Maddie sat in the girl's dormitory, flipping through Lavender Brown's CD's. Let's see,
Mariah Carey, Brandy, TLC, Hootie and the Blowfish, Counting Crows. Maddie wanted to listen
to N*Sync. Stupid, she chastised herself. This is only 1997; N*Sync's debut didn't come out
for another year.
I'm so bored, she thought. Her mind turned to her little brother, Jamie. What would he do?
She smiled. Jamie was so fun, so mischievous, yet so caring at the same time. Maddie had
been closer to Jamie than she had ever been to Gwyneth, most likely because she always felt
overshadowed by perfect Gwyneth. Maddie thought about him. He looks so much like Dad. She thought about his three best friends, all whom Maddie adored: Adam Weasley, Mark Peterson, and Gretchen Parker.
She loved Gretchen Parker; Gretchen was most likely her only female friend. Gretchen was very pretty, with a cute round face and long, shiny brown hair. Maddie remembered all the times she had tried to play matchmaker between Jamie and Gretchen, with no success. They'll end up together, she thought, eventually. Gretchen was loud and daring at times, but also could be quiet and mellow. Her loud and daring moments, however, outnumbered her quiet and mellow ones.
Maddie heard someone coming up the stairs and quickly hid under her bed. She watched Harry and Hermione enter the room, kissing.
"You're so beautiful," Harry whispered, out of breath.
Hermione laughed. "You're pretty good looking yourself, Romeo."
They stood in the middle of the room, just tangled in each other's arms, kissing each other passionately. It's so sweet, Maddie thought. It's so weird to see your parents making out, but it's different if they're seventeen. You can understand them better.
"I should go," Harry mumbled, moving his lips down her neck.
"Why?" she asked.
"It's late. Everyone will be coming up here for bed in a minute."
She looked in his eyes. "Then in a minute you'll go. Not now." He bent his head to kiss her again.
I shouldn't be watching this, Maddie thought. It's not like I've never seen them kiss before though. This is most likely their first time though. I'm sure by the time I'm born they've kissed millions of times. Maddie watched them with interest. Are they using tongue? She thought to herself, then scolded herself for thinking it. It made her miss Gray. I wonder what it would be like to kiss him.
"I really should be going," he whispered between kisses.
"Aren't we going to talk about it?" she asked.
He drew back a bit. "Talk about what?"
"This. Where did it come from? What does it mean?"
He sighed and withdrew from her arms. He walked over and sat on her bed. "Hermione," he whined.
"What?" she said. She sat down next to him and he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Harry kissed the top of her head. "Hermione…"
"Yes?"
"I don't know where to start," he whispered.
"How about the beginning?" she suggested with a grin.
"We shouldn't be doing this."
"Why not?"
"It's dangerous, Hermione." He tilted her head towards him and looked into her eyes. "You can get hurt."
"What are you talking about?" she asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Voldemort. You know what we were talking about earlier?"
"About Voldemort not wanting you to have children?"
"Yeah. I didn't tell you everything Dumbledore said."
Hermione drew away from him. "Well, you better tell me everything now."
Harry put his face in his hands. "Dumbledore asked me when I was in his office, if, uh, I had , uh, feelings about anyone and could imagine staying with this person, uh, forever."
Hermione was beginning to understand. "You said me, didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah I did. Please don't think I'm being too forward or anything, I just said…"
"I don't think that. Go on."
"Well, he said that you were probably the worst choice possible." Harry bit his tongue after he said that.
"Worst choice possible?" Hermione snapped.
"You're a powerful witch, as well as brilliant. If we ever had children…"
"They'd be so powerful they could defeat Voldemort," Hermione finished.
"That pretty much sums it up. I don't want you getting hurt, or killed!"
Hermione sighed. "It's my own choice to get involved."
"Hermione!" Harry cried. "Please don't! I knew you'd do this; that's why I didn't say anything."
"I'm not going to just leave you for dead, all right? Nothing has changed. I'm going to stick with you, and so is Ron. We care so much about you," Hermione said.
"I care about you too. You and Ron, you're everything to me. I don't have anyone else in the world."
"Then lean on us. Let us help you."
He looked at her with sad eyes. "No one can help me."
She reached out and took his hand in her own. "Don't say that, because you know it's not true. You're just feeling sorry for yourself." She gently kissed his hand.
"Don't I deserve to feel sorry for myself?"
