Cassie sighed and shook her head. "Where in the bloody hell did those two get to?" she asked exasperatedly. "I mean, this is a train! There's only so many places they could be!"
Ginny snickered softly and placed a hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Um, is that them?" she asked looking in the window of the compartment next to them, smiling slightly.
"Merlin, I'm beginning to wonder if this is actually a good idea after all." Cassie replied shaking her head once again before opening the compartment door.
Blaise looked up as he heard the compartment door open. "About time you showed up!" he exclaimed as Cassie and Ginny entered.
"Yeah, what were you two waiting for?" Draco asked as the train lurched forward, causing both Cassie and Ginny to stumble and fall on top of Blaise.
Cassie shook her head and scoffed softly. "Nothing, we just had a little run in with the Boy-Who-Won't-Mind-His-Own-Business." she replied crawling off of Blaise and pulling Ginny up with her.
"Aw, I rather liked that position. I mean, c'mon… a Ginny Weasley sandwich." Blaise said pouting as the weight of both girls left his body.
Ginny blushed lightly and rolled her eyes. "Only in your wildest dreams would that ever happen, Zabini." she retorted as she brushed off her jeans before walking to the other side of the compartment and falling into the seat beside Draco.
"You don't mind, do you?"
Draco shook his head. "Not at all." he replied softly, stifling a yawn. "So, are you going to stand the whole trip, Cass?"
"No, actually. I was just- Never mind." Cassie muttered as she sat down beside Blaise, also stifling a slight yawn.
Blaise glanced at Cassie, then at Draco shaking his head slightly. "You two, we have a guest. Best behavior, remember?" he said his tone slightly teasing as he smiled at his best friends.
"Are they always like this, Cassie?" Ginny asked the girl raising her eyebrows as she glanced at both the boys.
Cassie nodded and sighed. "Unfortunately, yes, they are. But you get used to it after a while." she answered, playfully shoving Blaise's shoulder.
"Hey, you two are making us sound worse than we really are." Draco said leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes.
Blaise chuckled softly and mimicked Draco. "Don't mind him… he's just cranky." he muttered as he opened one eye slightly to looked at his best friend.
"My boys… what did I do to be punished this severely?" Cassie sighed as she noticed the matching smirk on both boys lips and shook her head.
Ginny laughed softly. "Oh c'mon… they're nothing compared to my brothers. You know that as much as I do." she said with a small smirk as she raised her eyebrows in a slightly suggestive manner.
Draco opened his eyes and glanced at Cassie, raising his eyebrows questioningly. "Really? She's never mentioned that before…" he murmured as he slouched farther down into the seat.
"And why would I, Draco?" Cassie asked in reply, crossing her arms. "You don't have to know everything in my life."
Blaise shook his head and sighed. "I do apologize for them, Ginny. I just don't know what's gotten into them today." he said, smiling a bit at the Gryffindor girl.
"It's alright." Ginny replied, slightly shocked that Blaise had called her by her first name.
Cassie and Draco glared at their best friend. "We don't need you to apologize for us." they muttered simultaneously, the tone in their voices slightly nefarious.
Blaise pouted and crossed his arms. "Well, I can certainly see that I'm appreciated." he grumbled as he turned to look out the window.
Ginny clasped a hand over her mouth as she started laughing. "Sorry.." she murmured breathlessly, shaking her head.
Cassie smiled and laughed softly. "Nothing to apologize for, Gin. I'm just glad your comfortable enough with these two to be your wonderful self." she said, her eyes now sparkling brightly.
"I hate to leave this revelry, but I must make the rounds." Draco sighed as he raised his arms over his head and stretched before standing to his feet.
"Good, now I won't be emotionally abused." Blaise said a smirk appearing on his lips as he watched Draco stand.
Cassie looked at Ginny and rolled her eyes. "Oh, Blaise… poor, poor pitiful you." she muttered teasingly, standing up and walking over to her boyfriend.
"Don't be too long, okay?"
Draco nodded and snaked an arm around Cassie's waist and pulled her close to him. "I'll be back as soon as I possibly can." he told her softly before lightly kissing her lips and slipping out of the compartment.
'They're dating?!' Ginny thought to herself as she watched Draco kiss her best friend, then walk out of the compartment. "Cassie, you never told me that you and Draco were dating."
Cassie flushed and looked helplessly at Blaise, whose smirk just widened. "Oh, well, only since just last week." she replied meekly before a slight smirk crossed her lips. "And since when have you called him by his first name?"
Blaise shook his head and smiled a bit to himself. 'Oh, this is going to be really fun.' he thought as he glanced between the two girls, noticing the color rising in Ginny's cheeks.
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"Oh, honestly, Ron! Ginny can take care of herself!" Hermione exclaimed, a slightly bewildered expression playing across her face as she glared at her boyfriend. "Besides, Cassie wouldn't let Blaise nor Draco do anything to hurt her."
Ron scoffed and shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. "'Mione, love, they're Slytherins! The whole lot of them are rotten to the core!" he argued before sighing heavily.
