Hermione awoke to the pecking of owls at the window. She hopped out of bed and opened the stain glass. The owls dropped off their letters and didn't wait for a treat. "Hmmm, so all of them can come, I just need to reply to Jade to let her know her brother Jasper can come."

There was a knock, "Come on Hermione! Don't make me drag you to breakfast!"

"Let me get dressed!" Hermione called back, shedding her pajamas and putting on dark jeans and a black flowing blouse. Some eyeliner, mascara, and bronze eye shadow; she was ready.

The door opened and when Draco laid eyes on his girlfriend he grinned. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're gorgeous?"

Blushing she got closer and kissed him. "Is that a good answer?" she asked breathlessly.

Draco kissed her again, "Yes, bookworm, the best answer."

Taking her hand the two walked out of their dormitory and after going down the staircases they went into the Great Hall. Draco went to the Slytherin table and Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table. "How's Ron?" she asked Harry.

"He made it back to the common room a little after dawn. He'll probably be out on the couch until noon." Harry said as he spread cream cheese on a bagel.

Ron woke to a knock and groggily got up to open the portrait. "What-"

"Oh, I didn't think you'd be up. Since you are I'd like to make two things clear. One: I don't like you. Two: If you hurt my sister in any way I'll be sure to find a suitable punishment." a boy about a year younger with black hair and ice blue eyes stared coldly into Ron's sleepy brown ones. "By the way my name is Jasper."

With that the portrait was closed and Ron teetered to the couch. He bolted upright when the threat finally registered. "That git thinks he can tell me what to do? Who's his sister?" he looked down at his tattered clothes. Walking up to his dorm he mumbled, "I should probably change."

Ron came back down in jeans and a T-shirt and after a while opened the doors to the Great Hall. Jade was just leaving and the two bumped into each other. "Sorry, I didn't see you there," Ron said as he extended his hand to Jade. She took it and as he pulled her up he noticed a scar. He leaned closer to her and hissed, "You're the shape shifter?!"

Jade nodded. Ron's eyes grew wide and he exclaimed, "Your brother just threatened me!"

"He does that." Jade rolled her eyes. "Don't pay attention to him. Are you going to Hermione's party tonight?"

"Of course, are you?"

"See you there." Jade let go of his hand and sauntered away.

Ron grinned and strutted to the Gryffindor table. "Careful, if you puff up your chest more you'll burst." Ginny commented.

"I thought you were getting some rest." Harry said and his brow rose.

"I don't feel tired." Ron shrugged and started to pile food on his plate.

"All of you are coming to the party?" Hermione inquired her eyes hopeful.

"I think I speak for all when I say we wouldn't miss it for the world." Ginny answered.

Ron and Harry nodded.

"Great. I'll see you all at six thirty." Hermione clipped away with Draco following after.

"So you're off to decorate our common room?" Draco asked, keeping pace with her.

"Yes, do you want to help?" she asked and said the password to open the portrait.

"Sure. How's everything with your friends?"

"Great," Hermione said as she waved her wand and ribbons tied themselves to the top of the hearth. "Though Ginny has been have recurring nightmares. She's been looking paler ever since and her room mates have trouble getting her out of bed."

"How bothersome that is. Does she dream about the war?"

"No just a bawling woman in a Victorian style dress, the woods, howling, and then the woman screams. Ginny's room mates have also caught her sleepwalking."

"Hmm, maybe we should do some research on Sunday. Being with Scar-head means you're exposed to all things weird."

"You may be joking, but trust me, if that's the case then this is no joke."

Hermione, having finished decorating, plopped onto the couch. Draco sat next to her and put his hand on hers. "Hey, I know you're worried about your friend, but tonight is supposed to be time to have fun with friends. Ginny's a strong witch. She'll be fine."

There was a knock on the portrait and Hermione stood. "I hope you're right."

The bushy haired witch opened the door to find Blaise and Luna standing on the other side. "Come in! We have chips and pumpkin juice."

Blaise and Luna obliged and stepped in. "Cute decorations Hermione, too bad Crookshanks is messing with the ribbons."

Hermione turned and sure enough her cat was batting at the red cloth. "Crookshanks! You naughty cat! Now stop, get away from there, I said ST-"

There was a loud bark, Crookshanks hissed, and the cat ran up the stairs. Hermione turned to the open portrait and saw a boy about a year younger than her. "Cats always have to be in someone else's business. Come Jade, I do hope we can come in?"

"Yes, of course, excuse my behavior." Hermione said blushing as the black haired teen passed.

"It's quite all right. Everyone knows it's a bit challenging to teach a cat manners. Especially if kept alive." the boy sniffed and ignored the annoyed look from his sister.

