A/N: Hey peeps! Here's another chappie. Thanks to all of you who reviewed! It really helps me with my confidence problem!

Evilevergreen: You may have some more, I swear, I'll get to the good deep bits soon!

Angel1718: Mwaahahaha! you'll just have to wait and see!

Chapter 8

Later that day at lunch, the trio were discussing what to do for entertainment that night. They were always doing something or another most nights, otherwise they got really bored and that was, well, boring!

"Why don't we play quidditch?" Ron piped up cheerfully.

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances before turning to Ron and looking at him like he had just said something very stupid, coz he had!

"Um, Ron, Hermione can't play quidditch!" Harry reminded him.

A look of realization fell on Ron's freckled face. "Oh, right. Sorry Mione!" he said sheepishly.

Hermione flashed a smile at her friend as reassurance that she didn't mind.

They went through several suggestions, but none seemed to catch their interest. They were about to give up when Harry's face broke into a grin, Ron and Hermione could've sworn they saw a lightbulb up above his head!

"I know! Lets have a slumber party up on the astronomy tower!" He said triumphantly.

Ron and Hermione thought about Harry's suggestion, then broke into smiles too.

"That's a brilliant idea Harry!" Ron praised "Who's going to be there?"

"Just us three!" Harry replied. "We can do our Astronomy homework while we are up there." He added.
This last suggestion pleased Hermione a great deal. And so, the trio had made their arrangements about what time they would go up there and what to bring.

That night, Harry, Ron and Hermione got ready to spend the night on the Astronomy tower. The boys didn't need much, just their pajamas, which they were already wearing, and their sleeping bags. Harry decided he would bring Hedwig, so she could fly about freely and besides, he liked having her around.

Hermione was in her long white nightgown, brushing her hair and teeth. The nightgown was very elegant and pretty, it was sleeveless and flowing, with a lace bodice and chiffon skirt. She loved this nightdress, it had belonged to her great grandmother. It came with a matching dressing gown and she put this on as she grabbed her sleeping bag.

The trio met in the Griffindor common room and headed for the astronomy tower.

It seemed that they were going to make it without being caught. They were almost there, when they heard footsteps striding towards them, but it was so dark, they couldn't make out who it was.

They froze clinging onto one another not daring to breathe. Even Hedwig seemed to freeze, sensing a predator. Hermione squinted into the darkness.

"It's Snape!" she whispered in a panic. "I'd know those footsteps anywhere!"

They seemed flustered for a moment before scooting behind a statue, trying to think fast. Harry got an idea first.

"Hermione, you're a prefect, he won't be able to protest if you are out!" he whispered as the footsteps got ever closer.

"In my nightdress?!!" She hissed back. "I think he'll wonder about that!"

"Say you're going to the kitchens for a drink!" Ron suggested.

They didn't have time to think of any other way, so Hermione was pushed out into the corridor.

She still couldn't see snape, but she could hear his footsteps and he was so close now, she could hear his breathing.

She padded along silently, barefoot, her heart pounding. She hoped she could pull this off. If Snape didn't believe what she told him then –

"OUCH!!!" she cried. Pain shot through her foot as it was trodden on as she collided with something warm and soft. That something merely grunted and made a wild grab for her. An arm grabbed her around the waist and a hand clamped over her mouth.

"Lumos!" she heard deep voice command.

Light flooded in a circle around them and Snape's stern face loomed into view and he was squinting at the light as his eyes adjusted to it. He soon recognized the student he had trodden on.

"Miss Granger!" he hissed. He still had a firm grip of her waist but had let go of her mouth. "What are you doing out of bed at this time!?"

Hermione was disgruntled about Snape practically crushing her foot so she scowled up at him. "What are you doing out here!" she muttered.

"What?!" Snape snarled, jerking her roughly.

Hermione pushed him away. "You're hurting me!" she mumbled glaring at him.

Snape glared back. "I asked you a question, miss Granger!" he hissed, ignoring her comment.

Hermione thought about the situation, she had to be convincingly innocent looking, glaring at Snape wasn't going to get her, Harry and Ron anywhere. So, she let an expression of innocence come to her face. "I- I was thirsty, Professor! I was just going to the kitchens to fetch a glass of water!"

Snape studied her face closely.

Behind the statue, Ron and Harry held their breaths, their fingers crossed.

Defeated, Snape grunted and moved aside. "Very well, Miss Granger, be quick about it and get back to bed!"

Hermione nodded, and started to walk off, but she was limping, her foot still hurt.

"Why are you limping?!" Snape demanded, holding out his wand so he could see her better.

"You trod on my foot when you bumped into me!" she replied turning to face him.

Snape moved his wand to point the light at her foot, which was red and bruised, then back up to her face. "why aren't you wearing slippers, you silly girl?" he sniffed.

"I don't have any" came her sneering reply.

"Then I suggest you get some if you are going to continue night time escapades to the kitchens." He remarked sarcastically. And with that, he was gone, robes billowing out behind him.

They waited until he was gone, and then Hermione felt Harry and Ron feeling around in the dark for her. They grabbed her arms and sighed with relief.

