Matchmaker

+~+ Part two +~+

Harry and Ron followed Hermione down to the Hufflepuff common room entrance, not giving up in their interrogations.

"I still don't think this is such a good idea, Hermione," Ron said. "I mean, what if you make a completely wrong match? They'll hate you!"

"I know what I'm doing, Ron," Hermione answered, but Harry was sure he heard her voice quavering slightly.

Hermione led them down a flight of stairs to a basement corridor.

"This is the hallway with that passage to the kitchens," Ron noted, his eyebrows furrowing. "Wait a minute -- Hermione, don't tell me you're trying to get the house elves in on this, too --"

"Don't be silly," Hermione interrupted impatiently. They finally stopped in front of a suit of armor. Hermione lifted its helmet, jumping slightly when the empty space -- where a head would have been, had the knight been alive -- boomed, "Password?"

"Um," Hermione said, stalling. "Well, I don't know..."

"Then no entrance," the knight said, crossing its arms.

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait for someone to come, then," Hermione sighed. No sooner had she uttered her last word, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones appeared on the other end of the hallway, talking and giggling.

"And you'll never *believe* what he said next," Hannah said, her eyes shining. "He said," -- a dreamy look appeared on her face -- "'See you later, Hannah'. Oh, can you believe that? I think he might ask me to the next Hogsmeade trip!" she concluded, Susan Bones giggling at her side.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry.

"Oh, hello," Hannah said, suddenly aware of the others' presence.

"Hannah, can I have the password to the Hufflepuff common room?" Hermione asked, wasting no time beating around the bush.

"Why?" Hannah asked suspiciously.

"I need to put something up on the notice board," Hermione said, rummaging through her robes, finally retrieving another one of her fliers. She handed it over to Hannah. Susan leaned in and they examined it together.

"A -- a dating service?" Susan spoke up.

"Matchmaking service," Hermione corrected her. "Yeah, Harry is my inspiration..." and she proceeded to tell the girls about poor Harry's bad luck with love. The girls gave Harry a quick, pitiful glance. Harry could feel the red creeping up his neck already.

"That's a brilliant idea, Hermione," Hannah said admiringly.

Hermione beamed. "So will you put the flier up for me? Spread the word a little?"

"Of course we will," Hannah replied, looking delighted.

"You've got your first two customers right here," Susan added.

"Great!" Hermione said breathlessly. "Thanks so much," she added.

She made her way in the opposite direction in which she, Harry, and Ron had come, looking incredibly excited.

"Will you look at that?" Hermione said, her voice nearly squeaking. "They think I'm brilliant," she squealed, a broad grin spreading across her face.

"You've just realized this?" Ron asked incredulously. "You're the smartest person in our year, Hermione. Everyone's been thinking you're brilliant since first year."

"Well, I don't want to brag -- but they have, haven't they?" Hermione chuckled to herself. "Yes, I know, but it's still nice to be told once in a while, isn't it?"

"Well, I wouldn't know," Ron grumbled. "No one's ever thought of me as clever before."

Hermione didn't know what to say to this, so ignored him and pressed on with her "I can't believe they think I'm brilliant" sermon.

She skipped merrily up the stairs, humming to herself, the words "brilliant" and "can't believe it" issuing from her occasionally.

"This time I mean it," Ron muttered to Harry, "She's lost it."

"I have not," Hermione insisted, instantly dropping her happy-go-lucky demeanor and returning to her normal, serious self.

+~+ End of part two +~+