This story was the result of a challenge from Mina Lee (on FictionAlley). I
do hope you all enjoy this fic. I tried my hardest to make it good. Thsi
fic had to contain:
- Hermione must be in the same house as Ron or Harry, but can't be in
Gryffindor.
- The polyjuice potion must be taken and made once
- One secret romance (Non-slash) between two people from the SAME house (after re-sorting)
- Blaise Zambini must be a boy
- Someone has to sing a song (non-related to the wizarding world)
- Draco Malfoy must be a Hufflepuff
- A pair of pink trainers must be worn, and made fun of So what are you waiting for? Enjoy!
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Raising his hand to silence the students, Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, slowly rose from his chair and cleared his throat.
"Welcome students, to a new year at Hogwarts. Now that the sorting of the first-years is over, I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, to all new students, the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to everyone. Secondly, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you all that there is a great deal of things not permitted in the halls of this school. To see the full list, please see myself, any of the professors or Mr. Filch himself. And thirdly, after dinner there will be a surprise to all. Talk amongst your Housemates during dinner, for this could be your last opportunity," And with that, Professor Dumbledore waved his hand making food appear on all the tables. He sat back down and surveyed the reactions his speech gave.
"What's he getting on about? I think he may be losing his touch, poor old bloke." Ronald Weasley told his friends at the Gryffindor table.
"Ron! That's no way to talk about Dumbledore!" Hermione Granger shouted at him. Ron looked at her with a hurt look crossing his face. He then looked at his friend Harry for some help.
"Well, Hermione is right Ron. You shouldn't say that about Dumbledore. But I think I'm going to agree with Ron here," Harry Potter tried his best to fix the small rift between his friends. Hermione let out a small huff of anger as she reached for a piece of chicken. Glancing up from her plate, she spotted Draco Malfoy staring at the three of them from the Slytherin table.
"Look at them!" Draco spoke openly to anyone who would listen, "Scared of what old Dumbledore went on about. Whatever it is, there's no use worrying over it! It's not like we're all being split up now is it?" The students slowly settled down and finished their dinners. After most of the plates had been cleaned, Dumbledore rose again, waving his hand to rid the tables of their plates.
"And now, for my final announcement. As a change, I've decided that our sixth and seventh-year students will be resorted." There was a mad murmur spreading throughout the crowd. Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. Once the voices died down, he continued. "We will call up students, the way we sort the first-years. Once you have all been sorted, you may head to your new common rooms." With that Professor Dumbledore sat down and Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, rose with a roll of parchment in her hand. She walked around the teachers table and stood next to the Sorting Hat. Unrolling the parchment she began calling names.
"Hannah Abbott" McGonagall called. Hannah took a seat on the stool beneath the Sorting Hat. The hat was placed upon her head and almost immediately, it shouted "Hufflepuff!" Hannah gave a sigh of relief as she ran to join her old Housemates at the Hufflepuff table. Dumbledore slightly wrinkled his brow slightly, but made no attempt to interrupt.
"Colin Creevey" McGonagall called again. He took his seat under the Hat as it announced "Gryffindor!" Colin took his seat at the Gryffindor table once again. As the last student, Blaise Zambini, was sorted back into Slytherin, Dumbledore rose again with a nasty scowl across his face.
"It seems that the Sorting Hat believes that you all belong in your original Houses. Therefore, I will sort you myself. Will the sixth and seventh-year students please come to the front of the room again?" There was chorus of groans throughout the Great Hall as the students rose again and gathered at the front of the Hall. Dumbledore began asking the students their names and original House.
"Lavender Brown, you now belong in Slytherin," Dumbledore told Lavender. Lavender promptly burst into tears as she made her way to the Slytherin table.
"Ginny Weasley, you now belong in Ravenclaw," Ginny gave a small smile as she joined the Ravenclaw table. Ron gave his sister a supportive look as she passed him.
"Hermione Granger, you now belong in Hufflepuff," Dumbledore announced. Hermione, looking like she had been slapped, reluctantly made her way to the Hufflepuff table as her friends weakly smiled at her.
"Hannah Abbott, Gryffindor," Hannah had a scowl on her face as she made her way to her new housemates.
"Ron Weasley, Hufflepuff," Ron gave a small hoot of happiness as he ran to the Hufflepuff table to join Hermione.
"Seamus Finnegan, Slytherin," Seamus almost dropped his jaw as he headed for the Slytherin table, where Lavender promptly began sobbing on his shoulder when he sat down.
"Harry Potter, please join your friends at the Hufflepuff table," Harry started beaming as he, too, sat down at the Hufflepuff table.
"Blaise Zabini, you are now a Gryffindor," As Blaise made his way to the Gryffindor table, he could be heard muttering about loony old men and damn bloody Gryffindors being too bloody noble for his blood.
"Neville Longbottom, Ravenclaw," Neville went a ghostly white as he joined Ginny at the Ravenclaw table.
"Draco Malfoy......I've debated where to put you. I've thought it may be best to keep you from your greater enemies, and I've thought it best to keep you from your friends. I am unsure where to put you, so, I am going to pull a piece of parchment out of a hat and you will join that House." Draco's jaw did drop as Dumbledore spoke to him. Dumbledore waved a hand and the Sorting Hat turned upside down and filled with pieces of parchment, floating in mid-air. Dumbledore allowed Draco to inspect a few pieces of parchment to make sure they weren't all the same House. After the inspection, Dumbledore plunged his hand into the Hat and pulled out a piece of parchment. Dumbledore clutched the parchment as he waved his hand to get rid of the extra pieces of parchment. He glanced at the piece of parchment and a grin spread across his face.
"Draco Malfoy, you now belong to....." Dumbledore drew out the silence a bit before announcing, "Hufflepuff!" Draco almost fell to the ground. Dumbledore handed him the parchment, which said HUFFLEPUFF in loopy gold writing. Draco took his seat at the Hufflepuff table with a loud groan, as the remaining students were sorted in their houses, amid much protest.
"Thank you all for your patience. It seems the Sorting Hat needs to be assured that not all of you belong in your original Houses. I thought it was time for a change. Now that you have all been sorted, the Heads of your Houses will now escort you to your common rooms. And please remember your new Houses. House elves will have brought your belongings to your rooms by now. Oh yes, and Quidditch try-outs begin on Friday!" Dumbledore announced as everyone slowly got to their feet. Hermione, Ron and Harry stuck close together, muttering excitedly about the new arrangements. Draco followed close behind, not having any friends in Hufflepuff. He was now stuck with the enemy. He'd have to suck it up and be friends with them, or be by himself for the whole school year. Draco debated about his problem the whole way to the new common room, careful to remember his way there. He missed the password Professor Sprout said loudly, but it didn't matter to him. His mind was too occupied to care at that moment.
Once inside the Hufflepuff common room, Draco took a small moment to actually enjoy the new surroundings, which was decorated beautifully with canary yellow and black all over. But he was quickly ushered, however, up the stairs to the boy's dormitory by Professor Sprout.
"Now dears, this is the seventh year boy's room. Do enjoy! And please, no fits of rage that will damage the room. It will be your mess to clean," her voice sang out as she quickly pushed Draco, Harry and Ron into the room and closed the door. Draco gave a very small gasp he hoped no one heard when he realized he was rooming with Harry and Ron.
"No bloody way!!!" both Draco and Ron yelled at the same time as they came to notice each other. Harry let out a groan in response.
"Can we please leave our fighting for tomorrow morning or something? I'm exhausted and all I want to do right now is sleep. If you two want to fight, I'll ask you to do it in the common room please," Harry said as he shuffled over to his trunk and began pulling out his pyjamas. He placed his glasses on his bedside table and then climbed into his bright yellow bed and pulled his curtains shut. He quickly changed into his pyjamas and snuggled under his blankets.
"Good night Ron!" Harry called out.
"G'night Harry!" Ron called back.
"Good night Nev....oh right. Forgot about that" Harry said.
"Shut the bloody hell up!!" Draco's voice rang through the room. Harry dug his face into his pillow further.
"G'night Malfoy" he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep. The last thing Harry heard was Draco cursing him under his breath as Harry fell into a deep, comfortable sleep.
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Ron awoke with the sun beaming down on his face through a crack in his bed curtains. He scrunched up his face as he rolled out of the sunray, and opened his curtains all the way, staring at the bed next to his. He sat up quickly when he saw the curtains around the bed were yellow, not red. Scratching his head as he attempted to remember the previous night, he slowly got out of his bed. He went to the trunk at the end of his bead and began pulling out his school clothes as he took in his new surroundings. As he gathered his clothes, Ron heard the one thing he never thought he'd hear.
"What the hell am I doing in a Hufflepuff room?!?!?" Shrieked Draco from behind his bed curtains. Ron stifled his laugh behind his hand as he placed his clothes on his bed and went over to Draco's. Ron slowly and cautiously drew back the curtains on Draco's bed. Draco's eyes widened.
"Weasley? What the hell are you doing here? And I ask again, what the hell am I doing in a Hufflepuff room?" Draco asked in a distressed voice as his eyes widened.
"Calm down Malfoy. Don't you remember last night?" Draco's eyes widened even further when Ron said this, "Not anything like that! I meant at the feast last night. Dumbledore resorted us remember?" Draco thought a moment, replaying last night's events in his head like a mini-movie. Finally, he nodded his head as if to agree that what Ron had said was right. Draco slowly got out of bed, as if the room may be diseased or very fragile. He watched Ron grab his clothes off his own bed and then venture out of the bedroom in search of the bathroom. Draco tossed a look around the room, taking in his surroundings a little further. He noticed it was only him, Ron and a sleeping figure in the remaining bed that was partially hidden by curtains. Draco racked his brain trying to remember who the third boy was, but it seemed to fail him. He gathered some fresh clothes and set out on the same journey Ron had just begun.
Just as Draco had exited the bedroom, Harry stirred awake. He sat up quite quickly, causing him to get a head rush. He quickly regained his wits and pulled back his curtains to look at the room. He had remembered the resorting and the feast and everything that had happened. What he hadn't thought about was how bright the Hufflepuff rooms were in the morning. Harry shielded his eyes from the bright yellow Hufflepuff colours and the morning sun as he grabbed his school robes and headed for the door. As he reached for the door handle, it was flung open by Ron, having returned from his own shower. The force of Ron opening the door almost knocked Harry off his feet.
"Sorry mate!" Ron told Harry. After asking Ron for directions, Harry made his way to the bathroom for a shower. As he walked in, he was greeted by foggy air and....
"Wanna get rowdy,Gonna get a little unruly, Get it fired up in a hurry, Wanna get dirrty, It's about time that I came to start the party, Sweat dripping over my body, Dancing getting just a little naughty, Wanna get dirrty, It's about time for my arrival. Ah, heat is up, So ladies, fellas, Drop your cups, Body's hot, Front to back, Now move your ass, I like that........."
Harry couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst out laughing as the singer gave a loud gasp and turned off the water. For a second, Harry thought he may have stumbled into the girls' bathroom by accident...... until he saw Draco come stomping over with a green towel wrapped around his waist.
