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[A/N II: Because of "Irene" this chapter is for BookLover223 for not only getting the joke, but making it funnier. This time round you get 10 points for telling me where I got the name of Hannah's cat.]

I sat on my bed in my room looking over essays for Snape's class. It was tedious work going through and correcting every wrong answer in it but somebody had to do it and as TA, I was basically his slave.

Next to me, Aria, my kitten, was attacking a toy mouse. On the floor, Draco sat, Indian style , doing homework.

Most days it was like this – Draco and me doing work together in my room. Other days, he made himself scarce, working on his project for Voldemort. He was tired all of the time, dark circles rounded his eyes and he was paler than usual.

"So, my mother wrote me this morning," Draco said suddenly.

"What about?" I asked.

"Christmas," he replied. "She doesn't want me to stay at Hogwarts. She wants me to come home."

"So what's the problem?" I asked.

"She won't be there. She'll be 'away', which I expect is just code for doing work for Voldemort with my aunt," Draco said.

"Why doesn't she want you here?" I asked.

"She wants me as far away from this school as possible for whatever reason," he said.

"Probably so you stop working on your stupid project. You're killing yourself over it," I said.

"I have to for her," Draco said.

I sat the essays aside and slid down onto the floor next to him.

"Maybe that's why she's worried for you. Because you're driving yourself out of your head for her," I said. Draco shrugged. "What if I come spend Christmas with you, that way you don't have to be alone."

He shook his head. "No. I know how much you love spending time with your family. I'll be fine."

I sighed. "I hate for you to be alone."

"I'll never be alone. As long as I have you," he said. "And I won't let you be alone ever again for the rest of forever."

"Forever's an awfully long time to have to put up with me," I said.

"I'm up to the challenge," he said.

"Prove it. Next Friday Slughorn is having a Christmas party and hues who gets to be my date," I said. Draco groaned.

"He is one of my least favorite people you know," he said.

"I know, but this important to me," I said.

"I already made plans for us that day," he said.

"To do what?" I asked.

"It was a surprise. In fact it still is a surprise cause I'm still gonna do it," Draco said.

"You're gonna do what?" I asked.

"I can't tell you! It's a surprise," he said. "Hopefully you'll like it."

"Well, I like most surprises," I said.

"Well. . . This is a really special and important surprise," he said. "You're either going to love it or hate it."

"What kind of surprise is this?"I asked.

"I can't tell you," he said.

I sighed. "Okay. At least you'll be going to Hogsmeade this Saturday, right?"

"Yes but. . ."

"But what?" I asked.

"I'm actually going to be hanging out with Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle," he said. I scoffed. "Please don't be mad. We just need some guy time."

"Guy time? We've been back together for almost a month and I don't spend any time with you outside of doing homework or studying or class," I said. "And all those 'study breaks' you take to swap spit with me, among other things, doesn't really count as spending time together either."

"I will make this up to you. I promise. I'm kind of a failure, I know. But trust, after next Friday things between you and me are going to be very different," he said.

"Promise?" I asked.

"You have the Draco Malfoy guarantee," he said. I nodded.

"I suppose that'll have to do," I said. I gave him a kiss.

"In the meanwhile. . . How about a study break?" he asked.

I laughed. "Keep it in your Malfoy. I've got essays to grade."

888

"Who're you taking to Slughorn's party?" I asked Harry as we took out some brother and sister time at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade that weekend.

"Well, I had invited Kaitlin to come with me, you know as my friend, because she was really cool when we hung out at Hogsmeade, but apparently Professor Slughorn has asked her to be in charge of entertainment," Harry said.

"And she can't very well mingle with you if she's off singing," I said.

"Correct, so I'm bringing Luna instead," he said. I giggled

"That's adorable," I said.

"I know, but she's my friend and she's cool so I thought, why not?" he explained.

"Did ever occur to you that Ginny, who is also in the Slug Club, didn't have a date and that you could've just taken her?" I asked.

". . . That never even crossed my mind," Harry said with a sigh. "But from what she told me yesterdays she's bringing Collin so she'll be fine."

"Alright then," I said.

"And I'm to assume you're bringing Draco?" he asked. I nodded. "I'm still not too keen on him all of the time but he can be an alright bloke some of the time. Where is he today anyway?"

"Off gallivanting with Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle somewhere," I said.

"Sounds fun," he replied. I nodded. "So, can I tell you something and you promise not to be weird about it?"

"Depend on what it is, but I'll do my best to react properly," I said.