Hermione smiled. "No, you don't. Look at all you have. You're a hero. Everyone cares about you, especially me and Ron."
Harry grinned. "You're right. I have you." With that he leaned in and kissed her again.
Maddie's heart broke for both of them. They were so, human, unlike the image of them she had from the future. They were so fragile, yet strong. Maddie's own eyes watered, thinking of the grief she put on her parents in her own life with her rebelling. She realized how much they cared about her.
Harry was holding Hermione close to him, her eyes shut against his chest. Her breathing slowed as she fell asleep in his arms. Harry was also starting to doze off, so the two laid down against the pillows, holding each other closely.
Maddie heard voices and footsteps coming up the stairs, so she crawled from under the bed.
"Can you believe Flitwick?" Lavender said. "He wants a yard of parchment on invisibility charms by Monday! I mean, come on! There's nothing on the subject."
"I so totally know," Parvati agreed. "I…" She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the sleeping Harry and Hermione. "Oh, goodness," she said with a sly grin.
"Shhhhhh," Maddie hissed. "Be quiet. You don't want to wake them up."
"How long have you been sitting here?" Lavender asked.
"A while. Leave them alone."
Parvati looked at the sleeping couple. "It's sweet, I guess." She snorted. "It'd be sweeter if it was with someone other than Hermione."
"I think they're cute together," Maddie whispered.
"What have they been doing?" Parvati asked, raising her eyebrows. "They haven't been naughty, have they?" She grinned evilly.
Maddie threw a pillow at her. "Of course not. They've just been talking."
"And?"
"And kissing," Maddie giggled.
"How do you know?" Lavender inquired.
"I was under the bed, watching them the entire time."
"Quite the peeping Ton, aren't we?" Parvati joked.
"I was already in here, and I heard them coming so I hid," Maddie explained.
Lavender and Parvati giggled. "You're so funny, Maddie," Lavender said.
"Oh, I know," Maddie agreed, making the three of them laugh harder.
***
Ginny and Rosalie were walking down the street in Hogsmeade the next day, a Saturday.
"Did you hear about Seamus and Hannah?" Rosalie asked.
"No, I didn't. What happened?" Ginny inquired.
"They broke up."
Ginny groaned. "They were such a cute couple."
"That's all they were, cute," Rosalie grinned. "They couldn't stand each other!"
"Then why did they go out?"
Rosalie shrugged. "People do stupid things. Very stupid things." She grinned evilly. "Why don't you try for Seamus?" She opened her bag of every flavor jelly beans and popped one into her mouth.
Ginny laughed nervously. "No way!"
"Why not?" Rosalie asked. "He'd go out with you if you asked him. Unless there's someone else…"
Ginny bit her lip. Ever since Draco Malfoy had talked to her in the cafeteria the night before, she had been getting a strange feeling in her stomach every time she thought of him.
"Earth to Ginny," Rosalie laughed. "Who's the lucky boy? I haven't seen you this out there since you had the hots for hero Harry." She giggled. "Speaking of Harry, I do believe he is a little taken with Miss Granger. Look," she said, pointing at Hermione and Harry walking down the street, hand in hand.
Ginny giggled. "I'm happy for them. They're both really the nicest people." Ginny paused and looked at Rosalie. "If I tell you something, do you absolutely swear on your grave that you won't tell anyone?"
Rosalie looked at her. "You know I won't tell! You should trust me! What are best friends for?" She looked hurt.
Ginny looked around. "Well, this isn't exactly normal information. It's very private."
"Shoot. Tell me and I'll be your living diary." Rosalie put another jelly bean in her mouth.
Ginny swallowed. "I think I like…"
"Go on, sweetie."
"Draco Malfoy."
Rosalie choked on her jelly bean. "What did you say?" she asked breathlessly.
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny repeated, weakly.
Rosalie looked at her in the eyes. "He's a Slytherin."
"I know."
"Your brother and Draco absolutely despise each other."
"I know."
"Your dad and his dad are worst enemies!" Rosalie cried.
"I know."
Rosalie paused for a minute. Then she smiled. "That semi-evil thing is kind of a turn on."
"I know."
"And he is pretty cute," Rosalie said.
"Boy, do I know."
Rosalie looked at her. "You've always liked challenges."
"He's certainly a challenge," Ginny stated.
"Oh yeah. And a blonde really wouldn't clash with your hair. A brunette might, as another red head would. But a blonde would fit you nicely." Rosalie joked.