"POTTER!" he yelled, as Harry continued to laugh. Draco's scowl deepened as Harry giggled his way to a shower and stepped inside.
"You bloody well not tell anyone anything you just heard!" Draco said to the shower curatin through gritted teeth before turning on his heel and stomping off. Harry could hear Draco muttering something under his breath as he made his way back to his shower. After hearing the water turn back on, Harry felt he was safe again and quickly showered. Once he had changed and was about to leave, Harry realized that Draco was still showering and still singing, only much much quieter now. Harry let out a final tiny giggle as he left the bathroom. Inside the bedroom, Ron was now lounging on his bed; a book lying open in his lap.
"You're actually reading??!" Harry commented. Ron held up his book slightly so Harry could see the title Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry gave his head a small shake and began putting his pyjamas away.
"Oiy, Ron, you'll ever guess what I heard in the bathroom!" Harry said. Ron looked up from his book, a curious and mischievous look spreading across his face.
"Malfoy........singing!" Harry told Ron. Ron just about fell off his bed as he began laughing hysterically. Through the laughing, Ron managed to gasp "What song?"
"'Dirrty', by that Muggle, Christina Aguilera," Harry told him. Ron began laughing even harder.
"I've never heard it, but it sounds like something you wouldn't think Malfoy enjoyed," Ron said through the tears streaming down his face. Just then Draco walked in, his scowl still in place on his face. He took one look at Ron laughing on the bed and shot the dirtiest look at Harry. Harry gave Draco a small, somewhat supportive smile.
"Ron, let's go down to the common room and wait for Hermione," Harry said. Ron was now reduced to a severe case of the gigglesas he climbed off his bed and followed Harry out of the room. Draco quickly put his things away and hurried down to the common room as well. Inside the common room, Draco found Harry and Ron sitting in large, over stuffed chairs by the fire. He approached the boys quietly and took a seat on a sofa near their chairs. Harry, who sat closest to him, gave him a small glance, as if to understand what Draco wanted. Hermione joined them shortly after and the three of them headed for the portrait hole, followed closely by Draco. Harry let Draco out of the portrait hole ahead of him.
"Don't worry Malfoy, we won't spoil your reputation any if you don't want us to," Harry whispered, as Draco slid past him. Draco gave him a small look of thanks and they both ran to join Ron and Hermione. **************************************************************************** ******
"I don't believe it! Double Advanced Potions with the Slytherins again!" Ron yelled as Hermione passed him his new schedule. Harry cleared his throat.
"Oh, right, sorry Malfoy. Force of habit....." Ron muttered his apology and then promptly stuffed his mouth with toast.
"It's ok, we have Double Advanced Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, so I'm not so happy either," Draco teased Ron. Hermione studied her schedule.
"Lovely, we have Defence Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindors. We'll be able to see everyone." Ron looked at her with a questionable look, but didn't get any kind of answer to his unasked question, so he went back to his breakfast. The rest of breakfast went by rather uneventful, except for Neville Longbottom, who showed up for breakfast late and promptly forgot about the changing of Houses and joined the Gryffindor table before Ginny was sent to retrieve him from the Ravenclaw table. The four new Hufflepuff students gathered their books and left the Great Hall, heading for their first class of their seventh year.
"What do we have first?" Ron asked.
"Honestly Ron!" Hermione spoke up.
"Potions first," Draco mumbled as he watched the ground in front of his feet. Harry noticed Draco's quietness but made no approach to fix it at the present time. The four students walked silently to the dungeon they had Potions in. They took their seats together and waited for Professor Snape, their Potions teacher. Snape stalked into the room with his usual cold air about him.
"There will be no useless chatting in my classroom. We are here to learn, and learn we shall. I realize Professor Dumbledore may have muddled your Houses a bit, but that will not change our lessons. Today we will be learning once more about the Polyjuice Potion. You will make a diluted version of it so we may see your results by the end of class." There was a chorus of low groans throughout the dungeon as they found out they'd be learning about the same potion they heard about regularly in this class.
"I will be separating you into pairs. Each pair will consist of one student from each House." Snape read aloud his list of pairs. Each pair joined each other and began pulling out their ingredients.
"Of course, I had to be stuck with Lavender!" Ron muttered to Harry, who was standing with his partner, a seventh year girl he'd never seen before, at the table next to Ron's. Harry gave Ron a supportive smile as he and his partner; who was named Alicia, tried making their potion. At the end of class, each pair was called up to test their potions.
"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Brown" Snape called. Both Lavender and Ron slowly shuffled their way to the front of the room. They each took a few hairs from their heads and placed it in their glasses, then traded glasses. Ron and Lavender took a big gulp of their potions, and very slowly, Ron was standing where Lavender was and Lavender was standing where Ron was. Ron suddenly burst into tears. He began wailing as Lavender gave him a look of almost disgust.
"Oh shut up Lavender!" she said. Very slowly, over the course of the next five minutes, Ron became Lavender again and Lavender became Ron again.
"Very well, thank you Mr. Weasley and Ms. Brown. You may return to your seats," Snape ordered. As the rest of the students took their potions, Draco leaned over to Seamus Finnegan and whispered, "Mind if I borrow the password to the Slytherin common room? I've got to retrieve something of mine I left there. I didn't think I wouldn't be able to get back in this year." Seamus shot Draco a look of confusion.
"Why can't you get Snape to get it for you? Or someone else? Why me?" Seamus asked.
"Because Snape doesn't know where it is. It's hidden!" Draco whispered back urgently. Seamus still gave him a look of confusion.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Finnegan, care to share your conversation with the class please." Snape interrupted. Seamus shot a look at Draco just as Draco was looking at him.
"Well, Professor, Seamus and I were just planning our Christmas vacations sir. Sorry to bother your class. We were just very keen on finalizing our plans for the break." Draco told Snape. Snape just raised an eyebrow.
"Very well, but Mr. Malfoy I expect you know not to talk about such trivial things during my class. Don't let it happen again or you will lose House points." Snape said before returning to his lesson. Seamus scribbled something on a piece of parchment then passed it to Draco.
Draco,
Fine, here's the password. It's 'scar tissue'. I have no idea why you Slytherins enjoy these names. Anyways, come during lunch. I don't think you want to be caught sneaking around the common room.
Seamus
Draco nodded to Seamus, showing he understood and almost as if to say thank you. Just then, Snape ended the class. Ron, Harry and Draco had to wait around a few minutes for Hermione, who had to talk to Snape about their homework. When she had finished with Snape, they headed for the Transfiguration classrooms. They joined the group of students just outside the door and waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive. Once she arrived and let the students into the room. Neville and Hermione were last to enter the room, and as they walked through the doorway a piece of parchment slipped out of one of Neville's books. Hermione picked it up but didn't have time to give it back to Neville right away. Professor McGonagall had already begun their lesson. The students received their work for the class ("Read pages 86-211 and write me an essay on how Transfiguration was regulated and how it is controlled in this day. I'd also like you to profile one Animagi that is registered. Your essay must be at least two feet long. It is due in one week.") and set to reading the assigned pages quietly. Right before class ended, Hermione pulled Neville's piece of parchment out of her pocket and looked at it.
Meet me in our usual spot tonight, after curfew. Get away whenever you can. I'll wait for you all night if I have to. We haven't seen each other much since the feast and I really miss you. See you then.
A small look of happiness spread across Hermione's face as she read it. Neville had a secret relationship. It made her feel kind of giddy-happy inside. She was very happy and proud of Neville. He may be almost a Squib, but he was still her friend and a fellow Gryffindor at heart. She folded the note back up and placed it back in her pocket as Professor McGonagall dismissed the class.
"Hermione, we're heading down to lunch. Coming?" Harry asked her.
"Sure, just give me a second. I have to return something to Neville," she said, as she raced after Neville. She caught up with him about half way to the Ravenclaw Tower.
"NEVILLE!" she yelled, just before he disappeared around another corner. Neville spun around to see Hermione doubled over, gasping for air and waving a note in the air.
"You-you dropped this earlier. I wanted to give it back to you," she told him. Neville blushed a deep scarlet and grabbed the note from Hermione.
"Thanks," he said, then scurried away. Hermione was slightly puzzled by his reaction but headed back to the boys anyways.
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Ron patted his stomach contently.
"That was a delicious lunch. I'm stuffed!" he announced. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You pig," she told him.
"Gonna get a little unruly, Get it fired up in a hurry, Wanna get dirrty," Harry sang very quietly under his breath. Ron started giggling while Hermione shot Harry a curious look. Harry just shook his head at her and the three friends left the Great Hall.
"Hey Draco, where did you disappear to?" Harry asked Draco as he approached the Trio just outside of the Great Hall.
"Oh, had to retrieve something for later," Draco explained.
"Well, let's go. We have Defence Against the Dark Arts now with the Gryffindors," Hermione told them as she quickened her pace a little. The boys quickly caught up. They passed the Gryffindor portrait on their way to their classroom. The Fat Lady gave the students a small wave as they passed.
"What's that?" Harry asked aloud as he noticed a small package by the portrait. Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know but it isn't any of our business is it? Come one, we'll be late if we check it out." Draco urged them to keep walking. Just as they approached the classroom door, Neville came out of nowhere and he was knocked over by the force of the four students.
"Whoa! Careful there Neville!" Ron told Neville as he bent down to help Neville retrieve his books and papers. Hermione, Draco and Harry bent down as well to help round up Neville's belongings. Hermione's hand brushed a piece of parchment just behind her as she tried to steady herself on her knees. She turned around and looked at the piece of parchment. It seemed like a response to his note from earlier.
I will come. Do not wait for me all night though. You know I'm forgetful. But I promise to try my hardest not to forget tonight. I miss you too. See you then love.
Hermione beamed to herself for a moment before putting a straight face on and turning back around, the note in her hand.
"Here Neville. That's the last of it I think," she told him as the five students stood up and brushed dust off their knees.
"Thanks guys," Neville said before running off towards the staircase leading to the greenhouses.
"Neville's been acting weird lately hasn't he?" Harry asked.
"Well, considering our circumstances with the resorting, I'd say Neville's acting fairly normal Harry," Hermione pointed out. She reached for the door knob and walked into the classroom. She took her seat near the back of the classroom with Harry, Ron and Draco as they waited for the remainder of the students to arrive. Just before Professor Remus Lupin, newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, was about the close the door to the classroom, Blaise Zabini squeezed through the door.
"Ah, Mr. Zabini. Just in time. Now if you'll please take your seat, we're about to begin," Lupin told Blaise. Blaise strode confidently towards a seat on the far side of the room. Ron elbowed Draco as Blaise passed near them.
"Zabini's wearing pink trainers!" Ron whispered excitedly. Draco smirked.
"Hey, nice trainers Zabini! Is it some or of statement or what?" Draco called to Blaise. Blaise looked at Draco with a slight malice in his eyes.
"Mr. Malfoy, one more word out of you and I'll remove House points. Now please settle down so we can begin our lesson," Lupin said sternly. Draco said nothing, only sat in his chair with a look of confidence spread across his face.