"And anyone who hangs around Malfoy and Zabini has got to be especially evil, Hermione." Harry added, coming to the aid of his best friend.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed. "I can't believe you two. Judging someone just because of their House is just as wrong as what Voldemort wants." she said softly as she stood up.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked standing up as well. "You can't just say something like that, then just walk outta here, Hermione!"
An irate expression flashed over Hermione's face at Ron's words. "Do not speak to me that way, Ronald Weasley!" she shouted, narrowing her eyes as she glowered at the redhead.
"I have rounds to make." Hermione muttered after a few moments silence as she pushed Ron out of her way and disappeared out the door.
Harry glanced sideways at Ron. "You alright, mate?" he asked carefully as his best friend fell into the seat next to him.
Ron nodded and ran both hands roughly through his hair. "Yeah, I'm alright…" he muttered as he shook his head with a sigh. "Just worried about everything, you know.."
"Yeah, I know, mate… I know." Harry said patting his friend on the shoulder. "They'll come around, trust me." he added, wishing he could believe that.
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"What do you want, Granger?" Draco asked as Hermione stopped him in the middle of the train corridor.
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "I want your word that neither you or Blaise will do anything to hurt Ginny." she answered crossing her arms over her chest.
Draco's eyebrows rose as her stared blankly at the girl in front of him. "And you'd actually trust the word of a Malfoy?" he retorted with a slight smirk.
"Not all Malfoys are untrustworthy, Draco." Hermione replied with a smile, her eyes sparkling knowingly.
A confused look flashed across Draco's features as Hermione spoke. "You've lost it, Granger. But, you have my word. Neither Blaise nor I will do anything to harm the Weaselette." he consented inclining his head slightly.
Hermione chuckled softly and shook her head. "Ever the smartass, eh? But, thank you." she replied softly as she took a step forward.
"See you around, Draco."
Draco nodded slightly. "See you around, Hermione." he muttered as he glanced over his shoulder at the retreating figure of the Gryffindor.
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Blaise smiled a bit as he glanced at Cassie, who was now asleep with her head on his shoulder.
"You like her don't you, Blaise?" Ginny's voice broke through Blaise's thoughts.
"'Course, she's one of my best friends after all." he answered, closing his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair nervously.
Ginny laughed softly and shook her head slightly. "Well, duh. But, that's not what I meant." she replied with a knowing smile playing across her lips. "You like her as more, don't you?"
Blaise cringed slightly as he felt the color rising in his cheeks. "I don't know what you're talking about, Ginny." he muttered softly as he glanced sideways at Cassie again.
"Whatever you say, Blaise." Ginny said, a knowing smile still in place on her lips.
Blaise closed his eyes and groaned. "Okay, you know my secret, tell me yours." he countered as a smirk appeared on his lips.
The color instantly rose in Ginny's fair cheeks at Blaise's words. "I can't." she whispered shortly, biting her bottom lip.
"Of course you can. Do it quick, like a band-aid." Blaise replied as he looked into Ginny's chestnut eyes, his smirk giving way to a slight smile.
Ginny sighed and twirled a wisp of her titian hair around her forefinger. "I don't know… I guess." she muttered reluctantly, still worrying her bottom lip. "You can't tell Cassie, but… I think I like Draco."
Blaise barely stopped himself from jumping to his feet. "Oh, really, that all?" he asked, trying to keep his composure. 'This make our job that much easier.' he thought to himself gleefully.
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Ron's head snapped up at the sound of the compartment door opening. "Hermione, I'm sorry." he said softly as he stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Me too, Ron. You two just make me so livid sometimes…" Hermione replied walking over to Ron and pulling one of his hands from his pocket then taking it in her own.
Harry chuckled softly to himself and shook his head. 'Always the same.' he thought, smiling a bit before closing his eyes.
"Did you run into Ginny on your rounds?" Ron asked, his tone slightly hopeful as his eyes shone with concern.
Hermione shook her head. "No, but I ran into Draco and I made him give me his word that they wouldn't hurt her." she replied softly, studying her fingernails.
"WHAT?!" Both Harry and Ron yelped simultaneously, their eyes wide and their mouths hanging open.
"And you actually believed him?" Harry asked disbelievingly shaking his head as he nearly fell back onto the seat.
Hermione nodded and sighed. "Yes, like I told him… not all Malfoys are untrustworthy." she said sitting down and closing her eyes.
"I can't believe this. My sister and my girlfriend both like Malfoy." Ron whined softly as he sat down beside Hermione and buried his face in his hands. "It's the Apocalypse…"
"I don't like him, Ron. He's just not all bad." Hermione retorted as she leaned her head back against the wall with a sigh.
"I think you've both lost your minds, myself." Harry said as he sat down and laid on his right side facing his best friends. "Malfoy is an evil prick and that's all there is to him."
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Yay! This is the longest chapter yet... whew, my fingers are tired, lol. Hope you enjoy it!