Hogsmeade Weekend

"WE'RE..."

The loud and angry voice of Ron Weasley was heard through the library. Hermione whacked him on the shoulder, while Harry clamped his hand over Ron's mouth.

"Sssshhh. Are you trying to get us kicked out of the library? Let alone announce to others that we're planning something?" asked Hermione.

Ron's eyes grew large as he shook his head.

"We are going to go to Hogsmeade, and allow Draco Malfoy to take Hermione for a date. We are going as a group, so we can keep an eye on them, but I have already talked it over with Draco Malfoy and Hermione, and we're going to do this."

"Mate, Malfoy's father is a Death Eater!"

"I know."

"He's been calling each of us names since we got here!"

"And? Has he been doing it lately?"

"Well, no... but!"

"I am pretty sure that all around us he wouldn't hurt her, and if he did we hopefully would be able to stop him. If we couldn't, we set Fred and George on him, as well as Hermione will go after him on her own."

"What if they decide to go someplace we aren't going?"

"Are you sure that's a big concern?"

Harry stopped and looked at Ron's face.

"Fine. I'll give Hermione my mirror from Padfoot, so if she gets kidnapped, she can contact an adult."

"Mate, sorry. It's just, as far as I've known, Malfoys have had a feud with us Weasleys, and since second year, we can't be sure to trust his dad."

"He's not his dad, he's afraid of Voldemort, and if he's not going to go the way of his father, he needs to be allowed to leave them. The Slytherins do not trust Headmaster Dumbledore, so that is not an option. To be honest, after the end of first year, I can see why."

"Just why?"

"He told them they would be allowed to have the house cup, but then he took it from them by giving us points after he did so. That's not allowing a Slytherin to trust you."

"How easy is it to get a Slytherin to trust you after that?"

"Very, very hard, if not impossible. Anyway, we're going to allow Draco to go on a date with Hermione, but we'll keep an eye on them as well as give her my mirror so she can contact Padfoot if necessary."

"Mate, you said group, you're thinking of inviting my sister?"

"I was thinking your sister, Neville, and Luna. Dudley can't go even if he's our age because he's only a first year."

Ron rubbed his hand on his chin.

"We don't have to stay as a group, but we can break up into smaller groups to try and make it so we're not obvious. Like Hermione would spend hours with books, but Ginny wouldn't. That would be fairly obvious as something that would stand out. Luna might."

Hermione got excited.

"Come on, a Ravenclaw not get excited about books? Are you kidding me?"

Harry laughed.

"Okay. I guess I'll talk to Luna and Neville at dinner tonight. Since you guys know where the Slytherin common room is, should we meet together there, or meet in the Great Hall by the doors?"

"I'd feel safer at the Great Hall, mate."

"To be honest, me too."

"Fine."

.

Neville, Luna, Ginny, Ron, and Harry, met at the doors of Hogwarts Hogsmeade weekend. They headed out of the castle part way down the hill, and waited for Draco there. While there, Harry handed Hermione his mirror phone, who stuck it into her pocket. Draco headed out soon with a couple friends, and met them there down the hill. Once Hermione was handed off to Draco, with an additional "be careful, don't hurt her, or you'll regret it" speech from Ron, they headed down the rest of the road to Hogsmeade and breaking into groups as they went along.

Draco was aware of Harry's eye on him. When Harry wasn't in eye sight, Luna and Neville were, such as in the book shop. Harry only entered to get more quills and ink, but Luna apparently had as much fun scouring the shelves as Hermione. Neville, though, seemed to be there more for Luna's sake, and maybe also Harry's, than for any desire to be around books. Neville paid them more attention than Harry, and had gotten another Herbology book, but Draco seemed to be more interested on the shelves and their burdens than he was. Draco had gotten another Defense book, and was looking over what to include from it into his next lesson. He also found one called The Ancients and Their Beliefs, hoping to find something in there, if not just an interesting read. After that, the two of them went over to Honeydukes for candy, and where he was under the eye of Ginny, Harry, and Ron. The last stop was Madame Rosemerta's, where the whole Golden Trio and Friends were waiting or followed him. His Slytherin friends were in the area as well. He looked at Hermione.