"Oh Blaise! I've got trainers just like those!" Hannah Abbott squealed with delight. She giggled with her friends.
"Oiy Zabini! You're looking lovely today! Did you do something with your hair?" "Lovely shoes Blaise, do you have a dress to match?" "Want me to do your nails later Blaise?" "Zabini, since when were you so feminine?" insults and taunts rang through the classroom.
"ENOUGH!" The classroom shook as Lupin shouted. Everyone stopped calling out to Blaise, frozen in their chairs.
"If I hear one more word about Mr. Zabini's trainers, I will be giving you all detention! As it stands, I'm taking 30 points off each of your Houses for your childish behaviour! Now sit up properly, shut up and we'll begin today's lesson!" Lupin told his class with a loud, commanding voice.
"Well done mate! Couldn't have told them better myself! But you do realize the boy has pink trainers don't you?" a painting behind Lupin's desk told the professor.
"Oh shut up!" Lupin demanded as he reached over, took the painting off its hook, placed it in a desk drawer and then locked the drawer. A few courageous students gave a little snicker. Lupin eyed them angrily.
"Pull out your quills, parchment and such. Today, we will be taking a quiz . I'd like to see what you all remember from the past few years of your schooling in Defence Against the Dark Arts. It is a small quiz, only fifty questions. You may copy the questions off the board if you wish, or you may answer them directly. It is your decision. You have as much time as you need really, seeing as how most of you have a spare period after this class," Lupin instructed. He tapped the board with his wand and fifty neatly scrawled questions appeared out of nowhere. The classroom filled with the sound of quills scratching across the pieces of parchment. Harry thought he had been writing for hours when he finally finished his quiz. Before getting up to hand it to Professor Lupin, Harry gazed around the room. Many students were still writing, including Ron. Draco and Hermione had finished long ago. Harry got up, told Ron he'd wait outside the classroom for him then handed in his quiz. Harry left the classroom and ran into Draco and Hermione, who were standing just outside the door.
"You'll never guess what Hermione's just told me!" Draco almost squealed.
"Draco! You said you wouldn't say anything!" Hermione said, hitting him on the arm. Harry looked from Draco to Hermione, than back to Draco.
"She's told me Neville Longbottom has a secret relationship!" Draco told him. Harry's eyes widened a little.
"Any idea with whom?" Harry asked. Both Hermione and Draco shook their heads.
"Bummer," Harry said, just as Ron stepped out of the classroom.
"Let's go to the common room. I want to start on McGonagall's essay," Hermione said as she dragged the three boys off. Flopping down on a sofa in the common room, Draco looked very bored as Harry, Ron and Hermione all pulled out their work for Transfiguration class. Hermione eyed him suspiciously. Draco flashed his usual 'up to no good, love me or hate me' type of smile.
"Are you going to sit there all day or are you going to start on your essay. You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you start it later," she told him. Draco looked hurt.
"You mean, I can't copy off of you later?" he mocked her. Hermione rolled her eyes and went to work on her essay. The four of them sat in the quiet common room for about an hour before Ron gave up.
"I really do give up! I can't write this damn essay! I've been trying to write for an hour and you know what I've actually written? The title and my name! I can't come up with a beginning; I don't know which Animagi to profile, nothing! I quit!" Ron yelled as he slammed his books shut and sat back in his chair in a huff. Draco had watched the entire scene with an amused smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at Malfoy?" Ron asked hotly.
"Nothing, just your reaction to a simple essay. It's really not that hard you know," Draco told him. Ron stuck his tongue out at Draco and Draco did it back.
"You two are acting like a bunch of two-year-olds," Harry commented.
"That's because they are a bunch of two-year-olds," Hermione said under her breath. Ron got up and headed for his bedroom, calling out a promise to join them for dinner. Draco watched Ron leave then came up with a brilliant idea. Draco got up off the couch and followed Ron into the bedroom.
"Hey, Weasley! Wanna have some fun?" Draco asked inside the bedroom. Ron got an utterly disgusted look on his face.
"Not like that! Geez, you have a one track mind, don't you?" Draco waited for a response but got none, so he continued, "Want to try and see if we can come up with who Longbottom's seeing?"
"Neville's seeing someone? Since when?!" Ron asked.
"Since....how the bloody hell should I know? I just found out today that he's been sneaking around with someone!" Draco explained. Ron eyed him curiously.
"What ever happened to the evil Malfoy from Slytherin? What happened to the bouncing ferret?" Ron asked.
"Oh, he's around somewhere. Now do you want to see what we can find or what? If you won't help, I'll do it on my own," Draco said. Ron shook his head.
"I won't do it. Neville's my friend. It would be easier to ask anyways, instead of snooping around," Ron answered. Draco threw his hands in the air.
"I give up! You're a bloody Gryffindor through and through! And I can't do this on my own! Who am I kidding?" Draco shouted, "Weasley, you suck!" Then Draco stormed out of the room. Ron watched after him then walked to his trunk. He pulled out a spare piece of parchment and quickly scribbled a note.
Neville,
Heard you've hooked up with someone. Mind if I ask who? Do I know her? Or him? Right, I wasn't sure okay......anyways, see you in Transfiguration tomorrow.
Ron
Ron looked at his small piece of work with pride. He beckoned Pigwidgeon (Pig for short) off the bureau and attempted to tie the letter to his leg.
"Hold still Pig! I'm almost done!" Ron said angrily at the tiny owl. Pig gave a loud sharp squawk and stopped moving. Ron quickly tied the letter to Pig.
"Now, you've got deliver this letter to Neville Longbottom. That's Nev-ill Long-bottom. He's in Gryffindor, no, Ravenclaw. Yes, Ravenclaw. Bring it to him straight away!" Ron explained to Pig. The little owl hooted happily and took off out the window Ron had opened for him. Ron watched his owl until it got so tiny in the sky, that Ron would have needed Harry's glasses to see it properly. Ron yawned loudly then shuffled over to his bed. He climbed in and settled down for a quick nap before dinner. **************************************************************************** ******
"I wonder what's keeping Ron," Hermione said as she buttered a piece of bread, "It's not normal for Ron to miss dinner." Harry and Draco looked at each other.
"Well?" Hermione pressed them.
"I have no idea where he is. Last time I saw him he was heading to our room and Draco was running after him. Then Draco came out of our room without Ron and he had a nasty look on his face. So, Hermione, I think you should be addressing any questions you have to Mr. Malfoy here!" Harry answered, slightly miffed. Draco batted his eyelashes.
"I did nothing to your precious Weasel," Draco said, almost cooing. Harry stifled a small laugh at Draco behind his glass of pumpkin juice.
"Fine!" Hermione told them, "I'll go find Ron on my own!" And she got up and stomped off. She made her way up the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room before mentally kicking herself for forgetting about the change of Houses, when she ran into Neville.
"Hermione!" Neville shouted. Hermione jumped slightly.
"Yes, Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Have you seen Ron? Is he in the Great Hall? I need to talk to him about something," he explained. Hermione glanced down at the ground and caught a glimpse of a splash of white curled tightly in Neville's hands; another note.
"Um, no Neville, sorry. I haven't seen Ron since before dinner. I was actually on my way to find him. You can come with me to the common room if you'd like," she told him as she began heading back down the stairs. Neville ran to catch up.
"Thanks so much Hermione! It's really important that I speak to him about this!" he went on.
"Mind if I ask what it's about?" she pushed. Neville shook his head.
"Sorry Hermione, this is a bit private. At least for now. Maybe sometime later I'll let you know about it," he said. Hermione nodded her head back, to say she was fine with that. They approached the Hufflepuff portrait and saw it was opening and Ron was coming out of the Hufflepuff common room.
"Ron!" both Hermione and Neville shouted at the same time. Ron's face broke into a huge smile.
"What's up? Anything I can help with?" he asked them.
"I came to find you because Harry, Draco and I were wondering where you'd gone when you didn't come down to dinner with us. And Neville....well Neville needs to discuss something with you apparently. So answer my question then I'll leave you two alone," Hermione got out in one breath. Neville looked at her in astonishment.
"Well, Hermione, I went to take a nap before dinner and must have lost track of time. You'd never believe how easy it is to do that when you're asleep!" he explained. Hermione blushed.
"Alright Ron. Well, when you're done with Neville, come on down for dinner," she said and turning on her heel, she left. Ron now turned his attention to Neville.
"What's up Neville?" he asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about the letter you sent me," Neville waved the letter in Ron's face, "How did you find out about it?"
"Oh, well Draco mentioned it. Asked me if I wanted to help him find out who it was. I told him I wouldn't do it, told him it was easier just to ask. Why?" Ron explained. Neville blushed slightly.
"Oh, no reason. Just wanted to know how you found out and if you knew who it was. But you don't, so there's no need in worrying about it anymore," Neville told him, and then ran towards the Ravenclaw common room.
"Who is it?" Ron called after him, but Neville was already gone. Ron sighed then headed down the stairs to join the others at dinner. He walked along slowly all the way from the Hufflepuff portrait to the Great Hall. He walked slowly to the Hufflepuff table, where he slowly took his seat between Harry and Hermione. Ron served himself dinner without talking. He picked at his food instead of eating.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him.
"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking," Ron told her. Half an hour later, after Ron had managed to eat a piece of bread and a chicken drumstick, the four students got up and left for the library. Inside the library Harry, Ron and Draco all took a seat at a table while Hermione ran off to find books. She came back with four books, all with lists of registered Animagi's.
"Here guys. Look through the lists and pick someone. When we're done we can go to the common room and start their profiles," she told them as she handed out the books.
"You dragged us here for this?!" Draco whined. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back at her book.
"It's not like you argued now did you?" she asked him, her eyes still on her book. Draco stuck his tongue out at her as he opened his book up. The four sat in a creepy silence until Madam Pince kicked them out of the library for the night. They each checked out their book and headed for the Hufflepuff portrait. As they passed an unused classroom, they heard hushed voices inside. Draco took a step closer to the door to see who was inside.
"Draco!" Hermione hissed in a whisper. He waved his hand, telling her to be quiet as he crept a little closer to the door. Draco pushed the door open a crack to reveal Neville. Draco was about to push the door open a little further to reveal his secret late night friend, when he felt a tap on the shoulder. Draco turned around and was surprised to see Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy, I urge you to watch your step in this castle. Now that you are no longer a member or Slytherin House I am not able to save you every time you get in trouble. I will leave you alone for now, but don't get caught again," Snape hissed before gliding off down the hallway. Draco swallowed loudly then ran to catch up to his Hufflepuff Housemates.
"Damn Snape!" Draco shouted once they were inside the common room.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Longbottom was in that classroom, no doubt with the person he's been seeing, but I didn't get a chance to see the other person. Snape stopped me right before I got the chance," Draco went on, gesturing wildly with his hands as he spoke. Harry jumped up.
"I've had it! It's been driving me mad! I normally wouldn't care, but I need to know who Neville is seeing!" Harry shouted. Hermione looked shocked at Harry and Draco.