"Thank you," Ginny said.
"About what?" Rosalie asked.
"About being so great about this. Most people would be so flabbergasted or disgusted or mad…"
"Ginny, hon, I know that I annoy you to death when I talk about my crush on your brother. But you never say anything. You always listen and give me honest advice. I think I owe you the same courtesy. Besides," Rosalie grinned, "he is hot."
"Don't get any ideas!" Ginny cried. Rosalie laughed.
***
Harry pulled on Hermione's hand. "Let's go get some butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks," he suggested.
"Like a date?" she grinned.
"Like a date," he agreed, and wrapped his arm around her. "Let's go."
"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked?
Harry shrugged. "I think he went off with Lavender and Parvati and Maddie."
"Poor Ron," she sighed. "We were ignoring him."
"I guess we were," Harry agreed. He looked at her and sighed. "Do you want to go and find him?"
"Yes," She said. Harry sighed again.
"He went this way, so let's go."
***
Draco Malfoy walked down the street. He saw Ginny and Rosalie standing in front of him. He felt his muscles tense from just looking at Ginny. She was so beautiful. Her red hair blew in the breeze, and her freckled face shone. He cared so much about her.
"Hey Ginny," he called out casually.
"Uh, hey Draco," she said.
"I'm going to go, I need to get some more jelly beans!" Rosalie exclaimed. "I'm addicted to these things!" With that Rosalie walked off, leaving Ginny alone with Draco.
"It's windy," he said dumbly, at a lack of a better conversation starter.
"Uh, yeah, it is," Ginny agreed.
He met her eyes. "Are you cold?"
"Uh, a little," she admitted. Draco smiled at her. She looked cold in her shorts and tank top.
"Here," he said, taking off his jacket and placing it around her shoulders.
"Thanks," she said.
"Still cold?" he asked.
Ginny shook her head. "Not anymore."
"Ginny, I've been thinking," he started.
"Me too," she said quickly.
"You go first," he said.
"Ok. Look, does it really make that much of a difference of what house we're in?"
Draco took a step closer to her. "No, it doesn't. It's just where we sleep, and the people we go to classes with."
Ginny smiled. "Good. I know that I'm in Gryffindor…"
"And I'm in Slytherin…"
"but, that doesn't mean…"
"that we can't…"
"be…"
"together," Draco finished.
"Good," Ginny said, stepping closer to him. "I'm glad we have that settled."
"Me too," he said, closing the distance between them. He slipped his arms around her waist and she put her arms around his neck. "Do you think this is too fast?" he whispered.
"Oh, no," Ginny whispered. They were so close together their noses touched. "This is fine."
"Good," he mumbled. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.
***
"Oh, Dean, that is like so funny!" Parvati giggled. Maddie rolled her eyes. I need to teach that girl how to flirt, she thought.
"Soccer is the best game; let me tell you why…" Dean said. Maddie stopped listening and turned to Ron, who was lagging behind the group of Dean, Parvati, Lavender, Seamus, Ernie, Justin, Susan Bones, and herself.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
"What's wrong?" he repeated her question. "What's not wrong? My two best friends are in love, and I have no one!"
"Sure you do," Maddie said. "You could ask out almost any girl and she would say yes."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"Because you are so handsome," she joked, ruffling his hair.
"Stop it," he cried. He turned to her. "Will you go out with me?"
"What?" Maddie asked meekly, stopping in her tracks.
"Will you go out with me?" he repeated.
"I didn't mean ask me!"
"Well, you said almost any girl…"
"I meant except me, Hermione, or your sister." Maddie explained.
"Why not you?" he asked.
"Why me in the first place?" she inquired.
"You're pretty and fun," he said. "Why not?"
"Because…" she started. Think, Maddie, think! What to say! She decided to be honest. "Ron, back where I come from, there's a boy there who I love very much."
"What's his name?" Ron asked.
"Gray."
Ron snorted. "Gray? That's a color, not a name!"
"It's short for Grayson."
Ron looked at her. "You love him? Like are in love with him?"
Maddie gulped. "Yes," she admitted.
"You're lucky. I wish I felt that way about someone," Ron sighed.
"Even when you don't know if the person loves you back?" Maddie asked.
"You don't know if he loves you?"
Maddie sighed. "We've been best friends since before I can remember, but I don't know if he feels the same way I do."
"What if he doesn't?" Ron asked.
