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Chapter One: The Day It All Began

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Disclaimer etc in first part

Heliona Writes: Draco, Hermione and Ron
Kyizi Writes: Ginny, Harry and Parvati

Yahoo! Group: a_smirk_and_a_smile

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Draco:

Great, not only do I have a detention with Hagrid that I don't deserve, but I have it with a Gryffindor. And not just any Gryffindor, but a Weasley to boot. Draco's mood soured with every step he took towards Hagrid's hut. He glared at the Gamekeeper and the diminutive girl standing beside him.

Hagrid shuffled his feet and looked uncomfortable, as he always did around Draco, which gave the Head Boy some comfort. Ginny, however, was returning the glare, her brown eyes glittering.

Well, I guess she's got spirit, Draco thought grudgingly. "Let's get on with it," he grunted.

"Right then." Hagrid picked up a huge bucket from which a rather nauseating smell was emanating. "Those are yours."

Draco's disgusted gaze was drawn to two smaller buckets that also contained a foul-smelling substance. Ginny, who was closer to the buckets, wrinkled up her nose and picked up the smaller of the two.

Draco took a deep breath and held it as he picked up the last bucket. He risked a quick glance down, and had to stop himself from retching. It appeared to contain masses of raw meat, which, judging from the smell, and the luminescent sheen covering it, was slightly off.

"Hagrid?" Ginny asked, her voice strained from the effort to carry the heavy load. "What exactly are we feeding?" She sounded dubious, with good reason, Draco thought.

Hagrid's face lit up. "Oh, just you wait. They're beautiful. Here we are."

They turned a bend and there, inside a pen that, to Draco, didn't remotely look strong enough to keep the creatures inside contained, were two huge animals. He heard Ginny breathe a "Wow" beside him, and, from what was currently a safe distance, he had to agree with her.

In front of them stood two griffins. Draco had a suspicion that they were going to be the summer project Hagrid had been spouting on about during their last lesson. They had obviously just woken up and were pacing about the pen.

"Now, what you want to do is to get quite close to them. They don't like their food thrown at them," Hagrid was saying. Draco exchanged an incredulous look with Ginny. He expected them to get close to those creatures?

Draco said as much to Hagrid, and added that there was no way he was going near them. "Oh, don't be such a baby," Ginny huffed. "It can't be that bad if Hagrid's doing it." Draco noticed that she didn't sound that confident.

"Just watch me," Hagrid instructed. The two students stared as Hagrid made his way, gingerly, Draco thought, towards the two hungry griffins. They eyed the huge Gamekeeper up, and watched him carefully with their golden eyes. Hagrid bent down slowly and gently tipped the bucket, trailing the contents in front of the griffins. He then backed away slowly.

"See, easy," Hagrid said once he was out of the pen. "I'll leave you to it, then, I've got to get to breakfast. Just don't turn your back on them, and keep your movements slow and you'll be fine. Have fun!" Hagrid then proceeded to leave them staring after him. "Oh," Hagrid turned back, "and Malfoy, I've left Fang to make sure you do your detention."

Draco suppressed a groan, and turned to the small redhead beside him. "After you," he said, smirking.

Ginny glared at him and started towards the pen. Draco fully intended to stay behind and watch, but a low growl from Fang made him rethink. Apparently the huge, slobbering beast expected him to follow Weasley in. He lifted his bucket with ease, thanking all those hours of Quidditch practise that toned his muscles. Ginny ahead of him was now quivering slightly, out of fear and most likely from carrying the heavy bucket.

The two of them slowly made their way in. Fortunately for them, the griffins were already occupied devouring the meat that Hagrid had left for them. Draco screwed up all his courage, and slowly tipped his bucket. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginny doing the same thing.

Once their buckets were empty, they left them by the side of the pen, next to Hagrid's. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Draco said, smirking at Ginny.

Ginny glared at him. "Argh!" she growled and turned away from him.

Draco's Seeker eyes caught the reaction from the nearest griffin, and his arm shot out. Ginny squeaked as Draco pulled her back against him, out of range of the ferocious animal. Instinctively, he dragged her with him as he opened the gate and shut it behind them quickly.

"Phew!" Ginny breathed. Draco looked down at her; the top of her head barely reached his chin, and noticed that she had opened her mouth to say something else.