"It's really none of your business now is it? If Neville wanted us to know, then he would have told us. Right?" she asked them. They nodded.
"There we go. No bugging Neville anymore about it," she said and proceeded to pull out her essay. She began scribbling away furiously. She continued doing so until she felt like she was being watched. She looked up to see three pairs of eyes staring down at her.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"How did you find out about Neville in the first place?" Ron asked her. A chorus of 'yeahs' came from Harry and Draco.
"Well, to be honest, he dropped a letter outside of Transfiguration the other day and I had to wait until the end of class to return it. I got curious so I glanced at the letter during class," she explained.
"And it gave no hint as to who wrote it?" Harry pressed. Hermione shook her head.
"Then I know just what to do. Get another one and I'll perform a very simple charm that will show us who the writer was," Draco explained as if he knew the answer all along. Hermione gave him a funny look but gave up.
"Fine, if you want to be so bloody nosey in other people's business..." she trailed off.
"Yeah, we do want to be nosey!" Draco teased.
"Shut up Draco! I'm going to bed! Good night!" she said angrily as she stomped up to her room. She shut the door loudly.
"I think she's angry," Draco pointed out. Harry and Ron began laughing loudly.
**************************************************************************** ******
In Transfiguration the following day, Hermione tried to get near Neville but every time she did, someone would try and talk to her about the Animagi essay. During class, Hermione kept rethinking Draco's plan. She wasn't sure that following a plan thought up by Draco Malfoy was always a good idea. As the end of class neared, Hermione was ready to give up on her quest regarding Neville. She was on her way out the door after Professor McGonagall dismissed the class when Neville walked up to her.
"Hermione, mind if I ask you for a little help on our essay? I'm having a little trouble with some of the information I have. Could we maybe meet up later in the library, just for a little help?" he asked her.
"Sure Neville! How about after dinner? Is that okay?" she agreed.
"That's great Hermione! Thanks!" he called as he rushed down the hall. Outside the classroom, Hermione waited for Harry, Ron and Draco to join her.
"So?" Draco pressed her for information. Hermione shook her head.
"Nothing, but we're meeting up after dinner because he needs a little help on his essay. And no, none of you can come so don't even thinking of asking!" she explained. They were silent as they headed down to the Great Hall for lunch. As they sat down at their normal spot at the Hufflepuff table, Hermione glanced around the room at the other Houses tables. Her eyes rested on the Ravenclaw table where she saw no sign of Ginny.
"Ron, when was the last time you saw Ginny?" Hermione asked suddenly. Ron shrugged as he helped himself to some Yorkshire pudding.
"I saw her the other day, but she couldn't stop to talk. Said something about having to meet up with Neville somewhere," he said. Draco's mouth dropped open.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Longbottom.....Ginny.....should have known! Damn it! How do you miss that?" Draco mumbled into his pudding. Harry and Ron gave Draco puzzled looks, but Hermione's eyes widened.
"Oh my gosh, you're right!" she said, looking at Draco. Now Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with puzzled looks.
"What on Earth are you two talking about?!" Harry shouted at them. Hermione looked at him.
"Neville....remember his secret relationship? The one you guys are all obsessed with? Well, Draco seems to think it may be Ginny. And you know what, I can see it too," she explained. Ron's face went white.
"Look, Ron, it may not be true. It's just Draco thinking it. I'll see if I can find anything out tonight when I meet up with Neville for the essay," Hermione explained. Ron nodded slightly and pushed his helping of pudding away.
"I don't think I can eat anymore," he said and got up in a daze. They watched him walk out of the Great Hall, bumping into people along the way.
"Will you follow him, to make sure he doesn't kill himself on his way to wherever he's going?" Hermione asked Harry. Harry nodded and set off at a run after Ron. Hermione now turned to Draco.
"You had to say it out loud didn't you?" she asked him. A sly smile spread across his face.
"Sorry, but I did pretty much state the obvious now, didn't I?" he asked her.
"Yes, I guess, but still, Draco. You knew how Ron would have handled it. You did it on purpose to bug him. Now you can go deal with him too!" she told him angrily. He shrugged and began to stand up.
"Are you coming too? We might as well head to class," he said when she showed no signs of following him. Hermione gave a small sigh.
"You're right. Let's go," she said, getting up. She grabbed her bag and hurried after Draco. Hermione spent most of the afternoon going over what she could say to Neville that evening in the library. She wanted to ask him about it desperately but didn't want to be pushy either. At dinner that evening, Ron was eerily quiet, Harry only poked at his food and Draco still had his sly smile, only it had begun to fade, now looking more like a half smirk. Hermione looked at the boys with a curious glance, but said nothing. She had her nose stuck in her Transfiguration book, brushing up on the information needed for the essay. Dinner went by slowly, with little talk between the four friends, except for the occasional "Can you pass the salt?" or "Would you like a bun or more potatoes?" As the Great Hall began to empty, Hermione cleared her throat rather loudly.
"I'm sick of you three not talking. I can't be the peace keeper all the time. What's your problem anyways?" she asked them. Ron looked a little shocked at her reaction.
"Nothing Hermione, we're allowed to be quiet during a meal once in awhile!" he shot back at her. Hermione blushed slightly and stood up.
"Oh, well in that case I can leave you three alone. I'm going ahead to the library to meet Neville. And I better not catch any of you sneaking in there to try and spy on us. You'll find out anything I find out when we're through!" she explained before leaving the table without a glance back. Draco's half smirk changed back into his sly smile.
"I'd say there's something Hermione doesn't want us knowing!" he told Harry and Ron. The three boys began chatting quickly and quietly. They had a plan to find out what Hermione was hiding. Now if only it would work properly.
"I won't do it!" Harry shouted, "I won't spy on Hermione!" Draco shushed him.
"Shut the hell up Potter! Someone will hear you!" he said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to the common room to work on my essay, and I suggest you two do the same!" Harry said as he left the Great Hall. Ron stood up after Harry had left.
"I reckon Harry's right this time, Draco," Ron told him. Draco sighed.
"Damn it! I guess you're right! Let's go," Draco agreed. Ron and Draco took off after Harry towards the Hufflepuff common room.
In the library, Hermione waited patiently for Neville at a table near the back of the library. When she saw him walk in she began pulling out books that would help them in the research. Neville gave Hermione a wave.
"Hiya Hermione!" Neville called.
"Shhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!" Madam Pince shot at Neville. Neville's cheeks turned a few shades of red as he rushed to Hermione's table with his head down.
"So, what do you need help on Neville?" Hermione asked as he took his seat opposite her. Neville pulled out his essay and all of his current information and spread it out in front of himself. He picked up a sheet amongst his pile and passed it to Hermione.
"I went through all my stuff and wrote up a list of things I needed help with or at least needed some advice for," he explained to her. Hermione gave him an impressed look.
"Wow Neville, I don't mean to be rude or anything but you've never been this organized before! I'm really very impressed!" she told him. A confident smile spread across his face.
"Thanks Hermione, but I can't really take any of the credit. Ginny helped me out a lot!" he told her. Hermione's eyes widened slightly in shock.
"So, you and, uh, Ginny have been getting a little closer without everyone else from Gryffindor being around then, eh?" she asked him cautiously.
"Oh yeah, she's a great girl! Helps me out with my Potions too!" he boasted. There was an awkward pause of silence where Hermione debated whether she should mention anything or not.
"Oh Neville! Is it true? Are you and Ginny actually a couple now? Please, you can tell me! I'm your friend remember? I just want to defend some of the rumours that may be floating around the castle about you two!" Hermione whispered excitedly. Neville's face whitened dramatically and a shocked look swept his face.
"Me and Ginny? What the heck gave you that idea? Who told you about that?" he asked her.
"No one, but that day you dropped your letter outside of Transfiguration, I peeked at it and then last week when we bumped into you in the hall and you dropped all your stuff, I found another note that had slipped out of your books. I wasn't sure it was Ginny at first and then Draco and I did a sort of process of elimination thing and we kind of came to a conclusion that it was Ginny!" she explained. And then Neville did something Hermione wasn't expecting. He threw back his head and began laughing uncontrollably.
"Um, Neville?" Hermione said, interrupting his laughing fit. Neville wiped a tear from his eye.
"Sorry Hermione, but that's the funniest thing I've ever heard!" he told her as he tried to keep his laughing under control.
"Well, what were the letters about then?" she demanded.
"Oh, those were between Lavender and Seamus. They've been dating since our first night back. They didn't want anyone at all to know so they came up with this plan to speak to each other without actually speaking to each other. Silliest plan I've ever heard but they asked Ginny and I to help and we couldn't say no to friends!" he explained. Hermione's face was now whiter than Neville's had been just moments ago.
"Oh bugger!" she mumbled, "Now Draco's going to spread stuff about you through the school! I'll be back, Neville! I have to stop Draco!" She jumped up and ran out of the library, leaving a confused Neville still sitting at the table. Hermione ran all the way from the library to the Hufflepuff common room. Shouting the password halfway down the hall from the portrait, Hermione continued running, until she ran into Draco.
"Ow! That hurt! For someone so small, you sure pack a mean punch!" Draco said, rubbing his stomach lightly. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Shut up!" she told him. She took a moment to regulate her breathing again then told him her discovery.
"It isn't Neville and Ginny! It's Lavender and Seamus! It's been going on since the Welcome Back feast. I asked Neville about it and he told me all about it!"
"Well, bugger me!" Draco said aloud, "Never would have seen that!"
"No kidding! Seamus and Lavender were always on good terms, but never liked each other really. Only spent time together to humour each other and everyone else really," Ron pointed out.
"Thanks goodness! So, you haven't said anything else to anyone have you?" Hermione asked Draco. He shook his head.
"Nope, not yet. You're lucky you got here when you did! I was just about to let all the first-years in on the secret!" he told her. A few first-years heard this and slowly crept towards them.
"Oh go away!" Harry told them. They scurried away quickly.
"Alright. I only came back to stop you. I have to get back to Neville now," Hermione told her friends as she turned to leave. They all said their good-byes and Hermione was off to the library again.
**************************************************************************** ******
Back in the library, Neville waited patiently for Hermione's return. He felt a presence behind him.
"Hello again!" he said. He felt a small hand on his shoulder. He realized it wasn't Hermione's and turned to face the visitor.
"Hey!" the visitor said, pulling the hood of their cloak further over their eyes. They pulled Neville's face close to theirs and the two shared a passonite kiss.
"I missed you!" Neville told the visitor. He pushed back the hood to reveal Ginny.
"What did you tell Hermione?" she asked him.
"I told her it was Seamus and Lavender. It's always a possibility you know!" he told her. Ginny smiled as she bent down again to give Neville a kiss on the forehead.
"Excellent! When you've finished your studying with Hermione, come meet me," she said quietly. He nodded and she pulled her hood back up. Neville grabbed Ginny's hand and gave it a kiss before she left. He sat there in a happy fog, watching his girlfriend leave. He stared at the library doors until Hermione appeared sometime later.