"Then it'll hurt very much when I find out. But I'll try to move on. I don't know if I'll succeed, but I'll try."
Ron suddenly hugged Maddie, tightly. "I hope he feels the same way about you."
"So do I," she said, pulling out of his embrace.
"You deserve it," he whispered.
"You deserve love too, and you'll find it," she said.
"Thanks…" he began, but stopped dead in his tracks with what he saw ahead of them.
"GINNY WEASLEY!" Ron hollered.
Ginny pulled away from Draco, her arms still around his neck. "Yes?" she answered innocently.
"What are you DOING!" he screamed.
"What does it look like?" Ginny asked in a sweet, smart ass voice. Harry and Hermione came around the corner, their mouths open in surprise at the scene.
"You get your hands off of her," Ron hissed, talking to Draco.
Draco clutched Ginny closer to him. "Why don't you get a life, Weasley?"
"Let her GO!" Ron yelled and lunged at him. Ginny jumped out of the way as Ron jumped on top of Draco, knocking him to the floor.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled, and she and Maddie pulled him off of Draco. "What are you doing?" she cried.
"I'll tell you what he's doing!" Ginny screamed. "He's trying to ruin my life!" She looked at Ron. "I hate you! I hate you!" She kicked dirt in his direction. "Never speak to me again! I hate you!" With that Ginny stormed off, taking Draco with her.
Everyone stared at Ron, who was by this time sitting down on the floor in the middle of the sidewalk with everyone staring. Maddie thought she saw him trembling.
"Ron?" she said softly.
He glanced up at her and she saw the tears steaming down his cheeks. He started to sob harder into his hands. Not knowing what to do, Maddie fell to her knees and gave Ron a hug, letting him cry on her shoulder.
"I'm so awful," Ron sobbed.
"No, you're not," she whispered. She got up and let Hermione hold him for a while. Poor Ron. You're almost another father to me, she thought. She went to his home so many times when she ran away that she knew him as well as she knew where own parents. And then for the first time in almost a week, she remembered why she was here. To save Ron. To save Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Draco, and in the process, save Gwyneth; Jamie; Gray Malfoy; William, Isabel, Chloe, and Adam Weasley; Gray's older sister Stacey; and herself, Madeleine Rose Potter.
***
"Back in your old partners and finish the potion today," Snape barked. Maddie yawned. She hated Mondays with a passion. "Five points from Gryffindor for McNestrelles' incompetence." Maddie glared at Snape. I'm not scared of you, you old fool. Then she smiled at him and he quickly looked away. Reverse psychology, she laughed. It always works.
"Maddie," Draco said.
"Yeah?" Maddie asked.
"I kissed her," Draco grinned.
"I was there; I saw."
"Do you think Ron hates me?" Draco asked cautiously.
"I think he hates himself more at this point than you," Maddie said.
"Thank you," Draco said.
"Huh?"
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. I don't deserve it."
Maddie smiled at him. "Sure you do."
He shook his head. "You're the nicest person I know, Maddie. You… you're my best friend."
"We've known each other for about, two months?" Maddie said.
"But you've changed me. I like myself better, I like everything better. I can't tell how depressed I was before you came," Draco admitted.
"How depressed?"
"I was considering killing myself."
Maddie looked at him. "You're joking."
"Would I joke?"
Maddie smiled. "You should actually thank Snape. If he hadn't put us together as partners you would have grown to hate me too."
"Yeah, just, that's pretty much it. Just thank you. I owe you so much, Maddie."
Maddie threw her arms around him. She laid her head on his shoulder and he buried his head in her hair. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks. She missed Gray so much. Draco had the same scent the Gray had, like honey mixed with pine needles.
They heard McGonagall on the loudspeaker. "All students report to their common rooms IMMEDIENTLY!" Maddie felt her heart sink. It had come. He was here. It was time for her battle, and she wasn't ready for it. Please god, help me.
Draco pulled back from her embrace and looked at her. The students were filing out of the room, not paying attention to Maddie and Draco.
Maddie didn't know what came over her. One minute she was just looking at Draco, the next she plunged her lips into his. She pulled back, and he looked at her, bewildered.
"What was that for?" he whispered.
"That was for just in case I don't ever get to kiss Gray," Maddie whispered and walked off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room, leaving a confused Draco to work out what she said.
A/N: Yea! There's going to be one or two more parts after this, and they'll have more action. I apologize for the fluffy romance and such. Please read and review!
