Disclaimer: Not mine.

"I can't do it."

"It's just a quick meeting with McGonagall, Simone. You'll be fine."

We were in the Heads' common room, fifteen minutes before the 'big meeting'. Simone was freaking out and I couldn't get her to calm down. Not even the warm yellow, gold, red and black of the common room calmed her down. She paced the floor, wringing her hands so hard I was sure I was beginning to see marks.

Simone shook her head, practically hyperventilating. I grabbed her hands and forced her to sit down. "You'll be fine. Come on breathe love."

The poor thing looked close to tears.

"Simone?" The two of us looked up as Hermione came down the stairs from her dorm. "Are you alright?"

Simone tried to nod but it was easy to see the effort was hard. Hermione came and sat down next to her. I let go of her her hands as Hermione reached for them.

"You're going to be okay, Simone," Hermione said with a smile. "Thomas and I will be right there with you the whole time. Don't be nervous. You should be proud?"

"Proud?"

"Your idea is fantastic, Simone. Not only that but – you've grown. Since our first day back you've blossomed magnificently from being that shy prefect at the back of the room to this young woman making changes at our school. You have every right t be proud and McGonagall's going to notice."

I wished so much that I could hug Hermione even as she hugged Simone who looked shocked by the contact and Hermione's praise. I think when those sort of words came from me, Simone wasn't quick to believe them because it was me, her closet friend. But coming from Hermione, a girl she had hardly ever shared more than two words with, it meant something different.

"You girls ready?" Thomas asked as he ran down the stairs. He grinned when he saw the two girls, both teary-eyed but smiling. "Aww man, did I miss a moment?"

"Be quiet," Hermione said, standing and pulling Simone up. "It was a girl moment. You wouldn't have been interested anyway."

"Who says!" Thomas argued, throwing his arm around both girl's shoulders as the walked out the portrait hole. "I could be, you know, the strong shoulder to cry. What do you say about that Simone?" he added winking at her.

Simone shot me a quick glance, smiling at Thomas. "I'm good thanks."

"Finally someone else to turn you down," Hermione said, grinning.

"She'll fall for my charm eventually," Thomas said with a smirk. "Everyone does."

"Hardly."

I followed the trio towards McGonagall's office, smiling as they drew Simone into their conversation. Simone looked at me as they reached the gargoyle but I shook my head. She had this. I knew she would be okay.

They were up there for maybe an hour.

I was used to waiting for Simone to come back from her other meetings so I just floated in the hallway. When the gargoyle jumped aside, I stood up again. I could hear them laughing so I could only guess that the meeting went great.

Thomas came first, grinning widely. He turned and faced the staircase, grabbing Simone as she reached the last step and spinning around as if she weighed nothing. She screamed in surprise, laughing as he set her down. "That was brilliant Simone!"

"I told you McGonagall would love it!" Hermione said, smiling. She hooked her arm in Simone's as they walked down the hallway. "Oh this is going to be so great!"

"I hope everyone else likes it," Simone said, still smiling, which was a first.

"Are you kidding?" Thomas said. "They'll love it too."

I walked behind them on their way to drop her off at the Entrance Hall, happy that Simone finally had some people her own age to talk to. I'll admit, I was a slight bit jealous because I was so used to having her attention placed mainly on me.

But it was okay.

This is what I wanted for her.

"Simone," Herimone said as the got closer to the hall. "Ginny Weasley, you two are in the same year right?"

"Yes," Simone told her, "but we – er, we've never talked."

"Well, she and I are going to Hogsmeade together this weekend. Would you like to come with us? It be the perfect time to introduce you. I'm sure she'll love you too."

"Oh, well," Simone smiled brighter and shocked me when she answered, "Sure I'll go."

"Can I come?" Thomas asked.

"Sorry," Hermione said, smiling. "Girls only."

The two girls giggle as Thomas groaned loudly and my grin widened.

It was about time.

"So she liked it?"

"Loved it."

I grinned at Simone as we snuck along the corridors. Dinner would be coming to an end soon so we had to hurry.

"What did she say?" I asked as we scuttled down the stairs.

"Pretty much the same things that Hermione said in the meeting. She felt it was unique and different. There going to start building it during Christmas break so that we won't disturb too many students."

"I'm really proud of you Simone." I grabbed the back of her robes and pulled her behind a pillar as the sound of footsteps approached. A first year Slytherin ran past, hoping to catch the last part of dinner.

"Ready?" I asked when the kid was gone.

"No."

I smiled though, sneaking forward first. There was no one else here. I looked back to where Simone was standing, hidden behind the pillar. "Come on."

She hesistated a second before running forward, the bundle she held gripped tightly to her chest. "So I know I asked you to show me more prank but I didn't actually think I'd be carrying them out."

"Well what would have been the use of me showing you if you wouldn't use them?" I argued.

Simone just shook her head, unfolding the robes to reveal the thirty or so dungbombs she had snuck in from her last Hogsmeade trip. It was going to be harder for her to get supplies if she started hanging out with Hermione.

"Okay, the key to this is setting them up so that when the door opens, they'll go off," I told her, as she picked one up in her hand, "and to make sure they don't go off on you."

"That definitely would be bad," Simone said, scrunching up her nose.

"Right, so be careful – place one there . . . a little to the lef –careful! Don't squeeze it too hard."

"I can't believe you've got me doing this to my own House."

"They haven't done anything for you lately anyways. Why not get back at them for years of oppression?"

". . . . Well, you have a point."

Minutes later, all the dungbombs were placed and ready. I grabbed Simone's arm and pulled her down the hallway. A group of Slytherins walked past, some glancing at her, some ignoring her.

I grinned. "Five – four –"

"Three – two –" Simone finished, smiling.

On cue, a dozen or so shouts echoed through the hallway and Simone and I made it out of the corridor before the stink cloud puffed up behind us. We stood off to the side, watching people stumble out of the horrid stench choking and clawing for fresh air.

"Nice job," I muttered as one Slytherin collapsed to the floor.

Simone actually smirked. It was the sort of smirk that would have made the Malfoys proud I'm sure.

And I know I was proud too.

A/N: So what did you think? Simone's a mischevious little thing isn't she lol! Hope you enjoyed, see you next time.