- The polyjuice potion must be taken and made once
- One secret romance (Non-slash) between two people from the SAME house (after re-sorting)
- Blaise Zambini must be a boy
- Someone has to sing a song (non-related to the wizarding world)
- Draco Malfoy must be a Hufflepuff
- A pair of pink trainers must be worn, and made fun of So what are you waiting for? Enjoy!
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ************
Raising his hand to silence the students, Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, slowly rose from his chair and cleared his throat.
"Welcome students, to a new year at Hogwarts. Now that the sorting of the first-years is over, I have a few announcements to make. Firstly, to all new students, the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to everyone. Secondly, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you all that there is a great deal of things not permitted in the halls of this school. To see the full list, please see myself, any of the professors or Mr. Filch himself. And thirdly, after dinner there will be a surprise to all. Talk amongst your Housemates during dinner, for this could be your last opportunity," And with that, Professor Dumbledore waved his hand making food appear on all the tables. He sat back down and surveyed the reactions his speech gave.
"What's he getting on about? I think he may be losing his touch, poor old bloke." Ronald Weasley told his friends at the Gryffindor table.
"Ron! That's no way to talk about Dumbledore!" Hermione Granger shouted at him. Ron looked at her with a hurt look crossing his face. He then looked at his friend Harry for some help.
"Well, Hermione is right Ron. You shouldn't say that about Dumbledore. But I think I'm going to agree with Ron here," Harry Potter tried his best to fix the small rift between his friends. Hermione let out a small huff of anger as she reached for a piece of chicken. Glancing up from her plate, she spotted Draco Malfoy staring at the three of them from the Slytherin table.
"Look at them!" Draco spoke openly to anyone who would listen, "Scared of what old Dumbledore went on about. Whatever it is, there's no use worrying over it! It's not like we're all being split up now is it?" The students slowly settled down and finished their dinners. After most of the plates had been cleaned, Dumbledore rose again, waving his hand to rid the tables of their plates.
"And now, for my final announcement. As a change, I've decided that our sixth and seventh-year students will be resorted." There was a mad murmur spreading throughout the crowd. Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. Once the voices died down, he continued. "We will call up students, the way we sort the first-years. Once you have all been sorted, you may head to your new common rooms." With that Professor Dumbledore sat down and Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, rose with a roll of parchment in her hand. She walked around the teachers table and stood next to the Sorting Hat. Unrolling the parchment she began calling names.
"Hannah Abbott" McGonagall called. Hannah took a seat on the stool beneath the Sorting Hat. The hat was placed upon her head and almost immediately, it shouted "Hufflepuff!" Hannah gave a sigh of relief as she ran to join her old Housemates at the Hufflepuff table. Dumbledore slightly wrinkled his brow slightly, but made no attempt to interrupt.
"Colin Creevey" McGonagall called again. He took his seat under the Hat as it announced "Gryffindor!" Colin took his seat at the Gryffindor table once again. As the last student, Blaise Zambini, was sorted back into Slytherin, Dumbledore rose again with a nasty scowl across his face.
"It seems that the Sorting Hat believes that you all belong in your original Houses. Therefore, I will sort you myself. Will the sixth and seventh-year students please come to the front of the room again?" There was chorus of groans throughout the Great Hall as the students rose again and gathered at the front of the Hall. Dumbledore began asking the students their names and original House.
"Lavender Brown, you now belong in Slytherin," Dumbledore told Lavender. Lavender promptly burst into tears as she made her way to the Slytherin table.
"Ginny Weasley, you now belong in Ravenclaw," Ginny gave a small smile as she joined the Ravenclaw table. Ron gave his sister a supportive look as she passed him.
"Hermione Granger, you now belong in Hufflepuff," Dumbledore announced. Hermione, looking like she had been slapped, reluctantly made her way to the Hufflepuff table as her friends weakly smiled at her.
"Hannah Abbott, Gryffindor," Hannah had a scowl on her face as she made her way to her new housemates.
"Ron Weasley, Hufflepuff," Ron gave a small hoot of happiness as he ran to the Hufflepuff table to join Hermione.
"Seamus Finnegan, Slytherin," Seamus almost dropped his jaw as he headed for the Slytherin table, where Lavender promptly began sobbing on his shoulder when he sat down.
"Harry Potter, please join your friends at the Hufflepuff table," Harry started beaming as he, too, sat down at the Hufflepuff table.
"Blaise Zabini, you are now a Gryffindor," As Blaise made his way to the Gryffindor table, he could be heard muttering about loony old men and damn bloody Gryffindors being too bloody noble for his blood.
"Neville Longbottom, Ravenclaw," Neville went a ghostly white as he joined Ginny at the Ravenclaw table.
"Draco Malfoy......I've debated where to put you. I've thought it may be best to keep you from your greater enemies, and I've thought it best to keep you from your friends. I am unsure where to put you, so, I am going to pull a piece of parchment out of a hat and you will join that House." Draco's jaw did drop as Dumbledore spoke to him. Dumbledore waved a hand and the Sorting Hat turned upside down and filled with pieces of parchment, floating in mid-air. Dumbledore allowed Draco to inspect a few pieces of parchment to make sure they weren't all the same House. After the inspection, Dumbledore plunged his hand into the Hat and pulled out a piece of parchment. Dumbledore clutched the parchment as he waved his hand to get rid of the extra pieces of parchment. He glanced at the piece of parchment and a grin spread across his face.
"Draco Malfoy, you now belong to....." Dumbledore drew out the silence a bit before announcing, "Hufflepuff!" Draco almost fell to the ground. Dumbledore handed him the parchment, which said HUFFLEPUFF in loopy gold writing. Draco took his seat at the Hufflepuff table with a loud groan, as the remaining students were sorted in their houses, amid much protest.
"Thank you all for your patience. It seems the Sorting Hat needs to be assured that not all of you belong in your original Houses. I thought it was time for a change. Now that you have all been sorted, the Heads of your Houses will now escort you to your common rooms. And please remember your new Houses. House elves will have brought your belongings to your rooms by now. Oh yes, and Quidditch try-outs begin on Friday!" Dumbledore announced as everyone slowly got to their feet. Hermione, Ron and Harry stuck close together, muttering excitedly about the new arrangements. Draco followed close behind, not having any friends in Hufflepuff. He was now stuck with the enemy. He'd have to suck it up and be friends with them, or be by himself for the whole school year. Draco debated about his problem the whole way to the new common room, careful to remember his way there. He missed the password Professor Sprout said loudly, but it didn't matter to him. His mind was too occupied to care at that moment.
Once inside the Hufflepuff common room, Draco took a small moment to actually enjoy the new surroundings, which was decorated beautifully with canary yellow and black all over. But he was quickly ushered, however, up the stairs to the boy's dormitory by Professor Sprout.
"Now dears, this is the seventh year boy's room. Do enjoy! And please, no fits of rage that will damage the room. It will be your mess to clean," her voice sang out as she quickly pushed Draco, Harry and Ron into the room and closed the door. Draco gave a very small gasp he hoped no one heard when he realized he was rooming with Harry and Ron.
"No bloody way!!!" both Draco and Ron yelled at the same time as they came to notice each other. Harry let out a groan in response.
"Can we please leave our fighting for tomorrow morning or something? I'm exhausted and all I want to do right now is sleep. If you two want to fight, I'll ask you to do it in the common room please," Harry said as he shuffled over to his trunk and began pulling out his pyjamas. He placed his glasses on his bedside table and then climbed into his bright yellow bed and pulled his curtains shut. He quickly changed into his pyjamas and snuggled under his blankets.
"Good night Ron!" Harry called out.
"G'night Harry!" Ron called back.
"Good night Nev....oh right. Forgot about that" Harry said.
"Shut the bloody hell up!!" Draco's voice rang through the room. Harry dug his face into his pillow further.
"G'night Malfoy" he mumbled as he drifted off to sleep. The last thing Harry heard was Draco cursing him under his breath as Harry fell into a deep, comfortable sleep.
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Ron awoke with the sun beaming down on his face through a crack in his bed curtains. He scrunched up his face as he rolled out of the sunray, and opened his curtains all the way, staring at the bed next to his. He sat up quickly when he saw the curtains around the bed were yellow, not red. Scratching his head as he attempted to remember the previous night, he slowly got out of his bed. He went to the trunk at the end of his bead and began pulling out his school clothes as he took in his new surroundings. As he gathered his clothes, Ron heard the one thing he never thought he'd hear.
"What the hell am I doing in a Hufflepuff room?!?!?" Shrieked Draco from behind his bed curtains. Ron stifled his laugh behind his hand as he placed his clothes on his bed and went over to Draco's. Ron slowly and cautiously drew back the curtains on Draco's bed. Draco's eyes widened.
"Weasley? What the hell are you doing here? And I ask again, what the hell am I doing in a Hufflepuff room?" Draco asked in a distressed voice as his eyes widened.
"Calm down Malfoy. Don't you remember last night?" Draco's eyes widened even further when Ron said this, "Not anything like that! I meant at the feast last night. Dumbledore resorted us remember?" Draco thought a moment, replaying last night's events in his head like a mini-movie. Finally, he nodded his head as if to agree that what Ron had said was right. Draco slowly got out of bed, as if the room may be diseased or very fragile. He watched Ron grab his clothes off his own bed and then venture out of the bedroom in search of the bathroom. Draco tossed a look around the room, taking in his surroundings a little further. He noticed it was only him, Ron and a sleeping figure in the remaining bed that was partially hidden by curtains. Draco racked his brain trying to remember who the third boy was, but it seemed to fail him. He gathered some fresh clothes and set out on the same journey Ron had just begun.
Just as Draco had exited the bedroom, Harry stirred awake. He sat up quite quickly, causing him to get a head rush. He quickly regained his wits and pulled back his curtains to look at the room. He had remembered the resorting and the feast and everything that had happened. What he hadn't thought about was how bright the Hufflepuff rooms were in the morning. Harry shielded his eyes from the bright yellow Hufflepuff colours and the morning sun as he grabbed his school robes and headed for the door. As he reached for the door handle, it was flung open by Ron, having returned from his own shower. The force of Ron opening the door almost knocked Harry off his feet.
"Sorry mate!" Ron told Harry. After asking Ron for directions, Harry made his way to the bathroom for a shower. As he walked in, he was greeted by foggy air and....
"Wanna get rowdy,Gonna get a little unruly, Get it fired up in a hurry, Wanna get dirrty, It's about time that I came to start the party, Sweat dripping over my body, Dancing getting just a little naughty, Wanna get dirrty, It's about time for my arrival. Ah, heat is up, So ladies, fellas, Drop your cups, Body's hot, Front to back, Now move your ass, I like that........."
Harry couldn't hold it in anymore. He burst out laughing as the singer gave a loud gasp and turned off the water. For a second, Harry thought he may have stumbled into the girls' bathroom by accident...... until he saw Draco come stomping over with a green towel wrapped around his waist.