Mariah Carey, Brandy, TLC, Hootie and the Blowfish, Counting Crows. Maddie wanted to listen
to N*Sync. Stupid, she chastised herself. This is only 1997; N*Sync's debut didn't come out
for another year.
I'm so bored, she thought. Her mind turned to her little brother, Jamie. What would he do?
She smiled. Jamie was so fun, so mischievous, yet so caring at the same time. Maddie had
been closer to Jamie than she had ever been to Gwyneth, most likely because she always felt
overshadowed by perfect Gwyneth. Maddie thought about him. He looks so much like Dad. She thought about his three best friends, all whom Maddie adored: Adam Weasley, Mark Peterson, and Gretchen Parker.
She loved Gretchen Parker; Gretchen was most likely her only female friend. Gretchen was very pretty, with a cute round face and long, shiny brown hair. Maddie remembered all the times she had tried to play matchmaker between Jamie and Gretchen, with no success. They'll end up together, she thought, eventually. Gretchen was loud and daring at times, but also could be quiet and mellow. Her loud and daring moments, however, outnumbered her quiet and mellow ones.
Maddie heard someone coming up the stairs and quickly hid under her bed. She watched Harry and Hermione enter the room, kissing.
"You're so beautiful," Harry whispered, out of breath.
Hermione laughed. "You're pretty good looking yourself, Romeo."
They stood in the middle of the room, just tangled in each other's arms, kissing each other passionately. It's so sweet, Maddie thought. It's so weird to see your parents making out, but it's different if they're seventeen. You can understand them better.
"I should go," Harry mumbled, moving his lips down her neck.
"Why?" she asked.
"It's late. Everyone will be coming up here for bed in a minute."
She looked in his eyes. "Then in a minute you'll go. Not now." He bent his head to kiss her again.
I shouldn't be watching this, Maddie thought. It's not like I've never seen them kiss before though. This is most likely their first time though. I'm sure by the time I'm born they've kissed millions of times. Maddie watched them with interest. Are they using tongue? She thought to herself, then scolded herself for thinking it. It made her miss Gray. I wonder what it would be like to kiss him.
"I really should be going," he whispered between kisses.
"Aren't we going to talk about it?" she asked.
He drew back a bit. "Talk about what?"
"This. Where did it come from? What does it mean?"
He sighed and withdrew from her arms. He walked over and sat on her bed. "Hermione," he whined.
"What?" she said. She sat down next to him and he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Harry kissed the top of her head. "Hermione…"
"Yes?"
"I don't know where to start," he whispered.
"How about the beginning?" she suggested with a grin.
"We shouldn't be doing this."
"Why not?"
"It's dangerous, Hermione." He tilted her head towards him and looked into her eyes. "You can get hurt."
"What are you talking about?" she asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Voldemort. You know what we were talking about earlier?"
"About Voldemort not wanting you to have children?"
"Yeah. I didn't tell you everything Dumbledore said."
Hermione drew away from him. "Well, you better tell me everything now."
Harry put his face in his hands. "Dumbledore asked me when I was in his office, if, uh, I had , uh, feelings about anyone and could imagine staying with this person, uh, forever."
Hermione was beginning to understand. "You said me, didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah I did. Please don't think I'm being too forward or anything, I just said…"
"I don't think that. Go on."
"Well, he said that you were probably the worst choice possible." Harry bit his tongue after he said that.
"Worst choice possible?" Hermione snapped.
"You're a powerful witch, as well as brilliant. If we ever had children…"
"They'd be so powerful they could defeat Voldemort," Hermione finished.
"That pretty much sums it up. I don't want you getting hurt, or killed!"
Hermione sighed. "It's my own choice to get involved."
"Hermione!" Harry cried. "Please don't! I knew you'd do this; that's why I didn't say anything."
"I'm not going to just leave you for dead, all right? Nothing has changed. I'm going to stick with you, and so is Ron. We care so much about you," Hermione said.
"I care about you too. You and Ron, you're everything to me. I don't have anyone else in the world."
"Then lean on us. Let us help you."
He looked at her with sad eyes. "No one can help me."
She reached out and took his hand in her own. "Don't say that, because you know it's not true. You're just feeling sorry for yourself." She gently kissed his hand.
"Don't I deserve to feel sorry for myself?"
Hermione smiled. "No, you don't. Look at all you have. You're a hero. Everyone cares about you, especially me and Ron."
