Choice

Draco walked into the Great Hall for dinner, his eyes wandering over the four long tables situated there. He tried to avoid searching the Gryffindor table, but to no avail. As the silver orbs drifted that way, he realized with a shock that there were four eyes already on him. One pair of the eyes was blue, fringed with a red that was so light it was nearly invisible. Hah. At least Weasel doesn't have long, pretty eyelashes, even if he is starting to mature into a ... decent... looking muggle-lover. The blue eyes bore into him with a look of pure hatred, before finally looking away. Content at having out-stared Weasley, he looked to the Gryffindor's side to see who else was watching him. The other pair of eyes was a lovely surprise. Hermione's eyes had sparks of green here and there, and were fringed with wonderfully thick lashes. She's so pretty... Erm, she has pretty eyes, I mean... for a Mudblood. Draco cringed inwardly at the thought. Mudblood. I don't even realize I do it anymore.

He moved over to the Slytherin table. The table was dominated with green and silver; no one in the Slytherin house wore any other color. I wonder why I never noticed that. I mean, I usually wear green and silver, but it gets old. But they... they always wear it. Draco felt decidedly conspicuous in his red shirt. True, it was a red deep enough to look almost black, but it was still red. He heard Pansy comment to Blaise on his 'Gryffindor colored' shirt, and his eyes narrowed.

Blaise moved closer to him, laughing slightly. Her voice was low and seductive when she whispered, "I think that color becomes you, Draco darling."

He almost growled at her. "There's only one person I want calling me 'darling', darling, and it's not you"

She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and covered one of his perfectly manicured hands with one of her own. "That's what they all say."

There is also only one person I want to notice this Gryffindoresqe shirt... And it's not Pansy! With that thought, his eyes wandered to his arch-nemesis's table. He quickly located Harry, and with a brief glare of hatred for Ron, his gaze moved on to Hermione. She was talking to Ron, gesturing wildly with a buttered roll. Whatever she was saying was clearly funny, because the other sixth-years around her were snickering loudly. If not for the fact that Ron was quickly turning a bright pink, Draco might have thought they were talking about him. But the Gryffindors were apparently talking about Ron's potion mix-up, and his added hair.

Just then, Hermione looked up from the table, still laughing at a joke of Dean's. Her eyes caught and held Draco's, and they sat staring at each other for a few minutes. She flashed him a warm smile, and he smiled back before remembering. Malfoy's don't smile. Well, not warmly.

Blaise suddenly leaned in front of him, cutting off his sight of Hermione. She pressed into him, her chest tight against his shoulder as she reached for a chicken leg from the plate on his left.

"There is a plate just beside you, Blaise," Draco said impatiently.

"Yes, but it's out of legs, Draco. You can't expect me to forgo on chicken legs can you? Not when they're so yummy?"

Draco just glared at her, before standing up. "I'm going back to the common room."

Crabbe and Goyle immediately picked up a few extra rolls, and then fell into place behind him as he walked from the room.

When they got to the Slytherin common room, Draco flung himself into a chair.

"Go." he told Crabbe and Goyle, and, like the good little lapdogs they were, they went.

After awhile, the comfortable common room began to empty of students. Some of them went to bed, but a great deal more headed out of the common room, and on to the Astronomy Tower. As the last couple was leaving the dungeon rooms, Blaise came strolling in.

She stopped close to Draco. He ignored her, and threw one of his arms over his eyes, leaning back in his chair. Suddenly he gave a grunt of surprise as he felt Blaise climbing astride his lap. Her legs straddled him, and her knees were on either side of his hips.

He kept his arm over his eyes, going by the standard of, if I ignore her, she'll go away. That didn't happen however; instead, Blaise leaned down and softly kissed him on the lips.

Draco pulled back, repulsed. "Don't. Kiss. Me."

Blaise pouted, and even Draco had to admit that it was adorable. Well, he had to admit it to himself. He was damned if he was going to tell her that it was adorable.

"Oh, come on Draco, dearest. You're no fun."

He wanted to tell her that she was right, that he wasn't any fun. That he was so much not fun that she should just go away. But instead, his eyes narrowed.

"I am the epitome of fun" he said, before he reached up and cupped her head with his hands. Bringing her head down to his, he proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of the girl.

When he finally let her up for air, Blaise said breathlessly. "You're right. That was fun."

He smiled at her. "Yeah."

Green eyes looked into his for a minute, as Blaise played with her sun-bleached hair. "Draco. I need a favor. Just for a few days, mind." she told him.

