The Hogwarts Poets' Society

Harry and Draco sat as far physically away from each other as they could get away with.

"I don't want to get married," said Draco grumpily. "Especially to Pansy!"

"I thought you liked Pansy," said Harry. "I mean, everyone knows she likes you."

"Yeah, well, the feeling isn't mutual," said Draco, feeling rather disgruntled. "I knew that we'd probably end up betrothed eventually."

"Aw, come on, it can't be that bad. I mean, look at your mum. She seems happy, and she had to marry Lucius!" said Harry, trying to cheer him up a bit.

"Do you know why our house is so big?" asked Draco.

"Er, no, I just thought it was to show off the family's wealth and importance and such," said Harry.

"Yes, well, I suppose that's part of it," conceded Draco. "But mostly they made it that big so that they can go days--weeks, even--without speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary."

"Ah," said Harry. "You know, that's not a bad idea, really. He's not exactly a bright, sane ray of sunshine."

"Hah!" snorted Draco. "You don't know that half of it!"

"Really?" asked Harry, instantly curious. "What are you talking about?"

"I once walked in on my Dad and Snape," said Draco, shuddering at the memory.

"Ew! Okay, that's gross, but how does that make him insane?"

"He wasn't drunk, he didn't have a hangover, and he wasn't jinxed, charmed, cursed, or blackmailed..." said Draco.

"Eep! Okay, that's definitely insane," agreed Harry. "But, if your parents manage to live together, then why couldn't you and Pansy pull it off?"

"You're forgetting one important fact," said Draco. "She likes me. She would not be content to marry me, produce one good heir, and then live together and pretend to be in love at social functions. She would believe in fidelity, love, mushiness..." his voice trailed off in disgust.

"Don't you think you should get married for love?" asked Harry innocently.

"No," said Draco firmly. "Love isn't the point. Sometimes you luck out, but if you don't, well, you did your part."

"I'm not sure I understand," said Harry, honestly curious and confused.

"Look, Potter, when I get married, I'm not anticipating a lifetime of romance. I don't expect to have to bring her home flowers and wine. I don't want a lifetime of candlelit dinners and whispers in the dark..." his voice trailed off again. "Actually, I find all of that a bit revolting. I prefer doing things a more direct way, like I did with you."

"I thought you said that Pansy had been raised to marry you," said Harry, remembering their adventure to the kitchens.

"Well, yes," Draco conceded. "I just want things done on my terms. I'd rather prepare my own prenup, thanks."

"You guys do prenuptials?" asked Harry. "I thought that was a purely Muggle thing!"

"Meh, it has it's uses," shrugged Draco.

"Aren't you worried about getting the Dark Mark?" asked Harry scornfully. "I mean, why would you want to serve a half-blood lunatic preaching a bunch of nonsense?"

"Well, actually, yes, a little bit," said Draco. "I mean, I agreed to be friends with you in secret, and then I seduced you. I'm willing to bet that he won't be happy about that," Draco said darkly. "He's very good at Legilimency. Too good, in fact..."

"We don't have to be secret friends," said Harry. "Besides, didn't you just want to torture me a little while ago?"

"Wasn't the kind of torture you were thinking," said Draco evasively.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on, you aren't that dense, are you...?" asked Draco. Harry didn't respond. "Are you?"

"Er...well," said Harry.

"Perhaps I'll just have to show you, then," said Draco, a glint in his eye that looked like Trouble.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Meanwhile, Hermione was sitting the the common room when she received an owl.

Granger,

Come down to my dungeons. It's important. Come as soon as possible. Preferably now, if you can manage.

Professor Snape.

Hermione, meanwhile, did not want to go see Professor Snape. In fact, she never wanted to see Professor Snape again, and while writing her Transfiguration essay, she was trying to come up with ways to never have to see him again. She was even thinking of ways to never have to go to Potions class again. The owl looked at her expectantly.

"Fine, I'll go," she grouched. "You there, Fanged Frisbee's are forbidden!" she screeched as she confiscated one from a second-year. The boy started complaining loudly to his friends about unfair authority. Hermione turned around and put a wand to his throat.

"Look, buddy, one wrong move and I'll turn you into a female," she snarled. "I'm in a pissy mood. Give me one good reason!"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he gasped. She stood up, apparently pleased with the amount of fear in his voice. She swept out of the common room and climbed as gracefully as she could out of the portrait. Then she proceeded angrily to the dungeons.

Snape, of course, was waiting for her when she arrived there.

"Oh, so you did make it," he said lightly. "Look, I'm sure you've heard about Harry and Draco by now, yes?"

"What?"

"Crap," said Snape. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to be the one to explain this to you. Hasn't Harry spoken to you lately?"

"Er, no, actually, I think he's angry with me," said Hermione.

"I'm not surprised," said Snape. "You were a bit evil in the dining hall, weren't you? Well, I'm sure he'll forgive you eventually."

"What happened?" asked Hermione.

"Look, do you know what an Alliance is?" Snape asked seriously.

"Yes," said Hermione. "It's similar to a bond, though obviously not as serious. I read about it in--"

"I don't care what book you read about it in," said Snape dismissively. "The point is we need to find a way to dissolve an involuntary Alliance."

"Crap," said Hermione.

"Exactly," said Snape. "I have 236 volumes that might contain a way to fix this, uh, problem. If we divide that in half, we could have this whole thing figured out in two weeks tops."

"Assuming that the answer is in there somewhere," said Hermione.

"Yes, assuming the answer is in there somewhere," said Snape heavily. "If not, we can always start on the library."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Dumbledore, may I speak with you?" asked Nearly Headless Nick.

"Yes, my transparent friend, you may speak with me. Bee in your bonnet?" asked Dumbledore.

"You might say something like that," said Nick slowly. "I don't think Harry Potter is very happy."

"No, he probably isn't right now," said Dumbledore seriously. "Did you have a plan you'd like to discuss with me?"

"Sort of," said Nick evasively. "I don't know if I can help him, but I think I know someone who can."

"Do you now?" asked Dumbledore with interest. "Who, my dear imprint, who?"

"I'm sure you know Luna Lovegood, don't you?" asked Nick.

"I'm familiar with her, yes, go on," encouraged Dumbledore.

"I think she would make Harry happy," said Nick slowly, gazing at the floor.

"Nick, you are a genius," said Dumbledore. "Now as soon as my Plan of Imminent Doom works itself out, I'm sure they'll be wonderful together! Who would've thought that you'd play matchmaker?" Then Dumbledore strode out of the room purposefully, going to speak with Professor Sprout about a new order of mandrakes.

"But that's not what I meant, Professor!" said Nick. "It's just that she has a book--oh, never mind," he sighed. "There's no point in trying to talk to that man!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Er..." said Harry. "Sorry, I am a little naïve at times. Hermione always tells me that I'm hopeless."

"I suppose you are hopeless," said Draco. "I mean, you were raised by Muggles, and then you were forced into being a prominent, important, well-loved member of the wizarding world. It's a lot to ask of anybody, I'm sure."

"Yes, sort of," said Harry, feeling abnormally uncomfortable.

"Well, I'm sure Snape will have this figured out in no time," said Draco. "He's looking up a way to dissolve this, you know."

"That's, er, nice, but then you'll be, you know, with Pansy," said Harry.

"Oh, yes, that," said Draco darkly. "I'd forgotten. I suppose I could always hire someone to take her out. Maybe the Dark Lord would use her as a training project."

"No, I don't think so," said Harry seriously. "I mean, she is a Pureblood. It isn't as though he has a lot of people to work with to begin with."

"I was kidding," said Draco. "You have a very limited sense of humor, you know that?"