Slytherins, Kisses and Other Disasters
Copyright© 2026 by Caroline Stanton
Chapter 15: The Inquisition
Victoria Crabbe was still smiling when she reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room.
She had spent the walk down from the entrance hall thinking about Harry, about the afternoon they’d shared, and about the rather wonderful sensation of having his arms around her. Every now and then, she glanced at the bracelet on her wrist, turning it slightly so that the polished steel caught the light.
She was looking forward to telling Draconia and Georgina about the date. Privately, of course. Perhaps in their dormitory, where they could sit on their beds and talk without anyone listening. She gave the password, waited for the concealed door to open, and stepped inside. Then stopped dead. It looked as though every Slytherin girl in the castle was waiting for her.
Girls occupied every sofa, armchair, and available patch of carpet. Several were perched on the arms of chairs, while others stood near the fireplace or leaned against the walls. First-years sat cross-legged on the floor beside older students. A cluster of seventh-years had commandeered the large sofa near the windows, and the girls who’d helped with Victoria’s makeover were gathered around the central table.
Even the younger girls who ordinarily wouldn’t have dared approach Victoria Crabbe were watching her with undisguised anticipation. And in the largest armchair, positioned directly opposite the entrance, sat Draconia Malfoy. She had one leg crossed elegantly over the other, a cup of tea in her hand, and an expression of magnificent composure. Georgina Goyle stood beside her. Grinning like an idiot. Victoria stared. Nobody spoke. Then Georgina raised a hand.
“Evening, Vic.”
Victoria looked from her friend to the assembled girls. Then back again.
“What the fuck is this?”
The common room erupted.
“HOW WAS IT?”
“DID HE KISS YOU?”
“WHERE DID YOU GO?”
“WHAT DID YOU TALK ABOUT?”
“IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND?”
“Did he hold your hand?”
“Of course he held her hand, you idiot!”
“Did he buy you anything?”
“Was he romantic?”
“Did you—”
“SHUT UP!”
Victoria’s roar silenced the room. For approximately two seconds. Then someone giggled. Georgina doubled over laughing. Draconia calmly took a sip of tea. Victoria stared at her.
“Draconia.”
“Victoria.”
“What,” Victoria asked slowly, “is going on?”
Draconia set down her cup.
“Your friends are interested in hearing about your afternoon.”
Victoria looked around the room.
“My friends?”
Draconia smiled.
“And several other interested parties.”
A third-year raised her hand. Victoria stared at her.
“What?”
“Did he kiss you?”
“PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!”
The girl immediately obeyed. Georgina was laughing so hard she had to lean against the back of Draconia’s chair. Victoria pointed at her.
“And you can bloody well stop that!”
Georgina tried to speak. Failed. And laughed harder. Victoria looked towards the stairs leading to the girls’ dormitories. Perhaps she could simply walk past them. She took one step. Every girl in the room turned her head. Victoria stopped.
“Oh, for Merlin’s sake.”
“Come and sit down, darling.”
Victoria narrowed her eyes.
“You planned this.”
“Naturally.”
“All of it?”
“Not entirely. The original gathering was considerably smaller. Word spread.”
Georgina finally recovered enough to speak.
“We were going to wait in the dormitory, but then Daphne heard about it, and Pansy wanted to know, and then Millicent said she wasn’t missing it, and—”
“And now we’ve got the entire bloody House here!”
“Not quite,” Draconia said. “The boys are elsewhere.”
Victoria glanced around. Indeed, not a single boy was visible.
“Where are they?”
“We threw them out.”
“You what?”
“We told them we needed the common room for something important.”
A seventh-year nodded solemnly.
“Very important.”
Several girls laughed. Victoria stared at them.
“You’re all completely mental.”
“Possibly,” Draconia agreed. “Now sit down.”
Victoria considered refusing. She could simply tell them to mind their own business, march upstairs, and lock herself in her dormitory. That was what the old Victoria Crabbe would have done. But then she looked around. The girls weren’t sneering at her. They weren’t waiting to make fun of her. They were excited. Genuinely excited.
Some of them had spent an entire afternoon helping her discover a different side of herself. They’d lent her clothes, arranged her hair, experimented with makeup, and reassured her when she’d felt ridiculous. And now they wanted to know how her first date had gone. Victoria sighed.
“Oh, bloody hell.”
A cheer went up.
“That doesn’t mean I’m telling you everything!”
Another cheer. Georgina seized her arm.
“Come on, Vic.”
She steered Victoria towards an empty armchair that had clearly been reserved for her. Victoria sat. Immediately, several girls dragged their chairs closer. Others settled on the carpet around her feet. Draconia surveyed the gathering with satisfaction.
“Now,” she said, “I suggest we proceed in an orderly fashion.”
