Hermione and Tori, a harry potter fanfic

Hermione and Tori

By Scarlett Storer-Roe

Chapter One: The spies

Tori brushed her sleek white-blonde hair, which was so like her brother's. A knock sounded on the door from behind her. Tori put her brush down on the bed and walked over to the door.

She grasped the handle and turned it. Hermione stood in the doorway. Her eyes were red and puffy, like someone who has been crying for hours.

"What's wrong?" Tori asked stepping aside to let Hermione in. Hermione slowly walked in. She looked around the room. Near enough everything object was blue, with the odd green or purple mixed in.

"Tori you know Draco…" Hermione whispered looking at a picture of Tori and her brother Draco on her bedside table. Tori was smiling and looked pretty and not gaunt like her brother.

"Stupid sneer, thinks he's gods gift?" Tori asked mischievously. Hermione laughed and nodded. "Yeah I know the git, who doesn't know the Slytherin Prince, what has he done now?"

"Nothing bad…" Hermione started her voice fading into a whisper. Tori looked her in the eye, trying to figure out what Hermione was on about. Suddenly something twigged in her mind and she let out a laugh, the exact same laugh as Draco's.

"Well…he's called me a mudblood?" Hermione said quickly. When she said those words, a tear came sliding down her cheek. She wiped it away immediately.

"Don't worry I'll sort him out for you, tomorrow though," Tori said walking over to her bed and sat down. Her wand was lying beside her. Hermione walked over to her and sat down next to her. Tori had had a rough start at school. The fact that the Malfoy's were big supporters of Voldemort didn't help.

Though she had amazed everybody when she had been given the choice between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Naturally everyone, even the teachers, expected her to pick Slytherin. Everyone had choked on his or her pumpkin juice when she had picked Gryffindor.

Things had been easier after a while and she had found quite a few friends. She still missed her old friends Rikki, Cleo and Emma though. Hermione had been her friend ever since she had arrived and eventually Harry and Ron had come to like her too. She had even started dating Harry, but they broke up soon after.

"Thanks Tori," Hermione said. Tori could tell by her voice that she was grateful beyond her words! "Would you be my potions partner tomorrow?"

Tori blinked but nodded yes. Hermione suddenly let out a squeal. Tori grabbed her wand and pointed towards the door. "Lumos," she said. Her wand tip burst with light, betraying the two spies in the doorway. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

"What do you bloody want? You could have just knocked you know," Tori said, angering entwining itself in every word she spoke. Pansy looked scared and glanced cautiously towards Blaise. "Well I'm waiting."

"We were sent to spy on Granger, not you," Blaise said, not looking up. Tori shrugged her shoulders towards Hermione. Hermione returned the shrug. The fact that Blaise and Pansy were sent to spy on Hermione was baffling beyond words.

"Who was it that sent you to spy on her?" Tori asked the spies still on all fours on the floor.

"Your brother" Pansy mumbled. The silence between them covered up Tori and Hermione's shock. They looked at each and raised their eyebrows. Although they didn't spend much time together they were like sisters, sometimes. Their silent agreement was unknown to Pansy and Blaise. Hermione brought out her wand and stupefied them. They then used a hovering charm and heading out of Tori's room.

When they had reached the common room, Tori quickly opened the portrait hole and ushered Hermione and the two stupefied spies out of the room. They began racing as fast as their heartbeats through the cold corridors of Hogwarts. As they neared the dungeons they stopped.

They dropped Pansy and Blaise with a thud onto the floor. Their arms were aching from having to hold their wands in the air. Their arms soon stopped aching and they set off again, Pansy and Blaise in tow.

They reached the Slytherin Common Room. Tori left Hermione downstairs with Blaise and Pansy. She raced up the stairs, looking like a ghost in the moonlight.

She was soon standing outside an aged door with the name Draco Malfoy stamped in green ink on a door hanger. Tori contemplated for a second what she would say. She couldn't think of anything and so she just, quiet as a mouse, tiptoed into the room.

Draco was entangled on the bed. His head on his pillow, His mouth wide open and snoring slightly. Tori repressed the sudden, girlish, urge to giggle. Tori instead walked right up to Draco and thumped him hard the arm.

Draco woke with a start and looked blindly around the room to see who had thumped him. When his eyes fell on Tori, he sat up.

"If your going to send two spies to follow Hermione Try getting some that won't be caught so easily," Tori said. Draco's mouth quavered and suddenly he jumped up from the bed and sprinted down the stairs.

Tori followed close in his wake. She couldn't risk shouting a warning to Hermione. The moment Draco was in the common room he stopped and stared at Hermione.

Tori came into to the room panting slightly, but looked as though she had just walked all the way.

Draco smiled and sat down on one of the armchairs. Tori and Hermione copied. "How did you find out about them and that I sent them to spy on Granger?" Draco asked inquisitively.

"For those two questions they can take full credit. Making a noise and then blabbing is the best means of getting information, don't you think Hermione?" Tori said, grinning like a Cheshire cat, Hermione returned the grin and nodded.

"Awe! Maybe we should rename you and Hermione as the two troublesome sisters," Draco sneered, though it sounded as though his full heart was not in it this time.

"Maybe, does it look like we're bothered? Now talk" came the harsh reply from Hermione. Draco winced at the tone of her voice. Tori was observing closely.

"I'll talk to Tori but not to you Granger," Draco whispered staring from Tori to Hermione then to lay his eyes on Blaise and Pansy. "And while you're at it remove that curse of them."

"Only if you talk, while the both of us are here," Tori said, she glanced towards Hermione and they nodded silently. Suddenly they laughed. "Or Dumbldore will know that your sending spies to do your dirty work."

Draco's face paled and he gulped loudly. "Fine, I'll talk," he whispered so quietly that Tori and Hermione almost didn't hear him. "Just take that bloody curse of them all right."

Hermione nodded to Tori and Pansy and Blaise strung to life. They just shrugged at Draco and rushed up the stairs, to their bedrooms.

"Now talk," Tori said.

Chapter Two: The Plan

Tori had her wand at Draco's throat. Her whole body shook with anger. Hermione also had her wand at Draco's throat.

"So you think that's funny do you?" Hermione said her voice high and squeaky. Tori suddenly dropped her arm down and stared at Draco. Her brother's face was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick's.

"Hermione, he's stupid, we'll let you off this time Draco, but if you send any more people to spy on either of us again, you'll be sorry!" Tori said pocketing her wand. Hermione copied her and the two girls headed out of the Slytherin common room. Draco slumped to the floor and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

As soon as Tori and Hermione were gone Blaise and Pansy rushed in from behind the door leading to the staircase. Pansy rushed over to Draco and helped him to sit in a chair.

Blaise on the other hand rushed to the portrait hole to check that Tori and Hermione weren't there still. "Coast clear," he announced. Pansy rolled her eyes.

"I want you to keep spying on them, Blaise on Tori, Pansy on Hermione, Got it?" Draco muttered, closing his eyes. Blaise and Pansy exchanged puzzled looks.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Blaise asked. Draco mumbled something that no one could hear and then nodded. Pansy let out a small squeak and Blaise gulped.

"You saw what Tori and Granger did when they found out that we'd been sent to spy on them, they looked ready to kill you," Pansy said, Blaise nodded in agreement.

"I want you to follow them, I'll make sure Tori won't do any damage. Trust me," Draco said, standing up. His legs were shaking and his hands were constantly gripping the nearest object to steady himself. Blaise and Pansy tutted.

Tori and Hermione sped along the corridors. The odd ghost floated through the walls, halting the girls in their tracks for a few seconds. As they drew nearer to the common room, Hermione stuck out her hand almost causing Tori to fall over.

"We need to talk somewhere privately. Let's go to the Room of Requirement," she whispered. Tori confused and annoyed, nodded. "This way." Hermione motioned with her hands and they head off down a dimly lit corridor.

Peeves the poltergeist was lingering behind a suit of armour. As the girls passed him, he chuckled evilly and pushed sharply on the suit of armour. It crashed to the floor, making a sound loud enough to carry all around the castle.