Harry grinned. "You're right. I have you." With that he leaned in and kissed her again.
Maddie's heart broke for both of them. They were so, human, unlike the image of them she had from the future. They were so fragile, yet strong. Maddie's own eyes watered, thinking of the grief she put on her parents in her own life with her rebelling. She realized how much they cared about her.
Harry was holding Hermione close to him, her eyes shut against his chest. Her breathing slowed as she fell asleep in his arms. Harry was also starting to doze off, so the two laid down against the pillows, holding each other closely.
Maddie heard voices and footsteps coming up the stairs, so she crawled from under the bed.
"Can you believe Flitwick?" Lavender said. "He wants a yard of parchment on invisibility charms by Monday! I mean, come on! There's nothing on the subject."
"I so totally know," Parvati agreed. "I…" She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the sleeping Harry and Hermione. "Oh, goodness," she said with a sly grin.
"Shhhhhh," Maddie hissed. "Be quiet. You don't want to wake them up."
"How long have you been sitting here?" Lavender asked.
"A while. Leave them alone."
Parvati looked at the sleeping couple. "It's sweet, I guess." She snorted. "It'd be sweeter if it was with someone other than Hermione."
"I think they're cute together," Maddie whispered.
"What have they been doing?" Parvati asked, raising her eyebrows. "They haven't been naughty, have they?" She grinned evilly.
Maddie threw a pillow at her. "Of course not. They've just been talking."
"And?"
"And kissing," Maddie giggled.
"How do you know?" Lavender inquired.
"I was under the bed, watching them the entire time."
"Quite the peeping Ton, aren't we?" Parvati joked.
"I was already in here, and I heard them coming so I hid," Maddie explained.
Lavender and Parvati giggled. "You're so funny, Maddie," Lavender said.
"Oh, I know," Maddie agreed, making the three of them laugh harder.
***
Ginny and Rosalie were walking down the street in Hogsmeade the next day, a Saturday.
"Did you hear about Seamus and Hannah?" Rosalie asked.
"No, I didn't. What happened?" Ginny inquired.
"They broke up."
Ginny groaned. "They were such a cute couple."
"That's all they were, cute," Rosalie grinned. "They couldn't stand each other!"
"Then why did they go out?"
Rosalie shrugged. "People do stupid things. Very stupid things." She grinned evilly. "Why don't you try for Seamus?" She opened her bag of every flavor jelly beans and popped one into her mouth.
Ginny laughed nervously. "No way!"
"Why not?" Rosalie asked. "He'd go out with you if you asked him. Unless there's someone else…"
Ginny bit her lip. Ever since Draco Malfoy had talked to her in the cafeteria the night before, she had been getting a strange feeling in her stomach every time she thought of him.
"Earth to Ginny," Rosalie laughed. "Who's the lucky boy? I haven't seen you this out there since you had the hots for hero Harry." She giggled. "Speaking of Harry, I do believe he is a little taken with Miss Granger. Look," she said, pointing at Hermione and Harry walking down the street, hand in hand.
Ginny giggled. "I'm happy for them. They're both really the nicest people." Ginny paused and looked at Rosalie. "If I tell you something, do you absolutely swear on your grave that you won't tell anyone?"
Rosalie looked at her. "You know I won't tell! You should trust me! What are best friends for?" She looked hurt.
Ginny looked around. "Well, this isn't exactly normal information. It's very private."
"Shoot. Tell me and I'll be your living diary." Rosalie put another jelly bean in her mouth.
Ginny swallowed. "I think I like…"
"Go on, sweetie."
"Draco Malfoy."
Rosalie choked on her jelly bean. "What did you say?" she asked breathlessly.
"Draco Malfoy," Ginny repeated, weakly.
Rosalie looked at her in the eyes. "He's a Slytherin."
"I know."
"Your brother and Draco absolutely despise each other."
"I know."
"Your dad and his dad are worst enemies!" Rosalie cried.
"I know."
Rosalie paused for a minute. Then she smiled. "That semi-evil thing is kind of a turn on."
"I know."
"And he is pretty cute," Rosalie said.
"Boy, do I know."
Rosalie looked at her. "You've always liked challenges."
"He's certainly a challenge," Ginny stated.
"Oh yeah. And a blonde really wouldn't clash with your hair. A brunette might, as another red head would. But a blonde would fit you nicely." Rosalie joked.
"Thank you," Ginny said.
