The Lion and The Serpent.

Over the next six weeks, Harry had gotten used to having his parents working at the school. And with Halloween only two weeks away, the spirits were high. Harry couldn't tell which classes were his favorite now. He had joined Sirus' class, just to be able to see him. His parents were teaching them blocking in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and they were learning how to clean, in Mrs.Weasley's class. Also, Harry had Quidditch practice to look forward to on Monday, Thursday, and Sunday. On Sunday they were doing a double practice with Ravenclaw. On their way back from practice Sunday afternoon, Harry, Ron and Cho noticed a large group of people crowded around the notice board, in the entrance hall. They found Neville and Hermione talking in the Great Hall. Hermione looked up when they walked in.

"Hogsmeade trip next weekend. Are you going?"

"Yea. Are you?"

"Yes. I've got to get a new quill, and a broomstick."

"Why do you need to buy a broomstick?" Ron was looking at her in shock.

"Cause the schools brooms just don't go that fast do they?"

"Are you going to tell us what your talking about or what?

"You'll find out soon enough. I wonder. What kind of broom to you reckon would be fast enough? I read that the Bludger goes about thirty miles and hour. Would a Cleansweep eight do alright?"

"Hermione, if your not going to tell us what your talking about, then don't ask us for our advice." Harry was looking very confused, but Ginny knew what she was talking about.

"Nine."

"Cleansweep nine? Well yes that sounds like a good broom. What one do you have?"

"Nimbus two thousand and two."

"Ooo. I should get that then, Harry's two thousand did very well. Yes I'm going to get that one."

The next week was very busy. Between classes, homework, Quidditch practice and the D.A. meetings, Harry was kept very busy. He often met Cho in the library, so he, Cho, Ron and Hermione could do their homework together. When they were about to leave Hermione asked Cho a very odd question.

"Cho- er- could I talk to you for a second? Alone?"

"Yea. OK. I'll see you later Harry."

"OK." once they were out of ear shot Hermione broke into a very confusing conversation with Cho. Meanwhile, down the hall, Ron was telling Harry about a crush he had on someone.

"But how do I tell her I like her? I mean were friends, but if I tell her, and she doesn't like me back then it might ruin our friendship. Right?" He was not making eye contact with Harry at all.

"Hermione?"

"How did you know?" His head snapping up.

"It's obvious Ron. And just tell her, she might like you two. Well go out for a butterbeer in the three broomsticks on Saturday, maybe you could tell her then. OK?"

"OK." He choked. They walked down to meet Cho and Hermione for lunch. Harry pulled Cho aside.

"Guess who likes Hermione?"

"The same person who likes Ron?"

"Meet us at the three broomsticks for drinks at 1:30 Saturday. Alright?"

"Alright. Ill see you tonight then? By the lake?" She smiled at him.

"How about in the entrance hall?" He didn't want Cho outside alone in the dark. Cho seemed to know why he wanted to meet inside.

"Aww that's so sweet!" She kissed him on the cheek, then walked over to sit beside Luna at the Ravenclaw table.

The rest of the day was going by so quickly that harry hardly noticed what he ate for dinner. It was like someone had made the clocks go extra fast. He left the Gryfindore common room alone that night. He met Cho in the entrance hall. They walked threw the snow and sat by the lake. They sat there together for what felt like hours till Cho looked up at him and said "Harry I'm really cold." The tip of her nose was cherry red and she had snow in her hair. He helped her up with out saying anything. He conjured up a small pink flower, that was really made up of small crystals of fire. She held it in her hands and stared at him in amazement.

"Do you want to go back up to the school?" He asked her. She blushed.

"One more walk around the lake." They walked around the lake once more, then walked back up to the school. Harry left her at the corridor to her common room on the third floor then made his way back to the Gryfindore common room, where it was empty except for Crookshanks, Hermione's bandy legged ginger cat. He purred lowed when Harry walked in. The next morning Harry woke to Ron giving himself a small pep talk about how to approach Hermione.

"Just walk up to her sit down and tell her. If she says something nice, she likes you. If she just stares at you, get up and run. But you her friend. She wouldn't just say nothing, right?"

