Madame Josephine's Love Calculator

The only sounds in the long narrow hallway of the dungeons were of the sound of dripping water coming from a broken pipe in the boy's bathroom. No one could be heard coming let alone Snape himself.

Ginny began to wonder if Snape even remembered he had assigned her and the obnoxious Draco Malfoy a detention.

Exhausted after standing for about twenty minutes, Ginny crouched down on the floor, her back leaned against the uncomfortable stonewall.

She looked up and saw the standing figure of Draco. He did not appear to be tired. His cold gray eyes reflected like old mirrors and his blond hair was mused and stood up on end.

Ever since the Fifth year, Draco had stopped combing back his hair as if he were a thirty-year-old businessman. He had given it up for a spiky, sort of messy look. He was much more attractive now than before.

He was wearing a warm leather cloak with the traditional Slytherin crest period. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and Ginny could see that he also had leather gloves.

Ginny shivered as she wrapped her own cotton Gryffindor cloak over her shoulders. Her beautiful flaming, curly hair fell down her back and was pinned up with golden barrettes that her brother Charlie had given her for her fifteenth birthday.

"I don't know about you," Draco said as icy as the atmosphere around them. "But if Snape doesn't come in about five minutes, I'm out of here."

"Like I care about what you're doing," retorted Ginny through chattered teeth.

"You cold Weasley?"

Ginny was startled at the remark Draco had pointed out. Indeed she was frozen and her whole body felt like one giant ice block.

"What does it look like?"

Suddenly, Draco did something that Ginny wouldn't have guessed was possible for him to do, not in a million years! He slipped off his warm leather cloak and wrapped it around Ginny. She still looked shock as he stood back up.

"Don't be thinking this is going to be an every day thing Weasley," said Draco. "I just don't want you getting sick and sneezing and spreading the flu all over causing me to catch it also."

"Right," replied Ginny sarcastically. "Well aren't you going to be cold now?"

"Of course not," snorted Draco. "I took a Heating Potion before coming here. I know how cold it gets. But I still took my cloak in case I had done something wrong with the potion wrong but it doesn't seem so."

"Oh, well thanks Malfoy."

Ginny then had no more to say. Indeed what Draco had done was quite remarkable not sinking to his usual level.

"It's alright but don't tell anyone that I've gone soft on a Gryffindor, especially a Weasely okay?" Draco replied.

Just then, someone's footsteps could be heard at the end of the hallway and greasy-haired Snape arrived, wearing and expression that said he were on time instead of being over thirty minutes late. He unlocked the door silently and led Ginny and Draco in.

"Miss. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy," barked Snape. "I'll get right to the chase. Your punishment will be to clean all fifty-two cauldrons in this classroom." He paused and smiled wickedly before adding, "By hand."

"But Professor!" argued Draco. "It'll take forever! I mean, there are stains in those cauldrons that have been there since my father was at school! They'll never come out! Not even the new ones without magic!"

"Mr. Malfoy," snapped Snape. "I do not count how many years those stains have been there. All I know is that I want them all spotless by the end of the night! Now get moving! I'll be in the teacher's lounge!"

Before Draco could open his mouth to reply, Snape was already out the door and he it shut.

Draco hit his fist hard on the nearest desk, making a dent in it.

"Malfoy calm down before Snape gives you another detention," Ginny said as she approached the angry boy.

"It'll take forever to do!" Draco cried through gritted teeth.

"Not if we start now," replied Ginny. "Now take this sponge and start scrubbing."

With that she threw a hot pink sponge at him. He caught it, startled at first but then smiled without her seeing.

***

Hermione's lips were pressed over Ron's, as both of them shared their kiss. She was now sitting on him while he was backed on his armchair, his hands touching her waist and hers locked over his neck.

They could've stayed there forever if it weren't for the sound of someone tumbling down the stairs.

Hermione quickly stood up arranging her robes as Ron did the same. The person who had fallen down the stairs was none other than Neville Longbottom.

"NEVILLE!" screeched Hermione as she rushed to the round boy lying on the floor.

"Neville," began Ron as he followed Hermione. "Did you uh- see um- anything?"

"W-what? Of c-course not," stammered Neville blushing madly. "I j-just woke up and I d-didn't see Ron so I c-came t-to see where h-he was."

"And you didn't see anything?" Ron repeated staring at Neville seriously.

"No I fell at the top of the stairs!" replied Neville rubbing his knee, which looked like it had been banged up pretty bad.

"I'm sorry Neville that I yelled at you," said Hermione with guilt. "Well it's late, good night Neville and I hope you weren't hurt too much, good night Ron."

With that, Hermione quickly gathered her books and ran up the stairs looking as if she were glad to get away.

"Neville I'll be going up to bed now," said Ron quietly as he grabbed his papers. "You don't have to go looking for me."

