AN: Hello everyone! How was your week? I want to thank FangedMe (I would probably do the same haha!) and White Wolf Writers (I am really really glad you like the story and Daisy as much as you do. You made me blush with all your compliments, haha. Enjoy this chapter!) for their lovely reviews, you are amazing and I love you! Now, on with the story!

Chapter 26

'So what happened at the Yule Ball?' Daisy said nonchalantly, though the piercing gaze she directed in the brunette's direction told her it was not a casual question. During dinner, Hermione had filled her in on everything that had happened at Hogwarts during the holidays – which, truthfully, wasn't all that much. As she recounted one occasion in specific, Daisy couldn't help but be distracted by the tension that seemed to hang all around the Golden Trio. Though Harry at least seemed to make an effort to be nice, Ron was straight-out glaring at Hermione, and she got an inkling of a feeling that something had happened. After that, it was hard not to notice how the redhead grunted at the mention of the Ball and how Hermione subtly skipped over the entire event, deciding only to tell Daisy of the magnificent work the decoration crew had done. She had let it slide for the moment, knowing that it would be easier to get the story without Ron's interruptions.

Hermione looked up from her book, then quickly looked back down again. It was enough to catch the look on her face, though. 'Nothing.'

'Hermione, I might not be sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm not an idiot,' she gave the girl another pointed look from across the room. 'Unless you offed his sister, which I certainly would have no qualms against, I don't think he could look at you any more furious.'

A moment of silence followed and, glancing at the closed bathroom door to check that Lavender was still in there, she sighed and put away her book. 'Viktor Krum asked me to the Ball.' The words tumbled out of her mouth rapidly and in so soft a voice, Daisy was about to ask for her to repeat herself when the meaning of the words sunk in.

'And?'

'I accepted.'

Daisy furrowed her eyebrows at this. 'I thought Ron had this big crush on him?'

The other girl smiled softly at her choice of words, then a frown marred her face again. 'Somehow, that didn't stop him from calling me a traitor.'

Stopping herself from going on an hour-long rant about the hot-headed idiot, she instead smiled wickedly at her. 'So how was it?'

Hermione didn't immediately reply, instead opting to look everywhere but at her as she struggled to form an answer. 'It was.. nice.'

'Nice?' She repeated slowly, blinking incredulously at her. 'God Hermione, I want details! Dirty details!'

'Well, we kissed.'

'And?'

'I suppose it wasn't that bad.'

'What else?'

'Nothing else..' she seemed to think for a while, then smiled softly. 'He did hold my hand for some time.'

'I meant about the kiss,' Daisy clarified, then sighed dramatically. 'You're horrible at this, Hermione.'

At that moment, before Hermione had a chance to defend herself, the door of the bathroom opened and Lavender came out, her hair still wet from her shower. She stopped as she noticed the eerie silence in the room, looking between the girls as if she was watching a game of tennis. 'Did I interrupt something.'

'Of course not,' Hermione quickly said, probably more than happy with the escape.

Daisy merely mumbled under her breath, something that sounded awfully much like "dumb cow". Then, since she knew all chance of getting more details was now lost, she returned to unpacking the last of her personal belongings. When that was done – and her temper had cooled down enough to even think about sleeping – she changed into her bed attire.

However, as she was about to pull on the warm, flannel jacket of her winter pyjama, a gasp from across the room made her stop what she was doing. Looking up at the source, she found Hermione staring at her with her mouth dropped open and her eyes wide as saucers.

'You said your holidays were "quiet and uneventful",' she said bristly as she came over to Daisy's side and gently prodded her ribs. The dull ache it caused reminded her of the bruises that still covered most of her body after her little Quidditch accident.

Daisy pulled the jacket over her head before she answered, not being comfortable with the staring of the two girls. 'It was, most of the time.'

'You're one big bruise!'

'Then stop prodding!'

Though her face was still all worry, Hermione did take a step back before she spoke again. 'What happened?'

And that's how she ended up recounting her not so quiet and very eventful last day of the holidays to the girls. Parvati, who had sneaked in somewhere during the story, had quickly joined the other girls on her bed.