Tori blinked and began running towards the Room of Requirement. Hermione was close behind. The sound of people waking up carried down to them. They began running faster and faster. In a couple of seconds they had reached their destination.

Hermione walked past a solid brick wall three times, muttering furiously. A door made of oak appeared. The two girls rushed inside and closed the door behind them.

They listened at the door. They heard people rushing by, shouting things that couldn't be understood. They heard Professor Snape and McGonnagal having an argument; about whether Peeves or a student had knocked over the suit of amour.

Tori and Hermione giggled silently. Hermione motioned for Tori to sit down on the two armchairs that had appeared behind them.

"Tori, I think Draco will still send Pansy and Blaise to spy on us. I have a feeling they'll be cautious because of how we threatened Draco," Hermione said, two glasses of Fire Whisky appeared. Tori took one cup and sipped it. The substance burnt her throat and she gagged. In a second the drink had turned to Butter Beer instead. The drink soothed Tori's burnt throat.

"I agree, but they'll most probably use lots of protection charms," Tori replied finishing off her drink. Hermione nodded her agreement. "What do you think we should do?"

"Maybe we should well…I don't know, what do you think?" Hermione asked. Tori withdrew her wand and then lit a fire in the empty grate.

"Maybe we should…I don't know either!" Tori cried out crushing the cup in her hand. Hermione's face screwed up in frustration. Suddenly a smile flashed across it and she let out a loud whoop of joy!

"We should make them think that you're going out with Harry and that you're my…" Hermione stopped there and looked at Tori with a mixture of fear and longing in her eyes.

"Good plan, how does it end?" Tori asked. Hermione's face blushed and she refused to look at Tori.

"That we're best friends, I mean would you like to be?" Hermione asked quietly. Tori looked shocked, but then she smiled.

"Would love too! A brilliant plan!" Tori said. Hermione laughed in reply. She held out her hand and Tori shook it. Now all they had to do was make sure Blaise and Pansy saw them!

"How long do you think we'll have to wait here?" Blaise asked Pansy. Pansy shrugged her shoulders. Blaise and Pansy had heard the suit of armour crash to the floor and had run there as fast as they could. They had just seen Tori and Hermione running towards the Room of Requirement.

It was a miracle that they hadn't seen them following them. Blaise checked his watch and realised that they had been watching the door for over an hour and a half.

A note in the shape of a bird came flying towards them. Pansy stood up and grabbed it in her hand. She quickly unfolded it and read it out loud in a whisper so as not to be overheard.

Blaise and Pansy,

If you haven't got anything good to report you had better come back, NOW!!!

Draco

Blaise and Pansy nodded at each other and hurried away from their spot. They suddenly heard the door opening and they rushed around the corner. They saw Tori and Hermione coming out. They were smiling at each and holding hands.

The shock must have shown on Blaise's face, because Pansy started shaking him softly. "We have got to tell Draco what we just saw!" Blaise whispered excitedly. Pansy was staring at him intently. She saw that there was excitement and a crushing sense of pain on his face. The reason he felt this is because he secretly found Tori quite attractive and was planning to take her to the Yule Ball.

"Come on. We have to go, before we get caught out of bed," Pansy said taking Blaise's hand and leading him away from the room. How could she do this to him? Pansy thought to herself.

"I think they saw us! That wasn't part of the plan! Why did you have to feel faint, and tell me that funny story?" Tori said to Hermione. They were in the Gryffindor common room. Their sides were aching from how fast they had been running.

"Imagine Draco's face when he hears that his sister might be gay!" Hermione shrieked. Tori laughed even more at that thought, even though she didn't like it. Tears were streaming down her face.

"I can imagine it now! Draco being told the news and his face dropping and turning pale, maybe he'll even scream and then…"

"BLOODY HELL!" Tori cried. Draco had apparated into the room, as Hermione had been about to finish. The smiles on their faces disappeared and were replaced by a frown.

"How could you!" Draco cried, he raised his fist back and prepared to swing it forward.

Tori jumped up and placed her hands on Draco's shoulders. They tensed up immediately at her touch. "Dear, dear brother, what have I possibly done to annoy you now?" Tori asked him innocently.

"You've not told me your gay! How could you not tell me?" Draco shrieked at her. Tori's face creased into a smile and she laughed.

"Draco, I am not gay. And what would ever give you such an idea?" she replied staring into his eyes. When Draco saw her gaze, he suddenly realised that Tori couldn't possibly be gay, she had had at least 9 boyfriends, one of them being Harry Potter.

"I'm sorry it's just Pansy and Blaise said they saw you and Hermione holding hands and smiling like loonies at each other. I just assumed…" Draco muttered.

"Well I have an explanation, Hermione had told me a funny story in the Room of Requirement and I was still smiling about it when we came out and…the reason we were holding hands was because Hermione was feeling faint from running. Good enough explanations."

Draco didn't reply at first. "Yeah, sorry sis," Draco said smiling. Tori nodded curtly and watched as Draco apparated out of the common room.

"Next time, can we stick to the proper plan?" Tori asked Hermione furiously. Hermione nodded and walked over to the fireplace. She used her magic to put out the fire.

"See you tomorrow, and don't forget you're my partner in Potions," Hermione said walking towards the staircase. Tori followed and they were soon both fast asleep in their beds, dreaming of what Draco would say when he heard that his sister and his WORST ENEMY were dating. That was if Harry and Ron agreed to the plan first. Tori hoped they would!

Chapter Three: The Fight

Tori surfaced the water, her hair floating around her. The sun was setting in the distance, casting pink, orange and yellow shadows around her. The soft cawing of eagles and seagulls echoed down from the sky.

The ripples of the water encased her in an imaginary cage. A splash sounded behind her. Tori spun round and saw a ship approaching her. Flames were licking the wood, casting eerie shadows over to surface of the water.

Tori woke up with a start in her room. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She sat up in bed and looked around her room. Everything was normal, her brushes, books and bobbles were all on her dressing table or scattered on the floor.

She got out of bed and walked over to her wardrobe. The strong ash wood doors were aged, and creaked when she opened them. Inside were her school robes and some one-piece suits, all in black. She pulled a fresh set of robes of the coat hanger and silently got dressed.

She thought about the days lessons she had today, Care of Magical Creatures, double potions, and then Herebology and Transfiguration. She grimaced to herself and picked out the books she would need for the upcoming day.

Tori made her way down to Hagrid's hut near the Forbidden Forrest. She was one of the few already there. Hermione was sitting on a chopped tree trunk, reading a book. She looked and up and singled Tori out. She shook her head, a signal saying that she hadn't told Harry and Ron the plan yet.

Harry and Ron were sitting down on the grass, talking about something. When they heard footsteps approaching, they looked up and saw Tori. Harry's eyes seemed to twinkle. Tori put it down to the sun.

She walked over to the forest and lay down on the grass. She checked her watch and saw she had 2 minutes before Hagrid arrived.

People were only just starting to arrive, and Tori noted the worried looks on their faces. She couldn't help smiling.

"All right? Now we got a good 'un for yous today! 'Ollow me," Hagrid said appearing out of nowhere. He began striding to where Tori was lying down.

" 'Allo Tori! You all right?" Hagrid exclaimed beaming down on Tori. Tori stood up and quickly brushed herself down. She could feel Harry's eyes boring into her.

"I'm fine," she said looking up; she noticed that Harry was staring at her and Ron was staring at her boobs. "I don't appreciate apes goggling at me," she added. Ron's face blushed and Harry just looked away.

She followed Hagrid slightly further into the forest. Standing a few feet away was an empty cage. Tori was standing a few feet away from Harry and Ron.

"She's the hottest girl in school and yet she's the Queen of Ice!" Ron whispered to Harry. Tori felt her blood begin to boil. "She thinks she's better than me and you! She even called us apes. I mean, who does she think she is!?"

"Ron drop it, would you?" Harry said, shaking his head. Tori spun round, her eyes ablaze with anger. Ron noticed her and looked slightly frightened.

