A/N: Dun, dun, dun… here it is!!! I probably more excited than you guys!! I love when I update!! :D

Read on…!

Chapter 7: Quite the Hostess

Now it's morning,

But last night's on my mind.

There's something I need

To get off my chest.

All Mixed Up, 311

Draco read the words again. Stay away from her. They made him so angry, so frustrated. Here he was, not even sure yet of how he felt towards her, and someone was trying to tell him what to do. As if they had a right. Especially considering who sent the note.

His father hadn't even tried to make a point of concealing his identity. The only reason he didn't sign his name was that it wouldn't exactly do to have Draco be getting letters from Azkaban prisoners.

Draco recalled the first and last time he went to visit his father in prison, walking along the rows of dingy cells. He thought of how horrible it would be to falsely convicted and sent here. Many people had been screaming out to his mother and him, groveling and begging for help. His mother had flinched, but Draco had kept a stony expression.

And then they had come upon his father's cell. Lucius Malfoy did not scream or plead or beg; he had just sat on the thick slab of stone along the back wall of his cell. He had stood as they approached, keeping a face as stony as Draco's as his wife let out silent tears as she had looked between the bars at her husband. Draco had remained silent the entire time, staring down his father.

He had been relieved to finally leave Azkaban, to escape the chilling sensation that was draped over the entire island. He knew his father probably deserved what he got, and couldn't even imagine how gaunt his father looked now, if he had managed to keep his sanity. Draco silently cursed his father under his breath for making his mother suffer, for making her spend all these nights alone.

Draco tore the note in half, shooing the owl away. How dare his father do this to him- especially when he himself was rotting away in a prison cell? As if he had any control over Draco… The thought made him laugh. "I'll do whatever I damn well please," he said, as if his father could hear him from thousands of miles away.

Tired from ungodly hour he was now awake at, he drifted off to sleep in his new bed, more confused about his feelings than he was before, if that was possible.

'o'

The next week dragged on, both Draco and Hermione in a daze, both working out their feelings for the other. One night, while they were both studying in the common room together, Hermione almost asked him if he, too, was confused about where they stood, but somehow found herself without the bravery to do it. She really felt that she needed to talk to him, but once the end of the week got underway, she found other thoughts to overpower that one.

The whole school seemed to jitter with the excitement of the arrival of new students. Hermione, too, found herself getting a little nervous for her meeting with Costas, with whom she had been writing back and forth with when she got the chance. She hoped he was as kind and sweet as his letters made him out to be.

That Saturday, everyone rushed to the Great Hall, shoving breakfast down their throats, anxious to greet the Greek students, who were supposed to arrive later that morning. Within the hour, what seemed to be the entire school had gathered at the bottom of Hogwarts's front steps, spilling out onto the front lawn.

Hermione weaved her way through the bustling crowd to find Ginny, Ron, and Harry. "Hey, guys!" She enveloped them all in a big hug. "I haven't seen you guys in a while- I guess I've just been busy."

"Hey, it's okay, Herms," Ginny spoke encouragingly. "Everyone's been so excited all week! I'm just glad to see you. I absolutely can't wait to meet my student!"

"Me either!" Hermione gushed. "Which reminds me, Ron, did you ever find out who you are supposed to host?"

"I guess I'm about to find out," he said, smiling and then pointing skyward.

"Oh, wow," Hermione said breathlessly, following the direction Ron's finger was pointing to the amazing sight that could be seen above the treetops of the Forbidden Forest. As the other students in the crowd noticed, many oohs, ahhs, and excited whispers could be heard.

Drawing nearer and nearer to the castle could be seen quite a spectacle. About twenty white, winged horses swooped expertly through the air, each carrying a rider. Everyone drew completely silent, in awe of this once-in-a-lifetime sight. Each horse touched down to the ground, clomping along until it slowed to a stop.

An older woman, seemingly the chaperone of the group, slid down gracefully from her majestic winged beast, moving towards the Headmaster with an elderly grace. The students also dismounted, forming a small huddle in front of the beasts, which were now happily munching grass.

Dumbledore had moved to the front to greet the students and their headmistress. "How good to see you again, Aspasia," he said as he took and kissed her hand.

She blushed ever so slightly, responding, "As is it a pleasure to be graced with your presence once again, Albus."

The Headmaster then turned to address the crowd. "After a month of anticipation, we are finally able to meet the exchange students from Greece. I would like to introduce to you Headmistress Aspasia Skandalis and her pupils of the Betagamma Institute for the Magically Inclined." He motioned towards the elderly woman and continued on, "I expect each and every one of you to give all our guests a very warm welcome."