"Right." Said Harry, causing Ron to jump and knock the mirror off the wall. His ear went a deep currant colour, as he pulled out his wand to repair it. They met Hermione and Cho in the Three Broomsticks at 1:30, with their arms weighed down with their shopping. "Look there's Cho and Hermione." He said putting extra emphasis on Hermione's name. Ron just nodded and blushed a deep raspberry red. They walked over and sat down. Cho passed them each a Butterbeer and looked at Hermione with a curious look.

"Hermione... didn't you have something you wanted to say to someone?"

"Um...er...well...yes. Yes I did. Ron," She looked down at her feet and took a deep breath. She shifted slightly in her seat. She looked ready to run. "I have a crush on you I have since our second year here." She blurted in on long sentence. Ron looked shaken. Hermione was holding her breath. She looked confused.

"I like you a lot and I have since we met, I don't like it when we fight and I don't like it when other boys get all chummy with you." He said. "Wait. You like me?" He blushed. Hermione nodded. The both blushed, and let out a deep sigh. "Glad that's out of the way. So... will you go out with me then?"

"Yea alright." Said Hermione, finally managing to look up at Ron. Harry smiled at Cho, who smiled back while giving a little cough.

"I'll get more drinks." She said winking at Harry.

"I'll go with you." They walked over to the counter and left Hermione and Ron alone. Hermione blushed as Ron took hold of her hand. After three more rounds of drinks they walked out into the bright, sunny street, where they met Neville and Luna. Luna gave a slight cough when she saw Ron, but coughed even harder when she noticed Ron and Hermione holding hands. Harry stared warmly at Cho, before noticing that Luna was clinging to Neville in attempt to stay standing. "What's up Luna?"

"Oh! Nothing!" She said going into a fit of chocking giggles. Neville opened his mouth to say something four times, but caught a glimpse of Ron and changed his mind. The he got up his courage and said "We just say Ginny snoggin' Malfoy outside the Hogs Head." He blurted. to his sudden surprise, Ron laughed out loud.

"Oh Neville your imagining things now you are. My sister would never snog a Malfoy!" Neville looked away as though he didn't want to tell Ron that he was wrong. After receiving reproachful looks from almost everyone, he said, with a hint of forbidding in his voice, "Fine! We'll go check it out. OK?" Neville nodded slightly. Ron stalked off, dragging Hermione with him, Harry and Cho in his wake. When they walked through the door the hit Ron square in the back. He was clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. Hermione was whimpering because Ron had, apparently, forgotten to let go of his hand and was crushing the bones in her hand. Harry noticed what had caused Ron's anger from across the room. Ginny was sitting at a small scrubbed wood table snoggin' a tall boy with a pointed face and dull shiny blond hair. It was Malfoy but he looked different. Older, nicer, happier. He was smiling at Ginny from across the table. He pushed a piece of hair from her eyes and laughed, a real human laugh. He looked healthier then normal too. Like he had just spent a week eating Mrs. Weasleys home cooking. Ron hadn't noticed this, of course. Hermione hissed, threw a cry of pain, "Ron! Could you stop clenching your fists please! Your hurting me!" Ron looked shaken. He looked sideways and grunted, then let go of her hand and continued clenching his fists. He walked over to them and yanked Malfoy off his chair. He looked furious. He looked right into Malfoys pale grey eyes and said "Start explaining now!" The four of them sat down with Ginny and Draco, as she started to explain. Her eyes became dusty and grey. She looked like Professor Trealawney giving a fake premonition.

"It was about right after school started, I was sitting in the library, when I saw him staring at me from across the room. I wanted to tell him to clear off, but he looked sad. So I walked over to him. We started talking. We became close. I went back every day to see him. We started dating about three weeks ago. He was under the imperious curse, his father didn't want him getting friendly with the wrong sort. After he let him off of it, he told lies about you guys to keep him from liking you. When I told him about you, he wanted to get to know you. Then I told him I would put in a good word with you guys, but it didn't work. You were ignoring me. I thought you had found out, and were punishing me."

'My dad's crazy. He hated muggle born, or pure blood families that associate with them. He used all sorts of curses on me to make me the same way. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I should have gotten to know you better. Ron I like your sister a lot. She cares about me. I was never good enough for my dad. He never said he was proud of me. I never saw my mom, she was always being locked away, so she couldn't try to stop my dad from doing the curses on me. She would comfort me. That's why she sent me here. So I could learn some good and not evil. I won't hurt her. I promise." he stretched out a hand. Ron hesitated for a moment, before shacking it.