Author's Note: Many thanks go out to Nacey and nightfall, who also helped me out on the last chapter. Also, because I'm an ungrateful bastard apparently, I forgot to thank seldon and blazefury for their help on chapter four. So, thanks guys!
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Ron was resolute. He had come too far to give up now. He was close, very close. He would not be beaten back at this late hour. He looked around him at the group assembled in Ginny's dorm room (picked for security reasons. Less likely that Harry or Hermione would come bursting in here. At least, it better not be likely that Harry would burst in here, Ron thought darkly). The Team shared similar determined looks. This was their moment of triumph and they would not have it snatched away so easily.
"Alright, we know that the Mission faces a serious problem," Ron began, pacing back and forth across the room. "The spell that was so effective," and here he nodded to Parvati and Lavender, who smiled and gave a little wave to Ron, "has now ended. However, our Subjects seem to be mired in embarrassment now. They will not talk to each other, nor will they even look at each other. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to proceed?"
Seamus raised a hand. "Yes, do you think you could stop with the wonky general leading the troops bit? It's a tad frightening."
Ron glared at him. "No. Any helpful suggestions?" he asked, looking back at the group.
"Er, yes," Ginny said, getting to her feet. If Ron wanted to run the meeting like an army briefing, who was she to argue? It wasn't as if she hadn't seen stranger things. "It's a new spell. Affects a person's sense of taste."
"You're going to get them to lick each other?" Dean asked, a little more interested in that prospect than Ron was entirely comfortable with.
Ginny shared his concern. "Uh, no," she said, looking at him strangely. "We've gone through all the other senses and it seems to me that touch had the most success because the two Subjects were in physical contact. While I judge that it would be difficult to get the two Subjects to touch, er, orally, I believe that we can get them to think and focus on that possibility."
Parvati looked fascinated. "How can you do that? You said they won't kiss, and we know that they aren't even looking at each other. How are they going to consider kissing each other?"
Ginny waved a piece of paper. "Witches and wizards, I have in my hand a spell that affects the sense of taste. It magnifies and enhances this sense to the point where eating becomes an erotic experience. I believe that if both Subjects are, uh, subjected to this spell, they will, due to both their subliminated desires and shared recognition of similar reactions to food, focus on each other and, in particular, their mouths, which, as we all know, are a necessary component to kissing. These thoughts will consume them until they finally give into their desires."
Lavender looked a little doubtful. "You're assuming an awful lot. They managed to brush off the other three spells before we hit on touch. What makes you think that they won't do that now?"
"Ah, but they weren't trying to grope ("I've already told you, they weren't groping!" Lavender said. "Shhhhh!" quieted Parvati.) each other before those three spells, were they?" Ginny asked. "Now that they have, and they are undoubtedly thinking about each other in a slightly more 'love of my life' sort of way, when they see each other, kissing will pop into their minds much more readily."
Lavender sighed. "I don't know. It seems a bit complicated to me. What do you think, Ron?" she asked, turning to him.
Ron was frowning at his sister. "Wait, did you say 'erotic experience'? And kissing? What do you know about erotic experiences and kissing? Has someone been trying something with you? I bet someone said something. Who was it? I kill him!"
Ginny sighed. Ron was such an idiot.
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Once again, the spell worked. Whether it was because a female researched and implemented the spell or because Ron was not involved in that portion of the plan, this author cannot say. Whatever the specific reason, Harry and Hermione were consuming enough calories to power a dragon.
"If Hermione keeps this up, she's going to lose her girlish figure," Ginny whispered to Lavender during lunch. Both were staring at the duo, dumbfounded at the amount of food each one was tucking away. Hell, the entire school was staring at them. Even Dumbledore couldn't hide his astonishment. Crumpets, bangers and mash, kippers-all gone.
"If Harry keeps this up, there won't be a broomstick in the world that will be able to hold him," Lavender muttered. "Some Seeker he'll be then. He won't even be able to jump for the Snitch. How long is this spell supposed to last?"
"Just a day, thank Merlin," Ginny replied. "How long can it take to eat steak and kidney pie?"
This was an excellent question, for Harry and Hermione were not just eating mass quantities of food. They were…enjoying it, exactly as the spell intended. Every bite of pastry made Harry's eyes droop to half mast in barely contained pleasure; every piece of steak brought a moan from Hermione. It was damn funny, but also incredibly uncomfortable. Everyone had a right to their sexual predilections, of course, but who wanted to see them (even if they were artificially induced) on display in the Great Hall?
Even worse (or better, depending on how one looked at it) was the attention the two paid to each other. As Ginny predicted, despite their horror and embarrassment over the results of the previous spell, each was eagerly watching the other enjoy eating, the obvious pleasure of one enhancing the delight of the other. They stared at each other's mouths, taking pleasure in that simple act.
It was, quite frankly, a little creepy.
"Quite frankly, this is a little creepy," Ron whispered to Ginny. "This is more of a food obsession than 'let's go snog each other senseless.' When are they going to get beyond the wonders of an elf-cooked meal and get to the kissing?"
"I don't know!" Ginny murmured. "They can't eat all the time, and they are staring at each other's mouths. It's got to hit them sometime, right?"
