Disclaimer: Same as before
A/N: Read and Review!
CHAPTER 3
Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Harry were playing exploding snap in a compartment. "Damn." Harry swore. " Ron, will you stop winning?"
Ron grinned. " C'mon Harry. It's not that hard."
" Sorry, I was a deprived child. Never played these games before."
They all laughed.
"Potter, Weasley, Weasley, Granger." Sneered a voice from the doorway. They glanced up to see Draco leaning casually against the door frame.
" What do you want, Malfoy?"
Malfoy looked offended. "Can't a person have a decent talk with some people?"
" Malfoy, remember who you're talking to." Ron snapped.
Draco just shrugged a shoulder. " I don't want anything from you, Weasley. You're too poor to have anything anyway."
Ron stood angrily to his feet. Harry and Hermione pulled him back down.
" Shut your trap, Malfoy. Or else." Ron lashed out.
Malfoy grinned. " Or else what?"
"You don't have your body guards."
" I don't need them."
" Bull shit."
" Really, Weasley. If you think that why don't you attack me. I don't care." Malfoy raised an eyebrow.
" Stop it." Harry was sick of this. " Malfoy, get out."
" I'm hurt, Potter."
" Shut up!"
" Is it a sin to talk?"
" No, it's a sin for you to talk."
" How come I'm singled out? I must be special."
" Yeah, your special. You're a special dick head."
" I resent that comment."
" You're supposed to, asshole."
" Fuck you, Potter."
" No thanks. I'm not gay. Although you might be."
" Hot guys are not always gay, thank you very much."
" Who said anything about hot guys?"
" Have you noticed who you're talking to?"
" Yeah, a dumb ass."
" At least I know how to use my eyes. Mirrors are helpful. You need one."
" Fuck off, Malfoy,"
" Ah...finally. Something hit home, Potter?"
"You wish, Malfoy."
" I do, which means you do."
" Malfoy, what the hell are you doing in here? Especially with out your body guards?"
" Passing time with interesting company."
" Since when was our company interesting?"
" Since I decided it would be a good idea to find out how my inferiors think."
" Shut the fuck up!"
" I don't want to."
" You sounded like a spoiled brat."
" You are a spoiled brat."
" Am not!"
" Potter, by talking you make the whole world realize how dumb you are."
" Malfoy, stop talking about yourself."
" That has to be the lamest come back ever."
Draco and Harry glared at each other. Hermione, sick of their fighting, spat out, " Malfoy, get the hell out of here. Harry, calm down."
" SHUT UP!" both boys yelled.
" Fine." Hermione huffed. This was disgusting.
" Wizard's duel?" Malfoy inquired.
Harry glared. " Last time you set Filch on us."
Malfoy frowned. He pulled out his wand. Harry, suddenly worried, dug into his robes for his own wand. Malfoy rolled his eyes.
" Potter, I'm not going to curse you. I'm merely going to make sure we both show up."
Draco conjured a parchment. He signed it in blood and handed it to Harry."
" Sign it."
" What is it?"
" A challenge. It'll insure we both go."
Harry read the document and glanced up. " In blood?" Draco nodded. Harry bit his lip, and nodded back. He pricked his finger and signed. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron watched in amazement.
" I'll be your second." Ron said quickly.
" Touched," Draco replied. " But I don't need one."
" I was talking to Harry."
Malfoy grinned slightly. " No seconds."
" What?" Harry looked slightly worried.
" No seconds. Didn't you read the document. No seconds, no deaths."
Harry sighed and nodded. " Tomorrow night?"
Draco nodded. " I'll be looking foreword to seeing you." He pocketed the document and left.
" What the fuck was that about?" Ron demanded.
Harry was staring at the now closed compartment door. " I don't know."
" Are you going?" Hermione asked.
Harry shot a look at her. " Were you paying any attention? I have to. I just signed something that promises I'll be there."
Ginny stared at them. " I think I'll be leaving now."
Harry nodded. " Alright. See you later."
As she turned to go, he quickly added. " Please don't tell anyone about this."
She nodded once and left. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. Harry sighed. He'd already noticed the annoying behavior of his two friends.
" Will you guys quit it!" He snapped at them.
Hermione gave him a look. " Quit what?"
" Those....Those looks. Like I'm about to die any second."
" Aren't you?"
" NO!"
] " Sorry, Harry."
" You should be."
" Harry," it was Ron speaking now. " I don't think you should go tomorrow night."
" Ron, I don't have a choice. I have to." Harry suddenly had a bad thought. " Ginny won't tell, will she?"
Ron shot him a disgusted look. " This is my sister you're talking about."
" Oh sorry." Harry mentally smacked himself. Of course Ginny wouldn't tell.