"Take that back!" Tori said through clenched teeth. Harry shook his head and stepped back. He knew that Ron was a stubborn git and wouldn't take it back, and he wasn't the sort of person to hit a girl, but he could tell that a fight was about to take place.

"I won't take it back! It's the damn truth!" Ron shouted at Tori. Tori's fists clenched. Before Harry could blink Tori lunged forward, knocking Ron to the floor.

She began punching him hard, not giving him the chance to react and defend himself. His nose was bleeding and his lips were badly cut. Suddenly Tori let out a gasp and rolled over, Ron stood up and backed away, wiping his bloody nose with his sleeve.

Harry had kicked her and was kicking her still. The force of it sent shockwaves down Tori's body. Suddenly it stopped. Tori looked up and saw that Hagrid had picked Harry up by the scruff of neck.

"I will not tolerate this behaviour in my class, Potter! Now you take Tori up to the bloody hospital wing, I can take care of Ron!" Hagrid bellowed, shaking Harry violently.

He dropped Harry, who fell on all fours onto the floor. He stood up and dusted himself down. A single silvery-blue tear slid down Tori's face, looking out of place.

He could see that he'd hurt her back too much for her to walk. There was only one option open to him. He would have to carry her. He slipped one arm underneath her knees and another just above the small of her back.

She muttered something that Harry couldn't make sense of. He began walking back towards the castle. Harry was surprised at how light Tori was. He noticed that around her neck there was a silver locket. Harry made a mental note to ask her about it when they got to the hospital wing.

Harry gently laid Tori down on the bed. Madame Pomfrey was rummaging around in a large cupboard about 12 meters away. Tori's eyes were shut but she was still awake. Her hair streaked her face.

Harry pushed the hairs of her face. Madame Pomfrey suddenly appeared behind him.

"Here, Potter rub this into her back," Madame Pomfrey said, drawing some curtains around Tori and Harry. She handed Harry a tube of some kind of yellow paste. Harry's face whitened and Tori made a choking sound.

"Why me Madame Pomfrey?" Harry said staring from Tori to the shadow behind the curtain, which was Madame Pomfrey! Harry heard her sigh!

"Yes Potter! I have other people to deal with, with more serious injuries than a fractured spine!" Madame Pomfrey replied sticking her head through the curtain. "Just rub it into her lower back and wait 5 minutes if nothing happens she has to stay in for a month! Got it?"

Harry nodded, but Madame Pomfrey had already disappeared back through the curtain. Harry turned back to Tori. Her face was red with embarrassment. Harry couldn't help smiling.

"What you smiling at?" Tori muttered looking out of the window. For some reason this made Harry grin even more. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Turn over then!" Harry said. Tori looked at him, bewildered, but turned over. Harry slipped off her outer robe. Her blouse underneath had some blood on it. He lifted it up and saw that there was a large, deep cut, which was bleeding violently. He could see the white of her backbone through the flesh and blood. He unscrewed the top of the tube and squirted a small amount on to his palm.

He gently rubbed the paste into the wound. He heard the odd gasp of pain, but she was rather brave. The way the wound kept leaping up at him made his heart sink. He couldn't believe that he'd done this.

"All done!" He said, screwing the cap back onto the tube. He pulled her blouse down over the wound. He stood up and walked over to a small basin of water on a bedside table. He placed the tube down next to it and washed his hands. He sighed. I guess I should apologise he thought to himself.

"Tori, I'm sorry for kicking you," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear him. He heard Tori laugh behind him and his cheeks blushed. He looked over to her. She was lying on the bed as still as a pencil.

"Harry, apology accepted! I have to tell you something," she said staring intently at him. He nodded and walked back over to her. She sat up and edged a bit closer to him. For some reason this made his heart race.

"Do you think it would work! Especially after today?" Harry said as soon as Tori had finished explaining the plan to him. Tori pondered this for a second.

"He might not at first, we'll just have to prove it to him," she said her face screwing up. "If we can convince everyone else, we have a chance with Draco!"

"Okay, we'll try it! I'll go tell Hermione! Or…do…do you want me to stay with you?" Harry said looking at the floor.

"Go and tell Hermione and set about convincing everyone else we're dating!" Tori said, shaking her head in amusement! Harry jumped up and hurried out of the hospital wing. All that was on his mind as he sped down the corridors towards the Common Room was the look on Draco's face when he thought his sister was going out with his WORST ENEMY!

Chapter Four: Convincing everyone!

Harry arrived in the Common Room, breathless and sweaty! Everyone was sitting down, as if waiting for someone.

"Harry!" everyone shouted when they saw him. Hermione rushed up to him and thumped him hard on the shoulder. Harry winced at the pain that shot down his arm and back.

"What you do that for?!" He muttered, rubbing the spot where Hermione had hit him. Hermione thumped him again and finally slapped him round the face.

"Why did you kick her for you idiot? How is she?" Hermione screeched, thumping him again. Harry grabbed her arm and shook her violently.

"Calm down! She'll be fine in a few more minutes! She had a…a…a fractured spine," Harry said. "She told me about the plan! I've agreed." Hermione's eyes widened in shock and she motioned for Harry to follow her.

"Hey Hermione don't hog him all to yourself! We want to know what he did with Tori!" 5 boys shouted to her, as she and Harry rushed up to the stairs to Hermione's bedroom.

They stumbled up the last few step and rushed into her room. Hermione slammed the door shut behind her and locket it. She grabbed two pillows off the bed and stuffed them near the crack where the door doesn't quite meet the floor.

"It won't work now! You had to go and fracture her spine in front of Malfoy didn't you!" Hermione spat at Harry, her eyes were seething with anger!

"If we can convince everyone else then we have a chance with Malfoy!" Harry retorted. Hermione shut up for a second.

"Okay! Now go back and check on her you bloody rogue!" Hermione said unlocking the door. Harry nodded and felt pleasure coursing through his veins. Harry ran out of the door and ran like a bull down the stairs.

At the bottom Harry saw that everyone was still waiting for him. All eyes swivelled towards him when they noticed him at the foot of the stairs.

"Harry, what happened at the Hospital Wing?" Ron shouted jumping up and thundering towards him. Harry took a few steps back and fell onto the stairs.

"Nothing happened! She'll be out by now or else in a month!" Harry shouted over the noise of people asking him question after question. Ron's face whitened.

"What'd you do to her Harry?" Ron whispered into his ear. Harry's face whitened at the question. Harry shook his head and stood up. He pushed his way through the sea of people and clambered out of the portrait hole.

"Draco, are you all right?" Pansy asked Malfoy. Blaise was pacing the floor. Draco was sitting down, his head between his knees.

"Do I look all right?" Draco shouted, springing up out of his chair. Pansy cowered at the tone of his voice. For some reason this made his anger increase.

"Are you going to go and see your sister?" Blaise muttered still pacing the room.

"Yes I damn well am! Would you stop pacing, you're making me dizzy!" Draco shouted back at him. Blaise's eyes sparkled with surprise. Draco rushed out of the portrait hole and began running along the passages that would take him to the Hospital Wing.

When he arrived curtains were pulled around the a bed. Draco guessed that was where Tori was. He pulled the curtains aside and stepped inside. Tori was sitting up in bed, her laptop on her lap.

"You alright?" Draco said. Tori looked up with a start. Her baby blue glasses slipped down her nose slightly. She nodded and closed her laptop.

"Why did Potter kick you like that?" he continued. Tori just stared at him. "Why did Potter kick you like that?" he asked again.

"Weasley was insulting me so I attacked him. Potter intervened and starting defending the worm," she replied finally. Draco nodded as if he understood.

"What's wrong with you?" he pressed on. He noticed a trickle of blood escape from beneath Tori's back. "Why are you bleeding?"

"Potter fractured my back, Madame Pomfrey fixed it, I'll be out in a hour," Tori said. Draco's eyes widened and his stomach tied itself in knots. A sound behind the curtain brought them back to their senses.