"POTTER!" he yelled, as Harry continued to laugh. Draco's scowl deepened as Harry giggled his way to a shower and stepped inside.
"You bloody well not tell anyone anything you just heard!" Draco said to the shower curatin through gritted teeth before turning on his heel and stomping off. Harry could hear Draco muttering something under his breath as he made his way back to his shower. After hearing the water turn back on, Harry felt he was safe again and quickly showered. Once he had changed and was about to leave, Harry realized that Draco was still showering and still singing, only much much quieter now. Harry let out a final tiny giggle as he left the bathroom. Inside the bedroom, Ron was now lounging on his bed; a book lying open in his lap.
"You're actually reading??!" Harry commented. Ron held up his book slightly so Harry could see the title Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry gave his head a small shake and began putting his pyjamas away.
"Oiy, Ron, you'll ever guess what I heard in the bathroom!" Harry said. Ron looked up from his book, a curious and mischievous look spreading across his face.
"Malfoy........singing!" Harry told Ron. Ron just about fell off his bed as he began laughing hysterically. Through the laughing, Ron managed to gasp "What song?"
"'Dirrty', by that Muggle, Christina Aguilera," Harry told him. Ron began laughing even harder.
"I've never heard it, but it sounds like something you wouldn't think Malfoy enjoyed," Ron said through the tears streaming down his face. Just then Draco walked in, his scowl still in place on his face. He took one look at Ron laughing on the bed and shot the dirtiest look at Harry. Harry gave Draco a small, somewhat supportive smile.
"Ron, let's go down to the common room and wait for Hermione," Harry said. Ron was now reduced to a severe case of the gigglesas he climbed off his bed and followed Harry out of the room. Draco quickly put his things away and hurried down to the common room as well. Inside the common room, Draco found Harry and Ron sitting in large, over stuffed chairs by the fire. He approached the boys quietly and took a seat on a sofa near their chairs. Harry, who sat closest to him, gave him a small glance, as if to understand what Draco wanted. Hermione joined them shortly after and the three of them headed for the portrait hole, followed closely by Draco. Harry let Draco out of the portrait hole ahead of him.
"Don't worry Malfoy, we won't spoil your reputation any if you don't want us to," Harry whispered, as Draco slid past him. Draco gave him a small look of thanks and they both ran to join Ron and Hermione. **************************************************************************** ******
"I don't believe it! Double Advanced Potions with the Slytherins again!" Ron yelled as Hermione passed him his new schedule. Harry cleared his throat.
"Oh, right, sorry Malfoy. Force of habit....." Ron muttered his apology and then promptly stuffed his mouth with toast.
"It's ok, we have Double Advanced Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, so I'm not so happy either," Draco teased Ron. Hermione studied her schedule.
"Lovely, we have Defence Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindors. We'll be able to see everyone." Ron looked at her with a questionable look, but didn't get any kind of answer to his unasked question, so he went back to his breakfast. The rest of breakfast went by rather uneventful, except for Neville Longbottom, who showed up for breakfast late and promptly forgot about the changing of Houses and joined the Gryffindor table before Ginny was sent to retrieve him from the Ravenclaw table. The four new Hufflepuff students gathered their books and left the Great Hall, heading for their first class of their seventh year.
"What do we have first?" Ron asked.
"Honestly Ron!" Hermione spoke up.
"Potions first," Draco mumbled as he watched the ground in front of his feet. Harry noticed Draco's quietness but made no approach to fix it at the present time. The four students walked silently to the dungeon they had Potions in. They took their seats together and waited for Professor Snape, their Potions teacher. Snape stalked into the room with his usual cold air about him.
"There will be no useless chatting in my classroom. We are here to learn, and learn we shall. I realize Professor Dumbledore may have muddled your Houses a bit, but that will not change our lessons. Today we will be learning once more about the Polyjuice Potion. You will make a diluted version of it so we may see your results by the end of class." There was a chorus of low groans throughout the dungeon as they found out they'd be learning about the same potion they heard about regularly in this class.
"I will be separating you into pairs. Each pair will consist of one student from each House." Snape read aloud his list of pairs. Each pair joined each other and began pulling out their ingredients.
"Of course, I had to be stuck with Lavender!" Ron muttered to Harry, who was standing with his partner, a seventh year girl he'd never seen before, at the table next to Ron's. Harry gave Ron a supportive smile as he and his partner; who was named Alicia, tried making their potion. At the end of class, each pair was called up to test their potions.
"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Brown" Snape called. Both Lavender and Ron slowly shuffled their way to the front of the room. They each took a few hairs from their heads and placed it in their glasses, then traded glasses. Ron and Lavender took a big gulp of their potions, and very slowly, Ron was standing where Lavender was and Lavender was standing where Ron was. Ron suddenly burst into tears. He began wailing as Lavender gave him a look of almost disgust.
"Oh shut up Lavender!" she said. Very slowly, over the course of the next five minutes, Ron became Lavender again and Lavender became Ron again.
"Very well, thank you Mr. Weasley and Ms. Brown. You may return to your seats," Snape ordered. As the rest of the students took their potions, Draco leaned over to Seamus Finnegan and whispered, "Mind if I borrow the password to the Slytherin common room? I've got to retrieve something of mine I left there. I didn't think I wouldn't be able to get back in this year." Seamus shot Draco a look of confusion.
"Why can't you get Snape to get it for you? Or someone else? Why me?" Seamus asked.
"Because Snape doesn't know where it is. It's hidden!" Draco whispered back urgently. Seamus still gave him a look of confusion.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Finnegan, care to share your conversation with the class please." Snape interrupted. Seamus shot a look at Draco just as Draco was looking at him.
"Well, Professor, Seamus and I were just planning our Christmas vacations sir. Sorry to bother your class. We were just very keen on finalizing our plans for the break." Draco told Snape. Snape just raised an eyebrow.
"Very well, but Mr. Malfoy I expect you know not to talk about such trivial things during my class. Don't let it happen again or you will lose House points." Snape said before returning to his lesson. Seamus scribbled something on a piece of parchment then passed it to Draco.
Draco,
Fine, here's the password. It's 'scar tissue'. I have no idea why you Slytherins enjoy these names. Anyways, come during lunch. I don't think you want to be caught sneaking around the common room.
Seamus
Draco nodded to Seamus, showing he understood and almost as if to say thank you. Just then, Snape ended the class. Ron, Harry and Draco had to wait around a few minutes for Hermione, who had to talk to Snape about their homework. When she had finished with Snape, they headed for the Transfiguration classrooms. They joined the group of students just outside the door and waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive. Once she arrived and let the students into the room. Neville and Hermione were last to enter the room, and as they walked through the doorway a piece of parchment slipped out of one of Neville's books. Hermione picked it up but didn't have time to give it back to Neville right away. Professor McGonagall had already begun their lesson. The students received their work for the class ("Read pages 86-211 and write me an essay on how Transfiguration was regulated and how it is controlled in this day. I'd also like you to profile one Animagi that is registered. Your essay must be at least two feet long. It is due in one week.") and set to reading the assigned pages quietly. Right before class ended, Hermione pulled Neville's piece of parchment out of her pocket and looked at it.
Meet me in our usual spot tonight, after curfew. Get away whenever you can. I'll wait for you all night if I have to. We haven't seen each other much since the feast and I really miss you. See you then.
A small look of happiness spread across Hermione's face as she read it. Neville had a secret relationship. It made her feel kind of giddy-happy inside. She was very happy and proud of Neville. He may be almost a Squib, but he was still her friend and a fellow Gryffindor at heart. She folded the note back up and placed it back in her pocket as Professor McGonagall dismissed the class.
"Hermione, we're heading down to lunch. Coming?" Harry asked her.
"Sure, just give me a second. I have to return something to Neville," she said, as she raced after Neville. She caught up with him about half way to the Ravenclaw Tower.
"NEVILLE!" she yelled, just before he disappeared around another corner. Neville spun around to see Hermione doubled over, gasping for air and waving a note in the air.
"You-you dropped this earlier. I wanted to give it back to you," she told him. Neville blushed a deep scarlet and grabbed the note from Hermione.
"Thanks," he said, then scurried away. Hermione was slightly puzzled by his reaction but headed back to the boys anyways.
**************************************************************************** ******
Ron patted his stomach contently.
"That was a delicious lunch. I'm stuffed!" he announced. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You pig," she told him.
"Gonna get a little unruly, Get it fired up in a hurry, Wanna get dirrty," Harry sang very quietly under his breath. Ron started giggling while Hermione shot Harry a curious look. Harry just shook his head at her and the three friends left the Great Hall.
"Hey Draco, where did you disappear to?" Harry asked Draco as he approached the Trio just outside of the Great Hall.
"Oh, had to retrieve something for later," Draco explained.
"Well, let's go. We have Defence Against the Dark Arts now with the Gryffindors," Hermione told them as she quickened her pace a little. The boys quickly caught up. They passed the Gryffindor portrait on their way to their classroom. The Fat Lady gave the students a small wave as they passed.
"What's that?" Harry asked aloud as he noticed a small package by the portrait. Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know but it isn't any of our business is it? Come one, we'll be late if we check it out." Draco urged them to keep walking. Just as they approached the classroom door, Neville came out of nowhere and he was knocked over by the force of the four students.
"Whoa! Careful there Neville!" Ron told Neville as he bent down to help Neville retrieve his books and papers. Hermione, Draco and Harry bent down as well to help round up Neville's belongings. Hermione's hand brushed a piece of parchment just behind her as she tried to steady herself on her knees. She turned around and looked at the piece of parchment. It seemed like a response to his note from earlier.
I will come. Do not wait for me all night though. You know I'm forgetful. But I promise to try my hardest not to forget tonight. I miss you too. See you then love.
Hermione beamed to herself for a moment before putting a straight face on and turning back around, the note in her hand.
"Here Neville. That's the last of it I think," she told him as the five students stood up and brushed dust off their knees.
"Thanks guys," Neville said before running off towards the staircase leading to the greenhouses.
"Neville's been acting weird lately hasn't he?" Harry asked.
"Well, considering our circumstances with the resorting, I'd say Neville's acting fairly normal Harry," Hermione pointed out. She reached for the door knob and walked into the classroom. She took her seat near the back of the classroom with Harry, Ron and Draco as they waited for the remainder of the students to arrive. Just before Professor Remus Lupin, newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, was about the close the door to the classroom, Blaise Zabini squeezed through the door.
"Ah, Mr. Zabini. Just in time. Now if you'll please take your seat, we're about to begin," Lupin told Blaise. Blaise strode confidently towards a seat on the far side of the room. Ron elbowed Draco as Blaise passed near them.
"Zabini's wearing pink trainers!" Ron whispered excitedly. Draco smirked.
"Hey, nice trainers Zabini! Is it some or of statement or what?" Draco called to Blaise. Blaise looked at Draco with a slight malice in his eyes.
"Mr. Malfoy, one more word out of you and I'll remove House points. Now please settle down so we can begin our lesson," Lupin said sternly. Draco said nothing, only sat in his chair with a look of confidence spread across his face.