"Did you know that your friends would be following us all day?"

"As it was something that Harry suggested as something to keep me safe as I was not keen on the idea at first, and was seconded by Ron, yes. Are you upset about it?"

"I respect that he is doing it to make you feel more comfortable, but it is hardly doing the same for me. I mean, last year, and the beginning of this, we would be watching our backs around each other, so, having all of you in here is not doing the same. I respect his decision to keep you safe, though."

"Thank you. I did remind him that I punched you a couple years ago about."

"I also would like my nose to be unbroken, thanks."

"So far so good, but there's the rest of the day yet. Thanks for going to the book store with me though. Normally I am there by myself, or Harry is there but looking rather bored. I saw you picked up some books yourself. What are they on?"

"One is a Defense book, that I hope has some good pointers in it. It's not one that I have here, so I hope its not a repeat of the same information that the books we're borrowing have. The other book is called the The Ancients and Their Beliefs and I mainly got it because it looks interesting."

"Oh, that does sound interesting. May I read it?"

"Ummm..."

"Oh, sorry. We don't really know each other that well quite yet. Something that Harry and Ron know about me is that when I am not in the Gryffindor tower after classes, or in the Great Hall eating, I am usually in the library. I've gotten to know the layout quite well."

"It's okay. In any case, I might be sharing some information from the book next time we have a student counsel meeting."

"Oh, right. The way to cast larger spells with a number of people, so we don't have to have someone as strong as Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Have you found anything?"

"Not really. Lately I've been trying to remember all the stories I heard in my childhood, as I haven't really brought any fairy stories to Hogwarts this year. I mean now that I'm older I tend to look for something else that I find interesting."

"What type of protections are there in the fairy stories?"

"Well, in Sleeping Beauty, there is a hedge that you have to fight your way through, a castle you have to climb, and a dragon you have to fight as well, not to mention if you're in the area long enough, you fall asleep where you'll be awakened when everyone does when the princess is awakened by true love's kiss. In Snow White, I guess you could say, it was seven dwarves and just not being around where people are. Towers are fairly common. Rapunzel is another tower, this time without a door, and another hedge you have to fight through, though you have to be aware of timing because of the evil witch coming and going. Tam Lin's forest has a trade that has to happen if you want to enter the forest at night. In typical sightings of fairies or elves stories, you have to enter with one of them. Stories of dragon's caves sometimes have a curse on the gold or treasures or the dragon has a way to tell that the hoard has been touched. As I said, not much that can be used, unless you want to hide away from the typical muggle world of the 13th century. Underhill is said to have a time difference great enough that if you leave you'll be surrounded by grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren of those around you, or in another tale, if you get off your horse, you die.

"Thanks for the tea and biscuits, by the way, and for letting me talk your ear off."

"Thank you for doing this."

"No problem. It's great we don't have to necessarily watch our backs for you as much this year. I mean we kind of do, as you're part of the Inquisitorial Squad, but you know what I mean."

Since I am not watching my back for you bullying was left unsaid. Just like that, the kind of happy mood the table had been in plummeted. Draco looked down and Hermione tugged her hair in agitation.

"I just ruined the mood, didn't I? Sorry about that."

"I accept your apology, Granger."

"Oh, if you are serious in trying to get to know me better, please call me Hermione."

"Thank you, Hermione."

"Also, if you want to ask me out again, ask me, not have it as something you want from Harry. I am a human being with human emotions and human rights. You can't barter for me with someone like that. I haven't yelled Harry's ear off about that one yet, but I wanted to get this one done before I did so."

"May I ask why?"

"Because I trust him and because if I was let down today I wanted to be able to include that. You haven't by the way. However, the whole fact that this was set up between you and Harry without input from me is something that has not endeared me to you."

Draco sighed.

"I am sorry that that has kept an underlying negative tone to the time we've been out, and I am sorry that I didn't think about asking you directly. I will try not to make that mistake again. Has that ruined any chances?"

"It has not made things easier, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Thank you."

.