"Tori Hanson, you can go now," Madame Pomfrey's voice echoed from behind the curtain. Tori stood up and immediately sat down again. "You'll need to get up slowly." Draco helped his sister stand up. They both emerged from behind the curtain. Harry, Blaise and Pansy were waiting for them.

"What are you doing here Potter?" Draco sneered at him. Harry looked from Tori to Blaise to Pansy and finally looked Draco in the eye.

"I came to apologise," Harry finally said. Tori and Draco looked at each other, they both raised their eyebrows. Draco nodded.

"To prove your sorry, you have to take my sister to her room," Draco said a slight smile on his lips. Harry began to protest, but Draco cut him short. "I guess your not sorry then?"

"Fine," Harry said. Draco smirked and stepped aside for Harry to help Tori walk.

"See you at dinner sis. Potter," Draco said before disappearing with Blaise and Pansy. Harry and Tori looked at each and collapsed into silent laughter.

"Hermione has called a meeting in the Room of Requirement. She told me that's he thinks Blaise and Pansy are tailing you. Do you think they are?" Harry said trying to stop laughing.

Tori shook her head, tears of laughter were streaming down her cheeks.

"Come on, Hermione says that first person we have to convince is Ron," Harry continued helping Tori to walk out of the Hospital Wing.

"Well she's right. If we can convince Ron we can convince Draco!" Tori exclaimed clutching her side where she had a stitch from laughing so much.

"Race you there?" Tori asked Harry mischievously. Harry laughed and nodded. They both began running towards the Room of Requirement wondering what would have been decided after the meeting.

Chapter Five: The Meeting

The Room of Requirement was silent for a moment. The three people sitting down acknowledged the words said 2 minutes earlier.

"Good plan, so when do we put it into action?" Harry asked, no one in particular. Tori and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Tonight if possible," Tori said to thin air. Tori reached inside her side pocket and pulled out a sapphire blue mp3 player. She pushed the headphones into her ears and pressed the buttons until she found the right song.

"What you listening to?" Hermione and Harry called to her. Tori shrugged and pointed towards her ears, indicating she couldn't hear them.

"What are you listening to?" they shouted at her this time.

Tori pressed the pause button. "Poison by Groove Coverage, why?" she said to them.

"Is it any good?" Hermione asked her. Tori nodded and motioned towards a table that had suddenly popped up, with a red Boom Box on top.

"Want to listen to it for yourself?" Tori asked. Hermione and Harry nodded. Tori pulled an adapter from her robe pocket. She connected it to one end of her mp3 player and Hermione connected the other end to a socket in the side of the boom box.

Tori pressed the connect button on the mp3 player and the number 104 lit up on the Boom Box. Tori pressed play and searched for the number 36. The music started up, and the words to the song belted out:

(I wanna love you but I, but I better not)

Poison

(I wanna love you but I, but I better not)

Poison

Your cruel device
your blood, like ice
One look, could kill
My pain, your thrill...

Hermione started dancing to the rhythm. Tori and Harry laughed at the silly jig she was doing.

I wanna love you but I better not touch
I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
Your poison running through my veins
Your poison
I don't wanna play these games

(I wanna love you but I, but I better not)

Poison

"Come on Tori, you and Harry had better start dancing for the Yule Ball in a week," Hermione shouted to them over the music. Harry and Tori laughed and stood up. They began dancing in time to the music.

Your mouth, so hot
Your web, I'm caught
Your skin, so wet
Black lace, on sweat

I hear you calling and it's needles and pins
I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name
Don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
Your poison running through my veins
Your poison
I don't wanna break these chains

Running deep inside, my veins

Wood burning, deep inside my veins

One look, could kill
My pain, your thrill...

Poison …

The music suddenly stopped. Hermione had turned it off.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione waved her hand in his face. Harry stepped back. They listened to the silence. It was suddenly broken by the sound of running feet.

Tori opened the door a bit and peered outside. She just noticed a pair of feet disappearing behind a hanging tapestry. A few seconds later, the figure appeared, a small object hidden beneath his robes.

"What's Neville doing here?" Tori muttered closing the door. Hermione, Harry and Tori exchanged puzzled looks. Harry opened the door and saw Neville running down the corridor.

"He's gone. What time is it?" Harry asked pulling the door open more to check that no one else was outside. When he was sure the coast was clear, he closed the door.

"It's almost time for dinner, I think we should get going," Tori said attempting to disconnect the mp3 player from the Boom Box. After she had failed 3 times, Harry helped her. She stashed the adapter and mp3 player in her robe pocket. The Boom Box and table disappeared.

"Can we run through the plan one more time, please?" Tori asked Harry and Hermione.

"Right, you and Harry are going to the Yule Ball together, you won't tell anyone. If anyone else asks if you would like to go with them, you say someone's already asked you, got it?" Hermione asked. Tori and Harry nodded in acknowledgement. "You and Harry will sneak off and lie about it every Wednesday, Tuesday and Sunday. You'll really be coming to the Room of Requirement, but everyone else will think something different. Is that all right?"

"Simple but effective. I think it will really work," Tori said, smiling. They left the room and Harry and Hermione headed off towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"I have to get a start on packing for the Winter Holidays, knowing me I'll leave it until the last minute, and I'm not taking any chances!" Tori told them. Harry and Hermione laughed and carried on their way. One thing was for sure all three of them were taking no chances, and were running the plan over and over again in their minds.

Chapter Six: Tori's surprise!

Piper woke up. Her sister Brusella had been shaking her arm roughly.

"What time is it?" Piper muttered turning over. Brusella sighed. The sound of the door banging woke Piper up completely. Keira had ran into the room. She was breathing heavily.

"The house is on fire!" Keira shouted collapsing onto one of the blue beanbags in Piper room. Piper sat bolt upright in bed. Keira's breathing slowed down.

"What do you mean the house is on fire?" Piper whispered faintly, struggling to find her voice. Keira took a deep breath.

"I woke up and went to get a glass of water and I saw a man lighting a cigarette and stabbing it into the sofa. I ran up stairs as soon as I saw the flames. We've got to get out!" Keira whispered, as if she feared the man who had started the fire was somewhere in the room with them.

At that point the door flew open and flames burst into the room. The three girls screamed and backed up. They stopped when they felt they had reached the open window.

A burst of green light exploded from the doorway and Piper and her sisters fell out of the window. The way down to the cold September ground, sent waves of terror and nausea crashing down on Piper

The ground was coming up closer and closer as if trying to embrace them. Piper felt a sharp burst of pain fly through her blood stream as she hit the ground. Her head struck a rock. She looked to the side and saw their mother running towards them.

Their came a loud bang and a second later their mother fell down, she had been shot by someone in the trees. Piper couldn't keep awake any longer, the last thing she remembered before the blackness claimed her was her sisters shouting her name.

Tori woke up in her bedroom at Hogwarts, panting. There came a knock at her door which caused her to jump. Why am I having those dreams again? I haven't had them since I was 8! She said to herself.

The nock came again, bringing her to her senses. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, took a deep breath and got out of bed. She walked over to the door and opened it a crack, looking to see who was at the door before letting them in. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Hermione.

"What's wrong? Why were you screaming?" Hermione whispered in a worried voice. Tori stepped aside and let her in. She closed the door behind her.

"I had this friend when I was 8, she was a muggle. Her name was Piper, she had two younger sisters Keira and Brusella. When my dad found out he burnt the house down. They only just managed to escape but their parents died.

"I have had nightmares about it since I was 8. I used to sneak out and visit them in the care home they were in. I had to make sure my dad didn't find out they were still alive, or he might try to kill them again," Tori said, tears falling silently down her face. "I haven't had the nightmares for years, I just don't know why they have come back."

Tori stood up and walked over to her dressing table. She picked up a small oval shaped box, bound in black leather. There was a small clasp with a keyhole and a scanner underneath it, on one side of the box.

Tori walked over to the bed again, she sat down heavily. She placed her left thumb on the scanner, a small beep sounded and the clasp sprung open. Inside was a small metal tag on a slinky chain. Tori took it out and put it around her neck.

