Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry potter characters or anything affiliated with them.

Author's Note: I know, I know the ending to the last chapter was reeeeally lame but I had to end it somehow and I wanted to post it up quick cuz it took longer than expected. I don't think this chapter will be too long tho we'll see how it goes and ppl plzzzz review thx so0o much for the ppl that reviewed already ur really nice thxx =) Hmmm...this chapter isn't really very funny but don't worry I'll make up for that next chapter hehe

Slythindor

Chapter 5: Threats, Fights, and Poltergeists

The students had spent the rest of their Breakfast chattering excitedly about the ball but afterwards their classes seemed to drag on forever. Plus the Slytherins and Gyffindors had to deal to their new combined schedules as well as each other. The teachers kept purposely combining the houses when they assigned groups and Hermione ended up with Blaise Zabini and Malfoy during Potions. She found it pretty funny how Blaise just couldn't keep her eyes off of Malfoy and unquestionably obeyed whatever he asked her to do. It was also kind of disturbing though as Malfoy seemed to be enjoying it a great deal. He didn't have such ease with Hermione though. Those pangs of annoyance just kept coming as every second she would correct him on something plus he was still annoyed about that puzzle piece. She had managed to outsmart him and it really irritated him, not to mention the whole library incident. He thought maybe he was so aggravated because she was so challenging and to be quite honest that hasn't happened before. He had at least assumed if someone like that ever came up it wouldn't be a mudblood. Oh well at lest he'd always have his good looks to console him...

"Malfoy pay attention! Just because your head's been in the clouds lately doesn't mean I'm going to let you screw up this potion," Hermione snapped at him as she saw that he was staring into space while cutting up the canary beetles.

"Shut up mudblood, I think I can manage cutting up beetles and I was just thinking about how I would rather YOU were under this knife right now," he shot back as he smirked with Blaise having a questionable state of consciousness.

"What's with you and the word 'mudblood'? Can't think of a better insult?" she snapped as she shot him a dirty look.

"Sorry beaver would you rather filthy scum or maybe a worthless excuse for a witch? Hmmm...hold on this might take a while, although mudblood did suit you a lot better if you ask..." his retort was cut short as Hermione got up from her seat smacked him square on the face. Draco's eyes flashed as he got up from his seat with the knife still in his hand. By this time all eyes were on them but Draco hadn't realized he was still holding the sharp object and a wearing threatening expression on his face. As he realized it though he had a strange feeling of contempt for himself as he dropped it onto the table and sat down again feeling disgusted at his actions even though he didn't mean to be holding a knife threateningly to a girl. Then AGAIN he felt that overwhelming sense of confusion that's been hitting him a like tidal wave every time he thought such ridiculous things. He just didn't get it, he was going to be a Death Eater soon yet he can't even handle waving a knife around. He was capable of several other malicious acts of course, but when imposing any life-threatening situation on someone he couldn't handle it. He was becoming soft like his father had told him. He always tried to ignore Lucius because he was always putting him down about everything and it's like his father didn't matter anymore, he was never good enough anyway. He was getting more and more frustrated about it, but his father kept telling him he'd have to get used to being put down if he was going to serve the Dark Lord. Maybe it was this damn school, with that idiotic muggle-loving headmaster and all this "be nice to your enemies" rubbish. He couldn't stand it yet it seemed to have affected him somehow and it aggravated him impossibly.

Good thing Snape didn't see anyway, him and Longbottom were a bit occupied trying to settle his potion that seemed to be sprouting something or other. Harry and Ron had gotten up though, but as Draco dropped the knife Hermione seemed to have given them an "it's-ok-calm-down" look so they sat back down although they had alarming looks on their faces and their fists were clenched hard. Hermione was staring at Draco now with an inexpressible look. It was a look of some range of anger, disgust, and surprise, but there was also tinge of fear that he could sense but wasn't indicated by her expression. The beetles were the last ingredient to add to the potion so soon they were done. After Malfoy had gotten up though he found himself surrounded by Gryffindors who appeared to be fuming with anger. Harry and Ron approached him first with expressions that made it clear that they inetnded to hurt him.

"Malfoy how DARE you hold a knife up to Hermione, I ought to snap your neck after that stunt you pulled!" Ron shot at him while making a gesture of him breaking something in half.

"I'd dare to do quite a few things Weasley," Draco replied silkily, " Now I dare YOU to take your poor, dirty, freckled arse and get out of my way!"

Ron lunged at him but he felt someone pull him back suddenly. Hermione emerged from behind him wearing the same expression she had on before except this time Draco didn't sense fear but rage. She held Ron back a minute until he calmed down and then confronted Draco herself. She noticed him roll his eyes as she began.

"I see you've resorted to using knives now Malfoy, forgot how to use a wand?" she said mockingly as she waved her wand around," I just want you to know one thing Malfoy, you can call me a mudblood all you want, but I will NOT tolerate being called a worthless excuse for a witch because as far as I know, I'm a better one than you!"

