Hermione's schedule was so full that Harry could only

Hermione's schedule was so full that Harry could only talk to her properly in the evenings, when Ron was, in any case, so tightly wrapped around Lavender that he did

not notice what Harry was doing. Hermione refused to sit in the common room while Ron was there, so Harry generally joined her in the library, which meant that their

conversations were held in whispers.

“He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes,” said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. “I really couldn't care less.

”

She raised her quill and dotted an ‘i’ so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment. Harry said nothing. He thought his voice might soon vanish from the

lack of use. He bent a little lower over Advanced Potion-Making and continued to make notes on Everlasting Elixirs, occasionally pausing to decipher the Prince's useful

additions to Libatius Borage's text.

“And incidentally,” said Hermione, after a few moments, “you need to be careful.”

“For the last time,” said Harry, speaking in a slightly hoarse tone after three-quarters of an hour's silence, “I am not giving back this book. I've learned more

from the Half-Blood Prince than Snape or Slughorn have taught me in—”

“I'm not talking about your stupid so-called Prince,” said Hermione, giving his book a nasty look as though it had been rude to her. “I'm talking about earlier. I

went into the girls’ bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a

love potion. They're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party, and thay all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm

afraid to say probably work—”

“Why didn't you confiscate them then?” demanded Harry, it seemed extraordinary that Hermione's mania for upholding the rules could have abandoned her at this crucial

juncture.

“They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom,” said Hermione scornfully, “They were just discussing tactics. As I doubt the Half-Blood Prince,” she gave

the book another scornful look, “could dream up an antidote for a dozen different love potions at once, I'd just invite someone to go with you, that'll stop all the

others thinking they've still got a chance. It's tomorrow night, they're getting desperate.”

“There isn't anyone I want to invite,” mumbled Harry, who was still not trying to think about Ginny any more than he could help, despite the fact the fact that she

kept cropping up in his dreams in ways that made him devoutly thankful that Ron could not perform Legilimency.

“Well, just be careful what you drink, because Romilda Vane looked like she meant business.” said Hermione grimly.

She hitched up the long roll of parchment on which she was writing her Arithmancy essay and continued to scratch away with her quill. Harry watched her with his mind a

long way away.

“Hang on a moment,” he said slowly. “I thought Filch had banned anything bought at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?”

“And when has anyone ever paid attention to what Filch has banned?” asked Hermione, still concentrating on her essay.

“But I thought all the owls were being searched. So how come these girls are able to bring love potions into the school?”

“Fred and George send them disguised as perfumes and cough potions,” said Hermione. “It's part of their Owl Order Service.”

“You know a lot about it.”