Chapter 4.

"Good-day, class!"

The new DADA Professor opened the door to the 3rd floor classroom and ushered them inside. She was middle aged with dark hair, light brown skin and brown eyes to match. She smiled at her advanced class.

"Welcome to your first lesson, and seeing as it is the first lesson of the new school year, it's down to me to explain how this year will go." The class exchanged looks. While gesturing to them to leave their bags at the back, she unclasped her heavy robes to reveal a navy jacket and skirt combo. Ignoring the stares, she quickly got to work dividing them into two rows of equal numbers, "Now, following on from Dumbledore's speech, and seeing as you lot are the guinea-pigs, I will be pairing you up to invoke inter-house relationships."

"I didn't hear that!" Whispered Harry to Hermione standing beside him.

"Well you would have, if you weren't so interested in Malfoy all evening."

"I was not!"

"Class, please...Quiet! Thank-you." Taking the right-side line she led them to the desks and sat them down. "Right, this is how it works: on the desks in front of you is a piece of parchment, on it is a picture. In my pouch-" She held out a cloth bag and shook it, "-is its twin. One by one the left line will come up and pick a slip of paper. Who-ever has the match is your work buddy for the whole year." She grinned holding out the bag, "Come on, then. Don't be shy."

One by one the left line came forward. Harry was half-way along so he got to see who his friends were coupled with. It didn't turn out too badly, Hermione was paired with a Ravenclaw girl (whose name Harry didn't know) with pigtails and freckles. Ron was very lucky, he got paired with one of their own from Gryffindor: Neville Longbottom. (The relief on both boys faces spoke volumes.) Soon it was Harry's turn. Slowly he approached the Professor, she jiggled the bag with a smile. He plunged his hand in, felt around, snagged a slip of parchment with his finger-tips and pulled it free.

"Well..?"

Unfolding it, he looked at the picture with a frown before showing it to her. The Professor's eyes widened, "Oh, this is just too perfect!" She was buzzing as she held it up. "Bumblebee? Who's got bumblebee?"

"I have." Came a voice near the front. Harry's mouth dropped open as Malfoy held up the pictures' twin. Feeling as though his day couldn't get any worse, Harry made his way to his seat. With a huff he sat down and folded his arms. "Looks like we're going to be partners, Potter."

"Looks like it. Let's see if we can behave civil towards each other."

"I thought you said you believed me last night-"

"I do. But I need visual proof. A test."

Malfoy swallowed, "A test?"

He nodded, "When we're asked to collect our things, I want you to ask Hermione for a spare quill. Something small like that should be easy."

Malfoy thought for a second, then nodded, "You're on."

"There! That wasn't so hard. The list of all pairings will make its way to each Head of House, and of course, Professor Dumbledore. " The Professor stood at the front of the class, "Hello, everyone! I am Professor Gwen Witwicky." She flicked her wand and the board behind her started jotting things down. "Now that you're in your pairs, I would like you to collect your things from the back and copy the notes from the board."

As they left their seats Harry shot Malfoy a look. With an eye-roll, the Slytherin edged his way over the Hermione and tapped her shoulder. Hermione jumped with a start, her eyes narrowing as Malfoy started talking, but her features softened when he finished and she shook her head fondly. With a nod she looked in her bag and handed a spare quill to him.

Malfoy returned to Harry holding the quill with a smirk on his face. "There you go."

Harry took the offered quill as they re-took their seats, "I... What... How?"

Malfoy's smirk grew, "Easy. I told her it was for you."

"That wasn't part of the test. You cheated!"

Malfoy let out a fake gasp, clutching his chest. "How dare you! I never cheat." A beat and then, "Well...only a little."

Harry chuckled softly, "Knew you did."

"Mister Potter? May I see your book, please?" Witwicky was standing over them, her hand out. Harry wordlessly gave her his birthday present and watched as she flipped through the first few chapters. "Hmm...This book was not on the school list. How did you acquire it?"

He gulped nervously, "It was a birthday present." Behind him Hermione sank a little lower in her seat. "I can send for the other-"

"No need, Mister Potter. If I may?" She placed the book back onto the table, the tip of her wand against its front. "Effingo!" Harry's single book turned into a pile of copies for the whole class. With another flick of her wand and the books handed themselves out. "Class, a change of plan. Please read the introduction and 1st two chapters of your new books quietly. If we have time, any questions will be answered at the end of the lesson." The rest of the lesson flew by, and in no time at all, the bell went. Witwicky held up her copy and said, "For your home-work: please read the instructions for protection charms and spells in chapter 1 carefully. Next lesson will be a practical."

