A/N: Okay, I was quite disappointed when I only got 2 review the other day and decided to change my tactic from let-them-review-if-they-want-to tactic to threaten-them-so-if-they-don't-review, -leave-them-hangin' and this time I mean it. If I don't get at least 5 review, I am not gonna tell you what happen to Dudley when he gave Snape that dungbomb! That's a threat people and only my Beta reader (snow_wolf!!!) will get a chance to read it if you guys don't review. Less than 5 review, 2 weeks of hangin'. Don't worry, this time I'll stick to it 'cos school starts in 2 weeks and I still have lodes to do!! So remember… 5 reviews or leave you hangin' for 2 weeks… adios!

A/N 2: My thanks go out to my beta reader, snow_wolf, my beloved partner!! And also to Kimbra who had reviewed a couple of times. I love you both!!!

A/N 3: English is not my first language so if you see many mistake, you'll know it's true.

A/N 4: Just because I use *Nsync lyric, doesn't mean I'm a fan. BSB RULZ!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothin'

*~*A Change of Mind*~*

Chapter 8

Dudley's five seconds of fame.

Continues right after the start of school feast…

"First years! First years, follow me!" Harry cried out.

They got up from their seats and walked towards Harry.

"Gosh, aren't you Harry Potter?" asked a girl, in awe.

Harry let out a small laugh.

"Yup. I'll be your prefect for today. If you have anything to ask or if you get lost during this first week of school, you can come to me or to any of the prefects. Ah, here comes one of the other prefects. First years, this is Ron Weasley, one of my best friends. Don't feel shy to ask him because he's a very good prefect," Harry said, smiling at the girl.

Ron ears turn pink when Harry introduced him to them like that. Ron gave them a small wave.

"Well, shall we now head to our dormitory?" Harry asked.

All of them nodded and followed Harry, who was leading the way to the Gryffindor tower.

"Harry, why don't we make fun of Dudley a bit. You know, so he won't get any ideas," Ron whispered while walking beside Harry.

Harry looked at him and smiled. He then turned to see Dudley, who was staring at everything that moved by itself including the armours.

"Yeah but do what?" he whispered his reply and stopped in front of the changing stairs. "Please keep in mind that though this route is the fastest way to the tower, the stairs likes to change. Be careful," Harry said, then he turned back to Ron.

"How about we put a dungbomb in his pocket and say that it's candy or something?" Ron suggested, looking extremely mischievous.

The staircase in front of them stopped changing. Some of the first years were looking in amazement at the moving pictures on the wall while some just chatted between them. Dudley however was quiet. Then Harry continued to lead the way. Ron who was beside him was holding on to the rail, just in case.

"No… Not vile enough…." Harry said, still leading them to the tower.

"How about we make him walk in his underpants around the school?" Ron replied, with a cunning smile on his face.

"No… He'll cry like a baby…" Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"How about-" Ron was being to feel more exited.

However, Harry cut him off by the snap of his fingers. When Harry realised it attracted the first years' attention, he quickly told them that he did it out of habit. They resumed their talking and paid no attention to Harry or Ron.

"We could trick him into giving a dungbomb to Snape on his first day of potions!" Harry exclaimed but only audible enough for Ron to hear.

Ron smiled and said, "Perfect. But we must be careful. Snape might ask him where he got it or who put him up to it. We don't want to be getting detention any time soon, do we?"

"Hmm… Good point," Harry said and gave a moment to think. Then, "Aha! We could say that Snape loves getting presents from his students especially dungbombs. Whoever gives him one, would be… his favourite student until he graduates from Hogwarts. Also that he'll love it even more when… he finds out that it was given by some first year. But the trick is, that first year student is not allowed to tell Snape who told him to do it or he'll be cursed…for eternity?" Harry suggested.

Ron looked at his friend, with his left eyebrow raised.

"That's stupid!" Ron muttered.

"Yeah but so is Dudley. He'll believe anything!" Harry pointed out, smiling.

"Good point. Let's tell him tonight, after the other first years have gone up to their rooms," Ron replied, extremely impatient that he ran in front of Harry.

