A recap [In an awe-inspiring voice over]:

- "For now." she smiled dotingly on the boy. His feet having been shoved off her lap as Hermione stood now leapt to the floor as he smiled up at the elderly matron, he flipped the scarf over a shoulder and waved, Hermione following suit, before the two took their leave of the spacious infirmary.

"Thank you! See you in a few hours!"

"Remember! As soon as your last class ends!" -

Scarves (Part three)

Charms was (as always, it is run by the smartest of the Ravens after all) as usual; at first, no one seemed to notice the scarf, or Harry and Hermione (which is kind of hard, being a famous saviour and a bushy-haired best-friend of said saviour) at all. It was rather anti-climatic actually. Harry slinked into the filling room just behind Hermione who had her head held high and looked quite a bit like the scorned scion of the Malfoy house had back in first year. The room hadn't stopped, the world hadn't ended and there wasn't a reaction as though Voldemort had pranced through the class in a sparkly and glistening tutu of rainbows with a unicorn yet. Both breathed a sigh of relief neither realizing the other had held a similar concern of entering the room. Taking their usual seats a few rows in it was immediately apparent that the youngest male Weasley would not be sitting with the rest of the trio as he entered with Seamus and Dean (sending a decent glare toward them) and sitting at the furthest seats away from the teacher, and coincidentally, his best friends.

"You think he know that Seamus…?" Hermione whispered to Harry, both covering their very childish giggles and with a shake of his head Harry told Hermione that Ron was much too dense to realize the extent of Seamus' relationships with a few members of the red and gold house (and a few others in less eye attracting colours). "Now! about the Scarves..." whispered the bushy haired girl as their short teacher floated up to his desk and began to talk excitedly about something.

"Finally, 'Mione!"

An indignant huff and eye roll later had both smothering another bout of highly inappropriate giggles while a raised eyebrow and secret smile was directed at them from the part-goblin. "It's like… announcing that you're either for another house completely! And against your own, in a way!" she hissed at Harry's darkening eyes and the protest forming on his tongue, "back when the scarves were first made by some students as a term project they were used to define what house the wearer 'felt' they belonged in, and were often given later as gifts from the wearers intended, if they were from a different house… It was a tradition that never quite caught on…"

Harry was blinking slowly, looking torn between laughing and screaming. No wonder all the fuss last class… not that that warranted such a response or anything, but he understood it a little better. "So I basically just… what? Switched houses? Married him? Said I hate Gryffindor?" he drawled in a very good impression of a certain potions professor.

The whole class was turned toward them, some obviously perplexed at having heard what Harry had said, (or their direction, at least) as they noticed little iridescent bubbles floating around them and what with the laughter from Hermione and the shocked look of equal parts simmering rage and amusement and hidden contempt for the stupid dealings of a silly who-know-how-old 'tradition'. The bubbles were ranging in size of a fist to a pumpkin, each had a scarlet lion rampant and mid-roar while an emerald snake weaved around it, the out side seemed to vary more toward the purple-blue and yellow hues. The lions and snakes in other bubbles seemed to be in a myriad of poses other than that one, but all seemed to relay the mascots quite well, although none were fighting or of the badgers or birds. A smaller bubble drifted past Harry's nose, bursting as a corner touched the edge of his glasses. Blinking and turning to the teacher who was dancing quite merrily on his desk.

"What? I think we should pay more attention…" Harry pointedly looked at his friend who was slowly calming down, before she noticed the bubbles and started over again.

"Why congratulations, Mr. Potter! I do believe this is a cause for celebration, you mending ties to Slytherin is the first step to unity, my boy!"

Nodding slowly (as if the professor was unstable mentally) Harry smiled placatingly and nudged Hermione back to class. There was a slight 'pop' of noise as a few house elves entered with drinks and small pastries (lunch was right afterward, after all) and a few streamers came from the ceiling, no doubt due to their teacher.

"See, Harry, no one cares, not really!" before laughter bubbled out of the young woman and she hugged her friend (even with his 'Voldemort-worthy' glare). "It's just a scarf, not an announcement of a new alliance or marriage anymore, just a token of affection now a days! Not exactly common,"

"Really, 'Mione?" with an exaggerated huff they turned to the exited little part-goblin who was teaching the half of the class paying attention (Ravenclaws) and the half excitedly gossiping and having their own 'party' (Gryffindor).

There were bubbles with all kinds of things inside, the spell was quite simple, a bubble charm done with the intent of the image to be put within, and the simple command of animation after. Complications arose often and there were a few oddly misshapen ones, but all in all they were really well done, (over forty points were earned for each house present, and five for the 'Puff's since there was an 'epic battle against the Ravens and Badgers' displayed in a bright pink bubble that took up most of the room due to a combined effort and multiple spells done the Hermione, Harry and the entire Ravenclaw group). The bubbles spilled forth from the class and were escaping down the hall. Even after class there were little bubbles with scenes and figures all throughout the halls and spilling into the great hall as Lunch began. There was even a multitude of little bubbles in the shapes of scarves with the Gryffindor lion in a deep green hovering around Hermione conspicuously where as little blue and cool tones were surrounding Harry with many bright pink, gold, silver and green hearts dancing in each.