"What is your name?" Draco asked.

"I'm Jasper, and I believe you already know Jade? I'm her younger brother but don't think that makes me weaker." Jasper said, taking a seat in an armchair.

"I wouldn't think of such a notion." Draco answered.

Hermione was about to close the portrait when the rest came through. "I hope we aren't late. Ron just wouldn't wake up from his nap." Ginny said between gasps.

"We made it just fine. I was having a great dream too." Ron said with his arms crossed.

"Okay, Draco, I think you told me we were going to play some games?" Blaise inquired as everyone took a seat.

"Right, now this is a muggle game called 'Truth or Dare'. The rules are quite simple: if you choose truth you have to answer any question honestly, if you choose dare you have to do what the person tells you to do. Hermione how about you start?"

"All right," Hermione's eyes looked around the circle and rested on her victim. "Luna truth or dare?"

"Truth," Luna said in her dreamy tone.

"What was your most embarrassing moment?"

"Hmm, I don't usually get embarrassed… there was that time when some girl dumped glue over my head during middle school. She was surprised when the pixies chucked wax at her nose."

There was silence and then everyone-excluding Jasper- laughed. "It's my turn?" Luna asked and Hermione nodded. "Harry truth or dare?"

"Truth," Harry said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

"Who was your first kiss?"

"My cousin Dudley made me kiss this sixth grader on a dare. How was I supposed to know she had a forward for a boyfriend?" Harry shrugged as the girls giggled. "Blaise truth or dare?"

"Dare, let's see what you got Potter." Blaise said with a smile.

"I dare you to confess your love to someone in the room. It can be anyone."

"Pfffffftttt, that's easy." Blaise's eyes seem drawn to the lions on the floor and then he turned dramatically to Draco who's eyes rolled in the oh-boy-this'll-be-good. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, I love you like the three younger brothers I have. I can only hope they'll be heartbreakers like the two of us. But seriously you put the charm in charming, you've had more girls than I can count on one hand, but now you have the best girl anyone could have. I just hope some more of her smarts rub off on you because, handsome, I need to borrow your history notes for the rest of the year. That is how much I love you."

"Cool down Casanova, you might hurt someone," Draco added as the rest chuckled, "mainly yourself."

"Jade truth or dare," Blaise inquired.

"Truth," Jade said confidently.

"Who's your crush?"

Blushing she looked down and informed her shoes, "Ron Weasley."

Ron's face turned beet red. Jade cleared her throat and turned to her brother. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare, do your worse sis." Jasper smirked.

"I dare you to lick someone's face."

Jasper turned to Hermione, and to her and Draco's horror the kid with the blue eyes licked down the middle of her lips. "EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW! That was disgusting!" the bushy haired witch rubbed her lips with her sleeve.

"Gross," everyone else said in unison.

"You're going to pay for that prat!" Draco snarled he was inches away from leaping over his girlfriend to wring Jasper's neck.

"Ah, I was dared to lick someone's face. There were no specifications. It slipped my mind that she was taken." Jasper said evenly. "So, Draco truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to transfigure yourself into a ferret."

Draco took out his wand and turned into his ferrety self. "Ginny truth or dare?"

"Dare, ferret face." she meant to lighten the mood but the comment didn't help.

"I dare you to make your voice lower until your next turn."

Ginny complied and said with a deeper voice, "Hermione truth or dare?"

"Dare," Hermione said.

"I dare you to smack Jasper across the face."

Hermione stood and turned to face Jasper. Her hand rose and fell across his face with a loud clap. A red mark that matched the outline of her hand bloomed. Still he smiled smugly. "Feisty, that's a good trait for a girl."

"That's it!" Draco shouted and jumped onto Jasper's chest. With his small claws he started to scratch and hiss frantically. Jasper's hand rose to grab the ferret around the middle but the white rodent crawled down his shirt and scratched at the teen's stomach.

"Both of you knock it off!" Hermione said firmly.

The scuffle stopped and the ferret jumped out of the shirt. It turned back into Draco and sneered. "Get out. You've caused enough trouble for one night you impertinent whelp!"

Jasper's eyes narrowed and he jeered. "This party was getting old anyway. See you later Jade." with that he stalked out of the dormitory.

"Good riddance. Now what was that flirting game you were talking about? Hunny if You Love Me?" Blaise asked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"What did I tell you Casanova?" Draco asked.

"I'll go easy on you handsome." Blaise winked and the others laughed.

So how has it been? Did you have a great Christmas? What do you all think of Jasper? Why have I brought up Ginny's nightmares? More chapters to come filled with answers. Please R/R and enjoy 2012 while you can (:

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