Harry shook his head in agreement. Before they knew it, they were all standing in front of the portrait of the fat lady. Harry turned to face the first years. Ron was nicely leaning against the wall beside the portrait. Harry waited until all the first years have gathered in front of him. The first years were now silent and attentive to Harry's every single word.

"Okay, to enter the common room, you have to give the password to the fat lady. This week, the password is 'Golden Snitch'," Harry said loudly.

The Fat Lady nodded her head, swung herself to reveal the entrance to the common room. Harry and Ron could hear the 'gasp's from the first years. After showing them around the common room, Harry and Ron sat themselves down on two of the chairs there, side by side. The fire in the fireplace was nicely burning, thanks to the house elves. Almost all the girls turned in for the night, chattering excitedly about how the lessons were going to be like. All the boys, including Dudley, who was curious about what they were going to talk about, sat down around Harry and Ron. There was a girl there though. Some sat in the armchairs there while the ones who couldn't, made themselves as comfortable on the floor. Soon they began asking Harry a million and one questions instead.

"Harry! Is it true that you are the youngest player that Hogwarts had ever seen in a century?" asked a blonde haired boy.

"Harry, do you have a girlfriend?" squeaked a small sized boy.

"Harry, how can I get into the Quidditch team?" asked a thin, tall boy.

"Harry, show us your scar!" exclaimed a freckled faced boy.

"Ron, is it hard being prefect?" asked the girl timidly.

All the other boys turned to look at the girl when they heard her question. Harry was just stunned and Ron was blushing until his face was as red as his hair. The girl blushed too and quickly muttered that she was tired, to avoid the stares. Harry then turned to Ron when he saw that Ron was blushing. There was a pause before both of them suddenly burst out laughing. All the first year boys looked at them, wondering if both of them have gone mad.

"I'm sorry. It's just that…" Harry said, laughing hard. " …That you all are very funny. I'm just another human and you're treating me as if I'm a star or something," Harry choked between laughs.

"But you are!" said another boy who had dark hair.

"He is not! I should know because I live with him!" Dudley said from behind.

Both Harry and Ron stopped laughing at once and all eyes turned to Dudley. Dudley suddenly felt frightened at all the glares he was receiving.

"What do you mean he lives with you? You don't look a thing like him!" exclaimed a boy that Harry knew as Thomas.

Thomas actually stood up for Harry. Harry smiled at him. When Thomas saw this, he knew that Harry didn't feel threaten so he didn't make any other remarks.

"Actually, he's right. I do live with him. He's my cousin and we are of the same age. He just came here to Hogwarts because Professor Dumbledore thinks that he is in danger from Vold… I mean You-know-who. And because he is a down right muggle and doesn't know how to even hold a wand properly, he has to start at the very beginning, in first year. Isn't that correct, Dudley?" Harry explained calmly, his eyes closed, leaned back with his hands placed behind his head.

Dudley quickly turned scarlet and mumbled something that sounded like 'He's right'. Harry smiled to himself when he heard Dudley say that.

"Really? You must at least know some magic. Harry is after all a great wizard. He's the third best student in Hogwarts, aren't you Harry?" another boy asked. "Surely you learnt some magic from him."

"Yeah! Show us some magic that Harry thought you!" cried another boy.

All the first year boys were now looking at Dudley. By then, Seamus, Dean, Neville and Josh, a 6th year student who were rather close with Dean and Seamus, were standing around Harry too. Harry and Ron, on the other hand, were trying very hard not to laugh. It was so great that they couldn't have planned it any better themselves. Dudley panicked.

"C'mon Dudley. I know Harry will teach you something if you were nice enough to him or asked him nicely," Dean smirked.

He knew very well that Dudley was so mean to Harry during his summer holidays and could see where this was leading.

"But I-" Dudley stuttered.

"You don't have a wand? Here, use mine. It's no trouble," Ron said, handing his own wand from his robes.

Dudley took the wand with his right hand shaking furiously and held it for a good one minute.

Finally, he said…"Abra Kedabra! Hocus Pocus!" waving Ron's wand in his wand over his head with his eyes shut.