"Present from Piper when it was my 8th birthday," Tori explained. She pulled a small piece of black ribbon. A door the size of the metal tag fell open in one of the sides. She reached inside and took out a small gold and silver key. She slotted the silver key into the keyhole on the outside of the box. She struggled to turn it, and in the end Hermione had to do it.

The base of the box dropped down a few millimetres and Tori gently slid it out to the side. Inside of it there was a snow white, hand-braided bracelet. Woven in the centre was a small opal.

"This was Piper's mum's. They found it in the ruins of the house and gave it to her. She didn't trust herself with it and asked me to keep it safe, and so here it is," Tori said gently picking it up and showing it to Hermione. Hermione was enchanted by the way the opal changed from milky white to different shades of blues, purples, pinks, oranges, yellows and greens when it caught the light.

She handed it back to Tori and five minutes later the bracelet was safely hidden back in the box, and was standing on Tori's dressing table. Tori yawned, she could feel her eyelids drooping. She curled up, Hermione did the same and the two girls fell asleep. Tori at the top of the bed, Hermione at the bottom.

Tori woke up with a start. The nightmare had started to come back again, but she had woken up just in time. She looked at her watch and realised that she and Hermione were late for breakfast.

She woke Hermione up and they quickly got dressed, and hurried down to the Great Hall. When they arrived they sat down next to Harry and Ron.

Ron blanked Tori out and Tori couldn't help smiling to herself. Ron seemed to be slightly afraid of Tori because he left a couple of minutes after she had sat down, claiming to be suffering a headache.

Tori had soon finished her breakfast and headed out of the Great Hall. She had Potions next and she was determined to be sat at the front, where the windows were, which were the only source of light and heat.

She didn't even notice Blaise follow her out. She was the only person inside the dungeons, she still hadn't noticed Blaise. She only noticed him when he came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hi Blaise, how are you?" she asked. Blaise said nothing, he just kept staring at his feet.

"Um…Tori…I was wondering…would you like to…?" Blaise began. Tori could see where this was going, and she was surprised that she had a chance to put their plan into action already.

"If I would go to the ball with you?" Tori suggested. Blaise nodded shyly.

"I'm sorry Blaise, someone's already asked me," Tori said. Blaise's cheeks flushed and he mumbled "OK, hope your backs better." and walked off.

Tori sat down and began to prepare the ingredients she would need for the lesson ahead. She couldn't wait to tell Hermione, the surprise she'd just had. She also couldn't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces, including Blaise's and Draco's when they saw her turn up at the ball with Harry.

Chapter Seven: Buying Presents

"You are serious aren't you?" Hermione asked Tori for the 9th time that day. She had told Hermione and Harry what Blaise had asked her. At first they couldn't stop laughing, eventually they had stopped and wanted to know every detail.

"Yes, I am SERIOUS," Tori said again, rolling her eyes. Harry laughed for some reason.

"I can just see the look on Blaise's face when you show up at the ball with me," Harry offered as an explanation for why he had laughed. Tori could picture it as well. Mouth open wide, eyes alive with shock. Tori let out a laugh of her own.

"Should we go into Hogsmede together?" Hermione asked Tori and Harry.

"It would help convince everyone a bit more, wouldn't it?" Harry asked Tori. Tori blinked as if to say she didn't understand.

"Yeah, it would actually help a lot more!" Tori said, laughing at the look on Harry's and Hermione's faces. Hermione thumped her, playfully.

"So what are you intending to buy?" Tori asked them both.

"A present for a friend. Something for Hagrid and Hermione and Ron. And that's it really," Harry said. Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "What about you, what are you getting?"

"A present for Rikki, Cleo, Emma and Piper. One for Hermione of course, maybe one for you," Tori said mischievously. They all laughed. Passers by began to stare at them. Tori noticed out of the corner of her eyes that Draco and Blaise had just come through the door and were staring at them. Hermione had noticed them too.

"Get lost Potter, I would rather eat my arm than go into Hogsmede with you and Weasley, after what happened yesterday," Tori said loud enough for Blaise and Draco to hear. At the stunned look on Harry's face Hermione jabbed her head in the direction of Blaise and Draco, suddenly Harry twigged what was really going on.

"Meet you in the Three Broomsticks," Tori whispered to them. She turned on her heel and walked away. She walked towards Draco and Blaise and tried very hard to look angry. It worked.

"What did they want?" Blaise asked Tori when she reached them. Tori shook her head.

"Wanted me to go to Hogsmede with him, told him to get stuffed didn't I," Tori replied. Draco laughed.

"Good one sis," Draco said through peals of laughter. "So who you going with to the ball?"

"Can't tell you that, sorry!" Tori said smiling to herself. Draco nodded but she could tell he was eager to find out.

"Well are we going to Hogsmede or not?" Tori asked no one in particular. Draco and Blaise nodded.

Tori had managed to slip away from Draco and Blaise saying she would meet them in the Three Broomsticks later and was now sitting down at a table, with Hermione and Harry. Three Butter Beers had just been delivered to their table.

"So, did you get your presents?" Hermione asked inquisitively. Tori nodded and so did Harry.

"Lets see then," Hermione said eagerly. Tori withdrew from the bag she'd been carrying 6 packages.

"One of them is one of the boxes I have on my table for you. The other is a three set of silver lockets, for Cleo,

Rikki and Emma,"

"A charm for Piper and her

two sisters."

"And for Harry, I got you

some Quidditch gloves, better than

using the school ones."

Hermione gasped when she

saw her present. It was the exact same box as

Tori's. It had the clasp and the scanner and

the keyhole. It wasn't black like Tori's thought, it was red, orange and gold, the colours of the Gryffindor house.

"What do you think of your presents then?" Tori asked nervously. Hermione jumped up and gave her a big hug, Harry did the same.

"I kind of need to breath at some point here," Tori said in a strangled voice.

"We love them," they chorused in unison. Tori sighed in relief. "So what did you get Harry.

Harry laughed and tapped the side of his nose with one of his fingers. "You'll find out soon enough." Hermione and Tori groaned.

"Come on, I want to go and buy a dress for the Yule Ball," Tori said standing up, and walking towards the exit. On her way out she bumped into Pansy Parkinson.

"Watch where you're going," Tori muttered and stepped out into the chill air. She shuddered and pulled her coat tighter around her. Hermione was soon right behind here, Harry was also a few feet away.

"Tori what did Pansy say to you?" Hermione asked when Pansy was out of earshot.

"Nothing at all," Tori replied. They began walking down the high street. There was only one dress store in the whole Hogsmede. They weren't expensive but some of them were tacky.

They soon reached the shop and Tori peered inside. It was dark but the OPEN sign was showing. She shrugged her shoulders to Hermione and Harry and pushed open the door. Once they were all inside it felt like they had stepped into an oven on max temperature.

Hermione started raking through the racks and racks of dresses. She pulled out four dresses and dumped them in Tori's arms:

Tori stumbled slightly and walked off in the direction of the changing rooms. She came back a minute later wearing the final dress Hermione had handed to her:

Harry couldn't help himself. He wolf-whistled. "You look gorgeous!" he cried. Hermione giggled. Tori nodded. She disappeared again and returned in a matter of seconds. She was wearing her old clothes and had the four dresses on coat hangers in her hand She put three of them back on the rack and walked over to the counter and paid for the fourth one.

They walked out of the shop and began walking back down the high street. Tori sighed when they reached the Three Broomsticks again. "See you back at the castle for dinner," Tori said walking back inside. Blaise Draco and Pansy were sitting down at a table waiting for her.

"Hi guys, sorry I'm late," Tori said, sitting down, making the three people jump. "So what have you been up to?" Draco looked at the bags she was carrying. Tori noticed this.

"Nothing for you," Tori said. "I brought some presents for Rikki, Cleo and Emma and a dress for the ball." Draco's face whitened.