"You think so, huh Granger? You might be good at reading and studying, but magic? You can never match a pureblood at it. That's something you'll just have to accept..." he replied in slightly mocking tone but mostly he was plainly relaying information to her as if he knew it was true and she just had to understand. His father had explained this concept to him many times. The Gryffindors looked beside themselves with anger and they all had their wands out. Hermione was giving him a look of sheer contempt, and to everyone's surprise she told them all to leave. They were kind of upset about missing the fight of the century but they knew Hermione had to deal with him and would tell them all the details later anyway. She saw him roll his eyes again and...look at his reflection in the window?

"Malfoy, I didn't know you were so vain..." she said as she inched closer to him.

"It wouldn't hurt if you were a little vain yourself Granger," he retorted without looking at her as he was still fixing his hair. She was behind him now and she placed her wand at the nape of his neck. He turned around and stared at her with a very amused look. She was dragging the wand across the front of his neck as she moved around him with a threatening look on her face. He was laughing now as she approached his back but to her, this was no laughing matter. She grabbed him and turned him around. She had her wand at the center of his neck now as he started to laugh even harder.

"Ooh feisty, I didn't know you had it in you Granger, I would have expected you to burst into tears AGES ago," he drawled as Hermione's rage intensified. He was right though, she was usually really emotional but Malfoy always manages to say just the right thing to set her temper off. He also knew just the right thing to bring her to tears too but hopefully it wouldn't come to that...

"Malfoy, I don't think you realize what I could do to you right now," she whispered in his ear as she grazed the wand into his neck a little more. He had the wildest smirk on his face now and it irritated her that he was enjoying this so much.

"Whoa, Granger, I always knew you had a hidden passion for me, but don't you think you should tone it down a bit?" he said still smirking. She looked absolutely apoplectic with anger. He was studying her now, trying to size her up, and saw that she wasn't to be underestimated. He didn't know why but she looked a lot better when she was angry. Her soft curls fell onto her face from both sides and her deep brown eyes looked intense as she was glaring at him. He almost thought for a second that she was...pretty? She was no beauty, but she had this luminescence he couldn't explain. It was probably from always being so cheerful that even when she was angry that certain radiance she always had, seems to shine through and he bizarrely found himself attracted to her. Augh, great on top of his hair being messed up he was having delusions! He was now becoming angry with himself as he now realized he couldn't control himself anymore. He was a Malfoy after all, and these sympathetic feelings and outrageous thoughts had to stop. He took out his wand, and Hermione watched as his expression changed from one of amusement to one of anger and resentment. He pushed her away from him.

"Get away from me mudblood," he said sharply as they both stood pointing their wands at eachother.

"Not before you take back what you said about me being a worthless excuse for a witch!" she shouted, "I'm not afraid of you! I don't care if you're Death Eater!

"I'm NOT a Death Eater!" he shouted back almost screaming now. Suddenly, he found himself absolutely taken aback by the way he had said that. As if being a Death Eater was the worst thing in the world and the last thing he would ever be. He was disgusted at himself and grew more frustrated with how confusing everything was by the minute. He grew even angrier knowing how less difficult her life was. She was eying him now with a look of surprise and suspicion.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" she said sounding very curious. Why was he so touchy about being a Death Eater? With the way HE acts you'd think he'd been one for years. He had looked very distraught after he had said it though, and now he wore an expression that showed frustration and confusion.

"None of your business Granger! It's nothing a dirty little mudblood would understand anyway!"

"Augh! You disgust me Malfoy and I'll show you just how...what the hell?!" She exclaimed as her wand was snatched out of her hands. Malfoy's wand was gone too but when they looked up Peeves was hanging upside down from the ceiling with his stomach stretched a great deal and he was holding both their wands.

"Wheeee, would you look at that?" he said, as he was springing up and down, "Well if it isn't a couple of the Slythindors having a little brawl! Hee hee, and don't they look absolutely LIVID? These are a nice pair of wands I've got right here; I think I can wreak quite a bit of havoc with these two! I think I'll add them to my collection..."

"Don't you dare run off with my wand Peeves!" Hermione yelled looking helpless.

"Why should I run when I can just...disappear through the walls?" he said as he snapped up and half his body went through the ceiling.

"Just give us our wands back you brainless poltergeist!" Draco shouted not realizing he had said "our."

"Ooh so you want you're girlfriend's wand back too I see!" he said gleefully,

"She is NOT my girlfriend," he said defensively as he gave her a disgusted look.

"Putting a love spell on her then perhaps? Hee hee!"

"Peeves! I'm late for lunch now give it here!" Hermione shouted at him looking very disgusted herself, but also embarrassed and frustrated, as she was getting very impatient.

"Catch 'em if you caaaaann" he said as he started spinning wildly from the ceiling like a fan. He let go of the wands and they each fell on opposite sides of the hall, then he sprung up and disappeared through the ceiling.

They both went over and picked up their wands, but before they left they glanced at each other with disdainful looks and then headed to the Great Hall.

