A/N: Hello all. I decided to post this chapter tonight. Thanks for
the 48 reviews and glad that you liked it and glad that you thought Blaise was
hot .. haha.
Harry Potter sat on the red armchair in front of the large fire. He stared into the ember flames, his thoughts on Ron and Hermione. The two of them had left for prefect duties ages ago. Harry's eyes moved from the flames to the grandfather clock. It was close to midnight. He glanced at the closed portrait hole worriedly hoping it would open and he would see a tall gangly red-haired boy walk in, followed by a busy-haired girl.
"Hello Harry," said a rather familiar voice behind Harry making him jump in fright. He turned around, startled, and found Ginny Weasley standing behind him with Crookshanks in her arm. Harry noticed that she didn't look as if she had just gotten up from bed. Her hair wasn't messed up and she didn't look groggy and she wasn't dressed for bed yet.
Harry smiled at her as she flopped down on the armchair beside him, setting Crookshanks carefully on her lap. The cat, Harry also noticed, looked rather crankier than usual. It was probably missing its owner as well.
"Crookshanks isn't exactly in his best mood tonight. He misses his owner," said Ginny who seemed to have read Harry's mind and caught him looking at the cat as well. She smiled at Harry. "Hope I didn't give you a fright just now," She added.
"Well you sort of did .. yeah," replied Harry distractedly as he stared past Ginny at the closed portrait hole.
Ginny turned to see what Harry was looking at and then turned around again, her smile disappearing a little.
"My brother isn't back as well?" She asked in a small voice. Harry shook his head worriedly. "No," He glanced back at the clock. It was midnight now. Something was definitely wrong with Ron and Hermione.
"You don't suppose -" Ginny started but she stopped and shook her head, her eyes wide and a little fearful. Harry looked up at her quickly and rather tentatively.
"What?" He asked a little eagerly, wondering what Ginny was thinking.
"Well what if Malfoy and his gang tried to hurt Ron and Hermione-"
"They wouldn't dare!" said Harry rather fiercely though he felt a little alarmed. Perhaps those Slytherins did try to hurt them and succeeded?
Oh don't be an idiot, if Malfoy and his cronies tried to harm your two best friends they would know how to defend for themselves! A voice in Harry's head chided him. Harry sighed wearily. It was no use waiting for them. They weren't going to come. He got up abruptly from the armchair and headed up the spiral staircase to the boy's dormitory leaving Ginny alone to stare after him in surprise and curiosity.
Crookshanks watched him disappear into the dormitory and then hissed and spat at him as if he didn't approve of him going to bed at a time like this. Ginny frowned a little. Harry wasn't one who gave up on his friends that easily. This was the same boy who had saved her in her first year. And yet here he was, going to bed when he knew that his friends were out there and probably in danger?
But all those thoughts vanished instantly when she saw Harry reappear out of the dormitory with his wand and a rather shiny cloak. The Invisibility cloak. Ginny had heard about it from Ron. And Ron always told her (after he made her swear never to tell it to anyone else or even worse - their mother!) about what they did with the cloak and where they went to. With a smile, Ginny knew now, where Harry was headed to.
"I'm going to look for them," said Harry, proving Ginny right. He wrapped the invisibility cloak around him so that his head was the only part that was visible. Crookshanks didn't like the sight of Harry and arched its back and hissed at him.
Harry made a move as if to cover his head with the cloak but stopped and looked at Ginny uncertainly. "You - er - want to - " He started.
Ginny slowly got up and set Crookshanks down and walked up to Harry or rather, Harry's head. "Of course I'd want to!" She exclaimed. "My brother and my friend are out there!"
"Besides, I've always wanted to know what it was like to be invisible," She added with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Draco was bored. He was tired as well but he was more bored. It was boring talking to his Slytherin house-mates. Worse, one was too stupid to hold a conversation, the other one yakked constantly about almost the same thing and the last one - well, the other just seemed plain interested in what Pansy had to say.
"Zabini," thought Draco as he glanced at the boy who was listening to Pansy, and then he sneered to himself. "Odd fellow,"
Though he had to admit what that boy had done to Weasley - humiliating him in front of his own friends - was rather impressive. Then again, the Weasel King was a stupid one and he was probably too poor to even afford good brains. And speaking of good brains ..
Draco glanced across him where the Gryffindors were. He looked at Hermione. She was sitting at a desk, looking rather tired. The girl next to her was talking away not noticing that she seemed to be bringing Hermione to sleep.
"Poor lamb," said a voice behind him and Draco turned to find Blaise Zabini - the dark-haired boy whom none of the Gryffindors knew - standing over his shoulder. Draco knew Blaise was referring to Hermione and he sneered at him. "Having a thing for mudbloods now are you Zabini?" He asked the boy.
Blaise simply looked at him and shook his head. "Oh no. She just seems rather pitiful right about now listening to that chit," He replied.
"So what if she is?" asked Draco. He looked at Blaise and smirked. "Are you thinking of going over there again to entertain the girls this time?"
