Snogs Galore!

Chapter Seven

Hermione was having a horrid day. She hadn't been able to concentrate in any of her morning classes. Potions had been the worst; they had been told to pair up with someone from the opposite house. She had sat at her table refusing to look at Zabini, knowing he would choose her.

The feeling of dread had battled with the anticipation of being near him once again. Much to her chagrin, he chose to pair up with Harry. Then to everyone's shock Draco headed towards Ron and took a seat next to him.

Hermione was left with Pansy as a partner. Hermione was cutting a mandrake root in the required precise pieces when laughter from Blaise made her look up. Harry seemed to be mimicking some kind of right fisted punch. Blaise was smiling at Harry's antics when he caught her eye. He winked at her, and then turned to continue his work while chatting with Harry.

Hermione returned to chopping with a little too much fervor, all the while mumbling under her breath.

Once her frustration had been taken out on the poor innocent mandrake root, she turned to face Pansy who was staring at the table across the room. "Quit ogling Malfoy and start measuring out the crushed beetle wings."

"I wasn't ogling Malfoy, and you're one to talk. Staring all moony-eyed at Potter." Pansy went to the supply cabinet to get some more ingredients.

When she came back to the table, Hermione was staring at her with narrowed eyes. "I wasn't staring at Harry. If you weren't ogling Malfoy then that means you were ogling..." Hermione looked towards the table where the red and silver heads were working together in silence. "Ron," she whispered and turned to see Pansy's reaction.

Pansy's face was flushed. "So what if I was?" She started measuring the crushed beetle wings.

Hermione glanced once again at Ron. She had been so caught up in her own problems with Blaise that she hadn't thought to ask her friend any more about his relationship with the Slytherin girl. She never imagined Pansy might return any feelings towards Ron.

Hermione reached out a hand and placed it on Pansy's shoulder. "I think it would be great."

Pansy nearly dropped the jar. "You think it would be great? You'd approve of me, a Slytherin, and your precious Ron? I always thought you and he had a thing for each other."

Hermione smiled shaking her head. "I love the obnoxious git, but it's more along the lines of a brother and sister type of thing. Do you know what I mean?"

Pansy nodded solemnly. "Yes, I do; he is an obnoxious git."

Hermione giggled and Pansy smiled. Every eye in the dank classroom turned to them.

Snape approached them. "What is it you find so amusing Miss Granger?" he sneered.

"I was just making a joke," Pansy informed her head of house. She did not want anyone knowing they were talking about Ron Weasley.

"Well, see to it that you make this potion correctly. If it is not perfect you will both loose house points. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Hermione answered. With a swish of his robes Snape walked away heading towards Ron and Draco.

"Well let's get to it then." Hermione added the mandrake root to the cauldron.

Pansy glanced around the room. "Wait just a minute. If you weren't staring at Potter then who were you mumbling about?"

Hermione had her head bowed and was measuring out more ingredients.

Pansy eyes widened as she caught Blaise watching Hermione. Blaise merely shrugged and gave Pansy a cheeky grin before turning back to his cauldron.

"No way! You and Blaise," Pansy gasped.

Hermione lifted her eyes to meet Pansy's. "Why is it so hard to fathom? Anyway there is no me and Blaise." Hermione shook her head in despair.

"I guess I really shouldn't be too shocked. After all you did manage to bag Krum for the Yule Ball."

Pansy nodded her head. "Yes, I can see it now. Blaise is the only other student who spends as much time as you do in the library. I'm sure he's attracted to your big," she skimmed Hermione's body with her eyes, "brain." Pansy smirked.

"Wow Pansy I'm impressed. It only took you two minutes to turn into a total bitch." Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape walked towards their table.

"We are all done. The potion is ready to sit overnight before adding the final ingredient tomorrow."

Snape peered into their cauldron. "Yes, indeed, it is ready for steeping. Place it on that table. Then you two are dismissed."

Hermione gathered her books as Pansy was placing their cauldron on the table. Before Pansy could make it back, Hermione was gone.

~~~*~~~*~~~

The big talk at lunch was about a couple that had been caught snogging in the Quidditch supply shed.

"Did you hear?" Ginny scooted onto the bench between Hermione and Neville.

"Hear what?" Neville asked while reaching for some roast, at the same time making sure Harry was not going for the same thing.

"Colin Creevey and Millicent Bulstraude were found snogging each other senseless this morning. Madam Hooch was returning supplies to the Quidditch shed when she walked in on them." Ginny was laughing while fixing her plate, "better her than me."

"Colin and Bulstraude? You're sure it's not just some silly gossip?" Hermione questioned.

"Yes, I'm sure. Luna and I saw them being marched to Dumbledore's office. They were holding hands." Ginny shook her head in dismay. "Poor Colin, I hope they don't get too carried away next time. Millicent could snap him in half."

"Ginny, I am trying to eat here," Ron said in disgust, with a mouthful of sandwich.

"Yeah, I can see I'm ruining your appetite," Ginny snickered.

"Neville, have you started working on your arrow assignment?" Hermione reached around Ginny and tapped Neville on the shoulder. Startled he spilt some of his pumpkin juice on Ginny.

"Ewww! Neville why are you so jumpy at meals lately?" Ginny was trying to wipe the juice off of her jumper.

Neville glanced at Harry and quickly looked away. "I was thinking about something and Hermione startled me; that's all."

Ginny smiled. "Thinking about something or maybe someone?" Ginny inclined her head towards the Ravenclaw table.

Neville blushed. "Who would you be thinking of Neville?" Harry narrowed his eyes and spoke in a controlled voice.

"No one in particular," Neville stuttered.

Ginny raised her eyebrow. "Really, Neville, we are all great chums here, share with us."

Neville turned bright red. "Nothing to share," he mumbled.

Ginny took pity on him. "Okay Nev, if you say so." She patted his shoulder.

Ginny put her napkin down and stood up. "I am going to have to change before my next class. I can't go about sticky and smelling of pumpkin juice all day. Are we meeting in the library before dinner?"

Everyone looked to each other and nodded. "Right then, I'll see you later." She headed up to her rooms ignoring the piercing gaze of the silver haired boy at the Slytherin table.