They had walked in at different times but as each of them walked in they realized things had just gotten worse. Instead of two different tables for each house there was one big Slythindor table. Dumbledore felt that since they were one house it only made sense that they should have one table. They didn't seem to see the logic in that though as they groaned and sat down. When Hermione got to the table everyone was looking at her with curious expressions but the look she was wearing told them that she wasn't in the mood to talk. She had gotten there just in time though, as Dumbledore was just about to make the announcement about the ball. He looked like he had a lot to say as his eyes twinkled and he eyed everyone with a cheerful expression.

"Throughout the history of Hogwarts there have been rivalries between the houses. There was very strong enmity, predominantly between two particular houses"; he began while eying the Slythindor table, "That was why I combined them and I'm sure you all will get along just fine eventually. This was the perfect way to settle all your disagreements and to end this rivalry once and for all. You all must understand that there is an underlying theme for all this, and the fact is that it doesn't matter what house you are in. You are all students here at Hogwarts and the initial purpose of the creation of the houses was just to teach the different values that our founders thought were most important. None of the values were better or worse than the others, they were equal. You were put in each house based on those values but that doesn't make any one house better than the other in any way. So, to help you all understand that it doesn't mater what house you are in; Hogwarts will be hosting a Masquerade Ball. It will take place on the Friday after the next. There will be a different theme for each night and they are they following: The 1st night's theme will be Victorian where you will wear the customary clothes of the era, The 2nd night's theme will be a modern muggle dance where you will wear muggle dress clothes, and the 3rd night will be a traditional Hogwarts Ball and your identities will be revealed. Your masks will be charmed to disappear at a certain random time during the night. There will be a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend, where you will pick up your costumes from "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions" since she's been notified of the ball and has all that you will need for each theme. Also throughout the week, Professor Flitwick will be teaching charms that will enable you to temporarily change your voices, hair colors, and eye colors. I'd also like to lay down a few general rules: No one is allowed to reveal their identities throughout the ball and you cannot try to find out what everyone is wearing as these will cease the cause of the underlying theme that it doesn't matter what house you are from. Which leads to the fact that there will be no pre-chosen partners to this ball as it is going to be completely random. And on a final note there will be no Quidditch Cup this year as there will be a special Tournament that everyone will be participating in. Details will be revealed after the ball. Thank you all and keep in mind what a famous muggle president by the name of Abraham Lincoln said, ""Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" and also Fabbit! Marlik! Glibbit! Ronk! Enjoy the rest of your lunch!

It took the students a while to take in all of this information but eventually the Great Hall was buzzing excitedly about the Masquerade Ball and the Tournament. Some were a little disappointed about there not being any Quidditch but nothing good had come out of it this year anyway.

After lunch they managed to finish the rest of their classes without any fights breaking out and Hermione had told everyone what had happened even though it wasn't much. After classes were over Draco went back to the common room (Harry had commented on how the Slytherins had nice teeth to get in) and he sat on the couch opposite the fireplace. It was quite a large fireplace and it made the couch feel warm when he sat on it. The couch was silver, green, red and gold having an intertwined pattern between the colors forming patches. Draco thought it looked utterly ridiculous along with everything else in the room. He had received another letter from his father yesterday and was going to burn it as he did to the rest of the letters he gets from Lucius. They were just useless put-downs and by now he had figured it was absolutely pointless to read them. It hit him then though that maybe it wasn't. He was acting strange lately, malicious as usual of course but not AS malicious as he should be. He reluctantly opened the letter figuring it would probably benefit him in the long run and it said:

Draco,

I see you have not been replying to my letters. Seems like Hogwarts has taken a toll on your already pathetic mentality on the situation at hand. I assume you still remember where our meeting spot in the Forbidden Forest is so you will meet me there Thursday at sunset. There are things of dire consequence we must discuss and I do hope your feeble mind will be able to handle anything of that importance.

Regards, Lucius Malfoy

Draco read over the letter several times and he realized that his father was right. The school had taken a toll on him but it wouldn't anymore. He wondered what his father wanted to tell him so badly, but he knew it wouldn't be good. It was probably just a ploy to get him to go, but he'd be in a load of trouble if he didn't show up. Not to mention everyone thinking he had lost faith in the Dark Lord. That's just not possible...





Another lame ending of another chapter of this crappy story haha Will Draco and Hermione EVER stop fighting? What's everyone gonna pick out at Hogsmeade? And what's Draco's dad going to tell him or...do to him? Next chapter should be up sumtime this weekend kk? Weird.I must have some subliminal messages in here sumwhere since you guys actually seem to like this fic and that's PRETTY bizarre hahaha PLZZZZ REVIEW it means A LOT trust me ****btw special thx to my friend Kristen whoz been helping me out her user name is SweetWater go read her story it's also a reeeeeeallyyy good original D/Hr fic called The Mistake They Can't Deny and also read Draco Malfoy, the Amazing Bouncing... Rat? By Sharon Armstrong I guarantee you will be rolling the floor laughing it's the funniest thing you will EVER READ LoL trust me haha byee