Ron sighed. "I don't think this is a good idea at all. I mean it."

Hermione flashed him a sweet smile. "Ron. Really, don't worry about me. I'll be all right."

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

Hermione playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Aww, you are so sweet."

Ron looked disgusted. "Whatever. I'm going to go do my homework now. See you later."

"Homework? He never does his own homework. He begs me to do it for him," Hermione said to herself.

"I heard that!"

Hermione got up from where she was sitting and exited the room. She was up for a stroll around Hogwarts. It was evening. The corridors were dimmed yet still bright enough to see. A few portraits waved towards her, while another few scowled as if she wasn't supposed to be out at this time.

She passed a few people. Neville Longbottom, running away from who knew what. A couple Hufflepuffs laughing. Some other people she didn't recognize. Harry and Cho walking with laced fingers. Ugh. The love couple. Two Slytherins who looked oddly familiar.

Hermione searched her brain for anything about the Slytherins.

Draco Malfoy's voice popped inside her head, "Then I saw her and this other guy named Sean together."

He had pointed out Kathryn and Sean to Hermione, and now she saw them. The couple stopped in front of her. Kathryn was giving Hermione an evil stare while Sean wrapped his arm around Kathryn's waist, whispering into her ear.

"So," Kathryn said. "This is the famous Hermione Granger?"

Hermione shrugged. "Might be."

"Since when are you and Draco an item?" Kathryn laughed a cold laugh that sent a chill down Hermione's back.

"We are not an item. Just friends."

Kathryn scoffed and motioned Sean to keep on walking.

The next morning, Hermione woke up in a mess. She had a huge headache. She quickly ran to the shower, turning the faucet on to icy cold, hoping her headache would leave her, but it didn't. She shivered. The coldness only reminded her of the Slytherin house.

She dried herself and got dressed in her usual Hogwarts robes.

After gathering up her books and getting ready for classes, she waited for Ron and Harry, more Ron than Harry, to walk with her to class.

Harry came down first. "Hermione, I think we have to talk."

"About what?" she asked with a fake smile.

"Cho and me. I'm sorry I never told you. We started going out during the summer."

"Oh okay, that's great," she said, trying to hide the irony in her voice.

"You okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Okay, that's good." Harry hesitated. "So are we still friends?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well, you hanging around Draco and all."

Hermione shrugged. "Yeah."

"He hasn't been bothering me lately."

When is this boy going to shut up? Hermione thought.

"So I guess he's not so bad anymore."

"Uh huh."

"So how are your classes?"

"Harry! I'm fine, okay!" she finally snapped.

Harry gazed at her. She couldn't help notice the warmth in his green eyes.

"Look I'm sorry. I've been in a bad mood lately, that's all," Hermione sighed. "Oh, okay."

They both fell silent.

"Listen," Hermione finally said. "I'm going on ahead to class, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

She walked off, feeling confused and angry at the same time.