When Hayley woke up the next morning, she felt disorientated and her head was fuzzing. She looked around vaguely, seeing the familiar yellow curtains around her four-poster bed. She sat up slowly, holding a hand to her head as her head began throbbing lightly. Rubbing her eyes, Hayley swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She was aware that she was still in yesterday's clothes, and had no idea why she was in the girls' dormitory, instead of in the library with Draco.

Bloody Slytherin's going to die. Hayley thought to herself as she drew back the curtains, wincing as the afternoon sun hit her square in the face. She didn't know how long she was asleep, but she felt so refreshed and awake that she didn't care. She ran her hands through her hair, wincing as her fingers were caught in some knots and headed towards the bathroom to take a hot shower that would, hopefully, waken her up even more.

Once she was dressed and ready for the day ahead, Hayley grabbed her own book on Greek Mythology and headed towards the Great Hall, hoping to get something to eat before lunch disappeared. If she was late, then she would either have to go to the Kitchens, even though she didn't know where they were, or to wait until dinner.

Just as Hayley passed through the door leading to the Hufflepuff common room from the Dormitories, she noticed a package on her bedside table. Curious, she walked over and picked up the small piece of parchment and read the note.

My dear Aphrodite.

I apologise for what happened last night. I am truly worried for you and I cannot stress enough how much I care about you, even if I do not show it during school hours. I hope you enjoyed your sleep. I suspect you are hungry, so I made sure Hermes gave you this lunch I prepared for you. If that owl has eaten it all before you could gaze upon it, I apologise. Hermes is always rather hungry.

I am sure that I will see you sometime today. If not, I wish you all the best for this glorious day ahead of us.

Your Hades,

Dragon.

Hayley smiled lightly at the note Draco left for her. Ever since she found out that his name translated to 'Dragon' in Latin, she had never stopped calling him the nickname. It stuck, like Hae had stuck as his nickname for her. She set the parchment on her bed and opened the package. Immediately, the scent of fresh sandwiches and pumpkin pie hit her like a soft wave. Hermes, her rather fat owl, did tend to stay away from pumpkin flavoured food. He would eat everything else, though.

When Draco wrote notes for her, he did tend to call her Aphrodite and called himself Hades. It was a joke between the two of them, as Hayley claimed that Draco was her own Hades, and she was his Aphrodite. Again, the nicknames stuck. The two of them were greater friends than anyone else could be. They understood each other and enjoyed each other's company more than a young couple would. They knew they would be friends forever, even if they go their own way once Hogwarts was over in 2 years time.

"Oh, good! You're finally awake!" Hayley looked up from eating a peanut butter and jam sandwich to look at Susan Bones when she walked into the dormitory. She watched as Susan walked closer and looked at the note on her bed, "You know... I'd like to meet this 'Dragon' guy. You'd be good for each other... does he go to this school?"

"Uh..... Yeah... he, uh... yeah," Hayley said a little nervously as she swallowed the mouthful of sandwich. If anyone found out that 'Dragon' was Draco, the two of them would have a big riot on their hands. Both by their friends and peers. On one hand, everyone will accuse Draco of slipping her a love potion or even cursing her to be his friend. On the other, Draco's friends would argue with him, wondering what he was doing with a Hufflepuff. Hayley didn't know if she should be insulted if she was told that she can't be his friend just because she was a Hufflepuff. A Hufflepuff!

"So, who is he?" Susan asked eagerly as she began to make Hayley's bed for her, folding the wet towels over the heater in the middle of the room so they would dry for the next morning. "Do I know him? Is he a Hufflepuff? Or a Ravenclaw? Ooh! Or a Gryffindor!" Hayley noted how Susan didn't mention Draco's house, "Ooh, tell! Please! I am your bestest friend ever,"

Hayley smiled lightly at her, amused at how Susan would suddenly become her 'bestest' friend, only because she wanted to know who Hayley's secret friend was. It was rather amusing. "I am not telling you. You'll tell everyone and he wouldn't be a secret any more."

"AHA! So it is a guy! Is he cute? Hot? Amazingly hot? Average? Spill, girly!" Hayley and Susan both laughed. Susan reached for the pumpkin pie, and Hayley swatted her hand away. "Ouch. Sorry... pumpkin pie is just too good to let go cold,"

"Hun, it's a pie... it's good hot or cold," Hayley said with a smile as she split the pie in half and gave Susan some, "You know. . . no matter how many times you persist, I'll never tell you who Dragon is. Never. Ever. Even if I marry him. . . you'll never know his identity." Hayley paused, thinking about what life would be like if she did marry Draco. . . their babies would have exotic, or even old, names. . . have hair that wasn't quite blonde, but wasn't quite brown. . . their eyes would be an amazing shade of blue with some green specks in them. . . they'd grow up to be smart, beautiful and loved by everyone. . . Hayley quickly shook her head and looked at Susan. She was aware that she was speaking, but didn't know what she was saying. "Sorry, what?"

Susan smirked lightly at her best friend. "You were daydreaming about him weren't you?" She asked, waggling her eyebrows suggestively at her friend. "And, if I am your Maid of Honour. . . no, wait. . . when I am your Maid of Honour, how will I not see his face if I'm there beside you when you marry him? Can't you just tell me his first name? Or Surname? I'm sure I wouldn't get it instantly. . . most of the names here are common first or second names."

"I'm not telling you," Hayley said with a laugh as she took a bite of the still warm pumpkin pie. She figured that Draco put a warming charm on the food, as he knew that she hated eating cold pie. "You could put a truth spell on me or use a truth potion. . . I will never tell you who Dragon is," She said

Susan raised an eyebrow at her friend as she temporarily forgot about the pumpkin pie that was in her hands. She didn't know what it was, but she felt like Hayley either was ashamed at 'Dragon', or she feared for their friendship. Which friendship, though, she didn't know. . . whether it was Hayley's and Susan's, or Hayley's and 'Dragon's. Hayley shouldn't be ashamed at the friendship. Susan would do anything to have a friendship with a guy like Hayley had with 'Dragon'. Susan also felt like. . . Hayley didn't trust her, or something. If this 'Dragon' was someone who everyone hated, like Malfoy, then Susan had no right to judge. Hayley would have, apparently, seen something in the Slytherin that she liked. Susan sighed lightly. If it was Malfoy. . . poor Hayley.

"Um. . . we'd best go and get some fresh air," Hayley said after a few minutes of awkward silence, "Or we can go to the library. . . or meet up with Harry, Ron and Hermione or something. . . I've been cooped up in here for too long." Susan nodded at her and the girls both left the Hufflepuff Common room. Hayley felt guilty about keeping Dragon's identity from her best girl friend, but she knew how Susan would react and feared for their friendship. She had a feeling that Susan has already figured it out, but didn't want to say anything. She really hated keeping things from her. But, she had to, for some strange, unknown reason.