Silver eyes drifted shut for a second, before opening again warily. "What do you need?"

"I need... a boyfriend."

"And why do you only need said boyfriend for a few days?"

She smiled, running a finger down his chest, tracing around some of the buttons on his shirt. "I have my eye set on a certain Ravenclaw," she told him, "and I mean to make him jealous."

"A Raven and a Snake. How... unusual."

She grinned. "Aren't I always one for the unusual creatures, Draco?"

He rolled his eyes, but nodded agreement anyway. "Fine. I'll do it. But by a few days, Blaise, you better mean only a few days."

She smiled and patted him on the head. "And don't think you're getting any from this, either, Draco darling." she said, before climbing off of his lap and heading up to her dorm room.

Draco just shook his head, bemused at the female Slytherin's antics. He sat there in his chair a little longer, thinking about Blaise. Thoughts of green eyes faded while thoughts of hazel eyes grew. Hermione has such pretty eyes, he mused. Hmm... I wonder what it'd take to get her to sit on my lap? He smiled at the thought, and started day dreaming.

Finally, he stood up and headed to bed.

***

Harry sat in the Great Hall, surrounded by his friends. His friends, who at this very moment were laughing at one Ron Weasley's distress. Well, the hair coming out of his ears, at least. Harry was half listening, and he laughed when everyone else laughed. He wasn't really paying attention though.

He usually paid attention. Honestly he did! Well, unless he had a good reason. And he did, this time.

The reason Harry wasn't paying attention was that wonderful potion that Professor Snape had forced their Advanced Potions class to take. I never thought I'd think anything from his class could be wonderful. But this is.

He thought back to what Professor Snape had said about the potion. The--what was it? Oh yes--the Kyorl potion.

"This potion, if made correctly, will allow you to know what a person feels when you look at them, even if they don't know it yet themselves."

Harry grinned. He hadn't really understood what Professor Snape meant at that point, but now as he looked at his friends, he understood perfectly.

He had to consciously decide to read some one though, and so far he had restrained. When he saw Hermione flash a warm smile in Slytherins direction, his gaze turned that way as well. He saw Draco's return smile, before Blaise blocked him from view. After Blaise sat back down, Harry 'read' Malfoy.

Hmm. Harry was a bit surprised by what he 'saw' in Malfoy. He's disgusted. Disgusted with Blaise, especially, but disgusted with Slytherins in general. Harry blinked. He doesn't hate us. Well, okay, he hates Ron. But he doesn't hate me and Hermione. In fact... If I didn't know better I'd swear he was in love with Hermione! He's so confused, though. So lost. So. If the Ice King ever melted, that's what'd be underneath. Hmmm. He seems to feel that the potion that he and Hermione made was a ... a love potion?! Hmmph. Well. Even if it was, I wonder how shocked he'd be if he knew that the created feelings he has for Hermione aren't near as strong as the feelings he already had?

Harry sat there for a few minutes, watching as Malfoy stood and stalked from the Hall. He was trying to figure out why Malfoy liked Hermione. Sure, she's pretty. Well, beautiful, even. He thought, as he glanced at her, meeting her eyes. He sent her a small smile, and then went back to his contemplations. And she certainly has brains to match him. They are always scrabbling over who gets the highest scores. But... all that Mudblood business... He's always been such a "pure" person...

Harry wondered how Hermione felt. He felt as if he was invading her personal space, but he couldn't help it. Curiosity killed the cat, after all. Or did it make kittens? Either way, he turned his gaze onto one of his best friends.

Well well. Hermione's got it bad for Draco. He smiled slightly. And hers is almost less because of the potion than his is! ...Almost. And... Wow. Women's intuition must be a real thing. She feels to the bottom of her soul that that was a love potion that she made. Going off subject for a moment, he paused to laugh at the small fact that extra rat tails were what caused the potion to turn into a love potion. Mmm. Rats. Anyways. Back on subject. He blinked in surprise. How can she feel that strongly for Draco, yet still have feelings for Ron?

Confused, he turned his gaze again, this time settling his magicked eyes on his red-haired, freckle-faced friend. Hullo Ron, he thought to himself, laughing. Let Dr. Potter, the shrink, tell you what he knows you feel.

Hmm... curious. Very curious, he thought, mimicking Ollivander's eerie phrase. Ronnikins has a crush on Hermione! Well. What did you expect, Dr. Potter? Him to be in love with you? Harry blushed slightly, glad that no one knew what was in his head. What, can't a boy hope? he asked himself, still blushing.