The crowd erupted in to loud clapping, hoots, and hollers, welcoming the new students. Most of the Greek students looked around nervously. Dumbledore started up again, "And now, if everyone would follow me into the Great Hall, we can commence the Welcome Feast." Before the crowd erupted and began to move inside, Dumbledore said, "First though, I ask all prefects, Heads, and our guests to congregate in the small room off of the Hall."

With that last word, everyone began to move, causing Hermione to lose Ginny Ron and Harry. Seeing the unsure students, she decided to go over to them and help them towards the room, seeing as the Professorhead had whisked away their Headmistress. She walked up and introduced herself. "I'm Hermione Granger," she sounded out slowly to the foreigners. "I'm the Head Girl, a leader here at Hogwarts. If you'll all follow me, we can get to the room." She flashed them a big smile and strode towards the school, turning around every now and then to check that they were all still following her.

Finally, everyone had congregated in the small room and Hermione had met up with Ron and Ginny again. "I wonder where Costas is," Hermione whispered to Ginny excitedly, looking for the face that smiled up from the picture Costas gave her as Skandalis took a head count of her students.

As Dumbledore droned on with a short welcoming speech, Ginny whispered, "I think he's over in that corner." She motioned to an unbelievably gorgeous man standing quietly against the wall on the opposite side of the room. He looked up, catching her eye, and gave her a small smile of recognition. She blushed furiously, turning towards Dumbledore, trying not to stare at and drool over the guy she recognized to be her foreign exchange student. Thank you, she thought, glancing heavenward.

"…so, I'll stop blabbing and get on to the good part," Dumbledore said, pulling out a long piece of parchment. "Once, I call your names, you may leave with your partner and begin a tour of the school. Firstly, we have Hermione Granger, who will be hosting Costas Papaconstanzas."

Hermione beamed as she walked towards Dumbledore and she saw Costas do the same. On the way up, she noticed Malfoy snickering in the corner. She glared at him, thinking, At least he had the decency to show up. But I really don't see what is so hilarious. And after everything that we talked about that night in front of the fire… He's just been acting so weird! I'll have to talk to him about it…

Suddenly she noticed that she had gotten to the front of the room, contemplative frown on her face. She quickly swapped this with the infectious smile she had caught from Costas's own beaming face. "We go?" he asked, eyebrows cutely furrowed and crook of his arm extended towards Hermione. She gladly linked her arm in his and walked out of the room, cheeks burning.

She made her way to the other side of the Great Hall, passing Slytherins, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs, all of whom stared. Hermione was thankful to finally sit down on the bench across from Lavender and Neville. Lavender raised her eyebrows in approval, and Hermione introduced Costas to the pair.

"Hermione," he sounded out slowly but correctly. "Such pretty name. Is Greek, you know."

"Really? I didn't know that." She looked into his captivating eyes, so deep, so rich in color. Snap out of it! she scolded herself. "You're pretty fluent in English for someone as new to the language as yourself. I heard it was one of the hardest languages to learn as a second language."

"Well," he said, giving her a shy look, "I practiced very hard for long time."

They eased into a comfortable conversation, Hermione introducing people as they came to the table. After a speech from Dumbledore welcoming the new students, everyone ate lunch, an excited buzz in the air. Costas asked if Hermione would show him around the school and get him familiar with his new surroundings, to which she happily obliged.

Harry, Hermione, Costas, Ron, his student, Nick, Ginny, and her student, Pam, all left the Great Hall together, separating in the Entrance Hall. Ginny was to show Pam around, but they had to go to the Gryffindor common room first to get something. Ron didn't feel like showing Nick around, and Nick didn't really care, which sparked a liking of Nick in Ron. Ron, Nick, and Harry instead went with Ginny and Pam to the common room to teach Nick how to play Wizard's Chess.

So with everyone going towards the Grand Staircase, Hermione decided to show Costas the castle grounds first. They dipped their toes in the lake, walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and visited the greenhouses, all the while talking animatedly. As they exited the greenhouse, Costas said mysteriously, "I have show you something."

"How can you have a surprise for me at the school that I've been going to for seven years?" Hermione asked, with a grin on her face that matched the one on Costas's.

"Just close eyes. I show you the way." He covered her eyes with his hands, walking down the sloping lawns to a destination unknown to Hermione.

His hands are so soft, and so strong, she thought dreamily. Hermione didn't usually like surprises, but she was willing to wait because she thought it was cute how sweet Costas was being to her.

Costas slowed down, whispering in Hermione's ear, "Open your eyes."

