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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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Harry:

"Watch where you're going!" Ron said shaking his head as Parvati Patil bumped into him. "What do you think that was all about?"

Harry shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Same time tomorrow, Harry?" Dennis Creevey asked, changing his broom into his other hand.

"No," Harry said with a large smile. "Slytherin have the pitch all day tomorrow."

"And you're smiling?" Ginny cried. "How is this a good thing?"

"Because you don't know what I know." Harry smirked and gave the Fat Lady the password. "Seems that Malfoy is changing his team. His entire team." Harry watched the team's expressions change from alarm to happiness.

"Are you serious?" Ron asked incredulously. Harry nodded and Ron jumped in the air with a loud whoop.

"No wonder Draco seemed preoccupied yesterday," Ginny said with a frown and Harry was sure that he had stepped into some warped kind of reality.

"Did you just call Malfoy, Draco?" he asked, aware that Ron was so shocked he seemed incapable of constructing a sentence, let alone a coherent one.

Ginny only just seemed to have realised she had spoken out loud and, instead of replying she fumbled with an excuse about taking another shower and quickly headed up to her dorm, Anna, Joy, and Ashley running after her with their brooms.

"Tell me my little sister did not just call Malfoy by his first name."

Harry shrugged and shook his head. "Maybe the girls will get something out of her."

"Yeah," Seamus said with a grin. "That Ashley has a way of getting what she wants." He shook his head and rubbed his left arm where Ashley had sent a Bludger flying at him during practice.

Seamus and Dennis managed to talk Ron into going back up stairs to get dressed instead of running after Ginny, but Harry's attention was captured by Hermione as she entered the common room. She caught his gaze and smiled radiantly. Harry felt his cheeks flush, but he didn't really care; she was beautiful and she was smiling at him.

"What?" she asked, blushing. She walked right up to him and punched his shoulder playfully.

"Nothing." He smiled. "Just you." Her cheeks reddened even more and she ducked her head. Harry was suddenly aware of what he had just said and cleared his throat. He glanced across the room and his eyes widened when his gaze locked with Stephanie. The girl was staring at them, smirking.

"So, eh." He stepped back, shuffling his feet a little, ignoring the giggle that had clearly come from Ginny's roommate. "What were you doing?"

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Hermione:

Hermione looked up and shook her head before she could become lost in those deep green eyes. "Uh, homework, Transfiguration, remember?"

"Oh, right." Harry nodded. "So, was it hard?"

Hermione shrugged. "It wasn't that bad." They walked over to a table. "All I needed was to find the right book in the library."

"I don't suppose you want to lend me…" Harry started.

"No, I'm not lending you my homework, no matter what I feel…" Hermione trailed off, unable to believe she was actually going to finish that sentence.

"I was going to say the book, Hermione," Harry said, his eyes twinkling. "What were you going to say?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Uh, nothing." How can I be so clever, and not be able to think of a smart answer? It must be those eyes. And that body. She caught herself before she started to drool. Hermione, stop it NOW!  "Just what I feel about you having to do so much extra work, what with Quidditch, and everything." Phew, nice recovery.

"That's okay," Harry said, and Hermione sighed inwardly in relief. Obviously Harry was as dense as Ron. "I'm sure if you lend me the book, I'll be fine, although I thank you for your concern." He sat down at the table and avoided her gaze, but Hermione was sure that he winked at her.

Did he just wink at me? Oh God, does that mean he knows? Well, if he knows, then that's good, right? Hermione's thoughts tumbled over one another. Argh, just concentrate on something else. Like what, how can I possibly concentrate when Harry's sitting opposite me, staring earnestly at that bloody chess game he and Ron are ensconced in. Did I just say bloody? Argh, Ron's getting to me too! Hermione swallowed and sat down opposite Harry. She tried not to stare as Harry slowly picked up a pawn and advanced it one square.

He looked up when he'd finished, and caught her eye, grinning. "Ron's going down."

Hermione felt herself smile back. It was as though there was no-one else in the world when he smiled at her like that. "If that's what you'd like to think, then I won't correct you," she returned, laughing.

"Hey," Harry said, standing up, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Harry, when was the last time you beat Ron at chess?"

"There's a first time for everything," Harry said haughtily.

Hermione stuck her tongue out, and punched him on the arm again. "Aren't you starving after your match?"

"Yeah, I am, actually." Harry looked down. "Which reminds me, I've got to get changed." He walked away, picking up his Quidditch cloak from the chair, and Hermione gazed unabashed at Harry's arse in the tight Quidditch uniform. She suddenly had a new appreciation for the sport. "I'll bring Ron back down with me," he called back.

Hermione's eyes darkened slightly at the reminder why anything between Harry and herself would be difficult. She had a sudden urge to match-make Ron with anyone, even a Slytherin, just so that she could have Harry to herself occasionally. She tore her gaze away from Harry, and avoided the smirks of Ginny's roommates, whilst she waited for her two best friends to return.

