispered nearly frantically.

"Well, not if you're dating one of them, but as I don't think you are..."he gave Ron a suspicious look, "It shouldn't be a problem."

"But it is, Harry! Seamus the bloody git, he is! Always meddling in others' affairs. He told Hermione I fancy her, and if that weren't enough, I was talking to Parvati at the time, asking her to come with me on the next Hogsmeade trip! I've ruined my chances with both of them."

"I must say, that makes no sense, Ron. You're practically in love with Hermione yet you ask Parvati to Hogsmeade with you?"

"You just don't understand. I couldn't ask Hermione! She's so complicated! Parvati and Lavender on the other hand are just normal girls. You get what you ask for with them. As much as I'd like Hermione, it's not possible."

Harry sighed. Sometimes his friends were impossible.

He smiled a little and turned to Hermione.

"What's bothering you, Mione? You look upset. There isn't a test, is there?"

Hermione smiled a little. "You'd know if there were a test; I would have reminded you of course. It's Ron. I know I shouldn't talk to you about it...I really should talk to him, but you know how dense he is sometimes!"

Harry nearly laughed. "Yes, I know. Go on."

"Alright. Well, Seamus comes prancing up to me while I was sitting in the Common Room and announces that Ron fancies me. How embarrassing!"

"I don't get what's so bad about it?" Harry never really understood how Hermione and Ron's minds worked about their "relationship" as friends or as potential lovers.

"Harry! Don't you get it? I fancy Ron! And he was even asking Parvati to Hogsmeade! It was so embarrassing, Harry."

"Hermione, why didn't you just ask him to Hogsmeade yourself? It's not the Dark Ages any longer."

"I...uh...good point there."

At that, Harry smiled hugely. "Ron, Hermione," he announced, "You fancy each other and will attend Hogsmeade this weekend in each other's presence. That's final." He laughed, stood up and moved over next to Hermione, so she could sit by Ron. He hardly heard the appalling noises coming from them, or the sniggering from everyone else in the class. Even Snape was chortling, if he'd cared to listen.

***

Potions passed in a blur of blonde hair, giggling, firefly wings and pink. They were making something called 'Giddiness Serum'. Snape had been asked to make it; a special request from Dumbledore. Instead of making it himself, he figured at least one student would have made it correctly.

Harry had toughed his way through the lesson, and by the end, his potion was a lighter pink than Hermione and Ron's, but it was pink nonetheless. For Harry, Potions extraordinairre he was, any potion not turning sickly green was quite good.

It wasn't until he'd cleaned up his mess that he realized today was early lunch day. It was almost time. His life was about to be ruined, he was sure of it.

***

Besides the Weasley-Granger "hook-up" class had been torture. Draco had an aptitude for potion making and he'd always enjoyed it. This class, though, was pure torture. Unlike Harry, he knew his next period was lunch, and he was going to be embarrassed out of his mind. He hadn't until recently thought about how he was going to get out of this mess. The Slytherins would either never forgive Potter for asking him on a date, or never forgive him for accepting. Probably both, though.

When class had ended and all materials were stored, Draco was sure he was going to retch. He wasn't even the one doing the asking.

***

By the time Harry made it to Gryffindor Tower and back to the Great Hall, he'd changed. Not that it made any difference. You could only see the green under his robes, anyway. He'd felt he had to make the effort, though, and he was already in the Tower putting his books away. He grabbed his History of Magic books, shoved them in his bag and set off for lunch.

This was going to be the best or worst day of his entire life. He really wasn't sure which.