Previously:

"Alright, so the phoenix it is," Blaise announced, "Now lets get out of here."

Luna nodded in agreement, "The others will be here in a moment."

Hermione gently picked up the statue and cradled it. She looked at for a moment with a thoughtful smile on her face before saying, "Lets go win, shall we?"


Everyone walked quickly back to the Great Hall, talking softly with their respective date for the night.

"So, Potter knows about us now," Draco murmured softly to Hermione.

She was shaken out of her thoughts and turned her gaze from the phoenix to the man beside her with a smile, "Yes. He does."

"How'd he find out?"

Hermione bit her lip, for a moment, letting himself remember his reaction.


"Draco is my boyfriend Harry," Hermione whispered, almost fearfully, carefully watching her friend's expression, as were all the others in the room.

His face had gone blank, completely void of emotion; scaring Hermione more than if he had hit her.

"Your... boyfriend?" He questioned, his voice monotone.

Hermione gave a slow nod, "Yes."

"How long?"

Hermione didn't like the way he was just so emotionless, it wasn't like him and she wanted her friend back! She answered, "Honestly, I'm not sure, but if I had to say when… About a month or two now?"

Silence reigned for hours, or so it felt like for Hermione when reasonably she knew it was probably only a minute, if not two, before Harry spoke again, "So, were you ever going to tell me?"

"Yes! I wanted to tell you Harry, I did, but Draco and I didn't know what to do. First off, when have Slytherins and Gryffindors ever been together? And mentioning the history Draco and myself, and you and Ron of course had in the past we didn't want you to get upset. I didn't want to loose your friendship."

Hermione could help but mutter to herself, "But then Ronald goes and acts like a pompous jerk."

She shook her head and continued to talk to Harry, "And Draco, oh Harry I didn't want to loose him either, he really is a great guy. I didn't know what to do!"

"You could have trusted me!" Harry yelled, finally breaking out of his frigid silence, "You could have told me! Do you really think I'd cast aside our friendship because you are going out with a guy I don't like? No, do you really think that little of me Hermione?"

"No, of course not Harry! Not at all, I just didn't know what to do!"

Harry's eyes showed the hurt and betrayal and Hermione fleet her stomach clench with guilt as she asked herself, "Why didn't I just tell him?"

Harry turned away, Ginny coming to his side and taking his hand, Hermione just starring into nothingness as she wondered if she had just lost her best friend. The thing she had feared and was one of the reasons she had told him of her and Draco's relationship.

Then, she heard Draco's voice, and in an instant she was safe in his arms.


"I just...told him," Hermione replied a soft smile playing on her lips when she remembered that Harry threatened Draco. She definitely didn't think she would have liked Harry threatening her boyfriend, but considering the situation, it just made her smile.

Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise before commenting, "He approves."

The soft smile turned into a beam, as she nodded in agreement, "He does." She then frowned at Draco, "I don't like your hair like that." Gazing at the darkened hair, matching the shade of Harry's. It was just unsettling.

Draco smirked, "Miss all my amazingness?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "That's not even a word, but yes" and with a peck on the check she quickened her pace, "I do. Now come on, we're falling behind the others."


"I have a good feeling," Luna announced, her eyes at the moment not distant but clear and focused.

Blaise smirked, "I trust your psychic abilities, but that doesn't mean I still don't want to run full tilt to the finish."

Luna grinned, "Then let's run!"

With a laugh she grabbed Blaise's hand and dragged him behind her as she took off running, the two's laughter echoing as they raced ahead.

Ginny and Sydney shared a look and following their friend's lead took their dates' hands and took off run, which surprised Dax for a moment before he was then the one dragging Sydney, racing with the redhead and the boy-who-lived.

"Hey slow down! I got heels on!" Sydney protested.

Hermione smiled at her friends' happiness and laughter, wanting to run, but too tired to do so and also didn't want to worry about dropping the statue.

"Eep!" Hermione cried out as she was suddenly swept off her feet and being cradled against Draco's body.

"Draco?" questioned Hermione, unsure as to why she was suddenly no longer on her feet.

He smirked, "No way are we getting left behind, so hold on."

Hermione obliged wrapping an arm around his neck and bursting out laughing as he took off running after the others.


Draco gently set Hermione on to her feet as the reached the doors of the Great Hall.

"Ready to take that first place?" Ginny asked everyone with a huge smile.

Dax rolled his eyes good naturally, "Someone is pretty certain we're going to win."

"Of course! It's us! How can we not win?" Ginny exclaimed, earning laughter from the others.

And then the doors swung open wide, allowing the group entrance to the dance party before them.

Hermione led the group, trying to weave through all the dancing wizards and witches before noticing that Sydney was jumping up and down like crazy.

"Sydney, are you ok?"

Said witch stopped, looking at Hermione perplexedly, "Of course I am, why do you ask?"

"You were just hopping around like a madwoman," Ginny explained.

"I have to find Hannah and Katie and asked them if the others beat us here," Sydney told them.

Dax rolled his eyes, "Syd, considering we were the first one to even select one of the items after the nightmare challenge, I willing to hazard and bet that we are the first ones here."

She pouted, "I was just double checking."

"Well double check quick, alright?" Harry told her.

She beamed and started jumping again, earning exasperated sighs from the others.

"Here," Dax said, taking hold of Sydney and hoisting her into the air so she could sit on his shoulder.

"Thanks! Now let's see, oh there they are!" Here hands then starting moving rapidly in odd motions, and Hermione remembered Sydney knew sign language.

They all listened as Sydney murmured softly, "Ok…hmmm….what! Guys, what are you all doing standing around? We got to move! Now!"

Sydney scrambled down from Dax's shoulder and rushed behind Hermione, pushing her forward, "We got to get that phoenix to Dumbledore pronto!"


Author's note: I just love fluff! I hope you enjoyed this chappie, please review. :D