He turned his thoughts back to Ron. Well, away from Ron, but back to him at the same time. Boy. Is he pissed at Crabbe, or what?! Aww. Isn't that sweet? He's worried about me. And... something else. I'm not real sure what that is.

Shrugging it off, Harry grinned, tuning back into his friends conversation after one last thought. I hope Hermione, Ron, and Draco get everything sorted up before the next three days are over. I'm almost positive that's when Snape said this potion ended! Mm. Quidditch!

***

Ron was blushing.

Oh sure, everyone thought he was blushing because of the Potions story. Well, that's half of it, at least, Ron thought, being honest with himself. Well, maybe a third.

The other two thirds of his blush was sitting right beside him. As in, right beside him. As in, almost on his lap. With all of the Gryffindors that were squeezed at this end of the table, trying to hear Hermione's tale, they were all squeezed in very tightly. And... Hermione was sitting right beside him.

They kept bumping elbows, too. Every once in awhile, no matter how careful he was, their elbows bumped. It's like they're magnetically attracted to each other!

Ron rolled his eyes, and heaved a big sigh as Hermione went on--and on!--about the length of the hair growing from his ears. As his eyes returned to the front of his head, they landed on Harry, who was staring at Draco intensely.

Harry's gotten thinner, he thought, as he sat and watched the other Gryffindor. His eyes traveled from the top of Harry's head (His hair is so messily cute!) to the Gryffindor's face, (He looks so tired, he's got black circles under his eyes...) and down to the rest of the body. Well, the rest of it that showed above table. Ron knew, of course, what his friend looked like. They lived in the same bloody dorm room, for goodness sakes. Ron knew that under the school uniform, Harry really was as skinny as he looked. But there were muscles in that body, and he was beautifully well proportioned. Slightly skinny arse, though.

Suddenly, Ron blushed again. Thankfully no one noticed, because they were now involved in a heated Quidditch debate. Why did I just think about Harry's butt? He shrugged slightly, defensively, before joining into the conversation.

It was a surprise when Hermione joined in as well, but a pleasant one. Glad she's showing interest! he thought, before he lost himself in conversation.

***

Hermione was surprised at herself. First you smile at Draco. MALFOY, of all people, she told herself firmly, and now you're rubbing elbows with Ron and joining into a conversation of something you care nothing about. Are you crazy?!

But really, she was having fun. After all, wasn't that what teenagers were supposed to do? Have fun?

After awhile, the Quidditch conversers got up from their table. Hermione looked around in surprise. The Great Hall was empty, the only people still there were the group of sixth and seventh year students who were discussing the school Quidditch games of the season.

As the group headed back to their tower, Hermione managed to continue holding her own in a sport she knew nothing about. Well, what do you know? Miracles do come true! Never thought I'd be able to converse intelligently about Quidditch, of all things!

***

Most of the Gryffindors went to bed as soon as they walked through the portrait whole. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed up for a while longer, talking, and Seamus and Dean lay in front of the fire, starting a game of wizards' chess. After a few minutes, Harry got up.

"I'm going to bed, folks."

He walked up the stairs, sent off with a small chorus of "'Night!"

Ron and Hermione sat down on the couch, watching Seamus and Dean. Hermione tucked her feet under her legs, and leaned back into the soft couch. Ron, who was nervous, didn't. He just sat there. Stiffly. No pun intended with that last thought, either! he told himself, blushing nervously.

After a few more minutes, he reached over and took Hermione's hand into his own. At first he was sure that she would pull away, but when she didn't he began tracing the ink spot on his fingers that he had noticed earlier.

Ron started drifting off to sleep, and when his head dropped onto Hermione's shoulders, she looked over at him. He looks so peaceful, she thought to herself. I wonder what Draco looks like asleep?

Abruptly, she stood up. Ron opened big blue eyes sleepily, and stood up with her. "I'm going to bed, guys." She told the three boys in the room. Ron nodded agreement with her, and started up the stairs to his own room. Seamus and Dean jumped up and raced ahead of him up the stairs, pushing each other out of the way. "Last one to the dorm is a white ferret!"

Hermione stood there, watching Ron's strong, tall body walking up the stairs. But, he wasn't the guy in her thoughts. The guy she watched in her dreams that night had silver hair. Funnily enough though, his eyes were blue.