The Final Countdown

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter etc. copyright. I am earning no money whatsoever on this...

Remus found Ron brooding unhappily by the lake. Hermione, apparently, was in tears and speaking to no-one but Harry and Ron was madly jealous.

"I understand what she meant this morning by, 'I'm not in love with you!' She likes Harry. I might have guessed. Oh well. Harry the hero gets the girl and poor Ron, who's just the sidekick is ignored. Typical."

Remus sympathized as much as he could but felt it neccessary to lecture Ron all the same, "I understand how you're feeling, but I've been watching those two all of last year, and I believe... I believe that they're in love."

Ron nodded morosely.

"And I think the best thing you could do is be happy for them. They'll be so disppointed if you're not."

"I'll try."

Remus clapped a hand on Ron's shoulder, "Good lad. Now listen to my plan."

"Plan?"

"Yep. I've entered your two friends in the Creevey brothers' charity dinner draw-"

Ron snorted.

"And I hope you'll be supportive and make sure they go to it."

"What if they don't win?"

Remus grinned, "Oh they will!"

"Well, have you got the box, Dennis?" hissed Colin from behind a statue.

Dennis ran up and handed his brother the precious box, "I found it in Professor Lupin's room. I wonder what it was doing there!"

"Very odd. Anyway, shall I do the draw?"

"Go on."

Almost holding their breaths, Colin put his hand in and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded it.

"Who is it, Colin? Who is it?" cried his brother eagerly.

"Harry Potter and Hermione Granger!" said Colin with a happy grin. "They're such a cute couple! This should be so much fun, Dennis!"

"I wonder who entered them," mused Dennis.

"Never mind that! Let's find them now!"

And they dashed off in search of the lucky couple.

Severus Snape was in a bad mood. New Year always got him. It made him think of a rather unpleasant memory from his school days; when Potter and Black had caught him under the mistletoe and made him kiss Minerva McGonagall. He hadn't minded kissing her- he had fancied Minerva more than any other girl in school. But Potter and Black had ruined all his chances with her by their stupid dare. He'd never forgive them.

At that moment there was a soft knock on his door.

"Who's there?" he barked.

"Only me," said Professor McGonagall coming in. Snape swallowed hard; he still loved her.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

She sighed, "I've finished the preparations for Dumbledore's midnight fireworks. I just wondered if you wanted to see them."

"What would give you that idea?"

She looked troubled, "I don't know. I just thought you might..."

Of course he wanted to see the decorations! He had always loved New Year's Eve, before that happened of course. Afterwards he had shirked from all kinds of celebrations that might remind him of the 'mistletoe event'. But he didn't see any harm in just looking.

"All right. I'll come and look." Was he imagining things, or did Minerva's face look slightly lighter when he said that?

She reached out a hand to help him up. He took it, and somehow, managed to keep it all the way to the prefect's bathroom, where he was forced to let go of it for Ginny Weasley, looking very nervous in dress robes was watching them. It was five minutes to nine.

The Great Hall did look very beautiful. They stood in the doorway and surveyed Minerva's handiwork, hand in hand. Snape felt very happy, for possibly the first time in years.

"Well, it's very nice," he said stiffly.

Minerva smiled, "Thanks."

He turned and was about to leave the room, when Professor McGonagall stopped him, "Look up, Severus!"

His heart almost stopped. They were standing under the mistletoe.

And she was smiling?

She was definitely smiling. It couldn't be interpreted in any other way.

"Minerva?" he said hesitantly.

"Severus!" and she hugged him tight.

He kissed her repeatedly, not caring if they were seen (which they weren't.)

"Got any New Year's resolutions, eh?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yes, I have," he said after some thought.

"Might I know what they are?"

"Of course you may, Minerva! I shall not be such a bastard in class any more."

"Good! I hoped you'd say that! An also not to favour Slytherin so much."

"If I'm going out with the head of Gryffindor, then I'd better be careful about who I take points off!"

"Umm. You had." She kissed him again.

Eventually he pulled away saying, "I better get back. We can't be caught here."

"Why ever not?"

"Let's... let's tell everyone else later on, shall we?"

"If you really think so."

He made his way back to his office, a rare smile on his face.

Ginny was very nervous as she waited outside the prefects' bathroom at nine o'clock. She very much hoped it was Draco, though she wasn't sure she would know how to behave if it was. There had never been the possibility of her other crushes liking her back.

Meanwhile, in a nearby broom cupboard, Sirius and Remus were watching and waiting in a very cramped position.

Draco arrived promptly at nine o'clock. When he saw it was Ginny, he restrained himself from kissing her on the spot and merely nodded to her.

She, however, was unable to unable to control herself.

"Do you love me, Draco?" she cried.

He stared at her, "Of course I don't. You're a Gryffindor."

Her large brown eyes filled with hurt and she looked confused, "But I thought you did..."

"I don't know why you'd think that, Weasley."

"But... but... the letter you sent me!?"

"I didn't send you any letter! You sent me one!"

"Damn!" breathed Sirius in the cupboard, chewing his nails.

Draco frowned then his face cleared, "It looks like we've been set up."

Ginny's face fell, "Oh well. I should have known better than to trust my heart's desires so much." She began to move away.

"Same here," sighed Draco morosely. Ginny turned back, to see if she had heard him correctly. Her eyes danced, "Do you love me then, Draco?"

The way she said his name was enough to make his heart turn over. Of course he loved her! He nodded sharply and crossed the hallway, grabbed her arms and kissed her hungrily.

"Gimme five, Remus!" hissed Sirius in the cupboard.

Just at that moment Snape came walking down the corridor. It seemed he was doing up his top button. Had Snape made a conquest as well? His eyes widened as he saw Draco and Ginny (though they were definitely oblivious to his presence.) He was just about to open his mouth to take points off Gryffindor for blocking the corridor, when it occured to him that Draco was also in the way. "Twenty points from Slytherin!" he snapped.

The lovers jumped apart from each other in astonishment. Their faces were as red as the Gryffindor flag. Snape's mouth seemed to curve upwards, much to their surprise. "And get a room, will you?" He walked off.

The cupboard was shaking slightly.

"Well, that was bizarre, wasn't it?" Ginny said.

"Definitely. But you know, Ginny, he's got a point. Astronomy Tower?"

She shook her head. "No. There's Colin's stupid dinner party going on there."

Draco's eyes lit up mischieviously, "Now that I'm Head Boy, I have my own room... How about it?"

She giggled and grabbed his hand. They ran laughing in the direction of the Slytherin dormitories.

Remus and Sirius emerged from the cupboard and burst out laughing. When they had finished Remus looked at his watch, "Quarter past nine. Shall we head to look at our other favourite couple in the Astronomy Tower?"

"You're on. Golly, it does bring back memories, the Astronomy Tower..."