"About what?" Rosalie asked.
"About being so great about this. Most people would be so flabbergasted or disgusted or mad…"
"Ginny, hon, I know that I annoy you to death when I talk about my crush on your brother. But you never say anything. You always listen and give me honest advice. I think I owe you the same courtesy. Besides," Rosalie grinned, "he is hot."
"Don't get any ideas!" Ginny cried. Rosalie laughed.
***
Harry pulled on Hermione's hand. "Let's go get some butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks," he suggested.
"Like a date?" she grinned.
"Like a date," he agreed, and wrapped his arm around her. "Let's go."
"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked?
Harry shrugged. "I think he went off with Lavender and Parvati and Maddie."
"Poor Ron," she sighed. "We were ignoring him."
"I guess we were," Harry agreed. He looked at her and sighed. "Do you want to go and find him?"
"Yes," She said. Harry sighed again.
"He went this way, so let's go."
***
Draco Malfoy walked down the street. He saw Ginny and Rosalie standing in front of him. He felt his muscles tense from just looking at Ginny. She was so beautiful. Her red hair blew in the breeze, and her freckled face shone. He cared so much about her.
"Hey Ginny," he called out casually.
"Uh, hey Draco," she said.
"I'm going to go, I need to get some more jelly beans!" Rosalie exclaimed. "I'm addicted to these things!" With that Rosalie walked off, leaving Ginny alone with Draco.
"It's windy," he said dumbly, at a lack of a better conversation starter.
"Uh, yeah, it is," Ginny agreed.
He met her eyes. "Are you cold?"
"Uh, a little," she admitted. Draco smiled at her. She looked cold in her shorts and tank top.
"Here," he said, taking off his jacket and placing it around her shoulders.
"Thanks," she said.
"Still cold?" he asked.
Ginny shook her head. "Not anymore."
"Ginny, I've been thinking," he started.
"Me too," she said quickly.
"You go first," he said.
"Ok. Look, does it really make that much of a difference of what house we're in?"
Draco took a step closer to her. "No, it doesn't. It's just where we sleep, and the people we go to classes with."
Ginny smiled. "Good. I know that I'm in Gryffindor…"
"And I'm in Slytherin…"
"but, that doesn't mean…"
"that we can't…"
"be…"
"together," Draco finished.
"Good," Ginny said, stepping closer to him. "I'm glad we have that settled."
"Me too," he said, closing the distance between them. He slipped his arms around her waist and she put her arms around his neck. "Do you think this is too fast?" he whispered.
"Oh, no," Ginny whispered. They were so close together their noses touched. "This is fine."
"Good," he mumbled. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.
***
"Oh, Dean, that is like so funny!" Parvati giggled. Maddie rolled her eyes. I need to teach that girl how to flirt, she thought.
"Soccer is the best game; let me tell you why…" Dean said. Maddie stopped listening and turned to Ron, who was lagging behind the group of Dean, Parvati, Lavender, Seamus, Ernie, Justin, Susan Bones, and herself.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
"What's wrong?" he repeated her question. "What's not wrong? My two best friends are in love, and I have no one!"
"Sure you do," Maddie said. "You could ask out almost any girl and she would say yes."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Why?" he asked suspiciously.
"Because you are so handsome," she joked, ruffling his hair.
"Stop it," he cried. He turned to her. "Will you go out with me?"
"What?" Maddie asked meekly, stopping in her tracks.
"Will you go out with me?" he repeated.
"I didn't mean ask me!"
"Well, you said almost any girl…"
"I meant except me, Hermione, or your sister." Maddie explained.
"Why not you?" he asked.
"Why me in the first place?" she inquired.
"You're pretty and fun," he said. "Why not?"
"Because…" she started. Think, Maddie, think! What to say! She decided to be honest. "Ron, back where I come from, there's a boy there who I love very much."
"What's his name?" Ron asked.
"Gray."
Ron snorted. "Gray? That's a color, not a name!"
"It's short for Grayson."
Ron looked at her. "You love him? Like are in love with him?"
Maddie gulped. "Yes," she admitted.
"You're lucky. I wish I felt that way about someone," Ron sighed.
"Even when you don't know if the person loves you back?" Maddie asked.
"You don't know if he loves you?"
Maddie sighed. "We've been best friends since before I can remember, but I don't know if he feels the same way I do."
"What if he doesn't?" Ron asked.