When a spell is not said properly, something wrong was bound to turn up instead. In this case, it did. As soon as Dudley finished saying the 'spell', some red sparks went flying out of Ron's wand and surrounded him. Suddenly, Dudley started to make funny noises and his nose was turned into a pig's nose. The whole common room burst into laughter. Dudley immediately threw Ron's wand onto the floor but that didn't help much. Harry and Ron, who were laughing the hardest, had to grab hold of each other so that they won't fall off from their armchairs, rolling on the floor and laughing their heads off. After a good whole 10 minutes of laughing, they finally stopped. Ron took back his wand from the floor, still shaking from laughter.

"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot to mention that every time I go to their house for the school holidays, they lock up my wand and school books in the cupboard under the stairs so that I couldn't do any magic or my homework. It must have slipped my mind. His family despised me because I was a wizard. He can't perform a single spell! He has never even touched a wand before!" Harry smiled slyly, as he was now getting his revenge.

All first year boys were shocked at this and each made a mantle note as not to be friends with this Dudley fellow. Some of the boys actually looked at Dudley in disgust. After performing the counter curse, Harry shooed them to bed but kept Dudley behind. The other four seniors went to bed without waiting for Ron and Harry. Now was the time to put their plan to action.

"Dudley, I wanna make peace. I have some tips for you on how to make you a favourite to one of the most feared teacher in the whole staff. He is the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin, Professor Snape. Here, take this. This is a very special… paperweight that he loves very much to own. First, light it up here and then, quickly give it to him. He'll love you for sure," Harry said to him while giving Dudley a few Dungbombs that Ron bought a few days ago from his brothers, Fred and George.

Dudley looked at Harry and at the 'present' suspiciously. All the while Ron was trying his very best to keep his face straight.

"Why should I trust you? You tricked me a few minutes ago," Dudley asked.

"Because I wanna start being nice to you," Harry answered, putting on his best fake smile.

After a few minutes, Dudley took the dungbombs and walked towards the first years' dorm room.

"And remember, when Snape asks you who told you about doing this, never tell him or you'll be cursed for eternity!" Harry called out.

Dudley nodded his head and after a few steps was out of sight. Then both Harry and Ron burst out laughing again, unable to keep it in any longer.

"I can't believe he actually fell for that!" Ron exclaimed, laughing until tears were in his eyes.

Harry was laughing too hard to answer him. Finally, he managed to control himself, though he stifled a few.

"I would pay big money to see the look of Snape's face when that thing goes off in the dungeons tomorrow. I know they're having potions first thing tomorrow morning! Oh damn! I forgot! I was supposed to meet Professor McGonagall! See you later Ron!" Harry said while rushing out of the Gryffindor common room.

Ron was just about to retire when he saw Ginny, who was wearing a white night gown, walking from her dorm room and sitting on one of the armchairs near the fireplace.

"Gin? Aren't you going to bed? It's getting late," asked Ron, brotherly.

Ginny looked up and smiled.

"No… I'll sleep in a few minutes. You go on ahead," was her reply.

"Okay… Good Night," wished Ron, yawning and stretching himself, making his way to his dorm room.

"Good Night," Ginny replied.

She just kept staring into the fire burning gracefully in the fireplace. (A/N: Kimbra, you were right! It was Ginny. I was gonna keep it a secret but you found out about her so I decided to change the story line a bit. You'll find out later what it is!) She was now alone in the common room. When she heard a familiar "Hey!" she turned around and smiled. Draco looked at her with a rare look that so far, only Ginny had the chance to see it.

"Hey yourself," she teased when Draco pulled her into a hug.

Hermione's P.O.V.

Hermione looked around her new room and smiled to herself. The room was great! It has a queen-sized bed in the middle of the room with red covers. At one corner of the room were a dresser and a cupboard for her clothes. Then there was the enchanted door Dumbledore informed them about and another door that Hermione was sure was the bathroom. She noticed her stuff had already been brought up to her room and thanked silently to the house elves for bringing it up for her.

Hermione sighed and laid on her back on the bed. She didn't know what to do. She really wished that Ron and Harry were here but she knew that usually on the first day of school, they would have went straight to bed right after the feast. She didn't want to bother them so she kept staring at the ceiling. She longed to read some of the books that she had seen earlier that was placed in the shelves but that meant she had to actually get out of the bed and walked there. She really didn't feel like doing it. So she took out her wand, placed it on her bed and started to look through the collections of CD that she had brought along with her.