As Harry and the others collected their bags and headed out Witwicky cleaned up the slips of parchment, putting them back into her pouch. She got to the front, where the little bumblebee brothers sat next to each-other and hummed thoughtfully.

"By the blank looks on your faces, the summer holidays have clearly turned all your brains to mush. So, for today's lesson we will be brewing a simple potion a second year could complete." Snape frowned at the newly paired-up class. His scowl darkened seeing Harry and Malfoy together. "Copy the instructions on the board and fetch the ingredients from the cupboard. You have 2 hours to brew an acceptable solution. Begin!"

A screech of stools echoed in the dank classroom. While Malfoy got the more dangerous items, Harry made his way to the other end of the cupboard to gather the others, including herbs and mice tails. ("Not rat," whispered Malfoy as they parted ways, "pickled mice tails are a short cut for this potion. About two, finely chopped. Add it carefully though, or the potion could explode.") He bumped into Hermione's work-buddy, the shy Ravenclaw introduced herself as Jeanie and she was in Hermione's Runes class, so it worked out nicely.

The two boys continued working in silence, only a quiet murmur of thanks or a nod passing between them. Soon their potion resemble a passable version of what was described on the board. At the end of the 2 hours everyone was hot, exhausted and in need of a good meal and wash. The good news was that everyone got acceptable marks, even Ron and Neville (though, truth be told, Ron added frogs hearts instead of toads by accident.) much to the annoyance of Snape. For their home-work they were to write a 24 inch essay on the properties of the different varieties of fairy wings and the do's and don'ts of using them in complicated potions.

Finally it was lunch-time. "Ugh! My brain hurts!" Ron slumped forward on the table, his arms cushioning his head. Hermione and Jeanie sat next to him, the Ravenclaw getting some odd looks from the others, until Hermione frowned at them and pointed at her badge. Ron lifted his head high enough to smile a little at Neville, who was sitting across him, "Thanks for not saying anything in potions."

Neville blushed and smiled back, "You're welcome. Thanks for stopping me exploding our cauldron. One more handful of berries and-" He mimed a big boom.

Harry and Malfoy entered the Hall. The Slytherin nodded to Harry before making his way to the end table. Harry watched him go, until two hands obscured his vision.

"Guess who?" Someone sang in his ear.

Harry tried not to shudder as he turned around. The two hands lowered to rest on his shoulders and loop around his neck. "Oh, hiya, Ginny."

"What? That's it? No hello kiss , no 'I missed you like crazy' squeeze?" Ginny pouted, "C'mon, Harry. Just a little smooch..." She leaned forward, Harry turned his head at the last second so she kissed his cheek. If she was upset, she didn't show it. Grabbing hold of his arm she lead them away from the others to a more quiet spot. "Listen, Harry," she said as they sat down, "I know it's start of term and it's a bit hectic, but when it's quiet we need to talk. Seriously talk. About our future. You know what I mean?" A Harry's blank look she took a deep breath, "I know we're young but the Ministry is thinking about passing a new law if another War breaks out. Harry...Harry, I think we should mar-"

"You know what? I forgot to get the details for Snape's home-work. I'll be right back." Harry freed himself from Ginny's death grip and hurried over to Slytherin. When he got there the table grew silent. Walking a little straighter he stopped beside Malfoy, who was buttering a roll, and coughed quietly.

Malfoy lifted his head. "Potter?"

"Uh...Hi." He rubbed the back of his neck, "I...I thought we could make a start on Snape's home-work? I don't know anything about fairy wings, and seeing as you're his favourite..."

"Ah... I see. Those extra 50 house-points for best work-buddies are tempting, aren't they, Potter?" Harry opened his mouth to object, but Malfoy held up a finger. "It's fine. We have a free period after lunch and I was bored anyway." Rising from his seat, the fair-haired male gathered up his books and left.

Harry stood there for a moment before reaching over, taking a handful of sandwiches, wrapping them up in a napkin, and following.

Over on Gryffindor, Ron was too busy stuffing his face to notice his friend had left with a Slytherin. Neville was far too interested reading his new Herbology book. Ginny, seeing her brave lion, the love of her life leave with another student. A Slytherin, (And not just any Slytherin, but the slimiest snake of them all!) sat in her seat red faced and seething. Hermione, how-ever, spotted the two leaving without a rude remark being traded between them. She glanced at the head table, met Dumbledore's gaze and blinked when the old wizard winked at her over his goblet.

There's something more going on, she thought, turning back, watching Harry and Malfoy head to the Grand Staircase. And I'm going to find out what.

A.N "Effingo!" (is Latin for copy or duplicate)

A little longer this time. Again any mistakes are mine and mine only.

Thanks for reading. (if you still are.)

M.x