"Oh Blaise! I've got trainers just like those!" Hannah Abbott squealed with delight. She giggled with her friends.
"Oiy Zabini! You're looking lovely today! Did you do something with your hair?" "Lovely shoes Blaise, do you have a dress to match?" "Want me to do your nails later Blaise?" "Zabini, since when were you so feminine?" insults and taunts rang through the classroom.
"ENOUGH!" The classroom shook as Lupin shouted. Everyone stopped calling out to Blaise, frozen in their chairs.
"If I hear one more word about Mr. Zabini's trainers, I will be giving you all detention! As it stands, I'm taking 30 points off each of your Houses for your childish behaviour! Now sit up properly, shut up and we'll begin today's lesson!" Lupin told his class with a loud, commanding voice.
"Well done mate! Couldn't have told them better myself! But you do realize the boy has pink trainers don't you?" a painting behind Lupin's desk told the professor.
"Oh shut up!" Lupin demanded as he reached over, took the painting off its hook, placed it in a desk drawer and then locked the drawer. A few courageous students gave a little snicker. Lupin eyed them angrily.
"Pull out your quills, parchment and such. Today, we will be taking a quiz . I'd like to see what you all remember from the past few years of your schooling in Defence Against the Dark Arts. It is a small quiz, only fifty questions. You may copy the questions off the board if you wish, or you may answer them directly. It is your decision. You have as much time as you need really, seeing as how most of you have a spare period after this class," Lupin instructed. He tapped the board with his wand and fifty neatly scrawled questions appeared out of nowhere. The classroom filled with the sound of quills scratching across the pieces of parchment. Harry thought he had been writing for hours when he finally finished his quiz. Before getting up to hand it to Professor Lupin, Harry gazed around the room. Many students were still writing, including Ron. Draco and Hermione had finished long ago. Harry got up, told Ron he'd wait outside the classroom for him then handed in his quiz. Harry left the classroom and ran into Draco and Hermione, who were standing just outside the door.
"You'll never guess what Hermione's just told me!" Draco almost squealed.
"Draco! You said you wouldn't say anything!" Hermione said, hitting him on the arm. Harry looked from Draco to Hermione, than back to Draco.
"She's told me Neville Longbottom has a secret relationship!" Draco told him. Harry's eyes widened a little.
"Any idea with whom?" Harry asked. Both Hermione and Draco shook their heads.
"Bummer," Harry said, just as Ron stepped out of the classroom.
"Let's go to the common room. I want to start on McGonagall's essay," Hermione said as she dragged the three boys off. Flopping down on a sofa in the common room, Draco looked very bored as Harry, Ron and Hermione all pulled out their work for Transfiguration class. Hermione eyed him suspiciously. Draco flashed his usual 'up to no good, love me or hate me' type of smile.
"Are you going to sit there all day or are you going to start on your essay. You've got a lot of work ahead of you if you start it later," she told him. Draco looked hurt.
"You mean, I can't copy off of you later?" he mocked her. Hermione rolled her eyes and went to work on her essay. The four of them sat in the quiet common room for about an hour before Ron gave up.
"I really do give up! I can't write this damn essay! I've been trying to write for an hour and you know what I've actually written? The title and my name! I can't come up with a beginning; I don't know which Animagi to profile, nothing! I quit!" Ron yelled as he slammed his books shut and sat back in his chair in a huff. Draco had watched the entire scene with an amused smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at Malfoy?" Ron asked hotly.
"Nothing, just your reaction to a simple essay. It's really not that hard you know," Draco told him. Ron stuck his tongue out at Draco and Draco did it back.
"You two are acting like a bunch of two-year-olds," Harry commented.
"That's because they are a bunch of two-year-olds," Hermione said under her breath. Ron got up and headed for his bedroom, calling out a promise to join them for dinner. Draco watched Ron leave then came up with a brilliant idea. Draco got up off the couch and followed Ron into the bedroom.
"Hey, Weasley! Wanna have some fun?" Draco asked inside the bedroom. Ron got an utterly disgusted look on his face.
"Not like that! Geez, you have a one track mind, don't you?" Draco waited for a response but got none, so he continued, "Want to try and see if we can come up with who Longbottom's seeing?"
"Neville's seeing someone? Since when?!" Ron asked.
"Since....how the bloody hell should I know? I just found out today that he's been sneaking around with someone!" Draco explained. Ron eyed him curiously.
"What ever happened to the evil Malfoy from Slytherin? What happened to the bouncing ferret?" Ron asked.
"Oh, he's around somewhere. Now do you want to see what we can find or what? If you won't help, I'll do it on my own," Draco said. Ron shook his head.
"I won't do it. Neville's my friend. It would be easier to ask anyways, instead of snooping around," Ron answered. Draco threw his hands in the air.
"I give up! You're a bloody Gryffindor through and through! And I can't do this on my own! Who am I kidding?" Draco shouted, "Weasley, you suck!" Then Draco stormed out of the room. Ron watched after him then walked to his trunk. He pulled out a spare piece of parchment and quickly scribbled a note.
Neville,
Heard you've hooked up with someone. Mind if I ask who? Do I know her? Or him? Right, I wasn't sure okay......anyways, see you in Transfiguration tomorrow.
Ron
Ron looked at his small piece of work with pride. He beckoned Pigwidgeon (Pig for short) off the bureau and attempted to tie the letter to his leg.
"Hold still Pig! I'm almost done!" Ron said angrily at the tiny owl. Pig gave a loud sharp squawk and stopped moving. Ron quickly tied the letter to Pig.
"Now, you've got deliver this letter to Neville Longbottom. That's Nev-ill Long-bottom. He's in Gryffindor, no, Ravenclaw. Yes, Ravenclaw. Bring it to him straight away!" Ron explained to Pig. The little owl hooted happily and took off out the window Ron had opened for him. Ron watched his owl until it got so tiny in the sky, that Ron would have needed Harry's glasses to see it properly. Ron yawned loudly then shuffled over to his bed. He climbed in and settled down for a quick nap before dinner. **************************************************************************** ******
"I wonder what's keeping Ron," Hermione said as she buttered a piece of bread, "It's not normal for Ron to miss dinner." Harry and Draco looked at each other.
"Well?" Hermione pressed them.
"I have no idea where he is. Last time I saw him he was heading to our room and Draco was running after him. Then Draco came out of our room without Ron and he had a nasty look on his face. So, Hermione, I think you should be addressing any questions you have to Mr. Malfoy here!" Harry answered, slightly miffed. Draco batted his eyelashes.
"I did nothing to your precious Weasel," Draco said, almost cooing. Harry stifled a small laugh at Draco behind his glass of pumpkin juice.
"Fine!" Hermione told them, "I'll go find Ron on my own!" And she got up and stomped off. She made her way up the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room before mentally kicking herself for forgetting about the change of Houses, when she ran into Neville.
"Hermione!" Neville shouted. Hermione jumped slightly.
"Yes, Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Have you seen Ron? Is he in the Great Hall? I need to talk to him about something," he explained. Hermione glanced down at the ground and caught a glimpse of a splash of white curled tightly in Neville's hands; another note.
"Um, no Neville, sorry. I haven't seen Ron since before dinner. I was actually on my way to find him. You can come with me to the common room if you'd like," she told him as she began heading back down the stairs. Neville ran to catch up.
"Thanks so much Hermione! It's really important that I speak to him about this!" he went on.
"Mind if I ask what it's about?" she pushed. Neville shook his head.
"Sorry Hermione, this is a bit private. At least for now. Maybe sometime later I'll let you know about it," he said. Hermione nodded her head back, to say she was fine with that. They approached the Hufflepuff portrait and saw it was opening and Ron was coming out of the Hufflepuff common room.
"Ron!" both Hermione and Neville shouted at the same time. Ron's face broke into a huge smile.
"What's up? Anything I can help with?" he asked them.
"I came to find you because Harry, Draco and I were wondering where you'd gone when you didn't come down to dinner with us. And Neville....well Neville needs to discuss something with you apparently. So answer my question then I'll leave you two alone," Hermione got out in one breath. Neville looked at her in astonishment.
"Well, Hermione, I went to take a nap before dinner and must have lost track of time. You'd never believe how easy it is to do that when you're asleep!" he explained. Hermione blushed.
"Alright Ron. Well, when you're done with Neville, come on down for dinner," she said and turning on her heel, she left. Ron now turned his attention to Neville.
"What's up Neville?" he asked.
"I wanted to talk to you about the letter you sent me," Neville waved the letter in Ron's face, "How did you find out about it?"
"Oh, well Draco mentioned it. Asked me if I wanted to help him find out who it was. I told him I wouldn't do it, told him it was easier just to ask. Why?" Ron explained. Neville blushed slightly.
"Oh, no reason. Just wanted to know how you found out and if you knew who it was. But you don't, so there's no need in worrying about it anymore," Neville told him, and then ran towards the Ravenclaw common room.
"Who is it?" Ron called after him, but Neville was already gone. Ron sighed then headed down the stairs to join the others at dinner. He walked along slowly all the way from the Hufflepuff portrait to the Great Hall. He walked slowly to the Hufflepuff table, where he slowly took his seat between Harry and Hermione. Ron served himself dinner without talking. He picked at his food instead of eating.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked him.
"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking," Ron told her. Half an hour later, after Ron had managed to eat a piece of bread and a chicken drumstick, the four students got up and left for the library. Inside the library Harry, Ron and Draco all took a seat at a table while Hermione ran off to find books. She came back with four books, all with lists of registered Animagi's.
"Here guys. Look through the lists and pick someone. When we're done we can go to the common room and start their profiles," she told them as she handed out the books.
"You dragged us here for this?!" Draco whined. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back at her book.
"It's not like you argued now did you?" she asked him, her eyes still on her book. Draco stuck his tongue out at her as he opened his book up. The four sat in a creepy silence until Madam Pince kicked them out of the library for the night. They each checked out their book and headed for the Hufflepuff portrait. As they passed an unused classroom, they heard hushed voices inside. Draco took a step closer to the door to see who was inside.
"Draco!" Hermione hissed in a whisper. He waved his hand, telling her to be quiet as he crept a little closer to the door. Draco pushed the door open a crack to reveal Neville. Draco was about to push the door open a little further to reveal his secret late night friend, when he felt a tap on the shoulder. Draco turned around and was surprised to see Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy, I urge you to watch your step in this castle. Now that you are no longer a member or Slytherin House I am not able to save you every time you get in trouble. I will leave you alone for now, but don't get caught again," Snape hissed before gliding off down the hallway. Draco swallowed loudly then ran to catch up to his Hufflepuff Housemates.
"Damn Snape!" Draco shouted once they were inside the common room.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Longbottom was in that classroom, no doubt with the person he's been seeing, but I didn't get a chance to see the other person. Snape stopped me right before I got the chance," Draco went on, gesturing wildly with his hands as he spoke. Harry jumped up.
"I've had it! It's been driving me mad! I normally wouldn't care, but I need to know who Neville is seeing!" Harry shouted. Hermione looked shocked at Harry and Draco.