"Linkin' Park? Too loud. Westlife? Maybe later. Usher? Nah… *Nsync? Okay," Hermione mumbles to herself as she took out the CD from the cover. Then, she took her wand and uttered something softly so that Draco couldn't hear her from his room or even outside her door. Orange sparks came out from her wand as she pointed her wand to her selected CD. The sparks actually picked the CD up and was floating in mid-air. With another flick of her wand, music began to fill the room.

When winter comes in summer

When there's no more forever

That's when I'll stop loving you

I sure you heard this words before

And I know it's hard for you to trust them once more

Your afraid it all might end

And a broken heart

Is scared of breaking again

But you've gotta believe me

I'll never leave you

You'll never cry

Long as I am there

And I will always be there

You will never be without love

When winter comes in summer

When there's no more forever

When lies become the truth

Oh you know them baby

That's when I'll stop loving you

That's when I'll stop loving you

As the song continued to play in the background, Hermione slowly fell asleep without noticing that her door was slightly ajar.

Draco's P.O.V.

Draco shut the enchanted door that he used just a moment ago. He was now in his room. He had to run out of the Gryffindor common room when he heard the 'all too familiar' voice of Potter who was back from his 'little' meeting with Professor McGonagall. He wouldn't be caught dead there. He was there to see Ginny, which made it all worse if her brother found out about it. Looking around the room, his eyes landed on a muggle photo he had taken with somebody. It really brought back some awful memories of her. He knew that girl. Heck, he was in love with her. The only problem was, she was a muggle. He had met her during one of his trips with his father to Egypt last year and when he met her for the first time, it was love at first sight. She felt the same way too and soon, they were dating. His father didn't know about Danielle until one day when both of them bumped into him in the market place when they were on a date.

Well, you've guessed it. Lucius wasn't too happy when he found out that Danielle didn't have a single drop of witch blood in her. So, in order for Draco to remember that he was not to love anyone ever again, especially a Mudblood, he did something that made Draco hate him forever. Lucius killed the only girl that made Draco see the real world. The world without pain and suffering but a wonderful world of happiness. Until this moment, Draco was too scared to love anyone. Scared that they too will suffer the same fate as Danielle.

Snapping back into reality, Draco noticed something that Professor Dumbledore had given to him in the train. He gave him a few notes they were suppose to do before tomorrow night and was to be handed back to Professor Dumbledore. After cursing himself for forgetting to give it to her, he grabbed the papers and headed to Hermione's room.

When he was standing in front of her room, he heard somebody singing softly to Hermione without knowing that it was actually a CD. He smirked and stood with his ears against the door, listening to the singing.

'Cos I will always be there

You will always have all my love

When winter comes in summer

When there's no more forever

When lies become the truth

Oh you know then baby

That's when I'll stop loving you

That's when I'll stop loving you

When this world doesn't turn anymore

When the stars all decide to stop shining

'Till then I

Gonna be by your side

I gonna be loving you forever

Every day of my life

Draco stared at the door for a few moments. He wasn't sure what to make of that song. It was exactly how he felt when he was 'dating' Danielle.

'Does she knows?' Draco asked himself.

He knocked on the door softly and waited for Hermione to answer the door. When she didn't, he pushed it open and entered the room.

There, he saw Hermione lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully. Beside her in mid air, still playing, was the CD. Draco wondered how the five people singing could be fitted into one CD. Then, his eyes landed back on the sleeping Hermione. Draco looked at her and smiled to himself. After a few minutes of staring, Hermione stirred and opened her eyes. She quickly sat up, flicking her wand at the CD so that it floated onto her bed.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed as soon as she saw him.

Draco smirked to her. He handed her the papers and said "Dumbledore gave this to me to pass to you. I forgot about it until just now. He wants this back tomorrow night."

Then, he walked out of the room but paused for a moment.

"Good night, Hermione," he wished ever so nicely.

Then he exited the room. Hermione looked at the door, which he had just walked through.

"Did he just called me Hermione?" she shocked at what he had just called her.