"What's the most fun you've ever had?"

It was evening, and Draco and I were lying on the living room carpet, still asking each other questions.

"Hmm," I said, propping myself up on my elbows. "That's tricky. Oh! I know. Once, about a year ago, Daphne and I snuck out of the house and went to a Muggle amusement park."

He raised his eyebrows. "A Muggle amusement park? Really?"

"You know, just because you're a pureblood doesn't mean you have to scorn everything Muggle-related," I said.

"Just because I'm a pureblood? You are, too, you know."

I paused for a moment. Should I tell him? I decided that I should. "Well, since you're a part of the family now, I suppose I can tell you." I paused for dramatic effect. "I'm not actually a pureblood."

He sat up, staring at me. "What? How?"

I sat up, too. "My mother, Diamond Emeret, was twenty when she married Jonathon Greengrass. She was already three months pregnant with me. My real father was muggleborn. Daphne and I are actually half-sisters."

"What?" he said.

"You can't tell anyone," I said. "It's Mother's biggest secret. She told me when I was eight, because Father—or the man I thought was my father— died, and all the relatives came to visit, and I didn't look like anyone on that side of the family, or Mother's side, either. She always tells people that I look exactly like her sister Emerald, since no one can verify that."

"Didn't Emerald die in some freak accident when she was a child? She drank some potion because she thought it was lemonade?"

"Actually, she was a Squib," I said. "They gave her up for adoption when she was pretty young."

He shook his head. "I wish I could say that I was shocked, but it's happened in our family."

"Anyways," I said, "I'm a half-blood. Mother would never tell me who my father was, but it always made me sort of curious about the Muggle world. So Daphne and I used to go into London and visit shops and pretend to be Muggles."

"And this amusement park thing was fun, you say?" he said.

An idea struck me, and I grinned. "Why don't we let you find out for yourself?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, I woke Draco up bright and early.

"Ugh," he groaned. "Why do you feel the need to wake up at such an ungodly hour? Couldn't you force me into Muggle-y torture at a ten o'clock in the morning?"

I rolled my eyes. "This is pathetic. Come on, get up."

He rolled over and opened his eyes. "Are you already dressed?"

"Yes. Now it's your turn. And don't wear one of your ridiculous polo shirts, either."

He threw back the covers and sat up. "Ridiculous polo shirts?"

"Yes. What are you, anyways, someone's grandfather?"

"So what am I supposed to wear?"

"Wear jeans and a t-shirt, like a normal twenty-year-old male."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not particularly normal."

"Yes, yes, you're extraordinary, Pureblood, Slytherin, blonde, rich, famous, et cetera, et cetera. Can we go now?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You know, there is a very irritating, cheeky person hidden under your prim, blushing-bride demeanor."

"Prim, blushing-bride demeanor? Now you're just insulting me. Come on, get up!" I yanked on his arm and he tumbled out of bed.

"Merlin!" he exclaimed. "When did you get so violent?"

"I take my rollercoasters very seriously. Now get up, or I'll pour cold water on you."

I realized, with some surprise, that I made this threat in the same easy, comfortable way I would have if I was talking to my sister, Daphne, or Penelope, my best friend. At the same time, I knew I really shouldn't be surprised. I've always made friends easily, and once I'm friends with someone, I become comfortable with them very quickly. But did that mean that Draco and I were friends?

"Fine, fine, I'm getting up!" he said. He jumped to his feet. "See, I'm up. Now leave so I can get dressed."

"Don't go back to bed!" I said as I left the room. I ran down the stairs and discovered that Juliana was setting the table for breakfast.

"You're up early," she said.

I smiled at her. "Draco and I are going to an amusement park."

"Have fun," she said. "I hate those. They make me sick to my stomach."

"I love them," I said. I grabbed a muffin from the tray of food and sat down at the table to wait for Draco.

"See you later!" said Juliana, heading back to the kitchen. I waved at her.

Ten minutes later, Draco came down the stairs, looking much less formal than usual. Rather than wearing dress pants and a button-down shirt, he was wearing jeans and a thin blue t-shirt.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Muggle-ish," said, grinning at him. "Come on, grab something to eat and let's go."

"How are we getting there, anyways?" said Draco. "We can't Apparate into a place filled with Muggles."

"Oh, Merlin," I said. "I didn't even think of that."

"Astoria is very forgetful," said Draco. "I'll add that to my notes. Purple, poetry, chocolate, forgetfulness."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Does the house come with a car?"

"Yes, but it doesn't matter," I said. "I can't drive."

Draco grinned. "But I can."

"Really?" I said, surprised.

"Grab something to eat," he said, smiling. "Let's go."