(A/N: Hello my peeps! So whilst I was healing from farm labor, I had an unholy amount of shit happen to me. Including two of the worst anxiety attacks I've ever had, dealing with mice deciding to party in my room, arranging surgery for my fucked up feet, my wisdom teeth decided to come in, our washer and dryer busted (so we had to go to the shady Laundromat), and I have to arrange things so I can appeal to a committee so that I can attend the University near me. Of course, good things have happened as well in that time. I got my hair cut, I watched the Tony Awards, and I got my book idea. So, not ALL bad things, but enough to make it pretty difficult to find the time to write down what I've been thinking of for this story. But now I have time, and I'm going to use it! I don't own HP, enjoy the chapter!)

Chapter 22: Call Me Chaos!

"HERMIONE! THANK MERLIN; I THOUGHT YOU ABANDONED ME TO THOSE TWO MORONS FOREVER!" Were my joyful shrieks as I glomped my favorite bookworm as she made her way back into the Common Room. (My brother and Harry indignantly cried out, "Oi!") The rest of our housemates roared with laughter as Hermione and I tumbled to the ground. She apparently hadn't foreseen my imminent attack of hugs right upon her arrival back.

"Kayla, I missed you too…..but could you please get off of me? We're blocking the portrait hole." Hermione gasped out, though I could detect the slight smile that she was trying to contain.

I jumped up again and said, "Right. I'll catch up with you in the dorms later; it's snake hunting time!"

As I skipped out of the common room, I could feel the incredulous stares of my friends and twin. It made me giggle.

~oOo~

"DARREN!" I called as I spotted my blonde friend across the Great Hall. He appeared to take a deep breath before he smiled back at me and walked over to me.

"Hello Kayla. How was your brea-" He started to ask before I gave him a hug. The rest of the students in the hall froze at the sight of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin hugging each other instead of hexing.

"Wanna go to the emo tower and make more band plans?" I asked.

He studied me for a moment. "Sure, and on the way we can discuss what the hell you are on right now."

He held out his arm and I looped mine through it as we started to walk. "Oh, and I'm not on anything."

Darren raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not! I'm just genuinely happy to see my friends that went home for the Holidays…and I may have gotten into a Sugar Quill eating contest with Ron." I was pretty sheepish by the end. And still bouncy.

He massaged his temples. "And your older brothers and Harry just allowed this to happen?"

I smirked a little and responded, "Well Harry thought it was funny, Fred and George were cheering us on, and Percy was off doing Prefect-y things. I won, by the way. Don't let Ron tell you anything different."

Darren laughed at that. "Of course you did."

"So, how were your Holidays?" I asked, not wanting to monopolize the conversation.

"Awkward. Really awkward. My parents tread on eggshells around me like I would turn them into toads at the slightest provocation and instead of the sheet music I asked for, they got me a football. My sister was better though, she just wanted to see what I've been learning. It sucked telling her that I couldn't. I did tell them about you, though. They really would like to meet you." Darren looked like he had been storing that up all break. (He probably had been, come to think about it.)

I decided to break the tension, "A real football or a soccer ball?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and his lips twitched, "You do realize that the majority of the world calls it football, don't you? And that rubbish that YOU call football is a watered down version of rugby."

I smirked. "Did you bring the soccer ball? It could be fun to play with it and confuse the people who've never played with one."

The Slytherin just sighed and nodded his head.

"Sweet! We can play with it tomorrow during break in the courtyard." I was excited; soccer had always been my favorite thing to play during recess.

He rolled his eyes and replied. "Sure."

Just then, we reached the top of the emo tower.

"So-so-so I talked to Percy and he suggested that we ask the Muggle Studies professor to be our sponsor!" I admit that talking about our future band only made me more hyper. I was bouncing on the balls of my feet with excitement.

Darren was vigilantly watching my bouncing (probably to make sure I didn't fall out of the tower) and appeared to be thinking about the suggestion.

"It actually makes a lot of sense since we're introducing Muggle music to the Wizarding World. Who would be more likely to support that than a professor who has made it her career to teach the witches and wizards of the UK about Muggle culture?" I wheedled, now skipping and twirling around the contemplative snake.

"I agree. But who's the Muggle Studies professor and where is her office?" Darren asked, appearing to get dizzy from trying to following my progressively faster circles I danced around him.

"I can ask Percy tonight at dinner." I replied, still whirling around.

"Who is our back-up option? Just in case." Darren asked.

I stopped my whirling. I hadn't thought of that. And the tower seemed to be spinning of its own accord.

Blinking a couple of times and shaking my head for good measure, I turned to Darren (who seemed to be barely containing laughter at my fight with dizziness) and after some thought suggested, "Perhaps Fitwick? He leads the choir. Or, if not him, McGonagall? She's seen me sing before and seemed to enjoy it."

"Two back up options? How very Slytherin of you." Darren smirked.

I flicked his forehead and eloquently replied, "Oh shut it, you slimy snake!"

But I couldn't keep a straight face at my poor imitation of some of the older, more-prejudiced students and neither could Darren.

We laughed for what seemed like ages.

~oOo~

Weeks flew by as Darren and I tried to get the wheels moving on our band. Professor Burbage was whole-heartedly behind our idea, but apparently there was a ton of parchment work that went along with creating a club. Our attempts at playing soccer during break were quickly shut down by Snape, who apparently hates fun. And happiness. And shampoo.

In the meantime, life at Hogwarts went on as usual.

Harry and Ron remained firm that it was Snape after the stone, Hermione was already getting crazy about exams, and I was doing whatever random thing struck my fancy (after completing my homework).

Currently, I was gazing out of the window and saw smoke floating from the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Odd.

"Hey guys, why don't we go pay Hagrid a visit?" I suggested.

~oOo~

A dragon egg.

Hagrid has a fucking dragon egg.

Suddenly, I had the most inappropriate urge to burst into song.

So I did.

On the way to Charms with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Quietly, I sang:

"Puff the magic dragon,

Lived by the sea

And frolicked in the Autumn Mist

In a land called Honah Lee

Little Jackie Paper-"

Hermione slapped a hand over my mouth looking scandalized and paranoid. "Kayla! That song is highly inappropriate and it's drawing attention to us!"

I put on my best innocent expression and replied, "Why Hermione, I was just reveling in the beauty of magical creatures and had to sing about it. How is that song not appropriate?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but grinned slightly. Ron just looked confused.

Hermione bristled and hissed, "You know very well that that song has absolutely nothing to do with dragons!"

I dropped the innocent look and smirked, "The title of the song would like to disagree with you."

Hermione looked at her incredulously and exclaimed, "You're impossible!"

My smirk just widened, "And proud of it!"

~oOo~

(A/N: Next chapter, the Norbert Debacle will continue….with my own twist on it, of course! Let me know in the reviews what you thought of this chapter! Toodles!)