CHAPTER NINE

GOOD IDEA

The days had been getting shorter, and the nights came faster. Friday had approached so quickly, with the constant rainstorms and falling asleep by the sound of rain drops that hit the ceiling and the windows. Harry lain in bed Friday night, thinking about things that couldn't let him sleep over.

No matter how hard he tried, Harry couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, wondering about things that he really didn't need worrying about. Harry sat up, looking at the clock tower through his window. It now struck Midnight. The rain was now coming down harder then ever.

He just couldn't sleep. He paced himself around the room a bit, and then walked into the Common Room. He looked around to all the doors of the Selected People. He heard the gentle snores of those around him, wondering what they were dreaming about. Harry sat on the couch in the common room, lying across it with a sigh.

All he could think of was Cho at the moment, nothing else. She seemed so hard to talk to, if he said the wrong thing then she'd hate him forever. He looked back to the previous year, just because he didn't want to talk about Cedric's death, she was mad and stormed out of his sight in the middle of their date.

"Er-" Harry said, just thinking about it.

Why would a girl want to talk about it with the person who witnessed it? Wouldn't it be too hard to even handle? Harry pondered these thoughts, knowing girls were simply too much trouble. He sighed again, sitting up and hearing a creak of a door.

"Hey," a voice said, and Harry responded.

"Hey M-Draco..." Harry said with a smile and a sigh. "Sorry, still getting use to it."

"No problem" Draco said in a laugh "It is indeed different."

Harry lay back down, with a sigh and stared into the fire. When ever he was confused or thinking, the common room fire seemed to bring thoughts to his head. The peaceful crackle seemed to make him think of good things, though he didn't know what could be good at this point.

"So..." Draco said, wanting to break the awkward silence that seemed to approach. "What woke you up this early?" Draco wondered.

"Oh, nothing woke me up..." Harry started "I couldn't sleep." He said, he watched Draco sit in the chair

"Yeah, me either." Draco said with a sigh. "Hermione seems so upset lately." Draco sighed.

"Really?" Harry asked in utter amazement "She has seemed fine around me and Ron. I didn't know she's been upset."

"Yeah, she thinks you'll worry about her too much, but I've got it handle so don't worry... okay?" Draco asked, his silver eyes staring at Harry.

" 'Course" He said, with a fake smile crossing his lips.

Harry sat up again, pulling something from his ropes and throwing it into the fire. He watched it catch fire, and burn to a crisp. He sighed, feeling much better he had did that. Draco looked at Harry.

"Wh...whatwas that?" He asked, watching Harry smile.

"Hate mail, from my girlfriend's snotty friends." He laughed, "They still are taunting me about those articles Rita Skeeter wrote two years ago, about how I am dangerous." He rolled his eyes and hissed at the name.

"About that Harry, I apologize for that. But see, at that time I still counted as one of Voldemort's allies, so I had to make you miserable. I'd do anything to take it back." Draco pleaded, his blond hair draped in front of his eyes when he looked at his feet in regret.

"It's ok Draco... don't even worry about it." He said with a real smile. Harry looked around. "So what happened between you and Parkinson?" He asked as he saw Draco glare at Pansy's door.

"Oh, well just between you and me Harry, she was jealous of Hermione. She knew we were dating, and she even threatened to kill her, but I tried killing her at that thought. That's when she became to get the idea of using me as a human puppet. She then formed a plan to kill me, make a puppet to act like me, then use Polyjuice Potion to turn herself into my old form as a stuck up prat." He paused and continued.

"I knew that dagger was magical but I remember it as if I did actually die. So many things I could've stopped, and so many horrors I could've changed. Harry, you are lucky that you get the attention that you get, because if I was like that and being a Malfoy, I would disgrace the family honor. I am the one who made my father be permanently locked up in Azkaban. But you, can have the power to be noticed and constantly gravled at without distroying your family." Draco finished.

He talked rather slow and in hush tone, so it took him a while to finish. Harry felt so bad for him, but Harry really didn't understand how Draco could think he was lucky. Harry slouched in his seat with a glare at the fire.

"Me lucky... family?" Hesnorted and Draco shook his head. "How is being chased by the most powerful wizard and putting my life in danger every year lucky?" Harry asked, playing with the seam of his robes.

"Because Harry, you can not possibly be killed by him. You own the brother of Voldemort's wand, meaning he can not hurt you with his wand if you hold onto yours. That wand is your life..." Draco paused "It's your protection."

