Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Tory was sulking in the Gryffindor Common room. She was thinking about when Hermione and herself were friends.

Start Flashback. (long, DO NOT SKIP; it will explain a few things like why Hermione and Tory stopped being friends, why Malfoy isn't that mean to Tory)

Tory's POV

"Hermione, you can't be serious?" Tory laughed.

Hermione shrugged, her cinnamon eyes twinkling with laughter. "Maybe, Tory. I think you two would become the perfect couple. Really, I do"

Tory gave Hermione a gentle shove that sent the brunette tumbling onto her bed. Tory sat on the edge of the bed and frowned at the other girl. Hermione propped herself up on her elbows and asked, "What's with the mood? Thinking about how right I am?" Hermione joked.

"No!" Tory said indignantly. Jumping off the bed.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You know I'm right." She said smugly.

"Do not!"

"Do!"

"Do not!"

"Have it your way, but I'm right. You know I am"

"You are not"

"I bet, that if you asked him, he would go out with you, and I'm hardly ever wrong!"

"You really want a bet? Because I'm game if you are"

"Fine, if I win, I get three Sickles. If you win, you get three sickles. Deal?" Hermione held out her hand to her friend. Tory shook it briefly and smiled smugly to herself. "You'd better get that money ready, because you're going to be needing it mighty soon." Tory said quietly, before getting ready for sleep.

The next day when Tory awoke she found Hermione looking at some sort of catalog. Tory crept over to the bushy-haired girl and looked over her shoulder. "Just incase you were wondering, Tory, I'm looking at what sort of things I can buy for three sickles." Tory scowled and muttered something Hermione didn't catch. "What was that?" she said darkly, assuming Tory had said something mean.

"Oh nothing of your concern."

"Humph" was all the reply Hermione gave.

At breakfast, Hermione gave Tory a nudge, and the girl slowly arose from her seat at the Gryffindor table and slowly walked over to the table across the room. Some Professors raised eyebrows and exchanged looks. Professor McGonagall almost got up the stop Tory, if the Headmaster had not told her to sit down and not worry about the affairs of students. Tory progressed towards the Slytherin Table and stopped once she had reached a certain silver-blonde individual. She swooped down close to his ear and muttered something in his ear. The blonde looked sharply at Tory but got up and followed her out of the hall.

When they reached the hallway, Draco Malfoy started to get irritated. "Look, what do you want Masing?" he said sharply.

"Malfoy- Draco, before I start, I want you to know that this is a bet. Now," Tory said, suddenly embarrassed. "Will you go on a date with me?" Tory rushed.

Malfoy started. He gaped for a few seconds while Tory shifted from foot to foot. "Yes" he said quietly.

"What!" Tory near screeched. "You were meant to say NO!"

"You asked me, if you never wanted me to say yes, you should've never even asked me!" Draco retaliated.

"It was a bet, I HAD to!"

"Sure, Masing, I'm so sure."

"If you want to know the truth, ask Hermione Granger!"

"That mudblood? I'll take my chances with you!" Tory was about to yell at the infuriating boy when a pair of lips crashed against hers. Tory's eyes closed briefly then flew open and shoved the boy away in disgust.

"You little snake!"

"What? To much for you?" Draco asked innocently, smirking while his steel eyes glinted dangerously.

Hermione walked cautiously into the hallway. She peeked around the wall, she could hear muffled voices but they weren't clear enough to make out what was being said. She marveled at what she saw. Draco Malfoy was saying something that had obviously made Tory irritated but before Hermione could blink, Draco lent in and kissed the girl. Tory shoved him away in disgust, judging from her face, and started to yell. Hermione turned silently and left, walking down the hall with a spring in her step.

"Oh Tory!" sang Hermione the next morning.

"What?" Tory snapped.

"I guess I'll be getting my three sickles now, won't I?"

"What on earth do you mean, girl?" Tory said with irritation.

"As if you don't know."

"What?"

"I saw you, Tory, I saw you"

"Do... what?"

"Kiss Malfoy! I get three sickles! Oh isn't life a wonderful thing?" Hermione sang. Not noticing Tory's despicable mood. Hermione held out her hand, only for it to be batted away. Hermione looked at Tory skeptically, "Why won't you give me the money? I won it fair and square. Now hand it over!"

Tory looked Hermione squarely in the eye and said a definite "No" before stalking out of the room.

End Flashback.