"Right then," replied Neville. "Good night."

Both boys walked up and went to bed without any suspicions of one another.

***

It was nearly two in the morning and all fifty-two cauldrons were gleaming in the dim of the dungeons.

Both Draco and Ginny looked as if they hadn't washed for weeks. Covered from head to toe in dust, mud and other various liquids, their muscles ached terribly.

"Now these cauldrons are even cleaner than Snape will ever," said Draco. "And if he isn't satisfied with it, there's going to be on sponge flying in his face!"

Ginny giggled as Draco looked at her.

"You think its funny?" said Draco as if what he had said was a very serious statement.

"Yes it is," replied Ginny.

"I always knew Weasleys weren't the smartest of the lot," murmured Draco. "But laughing for no reason! That's a first."

"Sorry it's just that it's really late!" replied Ginny. "And I'm tired. I mean I'm actually being nice to a Malfoy. Now that's weird!"

"It is," remarked Draco as he swept past her. "And I'm going to bed." He then paused at the door and said, "Well... Good Night... Weasley." With that he left.

Ginny was then again taken back by Draco's strange behavior during their detention. He seemed so kind yet he was purely evil. Shaking her head trying to get Draco out of her head she too left for the Gryffindor Tower.

***

Tossing and turning for what seemed like endless hours, Ginny finally sat up in her bed. She glanced at her clock, which read One-thirty and sighed. She could simply not fall in a comfortable sleep.

Suddenly the shiny surface of Ginny's laptop caught her eye. It had seemed like ages since she had opened it yet alone talked to Hot_Dragon24.

"Why not open it? You haven't got anything else to do," she thought to herself as she grabbed her laptop.

Five minutes later, her laptop was opened and Ginny was checking her email. No one had written to her. She then decided to check Madame Josephine's Chat Room just for fun.

To her surprise someone was online! And that person was none other than Hot_Dragon24! With her heart beating, Ginny quickly started writing to him.

witch_ginger19: YOU'RE STILL UP AT THIS HOUR?

Hot_Dragon24: Hello to you to. It's been a long time we haven't spoken.

Ginny blushed and she was glad that he couldn't see her and how stupid she looked.

witch_ginger19: Sorry it's just not everyone is on a chat at 4:30 in the morning!

Hot_Dragon24: Quite alright, I wasn't sleepy so I decided to come here.

witch_ginger19: Same here.

Hot_Dragon24: So anything new happening to you?

witch_ginger19: Oh no not really! Just there's a Quidditch Game the day after tomorrow and I'm sort of nervous to see who's going to win.

Hot_Dragon24: Who are you cheering for?

witch_ginger19: It's Slytherin against Gryffindor! GO GRYFFINDOR!

Hot_Dragon24: Oh you're a Gryffindor fan aren't you?

witch_ginger19: Of course!

Just then Jessica Thomas rolled onto her side. Ginny didn't want to wake her up so she decided to end her chat.

witch_ginger19: Listen I have to go now... Is there any chance we could meet again?

Hot_Dragon24: How about a date tonight at eight, it's Saturday, there's no classes!

witch_ginger19: A date sound nice, see you tonight!

Hot_Dragon24: See you.

Ginny shut off her computer and eventually fell asleep.

***

"Ginny wake up!"

Someone was shaking Ginny's shoulder. Ginny wished for the person to go away so that she could crawl back under the covers and sleep.

"Come on Ginny up!"

Ginny groaned. The person would not go away. She peeked to see Harry shaking her shoulder.

"HARRY!" yelped Ginny as she backed away from him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE GIRL'S DORMITORY?!"

"Quidditch Practice!" sang Harry. "I had to wake you up! No girls are awake yet. After all it's only six in the morning!"

"SIX IN THE MORNING!?" cried Ginny. "ARE YOU CRAZY!"

"Crazy about winning tomorrow's match!" he said grinning.

Just then Monica Cope sat up from her bed.

"What Ginny?" she said drowsily. "Why you yelling? And what is he doing here?"

"Sorry if Ginny woke you up Monica," apologized Harry. "She has Quidditch Practice."

Monica fell back on her pillow muttering something about the time.

"Now come on if you don't want to wake up anyone else," said Harry cheerfully as he pulled her out of bed.

"Okay, okay!" announced Ginny pulling away from Harry's grip. "I'll get dressed and be on the Quidditch Field in fifteen minutes."

"That's the spirit!" He winked as he exited.

"That's odd," thought Ginny suspiciously as she continue staring at the door. "Harry never sets up Quidditch practices this early and he's never this cheerful! What's going on?"

***

All seven members yawned and tried to keep their eyes open as Harry gave a long speech of how they could beat the Slytherins for the match that was coming up.

"Now the chasers will have to work in some sort of connection line," continued Harry as he glanced at the three Gryffindor Chasers, Seamus Finnigan, Colin Creevey and Ginny.

