Disclaimer: Is on the first chapter.

Life's Little Pleasures

It wasn't long before the feast drew to an end and the time came to head up to the dorms. The Great Hall was abuzz with student chatter, and over it you could just hear Percy yelling "First years this way. Excuse me, I'm a prefect" in that snotty tone of his. Kerri scurried to keep up, trying to avoid crashing into anyone and keep an eye on Ashley at the same time. Inevitably, she was swept up in the crowd and wound up among a group of Slytherins. A blonde boy and his two beefy friends sneered at her and asked nastily if she had lost her way. Kerri was saved the trouble of answering, as back up arrived just in the nick of time. She couldn't be happier about it either, as it came in the form of her crush and his friends.

"Are you all right?" A bushy haired girl asked her as they made their was through the doors. Kerri nodded somewhat distractedly. Ron had noticed her staring at him and blushed, looking away.

"Yeah, thanks for getting me out of there. Those guys weren't exactly on my list of bestest friends." Before Harry, Ron, or the new girl had the chance to responds, Ashley appeared beside them. They all jumped, not having been expecting the newcomer, who grinned broadly.

"Hey. I was wondering where you had gotten to. I mean, one minute you're there behind me and the next - bam- you're not." Kerri nodded. "Well, at least you wound up with good people." She smiled warmly at the other three. "Wow, long time no see, Ron. Harry. And...? Who are you exactly?"

"Why, I am Hermione Granger. I'm a Muggle born witch who-" Ashley clamped a hand over Hermione's mouth.

"Wonderful. Let's go, shall we?" The group of five made their way up to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, which looked an awful lot like a painting to the first years. Harry commented on that and Ashley chuckled, explaining that it was really a doorway.

"Ya see, you say the password and the Fat Lady lets you in. Now, I would be more than happy to demonstrate this process, but, since we got here after everyone else, I'm afraid I have no idea whatsoever what the password is." Kerri looked up at her.

"Where's Oliver? Wouldn't he know?"

"Ah, that he would - ooh, bad pun! Get it? Would, Wood? Oh, never mind - however, he went ahead earlier to make sure Percy didn't try to anti-intruder the place and reduce it to shambles like last year."

"Ah." They stood in silence for a bit longer before Fred and George popped up from a nearby corridor.

"So, what's going on out here?" Fred asked, draping an arm over Ashley's shoulder. "Party?"

"Without us?" George put on a look of mock shock before mimicking his brother.

"Of course." Ashley rolled her eyes in exasperation. "And, if you'll be so kind as to tell us the password, we'll bring it on inside."

"I dunno." George smirked, exchanging a devious look with Fred. "I see no good reason if we're not invited."

"Right," Fred continued. "Why would we want to help someone who obviously doesn't want to be anywhere near us?"

"Because," Ashley stated impatiently. "If you don't you're both going to find yourselves in Full Body Binds outside the Slytherin common room." The devious grins slid off their faces faster than pie down a fat boy's throat.

"You wouldn't."

"Oh yes I would. Just keep pushing."

"Ya know, Ashley, darling, doing something as mean and horribly cruel as that would be setting a bad example for out precious younger brother and his friends here."

"That may be, but I think if living with you for eleven years hasn't turned him, this certainly won't either." Simultaneously, the twins placed their hands over their hearts, looking scandalized.

"That hurts, Ash. That really hurts."

"And just for that, we're not telling you the password."

"Fine. But I would just like to point out that you can't stay out here forever. Eventually you'll have to go in and therefore divulge the password." Her response was two tongues sticking out at her.

And so they sat, waiting outside the portrait hole until the one (Ok, so one of the people) person who had the power to turn the situation around came 'round the corner.

"Children! What are you doing out here at this time of night? You should all be in your dormitories by now."

"Professor McGonagall! I don't suppose you'd be so kind as to tell us the password...?" She glanced around at the unlikely group before her gaze rested upon the twins.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley. I should have known." The twins smiled in what would be an innocent manner for anyone except them. "Come now, come now. The password is caput draconis. You would do well to remember it." The advice, however was lost as the portrait swung open, revealing the Gryffindor common room. Kerri, Ron, Harry, and Hermione stood in awe for a moment, before being shoved in by three very impatient second years.

"Wow..."

"Yup, that just about covers it..." They looked around, taking note of the roaring fire and cushy maroon colored armchairs. Ashley climbed in after them, smiling as she recalled the first time she had seen the place.

"Ok, boys dormitories up the stairs to your left, girls, same to the right. Your stuff's already up there, so...yeah. That's about it. Go to bed." With that, Ashley flopped down on one of the chairs and watched the others head up., Halfway there, Kerri stopped, and motioned for them to go on without her before turning back around and coming back down the stairs. She took a seat across from her friend and said disbelievingly

"Wow. It's even better than you made it sound." Ashley grinned devilishly.

"Yup. Told ya you'd like it here. So, getting more to the point, how's Ronnie-poo?" Kerri chucked a pillow at her, which Ashley caught deftly.

"Don't call him that!"

"Ooh, why not? Kerri-werri got a little crushy-wushy on Ronnie-poo?"

"Stop it! I do not!" Ashley stared at her skeptically, one eyebrow raised.

"Uh huh. Sure. Don't think I didn't see you two making lovey eyes at each other the entire time we were stuck out there."

"We were not! At least, I didn't think we were..."

"Oh, believe me, you were. It was just like what Fred and George continuously tell Oliver and me what we were like same time last year."

"You two really are cute together, by the way."

"Thanks. And I think you and Ron would make such a sweet couple. He's got a good family, too. While sometimes two certain older brothers that I won't mention by name because knowing them they've got the whole place rigged to hear every word we're saying right now can be a bit, er, annoying at times, to say the least, they mean well. The whole family's really close. So, if they give you any grief, it's just because they're looking out for their little brother."

"Or they just feel like being assholes."

"Right. That too. Ya know what? I think you're gonna get along great here."

"Thanks. I-" The sentence was cut off as Kerri yawned. As a result, Ashley yawned as well, commenting that yawns were contagious.

"You should probably hit the sack. It's late and you have class tomorrow."

"I do?"

"Uh huh. Transfiguration, if I'm not mistaken. And believe me, you'll need your sleep for that."

"But how?" Ashley pointed to a piece of parchment tacked to the nearby wall decreeing class schedules.

"Aw man, I've got Potions first thing tomorrow! Oh well, at least I can watch the twins blow something up and lose the first points of the year." Kerri looked at her, confused. "Never mind. It's late. You should get at least some sleep before morning. And I bet you anything if you're rooming with that Hermione chick she'll have you in bed by 8 for the rest of the year." She laughed, seeing the horrified look on Kerri's face. "Just kidding. Well, actually, maybe I'm not. She seems the type...Whatever. Go." Kerri got up and began up the staircase for the second time.

"Aren't you coming?" Ashley shook her head.

"In a while. There's something I hafta do."

"Want me to wait?"

"Nah, you go ahead. Tomorrow's a big day." And indeed it would be.

Whoo hoo, chapter 2 is done and typed and chapter 3 is in the process of being written! I'm on a roll, though I'm considering changing the entire last part. Tell me what you think! I luv ya Ker!