Author's Note(s): Wow! Look at all the feedback! (By the way, thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed!) It made me extremely happy to see people asking for me to write Harry and Hermione going to get their ice-cream. So, after lots of thinking (or not), I've decided to humor everyone and write the trip to Hogsmeade for ice-cream. However, be warned that all dialogue is me writing (as opposed to Amy Sherman-Palladino -creator of Gilmore Girls), so it might not be as good as the first chapter. I think I've added too many "Muggle" references. Oh well, helps me better connect with the Potter world, so there!
Before you read, let me clear up a few questions: First, Dean is visiting his grandma in York because it's Christmas holiday. Second, Harry is acting the way he is because I want him to, and also because that's the way Jess act on Gilmore Girls (and the dialogue was taken from a conversation between Jess and Rory…Oh, and I love Jess with all my heart). Third, they can go to Hogsmeade because they're going to sneak on over. Fourth, Hermione's with Dean to cover up her undying love for our green eyed hero (or heart-throb) and because Dean (Thomas) happens to share a first name with the Dean from Gilmore Girls (whom I can't stand, and therefore thought it'd be a nice little joke with myself-and those who caught on).
Disclaimer(s): All Harry Potter characters and references belong to J.K. Rowling. Professor Hinkle is from Frosty The Snowman (He wanted his hat back, in the process killing Frosty). The song "Orgasm Addict belongs to the Buzzcocks. The Vandals belong to themselves. The lyric "Stop, collaborate and listen" is from "Ice, Ice, Baby" by Vanilla Ice. If there's anything you recognize that isn't mentioned here, I don't own it.
Summery: "So, if we go get ice-cream. . ." "In cones," Harry interrupts. Hermione nods and continues. "Then you will be a perfect student for the rest of the night?" Harry just grins and nods. "I could not believe you less," Hermione laughs.
Nights Like These
Hermione wants to run and hide, just dig herself a hole and crawl in. Apparently, her and Harry were not he only Hogwarts students who felt the need to sneak out of the castle.
"Will you knock it off?" Harry sighs in annoyance as Hermione peeks out from under the table at Isa's 1,000 Flavors Ice-Cream Parlor for what seems the hundredth time in the last five minutes. She shakes her head. Two tables down sits Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan sharing a large sundae.
"Distract them," Hermione whispers as she uses Goblin Wars: Revised to block her face.
"I thought you didn't care if Dean finds out," Harry says as he leans back into his seat, a smug smirk in place. Hermione wants to punch him, and then maybe kiss him afterwards.
"Harry."
"Ok, fine," He says as he runs a hand through his hair. "I'll distract them, you run out and find two beater's bats, we'll assign each other code names, and go around destroying all the snowmen."
"Snow people," Hermione hisses as Lavender casts a glance in their direction. "And there will be no destroying them Professor Hinkle, people went through lots of hard work to make those."
"Right," Harry says, glancing out the window. "Like they couldn't just wave their wand and make a snow creature in the shape of a Ukrainian Irobelly…that blows fire."
"Just-"
"Hermione?" Lavender asks as she and Seamus walk over. Hermione's stomach drops.
"I found it!" Hermione exclaims as she pulls herself up into the seat beside Harry and holds up an extendable ear she's pulled from her pocket. "Oh, hi Lavender, Seamus."
"What are you two doing here?" Seamus asks as he and Lavender slide into the booth seat opposite Harry and Hermione.
"I'm tutoring Harry in History of Magic," Hermione answers as a petite witch brings over four mugs of butterbeer. She crosses her fingers under the table. Please don't tell Dean.
>•<>•<
"C'mon, do it."
"Harry," Hermione says, glancing around nervously. "No."
"What happened to that rebellious part of Hermione I met last year?" Harry asks, nudging Hermione with his shoulder. "You can't tell me that was just a fluke in your personality."
"Yeah, well," Hermione raises her shoulders in a shrug. "She went away, now lets head back. Please."
"Not until you do it," Harry answers, crossing his arms. Hermione sighs as she shifts the book to her other hand.
"I've already come to get ice-cream, I'm not going to help you graffiti Hogsmeade, too."
"People do it all the time," Harry says exasperatedly. Hermione merely shakes her head and begins to walk away. "Hermione, I'm not moving from this spot until you do it."
"Fine, freeze to death."
"Hermione," Harry says quietly. Hermione sighs and turns to face him. He's smirking and she already knows she'll agree to do anything he says. "It's just your initials."
"Ok, I'll do it."
Harry grins as Hermione goes to stand beside him. Whipping out her wand she quickly mutters a few choice words and watches as her initials appear next to Harry's on the side wall of Isa's 1,000 Flavors Ice-Cream Parlor.
H.P. + H.G. = BFF
"Happy?"