Draco's eyes fixed on her mouth, with its pink lips that bizarrely reminded him of raspberries, his favourite fruit. Suddenly he realised who he was still holding around the waist, and let go of her just as she leapt away from him.

"Ugh!" Ginny pushed her hands against his chest and then wiped them on her robes. "Well, at least it was quick." She gave Fang a quick pat and kiss on the head, and then walked off, ignoring Draco.

Draco looked after her, unable to believe what had just happened. He couldn't believe that, firstly he'd rescued Ginny, and secondly that she hadn't thanked him. Surely that was something that Gryffindors did. Oh Merlin, Ginny was a Gryffindor. And he'd been thinking about her lips. Lips that belonged to a Weasley. Draco groaned. Could life get any worse?

He was about to run his hands through his hair, wanting to feel the silky smoothness of his now short hair, when he realised that they still stank of raw meat. Not about to stoop to Weasley's level of wiping his hands on his robe, he had to keep thinking of her as a Weasley, and not Ginny, meant that he had to stop by a bathroom to wash his hands first before heading to breakfast.

Draco looked up at the sun as it rose above Hagrid's hut. He'd have to hurry if he wanted to make it to breakfast.

*****

Ginny:

Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! That did not just happen! Ginny quickened her pace the minute she was sure that Draco was not behind her – No, not Draco, Malfoy! She admonished herself.

She had hastily wiped her hands on her robes, but she was sure she still stank of raw meat. She'd have to have a quick shower before practice, which meant that she'd have to catch Harry before breakfast ended.

She rushed into the great hall and randomly wondered if Draco had thought to grab some breakfast this morning. Ah! Stop it! Stop it!

"You missed breakfast, Gin," Ron said, shaking her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, it's okay, I grabbed something from the kitchens before detention." She sat down beside them as the tables magically emptied, sending all the dishes and leftovers back to the kitchens.

"What is that smell?" Hermione said, scrunching up her nose.

"Essence of Malfoy," Ginny said absently.

"What?" Ron yelped.

"It's raw meat, Ron. We had to feed the griffins."

"We, as in you and Malfoy?"

"Ooh, griffins?" Hermione said with interest. "Wow, they're supposed to be extremely beautiful."


"And dangerous," Harry added, with a slight frown. "You're all right? Nothing happened?"

Ginny felt herself blushing. Oh, nothing happened, she thought, closing her eyes a little, but it almost did.

"Ginny?" Hermione questioned.

"Did Malfoy try anything?"

"Oh, be quiet, Ron." Hermione shook her head. "As if Malfoy would even think about it."

Ginny frowned, almost wanting to protest, but luckily her brain was quick to point out that that was not a good idea. "Look, as you can tell, I smell like raw meat. I need to shower before practice, but I'll be there as soon as I can."

Harry nodded. "That's okay. You're not playing this weekend's match, are you?" he said with a secretive smile that Ginny chose to ignore. She knew when to press Harry and when to leave it alone, and she knew he would only tease her with this until he was ready to tell her, anyway.

She shook her head. "No, Anna, Joy and Dennis are Chasing this week, which you know because you told us that."

"Okay." Harry smiled, but didn't comment on what she had said. "That means we can do some Seeker training." Ginny groaned, but she was still smiling. "You need to be in shape to take over from me next year, Ginny."

"I know, I know, I was only joking." Ginny smiled and stood up. "I'll see you soon."

She rushed out of the hall and connected with someone solid. Just before she hit the floor, a strong arm grabbed hold of her and steadied her. She stood still for a moment, a little too shocked to think.

She shook her head and turned with a smile. "Thank y-" Her eyes widened as she stared into two intense grey eyes. The same eyes she had been staring into earlier that morning.

"Watch where you're going, Weasley," he said, suddenly letting go of her. She was just about to reply when the reason for him jumping back became apparent.

"Get your hands off my sister, Malfoy!"

"With pleasure, Weasel. It's not like I get a kick out of touching up Gryffindors." Malfoy sneered, his eyes hardening.

"Well, it wouldn't surprise me!"

"Oh, shut up, Ron!" Ginny said, getting angry that she was being fought about like some kind of object.

"See that, Weasel," Malfoy said with a smirk. "Even your own sister can't stand listening to you."

"Oh, sod off, Malfoy!" Ginny whirled round and headed straight for the stairs leading to Gryffindor tower. As if it wasn't bad enough that she smelled of raw meat, Ron was being a complete jerk and Malfoy had really nice eyes.