"You haven't got a date for it have you?" Pansy said noticing what had happened to Draco's face. Draco dumbly nodded. "Well I'll go with you, save you the trouble of turning up alone."

"Thanks Pansy, you're a life saver," Draco exclaimed. "Have you got a date Blaise?"

"No I haven't. I'm not going anyway," Blaise muttered drinking deeply from his Butter Beer. He looked up and saw two pairs of eyes staring at him, they were wide with shock.

"I'm going back up to the castle, it's almost time for dinner and I'm starving," Tori said feeling uncomfortable with the situation. She knew what was going to be said and she wanted to be far away when it was.

"I thought you were going with Tori," Pansy said. Tori repressed a moan, but couldn't stop herself slapping a hand to her forehead. Invisem MoMentii she muttered under her breath. She slinked, invisible, away from the table and disappeared into the crowd.

As soon as she was far away from the Three Broomsticks she reversed the spell and hurried as fast her legs could carry her towards Hogwarts.

She hurried into her room and dumped all her stuff onto her bed. She suddenly felt very woozy. Running too fast she thought to herself. She sat down for a few minutes. When she felt better rushed down the stairs, through the Common Room and Portrait hole. She raced down the corridors until she was in the Great Hall.

She saw Hermione waving at her and collapsed down next to her.

"I think we need a meeting tonight, after dinner," Tori said. The plates filled with food, but Tori didn't eat anything instead she kept going over and over in her mind the plan, to see if it had any flaws in it. And she did find one. And it wasn't a small one, it was a BIG one!!

Chapter Eight: A Surprise in The Post

Tori sat down in the chair and stared around the room. She didn't understand what had happened to her yesterday. Why had she freaked out when Pansy said that she thought Blaise was going to the ball with Tori. It was an easy mistake to make.

No, Tori did understand. She had been afraid that Blaise had fallen for her. But she still didn't understand why she had been afraid. Or why she had thought that there was a flaw in the plan, there wasn't one as far as the sane part of her mind was concerned.

One thought she couldn't stop protruding into her mind was the fact of what would happen after the plan had been completed. Would Draco completely freak or would he see the humorous side and laugh with them. She highly doubted it.

She checked the silver watch on a turquoise strap on her wrist. The time was 3:30am. Her father had brought her the watch. Originally it had had a green strap but she had swapped it for a turquoise one. She yawned and stretched her arms.

If anyone came down at that moment, all they would have seen was Tori sitting in a chair, wearing blue pyjamas and a look that showed someone was deep in thought plastered across her face.

Tori closed her eyes and tried to let her imagination soar away from any depressing thoughts. Her mind drifted towards the picture of an ocean. Bobbing about in the ocean was Tori. A smile crept across her lips.

A bang behind her brought her out of the daydream. She jumped up and looked around. Lying, sprawled across the floor was Neville. Tori gasped and rushed to help him up.

"Are you alright?" Tori asked helping Neville to sit down in a chair. Neville's face was as white as a ghosts and he looked tired. Black and purples circles surrounded his eyes.

"I'm fine, I just need to get to the owlery," Neville said standing up and walking out of the Common Room. Tori's confusion filled the empty room.

She looked at her watch again and realised that in five minutes everyone would be awake and making their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Tori snapped her fingers and in the blink of an eye was dressed in her school robes, her books for the lessons she had that day were in her satchel lying next to her.

She swung the satchel over her shoulder and made her way through the portrait hole and sped like a bullet along the corridors to the Great Hall.

10 minutes later Tori and Hermione were sitting down at the Gryffindor table. Their plates were piled high with scrambled eggs and toast. Tori began to tuck in.

"Isn't that yours and Draco's owl, Tori?" Hermione asked pointing up to a large tawny owl holding a package and an envelope. The owl swooped along the Gryffindor table, until it spotted Tori. When it did it dropped the envelope and package onto Tori's lap.

Tori ripped open the letter and began to read

Dear Tori, (it read)

I brought you this as a present only. I thought you could wear it to the ball, it would help convince your brother and everyone else. I hope you like it anyway. You looked really nice in your ball gown.

From Harry

Tori laughed and showed the note to Hermione. Hermione let out a giggle and handed her back the note.

Tori opened the package and peered inside. All she could see was a black box. The kind that you put jewellery inside. She gently eased the box open, and gasped in delight and shock at what she saw inside.

Inside was a simple yet beautiful bead bracelet:

Tori slid it out gently and tried it on. Hermione gasped as well when she saw it. They both looked in Harry's direction. His eyes were twinkling with delight at the looks of uttermost pleasure on their faces.

Tori allowed Hermione to try it on. It was a bit big for her but it fitted Tori's wrist perfectly.

"A really cool surprise in the post," Hermione whispered to her. They both laughed silently. Tori shot Harry a look of thank you and slid the bracelet back into the box.

She slipped the box into her satchel and finished eating her breakfast. Tori felt pleasure coursing through her veins and felt that nothing bad was going to happen that day. Oh but how wrong she was.

Chapter Nine: Sneaking off!

"Hermione, guess what day it is?" Tori whispered to Hermione at dinner time. Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"It's Sunday," Harry whispered, trying to enlighten her. Hermione gasped and quickly silenced it. Tori jumped up and quickly left the room. When she had reached the door she bumped into Draco.

"Where are you going?" Draco exclaimed rubbing his arm, where Tori had bumped into him.

"I'm going to the library," Tori offered as an explanation. She quickly hurried off down the corridor. Draco stood therefore a few seconds staring after Tori. Was it just me or did she seem in a rush to get away from me? He thought to himself. He shrugged and headed off towards the Slytherin table, sitting down next to Pansy.

Tori meanwhile continued running down the corridors. Tori turned a corner and bumped into Blaise.

"Where are you going?" Blaise cried as he crashed to the floor. Tori mumbled her apologies and helped Blaise up. "Where are you going?" Blaise shouted after her as she began to run away.

"I'm going to the lake," Tori shouted her reply over her shoulder and almost ran into a suit of armour. Blaise shrugged his shoulders and continued walking to the Great Hall. Turning over what had just happened in his mind.

"Hey, Draco, is Tori alright?" Blaise asked Draco sitting down next to him. Draco shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea. Why don't you ask her yourself, she said she was going to the library," Draco replied through a mouth full of steak and kidney pie. "What's up with you more like?" Draco added at the look on Blaise's face.

"She told you that, did she?" Blaise whispered. Draco, confused, nodded. Draco grew suspicious when Blaise let out a sound like an elephant had just seen a mouse.

"She ran into me a few seconds ago and she said she was going to the lake," Blaise said. Draco's eyes widened in shock. He silently stood up and left the Slytherin table. Pansy and Blaise exchanged confused looks, but got up and followed.

"Hey Granger, where's my sister?" Draco shouted to Hermione who was drinking some pumpkin juice. "And while you're at it where's Potter?"

"Tori told me she was going to the Potions room and Potter told me that too," Hermione mimicked Draco's voice when she said Potter.

"I'll go to the dungeons and you go to the lake, Pansy you go to the library," Draco said running out of the Great Hall, ignoring the shots of the teachers behind him.

"We laid pretty good tracks, don't you think?" Harry said to Tori. Tori laughed and nodded.

"I wish Hermione would hurry up, I want to hear what happened," Tori said wiping a few tears of laughter from her eyes. A tap sounding out the tune from Kelly Clarkson's Never Again song rang out behind them.

"That'll be her now," Harry said, willing the door to let her see it. A few seconds later Hermione burst into the room, laughing her head off, slamming the door shut behind her.

"What could possibly be so funny?" Tori said shrinking back into the chair at the cold air that burst into the room along with Hermione.

"I think Draco is starting to twig something. You should have seen the look on his face when I said that you both were in the Potions room," Hermione said struggling to contain her laughter. "He's even sent Blaise and Pansy to look for you Tori. He's gone to the Potions room himself!" Hermione could contain her laughter no longer and all three of them collapsed into peals of laughter.

"Have any of you wandered what is going to happen after we've finished the plan?" Tori asked before she could stop herself. The room filled with silence.