"You don't need to give Heather and I any advice Harry," interrupted Dean. "All we have to do is hit those bloody bludgers!"

"Right Dean," replied Harry smiling.

Harry continued talking but his voice seemed so distant to Ginny. It was only an echo now as she drifted off to sleep, her head on Seamus' shoulder.

"Ginny."

Ginny opened her eyes to see Seamus looking down at her.

"Did you have any sleep last night or do you just like sleeping on my shoulder?" he said in a joke like matter.

Ginny blushed madly as sat back up.

"Sorry Seamus," she muttered her head down.

"It's alright," he replied smiling.

"Now Ron, watch that left hoop," continued Harry as Ron nodded half listening.

He too seemed sleepy and Ginny wondered why.

"All right!" Harry clapped his hands together. "Let's hit the field!"

Ginny could hardly focus or keep up with Seamus and Colin. Bludgers kept fluttering past her, twice almost hitting her in the face.

After one hour of practice, Harry finally said it was time to go and eat breakfast. Ginny was relieved.

The smell of eggs and bacon filled the air of the Great Hall. It smelled good to Ginny as she put some on her plate.

The whole Gryffindor team ate nice and slow after their hard work this morning. Everyone seemed happy to be able and enjoy a hot meal, everyone except Harry. He gobbled down he's food as if there were no tomorrow.

Both Hermione and Ron stared at him in utter amazement.

"Harry?" asked Hermione. "What's the hurry? You going on a hunt for a hippogriff or something?"

"No," said Harry cramming more eggs in his mouth. "Library."

"Why in the world?" Ron spluttered in shock. "Only Hermione's that desperate to go to the library!"

"I am not desperate Ron!" shot back Hermione.

"All right, all right," said Ron holding up his hand. "But what are you doing anyways?"

"Just a bit of research," replied Harry as he swallowed the last of his food. "I'm done, see you in Transfiguration!"

With that he got up and quickly left.

"Now that is more weird than Malfoy in a ballerina suit," announced Ron as Harry had gone.

***

"Um, excuse me Madam Pince," said Harry to the librarian as he approached the counter.

Madam Pince raised her vulture-like eyes and looked at him.

"Yes Potter?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably.

"Would you uh- have um- and uh- books on um- me?" stammered Harry, as he turned red.

"You want books on yourself?" repeated Madam Pince as she gave him a strange stare.

"Uh- yes it's for a er- project," lied Harry trying to sound casual as possible.

"All right I'll be back."

Harry drummed his fingers on the counter to some sort of rhythm as he waited for Madam Pince to come back.

Five minutes later, about ten books appeared in front of Harry, casting Madam Pince from view.

"Here you go," the voice of Madam Pince came from behind the pile sounding exhausted. "Now that should keep you going for a while."

"Thank you," replied Harry as he carried the books to a nearest available table.

He opened the first book and started reading. By the time he was on the tenth book, he had not found what he was looking for.

"None of these books talk about why I don't have a love match!" thought Harry relentlessly as he shut the book.

All ten books had talked about nothing else than the night he had defeated Voldemort. The thought of Voldemort made Harry shiver. Where was he in the world? Ever since his Fifth year, when Dumbledore had called upon the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort had mysteriously disappeared and for three years there had been no signs of him.

Harry was just about to return the books to the counter when a dirty old scarlet book caught his eye.

Beneath two enormous volumes of a book, this thin book was barely visible.

Harry picked it up and brushed the dust off it. He opened the flap jacket of the book but there was no Hogwarts Crest imprinted on it, neither a list of who had taken out the book.

He then read the cover of the old book and nearly dropped it. For the title and the author's name were a surprise and a shock for him. It read:

The Boy Who Will Live

Anonymous

***

It was ten on the dot and Ginny, very bored indeed, decided to see if Hot_Dragon24 was online. To her surprise once again, he was.

"It's as if he's reading my mind!" thought Ginny in amazement.

witch_ginger24: I was just thinking about you!

Hot_Dragon24: You were?

witch_ginger24: Yes!

Hot_Dragon24: I was thinking about you also and since there's really nothing to do how about we do our date immediately since there's a Quidditch Game later on.

witch_ginger24: Great Idea!

Hot_Dragon24: So where would you like to go this time? A restaurant? Dancing?

witch_ginger19: You mean we can pick the places for our dates?

Hot_Dragon24: Of course, just think about the place you want to go when you're being absorbed and it'll bring you there!

witch_ginger19: Well okay, let's see... How about... A Wizard Amusement Park?

The where a pause before Hot_Dragon24 answered.

Hot_Dragon24: Fine, let's go!

Both Draco and Ginny pressed on the link at the bottom of the chat before once again being sucked into their screen with an icy sensation passing through them.