Tory sighed and though some more about what she was about to do. Tory finally got up from her chair and walked over to Hermione Granger. She stopped short and hurried upstairs. Tory finally re-appeared and walked over to Hermione Granger. She walked stiffly, as if this simple task was the hardest thing she had ever done. "Hermione?" she asked quietly. Hermione looked up at her and seemed rather surprised to see Tory standing there.

"Yes?" Hermione said stiffly.

"Here" Tory held out her closed hand. A look of uncertainly crossed Hermione's eyes but Hermione held her open hand under Tory's closed one. Finger by finger, Tory opened her hand; finally three silver objects fell into Hermione's hand. Hermione closed her hand tightly around the objects. Tory looked anywhere but Hermione's face. Tory looked at Hermione and muttered, "Now we're equal"

Hermione smiled brightly and hugged Tory tightly. Tory's eye's widened but she returned the hug. Harry Potter looked at Tory stangely. "What are you looking at, Scar-face?" she said sharply.

Harry looked shocked but met Tory's eyes. "I was thinking, not looking" he replied.

Tory rolled her eyes and suddenly grinned. She held out her hand to Harry and asked.

"Truce?"

Harry nodded and shook her hand gladly. "Truce" he confimed.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you." Tory said. "alone" she added, as Harry got up to follow Hermione.

Hermione nodded and followed Tory into the hallway.

"Hermione, I just want to say that I'm sorry about third year. I was young and obnoxious, navie and…" Tory started. Hermione intergetcted before Tory could get in another word. "That's okay. Forgive and Forget." She smiled. Tory nodded and walked inside again.

……………………….The next morning…………………

Draco's POV

Draco Malfoy was sitting in his seat, next to Pansy, when Tory walked in. She sat down next to Granger and Potter. Draco scowled. He didn't like Potter, or Granger. Weasel had gone on some 'exchange program' as Dumbledoor had called it. "Draco! Do you want to hear about the time I socked Weaslette?" Pansy cooed. Draco looked at her irritably.

"No."

"But Draco! You never want to do anything with me!" Pansy pouted.

"Can you blame the guy? God Pansy. You've been talking about the time you hit Ginny, but in reality you only hit her because Ginny let you!" siad Blaise Zabini loudly.

"Ginny?" Pansy sneered "Sound like you like her"

"Or not" Blaise said sharply, letting the matter drop.

Draco had zoned out, his gaze was wandering the hall. It happened to land on a chesnut-haired girl. He started at her. She reminded him painfully of his mothers sisters daughter, Carlia. Carlia had been a lovely girl. She was always happy, never letting the sadness hold her down, even when her father died. Carlia's long, brown hair and her green eyes, filled with joy, had allways made him feel as if somebody cared about him, but he never let these feelings show. Stop it! He thought furiously. Carlia is dead, nothing cn change it, nothing. Draco tore his gazr away from Tory and it landed on Pansy, who was eating, yelling, shrieking and looking down-right ugly all that the same time. He sighed and left the hall, not looking back. He reached his Dorm and flopped onto his bed.

Draco lay there for a few seconds, but then got up angrily. He opened his dresser draw and pulled out a thick book. He opened it's leather cover and read the first page:

Draco, my dear cousin.

For your thirteenth birthday I thought I would make you a scrap book. I have started it off for you. Whenever you are feeling sad, Draco, open this book and look through the pages. You will see that life has good times, and, even when it seems the world is against you, your family cares for you.

But remember, Draco, I will not always be there for you. Some day, my Draco, I will move onto another world. A better world. When this time comes, I want you to shed no tears. I want you to remember the good times and stay strong. Draco, Happy birthday. May the world bring you peace.

Stay strong, my Draco.

Carlia.

When Draco finished reading, he was surprised to notice he had been crying. It was a tough thing, losing your one and only cousin, and not shedding a single tear. But that was what Carlia had wanted him to do, so Draco had done what she had asked without a single hesitaition. He closed the book and placed it into his draw. He sat on his bed for a long time after, thinking, before finally burrying his head in his pillow and letting lose all the emotions he had kept locked uo in his heart. Nobody understood him, exept Carlia, and she was gone. Now there was no-one.

Did you like it? Did you hate it? Please tell me. I'm open to suggestions about the up-coming chapters too. So if anyone has ideas, you and review and I'll take them all into account.

Cheers.
Flowerpot munchkin.