" You should be." Ron said, imitating Harry. Harry punched him lightly in the shoulder. Ron hit back. The two ended up on the floor fighting.
Hermione stared down at them. " Why does this NOT look right?" She wondered out loud.
" Hermione!" Both Ron and Harry yelled. She grinned. Harry whispered secretly in Ron's ear. Hermione looked on suspiciously.
" 1. 2. 3. GO!" yelled Harry. Both he and Ron launched an attack on the girl.
"AHHHHHH!!!!"
The three lay tangled up in a heap laughing on the floor when the door slipped open again.
"If it's Malfoy..." Ron began.
" Relax Ron. It's us." Fred said, coming in with his twin. " We're here to see how everyone's doing." George walked over to Hermione and snatched the book she was still holding. He held it up high so she couldn't reach it.
" Fine, whatever." Ron said, wondering what their real reason was. He got up off the floor. Harry and Hermione followed his suit.
" Whatever?! Your telling your amazing brothers 'whatever'. HELLO, Ron, you're supposed to be listening to every word we say. Every syllable we speak." Fred looked offended.
"Yeah, right, whatever." Ron said.
Fred and George rolled their eyes. George glanced over at Harry and mouthed, " Have you used the presents yet?" Harry shook his head.
The twins sat down next to Hermione who snapped at George, " Give me my book." George raised his eyebrows and held the book out of reach even farther. Hermione sighed and sunk back into the chair.
" So," George began. " We saw Malfoy coming out of here. What did he want?"
" Nothing. He just wanted to make his traditional visit and say, ' you're picking the losing side, Potter.'" Harry lied easily.
Fred glared at the door. " George, we really should roast that boy."
"Yeah," George agreed. " Let's over cook him."
They all laughed but quickly sobered down.
" You know, Harry. This year isn't going to be like any other year we've had. The teacher's are always going to be watching us, we'll probably have maximum protection, and we won't be able to do anything,"
" Yeah, well, I can think of one good thing about it," Ron said. " I doubt Snape's going to be teaching. Isn't he off on some mission?"
Harry shrugged uncomfortably. He didn't trust Snape because the man had been a death eater. Harry had no idea why Dumbledore trusted Snape so much. In Dumbledore's position, Harry would have killed Snape.
" No Snape!" Fred said amazed. " George, come on, we need to start planning." Fred dragged George out of the room, barley giving his twin the time to return the book to Hermione. The door slid shut behind them.
" What, was that all about?" Ron asked in surprise.
" Dunno," Hermione replied. " But shut up you guys, I want to read."
Ron rolled his eyes and stared out the window. " You know, Harry. If Snape isn't here, then we won't have to worry about anything?"
" I wouldn't count on it," Harry said darkly. " I bet we'll get a evil Potions and Master of the Dark Arts teacher this year."
" Yeah, whatever." Ron just shrugged. " Hey, do you think Lupin might come back?"
" I doubt it," Hermione said dryly. " He almost killed you two years ago. The Slytherians won't let him back."
Ron shrugged embarrassed. " Sorry, just an idea," he muttered.
Harry was ignoring the conversation. He suddenly asked " Hey, Ron, why the hell did you give me that gift for my birthday?"
Ron looked surprised for a second, but then a grin spread across his face and he said innocently, " I thought you'd like it. Didn't you like it?"
Harry glared at him. " RON!!!"
" Sorry," Ron said, not sorry at all. " Actually I've got something else in my bag for you. Hold on a second." Ron dug through his bag and pulled out a poster of England's quidditch team.
" Here you go. Since you'll probably be playing for England sometime, I figured you should have a signed poster of the team.
Harry looked at it. One of the chasers was really hot. " Thanks, Ron."
" Welcome." Ron replied, blushing slightly, but grinning happily.
" The train will reach the station in approximately 10 minutes. At this time, students should change into their robes."
" All right, Hermione, get out of the room so Harry and I can change." Ron said. Hermione just glared, annoyed to be interrupted. She left the room in a huff.
"Geez, what's her problem?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged and replied, " Probably misses Krum."
" That little bastard," Ron began, but he shut up at Harry's warning look.
" Well, he is." Ron said, trying to defend himself.
" Yeah, right, whatever, Ron."
" Why do you think she hasn't metioned him? He probably did something to her."
Harry thought about that for a second. " You might be right."
" I know I'm right," Ron replied glaring at the closed door.
" You think we should ask her?"
" Yeah, and get our heads bitten off. No thanks."
" Good point. She'll tell us in her own good time."
" Which means never."
" Yeah, I suppose. Damn. I want to know."
" So do I, Harry. So do I."