After morning classes Hermione took off. She didn't want Harry and Ron to see her with Blaise and Malfoy, yet. The halls were crowded. The younger students hurried to their classes and the older students when to go study, or goof off. Hermione was walking through the crowded hallway when she ran into someone. Quickly apologizing, Hermione looked up and saw Luna staring at the ceiling.

"What are you looking at?" She asked. Hermione looked up at the ceiling but saw nothing.

"I thought I saw a nargle, which is unusual because they are normally found in mistletoe. This on must be lost." Luna said, in her dreamy voice.

"Ok, well I have to go now."

"Bye."

Hermione walked away. She needed to meet up with Blaise and the others. Her revenge was going to be sweet. They were all meeting in an unused classroom that they had gotten permission to use. Hermione easily spotted the group of Slytherins. The students gave them a lot of room. The sea of students was nearly parted down the middle.

"Hello Granger," Draco greeted her dryly. There was no emotion in his voice, not even his usual sneer.

"Malfoy."

"Mud--" Draco put his had over Pansy's mouth. She was shocked that Draco had not let her finish her insult. Draco's hand dropped quickly.

"Don't be rude Parkinson." His voice still lacked emotion. Draco had stopped using Pansy's first name. He only ever felt annoyance towards her and didn't respect her enough to use her name. The only person he still called by their first name was Blaise.

"But Drakie--"

"I told you to never call me Drakie again!" Draco's unemotional voice suddenly became full of rage. His stone were on fire and he looked like he was about to snap. Pansy shrank into a corner.

"Draco, calm down." Blaise placed his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco's face recomposed and Pansy stood up taller.

"Sorry," Draco muttered. His apology directed at Hermione, not Pansy. "Now to business." The empty classroom was dark. A few candles lit the room. Everything was covered in dust. In the center of the room was a small table. Everyone sat down around it.

"We've got one clue and two rules, has anyone got any ideas?" Draco said, his voice seemed even less emotionless now, like it was mixed with boredom.

"Well the second rule implies that we won't be inside Hogwarts," Hermione started, "But we'll be close enough to get back to the school. Perhaps," Hermione paused to think. "The Forbidden Forest?"

"There's no way they'd let a bunch of kids out into the Forbidden Forest, "Goyle stammered. "Is there?"

"We're not really kids anymore," Blaise pointed out.

"Right," Draco agreed, "It seems like a plausible idea."

Their thoughts were interrupted by a tapping at the window. Hedwig sat on the windowsill, she had a letter.

"What does Potter want now?" Draco sneered. A scowl was on his face. If there was on person he hated it was Harry Potter, and it didn't help that he owed Harry his life.

"It's not from Harry! It's my clue!" Hermione squealed. Viktor had written her back so quickly! Everyone looked at here, dumbstruck. Only Blaise, who had overheard her telling Ron and Harry about it, knew what she was talking about. Hermione tore the letter from the envelope and read it.

"Let us see it," Draco demanded. He snatched the envelope from her and read it aloud.

"Dear Hermione, It's true that this test was tested at my school but I was never able to participate. The test was first tried during my sixth year. The whole school went crazy over it. My seventh year was spent at Hogwarts for the Tri Wizard Tournament. I know all about this test though. I can't help you much though. The largest hint I'm allowed to give you is this: Survival. Signed Viktor K."

Draco finished the letter and everyone was silent. Pansy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was mesmerized by Draco's voice. His monotonous, unemotional, cold, almost cruel, voice.

"So it's a survival test then?" Hermione broke the silence. No one spoke. They're heads spinning with ideas, all of them trying to figure out what this test was really going to be about.

"So they're just dropping us in the middle of the Forbidden Forest and leaving us to fend for ourselves?" Blaise said, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Well not technically alone. The second rule implies that there will be teachers present." Hermione stated in a very matter of fact way.

"So what do you suppose we do about it Granger?" Draco tried not to sound mean but his voice betrayed him and he ended up sneering 'Granger'.

"Well Malfoy," Hermione said, putting equal emphasis on his name, "We need to look up spells that will help us survive as well as different plants that might be helpful.

The rest of their meeting was spent going over what they already knew. When they left things seemed to be going pretty well. Everything was a lot less tense between Hermione and the Slytherins, other then Pansy who would only glare at her.

Harry and Ron spent their afternoon in the Gryffindor common room. They ha d a Charms test the next day and neither of them wanted to fail it. The common room was basically empty. A few students would wander in to get something, then leave. This left Harry and Ron mainly to themselves.

"Where d'you suppose Hermione is?" Ron asked for the third time that day.

"I don't know Ron?" Harry's voice was distant. His mind wasn't focused on Ron's problems, it was on his. Ron was becoming worried by the fact that he hadn't seen Hermione all day. What's she planning. Was all Ron could think about. Then it hit him. There was one sure way to find out where Hermione was without her knowing it.

"Harry can I borrow your Marauder's Map?" Ron asked.

"It's in my trunk." Harry didn't bother to ask why. He knew exactly what Ron was going to do with it. His mind was filled with too many questions. Well one question really. Ginny or Cho? Both Hermione and Ron had told him to break up with Ginny but Harry wasn't so sure. He wasn't even sure if he was in love with Cho or not. Harry was still in love with Ginny but he couldn't stop thinking about Cho.