"No we haven't," Harry and Hermione whispered together. All three of them exchanged glances as if waiting for someone to say that everything would be fine.

"Lets forget about that for now," Tori suggested. Everyone it seemed let out a sigh of relief and nodded their heads.

"Anyone want to listen to some music?" Tori suggested. Harry and Hermione nodded their heads vigorously. In a few seconds the red Boom Box appeared again and Tori's blue mp3 player was connected up to it.

Tori pressed the forward button until she found the song she thought everyone would like and pressed play. The music started and the song words began to pour out like water out of a bottle:

I'm comin' up so you better you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better you better get this party started

Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody's waitin for me to arrive
Sendin' out the message to all of my friends
We'll be lookin flashy in my Mercedes Benz
I got lotsa style, got my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you know what I mean
I'm comin' up so you better you better get this party started
I'm comin' up so you better you better get this party started

Hermione jumped up and started dancing again. Tori jumped up and started doing a dance she had been taught to do to the song. She started to teach it to Hermione, but she couldn't grasp it.

When the song finished a new one started. It was a song called Come Back to Me by Vanessa Anne Hudgens:

[Intro
HaHa!
You all need to get ready to hear
The unbelievable,
Indescribable
Vanessa Hudgens.
Baby V!

(Baby Come Back)

Everyday, I try to play, another game
But my heart can't take it.
I try to find, another boy,
But all the while, I can't face it.
Why do I miss you so much?
I wanna stop this hurt inside
Oh baby please, give us one more try

(Baby Come Back)

I see you out with all your friends
Laughin' it up as you pretend
To have a good time, (good time)
I know cause I'm living the same lie (same lie)
So one of us has got to say
We can't keep living this same way
So I'll be the one
Yeah I'll say it, I'll say it, I'll say it, I'll say it again

Baby Come back to me
In my heart I still believe
We were meant to be…
Together so whatever it takes (Baby Come Back)
Baby come back to me
I should have never set you free
My baby
Come back (Baby Come Back)

Tori and Hermione continued dancing and Harry started to join in. The music started to feel like it was part of them. The pulse seemed to run through their veins.

"Want to listen to my favourite song?" Tori suggested. Hermione laughed and nodded, Harry to.

"what's it called?" Harry asked.

"Chemicals React, by Aly and Aj," Tori shouted to him over the music. Tori pressed the pause button and began to search for the right song number when she found it she pressed play:

You make me feel out of my element
Like I'm walkin' on broken glass
Like my worlds spinnin' in slow motion
And you're movin' too fast

[Chorus
Were you right, was I wrong
Were you weak, was I strong, yeah
Both of us broken
Caught in a moment
We lived and we loved
And we hurt and we jumped, yeah
But the planets all aligned
When you looked into my eyes
And just like that
The chemicals react
The chemicals react

You make me feel out of my element
Like I'm drifting out to the sea
Like the tides pullin' me in deeper
Makin' it harder to breathe

We cannot deny, how we feel inside
We cannot deny

Kaleidoscope of colors
Turning hopes on fire, sun is burning
Shining down on both of us
Don't let us lose it (don't let us lose it...)

[Chorus
Were you right, was I wrong
Were you weak, was I strong, yeah
Both of us broken
Caught in a moment
We lived and we loved
And we hurt and we jumped, yeah

We lived
We loved
We hurt
we jumped
We're right
We're wrong
We're weak
We're strong
We lived to love

But the planets all aligned
When you looked into my eyes
And just like that
Watch the chemicals react
And just like that
The chemicals react
(The chemicals react).

"I think we should get going, it's nearly midnight," Tori shouted over the music. She unhooked the mp3 player and it disappeared inside her pocket. The red Boom Box disappeared, as if it was never there.

"Blinkin' Hell is it really that late?" Hermione asked as they left the room. Tori nodded, and began running towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

When they had finally scrambled through the Portrait Hole, everyone was yawning every three seconds. There eyes were scratchy and their legs felt like lead.

"Good night," they called softly to each other as they disappeared up the stairs to their bedrooms. "Don't let the bedbugs bite!" Tori added mischievously.

As soon as their heads hit their pillows, they fell asleep, everyone except for Tori. Who lay awake not daring to go to sleep, because she was scared she would dream about Piper again. But she couldn't stay awake forever and soon sleep claimed her, bringing back to her mind the violent images of her friends parent's murders.

Chapter Ten: Broomsticks AND Quidditch

Tori huddled close to her cauldron. They were in their Potions class and Snape had set them making a sleeping potion. Hermione had offered to take the potion instead of her and Tori accepted. She had had the same violent nightmare last night and she wasn't to keen to relive it before she was ready.

She started to cut up some Unicorn's tail. She was about to put them inside the cauldron when a paper airplane flew over towards her. She dropped the hair into the cauldron and caught the paper airplane. She quickly unfolded it and read the note on the inside:

Where were you last night? You weren't at the lake and you weren't at the library, or the Potions room either? Where were you? Did you go anywhere with Potter?

Tori scribbled a note underneath in her turquoise pen. It read:

I was in my room, I lied about it because I didn't want anyone to come and talk to me, or try to FIND me. I have started to have the nightmares about Piper again, and I wanted time alone to figure out why they have come back. I went no where with Potter. Good enough explanations?

Tori folded up the plane and sent if flying towards Draco's head. It caught him sharply on the ear.

"OW!" he shouted, before he could stop himself. He shot an angry look at Tori, but she just blinked innocently. He unfolded the airplane and quickly read the note Tori had written. He looked up and caught her eye, he nodded.

The rest of the lesson passed in a blur. Tori and Hermione's sleeping potion worked so well that Snape had to give Hermione the antidote.

Everyone was excited and couldn't wait for the Quidditch match to begin. Tori and Hermione headed off into the stands. Ron was a few feet behind.

Madame Hooch blew the whistle and 15 broomsticks rose high into the frosty air. The game had begun!

"Gryffindor in possession, Angelina Johnson speeding down the pitch. OOOH! FOUL!"

The Slytherin captain Marcus Flint had deliberately pushed Angelina into one of the four towers that housed the teachers.

Madame Hooch awarded Gryffindor a penalty after Madame Pomfrey said that Angelina couldn't play. The game started again, with Gryffindor scoring their penalty and another 80 points. The scoreboard read:

Slytherin: 50 Gryffindor: 90

Everyone suddenly gasped as they the Slytherin Seeker, Michael Harris, start to ricochet downwards. It took a few seconds for everyone to realise he had been hit by a rogue Bludger.

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked Hermione. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and looked at Tori. She handed Hermione her binoculars and pointed a scarlet dot high in the air that was Harry.

"What's he doing up there for?" Hermione asked no one in particular. Tori shrugged her shoulders and squinted upwards.

"Maybe he's looking for the Snitch?" Tori suggested. Hermione nodded and continued staring up at him. Harry was indeed circling the pitch looking for the Snitch, he'd done a few figure of eights and loop the loops when Gryffindor scored, to express his feelings.

When he had seen the Slytherin seeker begin to fall like that, his stomach had tied in knots, it hadn't sunk in at that second that he had been hit by a Bludger.

Down in the stands everyone saw a streak of scarlet shoot downwards. Harry pulled out of the dive and held up his hand. Clutched in his fist was the Golden Snitch.

The stands erupted with cheers and claps from the Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's! Boo's and hisses from the Slytherin's. Harry was smothered in hugs from the rest of his team mates.

"Well done, Potter!" Tori said, Draco was close behind her. She held out her hand for Harry to shake, but as he went to take it she pulled it back. Draco, Pansy and Blaise let out cackles of laughter. Tori winked at him and Harry and Hermione smothered the smiles and laughter bubbling like a cauldron inside of them.

Ron's face showed slight signs of confusion. When he went to speak, Hermione clamped her hand firmly over his mouth and steered him out of earshot.