Of course Hermione had deemed her a right idiot, but the other two girls had thought it quite exciting that she'd spent the evening with seven muscled young men – much to her annoyance. By the end of her tale, both of them were scolding her for not taking Kevin up on his proposal for Quidditch lessons.

During her first day of term it quickly became clear to Daisy that although the strange behaviour of her fellow Gryffindors towards her had lessened, it certainly had not stopped. And so, as Ginny Weasley passed the table she was seated at in the library, she grabbed her arm. 'I thought I told you to right the situation concerning Draco Malfoy and mine supposed relationship.'

The younger girl didn't seem surprised at all by the man-handling she received and merely shrugged her hand off of her. 'I did. I told everyone he dumped you.' Crossing her arms, the look of victory was momentarily replaced with one of faux innocence. 'It must be really hard for him to know you cheated on him with his best friend, Vincent Crabbe, and that so short before Christmas.'

A second of complete silence passed and then Daisy was suddenly on her feet, her wand drawn and ready to hex the brat into oblivion. 'Bad move, Weasel.'

For the first time in the conversation, all playfulness had gone out of Ginny Weasley's face, draining the blood with it as well. Looking between Daisy's murderous eyes and the tip of her wand, she took a step back. 'You can't use that,' she said, stuttering ever so slightly as if she did not believe it herself. 'It's forbidden to attack other students.'

Daisy didn't answer, instead raking her brain for a good spell to use on the younger girl. The simple hexes they'd learned so far were all too mild and she found herself wondering if vanishing spells worked on body parts as well. Before she could bring that theory to the test, a voice interrupted the murderous road her thoughts were going down – and managed to make her blood boil even more.

'As much as I would like to see you Gryffindors fight, professor Snape asked me to collect you and I really have no intention to waste any more time on you than is absolutely necessary.'

'Piss off, Malfoy.'

A deep sigh was heard, then he grabbed her arm rather roughly and practically dragged her from the library. It was only when they were a good few, long corridors away that he released her and rounded on her. 'What the bloody Hell did you think you were doing?'

'Giving the little shit what she deserved.'

'Do you ever think before you act?'

She shrugged and crossed her arms in front of her chest. 'What do you care, Malfoy?'

'I don't,' he answered simply, mirroring her stance. 'But if your secret comes out, then who's not to say that you will rat out my involvement in keeping it?'

By now it was clear that professor Snape had never asked the Slytherin to collect her and she realised that he had somewhat saved her arse. Unwillingly, yes, but he had saved her from expulsion no less. That small realisation didn't ease the bite in her next words, however. 'Well I will be sure to think of your ass next time I'm planning a murder.'

He sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to reign in his temper. 'Do you have no control over yourself whatsoever? I mean, what did the she-Weasel even do to get you so riled up.'

~ Draco ~

Her silence irked Draco, especially since he had just saved her ass. Really, if he had not stopped her, she would probably be packing her things as they spoke. And he didn't even have to do it. Of course it was not a complete lie that he didn't trust her enough to know she wouldn't rat him out. But truthfully, that had not been his main reason for doing what he had done. What the main reason was? He did not know. They were not friends, didn't even like each other and apart from their vow he had no reason to feel connected to her whatsoever. And especially after the singing scarf incident at Christmas which he had no doubt was her doing – and which had cost him nearly half an hour to get it off – any logical reason for helping her was practically non-existent. And yet he had. 'Well?'

'It was nothing.'

He pulled up one of his eyebrows. 'This was nothing? Well then I surely don't want to see you when something did happen.'

The girl squirmed underneath his intent gaze, but nevertheless kept her mouth shut. Once again, he found that he would be almost impressed, were he not so terribly annoyed by her. It seemed to be a recurring situation..

'Fine,' he snapped, dropping her bag – which he had taken with them from the library, but only now remembered he was still holding – in front of her. 'Keep your secrets. But don't expect me to help you again next time.'

He turned on his heel, ready to go back to the common room, since his intention to study in the library had all but gone well. He had taken but two steps when her soft voice made him come to a stop.

'Thank you.'

He didn't turn around, didn't give her any reason to believe he had even heard her words, but found himself smirking nonetheless as he continued.