Stop it! She stopped and smacked her head against the wall beside the Fat Lady. Malfoy was evil and a Slytherin and evil and…well, evil! She was not allowed to have lusty thoughts about his nice eyes and gorgeous body and this really wasn't helping. She groaned and hit her head again.

"I don't think that's really going to help, dear," the Fat Lady said, with a note of sympathy. "Who is it this time?"

"Ugh, you really do not want to know." Ginny shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of Draco. He was mean and nasty and why was he being so nice? Well, perhaps nice was too strong a word. But he was being civil and he kept looking at her lips, was that a good thing?

No! Bad thing. Dra – Malfoy, is evil and his being…decent and gentleman-like is not helping matters. Just because he's gorgeous and sexy doesn't make him not a Slytherin! And he does not want me! And I need a shower.

"Weasley Wizard Wheezes," she said and the Fat Lady moved to reveal the door to the common. She definitely needed a shower. A cold shower.

*****

Ron:

Ron watched as Malfoy turned on his heel and walked away from him, not even allowing him to get the last word in. Ron ground his teeth.

"Watch it, Ron, your head might explode!" Harry said as he and Hermione joined him.

"That stupid git, he's such a…" Ron couldn't get the words out, he was so furious. There was just something about Malfoy that got right under his skin.

"Look, don't worry about it," Hermione said soothingly, laying a hand on his arm. "Ginny can look after herself."

Ron just grunted and glared at the corridor Malfoy had disappeared down. "We had better pulverise him in Quidditch."

"Speaking of Quidditch," Harry said quickly, as he and Hermione dragged Ron up the stairs, "we have to get ready for practise."

Ron brightened immediately. Now he had something interesting to focus on. "You're right, come on," he yelled, pulling his arms away from his friends and bounding up the stairs.

He waited for them outside the Fat Lady, grateful that his long legs made the trip easy. Hermione was definitely puffing, and even Harry, although he had grown considerably in the past few years, was slightly out of breath.

"Looks like you need some more exercise," Ron teased Harry. He still couldn't get over the fact that he could nearly look him in the eyes now. He hadn't been able to do that since first year. For some reason it irked Ron a little. It didn't seem fair that the Boy-That-Lived should be tall as well as everything else. Ron quashed that thought right away. He knew where that led, and he didn't want to end up not talking to Harry for weeks like the time when they were in fourth year.

Of course, there were always advantages of both of them being tall now. For one, the fact that Crabbe and Goyle had had to repeat their fifth year meant that Malfoy no longer had his bodyguards, and thus made it easier to threaten the Slytherin. Ron conveniently forgot that Malfoy wasn't exactly vertically challenged either, and lost himself in thoughts of the Slytherin git's frightened face as Harry and him beat him to a pulp. Another reason was that they could protect Hermione. She hadn't appeared to have grown since fourth year, and the top of her head only reached his mid-chest, and Harry's shoulders. Ron reflected that, despite that, the Head Girl still had the ability to shut anyone up with one glare.

He grinned at her flushed face, ignoring her mock-glare as Harry gave the password. Ron loved her like a sister, and certainly felt as protective towards her as he did Ginny. He wasn't sure when his feelings for her had changed, for they certainly had. He remembered when he had realised that Hermione was actually a girl, as opposed to just one of his best friends. He had never got up the courage to say anything to her, and then events had overtaken them, and when he finally had time to think about her, Ron realised that during that time his feelings had changed again. He could certainly see that she was, well, female. He couldn't bring himself to think of her as a girl, she was far too mature for that, and the word woman made it seem as though she was experienced, which he definitely hoped she wasn't! It wasn't hard to miss, now, after all. Ron fully admitted that Hermione was beautiful.

He had a passing thought as to why she hadn't ever gone out with anyone, but then realised that anyone who wanted to go out with her would know that they had to go through Harry and himself. And everyone knew that that would be virtually impossible.

"Well, while you two are practising, I'm going to be doing some actual work," Hermione was saying. "You know, that homework that Professor McGonagall set us. It needs doing." She looked sternly at the two of them.

Harry groaned. "Hermione, we know, but we also have to practise."

"And I resent you suggesting that Quidditch should take a backseat to some stupid project," Ron added.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "This stupid project is worth a lot of marks, which go to your NEWTs, in case you had forgotten."

