Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Yes, but the Great Hall and the halls between classrooms are neutral territory, and besides, Harry's dual-house - I can get the password to Gryffindor if I have to," Phobius pointed out.
Harry blinked, even more baffled. "Why would I help you kidnap Hermione?"
"Steal. And because if you do, I'll convince Shadow to make you your own personal supply of treacle tart."
Naturally, that got Harry to start thinking it over; the dark house-elf DID make a wicked treacle tart, and it wasn't like Hermione was going to be in any danger... well, except maybe her virtue, seeing as Phobius would likely give in to the temptation of a locked-away Hermione once they were both at an age the couple deemed acceptable. But Harry hadn't been given the Talk yet, so that last tidbit did not occur to him.

Harry blinked, snapping out of it and looking rather sheepish, even turning a little pink out of embarrassment. "Right, sorry."
Phobius just stared a moment longer, then reluctantly relented. "...Fine." Mentally, however, he simply made a few mental refinements to the plan to account for Hermione's unwillingness to adhere to it.
...Yes, he knew he was probably being irrational on this subject, but frankly, he couldn't quite bring himself to care - it was for Hermione's safety, after all.
Confusa purred as she accepted the offered rats, still "smirking" at Disiceri as she got comfortable next to him and chowed down.

The boys followed their respective girlfriends and sat next to them, Phobius naturally glaring coldly at any poor sap who so much as glanced in Hermione's direction.
Naturally, Confusa sensed his unease and was pleased that she could affect him like that, but otherwise let him maintain some semblance of dignity... for now.

Harry considered the question carefully, not wanting to waste his girlfriend's time with something he could handle himself. "...Does snogging count?" he asked after a moment of thought - hey, it was a perfectly reasonable question!
Phobius glared a moment longer at one particular boy who was glancing over - if he remembered correctly, this was the same bloke who'd flirted with Hermione in Potions a while back - before letting up, his expression utterly unrepentant. "...If anyone flirts with you, I'm going to work with your parents on making a restraining order against them with a five-mile minimum distance." ...Clearly he was rather irrationally possessive of her, but with his track record, he probably had to be irrational with something.
That aside, Phobius could feel his other side starting to stir... he'd have to "hunt" at some point today.

Harry nodded, his own cheeks slightly pink as he mentally went over what he had to do; fortunately, it wasn't much.
Phobius paused, considering the observation. "...Maybe a bit," he reluctantly, allowed. "I just want to keep you safe... and for those other blokes to stay away from you, but mostly the first bit." Well, at least the sentiment behind it was sweet, even if the execution was flawed on more levels than should've been humanly possible.

"I know; Phobius and Hermione would kill me or worse if I rushed," Harry assured her.
Phobius nodded, relaxing slightly and slipping an arm around her protectively. "True."

"No I do not," Harry agreed fervently, getting out his homework and starting to work on what little was left.
"Actually, there's ways to take care of that second bit," Phobius corrected; as per usual, it was hard to tell whether he was being serious or just messing with her - in this case, it could very well be either.