Galinda was tired of this. Fiyero flirted with her roommate, and she was sure Elphie wanted to flirt with Fiyero if she weren't so…Elphaba. Yet for ages nothing had ever happened. This would be fine with the perky blonde if her friend was of a more normal variety, seeking to dissect every glance, giggle and word with her, but unfortunately, dear Elphie was her own unique person. Galinda pouted. It was no fun to know that they liked each other if they wouldn't admit it enough to gossip about it with her. Unless…she could play matchmaker!

Flipping through the pages of her magazine, she saw a giant ad for a perfume called Love Potion Number 9. Suddenly an evil plan was forming in her brain. Evil, yet fantastic. A perfume would never work, and she was pretty certain that any love potion she attempted to make would backfire. However, perhaps…

She gathered some herbs, dyes and fizzy soda water, storing it in the fridge. Giggling at her own impressive scheming, she went in search of her victims.

Finding Fiyero with his friends in the cafeteria, she sauntered over. After all, some of his friends were almost as cute as he was. It really was too bad that they hadn't worked out. Anyway, batting her eyelashes for the benefit of his adorable friend to the left, she smiled coyly. "Fiyero, could you help me after school with something? It's very heavy, and I know only you could lift it."

His cute friend begged to differ, offering his services, and smiling sweetly, she accepted before she remembered the whole plan. Oops. Elphie was lucky she was so goodly. She flirted appropriately with the boy, asking if perhaps he could come by after dinner, to which of course he offered to take her. Waving goodbye to her date, she stuck by Fiyero's side on his way to class.

"Actually Fiyero, I do still need your help right after school. Well, really, it's Elphie who does; she just doesn't want to admit it."

From the immediate interest and eager look on his face, she knew she had him now. "Oh, really? Elphie needs something? What is it?"

She bit her lip, trying to think of something convincing. Elphie would never need help with any homework or consent to anyone lending strength because of his gender…what could she need help with? From Fiyero? "Well, she was saying how she wanted to learn to dance, you know the proper way (her memory flashing back to the mortifying dance at the Ozdust), but of course I can't teach her. How could we dance together? We're both girls." As if he didn't know. She giggled anyway, stalling for time. "Anyway, um, since you're so good at dancing, I thought maybe you could offer to teach her."

The thought of dancing with Elphaba, holding her close as their bodies swayed together, was almost visible on his face. "Yeah, sure." The casual tone was forced, and Galinda had to fight not to clap her hands together.

"Oh. And we should probably be subtle about it. You know, so you don't embarrass her. I don't know if I was supposed to tell anyone…" about this imaginary conversation she'd had with her. This could get tricky. Lucky, he was already hooked, and he nodded absentmindedly, thoughts already on his future dance session. Smiling wickedly, she withdrew to plant the seed in Elphie next.

She found Elphie where she expected to, surrounded by books rather than cute boys in the dreaded library. That place was so depressing. You couldn't even talk properly without everyone shushing you constantly. She rolled her eyes, ignoring the one that had shushed her for clicking her heels on the ground too loudly.

"Hey Elphie." The shushing was enormous, but she ignored it. Elphaba looked up dismissively and returned to her book. "Elphie? Elphaba!" A loud chorus of shushes followed that, but Elphaba looked up at her expectantly. "What are you doing after class? – Oh shut up! You're making just as much noise as I am!" The shushers turned away haughtily at her rebuke, but Elphaba smiled.

"I don't know, why?"

Elphie was much easier, as Galinda often needed her help. "Could you help me with this homework? It's been really difficult for me."

"Well, if you actually listened once in a while in class, you might grasp the subject a little better, but of course. Meet me here at 4:30."

"No, it needs to be in our room." At Elphaba's suspicious look, she thought quickly, "I have a date I need to get ready for."

"How am I supposed to help you with your homework if you're getting ready for a date?"

"Oh, well, you know…" Think, think, think. "I just don't want to run late here since I'm so dense. At home I can keep track of time better." She smiled charmingly and perhaps a little desperately. Just say okay. She couldn't think of any more excuses.

Elphaba sighed, "Fine. But you have to actually focus. Deal?"

"Deal!" She grinned broadly.

Bouncing up, she clicked away. As she left, she heard one of the onlookers whisper "Thank goodness!" to his friend.

Turning around, she hissed her best "Shhhh! Don't you know you're supposed to be quiet in the library?" Shaking her head, she walked away to prepare for her busy afternoon.

Elphaba came home, and Galinda tried her hardest to pay attention. It was so difficult when her brain was on the potion chilling in the fridge. After an eternity filled with the dullest homework she had ever had to face, finally Fiyero knocked at the door. "Hmm, I wonder who that is? I'd better see….Oh it's Fiyero!" She announced. She thought perhaps she had overacted just a smidge on that. She would have to be more focused. Luckily Elphaba was too busy blushing and trying to pretend she didn't care it was Fiyero to notice. Galinda invited him in and made some excuse about getting ready for her date.

She peeked in the mirror as Fiyero walked over to Elphie. "Hey."

An unnaturally cold response came: "Hey."

"So, I was wondering…" his eyes flicked involuntarily to Galinda for help, and she subtly waved her hands for him to continue. "I was wondering if you would like to learn to dance."

Elphie glared at him viciously as if he'd offered to poison her. "Dance? Not a chance."

"Is that a poem?" he teased her rhyme, but she didn't find it funny. In Elphaba's defense, that had been pretty lame, but he wasn't on top of his game with her shooting those infamous icy stares at him. Poor Fiyero. His only mistake had been to be her crush, and nothing he did now could avoid the barbarous looks she sent him.

Galinda intervened. "Oh Fiyero, I'm glad you're here actually." She shot him an understanding look. "Would you try this for me? You too Elphie. Let me know what you think. I made it myself." She handed them the bubbly drinks from the fridge. "I'm going to enter a contest in the Ozmopolitan Weekly."

Fiyero agreed easily, but Elphaba was suspicious. "What's in it?"

"Oh, I can't give away my secret recipe!"

"Then how will you enter the contest?" Why did Elphaba have to be so bright?

"Um…," nothing came to mind, so she resorted to, "Elphie, please? For me?" She pouted, and had Elphie been a boy, it would have worked like a charm. As it was, the tall girl shook her head distrustfully.

Fiyero was her hero, giving her roommate an appraising look. "I thought you were brave."

She rose to the challenge beautifully, grabbing the glass out of Galinda's hand and chugging the entire drink in one giant gulp. Fiyero matched her gesture with similar defiance, though Galinda recognized the flirting behind both of their posturing.

1…2….3….

Elphaba turned greener, if that were possible. "I think I'm going to be sick." She ran for the bathroom, while Fiyero held his mouth searching for a suitable alternative. Settling on the trashcan, he threw up almost synchronously with Elphie.

"What was in that thing?" Elphaba demanded, rinsing her mouth frantically in the bathroom.

"Oh, just a little love potion. So kiss and make up now. Ooh! That's my date. Goodnight!" She breezed out before either of them could throttle her, locking the door and barricading it from the outside. Cute Friend looked confused, but she merely smiled sweetly. "Ready?" She ignored the pounding on the door as her victims sought to escape.

This time she would demand stories when she returned or she would not release them. Pleased with a good day's work, she enjoyed her date.