Ginny's words proved to be prophetic as both of the newly minted gluttons abruptly stopped eating and shared a heated gaze. Their breathing was quick and shallow and Harry gulped loudly as he took in Hermione's flushed face.
Hermione quickly stood up, looking anywhere but Harry. "I'm sorry, I've…I've got to go. Need to be at the library. I'll see you in class." She all but ran out the door as Harry's eyes tracked her and then glumly went back to his food. He pushed the plate away from him and made a disgusted sound.
The rest of the day was somewhat depressing for the Team as the Couple-That-Would-Not-Admit-They-Were-In-Love regressed to their previous behavior and refused to talk or even look at each other. Ron was despairing of ever completing the Mission when his two Subjects were being such plonkers.
Fortunately, Fate decided to smile on him.
Harry, in full view of everyone in the common room, asked Hermione if she might join him on a walk outside. It was a beautiful night, with a full moon and warm breeze. Hermione hesitated only a moment before agreeing. The two went out the portrait hole, keeping a careful distance between them, but obviously only focusing on each other.
If they had bothered to pay attention to their surroundings, they would have heard a tremendous cheer swell up when the portrait swung back. Ron immediately stood up and quieted everyone.
"Wizards and witches, this is our moment of triumph. There can be only one reason for a young couple so desperately in love to take a private moonlit walk outside. Our Plan is nearing it's end. And by Merlin, we are going to witness it! Ginny, Seamus, Dean, Parvati and Lavender, you're with me. Let's go!"
Another cheer went up as Our Heroes trooped through the door.
"Oh, good luck!" the Fat Lady called after them, fluttering a handkerchief. "The young ones grow up so quickly," she sniffed, dabbing at her eyes.
The Hogwarts Regiment, 1st Gryffindor Battalion stealthily made its way outside. They paused for a moment, discussing where their quarry might have headed. The Quidditch pitch was chosen as the most likely place, and they quickly moved off in that direction. Luck was with them again, as they spied Hermione and Harry walking through the gates and climbing over the fence, onto the pitch itself. The stadium provided numerous hiding spots, so the unit swiftly chose one with good sight lines and entrenched themselves.
And then, like any good army unit, they waited for something to happen. And waited. And waited.
"Why aren't they doing anything?" Lavender asked. "They're just staring at each other!"
"I wish they had licked each other in the Great Hall," Dean said wistfully.
Parvati looked at him distastefully. "There are no words for just how much you frighten me right now."
"What? I'm just saying that licking would have added some excitement to it all."
"Keep your perversions to yourself."
"There is nothing wrong with--"
"Licking in public is not part of the social contract!" Parvati yelled.
"Quiet!" Ginny shushed. "Are you trying to get them to hear us?"
"Social contract? That's Muggle philosophy! What do you know about Muggle philosophy or the social contract?" Dean asked in astonishment.
"I know plenty of things, and licking isn't part of it!"
"You're only limiting yourself, prude," Dean said nastily.
"Licking pervert!" Parvati hissed.
"Be quiet!" Ron threatened. "I'm not going to have this moment ruined by two gits who don't know how to keep their mouths shut! If you two had bothered to pay attention, you would see that the Plan is coming to fruition!"
"Fruition? When did you start using words like that?" Seamus asked, immensely amused. "You have been hanging out with Hermione too long."
"If you don't think I won't kill you right now, you're very mistaken," Ron said calmly. "Pay attention and shut it!"
Harry and Hermione had abandoned their staring strategy at some point and had moved closer together. Hermione was saying something to Harry, and seemed to be very emphatic about it, but she was still so quiet, no one could hear what she was saying. Out of the blue, Harry raised a finger and put it over her lips. He brushed his thumb over her lower lip. Hermione reached up, grabbed his hand and gently pressed her lips against his fingers before letting it drop.
They stared at one another then, and even from this distance, Ron could see the emotion shining in their eyes. Their eyes slowly closed and they drifted closer together. Closer and closer…they tilted their heads slightly…closer…a sliver of moonlight was all that separated them…closer…just a hairsbreadth away now…
The battalion leaned forward as one and held their breath.
Harry and Hermione sprung backwards and sucked in a great lungful of air. They shook their heads, as if to rid themselves of some trouble, and looked at each other once again, the confusion and pain clearly etched on their features. Hermione gave a final, violent shake, turned and walked quickly out of the stadium. Harry looked after her a moment, his face now a mask, before turning the opposite direction and leaving as well.
There was a stunned silence from the group before they all raised their voices in a cacophony of disbelief and confusion.
"No, no, no!" Seamus said. "What happened? Why didn't they kiss?"
"I can't believe it," Parvati whimpered. "They were so close!"
Ginny was flabbergasted. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to kiss!"
Dean looked about ready to hit something. "I'm going to kill them. They're practically the bloody couple of the millennium and they can't be bothered to admit their feelings and kiss!"
Lavender looked over to Ron, who was being strangely quiet. She laid a hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"
Ron stared forlornly at the spot Harry and Hermione had just occupied and heaved a deep sigh.
"I need a drink."