"Well done Mione!" Harry praised.

"Thanks!" Hermione said. "Now let's go before we run into any more professors.

They hurried along the corridors until they reached the astronomy tower and climbed the staircase. They went through the classroom and up a small set of stairs that led to the roof, and they embraced the night air.

They proceeded to set up camp, laying their sleeping bags side by side. Hedwig flew to the wall and sat there hooting happily.

Hermione wanted to start the homework right away, so they proceeded with that, laying on their backs on their sleeping bags, gazing at the constellations above them and marking them down on parchment.

After this task was completed, they decided to try and freak each other out by telling ghost stories.
At one point, Hermione had Ron shaking so bad with her story, she had to quit halfway through, much to Harry's disappointment.

"It was just getting good!" he had complained.

Later, after much fun and games, they sat around talking. The conversation turned to Malfoy again.

Hermione was sitting on the wall listening intently as Ron expressed his feelings about Malfoy turning good-guy. Harry sat on his sleeping bag, also listening.

Meanwhile, in the commonroom, Malfoy, sporting green silk pajamas, was pacing back and forth in front of the fire wondering how to talk to his father about his dilemma. When he had formed a conversation in his mind, he went to the fire and picked up a handful of blue powder and was about to call his father when he was distracted by a noise. His curiosity sparked, Malfoy put the powder back into it's bowl and went to the windows. He peered out and surveyed the castle.

He couldn't see anything, but he heard very faint quiet voices. He frowned, not knowing where they were coming from. He was about to turn away when he spotted something white perched on top of the astronomy tower. He grabbed a pair of binoculars that were sitting conveniently on a table nearby and focused them on the white object.

"Granger!?" he murmured. "What are you doing up there?"

He glanced at the fire, then back out of the window. "Father can wait!" he decided, as grabbed his cloak and rushed out of the common room, heading swiftly for the astronomy tower.

"So, that's what I think!" finished Ron finally.

Harry and Hermione looked thoughtful.

"Yeah, you could have a point there, Ron!" Harry agreed.

Hermione sighed. "I don't trust him 100% either, but we did say we'd give him a chance, I mean, he can't be all evil!" she reasoned.

"What do you mean, Mione?" Harry asked.

"Well, everyone has some good in them, even Snape and Malfoy." She replied confidently. "No-one is 100% evil, that's what I believe!"

"Oh yeah?" challenged Ron, "Well what about You-know-who?"

Hermione shrugged. "I bet he has some amount of good in him somewhere. He just doesn't know it."

"Thanks, Mione, I'll be sure to look for that ounce of good next time he's trying to Avada me!" Harry laughed.

Suddenly, the door to the roof opened, making everyone jump.

They all looked to see who it was.
"Malfoy!" Ron asked, gaping.

Malfoy surveyed the scene before him, and smirked.

"Secret slumber party?" he asked.

"Care to join us?" Hermione asked politely, ignoring the glances from Ron and Harry.

Malfoy looked thoughtful. "I didn't bring a sleeping bag." He said finally.

"We can conjure you one." Came Harry's reply.

Surprised, Malfoy nodded. "Alright then."

Harry conjured a sleeping bag out of nowhere and set it down alongside theirs.

The four sat and talked about classes, quidditch and how Snape really ought to wash his hair, Malfoy even recommended a good shampoo to anyone who had the guts to tell Snape he needed it.

As they talked, Malfoy found he was having fun. He never thought for one minute that he would ever be sitting up on the astronomy tower in his pajamas with the golden trio having a secret slumber party.

Talking about Snape had them laughing so hard, they were practically rolling on the ground. Suddenly a very familiar noise to all of them ripped through the air. They all stopped laughing and stared at Ron in disbelief as Ron blushed.

"Ron, you farted!" Harry complained, laughing.

"Ron! How rude!" Hermione chastised, but she couldn't suppress a giggle.

Harry and Malfoy moved away from Ron, Fanning the air with their hands, wrinkling their noses in protest.

"Merlin, Weasley!!" Malfoy complained, still fanning the stench away from himself. "What crawled up your butt and died?!"

That sent Harry and Hermione and even Ron off laughing again. Malfoy soon joined them.

Eventually, they all calmed down and settled down to tell more ghost stories. Malfoy told a particularly good one that sent chills through them all, himself included.

Just then, Hedwig appeared carrying a dead mouse she had caught in her beak, looking for a place to land.

Hermione offered her arm, and reached out over the wall so Hedwig could land on it.

Suddenly, her foot slipped and with a scream, she toppled over the edge.

In a flash, Ron shot over and just in time, caught her hands.

Harry and Malfoy were frozen with shock momentarily, until Ron started to slip too.

"Harry!" he cried. "I'm slipping!!!"

Harry shook himself and darted forward to help Ron and Hermione.

He got to them just as Ron slipped over the wall with a yell, followed by a scream from Hermione.

Harry had managed to get a hold of Ron's hand, and was struggling to hold onto him.

At the bottom of this human chain, Hermione had slid down and was now holding on for dear life to Ron's feet with her arms.

Ron's hands were occupied with holding for dear life onto Harry, who was in danger of slipping himself.