Harry took his wand from the pocket of his robe and looked at it closely. He examined it with a light sparkle in his eye. Draco was indeed correct, but how could he know it was brother to Voldemort's? Harry sighed.

"Tail of a Phoenix, Fawkes', and interesting to know you think that Draco." Harry and Draco both let out a light laugh.

"Well it's true, I over heard Dumbledore telling Snape and McGonagall that a couple of years ago." Draco spoke going on and on about how he use to evesdrop on people. Harry sighed and thought for a moment, not even hearing Draco because he was lost in thought.

"Brothers... right." Harry said and Draco laughed, knowing what Harry said had nothing to do with Draco's story.

"Hermione was right, you do rarely pay attention." Draco said with a laugh.

"Yeah... I guess you're right." Harry said, looking back into the fire with a smile.

He saw that the note he threw in earlier was now black, unreadable, and unnoticeable. It was now just black ashes and he smiled more broadly. It's gone, and he couldn't even believe he actually believed it were true.

"Harry?" Draco asked to get his attention and Harry looked up. "I was just wondering, what did that note say?" Draco asked with a pale face upon him. He was afraid that Harry might attack him for even asking.

"Nothing really, just saying I was a showoff and I am probably planning on killing Cho in the end. Nothing much, as long as she knows it's not true, I'm fine." Harry said with a smile, and Draco blinked.

"Cho, as in Cho Changis who you're dating?" Draco asked and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, why do you look so surprised?" Harry asked and Draco shrugged.

"I dunno, I guess it's just Chang had always seemed so stuck up and rude." Draco said and Harry folded his arms.

"And you were?" Harry asked and Draco laughed with him.

"Good point."

The next morning Hermione woke into her room. She turned over with a smile, and then sat up quickly because Draco was gone. She wondered where he was. She stretched on this beautiful, non - raining morning.

She stood, pulling a robe around her and walking out her door with a yawn. She stood in the common room, with a surprised look upon her face. She giggled as she ran into her room, grabbing a camera and took a picture. She ran back into her room, nailing it to the wall with a laugh.

She walked back out, seeing what she took a picture of. Harry was laid across the couch and Draco sat on the floor, in front of Harry. Draco had his head lying on a pillow on the couch, right by Harry's legs. She smiled; they looked like angels, by clutching pillows and lying near each other.

Hermione bent down, shaking both of them a little and smiled. They both let out a yawn, and sat up with a stretch. Hermione smiled, patting Harry on the shoulder and kissing Draco lightly on the lips.

"Have a nice sleep, boys? How late were you up?" She wondered, looking at how sleepy they still were.

"Dunno, three maybe." Harry said with a yawn and wanting to just curl back up on the couch.

"We were up all night talking and playing a couple matches of Wizard's Chess." Draco said with a yawn.

"I see that." Hermione smiled, seeing the broken pieces of chess pieces lying all over the floor near Draco's feet.

"What time is it?" Harry asked, and Draco let out another wide yawn.

"Ten," Hermione said. The boys jumped, Harry jumped over the couch and ran into his room, while Draco ran around and into his. Hermione blinked.

She sat down on the couch, waiting for them to return. It wasn't that long that she had to wait. She watched them furiously fill their bags with books and things, Hermione sat back and laughed. Both of the two boys were shouting out things.

Harry walked out with his shirt on backwards, his usual messy hair, missing one shoe and his glasses were upside down. Draco had walked out his room with his shirt inside out and different colored socks. They ran around the room, grabbing things from the tables and throwing them into their bags.

"WE MISSED POTIONS!" They both yelled in unison and Hermione couldn't stop laughing.

"Snape is going to kill us!" Draco exclaimed and Harry stopped for a minute.

"Hermione now's not the time to laugh! We are really late! We were supposed to be in Potions at eight!" Harry yelled frantically. This only made Hermione laugh harder.

"You guys... are... so... funny!" She laughed, watching them rush more in and out of their rooms.

"Why are we funny?" Draco asked, grabbing his bag and stuffing more things in it. More things then it could possibly hold.

"Oh nothing…" Hermione giggled suspiciously.

"Hurry Harry, we need to get going!" Draco exclaimed, running out of his room and heading for the painting. The painting swung open, the boys ran down the hall. Girls were giggling and laughing. Harry and Draco blushed, and in seconds returned to the common room.