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Ron:

"Hey, Harry," Ron said as Harry walked in, his Quidditch cloak swinging from his arm. "You're looking cheerful." Indeed, Harry was. His eyes were twinkling merrily, and he had a rather absurd grin on his face.

"Yeah, I am," Harry responded, throwing the cloak on his bed, and digging into his trunk for clothes to wear for lunch. "I just can't believe Malfoy's being so stupid to get rid of his whole team."

Ron stopped attempting to shove his cloak into his trunk, and looked up. "Maybe there's something behind it," he suggested.

"Like what?" Harry asked, pulling an old green jumper over his head, making his glasses wonky. "You can't expect me to believe that there's sinister plan behind it all. Not even Malfoy could pull that off!"

Ron shrugged. "I don't know, this is Malfoy we're talking about. I wouldn't put anything past him."

"I mean, I know their team was pretty rubbish to start off with, but there's no way anyone could expect to scrape together a team good enough to beat us in a week," Harry continued, leading the way down the stairs.

"Don't count your dragons before they're hatched," Ron muttered. He didn't trust that Malfoy git as far as he could throw him. On second thoughts, not even that far, Ron added to himself. "You're in a hurry," he commented as Harry barrelled down the steps.

"What?" Harry stopped mid-step, his eyes wide. "No, I'm not. Er, I mean, yes, of course I am, I mean, I'm really hungry." He swallowed nervously and wouldn't catch Ron's eye.

"What is with you?" Ron blurted out. "Look, I didn't mean to get you all worried about Malfoy and his conspiracies. I'm sure we'll be fine, as always."

Harry visibly relaxed. "You're right, I'm sorry. Come on, Hermione's waiting for us."

Ron nodded. "We'd best get going then, you know how homework makes her hungry."

Harry agreed and dashed down the rest of the stairs. Ron followed more slowly, and emerged to see Harry and Hermione standing beside each other, their faces flushed and eyes sparkling. Ron shook his head inwardly. He didn't know what had got them so antsy, but he was beginning to believe that it was something important, and he had the feeling he was missing something obvious.

Maybe Ginny knows. Ron shook his head again. Nope, you're not to talk to her until you've found out about that Draco comment, remember. Bloody Malfoy, he's sliding his way into all of my friends' thoughts. Ron growled, and then looked up, expecting to see Harry and Hermione staring at him. Instead, they were gazing at the floor and a chair respectively. Ron rolled his eyes, and walked over to grab an arm each. "Come on, if you're not going to make a move, then I am."

Harry and Hermione jerked their arms away from his as though he was a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but Ron ignored them, and chivvied them towards the portrait. He did, though, file away that piece of information away for later investigation.

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Parvati:

Parvati rubbed her swollen eyes and picked up her wand, muttering an illusion charm to hide the fact that she'd been crying. She had thought about just missing lunch altogether but then she had realised just how weak that was. She had been raised well, and it was no secret to her that a lot of people considered her a snob, and if there was one thing that her upbringing had taught her it was that no one had the right to make her feel the way Terry had. And it was time that she remembered that.

She took a deep breath and straightened out her hair before exiting the bathroom, calling a quick goodbye to Myrtle, who was crying somewhere in the U bend. She walked quickly through the hallway, her stomach reminding her that she had only just picked at her breakfast.

As she entered the Great Hall, she spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione, arm in arm, making their way to the Gryffindor table. She smiled sadly, wishing that she had friends like that; someone that she could talk to. Her gaze drifted down the table, finally resting on Lavender. She was sitting with Dean, laughing as she fed him something from his plate, purposefully missing and smearing it on his face.

Parvati smiled and longed once more to be able to turn back time. She remembered when she and Lavender had been inseparable. For five years they had done everything together, they had shared everything with each other. And then it had all gone wrong; she had started dating Terry and everything else had changed.

She and Lavender had drifted further and further apart, and when her friend had started dating Dean Thomas, they had slowly become strangers. Lavender had finally commented on it and they had ended up arguing and hadn't spoken since. What made it worse was that Parvati wasn't even sure what had been said or why they had ever let it go that far.

She suddenly realising that she must have been staring at Lavender for a long time, because her old friend was looking at her strangely before turning back to talk to Dean. Parvati looked away and her gaze caught Terry's. He was looking at her with a smirk, obviously loving that he had his arm around Holly Matthews and she was standing alone in the middle of the great hall with no boyfriend and no friends.

"Parvati?"

She turned to Hermione and forced a smile. "Sorry, Hermione, what is it?"

"Well, I was, that is, Ron, Harry and I, were wondering if you wanted to sit with us."

Parvati smiled, only this time it was genuine, and nodded her head. "I'd love to."

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TBC…