"Malfoy!! Help us!!!" Harry yelled.

Upon instinct, Malfoy ran over to Harry and grabbed him around the waist and pulled.

Harry and Malfoy struggled to pull Ron and Hermione back up, but it was too hard and Harry slipped over.

"No!" Malfoy cried, making a wild grab and toppling off himself. Terror struck his heart. Luckily, they way they had fallen saw to it that Harry had momentarily let go of Ron to grab the ledge of the wall, Malfoy had fallen past him and grabbed a hold of Ron's hand as he held it out to him. With Ron's help, Malfoy was able to grab Harry's ankles and Ron slid down Malfoy, and held onto his ankles.

Each time they slid lower, Hermione had screamed, thinking someone had lost a hold.

Malfoy looked down an saw Hermione at the very end of the chain clinging to Ron's feet looking up hopelessly, her elegant nightgown flowing out around her legs.

"Well, now what do we do?" Ron called.

They all looked up at Harry, who was now their only hope of surviving.

"Harry!" Hermione cried desperately "Don't let go!"

"I'm trying not to!" Harry called back. "My hands are all sweaty!"

Quidditch had paid off and his arm muscles were strong, but he didn't think he could hold on much longer, and it didn't help that the wall was moist.

"We should call for help!" Harry suggested. "If we yell loud enough, somebody's bound to wake up!"

They all nodded in agreement and took deep breaths.

"HELP!!!!!" they all yelled in unison.

A scream came from Hermione and they all looked down at her.

"Granger!" Malfoy yelled.

"Mione!" Ron cried.

"I can't hold on!" she cried back.

"HOLD ON!!" Harry cried. He tried desperately to pull himself and the other's up, he managed to get a better hold in the process.

"HELP!!!!!" they all yelled again.

They kept yelling this until they had screamed themselves hoarse.

They were about to give up, when the astronomy door flew open and Dumbledore's face appeared above Harry.

"My goodness, how did you end up like this?" He asked cheerfully.

Harry was so relieved to see Dumbledore, he almost let go to hug him, but decided against it.

"Don't worry, Professor Snape will be down there in a moment to set up a safe landing for you all." Dumbledore assured them. "now, how do you explain this unauthorized slumber party, Mr Potter," he said cheerfully. "And why wasn't I invited!?"

Harry gaped up at the headmaster "Um, Sorry Professor, but, could we perhaps discuss this another time?"

Dumbledore smiled as he looked at the grounds far below.

Light had flooded onto the ground and they could see a tiny Snape running out, looking up, trying to size up where he should put the safe landing.

He conjured one of those gigantic landing bags, filled with air and called up to the students above him.

"Drop down!"

"What did he say?" Ron asked.

"He said Drop down!" Malfoy said incredulously.

"WHAT?!!" Harry yelled. "IS HE CRAZY!!"

"I'm scared!" Hermione whimpered far below.

"One at a time, let go and fall down onto this safe...thing!" Snape called up again.

They all looked up at Dumbledore for reassurance.
Dumbledore nodded confidently. And leaned over. "Miss Granger! It's quite alright, let go and you'll be quite safe, I promise!" he assured her.

Malfoy thought this was too much to ask of Hermione, who was frozen from terror. "Professor, if it's so safe, why don't you jump down there!".

He had meant it sarcastically, but Dumbledore nodded cheerfully and got up on the ledge next to where Harry was holding on, spread his arms and promptly jumped off, cheering and punching the air with glee as he plummeted.

"PROFESSOR!!!" Screamed Hermione. "Malfoy! What did you do!!!"

"I didn't mean for him to actually do it!!" Cried Malfoy in shock.

Professor Snape's voice floated up to them. "There, see? Dumbledore managed it alright, now stop being silly and let go!!!!"

"He's mad!" Ron declared.

"Look, if Dumbledore can do it, so can we!" Malfoy reasoned.

Harry nodded. Malfoy did have a point.

"Alright then, on the count of three. One....two.....THREE!!!" and with that, Harry let go of the ledge.

They all fell, and met each other in mid air, and clung to each other yelling all the while.

Snape peered up, watching them fall in what appeared to be a group hug, looking like pajama clad skydivers without parachutes.

They landed safely in the bag he had created and bounced off, landing in a crumpled heap on the grass.

Hermione was clinging to whoever she was holding onto, sobbing uncontrollably. Harry and Ron and Malfoy were breathing heavily and shaking from their ordeal.

"Never a dull moment, eh Harry?" Ron deadpanned, brushing the wet grass off his stripy pajamas.

Harry shook his head, glancing down at Malfoy and Hermione.

Malfoy looked down at Hermione, who was clinging to him and felt an unfamiliar pang of sympathy. He patted her back, trying to make her see that they had landed safely.

In the end, Snape had to pry her off him and, as it was found she couldn't walk from the terror she had experienced, he carried her back into the castle, so she clung to him instead. Dumbldore lead the way, and Harry, Ron and Malfoy followed a Hermione laden Snape.

A/N: I have a story all planned, if you think I should keep writing, please R&R to let me know.