Harry Potter and the Taming of the Shrew

Chapter Two

It wasn't until Ron found out that Candace was in need of a Charms tutor that he found his break. He signed up right away, and within two days, he was finally talking to the girl he'd already fallen for.

"Hi," he said when she sat down next to him in the library. Candace merely shrugged off her book bag and stared at him.

"Hi. Um, how long will this be? I kind of promised my friends I'd meet up with them to watch the Quidditch practice. You know, because Draco Malfoy is just so incredibly hot and we don't have any classes with him since he's a seventh year." Ron blinked. Had she just said all that in one breath?

"As long as you need to get this to work," he said nervously.

"Oh, I'll be here forever!" Candace wailed. Ron reached for her arm to pat it, and then pulled it back as a second thought. "You'd think my own sister would help me, but no, she's off ripping down posters and claiming that house elves should work for pay."

"What?"

"Oh, she's just a little crazy," Candace assured him. Ron hoped that it didn't run in the family. "But that's not the point. What matters is, I don't get this. At all."

"You will," he told her. "Just...look. Okay. We can work on it for a bit today, and maybe...sometime, if you still don't get it, we can go out? To dinner?" Ron blushed furiously, positive that his face matched his fiery red hair. Candace looked at him in awe.

"Oh, you're asking me out! Thanks. Um, what did you say your name was?" Ron dropped his head in embarrassment. She didn't even know his name!

"Ron Weasley," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't catch it before." She smiled at him. "Look, I would so love to, but you know, I'm really not allowed to date until I graduate."

"So I heard," Ron said, his head still down and his voice still muffled.

"But...maybe I could owl my dad and see if he'll make an exception." Ron blinked and raised his head. Candace was grinning at him.

"Okay."

It was only two days later when an owl swooped down to Hermione's plate at breakfast, dropped a letter in her orange juice and soared back out. She quickly snatched it from her drink and opened the envelope.

Inside was a letter from her father. Hermione read it once, read it again, and in shock handed it over to Lavender, who had to read it at least five times to get it through her head.

Hermione,

Your sister has owled me and asked for a change in the dating rule. You no longer have to wait until you graduate. Candace may date...when you do. Therefore, I am trusting in you to hold up your dislike for boys and NOT DATE. If you don't, she doesn't, and I really don't need either of you to come home with a baby next summer. Please keep this in mind.

Your father

"I don't believe this," Hermione groaned. "She's going to be on my back now. Forever. Wanting me to date so she can go out with that ferret Malfoy..."

"But she can't," Lavender pointed out. "Until you do. You're fine. Don't worry about it."

Ron wasn't sure how he was supposed to handle this news.

Candace had showed him the letter she'd gotten from her father. She was allowed to date when Hermione did. But, as she had so kindly pointed out, Hermione was a social reject, and there was no way anyone would date her. So Ron made it his mission to find Hermione Granger a date so that he could date Candace.

He met up with Neville Longbottom in Transfiguration later that day, and spelled out his plan. "You'll never find someone who will go out with that girl willingly you know," Neville informed him. "She almost bites your head off if you look at her the wrong way. Imagine what she would do if you asked her out."

"We can find someone, I'm sure of it." Ron was not going to give up this chance. "Take...him for instance." He pointed at the same black-haired boy he'd seen on his first day. The one who was currently trying to transfigure his hat into a frog. "I bet he's not scared of her..."

"I don't think so," Neville said. "Harry Potter isn't the friendliest guy around."

"That's the point," Ron groaned, rolling his eyes. "No normal guy would be able to handle her. I think he would."

"How would you get him to do it?" he continued. "He's not going to do it for nothing."

"We could pay him, only...we're broke." Ron frowned.

"A backer."

"What?"

"A backer," Neville explained. Someone with tons of cash to blow. Someone who thinks they're getting something out of this. Someone like..." Their eyes landed on a pale blonde. "Draco Malfoy."

They decided it was up to Neville to handle this one. They couldn't let anyone know that Ron was involved. So before Potions that afternoon, Neville gulped and walked up to Malfoy and his clique.

"Hi," he stammered. Draco peered up at him.

"Look boys, the Gryffindor got lost," he joked, but it didn't sound friendly.

"I...I wanted to see if you were interested in a business offer," Neville continued bravely. "You see, I know you want Candace Granger. And the rule just changed. She can date when her sister does. I figure, if you pay that guy there," he pointed to Harry Potter across the room, "you can have your chance with her." Malfoy eyed him suspiciously.

"And you care why?" But there was an interested glint in his eyes.

"Just a little favor. I don't get beaten up by these guys again." He motioned towards Crabbe and Goyle, the large goons that Malfoy kept himself surrounded with. "That's all I ask for." He paused and waited to see the reaction.

"Okay," Draco said finally. "And thanks for that little update."

"No problem," Neville managed to say, before bolting back to the Gryffindor table. "Oh lord," he mumbled when he sat down. "I'm never doing that again."

"Hey, what happened to the Gryffindor bravery?" Ron asked jokingly.

"I'd like to see you try to bargain with the son of the devil," Neville said, and it hardly looked like he was kidding.

Hermione watched disgustedly as her little sister flirted on and on with Draco Malfoy. Lavender was watching the scene as well. "Wait until Dad hears about this," Hermione muttered threateningly. "He'll skewer her...unless he decides he can't possibly hurt his princess." She rolled her eyes.

"So what if Candace is a daddy's girl?" Lavender wanted to know. "It's not such a big deal you know."

"Of course it is! I'm being banned from going to America for college, but if Candace wanted to go to Canada and live among the Eskimos, he'd be fine with it." She slumped in her chair. "It's horrible."

"Stop your complaining," her friend scolded. "Come on. Anyways, look. If you don't hurry up and get changed, you're going to be late for Quidditch practice."

"I'm not in the mood tonight," Hermione mumbled, looking down at her hands. "Please don't make me go."

"You're going to practice, end of story," Lavender announced, standing and hauling Hermione to her feet. "I mean it. Go grab your broom and your robes and get out on the pitch! I'll be out there too, no worries. In the stands, doing my Divination, as always. Watching you freefall for the earth is more than enough inspiration to think up ways to die."