Harry and Ron were antsy. Harry knew that his uneasiness came from the fact a former bully of about a month or two dating a girl he had started to see as a sister, but he also knew that Ron's feelings may have been a little more complicated. He wasn't sure how much Ron liked her, but he knew it wasn't just as a sister, and someone else was on a date with the same girl. Even so, they were both keeping an eye on things, and trusting Neville and Luna to do so when he couldn't.

He was rather quick in his shopping. He headed into Honeydukes in order to get some candies for Dudley and himself, after a quick stop for ink, parchment, and quills. Then he went and took a quick glimpse into Gladrags for socks, Junko's for a set of Exploding Snap, and then went with Ginny and Ron to Rosemerta's.

One conversation with Ginny proved that he hadn't quite thought today out as much as he had.

"Did you ask Hermione's permission to set her up on a date?"

"I told her that I had and asked if it was okay?"

"Stupid idiot. She probably agreed because she wanted you to be able to keep your word, dufus, but she will have minded the way you went about it. I wouldn't be surprised if she yells at you afterwards."

Harry winced.

"What would you have done if Hermione had set you up with... Millicent Bullstrode? Would you be happy about it?"

"Maybe not."

"Exactly. Now you can think about it in anticipation for your idiocy."

At that, Ginny marched up to Dean Thomas and started talking to him.

Ron turned to his friend and said, "I'm sorry for you, mate. In any case, I'm glad that one's not coming on me."

Harry winced again.

"I would not be surprised if she punched me to be honest."

Ron didn't need to think that one over to long.

"Me neither, mate, me neither."

.

Once back at the castle, Harry didn't have to wait long to get yelled at. Hermione dragged him from the doors to an empty classroom, shut and locked the door, and dragged Harry to the far wall.

"Harry, do you know what you did wrong? You set up a date for me with Draco as a reward. Do you know how that feels? It seems like I am a prize to be won instead of the sister you claim that I am to you. If I am a sister to you, you need to allow me to make my own decisions. You didn't."

Harry didn't leave the room until a good half hour later. When he did so, it was time for dinner. Afterwards, he went to the Slytherin common room with most of the rest of Slytherin and found Draco. He handed him a letter.

"It's from Hermione, and I am to make sure you read it."

Draco looked at him, and then back down at the letter.

"I guess you'd rather I read it now so you can be sure I didn't burn it?"

"Yep."

"Fine."

Harry watched Draco open up the parchment and begin to read. Five minutes later, Draco refolded the letter and stuck it in his pocket.

"So... you've got something to tell me?"

"Yes, I am sorry I didn't think to tell you that Hermione would rather be asked herself."

"First part, and I accept your apology."

"Thanks, and I am to tell you that I won't be doing that again, and that you can ask me for permission to ask her as a semi-adopted brother, but that if you want to marry her, you have to agree to meet her parents. Since I already set you up on that date, you have my permission to ask her on a date."

Draco nodded.

"And there's the rest. Fine, Harry Potter, we will see what will happen."

"Thank you for letting me fulfill my requirements."

.

Dudley had spent the afternoon with Dennis Creevey. Colin had gone to Hogsmeade to get candy and other supplies for him and his brother, and Dudley had given his list to Harry. Both of them were working on their homework for part of the day, but the rest were generally spent outside or in the library as the only inter-house room generally used. Dudley had come up with the idea of finding out about the different folk on the Potter family tree, and they also looked up various art forms used by the wizarding world and how it had developed through the ages. They also wandered down to see the Trophy Hall right before dinner.

After dinner, he went to down to his dorm, where he went looking at his pictures again. Harry walked in a short while later.

"How was Hogsmeade?"

"Oh, it was fine. I got your stuff."

Harry handed him a couple of packages that he took out of his pockets.

"Sugar Quills, Bertie Botts Beans, Chocolate Frogs, and parchment, ink, quills, and your socks."

"Thanks."

"What did you get?"

"I got the same things you got, with a pack of Exploding Snap cards. Do you want to play?"

"Sure. I went exploring the castle with Dennis Creevey, a little bit of homework, and spent some time outside."

"Nice."

The rest of the evening was spent in a fun atmosphere between the two brothers.