"Forget something?" Hermione roared with laughter. She couldn't stop laughing. The boys blushed more… they had forgotten their pants. Draco had run out with boxers, and Harry had run out with pajama shorts.

"Hurry!" Harry yelled,running into his room and Draco into his. They slipped on their pants, and ran back out. Hermione still laughed insanely as the boys were out and returned a second time, they had no shoes.

"Hermione come on!" Draco said and Hermione rolled off the couch, laughing so hard she was going to cry.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY?" Harry and Draco yelled in unison.

"You… it's… it's…" She could barely talk she was laughing so hard. "It's Saturday!"

Hermione roared with more laughter, she laughed so hard it made her cry. She saw the boys fall to their backs onto the floor. She didn't even care that they had fainted.

When they had gotten everything cleared up, took showers, and dressed, it had been around noon. They headed down to lunch, Hermione still laughing from even the thought of what just went on.

The two boys glowered at her, they were a little pissed that she had not told them sooner that it was the weekend. Draco sat with Hermione at the Gryffindor table, he was not a Gryffindor but Dumbledore didn't seem to mind if he sat there or not.

Ginny was sittingbetween Harry and Ron while Hermione sat across from them and next to Draco. Hermione explained to Ginny what had gone on that morning. Ginny and Ron laughed at them, and the two blushed with embarrassment.

Harry, Ron and Draco spent that morning talking about the usual male things that usually dealt with Quidditch. Hermione and Ginny, on the other hand, talked about the boys and how they could sometimes be brainless.

Harry stopped talking for a minute, said goodbye to them all, and walked to the Ravenclaw table for a moment. The next thing that the four saw was Harry walking out the door, hand in hand with Cho, aseventh year Ravenclaw.

"They look good together." Draco thought and everyone else nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't think I'd want a boyfriend younger then me..." Hermione thought. "Either the same age or older, I would just feel uncomfortable having a younger boyfriend like they are. Cho is one year older then Harry, it would just feel awkward to me."

"Is that supposed to be a hint?" Draco asked and Hermione smile and patted him on the head like a dog, and returned to her conversation with Ginny.

Draco shrugged in confusionand he and Ron watched as Harry and Cho disappeared from their sight. Ron continued on with Draco about Quidditch and found Draco to be, well cool. They laughed together, and became rather good friends.

Draco wasn't as close to Ron as he was to Harry. He could ask Harry anything, and Harry wouldn't even mind. Draco thought it seemed kind of different talking to Ron and having Harry not there. It was weird, it seemed where ever Hermione was Harry would be near.

Hermione sat at the table with a smile as she laced her fingers in Draco's under the table. She rested her head on his shoulder with a smile, and Ginny laughed. If only Kodak Pictures weren't a muggle custom.

Draco kissed Hermione once on the cheek, and Hermione smiled as she felt his arm wrap around her waist from behind. Ginny smiled at them, eating her food quietly not knowing what to say. The rest of lunch was quite, like usual, but only because no one knew what to say.

When Hermione and Draco returned to the common room, Harry sat there, waiting for them. He gave them a smile as they walked in, waving generously to them. They smiled in return and walked to him, striking up a conversation.

"Hey" Hermione said and Draco nodded. "We saw you walking with Cho, every thing going okay with you two?"

"Oh yeah… brilliant." Harry lied, but he wasn't going to them anything that would make them feel bad. So he kept his mouth shut about him and her have a rather stupidfight.

"That's great." Draco smiled and Harry let out a sigh and then covered it with a smile. Hermione and Draco sat down on the couch.

Draco had lain down as Hermione was laid on top of him, resting her head on his shoulder. Harry smiled at them, as he saw Draco pulling his fingers through her hair. She smiled again, and Harry shook his head to regain his thoughts back and snap him from seeing him a Cho doing that.

"Oh Hermione... before I forget." Harry said, walking to the side table by his door. Hermione sat up, sitting by Draco's feet.

"What?" she wondered as she watched Harry walk back to them.

"You got a letter from your parents." Harry told her, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Again!" She said in outrage "This is the third one today, TODAY!" She growled, ripping open the pink letter that held the sent of Vanilla.

Dear Hermione,

We are pleased you told us about your new boyfriend. How are your other friends doing, Henry and Rob, I believe were their names. We hope to meet this dream man of yours soon. You talk about him as if you were madly in love, and we would just love to meet him! You're father is very happy for you, he's been telling me that you need a better social life. We hope to meet him when term is over. Remember to brush your teeth daily and remember to study for your tests. We are so proud of you, good luck on your exams and upcoming events.