Ron grinned. "I know. Have fun!" He loved winding her up.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and threw her hands up in the air, before walking over to a table to pick up a book. Harry and Ron watched her go, and then glanced at each other. "We can do it once we've finished," Harry said, making his way up to their dorm. "Come on, let's get changed and get our brooms, or else we'll be late."

Ron snorted. "Late? I don't think so, but all right. I take it you have something planned for the match next week?" He struggled with his boots, narrowly avoiding the flying jumper that Harry tossed his way as he undressed.

Harry looked up from tying his Quidditch robes on. "Of course I do. How can you doubt me?"

Ron shrugged and straightened up, his own robes swirling gently around his ankles. "Well, you just haven't mentioned anything to me. And, normally we talk about strategies."

Harry paused on his way out the door, holding his Firebolt. "You're right, and I'm sorry. But, this time it's different. You'll understand when I talk to the rest of the team. I'll need your help this week, though. I have this idea about a new formation, but I'm not sure."


Ron smiled, relieved. He had his own ideas, and he had hoped that Harry was going to ask him about strategies. Although it was unofficial, Ron thought of himself as being as much the Captain as Harry was. They had certainly hashed out enough tactics this term together. Ron's schemes always involved Harry's role as Seeker, which Harry tended to forget. He generally focussed on the rest of the team, since he saw how they played from his vantage point up in the sky. But Ron, as Keeper, saw the whole pitch, including Harry, and had cooked up some brilliant plans. He couldn't wait to put them to good use against Slytherin.

As he and Harry walked back down the stairs, Ron grinned. "Malfoy's not going to know what's hit him."

"You're right," Harry said, smirking.

Ron glanced at him, curious. Harry had something up his sleeve. Clearly he wasn't going to say anything just yet, but Ron was sure that he could get it out of his friend soon enough.

"It's perfect weather, too," Harry commented as they walked through the Common Room. "Ah, this is the life," he added, grinning as he stepped out of the portrait-hole.

*****

Parvati:

She watched as Ron and Harry passed by her again, this time clutching their broomsticks. She knew that they had not seen her and she didn't really care. No one ever saw her, not really.

I have got to stop feeling sorry for myself, she thought, shaking her head. It is not the end of the world. I'm still alive and if I word it right, I'm sure Lavender will forgive me…I think.

She sighed and forced the tears in her eyes to stay where they were. No one might know she was there, but she refused to cry, especially in the common room. She wasn't like that, not anymore. Not that anyone really knew her well enough to realise that. No one but Terry, and Terry didn't care anymore.

"Parvati, are you all right?" She jumped and froze for a moment. Hermione had taken her completely by surprise and she had to collect herself. "Parvati?"

"I'm fine, Hermione." She knew it had come out harsher than she meant, but in truth, Hermione was the first person she had talked to in a while, and she was still angry and upset. Hermione had turned to leave, looking more than a little hurt and offended by the way Parvati had spoken to her.

"Hermione," she called and the girl turned around. "I'm sorry. Thank you for caring enough to ask."

Hermione smiled and nodded, picking up a book that was sitting on the table beside her, before heading towards the stairway that led to the Head Girl's room. It was strange seeing the extra staircase back again; it hadn't been there since her third year when Percy Weasley had been Head Boy.

She looked around the room and suddenly felt very claustrophobic, she needed to get some fresh air. She quickly went up to her room and grabbed her cloak before heading out onto the grounds. She walked towards the lake and sat down beside her favourite tree. Lavender had always thought that it was strange that she had a favourite tree, but Parvati had always loved playing in trees when she was younger, something that no one who knew her would guess. She just loved the sense of magic that seemed to be around them.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but she didn't care. She could stay in that spot for hours and not notice the passage of time. After a while, she heard noises behind her, which wasn't unusual for a Saturday; people were always walking about the grounds. What caught her attention was that she recognised one of the voices, very well.

"I don't know."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"Aren't you going out with Parvati?"

Terry laughed. "No, that was just a phase. Us, however…"

Parvati didn't hear anymore. She was too busy running away. She couldn't believe what Terry had said. After all the time they had been together and all the things he had said, it was just a phase?

She wasn't paying any attention to where she was going. And the fact that she nearly knocked someone over as she rushed through the school was barely even a thought in the back of her mind. All she could think about was that she wanted nothing more than to curl up and cry.

*****

TBC…