It was diner time before the two returned to the castle. Hermione and Draco had been to Gringott's, Dervish and Banges, Eeylops Owl Emporium, and delivered a personal letter to one Mrs. Miranda Goshawk. Hermione had been thrilled to meet Mrs. Goshawk in person, and even got an autographed copy of her most recent edition of The Standard Book of Spells.

Hermione and Draco tumbled into the common room and collapsed onto the couches. Hermione was wet with perspiration and her cheeks were flushed bright red. "Frio," she commanded with a swish of her wand and a cool breeze began to blow from seemingly nowhere. "Much better," she added with an exhausted sigh.

Draco pounced up with renewed energy, "Last one to the shower is a stinky kappa!"

"Oh, blast you!" Hermione screeched. She turned around on the couch and waved her wand at Draco, "Rictusempra!"

Draco stopped in his tracks and fell to the floor in laughter. "A tickling … he he ha ha… charm… ha ha ha ha. Really, he he he… Hermione…that is low." Draco fought of the fits of laughter as Hermione took the lead to the showers. "Petrificus Totalus!" Draco shouted between outbursts of laughter.

Hermione froze in motion. She could move neither her arms nor legs. She spun her head around, "Draco Malfoy, you are insufferable!"

"No worries, dear. The spell will wear off as soon as I am safely locked in the bathroom," Draco said, finally regaining his composure. Grainger looked so cute all petrified and helpless.

After cool showers and dinner had reinvigorated the duo, Hermione announced that she was going for a walk on the grounds before dark. "Is that an invitation?" Draco smirked.

"Not unless you are so bored that the company of a mudblood sounds exciting," Hermione retorted.

"You really ought to stop calling yourself that you know," muttered Draco.

"And why is that?"

"If we are the ones to bring about the change, we should view ourselves as equals, I suppose."

"Well, if that doesn't beat all that I have ever heard you say, Malfoy."

"And another thing…"

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

"You don't have to call me Malfoy, you can call me Draco."

"Ok, Draco, I suppose that means that you have to call me Hermione, too."

"Fair enough."

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Dumbledore looked on, unseen, from his quarters. Yes, this is turning out just lovely, he thought. He returned to his desk where he finished making up a batch of Chocoballs with a special secret ingredient.

"Well," Dumbledore said aloud, "if this magic is going to hold, these two will need something a little stronger than serenity potion." With that, he added two drops of a sparkling red liquid to the mix. POOF! A small pop and a puff of pink smoke. "There, that should do it. I hope this isn't overkill."

Dumbledore went to find Dobby to deliver the special sweets the Head's common room before the students arrived. He shut the door behind him. Still in his quarters, the pink smoke from the candy slowly took shape, into a glittery heart in mid-air. The smoke expanded and the heart grew larger until the whole room was filled. Slowly, the smoke found its way out the windows and chamber doors in the room and dissipated.

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