"Look Ron, me, Harry and Tori have made up this plan to make Malfoy think that Tori is going out with Harry. Tori and Harry both disappearing on Sunday was also part of the plan!" Hermione whispered furiously to him. "Don't blow our plan, please."

"Why would I blow t! It's the best bloody plan you've ever come up with!" Ron whispered back, mischief kindling in his eyes. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and quickly told Ron about the rest of the plan.

"Come on we better go back to Harry," Hermione said. She and Ron hurried back to Harry. "He knows about the plan!"

Harry nodded and the three of them rushed off towards the Great Hall. The second they were inside, three of the long tables burst into round of applause.

Tori was sitting down at the far end of the Gryffindor table, out of range of her brother's prying eyes. The three of them rushed over to her and squeezed in beside her. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Ron.

"I know about the plan so no need to give me the evils! And…I wanted to say that I'm…I'm…well…I'm sorry for calling you the Queen of Ice," Ron whispered, his sentence ending in a mutter.

"Okay, but you better not blow it!" Tori whispered back. "And apology accepted, plus I shouldn't have given you a bloody nose, but sometimes you do deserve it."

Ron's cheeks flushed and her muttered something that sounded like flabber buns. Everyone suddenly laughed.

"Great game Harry, sorry about being horrible to you earlier," Tori said catching Harry's eye.

The plates suddenly filled with food and everyone including Tori tucked in, piling some of everything onto their plates.

Chapter Eleven: The Ball

Tori studied her reflection in the mirror. The Yule Ball would be starting in a few minutes and her stomach kept tying itself in tighter and tighter knots as worry after worry crashed down upon her.

She had managed to push them out of her mind and soon couldn't wait for the Yule Ball to begin. She had put on her dress and was wearing the bracelet that Harry had given her. She had turned her white-blonde hair into a waterfall of silky curls. She had tied it up with a strand of turquoise blue ribbon but had allowed a couple of strands to escape and frame her face.

She smiled at the mirror. Her reflection smiled back. There came a knock from the door and Tori shouted for them to come in. Hermione eased open the door and stepped inside.

"Everyone's ready and waiting downstairs. Whoa you look amazing!" Hermione said when she saw Tori standing there.

"You too," Tori said laughing:

Hermione nodded and smiled. They both left

the room, closing the door behind them. They

walked as quickly as possible down the spiral stair-

case.

When they both entered the Gryffindor

Common Room a gasp went through all the boys.

Tori and Hermione secretly smiled to themselves.

"So who's taking you to the ball?" Ron asked

Tori, winking at her. Harry stepped up beside her.

A cry went through the crowd of people.

"What, did we fool you into thinking we were

enemies?" Tori said mischievously. She, Harry, Ron and Hermione laughed at the looks on everyone's faces.

"Well yeah, you did," Dean Thomas said stepping forward. Tori shrugged her shoulders. "I think I understand now. You and Harry are going out and you've been covering tracks to make sure that Malfoy, your brother, doesn't find out. That was why you were horrible to Harry and Harry to you."
Tori and Harry exchanged glances. "You caught us!" Tori said smiling broadly.

"Come on, we'll be late for the ball," Harry said taking Tori's arm and they hurried out of the Common Room, Hermione and Ron were close behind.

They reached the Great Hall a few seconds later. All three of them took a deep breath and walked inside. The hall was dark and swirling, multicoloured lights lit up the hundreds of people on the dance floor.

Tori and Harry stepped onto the dance floor and began to dance. Half of everyone on the dance floor was craning there necks for a look at who Harry was dancing with.

"I wonder if Malfoy is here yet?" Harry whispered in Tori's ear. They danced for what felt like hours. They decided to stop for a while and walked off the dance floor. Ron and Hermione had stopped a few minutes earlier and were waving cheerfully at them. They headed over to them and sat down on four chairs.

"Have you lot seen Malfoy?" Ron asked them. Harry and Tori shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads.

"I'm just going into the garden for a bit," Tori told them. She stood up and walked over to the huge archway that led out into the gardens. She stared up at the full moon. She wandered what it would be like to be up there. Probably staring at the world's biggest black canvas scientists call Space, Tori thought to herself.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed some movement in one of the bushes. It was a big pine tree and nobody in their right mind would want to hide behind it unless they were forced to.

Tori slowly walked over to the tree and peered through the needles. She heard a moan. It sounded like Pansy Parkinson. Quickly stifling her shock she hurried around the tree and stopped dead at the sight that met her eyes.

Her brother was kissing Pansy Parkinson. They didn't seem to have noticed her but she had certainly noticed them. She strangled the giggle that threatened to escape from her throat.

"Umm…I think the Ball's in the Great Hall not behind this pine tree," Tori said. Pansy and Draco sprung apart. Pansy blushed and Draco tried to look like nothing had just happened, failing miserably.

"So, umm… who are you here with Tori?" Pansy asked trying to dissolve the awkward situation.

"Potter. But clearly you've been having a lot more fun," Tori said. She looked from Pansy's shocked face to Draco's. "God what's wrong with you? You'd have thought I'd said I'd come with a dragon and intended to marry it!"

Draco soon recovered from his shock and anger sharpened his features.

"What do you mean you're here with Potter?" he spat at Tori. Tori threw him a look that could have silenced the worst criminal in the history of mankind.

"Exactly what it sounds like, Draco!" Tori spat back at him. Draco's face turned bright scarlet not with embarrassment but rage.

"And why would you come with him? I mean, he fractured your back!" Draco shouted at Tori.

"Just shut it, Draco, before I fill your mouth for you," Tori said calmly. Draco sniggered and pulled a face at her.

"Yeah right! What with," Draco sneered trying to show he wasn't afraid, though he was really petrified inside. Unknown to anyone Tori had broken Draco's arm and had once very nearly killed him.

Tori reached up and pulled an apple off the branch of the apple tree behind her. "With this apple and then all I'm lacking is an oven to cook you like a pig, you stupid twit!" Tori shouted stuffing the apple into Draco's mouth. Pansy shrieked and started to tremble.

Draco could taste blood running over his tongue and slipping down his throat. Tori disappeared around the tree and he listened until he could no longer hear her footsteps.

He spat the apple out onto the floor and lodged inside was one of his front teeth.

He pulled it out of the apple and slipped it inside one of his pockets. He looked at Pansy and stalked off in the direction of the hall. When he was inside he looked everywhere for Tori. He decided that she had just gone to bed as it was quite late.

He left the room and went back to the Slytherin Common Room, dreaming up his revenge against Tori.

When he arrived in his room, he collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

"Whoa! I wish I could have seen you do that?" Ron said high-fiving Tori. Tori had gone straight back to the Common Room to find Harry, Rona and Hermione waiting for her. She had just finished telling them what had happened.

"Malfoy is so gonna kill you!" Harry said. Tori nodded and yawned loudly.

"I don't care. I'm going to bed, night!" Tori said sleepily heading up the winding staircase. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed up and talked a bit more about the nights events, but soon they too were fast asleep in their beds like Tori.

The next morning Tori was down at the entrance hall waiting for her parents to arrive.

"They're not here yet?" Draco asked coming up beside him lugging a huge leather trunk.

"No, Draco, I have a to tell you something," Tori said struggling not to laugh. Draco nodded silently and sat down on his case. Tori did the same. "Me and Hermione are best friends, and the part where we made you think that me and Harry were going out was part of a plan we made up. To kind of get back at you for all the horrible things you've done to all of us."

Draco's shock shone through his face as though someone had lit a torch inside of him. "So, you're not really going out with Potter?" he muttered locking his eyes with Tori's.

"No way! It was just our way of getting revenge on you," Tori said laughing loudly.

"Good, now I can forgive you and…Potter, Granger and Weasley," Draco said, smiling. Tori smiled back at him and suddenly they were hugging. Their parents arrived at that second.

"Come on then," Lucius Malfoy said in his cold, sharp as a knife voice. Tori and Draco followed their parents out of Hogwarts and they were soon back at home, telling their parents all about their year. There was only one detail that they both left out, and I bet you can guess what that was!