~~~*~~~*~~~

Professor Snape sat at the head table watching the students below him. Watching one Slytherin in particular. Very interesting indeed. As his gaze wandered around the Great Hall it was captured by a set of light blue eyes, which winked at him. Snape abruptly sat back in his chair. He cautiously leaned forward and slowly turned his head to his right.

Professor Trelawney sat three seats down from him. Her eyeglasses were carelessly tossed beside her goblet. She had her elbow on the table and was idly twirling a lock of her hair. She brazenly met his gaze and winked again.

No one ever winked at Severus Snape. He sat there gawking at the Divination teacher. Her eyes were a lovely shade of light blue, he thought to himself. He was lightly bumped by Flitwick to his left. What in the name of Salazar has happened to me? He stood up from the table and went to the dungeons to try to sort things out. Luckily he didn't notice the hungry look that followed his departure out the door.

Dumbledore sat back in his chair and tried to hide his smile as he watched the Potions professor leave in a hurry. He caught a glimpse of Trelawney as she watched Snape leave.

When Poppy had spoken to him about the resurfacing of cupid's arrows he had decided to keep it to himself. After all, the last time it had happened nothing truly bad had occurred. Actually, some good had come out of it.

He never imagined any of the professors would be affected. It was too late now, nothing could be done but to let it all run its course. His smile grew larger, besides after all the pressure of the impending war this could help relieve some stress. He at least would enjoy watching everything unfold.

~~~*~~~*~~~

"Neville, meet me in the library after Advanced Herbology." Hermione stood up from the table and looked at Ron and Harry. "You two meet us before supper."

Blaise watched as the bushy haired brunette strode out of the great Hall. "I love it when she takes charge."

Draco turned in his chair. "Did she take charge last night?" He quickly held up his hand. "No, don't answer that. Forget I even asked; I really don't want to know."

"I did have to be the aggressor last night, but she didn't put up much of a fight." Blaise grinned as he watched Draco's face turned green. "Of course, I have you to thank for it."

"Oh, no you don't. You're not pinning this on me. I don't want any credit for you and Granger doing --. Ugh! I can't say it." Draco pushed his plate away.

"Actually not much happened last night. Bugger it all. She thinks I'm too good for her." Blaise frowned down at his plate of food.

"That's the first intelligent thing I've heard Granger say in over six years." Draco watched as Blaise's scowl deepened.

"You can be a big arse sometimes," Blaise muttered.

"I'm sorry, mate; if you promise you won't go into details, I'll listen." Draco turned to face Blaise.

"Well, it's actually the way she said it. I think it might be the only reason she's holding back." He was pushing his food around the plate. "She said, 'I'm what every girl wants, so I'm not for her.'"

Draco's eyes narrowed as he was remembering something said to him last night. 'You arrogant prat. Do you really want to know who I was talking about. It was Zabini.' At the time he had shrugged it off, thinking it was just her way to irritate him. But maybe he should have taken her seriously. He stood abruptly and looked at Blaise. "Sorry, mate, but I've got to find some one. We'll talk later." He stepped over the bench and strode out of the Great Hall heading towards Gryffindor tower.

Blaise sighed and finished his meal.

~~~*~~~*~~~

Pansy sat at her desk in her room reading over her mother's letter. It was the usual recitation of what had happened at home while she was away. She quickly scanned the letter searching for the answer to her question.

In answer to your question, yes I did have an enchanted mirror while at Hogwarts. I'm not sure what happened to it after I graduated. Your dad and I were married so soon after and my life changed quickly. Why did you need to know darling?

If this was her mother's mirror then she had been a Gryffindor. Should she ask her mum about it? If she had been, then there were a thousand more questions demanding to be answered. Like, how had she ended up marrying a Slytherin?

She pulled out a piece of parchment and quill and wrote a reply to her mum. If she hurried, she would have enough time to take it to the owlery before next class. She quickly rolled up the paper as she left out the door.

She had just tied the letter to a school owl's leg when she felt his presence in the room. She automatically stiffened before she turned to face him. You can do this; he's just Ron Weasley for Hermes sake, a red haired nobody. She turned to face him. With sweet brown eyes and that sexy little dimple when he smiles at me.

Ron had been leaving the Great Hall when he had spotted Pansy making her way up the main staircase. He decided to follow her, because for some reason, she had been avoiding him. He was approaching her when she turned to face him. He smiled and saw her face soften.

He reached forward to lightly brush her cheek with his fingers. She captured his hand and sighed. She really couldn't put this off much longer.

"Ron, we need to talk." She pulled him towards a ledge to sit. She kept his hand in hers as she looked into his eyes.

"We were both caught off guard by these feelings we've been having lately." She looked down into her lap, unable to meet his gaze.

"I can't disagree with that, Pansy. But while I'm unsure as to why I'm falling for you, the fact is I am falling." He turned her face up to his and leaned close.

"I'm falling hard," he whispered across her lips before capturing them in a tender kiss.