"It's really none of your business now is it? If Neville wanted us to know, then he would have told us. Right?" she asked them. They nodded.
"There we go. No bugging Neville anymore about it," she said and proceeded to pull out her essay. She began scribbling away furiously. She continued doing so until she felt like she was being watched. She looked up to see three pairs of eyes staring down at her.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"How did you find out about Neville in the first place?" Ron asked her. A chorus of 'yeahs' came from Harry and Draco.
"Well, to be honest, he dropped a letter outside of Transfiguration the other day and I had to wait until the end of class to return it. I got curious so I glanced at the letter during class," she explained.
"And it gave no hint as to who wrote it?" Harry pressed. Hermione shook her head.
"Then I know just what to do. Get another one and I'll perform a very simple charm that will show us who the writer was," Draco explained as if he knew the answer all along. Hermione gave him a funny look but gave up.
"Fine, if you want to be so bloody nosey in other people's business..." she trailed off.
"Yeah, we do want to be nosey!" Draco teased.
"Shut up Draco! I'm going to bed! Good night!" she said angrily as she stomped up to her room. She shut the door loudly.
"I think she's angry," Draco pointed out. Harry and Ron began laughing loudly.
**************************************************************************** ******
In Transfiguration the following day, Hermione tried to get near Neville but every time she did, someone would try and talk to her about the Animagi essay. During class, Hermione kept rethinking Draco's plan. She wasn't sure that following a plan thought up by Draco Malfoy was always a good idea. As the end of class neared, Hermione was ready to give up on her quest regarding Neville. She was on her way out the door after Professor McGonagall dismissed the class when Neville walked up to her.
"Hermione, mind if I ask you for a little help on our essay? I'm having a little trouble with some of the information I have. Could we maybe meet up later in the library, just for a little help?" he asked her.
"Sure Neville! How about after dinner? Is that okay?" she agreed.
"That's great Hermione! Thanks!" he called as he rushed down the hall. Outside the classroom, Hermione waited for Harry, Ron and Draco to join her.
"So?" Draco pressed her for information. Hermione shook her head.
"Nothing, but we're meeting up after dinner because he needs a little help on his essay. And no, none of you can come so don't even thinking of asking!" she explained. They were silent as they headed down to the Great Hall for lunch. As they sat down at their normal spot at the Hufflepuff table, Hermione glanced around the room at the other Houses tables. Her eyes rested on the Ravenclaw table where she saw no sign of Ginny.
"Ron, when was the last time you saw Ginny?" Hermione asked suddenly. Ron shrugged as he helped himself to some Yorkshire pudding.
"I saw her the other day, but she couldn't stop to talk. Said something about having to meet up with Neville somewhere," he said. Draco's mouth dropped open.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Longbottom.....Ginny.....should have known! Damn it! How do you miss that?" Draco mumbled into his pudding. Harry and Ron gave Draco puzzled looks, but Hermione's eyes widened.
"Oh my gosh, you're right!" she said, looking at Draco. Now Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with puzzled looks.
"What on Earth are you two talking about?!" Harry shouted at them. Hermione looked at him.
"Neville....remember his secret relationship? The one you guys are all obsessed with? Well, Draco seems to think it may be Ginny. And you know what, I can see it too," she explained. Ron's face went white.
"Look, Ron, it may not be true. It's just Draco thinking it. I'll see if I can find anything out tonight when I meet up with Neville for the essay," Hermione explained. Ron nodded slightly and pushed his helping of pudding away.
"I don't think I can eat anymore," he said and got up in a daze. They watched him walk out of the Great Hall, bumping into people along the way.
"Will you follow him, to make sure he doesn't kill himself on his way to wherever he's going?" Hermione asked Harry. Harry nodded and set off at a run after Ron. Hermione now turned to Draco.
"You had to say it out loud didn't you?" she asked him. A sly smile spread across his face.
"Sorry, but I did pretty much state the obvious now, didn't I?" he asked her.
"Yes, I guess, but still, Draco. You knew how Ron would have handled it. You did it on purpose to bug him. Now you can go deal with him too!" she told him angrily. He shrugged and began to stand up.
"Are you coming too? We might as well head to class," he said when she showed no signs of following him. Hermione gave a small sigh.
"You're right. Let's go," she said, getting up. She grabbed her bag and hurried after Draco. Hermione spent most of the afternoon going over what she could say to Neville that evening in the library. She wanted to ask him about it desperately but didn't want to be pushy either. At dinner that evening, Ron was eerily quiet, Harry only poked at his food and Draco still had his sly smile, only it had begun to fade, now looking more like a half smirk. Hermione looked at the boys with a curious glance, but said nothing. She had her nose stuck in her Transfiguration book, brushing up on the information needed for the essay. Dinner went by slowly, with little talk between the four friends, except for the occasional "Can you pass the salt?" or "Would you like a bun or more potatoes?" As the Great Hall began to empty, Hermione cleared her throat rather loudly.
"I'm sick of you three not talking. I can't be the peace keeper all the time. What's your problem anyways?" she asked them. Ron looked a little shocked at her reaction.
"Nothing Hermione, we're allowed to be quiet during a meal once in awhile!" he shot back at her. Hermione blushed slightly and stood up.
"Oh, well in that case I can leave you three alone. I'm going ahead to the library to meet Neville. And I better not catch any of you sneaking in there to try and spy on us. You'll find out anything I find out when we're through!" she explained before leaving the table without a glance back. Draco's half smirk changed back into his sly smile.
"I'd say there's something Hermione doesn't want us knowing!" he told Harry and Ron. The three boys began chatting quickly and quietly. They had a plan to find out what Hermione was hiding. Now if only it would work properly.
"I won't do it!" Harry shouted, "I won't spy on Hermione!" Draco shushed him.
"Shut the hell up Potter! Someone will hear you!" he said. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to the common room to work on my essay, and I suggest you two do the same!" Harry said as he left the Great Hall. Ron stood up after Harry had left.
"I reckon Harry's right this time, Draco," Ron told him. Draco sighed.
"Damn it! I guess you're right! Let's go," Draco agreed. Ron and Draco took off after Harry towards the Hufflepuff common room.
In the library, Hermione waited patiently for Neville at a table near the back of the library. When she saw him walk in she began pulling out books that would help them in the research. Neville gave Hermione a wave.
"Hiya Hermione!" Neville called.
"Shhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!" Madam Pince shot at Neville. Neville's cheeks turned a few shades of red as he rushed to Hermione's table with his head down.
"So, what do you need help on Neville?" Hermione asked as he took his seat opposite her. Neville pulled out his essay and all of his current information and spread it out in front of himself. He picked up a sheet amongst his pile and passed it to Hermione.
"I went through all my stuff and wrote up a list of things I needed help with or at least needed some advice for," he explained to her. Hermione gave him an impressed look.
"Wow Neville, I don't mean to be rude or anything but you've never been this organized before! I'm really very impressed!" she told him. A confident smile spread across his face.
"Thanks Hermione, but I can't really take any of the credit. Ginny helped me out a lot!" he told her. Hermione's eyes widened slightly in shock.
"So, you and, uh, Ginny have been getting a little closer without everyone else from Gryffindor being around then, eh?" she asked him cautiously.
"Oh yeah, she's a great girl! Helps me out with my Potions too!" he boasted. There was an awkward pause of silence where Hermione debated whether she should mention anything or not.
"Oh Neville! Is it true? Are you and Ginny actually a couple now? Please, you can tell me! I'm your friend remember? I just want to defend some of the rumours that may be floating around the castle about you two!" Hermione whispered excitedly. Neville's face whitened dramatically and a shocked look swept his face.
"Me and Ginny? What the heck gave you that idea? Who told you about that?" he asked her.
"No one, but that day you dropped your letter outside of Transfiguration, I peeked at it and then last week when we bumped into you in the hall and you dropped all your stuff, I found another note that had slipped out of your books. I wasn't sure it was Ginny at first and then Draco and I did a sort of process of elimination thing and we kind of came to a conclusion that it was Ginny!" she explained. And then Neville did something Hermione wasn't expecting. He threw back his head and began laughing uncontrollably.
"Um, Neville?" Hermione said, interrupting his laughing fit. Neville wiped a tear from his eye.
"Sorry Hermione, but that's the funniest thing I've ever heard!" he told her as he tried to keep his laughing under control.
"Well, what were the letters about then?" she demanded.
"Oh, those were between Lavender and Seamus. They've been dating since our first night back. They didn't want anyone at all to know so they came up with this plan to speak to each other without actually speaking to each other. Silliest plan I've ever heard but they asked Ginny and I to help and we couldn't say no to friends!" he explained. Hermione's face was now whiter than Neville's had been just moments ago.
"Oh bugger!" she mumbled, "Now Draco's going to spread stuff about you through the school! I'll be back, Neville! I have to stop Draco!" She jumped up and ran out of the library, leaving a confused Neville still sitting at the table. Hermione ran all the way from the library to the Hufflepuff common room. Shouting the password halfway down the hall from the portrait, Hermione continued running, until she ran into Draco.
"Ow! That hurt! For someone so small, you sure pack a mean punch!" Draco said, rubbing his stomach lightly. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Shut up!" she told him. She took a moment to regulate her breathing again then told him her discovery.
"It isn't Neville and Ginny! It's Lavender and Seamus! It's been going on since the Welcome Back feast. I asked Neville about it and he told me all about it!"
"Well, bugger me!" Draco said aloud, "Never would have seen that!"
"No kidding! Seamus and Lavender were always on good terms, but never liked each other really. Only spent time together to humour each other and everyone else really," Ron pointed out.
"Thanks goodness! So, you haven't said anything else to anyone have you?" Hermione asked Draco. He shook his head.
"Nope, not yet. You're lucky you got here when you did! I was just about to let all the first-years in on the secret!" he told her. A few first-years heard this and slowly crept towards them.
"Oh go away!" Harry told them. They scurried away quickly.
"Alright. I only came back to stop you. I have to get back to Neville now," Hermione told her friends as she turned to leave. They all said their good-byes and Hermione was off to the library again.
**************************************************************************** ******
Back in the library, Neville waited patiently for Hermione's return. He felt a presence behind him.
"Hello again!" he said. He felt a small hand on his shoulder. He realized it wasn't Hermione's and turned to face the visitor.
"Hey!" the visitor said, pulling the hood of their cloak further over their eyes. They pulled Neville's face close to theirs and the two shared a passonite kiss.
"I missed you!" Neville told the visitor. He pushed back the hood to reveal Ginny.
"What did you tell Hermione?" she asked him.
"I told her it was Seamus and Lavender. It's always a possibility you know!" he told her. Ginny smiled as she bent down again to give Neville a kiss on the forehead.
"Excellent! When you've finished your studying with Hermione, come meet me," she said quietly. He nodded and she pulled her hood back up. Neville grabbed Ginny's hand and gave it a kiss before she left. He sat there in a happy fog, watching his girlfriend leave. He stared at the library doors until Hermione appeared sometime later.