Hope got up early the next morning. She couldn't sleep. This may have been the reason she was in Gryffindor, after all, but she'd rather not have found out this way. All night she'd drift off to sleep and then wake up shortly after, her mind still spinning with her conscience. And Draco Malfoy kept popping into her head.

Not looking where she was going, her mind running too quickly to notice, she ran into someone in the Common Room.

'Whoa, you alright, Hope?' She glanced up to see Harry – the last person she wanted to see. She forced a smile.

'Yeah. Sorry about that.' She replied quickly, about to walk past him. He stepped in front of her.

'It's okay,' He told her. 'Are you alright? You look tired.'

'Gee, thanks.' She said sarcastically. He was really starting to get on her nerves, and she really was not in the mood.

'No, I didn't mean it like that…'

'Harry, I gotta go do something.' She interrupted him.

'Oh,' He said glumly. 'Okay then. I'll see you later.'

Hope didn't stick around to answer him, she slipped straight past him and left the common room.

She didn't even know where she was going, just walking to try and get away from everything. No, she told herself you can't let this get to you! She found herself almost instinctively gravitating towards the library. But, she wasn't going there to read books.

Sitting by herself at the back of the library, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he'd show up. It had become more like a meeting place than a library for them. After about ten minutes of flicking through the books that were on the shelf next to her, she heard footsteps close by.

'Thought I might find you here.'

Hope smiled up at him. He returned it and sat down next to her.

'Homework?' He asked her.

'No. Just wanted some quiet.' She told him truthfully. Well, partially true, anyway.

'Oh… should I go?'

She shook her head. 'No, no. By quiet I meant away from Harry Potter. Anyone else is fine.' He smirked back at her and nodded.

'Yeah, 'course. I really understand that.' He smiled. She giggled, of course he understood that, he spends probably every waking moment trying to avoid Harry Potter.

'So it's,' He checked his watch. 'Half past nine and he's already annoyed you enough to send you to the library?' He laughed.

'Oh yeah. All he had to do was say 'hi' to me this morning. I really am not in the mood for him to nag me today.' Hope replied with a sigh.

'Why, what's up?'

She put her head on the desk in frustration. 'Well,' She began. Draco could tell something really was bothering her, and resisted the temptation to put his arm around her. And besides, people might see.

'Basically, I got back to the common room last night, and Hermione started talking to me. Said she'd been waiting for me, which is always bad news. And she told me that Harry wants to ask me to the Halloween party,' She rested her head on her hands and stared back at him.

'Right,' Draco nodded, taking a couple of seconds to register what she'd said. 'And… I take it you don't want to go with him then?'

'What do you think?' She said sarcastically. He nodded and smiled back at her.

'True enough, but I don't think you'd mind that much, he's supposed to be your friend,' He grinned. 'But don't get the idea that I'm sticking up for the guy, I think he's vile. Still, you'd call him a friend.' He added. Hope smiled at him, he was starting to sound like he felt sorry for Harry, but gladly, he'd corrected himself.

'Yeah, well,' Hope continued. 'I wouldn't mind so much, but he's just not the top of my list. That's what I'm saying. And everything he does really annoys me.' She explained.

'So… if your dear friend Harry Potter, famous wonder boy, doesn't come top of your list, then what sort of standards have you got?' He laughed, only joking though. Hope smiled back, he was right. When she thought about it that way, it seemed kind of stupid not to want to go with him. He had girls lining up for him to take them out.

'Yeah well,' She sighed. 'People don't know him, they just know of him and assume it's the same thing. He's nothing like they think he is. He's awkward and shy, and annoying and at times he's really self-centred.'

'Finally, someone sees him how I do.' He joked. Hope raised a smile.

'See? Just a joke and you can smile again, come on, cheer up,' He grinned at her. 'Besides, you've only got to dance with him a couple of time and your done!'

'Yeah… I guess you're right,' She smiled back at him. 'Who are you going with, anyway?'

He shrugged. 'I don't know. I've got a vague sort of list… like you have,' He smiled. 'But I know a couple of people who are going with someone else, so it sort of brings me back to square one.'

'Aww,' Hope teased. 'You could always go with that girl who follows you around…? I can't remember her name.'

'Who? Pansy?'

'Yeah! That's the one.'

He laughed. 'Not a chance. I'd rather go alone than with her.'

'Seriously? I thought you two went out…'

He grinned awkwardly at her. 'Well, yeah, we did. But it didn't work. And when I say that, I mean there was this really hot girl at this party, and she was… you really don't need to know that, right?'

'Right,' Hope smiled back. 'but okay. So, who are you going to ask?'

He shrugged. 'I dunno. I was going to ask this one girl, but it probably wouldn't work anyway, and she's already got a date.'

'Aw, that's too bad. Who's second on your list?'

'Well, I could ask Stefanie, I guess. But she's all looks and no personality. She's so dull,' He sighed. 'if only the other girl didn't have a date!'

'Who were you going to ask? And who's her date?' Hope asked, completely none the wiser about who he would have asked.

'It doesn't matter, Hope,' he told her. 'like I said, it wouldn't have worked?'

'Why not?'

'Well… I'm not supposed to even be friends with her, so asking her to go as my date is just completely out of order.' He told her. He really thought that she'd guess it was her he was talking about – it was obvious!

'Oh, I get it. She's dating one of your mates. Yeah, you're right, it's probably best to stay away from her.' Hope agreed.

'Yeah… you're right,' Draco replied slowly. Seriously, he didn't think she was stupid, but there really must have been nothing going on in her head.

There were more footsteps close by. Hope turned around to see Ron staring at her, glancing between her and Draco.

'Hey, Ron!' She smiled at him.

'Uh… hey. What are you doing?' He asked, still wide-eyed.

'I'm just working, Ron. Doing some homework. Why? What's up?'

'Nothing, nothing.