There was a gleam in Blaise's eye and he grinned at Draco who only shook his head suddenly pitying the poor boy. "I don't see why you're interested in a mudblood and an annoying, gossip-crazy witch," said Draco with some disgust.
"Oh it's not the gossiping witch I'm interested in. It's Granger," said Blaise.
Draco only shook his head even more.
"You poor idiot," Was all he said.
"What?" asked Blaise who looked offended. "Is it a crime to be interested in muggleborns? Or even talk to a Gryffindor in a civilised manner Malfoy?"
"This is why I find you weird and more interesting than those two goons over there," said Draco with a smirk. "You're a Slytherin and a Pureblood. You're interested in a Gryffindor. And a mudblood. And one of Potter's best friends too!"
"The war is over. And over the years I have learned that muggleborns such as Granger are more intelligent than we think they really are Malfoy,"
Draco smirked at him. "Oh?" He asked in a bored, drawling voice. "And how would you exactly know Zabini?"
"My stepmum," replied Blaise. "She's a muggleborn though the only reason my father overlooked the fact that she wasn't a pureblood was because of her good looks and her body. And you know my fool of a father Malfoy," Blaise frowned.
Draco glared at him. "I know him too well Zabini. Drunken git trying to get his hands all over my very own mother in front of my own eyes at a Death Eater's ball once. It was a lucky thing father wasn't there to witness it or he would've killed your dad-"
Blaise shot him a look. "I remember that night and you don't need to remind me," He closed his eyes as if to picture that night in his mind and then he shuddered. He then continued. "Anyway since my idiot dad got himself thrown into Azkaban again, my stepmum's taken over the whole household and-"
"I've got your point already Zabini without you telling me the whole story. She was smart. She gained respect. She had one-night stands with rich wizards and lived happily ever after. Isn't that it Zabini?" said Draco irritatedly.
"Well yeah. Except for the shagging part. She doesn't really shag rich wizards," replied Zabini. "Much," he added.
"But really, the Dark Lord would still be alive and very much powerful if he didn't think status was of much importance in the wizarding world," said Blaise and as he said this he looked at Hermione
Draco only sneered at him and said nothing else though his gaze was on Hermione as well.
"She isn't looking very happy," said Blaise as he studied Hermione's facial expressions.
"Good. Don't let her be," was Draco's comment, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed not even caring about what the girl was doing.
"She's getting up from her chair now,"
"Oh pity,"
Suddenly Blaise's eyes widened and he turned to Draco.
"Malfoy, she's coming towards us!"
Harry Potter sat on the red armchair in front of the large fire. He stared into the ember flames, his thoughts on Ron and Hermione. The two of them had left for prefect duties ages ago. Harry's eyes moved from the flames to the grandfather clock. It was close to midnight. He glanced at the closed portrait hole worriedly hoping it would open and he would see a tall gangly red-haired boy walk in, followed by a busy-haired girl.
"Hello Harry," said a rather familiar voice behind Harry making him jump in fright. He turned around, startled, and found Ginny Weasley standing behind him with Crookshanks in her arm. Harry noticed that she didn't look as if she had just gotten up from bed. Her hair wasn't messed up and she didn't look groggy and she wasn't dressed for bed yet.
Harry smiled at her as she flopped down on the armchair beside him, setting Crookshanks carefully on her lap. The cat, Harry also noticed, looked rather crankier than usual. It was probably missing its owner as well.
"Crookshanks isn't exactly in his best mood tonight. He misses his owner," said Ginny who seemed to have read Harry's mind and caught him looking at the cat as well. She smiled at Harry. "Hope I didn't give you a fright just now," She added.
"Well you sort of did .. yeah," replied Harry distractedly as he stared past Ginny at the closed portrait hole.
Ginny turned to see what Harry was looking at and then turned around again, her smile disappearing a little.
"My brother isn't back as well?" She asked in a small voice. Harry shook his head worriedly. "No," He glanced back at the clock. It was midnight now. Something was definitely wrong with Ron and Hermione.
"You don't suppose -" Ginny started but she stopped and shook her head, her eyes wide and a little fearful. Harry looked up at her quickly and rather tentatively.
"What?" He asked a little eagerly, wondering what Ginny was thinking.
"Well what if Malfoy and his gang tried to hurt Ron and Hermione-"
"They wouldn't dare!" said Harry rather fiercely though he felt a little alarmed. Perhaps those Slytherins did try to hurt them and succeeded?
Oh don't be an idiot, if Malfoy and his cronies tried to harm your two best friends they would know how to defend for themselves! A voice in Harry's head chided him. Harry sighed wearily. It was no use waiting for them. They weren't going to come. He got up abruptly from the armchair and headed up the spiral staircase to the boy's dormitory leaving Ginny alone to stare after him in surprise and curiosity.