"Then it'll hurt very much when I find out. But I'll try to move on. I don't know if I'll succeed, but I'll try."
Ron suddenly hugged Maddie, tightly. "I hope he feels the same way about you."
"So do I," she said, pulling out of his embrace.
"You deserve it," he whispered.
"You deserve love too, and you'll find it," she said.
"Thanks…" he began, but stopped dead in his tracks with what he saw ahead of them.
"GINNY WEASLEY!" Ron hollered.
Ginny pulled away from Draco, her arms still around his neck. "Yes?" she answered innocently.
"What are you DOING!" he screamed.
"What does it look like?" Ginny asked in a sweet, smart ass voice. Harry and Hermione came around the corner, their mouths open in surprise at the scene.
"You get your hands off of her," Ron hissed, talking to Draco.
Draco clutched Ginny closer to him. "Why don't you get a life, Weasley?"
"Let her GO!" Ron yelled and lunged at him. Ginny jumped out of the way as Ron jumped on top of Draco, knocking him to the floor.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled, and she and Maddie pulled him off of Draco. "What are you doing?" she cried.
"I'll tell you what he's doing!" Ginny screamed. "He's trying to ruin my life!" She looked at Ron. "I hate you! I hate you!" She kicked dirt in his direction. "Never speak to me again! I hate you!" With that Ginny stormed off, taking Draco with her.
Everyone stared at Ron, who was by this time sitting down on the floor in the middle of the sidewalk with everyone staring. Maddie thought she saw him trembling.
"Ron?" she said softly.
He glanced up at her and she saw the tears steaming down his cheeks. He started to sob harder into his hands. Not knowing what to do, Maddie fell to her knees and gave Ron a hug, letting him cry on her shoulder.
"I'm so awful," Ron sobbed.
"No, you're not," she whispered. She got up and let Hermione hold him for a while. Poor Ron. You're almost another father to me, she thought. She went to his home so many times when she ran away that she knew him as well as she knew where own parents. And then for the first time in almost a week, she remembered why she was here. To save Ron. To save Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Draco, and in the process, save Gwyneth; Jamie; Gray Malfoy; William, Isabel, Chloe, and Adam Weasley; Gray's older sister Stacey; and herself, Madeleine Rose Potter.
***
"Back in your old partners and finish the potion today," Snape barked. Maddie yawned. She hated Mondays with a passion. "Five points from Gryffindor for McNestrelles' incompetence." Maddie glared at Snape. I'm not scared of you, you old fool. Then she smiled at him and he quickly looked away. Reverse psychology, she laughed. It always works.
"Maddie," Draco said.
"Yeah?" Maddie asked.
"I kissed her," Draco grinned.
"I was there; I saw."
"Do you think Ron hates me?" Draco asked cautiously.
"I think he hates himself more at this point than you," Maddie said.
"Thank you," Draco said.
"Huh?"
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. I don't deserve it."
Maddie smiled at him. "Sure you do."
He shook his head. "You're the nicest person I know, Maddie. You… you're my best friend."
"We've known each other for about, two months?" Maddie said.
"But you've changed me. I like myself better, I like everything better. I can't tell how depressed I was before you came," Draco admitted.
"How depressed?"
"I was considering killing myself."
Maddie looked at him. "You're joking."
"Would I joke?"
Maddie smiled. "You should actually thank Snape. If he hadn't put us together as partners you would have grown to hate me too."
"Yeah, just, that's pretty much it. Just thank you. I owe you so much, Maddie."
Maddie threw her arms around him. She laid her head on his shoulder and he buried his head in her hair. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks. She missed Gray so much. Draco had the same scent the Gray had, like honey mixed with pine needles.
They heard McGonagall on the loudspeaker. "All students report to their common rooms IMMEDIENTLY!" Maddie felt her heart sink. It had come. He was here. It was time for her battle, and she wasn't ready for it. Please god, help me.
Draco pulled back from her embrace and looked at her. The students were filing out of the room, not paying attention to Maddie and Draco.
Maddie didn't know what came over her. One minute she was just looking at Draco, the next she plunged her lips into his. She pulled back, and he looked at her, bewildered.
"What was that for?" he whispered.
"That was for just in case I don't ever get to kiss Gray," Maddie whispered and walked off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room, leaving a confused Draco to work out what she said.
A/N: Yea! There's going to be one or two more parts after this, and they'll have more action. I apologize for the fluffy romance and such. Please read and review!