When the two Weasley siblings and Hermione got out of Molly's car, they saw a familiar person leaning against the outside wall of the large, brick building. He glanced up and stepped out of the shadows.

"Hi kids," He winked at them, "Mrs. Weasley..."

With a curt nod of his head, Sirius Black looked at Molly Weasley. She shifted uncomfortably and sighed.

"Sirius. I trust that you and whatever other adults show up will take good care of the children? Personally, I don't like this 'reality TV' stuff anyway." She glanced around, probably searching for the cameras.

"Yessir! Er...I mean...mam..." Sirius's face flushed and he looked down at his shuffling feet while Ginny, Hermione, and Ron giggled.

Mrs. Weasley managed a smile and nodded to him. "Well, I better go before Arthur and the twins blow up anything else! Yesterday it was the couch and the day before, my sewing kit!" She huffed.

Sirius made a mental note to congratulate Fred and George for their pranks. He waved to Molly as she drove away. Suddenly turning to the three others, he smiled. His smile showed his teeth that were surprisingly clean for a man who had been in Azkaban for years and hiding for another few.

"Sooooo...how have you all been?" He asked, a faint twinkle in his eyes.

"Fine really," Hermione stated politely, "You?"

Sirius made a face, "Haven't had a bloody bath in a month or two...yeah, I'm fine!" Ron laughed, Ginny cringed, and Hermione wasn't sure how to react. Sirius winked again. "Not really...it's only been about a week."

"That is still disgusting Sirius!" Ginny said, walking past him and up to the front door.

"Sorry, Miss Weasley, if my odor offends you or anyone else!" He snapped back with a teasing laugh and Ron snickered as well.

She rolled her eyes and beckoned for the others to follow her in. The cameras were pretty well hidden, though Hermione discovered a few of them. Ron immediately flipped them all off...well, the ones they could find. A horn beeping outside startled them and Sirius rushed out to the patch of slightly browned grass that was supposed to be the front yard. A shiny dark blue car sat there with an impatient-looking woman in the drivers seat. Her daughter, who was climbing out of the car, had the same straggly blonde hair as the driver of the car. He raised an eyebrow. The girl walked over to Sirius.

"Hello," She said, extending her right hand, "I'm Luna Lovegood."

"Hello Luna." He shook her hand.

"Hurry it up child!" Her mother screamed out the window, shooting an icy glare at Sirius as if he was to blame for whatever had crawled up her ass.

"Would you mind helping me g-"

Sirius cut her off with a wave of his hand and assisted her in removing the heavy trunk from the backseat of the small car. Luna gave him a grateful smile and shut the car door. She turned to the car. But before she could say a goodbye to her mother, the woman pulled away form the curb, tires screeching and leaving skid marks. Luna hung her head and followed Black as he hauled the luggage into the house that they would be sharing.

Just as the door slammed shut, another car pulled up. Draco Malfoy climbed out and a house-elf followed, a huge suitcase dragging behind it. The house-elf tossed the suitcase inside and scampered off to the car without a second look back at Draco. Draco kicked the front door shut. Sauntering out of the front hall, he met up with Ginny.

"Ahh...the youngest of the weasels...how about you help me get this suitcase up to my room?"

Ginny's eyes reflected her hatred of him as she spat, "Shove off, Malfoy! You can carry your own shit!"

"Fiery little child, aren't you?" Draco sneered as he left his stuff in the way and started towards the living room.

He found the others sitting around the large room and coughed loudly. They all looked up and glared at him.

"So I have to stay in the same house as Malfoy?" Ron hollered.

"I know, such a pity that I'm forced to deal with you mudbloods, murderers, and peasants..." He drawled

"No one's forcing you to stay Draco," Hermione stated in an icily calm voice.

Without giving anyone else a chance to say another word, the door banged open and Severus Snape wandered in, looking as if he was lost. Ron and Sirius groaned in unison.

"You too?!" Ginny complained.

Then she squeaked and covered her mouth. Ron snorted and Hermione bit her lip to keep from giggling.

"Sorry professor..." She apologized, though not wanting to.

"Don't suck up Weasley, I am not you're professor here..."

"Then what are you?" Draco blurted.

"I could be your worst enemy..." His gaze strayed to Draco as he said, "Or your best friend. Your choice..."

This time it was Hermione that snorted rudely. Snape's eyes snapped to her and she met his steely gaze with one of her own. Finally, he turned and stalked up the stairs. Draco ran after him and the others jogged over to the stairs as well.

"Time to choose our rooms!" Ginny chirped happily.

The rest of them nodded and started up the long, twisting stairway to a hall. The hallway had doors opposite each other on both sides and most of the doors were open to reveal a couple of bedrooms. Hermione ran into one with three beds and flopped onto the middle bed. Ginny followed close by and took the one on the left of Hermione's.

"May I stay in here too...?" Luna questioned shyly, her eyes coming up from the floor to meet Hermione's and her lip trembled in a pout.

"I don't mind!" Ginny said, offering her a friendly smile, but also shooting Hermione a warning look.

"Sure..." Hermione agreed, though not quite as enthused.

Luna's pale eyes glittered with thanks as she set her trunk on the floor next to the remaining bed and sat on it.

Snape was already in one of the darker rooms, with the curtains shut tightly. Draco entered and glanced over at the man lying on the bed farthest from the door. Draco assumed he had fallen asleep quickly, for Snape did not stir when Draco sat on the creaky bed. He was wrong!

