Win a Date with Harry Potter!

~Chapter 4~ The Date

"You mean," Ron asked, incredulously. "You don't fancy Hermione?"

"No," Harry said, laughing. "Where'd you get that idea?"

"You said that you fancied the only girl at Hogwarts who didn't enter," Ron said.

"Except that Hermione entered," Harry pointed out.

Ron was quiet, thinking it out. "Then who do you fancy? And did you know Hermione entered?"

"No, I had no idea Hermione entered," Harry said, unintentionally ignoring Ron's first question. "Where is she, anyway?"

"I don't know," Ron answered. He paused to butter his toast. "I didn't think she would have entered. I mean, she's your best mate...why do you suppose she did?"

Harry didn't answer right away. "I'm as confused as you are, mate."

"Potter! Hey, Potter!" yelled Malfoy from across the Great Hall. "Where are you taking the Mudblood tonight? A library?"

"Ignore him," Neville said from next to Ron. "He's just jealous."

"Jealous?" Ron asked. "Jealous of what?"

"The attention," Neville answered. "The only attention he's gotten recently was when his father was caught trying to get out of Azkaban."

Ron and Harry laughed, remembering. "That was brilliant," Ron said.

"Not for Malfoy," said Neville. "I think he secretly wants good publicity, like you, Harry."

Harry and Ron thought about that. "I don't think so," said Harry. "He's just being a jerk, like always."

The three finished eating breakfast before going back to the common room. They had not yet seen Hermione, and were dying to ask her why she had entered the contest. Unfortunately, they didn't see her anywhere.

They looked all morning, in the library, at Hagrid's hut, in the classrooms, and they even asked a first-year girl to look in her dormitory, but Hermione was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, Ron," Harry asked shortly after lunch. "Have you seen Ginny at all today?"

Ron frowned. "No. D'you suppose she's with Hermione?"

"I dunno..." Harry frowned also, bending over his Charms essay. He made a few marks, then threw down his quill and sat up. "I cannot concentrate. What am I going to do tonight, mate?"

"Er...go on a date?" Ron suggested.

Harry stared at Ron. "Of course. I meant, while I'm on the date."

"I suppose you can just talk to Hermione like you normally would," Ron said. "Or you can ask her why she entered."

Harry thought this over. "All right. I could do that."

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon mentally preparing for the date. He made a list of topics that he could actually carry a conversation on, and figured out the best way to ask Hermione why she had entered. About half-an-hour before he was supposed to meet Hermione at the entrance to Hogsmeade, he began getting physically ready. He combed his hair the best he could (it was still sticking out everywhere, though) and put on his nicest shirt and jeans. He left his quiet dormitory, and walked through the noisy common room. It was full of cheers and good luck wishes. Harry looked around for Ron, but didn't see him. He sighed, squared his shoulders and left the room.

The castle was quiet, and he only met a few students, Professors McGonagall and Hagrid (who both told him to have a good time) and Peeves, who attempted to pour a whole bottle of cologne over his head. After escaping from the poltergeist, Harry ran through the castle and out to the grounds. He could see Hermione in the distance, standing between the gates to Hogsmeade.

He walked down the sloping lawns, a smile plastered on his face. "Hi," he said when he reached Hermione.

"Hi," she said, cheerfully. She was wearing her nicest clothes, also, and her hair was again straightened, as it was for the Yule Ball three years before. She noticed that Harry was looking at her hair, and she unconsciously reached up and twirled it. "I figured I'd do it again. Just for fun," she explained.

"Oh," Harry answered. He had never had this much trouble speaking with Hermione before. "So...er, where do you want to go?"

"Let's just walk around, shall we?" Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, OK," agreed Harry.

Once they were on their way, the conversation flowed. To Harry's great relief, Hermione passed up the Three Broomsticks and Madam Puddifoot's. Instead, the two browsed Zonko's (they tried out a few of Fred and George's newest inventions), the post office and Honeydukes. They walked over to the Shrieking Shack, where Harry relived the time from his fourth year when he and Ron led Malfoy to believe that there were real ghosts there. They also reminisced about Sirius and Lupin while on the way to the Three Broomsticks for butterbeers and dinner.

Madam Rosmerta led the two to a secluded table in the back corner. She brought their drinks and food and left them to talk. Harry and Hermione discussed Quidditch (she had finally taken to appreciate the sport), homework, their upcoming N.E.W.Ts and their teachers.

After Madam Rosmerta cleared their places, Harry began thinking that he had never had such a good date. Then he realized that was because he wasn't thinking of this as a real date, but rather as a Hogsmeade weekend with Hermione.

"Hermione," Harry said quietly. "This has been great, but...I've been wondering. Why did you enter the contest?"

To Harry's surprise, Hermione laughed out loud. "I was waiting for you to ask that. See, the thing is...well, Ginny really wanted to win. Except...her essay was really bad. No offense to her, but she can't really write. She should stick to charms." Harry smiled. "Anyway, she asked me to go over the essay for her and fix it up. So I did, and when she finished it, the new version was really good."

"So it was really Ginny's essay that won?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. See, she didn't want it to be suspicious, so she asked me to send it off for her. Except I accidentally put my name on it. I had a huge Ancient Runes essay due that day..." she trailed off. Harry was silently staring at her. "What?" she asked him.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking that it should be Ginny sitting there..." Harry said quietly.

Hermione smiled. "I knew you fancied her!" she said. "Hold on a second." Hermione got up from the table and left the room. Harry stared after her. A minute later, Hermione came back, leading Ginny. "Here's the real winner."

Harry and Ginny smiled at each other as Ginny took Hermione's vacant seat, and the two began their first real date...