Victoria gave her a suspicious look.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Immensely.”
Georgina leaned forward.
“First question. Did you have a good time?”
Victoria looked at her. Then smiled.
“Yeah.”
Georgina’s grin widened.
“How good?”
Victoria hesitated. Then shrugged.
“Really good.”
A collective murmur passed through the room. Draconia smiled.
“I’m delighted.”
Victoria glanced at her.
“Yeah?”
“Of course. You looked positively radiant when you came through the door.”
Victoria blushed.
“Oh, piss off.”
Georgina laughed.
“She’s right! You were grinning like you’d won the Quidditch Cup!”
“Shut up.”
“And you still are!”
Victoria tried to stop smiling. Failed. The girls noticed. Several began laughing.
“Oh, this is wonderful,” Daphne Greengrass declared.
Victoria covered her face with one hand.
“I’m going to murder the lot of you.”
“No, you’re not,” Georgina said cheerfully. “You’re too happy.”
Pansy Parkinson leaned forward.
“Where did he take you?”
“The Three Broomsticks.”
A few girls nodded approvingly.
“Good choice.”
“Did he buy you butterbeer?”
“Yeah.”
“Did he pay?”
“Yes.”
“Did you talk?”
Victoria stared.
“No, Pansy. We sat there for an hour making animal noises.”
The room burst out laughing. Pansy grinned.
“Well, knowing you, it was a possibility.”
Victoria threw a cushion at her. Pansy caught it.
“See? Perfectly reasonable question.”
Georgina leaned closer.
“What did you talk about?”
Victoria considered.
“Quidditch. Classes. Friends. Stuff.”
“Romantic stuff?” someone asked.
Victoria blushed.
“A bit.”
A dozen girls leaned forward. Draconia raised an eyebrow.
“Define ‘a bit.’”
Victoria glared at her.
“You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side, darling. That’s why I’m interested.”
Georgina grinned.
“Did he tell you you’re beautiful again?”
Victoria hesitated. That was enough. The entire room erupted.
“HE DID!”
“LOOK AT HER FACE!”
“She’s blushing!”
“Oh, that’s adorable!”
Victoria buried her face in both hands.
“Merlin, kill me now.”
Draconia waited for the noise to subside. Then she spoke.
“Victoria.”
Victoria looked up warily.
“What?”
“Did he behave like a gentleman?”
The question was quieter than the others. And Victoria understood what Draconia was really asking. She nodded.
“Yeah.”
Draconia studied her.
“He didn’t make you uncomfortable?”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“Didn’t pressure you into anything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Victoria looked at her friend. Then smiled.
“He was really nice, Draco.”
Draconia’s expression softened.
“I’m glad.”
Victoria hesitated. Then added, “Actually, he was wonderful.” For a moment, the common room went unusually quiet. Georgina stared at her. Draconia raised her eyebrows. Victoria looked between them.
“What?”
Georgina slowly began to grin.
“Oh, Vic.”
“What?”
“You really like him.”
Victoria opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked down. Then nodded.
“Yeah.”
Her voice was quieter now.
“I think I do.”
The response was immediate. Several girls squealed. Someone clapped. A fourth-year threw a cushion into the air. Victoria looked up in alarm.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”
Georgina threw her arms around her. Victoria grunted.
“Get off!”
“NO!”
“Georgina!”
“I’m so happy for you!”
Victoria tried to look annoyed. It was difficult with Georgina hugging her and laughing. Eventually, she hugged her back.
“All right, you great idiot.”
Draconia watched them with a small smile. When Georgina finally released her, Victoria found herself facing a semicircle of delighted Slytherin girls. She shook her head.
“You’re all ridiculous.”
“Yes,” Daphne agreed. “Now tell us what happened next.”
Victoria described their walk through Hogsmeade. She told them about the shops they’d visited, the pastries they’d eaten, and the way Harry had made her laugh. She carefully avoided repeating some of the more personal things they’d discussed at the Three Broomsticks. Those belonged to Harry and her. She wasn’t quite ready to share them. But she did tell the girls that Harry had been nervous. That caused considerable amusement.
“Harry Potter?” Pansy asked incredulously. “Nervous?”
Victoria nodded.
“Yeah.”
“About a date?”
“Well, it’s his first one too.”
Several girls exchanged surprised looks.
“Really?”
“Apparently.”
“So you were both completely clueless.”
Victoria laughed.
“Pretty much.”
“That’s actually rather sweet,” Daphne observed.
Victoria looked at her. Then smiled.
“Yeah. It was.”
It was a fifth-year who noticed the bracelet. She’d been sitting near Victoria’s chair, listening quietly, when something caught her eye.
“Victoria?”
“Yeah?”
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