"Shut the door then," Came Snape's voice from his left.

"Oh! Uh...so you don't care if I sleep in here sir?"

"No. And don't call me sir."

"Ok...sorry sir...oops!"

"Don't apologize, just don't do it," Snape replied, rolling over onto his side to face Draco.

Draco nodded. Snape managed what Draco supposed--no, hoped--was meant to be a halfway-friendly smirk.

Meanwhile, Sirius and Ron had claimed the room at the end of the hall and were already deep in some conversation when Hermione appeared in the doorway. She looked at Ron and smiled faintly, before turning back to Sirius, and she did not notice the crimson coloring that had started creeping into Ron's cheeks and ears when she had looked at him.

"Sirius?"

"Yes?" He looked up.

"Ginny and I are starving!" She stopped when Ron whimpered, then added to him, "I suppose you are as well?"

He nodded and, as if on cue, his stomach rumbled...quite loudly. The other two laughed and his blush grew deeper. Ginny showed up behind Hermione moments later. Sirius stood and helped Ron from the floor.

"I guess that means I'm expected to..." Sirius gulped "...cook?"

Ron's face grew pale and he shook his head violently, announcing, "I wouldn't eat anything you cooked! It's bad enough I have to put up with Dad's cooking once a week!"

Ginny giggled in agreement. Sirius sighed, wondering if anyone in the house knew how to make edible food. He ushered the teenagers out of the doorway and into the hall. With a roll of her eyes, Hermione followed him to Snape and Draco's bedroom.

"Severus! A word please!" Sirius hollered to the closed door, which immediately swung open and Snape stepped out.

"Yes?" He hissed impatiently.

"What's the plan for supper?" Hermione answered for him.

Snape glared down at the group. "I suppose I'm expected to prepare the meal, being the only competent one here?"

Ron opened his mouth, but his sister stopped him from speaking.

"I already made dinner..." A voice behind Hermione made her whirl around and the others did too. Luna was standing at the top of the stairs, her hands on her hips, waiting for a reply.

"OK..." Ron muttered with a shrug.

"As long as I don't have to cook it, I'll eat it," Draco said, slipping out of the bedroom that Snape had been in minutes ago.

"That settles it then! Luna, thank you." Clapping his hands together, Sirius nodded to the girl and started to head over to the stairway.

He put a hand on Ginny's shoulder and gave her a gentle shove down the first stair, telling her to speed it up a bit. She did so, hiding the slight blush that darkened her face. Everyone traipsed down the stairs and into he dining room. The table perfectly seated 8 so, as there were only 7 people, there was one empty seat as everyone sat down. Snape and Sirius sat on either end, while Ginny, Ron, and Luna sat on one side and Draco and Hermione on the other. Luna was beaming as some of the others complimented her food. She noticed that Hermione had only picked at her plate and frowned.

"You don't like it Hermione?" Luna asked, adopting a semi-hurt tone, "I could make you something else if you'd like..."

"No, it's very good Luna...I've just...suddenly lost my appetite. May I be excused?" Hermione mumbled.

Swallowing a mouthful of rice, Sirius nodded. Ron watched Hermione go upstairs with wide, concerned eyes. He stood and jogged up to the second landing. Seeing Hermione in her bedroom, Ron entered slowly.

"Would you like to be left alone...?"

Hermione shook her head and looked up from the book she was reading. A slight blush crept across her cheeks as Ron flashed her one of his crooked grins. His ears reddened as well. She sat up and patted the area next to her. He reluctantly came further into the room and seated himself next to Hermione on the bed.

"So...um...what's wrong?"

She shook her head again, "Nothing."

"Then why'd you leave the table?" Ron cautiously scooted his hand over on the bedcovers.

Shrugging, Hermione sighed. "Dunno...I guess I just wanted to be left alone for a little while-" Ron began to stand up, but she grabbed his wrist to stop him. "No, you don't have to go. I actually don't mind company...if it's you." She blushed again, finally noticing that he did the same. "Ron...?"

He had moved his hand onto her knee, and then covered the top of her hand with his own. The next thing they knew, Hermione had swooped forward to press her lips against his. He tensed, startled, and was about to pull back. Though something in his mind told him to go with it and kiss her back. So he returned the kiss. After what seemed like hours, their lips parted. She ran a hand over her bushy curls, trying to tame them. Soon realizing that it was a useless battle, Hermione dropped her hand from her hair. Ron's whole face was now crimson and Hermione cast her gaze to the floor.

"Er...sorry Ron...I...uh..." She was at a loss for words.

"Shhhhh..." He held a finger to her full lips to quiet her. Then, leaning forward, he took her mouth in another deep kiss.

She squirmed a bit, but still found herself burying her hands in his fiery hair. Ron continued to kiss Hermione, easing her back on the bed. She pulled away and gazed up at him, her shy innocence softening his annoyed expression.

"I'm sorry, I never should have started this...!" He bent down towards her, intending to gain another kiss, but she again shied away. "No, Ron, we can't..." She gently pushed him off of herself and got up from the bed. Soon he was left in the recently vacated room, staring out the doorway after her.

!!!!!!!

{AN: There! Ta-da! The first real chapter! You like? Hope so! Please R&R! Thx again for reading!}