The lunch hall was a raucous affair that started out much like Charms had. The Gryffindor table was (surprising everyone) the calmest table there. Hermione and Harry were of the first to arrive being the Charms class closer than many, and sat near the middle of the table. They spoke of inconsequential nonsense and Harry fingered the scarf while Hermione told him a story her parents had sent her about one of their neighbours. As the hall filled Harry felt a few stares from Slytherin (Hermione checked, only they were looking at them) but not a sound was made as far as either knew about the scarf. It wasn't until nearly the whole of the Gryffindors had arrived that Hermione noticed what was wrong. They were on the receiving end of wary looks and glares (depending on who they were from, mainly Ron and Ginny) and there wasn't a single person sitting within a space that would fit two Goyle's on either side and a Crabbe on either side of Neville Longbottom (who, being Brave and Gryffindor-ish sat across from his friends) who was across from the two of them.

Noticing Hermione had stopped her story and was looking at their mutual friend and herb lover, he smiled and noticed (for the first time) that people had filled the hall. Neville (after a minute of staring and finally looking up) started and stuttered out: "H-hullo. Harry, Her-hermione."

"How's you're day, Nev?" Harry smiled, and started to eat. Neither Neville nor Harry pointed out the distinct lack of people, and Hermione just growled and glared at every lion who looked at them, eating and catting happily away while 'guarding' their group.

The trek to the Defence class consisted of a heated debate between the properties of a Womping Willow tree bred with a mandrake would cause and if it would be an effective defence mechanism for the school, (or anywhere really. It's screaming, thrashing and hates everything, really.) between Neville and Hermione. Harry was (again) lost in thought as he smile indulgently at his friends. He was worried about Ron and his sister. He had seen a few of their looks and had noticed the obvious avoidance of their house. It felt like second year, back when everyone thought he was the Heir, or back lasy year when they thought he entered his own name in the tournament. It was disturbing how fast they turned on him, and he thought it even worse his best friend (his first friend. Who was he kidding, the boy practically taught him all he could back when they were eleven on the train and into the school), they were seen as brothers in all but (ginger haired and freckled) blood. Not to mention he was the one who helped rescue him back in the summer before second year, and he helped with the Stone… and he believed in Sirius because Harry did.

"We need to talk,"

Interrupted and startled Harry jumped and turned to see the (blond prince) Slytherin who had caused the mess (liar, he caused it, he knew he had. He could've removed the offending scarf anytime) with Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini on either side, mirroring (not that Harry could see) the stance and form he and his friends had taken also. Nodding and smiling (fakely) to the two Gryffindor, Harry walked away from the group and followed Malfoy (Draco) into an alcove away from all the students filing past.

"Just a question, just a yes or no, got it?" blinking owlishly at the commanding tone and raising an eyebrow to the blond Harry nodded; heart thumping and chest aching from his pneumonia, even with the potions he could feel the weight and pressure (he should be used to sickness by now, he had been before Hogwarts) and not feeling up to a lengthy diatribe or fight or even pleasant conversation with anyone (especially since he wasn't sure he would even fight back at the moment), he agreed.

"Do you want to keep the scarf?"

Whatever he had been expecting, that was most certainly not even close (hoped for, but not expected), and Harry was shocked and not thinking and the only thing he could say (even if he had been told to only say a 'yes' or a 'no') was "What?"

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose and without saying a word Harry knew he would wait for the correct response. He started to ask 'why' and even a protest of 'borrowing it' or something, but it was silenced with a (very scary incarnation of his father's) look, and flushing (too pale still, to really be seen, especially in the dark) Harry just nodded.

Draco, in return, gave a short, sharp nod. Eyes never leaving his, quick-silver and emerald (slytherin colours, how perfect) Draco gave an almost predatory smile (his head of house would be pleased) and turned quickly to his own friends who were standing and making small-talk with Harry's (defending the merits of the hybrid Whomping Mandrake, no doubt) and, (tossed over his shoulder, like an after thought) replied in a silky tone that caused Harry's eyes to widen further and for Neville to step closer, Draco called: "Good," and, with a shared look with his friends, Harry had a floating feeling that things were only starting.

Posted on Dec. 26. 2010

Part drei!

I hope this is fast enough! I had to laugh most of my Christmas morning, waking up to three reviews (and the fact it's now the third Chapter) and over 27 'alerts', I admit I now understand why people fish for reviews, and I agree, Harry in a Slytherin Scarf, especially with Draco's name on it, would be adorable!

So, I thank the few reviewers of this, er year xP and those of last! And I hope everyone who has favourited and alerted enjoys along with all other anonymous readers and reviewers!

If you see ANY mistakes (or inconsistancy's), please let me know, ASAP!