Harry nodded. "So, hypothetically, how would you react if I happen to have feelings for one of our friends?"

"You don't mean Luna do you?" I asked. "She doesn't really seem your type."

"No, not Luna," he replied. "I was thinking, someone more along the lines of. . . Ginny?"

I gasped. "No! Really?" He nodded. "Since when?"

"Since the birth of the dinosaurs," he said.

"Wow. No wonder you've been so weird about her recently," I said.

"It's horrible isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Well, Ginny's my friend, like my sister and you're my brother so it's all rather incestuous in my head. However, you're a good person and Ginny would keep you in line. . . You'd probably be fantastic together," I said.

"We would be. And there is no possible way I could screw things up with her because she knows how screwed up I am," he said.

"Wow. . . You really want to get familiar with the only daughter of the Weasley clan?" I asked. "You do realize that means there'll be at least seven guys on your case about her all the time? At least with me there's only one of you."

"Yes, but you also have the Weasleys, Dumbledore, a man formerly convicted as a serial killer, an auror, and a werewolf. I'd be far more frightened to date you than I am to date Ginny," he said.

"Good thing I'm your sister and not a potential suitor then," I said. "Then you'd have to kick your own ass."

"Speaking of ass kicking," Harry said, motioning to the door. We glanced over and saw that Marius had enter. "I thought he was suspended for the rest of the semester to do community service for the ministry."

"He is, but I suppose being in Hogsmeade doesn't really count as being at school does it?" I asked.

Much to my dismay he walked over to our table.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"To say hello to my whore ex-girlfriend," he said.

"You better watch your mouth when you speak to her," Harry warned.

"I usually do in the presence of a lady," he said.

"You know what you are Drake?"

We glanced back over to the door where Draco had entered with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Malfoy?" Draco asked.

"You're a bully. And I know you are because it takes one to know one," he said. "You see, according to recent studies there three possible reasons you could be a bully. I know why I was, but let me lay a little knowledge on you."

"Shut your mouth," Marius said as all the other students quieted and started to stare.

"Reason number one, underneath that 'manly' exterior, there's a sweet, insecure little girl banging on the closet door pleading to get out," Draco said.

Everyone laughed as Marius leered at Draco.

"Two, like primitive man, you brain no very big," Draco said in his best caveman imitation. "You have no self control and so you lash out aggressively. And reason number three, which is probably the reason your ex-girlfriend is now my girlfriend," Draco held up his pinky and said in a loud whisper, "you've got a little cock."

I clasped my hands over my mouth as the pub fell out into uncontrollable laughter.

Marius clenched his fist at his side.

"Go on, hit me. Hit yourself into six months in Azkaban," Draco said. He walked past Marius and sat down next to me.

"You're evil," I said.

"And you love it," he said.

"I'll be honest, it's quite nice to see when you're not on the receiving end of your insults," Harry said. "I'm glad you've seen error of your ways and I'm actually quite proud your dating my sister."

"That's great because I wanted to talk to you," Draco said. He looked back at Marius. "Oh, Drake, I forgot you were there. You may go now."

888

"What on earth could they be talking about?" I whispered to Hermione outside of Harry's bedroom door.

"I don't know," she replied.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" I asked.

"No. . . but Harry is sighing an awful lot, so I know they're talking about you," she said. "Why do you even want to know? It's not like they would say anything bad about you."

"Because it's weird my boyfriend and my brother who hated each other up until two months ago are keeping secrets together and I don't know what they're about," I said.

"Look at it this way – Draco tell you everything and so does harry. And anything that Harry doesn't tell you he tells Ron, who tells you or me. In any incident, you always find out," Hermione said.

"But I want to know now," I said.

"Stop your whining," she said.

I banged on the door. "Tell me what you're talking about!"

"Go away, Hannah!" Draco called back.

I gasped. "Did you just tell me to go away, Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, now please comply," he said.

"Ugh! Harry!" I called.

"What? Go away. We are talking," Harry said.

"But you're talking about me!" I said.

"No we're not. The world does not revolve around you," Harry said.

"Yes it does! Only for you two! I am your world. I'm your most cherished, most favorite, most precious organic life form. You don't love anyone more than you love me," I said.

". . . I love my mom," Draco said.

I frowned. "But she's annoying."

"And so are you, but I love you anyway," he replied.

Hermione was laughing hysterically. "Thank goodness they're bringing you down a few notches."

"Shut the hell up," I said to her.

"Hermione, please take her away," Harry said.

"Sure BFF," she said. Hermione took my hand and pulled me away.