In Lieu Of Flowers
Monday
"I have a date with Pansy this weekend," Draco said. "We're going to Hogsmeade together. You louts will have to get on without me for a day."
Goyle slapped Draco on the back. "Congratulations," he said and looked over at Crabbe. Crabbe smiled.
"Watch it, you big troll," Draco said.
Goyle apologized.
Tuesday
Professor Binns assigned them a four-foot essay on the Wizard Wars of 798, to be handed in on Monday.
"That's spoilt the weekend," Draco said. "With Montague making us practise all hours, the only time I'll have to work on it is Saturday. I'll cancel with Pansy and the three of us will do our essays."
Crabbe looked over at Goyle. Goyle frowned.
"Don't cancel yet," Crabbe said. "You know how touchy Pansy is. Maybe something will work out."
"Hmm," said Draco, then nodded.
After class, Goyle whispered to Crabbe. "What will we do?"
"Come on," Crabbe said, pulling on Goyle's arm.
"Where are you two going?" Draco asked.
"The toilet," Crabbe said.
Draco raised his eyebrows, but he didn't stop them. "Don't be late for Charms. Flitwick's been on a rampage lately."
"We'll be fast," Goyle said and let Crabbe drag him away.
"We have to get Malfoy an essay," Crabbe said, stopping when they were around the corner. "Where are you going?"
"The toilet," Goyle said, not stopping.
"That was just an excuse for us to talk alone."
"But I have to go."
"Okay, we'll talk on the way."
"We could write the essay," Goyle said. "We could stay up late."
"Except that we have Quidditch practice too. And Malfoy gets better marks than us. Especially than you." Crabbe punched Goyle on the shoulder, then ducked as Goyle punched back.
They stepped into the boy's toilet and bumped into Blaise Zabini.
"Watch out," Blaise said.
"Hey, you're smart," Goyle said and Crabbe nodded.
"I suppose so," Blaise said. "I'm also on the way out."
"We need you to write Malfoy's History essay," Crabbe said.
Blaise's face lit up. "Oh, of course, of course."
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other and grinned.
Blaise continued. "It will only cost you 2 Galleons."
Crabbe and Goyle stopped grinning.
"Do you have a Galleon?" Goyle whispered to Crabbe.
"I do -- but it's all the pocket money I have left until Christmas."
"But this is important!"
Crabbe sighed. "Done," he said to Blaise. "Half now" -- he looked meaningfully at Goyle, who fished a Galleon out of his pocket -- "and half when the essay is done."
Blaise left and Crabbe leaned against the wall. "At least it's done. Come on, we'll be late for class."
"But I still have to go."
Wednesday
Draco threw himself down on the couch and sighed. "Well, that's it, then."
Goyle looked at Crabbe. Crabbe frowned. "What is it, Malfoy?"
"Who asked you?" Draco said, sneering. Then he frowned. "Oh, it's Pansy. She's changed her mind. She says we're not 'compatible', whatever that's supposed to mean."
"It means that you don't get on and stuff," Goyle said.
Crabbe smacked Goyle on the head. "Of course you and Pansy get on, Malfoy. You get on with everybody. If you want to," he added as Draco looked sharply at him.
"Regardless, she's broken our date," Draco said. "So you two will just have to come to Hogsmeade with me instead."
"Maybe Pansy will change her mind," Goyle said.
"Maybe you'll get top marks in Transfiguration," Draco said. "Well, I'm off for a bath and an early night. Quidditch is really taking it out of me."
"What do we do now?" Goyle said, when Draco had gone.
"Talk to Pansy, I guess. She's right over there." Crabbe pointed to the other side of the common room. Pansy was sitting at a table with three other girls, whispering and giggling. "Let's go."
"Talk to girls?" Goyle said, but they were already across the room. "Hi Pansy," he said.
"Hi Pansy," Crabbe said.
"What do you two want?" Pansy said. "I don't need anybody beaten up today." All the girls giggled at that remark.
"Uh...you're looking pretty today," Goyle said.
"Your hair is very nice," Crabbe added.
Pansy looked at them, but didn't say anything.
"And your...uh...eyes are pretty too," Goyle said.
There was an awkward silence. Goyle blushed. Crabbe fidgeted. Pansy crossed her arms and waited.
"Malfoy thinks so too," Crabbe said finally.
"Yeah, he's the one who told us," Goyle said.
"He really likes you."
"He likes you a lot."
"And since he likes you so much and you two get on so well, you should really consider going out with him on Saturday."
The girls shrieked. Goyle jumped.
"I suppose I could consider it," Pansy said, smirking.
"Your ears are pretty too," Goyle said.
"Okay, tell your boss that I'll go out with him on Saturday, but only if you two go away and leave me alone."
"Thank you," Crabbe said, and they both retreated to the other side of the room.
"Excellent," said Goyle. Crabbe smiled.
Thursday
Nothing untoward happened. Draco was cheerful. Crabbe and Goyle relaxed.
Friday
In Potions, Goyle confused frogspawn and newteyes and his potion turned out curdled and green instead of smooth and purple. While he was bottling a sample, he splashed some onto Draco.
"You Neanderthal," Draco said. "It's still hot. You're lucky I wasn't burned."
Crabbe shot a look at Goyle and frowned. But Draco was fine so they didn't worry.
Until the afternoon, when Draco broke out into the most spectacular acne Hogwarts had ever seen.
"This is YOUR FAULT," Draco screamed at Goyle as he threw himself onto his bed and pulled the curtains. "I'll never be able to show my face again. You'll pay for this as soon as I think up something horrible enough."
Goyle was worried. Crabbe was worried too.
"We have to do something," Goyle whispered. "Or he'll kill us both."
They started to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" Draco demanded from behind the curtains. "Stay here. If I have to be miserable, so do you."
"Um...Goyle's going to go get you a remedy," Crabbe said. "I'll stay." He motioned to Goyle to leave. "Go," he hissed.
So Goyle went. He went to the hospital wing and got an anti-acne cream and brought it back. But it didn't work.
"You're useless!" Draco yelled. "No one will miss you when I kill you!"
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged anxious looks. "Snape," Crabbe whispered. Goyle shook his head. "You have to," Crabbe said.
It took Goyle a quarter of an hour to work up the nerve to go to Snape's office. When Snape answered the door, he looked at Goyle like Goyle was a particularly unpleasant insect that he'd found crawling on the floor.
"I need a potion, Professor," Goyle whispered.
"Speak up, you idiot," Snape said.
"I need a potion, sir. For pimples. Bad ones."
Snape peered at Goyle's face. "You seem to have quite normal adolescent acne. Certainly nothing worth bothering me about, wouldn't you say?"
Goyle wanted to run but his feet were rooted to the floor. "It's for Malfoy," he squeaked.
"Malfoy?" Snape said, in an entirely different tone.
"See, my potion splashed on him and now...his face...you have to help him!"
"All right." Snape narrowed his eyes. "But if I do, you will come in next Wednesday and scrub my classroom. It's due for a cleaning. Bring Crabbe with you -- someone will need to read the instructions I'll leave you."
"Yes," said Goyle, and spent an uncomfortable hour waiting while Snape brewed the potion. Vial in hand, he sprinted back to the dormitory.
It worked. Draco's complexion was even better than before and he only gave Goyle the silent treatment instead of hexing him.
Crabbe slapped Goyle on the back.
Saturday
Draco and Pansy went to Hogsmeade on their date.
Crabbe and Goyle sat side by side on a couch in the common room.
"What do you want to do now?" Crabbe asked and looked over at Goyle.
Goyle smiled. "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?"