"Harry! This is bad!" Ron call as he rushed out of the dorm. "Come look at the map!" Harry hurried to Ron's side and looked where he was pointing. Hermione's name appeared on the map in an empty classroom. This of course wasn't the problem. Harry gasped as he saw the names around her. Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Gregory Goyle.

"They're just standing there," Ron said. He was confused. Were they yelling at each other? What could they be doing?

"Ron don't just stand there! We need to go and save her!" Harry ordered. His head was suddenly clear of his worries, his whole mind focused on saving his friend.

"What does she need saving from?" Ron said, his bitterness was obvious. He was still angry with Hermione. "They wouldn't do anything to get themselves in trouble."

"Ron you're an idiot!" Harry got up and began to leave, "Let's go," He barked over his shoulder. They were headed straight for the classroom when Harry remembered something Hermione had said. 'I'm going to do something that might be incredibly stupid to get revenge on Ronald. Please don't hate me.'


Harry and Ron arrived just as Hermione and the Slytherins were leaving the classroom. Blaise had just told a joke and everyone was laughing, even Draco, although it was a very staged laugh.

"What the hell did you do to her Malfoy?" Harry was at Draco's throat with his wand. Draco back up against the wall, there was real fear in his eyes.

"I d-didn't d-do an-anything t-to her Potter," Draco stammered.

"Really Malfoy? I think you did!" Ron said. His wand was up, he was making sure no one else did anything. Harry and Ron were the only ones with their wands out; if anyone had passed by they would think that Harry and Ron were the attackers.

"He didn't do anything Ronald. No put your wands away before someone finds us." Hermione said. Ron's appearance had ruined Hermione's good mood, now she just wanted to get away from him. "I told you that you would regret crossing me Ronald! I've found people that will actually work on something with me instead of me doing it for them!" Hermione stormed off. She didn't know where she was going.

"Well see you Potter," Draco said taunting them. The Slytherins followed Hermione's path down the hall.

"Bloody Hell, what was she thinking?" Helping Malfoy and a bunch of Slytherins on the biggest test we'll ever have! She's mental!" Ron said as he and Harry returned to the Common Room. Neither of them could believe what had just happened.

"I don't know Ron. It looks like we won't be getting her help though." After the adrenaline had worn off Harry's problems all came crashing down on him.

"On anything," Ron agreed.

Hermione was only vaguely aware that she was being followed. Her blind rage made it hard for her to tell what was going on. She didn't want to think about Ron anymore. She needed to talk to someone, someone who would have an unbiased opinion on the situation. Someone who wasn't in Gryffindor or Slytherin. Finally Hermione stopped in an abandoned corridor. She sank to the ground.

"Are you alright Hermione?" Blaise asked as they caught up with her.

"Fine." She said sharply. "I just need to be alone."

"Alright, see ya." Blaise said.

"Bye Granger," Draco said. Pansy just glared at Hermione, who didn't notice, and Goyle nodded. Hermione was left alone by herself.

Dinner that night was nothing short of awkward. Harry sat next to Ron, across from Ginny who was next to Hermione. No one spoke, they just ate. Ginny didn't know exactly what had happened. Hermione had only told her that she had gotten new people to help her with the test and Harry and Ron didn't approve. Ginny had already guessed who was helping her, seeing as how the only people Harry and Ron didn't approve of were Malfoy and his friends.

As dinner progressed things became more tense. Hermione couldn't look away from her food and she felt like everyone was watching her, Ron was either glaring at Hermione, the Slytherin table, or his food, Harry's eyes were unfocused, and Ginny was keeping her eyes on everything.

"Are you ok?" Ginny whispered to Hermione, finally breaking the silence.

"Fine. I just need to," Someone who isn't in Gryffindor or Slytherin. Hermione knew someone that wasn't in Gryffindor or Slytherin, and was most likely to have the most unbiased opinion in the whole school. "I need to go speak with Luna."

Hermione found Luna outside the Great Hall after dinner. She was sitting look up again, this time at a pair of sock hung up over the rafters. The socks were a bright blue color, striped with green.

"I suspect the Nargles." Luna said, looking over at Hermione. Luna had found another of her missing items, although she didn't know how she was going to get them down.

"Luna, I need your help with something," Hermione said. She pulled Luna away from the socks and into a nearly empty hallway. A few students where heading back to their rooms even though they still had an hour before curfew.

"What is it you need Hermione?" Luna said, her deep blue eyes transfixed on Hermione's face.

"Well I've had an argument with Ron," Hermione began. She explained everything to Luna. How she was helping Draco and Blaise with their test and how Ron had insulted her. She also told her about what happened today and how this whole thing had started.

"It sounds to me like you and Ron have blown things way out of proportion. But you should stick with your decision. Ron and Harry took things too far today. Plus you want to get ahead on this test and you should work with people who will help you. Survival or the fittest, right?"

Well, how'd you like it? So I know I only got one chapter up since my return and sadly I'm leaving again but I'm taking a notebook with me to work on the story. I'll be gone longer this time.

Also there were only two votes in the pole, so I'm going to set up a new one. (I've picked my favorite of the two votes though) This one will be about Harry. Please review! (I haven't gotten any so far :( )