Harry Potter and the Adventure He Affectionately Calls Life

Hermione looked around. "No... I think that's it."

"Wonderful. Will you be paying separate or all together."

"Individually, please."

"Two galleon's each."

Harry, Hermione, Lana, and Ron each pulled out the appropriate coins out of their pockets. The saleswoman bagged each one. "Thank you," Lana said. "Have a nice day!"

"You, too, dears," the saleswoman said, the bell above the door tinkling as they left.

"Well, that's done," Harry said. He looked at his watch. "It's noon now. You girls look like you could use a warm drink, so why don't we go get that and then you two can go do your shopping and Ron and I can go do ours."

"Sounds like a plan," Ron said. "Let's go." He lead the way to a nice outdoor cafe. "What do you ladies want?" he asked as he picked up a menu.

"Hot chocolate," Hermione said dreamily.

"With marshmallows!" Lana finished.

"Ron won't be able to keep his eyes off of you!"

Hermione grinned. "What about shoes and jewelry? And the mask?"

"Right this way." The saleswoman turned to Lana. "Try this one on," she said, handing her a silvery blue dress. "Your friend and I will be back in a minute."

By the time Hermione had found matching shoes and a simple silver necklace, Lana had put on the blue dress. It was as perfect for Lana as Hermione's dress was for Hermione. "I look good," Lana said, grinning in the mirror.

"Yes, you do," Hermione said, now standing so the saleswoman could take the measurements to hem the bottom. "You look great. Get that one."

"Yeah?" Lana looked at herself in the mirror again. "Okay. I'll get this one. I'll need shoes, a tiara, and jewelry."

"Forget the jewelry. Wear that necklace my parents sent me for my birthday."

"Oh... that's so pretty. Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It'll match you better, anyway."

While Hermione was changing out of the her dress, Draco walked in. "Wow, Lana," he said in awe. "You look great."

"Thanks, Draco. Who are you going to the masquerade with?"

"Pansy Parkinson," Draco said. "And Susan Bones. And Blaise. And the Patil twins."

"So many. You stud, you."

"Yeah. Me stud, me." Draco grinned. "Harry's a lucky guy."

"Aw. Thanks." She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you and Granger were in here. Thought I would stop by and say hi."

"Is that Draco?" Hermione called.

"Try to contain your excitement."

Hermione came out, dressed again in her jeans and sweater. "Hey, Draco."

"Hey, mudblood."

"Oh, honestly," Lana scoffed. "Grow up."

"Nah. Being an immature asshole-"

"-Suits you?" Harry finished.

"Shut up, Potter."

"Did you girls find dresses yet?" Ron asked, ignoring Draco's presence.

"And how!" Dco answered.

"Really?" Harry asked, looking towards Lana, who had scrambled into a fitting room so Harry wouldn't see her. "Lana, you let Malfoy see you in your dress but not me?"

"I don't care what Draco has to say," Lana answered. "No offense, Draco."

"None taken."

"But it's you I want to surprise."

"Okay. But you don't get to see Ron and I in our sexy suits until Halloween then, either."

"Fair enough," Lana agreed. She stepped out of the fitting room. "Hermione, we just have to order our masks." Then she looked to Ron and Harry. "You two, turn around. We have to get these bagged."

Hermione and Lana ordered their masks and paid for everything. "Thanks!" the exclaimed, clutching their dresses in one hand and their textbook in the other.

"Fine anything nice?" Ron asked, putting his arm around her waist.

"Yep," Hermione grinned. "Just you wait until Halloween, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. Lana and I will blow your mind!"

_________________________________________________________________

Harry was so bored that he wanted to kill something. Himself. You can't be bored if you're dead, he thought reasonable, letting his feet take him wherever they willed. He found himself in the library and sat himself down at one of the tables, the lazy October sun shining on his back. Harry yawned, folding his arms on the table and settling down for a cat nap.

"Wake up, Sleeping Ugly," Draco said, sitting down next to him.

"Hello, Malfoy," Harry said, not looking up.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm bored."

"Oh." Draco sneered. "So you've come to study?"

"No."

"Oh." Draco watched Harry, his back rising and falling peacefully. "Hey, Potter?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you awake?"

"No."

st checking."

"Hmm."

