A/N: OMG! I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait! I've just been really, really busy trying to get my life back on track. A lot of things happened (mom getting married, problems at school, etc.). Anyway, on with the story!

"Why so serious?" – raise your glass, pink

Hermione's first day of school had gone pretty good. She had woken up early, careful not to wake Fred and had taken a shower, meanwhile thinking about the things they were going to learn this year. Classes had been relatively easy, so she'd had some time to talk to Fred, who of course already had learned a lot of the things they'd get that year. The day was over so fast and right now, Hermione was making her way to the library. When she went through the big doors, she noticed two things. One: Madame Pince was nowhere to be seen. And two: Astoria Greengrass was sitting all alone in a corner of the library, seemingly thinking hard about something. Hermione decided to take a chance and go and talk to the girl.

"Hey Astoria." The girl looked up, looking a bit darkly. "Why so serious?" A sigh left the younger girl's lips.

"Nothing." Hermione looked at her with a look that said: 'yeah right, and I'm Santa Clause'.

"Come on, it's not like I can't see that there's something wrong. You can tell me." Astoria shook her head and went back to looking into the distance. Hermione sighed and stood, ready to walk to another table.

"You can stay here, if you want." She heard Astoria say softly. Hermione smiled and sat back down.

"Thank you." The girl shrugged.

"It's not like I'll die if you sit here. I never believed in the whole muggles have to be eradicated nonsense anyway. Just the stupid family pressure, you know." Hermione nodded, not completely understanding what the girl had been through, but not having hard feelings against her either. There was a comfortable silence, while Hermione was reading a book and Astoria was thinking. That silence was soon disturbed by the giggling of two girls. Hermione and Astoria exchanged a glance and wordlessly decided to listen what the girls were talking about, when they heard Astoria's name.

"Astoria Greengrass, you know the pretty blonde one from Slytherin." Said one of the girls, who Hermione recognized as sixth year Ravenclaws.

"Are you sure?" The other girl answered.

"Absolutely. Ever heard him whistle a happy tune before? Only does it after she has walked by."

"We'll see. How about our head girl?" At this Hermione listened even more closely.

"Oh definitely Weasley."

"Which one?" They didn't hear the other girl answer, so they must've used a spell. Hermione uttered a curse.

"Wow, Granger, didn't know you knew how to use bad words." The voice of Draco Malfoy suddenly sounded.

"Sod off, Malfoy." Astoria said.

"Why would I, Greengrass?"

"Because you're very annoying and bothering our study session." Instead of leaving, however, he let himself fall down on an empty chair at their table. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Annoying me." A smirk spread on Malfoy's face. And Hermione could feel that Astoria was getting angry, so she decided to take control of the situation.

"Come on Astoria, you can study in the head dorms if you like." Astoria eagerly took the chance to get away from Malfoy and followed Hermione.

"Wow, this looks nice." The Slytherin girl commented as they entered the heads' common room. Hermione smiled.

"Good to see that you can appreciate our house colors." Astoria shrugged and let herself fall down on the couch.

"Hermione, is that you?" Fred's voice sounded from the small kitchen.

"Of course it's me, Fred. Who else could it be."

"I don't know. If you'd turned out to be McGonnagal I would have invited her for dinner." He joked.

"Good to know you have a crush on the headmistress." Astoria commented, from her spot on the couch.

"Who's that?" Fred's voice sounded.

"Astoria. Malfoy was bothering her in the library, so I offered to let her stay here. Hope that's okay with you?"

"Sure. Would you girls like something sweet?"

"Like what?" Astoria asked.

"I don't know. Name something." Fred called back from the kitchen.

"How about a banana split?" Hermione joked.

"Give me ten minutes."

"He's not serious, is he?" Astoria whispered. Hearing the noises coming from the kitchen, Hermione grinned.

"With Fred you never know." She whispered back, before yelling towards the kitchen: "I'd better not find any joke products in mine!"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Hermione sat down next to Astoria and shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. Which Astoria immediately noticed, but didn't comment on. It was indeed after about ten minutes that Fred came out of the kitchen carrying three banana splits. Talking about school the three sat there, feasting on the dessert Fred had made.