Hermione gasped, standing in awe for a few moments before finally speaking. "Oh, Costas, they're beautiful…" she whispered softly, as if afraid talking would ruin the moment and its splendor.

After a few more moments, he asked, "You want to pet them?"

Hermione stared back at the beasts, still in awe. Before, when they had brought the students to Hogwarts, she had known they were beautiful and was amazed at what they could do, but seeing them up close was just so much more overpowering. They gleamed white, making everyone and everything else look drab. "Could I really?"

"Yes," he said, taking her hand in his and placing it onto the back of one of them as he fed it a sugar cube.

"Oh, wow. Costas, this is so amazing," she said, staring kindly into the eyes of the winged horse. "What are they?"

"Is winged horse, the Pegasus. Legend in Greece of Pegasus tamed by goddess Athena, then given to man, who also tamed, but man became too proud. Pegasus flew into sky and Zeus made him a constellation," Costas explained. "Only wizards know that Pegasus still walks earth and are many of them. Very difficult to tame, but very loyal once tamed. Like unicorns, they have a better liking for females."

"Wow…" was all Hermione could say. She just stroked the horse's unbelievably soft coat, hard pressed to find something more amazing than this…

'o'

Draco had finally managed to ditch Artemis. When Dumbledore had called his name to meet the student he was to host, he thought it might actually be someone he could actually relate to. According to Draco, the kid was 'a complete geek.' Draco couldn't stand him. If he had thought meeting him was bad, well, showing him around the school was worse. He was just glad that he wasn't with him now.

Draco sunk back further into his armchair. The day had been surprisingly warm, but once the sun had set, it had gotten pretty cold. As he made a fire in the hearth, Draco was thankful that he was no longer residing in the dungeons.

As he stoked the fire, he thought of Hermione and that Greek bloke of hers. It almost made him sick. I mean, how seriously can you take someone whose name is as ridiculous as his is? he mused, smirking.

The only reason he hadn't gone straight to bed was because he had to stay up. He had to wait for her. He needed to talk. He had made up his mind before, and the only place he felt comfortable enough was here. He was going to pass it up, but then he remembered that there was no reason for him, of all people, to pussyfoot his way around something. Plus, if he didn't do it now, it might become too late.

Draco heard voices, straightening up. The first was hard to understand, but the second one he could tell from anywhere. It was Hermione. His ears prickled, trying to catch each word…

'o'

"I really had a great time, Costas," Hermione beamed up at him outside the sleeping portrait of Glanmore Peakes.

"So I did," the Greek replied. "This is your common room?"

"I'll show it to you if you want…"

"Maybe another time. I don't want to intrude," he replied.

"You're too polite," Hermione teased. "Well, you can come by tomorrow morning and I'll finish showing you around. Thanks for walking me here."

"You're welcome," he said, while on the other side of the portrait Draco was becoming rather nauseated. "Kalinihta, Hermione. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Costas." Hermione reached up and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. He beamed and headed down the hall to his own lodgings.

Hermione sighed, saying the password and walking into the common room, feeling that nothing could ruin her good mood. Then she saw Draco. He was sitting in an armchair, brow furrowed in deep contemplation. He was surprised when she spoke, "I'm sorry if you heard any of that…I…well… Did you have fun with your student?"

He sighed, looking at her for a moment as she sat down in the chair next to him. "Actually, Artemis…well, he's pretty much the worst person I could be put with."

"How do you mean?" she asked softly.

"He just is," he snapped back. Hermione looked shocked and he immediately regretted what he had said. "I mean, I'm sorry, I just… I have to talk to you."

A/N: Hope you liked it!! We finally get to meet the man: Costas!!!! I love this character. It's so fun to write someone who doesn't speak English! Tell me if you loved it, hated it, whatever you thought! I'm sorry I keep delaying 'the secret', but it'll come in time.

Now to these extrasupercalafragilisticexpealidocius reviewers! (I know I probably spelled it wrong…):::

Son Christine: You and your multiple personalities… I must watch the 3rd Inu Movie!!

fourthiv: Thanks for the uplifting praise about my fluff! :D It was greatly appreciated.

Lady Paine: I'm glad I have you so hooked!! It only gets juicier from here…

Tell me if there are any mistakes with this chapter… I posted it right after I finished it, so there might be some mistakes… All I did was spell check! :D

And for those of you who aren't smarty pants and already figured it out, 'kalinihta' is apparently Greek for goodnight… correct me if I'm wrong!!

Stay tuned… Goodness ahead!

Charlotte ;)