"Very much," Harry grins. "Let's go eat."
"We just had ice-cream," Hermione says, looking at Harry skeptically. "You can't possibly be hungry."
"I have fast metabolism," He shrugs. "Besides, this way you can burn the GAP into my mind."
Hermione considers this and quickly agrees. They make their way to the Hogs Head and both order hamburgers and fries. Hermione reads aloud from the book as Harry drowns his fries in ketchup.
"Dokken agreed to the signing once he was sure that the fairy queen would not be attending the meeting of Ezra. He was shocked to find that a representative had been sent instead, as he believed that the fairies would not be-when he got there Professor Snape jumped out of a large cake in nothing but a loin cloth and did a little shimmy on Professor McGonagall's lap-Harry, are you even paying attention?"
Harry looks up from picking the onions out of his burger and gives a lopsided grin.
"Yes," He answers absentmindedly with a wave of his hand. "Dokken, fairy, Snape shimmying…Snape shimmying? Great wizards! Hermione, what are you trying to tell me?"
Hermione closes the book and sighs. "You never meant to keep that promise did you?"
"You mean technically?" Harry says as he places his bun back in place.
"Oh, forget it," Hermione sighs in defeat.
"You know," Harry says sometime later as Hermione pokes dejectedly at her fries. "I never really did like the term best friends forever. It's overused, reminds me of something you'd see in a teen magazine. Witch Weekly, maybe."
Hermione looks up at Harry. He shrugs. Hermione knows what this means, they've really got nothing to talk about. Since when has their relationship been so boring?
"More like Teen Witch, I'd say," Hermione says, placing a fry in her mouth. "That magazine's full of rubbish like that."
Harry nods in agreement as another silence falls between them, filled occasionally by Harry humming a song or two.
"Stop," Hermione says, cutting off Harry's rendition of "Orgasm Addict".
"What?" He asks, genuinely confused. Hermione doesn't mind the humming of The Vandals or The Weird Sister, but she has to draw the line somewhere.
"Stop," She says again.
"Collaborate and listen?" Harry offers. Hermione feels her inside melt into a large puddle of goo as he tosses her a lopsided grin. She needs to get back to Hogwarts before she does something she'll regret.
"Honestly!" Hermione sighs. "I think it's time to head back to Hogwarts."
"Why?"
"Because it's late," Hermione says, glancing at Harry's watch. "See, it says so."
Harry looks down at his watch. You should be in bed, it reads. Harry sighs and pays for the food while Hermione waits for him at the door. The cold winter wind bites at their skin as the make their way towards Honeydukes.
"So, how are things with Dean?" Harry asks as Honeydukes comes into sight. Hermione looks at him oddly.
"Fine."
"That's it? Not great, or bloody fantastic?" Harry inquires as Hermione tries desperately not to look at him.
"Harry, drop it."
Harry just looks at Hermione before reaching forward and taking her hand in his.
"What are you doing?"
"Walking," Harry smirks. Hermione's insides turn against her and perform some tribal dance around her heart. She shouldn't let him hold her hand, she knows, but it feels nice and it's not like it's harming anyone.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Hermione exclaims as they reach Honeydukes. The closed sign stares back at her. "Now what are we going to do?"
"Rent a room and call it a night?" Harry pipes up. Hermione turns to glare at him.
"This is all you're fault, you know that, don't you?"
Harry merely shrugs. Hermione pulls her hand from his grasp and begins to pace. "What are we going to do? What if we're caught?"
Harry watches as Hermione continues to ramble on and on about getting expelled and being irresponsible. He's doesn't bother to mention the tunnel from the Shrieking Shack caved in during the end of their fifth year. He likes watching Hermione get riled up.
"I've got it!" Hermione says almost half an hour later. Harry looks up at her from his seat on the ground and closes Goblin Wars: Revised. "We can go through the Shrieking Shack."
"Caved in."
"Wh-What?" Hermione sputters. Harry nods. "It can't do that!"
Hermione stomps her foot into the ground angrily. A higher being must hate her.
"That room's looking pretty good right now, isn't it?" Harry smirks as he stands. He begins to walk towards a shady looking tavern at the end of the road. "You coming?"
They must really hate her.
"No," Hermione says as she crosses her arms against her chest and follows Harry towards the looming door that reads doom.
>•<>•<
This was very hard to write. It's so much easier when the dialogue's already written. Please, please give me your honest opinion. (Go ahead, tell me to stop if you like) Last note, if you liked this can you please take a quick look at my other story, Finding Halves (You don't have to review if you don't like it, just give it a chance). Oh, I'm looking for a beta (not sure how that works, but everyone has one and I want one), so if you're interested please contact me. Er, that's it. Thanks for reading and hoped you enjoyed!-Ramoning Along