Crookshanks watched him disappear into the dormitory and then hissed and spat at him as if he didn't approve of him going to bed at a time like this. Ginny frowned a little. Harry wasn't one who gave up on his friends that easily. This was the same boy who had saved her in her first year. And yet here he was, going to bed when he knew that his friends were out there and probably in danger?
But all those thoughts vanished instantly when she saw Harry reappear out of the dormitory with his wand and a rather shiny cloak. The Invisibility cloak. Ginny had heard about it from Ron. And Ron always told her (after he made her swear never to tell it to anyone else or even worse - their mother!) about what they did with the cloak and where they went to. With a smile, Ginny knew now, where Harry was headed to.
"I'm going to look for them," said Harry, proving Ginny right. He wrapped the invisibility cloak around him so that his head was the only part that was visible. Crookshanks didn't like the sight of Harry and arched its back and hissed at him.
Harry made a move as if to cover his head with the cloak but stopped and looked at Ginny uncertainly. "You - er - want to - " He started.
Ginny slowly got up and set Crookshanks down and walked up to Harry or rather, Harry's head. "Of course I'd want to!" She exclaimed. "My brother and my friend are out there!"
"Besides, I've always wanted to know what it was like to be invisible," She added with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Draco was bored. He was tired as well but he was more bored. It was boring talking to his Slytherin house-mates. Worse, one was too stupid to hold a conversation, the other one yakked constantly about almost the same thing and the last one - well, the other just seemed plain interested in what Pansy had to say.
"Zabini," thought Draco as he glanced at the boy who was listening to Pansy, and then he sneered to himself. "Odd fellow,"
Though he had to admit what that boy had done to Weasley - humiliating him in front of his own friends - was rather impressive. Then again, the Weasel King was a stupid one and he was probably too poor to even afford good brains. And speaking of good brains ..
Draco glanced across him where the Gryffindors were. He looked at Hermione. She was sitting at a desk, looking rather tired. The girl next to her was talking away not noticing that she seemed to be bringing Hermione to sleep.
"Poor lamb," said a voice behind him and Draco turned to find Blaise Zabini - the dark-haired boy whom none of the Gryffindors knew - standing over his shoulder. Draco knew Blaise was referring to Hermione and he sneered at him. "Having a thing for mudbloods now are you Zabini?" He asked the boy.
Blaise simply looked at him and shook his head. "Oh no. She just seems rather pitiful right about now listening to that chit," He replied.
"So what if she is?" asked Draco. He looked at Blaise and smirked. "Are you thinking of going over there again to entertain the girls this time?"
There was a gleam in Blaise's eye and he grinned at Draco who only shook his head suddenly pitying the poor boy. "I don't see why you're interested in a mudblood and an annoying, gossip-crazy witch," said Draco with some disgust.
"Oh it's not the gossiping witch I'm interested in. It's Granger," said Blaise.
Draco only shook his head even more.
"You poor idiot," Was all he said.
"What?" asked Blaise who looked offended. "Is it a crime to be interested in muggleborns? Or even talk to a Gryffindor in a civilised manner Malfoy?"
"This is why I find you weird and more interesting than those two goons over there," said Draco with a smirk. "You're a Slytherin and a Pureblood. You're interested in a Gryffindor. And a mudblood. And one of Potter's best friends too!"
"The war is over. And over the years I have learned that muggleborns such as Granger are more intelligent than we think they really are Malfoy,"
Draco smirked at him. "Oh?" He asked in a bored, drawling voice. "And how would you exactly know Zabini?"
"My stepmum," replied Blaise. "She's a muggleborn though the only reason my father overlooked the fact that she wasn't a pureblood was because of her good looks and her body. And you know my fool of a father Malfoy," Blaise frowned.
Draco glared at him. "I know him too well Zabini. Drunken git trying to get his hands all over my very own mother in front of my own eyes at a Death Eater's ball once. It was a lucky thing father wasn't there to witness it or he would've killed your dad-"
Blaise shot him a look. "I remember that night and you don't need to remind me," He closed his eyes as if to picture that night in his mind and then he shuddered. He then continued. "Anyway since my idiot dad got himself thrown into Azkaban again, my stepmum's taken over the whole household and-"
"I've got your point already Zabini without you telling me the whole story. She was smart. She gained respect. She had one-night stands with rich wizards and lived happily ever after. Isn't that it Zabini?" said Draco irritatedly.
"Well yeah. Except for the shagging part. She doesn't really shag rich wizards," replied Zabini. "Much," he added.
"But really, the Dark Lord would still be alive and very much powerful if he didn't think status was of much importance in the wizarding world," said Blaise and as he said this he looked at Hermione
Draco only sneered at him and said nothing else though his gaze was on Hermione as well.
"She isn't looking very happy," said Blaise as he studied Hermione's facial expressions.
"Good. Don't let her be," was Draco's comment, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed not even caring about what the girl was doing.
"She's getting up from her chair now,"
"Oh pity,"
Suddenly Blaise's eyes widened and he turned to Draco.
"Malfoy, she's coming towards us!"