"Hey, Potter?"

"What?"

"Why do we fight all the time?"

"I don't know, Malfoy. Something to do, I guess."

"Oh. So you don't despise me as much as you despise Voldemort?"

At this, Harry looked up. "You wish I liked you that much, Malfoy," he said, grinning.

Draco grinned, too, but Harry had already replaced his head in his arms and didn't see it.

"Hey, Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favor?"

"Shit no. We established that we don't despise each other, but I'm not going to go get you tea or anything."

"I would never ask you to go get me tea. I don't like tea."

"Oh. Well go on then. What do you want me to do, your Potty-ness?"

"Insult me."

"With pleasure." Draco grinned again. "Why?"

"I'm bored."

"How the hell are you bored? You're Harry Potter, God's Gift to Earth. Not. Well, your girlfriend is drop dead gorgeous. Everyone except Snape loves you. You're captain of your Quidditch team."

"Co-captain," Ron said.

"Co-captain," Harry mumbled. "That's right."

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron wanted to know.

"Ask Harry."

"Malfoy's being mean to me," Harry explained. "He won't insult me."

Ron's face twisted into a question mark. "Huh?"

"He's bored," Draco said.

"You could save the world," Draco suggested.

"Nah..."

"I could take you to a strip club."

"Nah..."

"We could go around asking the professors what color underwear they're wearing."

"Nah..."

"We could go clubbing."

Harry looked up, suddenly excited. "Or I could open my own club!"

"Nah..." Draco said. "That costs a lot of money."

"Money is no problem for Harry," Ron said.

"If that was the case, he would have given half to you and you wouldn't be so miserable."

"Stop it, you guys," Harry said, very excited now. "I could open my own club! Not like one of those clubs where everyone starts getting so drunk they can't remember who the slept with that night."

"But like a hangout. Older people can get drinks; younger kids can just watch the show. Oh my god! We could have a singer. She'd be from Hogwarts, That would be so cool!"

"You know, Potter," Draco said slowly. "I think you've had your first good idea."

"And we could have auditions! And opening night would be... I don't know. I'd have to arrange that. And the club would be somewhere in Hogsmeade."

"That's a great idea, Harry," Ron said enthusiastically.

___________________________________________________________________

Hermione and Lana were excited to hear about the club, too. "What are you going to call it?" Lana wanted to know.

"I'm not sure yet," he admitted. "First I have to find a place." The four of them had gone to Hogsmeade the next day to look for a vacant place.

"Harry Potter?" a women in her mid-thirties asked.

"That's me."

"Daphne Starr. Owner of the vacant restaurant."

"Nice to meet you," Harry said, extending his hand.

"Right... Now, it's off of Main Street. It's on Gold Road."

Harry nodded. "That's fine."

"It's 50 galleons a month."

Harry did a quick calculation in his head. Twelve months a year times 50 galleons a month would equal 600 galleons a year. Then he figured there were salaries to pay and other expenses, so he rounded it to 1,000 galleons a year. If he used half of the money from his parents and Sirius, he could hold his club for... at least 80 years. If there was one thing Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon, it was this: Don't leap at a business offer. Tell them you'll think about it. Harry took a deep breath. "I'll have to think about it," he said.

"Are you crazy?" Hermione told him. "That's an amazing deal!"mal" align="left" style="margin: 1.74mm 0.00mm 1.74mm 0.00mm; padding: 0.00mm 0.00mm 0.00mm 0.00mm; ">

"Your friend is right. I don't expect a fifteen year old to have that kind of money, though."

"I'm sixteen," Harry said.

"Oh," Daphne sneered, not caring if Harry was a hundred and ninety-two.

"I don't know, Ms. Starr," Harry said. "I'll owl you in a few days."

"Sure," she said, deflated.

"Thanks." Harry smiled cheerfully.

"How old did you say you were...?"

"Sixteen."

"Well, how about I give you a slight discount? 45 galleons a month. No lower."

Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out a checkered sack. "I can pay you for the first month right now," he said.

___________________________________________________________________

Auditions were held in the Gryffindor Common Room the next day. Girls of all years from all four houses came to audition, but Harry and Ron were the only guys. Lana and Hermione sat on the couch with them, interested in watching the girls sing.