Love Always,

Mom and Dad

Hermione laughed as she read the last few words that were written under her parents' names. She laughed as she read out loud:

"P.S. Does this dream man of your have good teeth?" Hermione laughed and Draco stuck his finger in his mouth, feeling his teeth.

"Do I?" Draco asked, grining widelyand Hermione giggled.

"Yes Draco," she rolled her eyes "you have good teeth." Harry and Draco both laughed.

"Grr... Why do they keep sending me Owl Posts? All their letters say basically the same thing." Hermione growled and slouched on the couch with a sigh.

"At least she knows your name." Draco laughed and looked at Harry "Hello Henry, where's Rob?" He joked and Harry punched his shoulder, lightly as a friendship reaction to being picked on. Harry was only punching him playfully.

"Shush." Harry laughed and Draco laughed harder. Draco held his shoulder, even though it wasn't even that hurtful.

"So Hermione, you talk of me often ay?" Draco asked once he settled down, and Hermione nodded.

"I told them everything about you." She smiled a devilish smile.

"Everything?" Draco gulped.

"Ok well not everything, but most of it." Hermione reassured, and Draco let out a breath of relief.

They talked more, about pointless things and sat in the common room, making fun of how Hermione's parents referred to Harry and Ron as Henry and Rob. They talked more through – out the night. They missed dinner, because Dobby had brought them some pastries, sandwiches, drinks, and all sorts of food from the kitchen.

These customs only applied to the Selected People. Normal students would not be given pastries and things in their rooms; they would have to go to the kitchens themselves. The three did not over use these privileges, but they found it fun to be given things without even having to go get it. They were as you say "lazy".

Harry had brought a bag out of his room, filled with the assorted candies that the Gryffindor boys usually had some fun with. Harry walked out, spilling the massive bags contents onto the floor.

"Hey!" Harry said, with a laugh as all the candies flowed out.

"What?" Hermione and Draco asked. They both put giant grins on their faces, seeing the mounds of chocloate reach the floor.

"Nothing..." Harry laughed "I just noticed that Ron stole all my Chocolate Frogs." They laughed, fooling with the candies and resting the whole night in the common room.

When Sunday morning had approached, Hermione woke with a smile. "Happy Easter!" She smiled as she stormed out of her room saying this. She looked at the table by Harry's door.

There were boxes piled high for the Selects. These were Easter gifts, full of chocolate, colored eggs, assorted candies, pranks, and some little toys. Harry and Draco looked at each other, Easter just wasn't a guys Holiday.

"Er- I forgot it was Easter" Harry growled, despising the holiday. "I hate Easter, I am just not a big fan of a holiday where you get only candy and praise a rabbit." Harry mumbled.

Draco let out a laugh, and a nod to show he agreed with Harry. Harry and Draco sat on the couch, soon after they celebrated and got ready to go, they were interrupted by Dumbledore walking in.

"Hello Sir, and a Happy Easter to you." Hermione said with a happy face upon her. Draco blushed about how embarrassed he was by her bubbly-ness.

"Good evening Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Potter. Where might the others be?" Dumbledore asked, looking around.

"Still sleeping," Harry said.

"Lucky people." Draco mumbled and Harry silently giggled. Dumbledore winked at him.

"Well, since you three are up, I'm sure I can trust you. I believe for your next task you were going to go with best Animagus... am I correct?" He asked and after all three of them nodded, he smiled. "Well, I'm here to inform you that the task will start tomorrow at three, in the Quidditch field." He smiled "Good luck to you." He smiled, walking out the door with a smile.

Shortly after Dumbledore left Hermione was bouncing off the walls with holiday spirit. She held a fluffy white rabbit in her arm, and was hugging it tightly. Draco laughed and Harry and Draco looked at each other in fear. She had the look as if she were to pounce on them.

Draco and Harry crouched behind the couch, and out of her sight. Draco laughed and he and Harry looked at each other again. They heard Hermione singing and jumping all around the room. Draco and Harry gave each other scared looks.

"Remind me, never to give her chocolate again." Draco whispered and Harry nodded.

"Let's hope you don't, or maybe it the Holiday. She seemed quite tame last night." Harry said, chuckling as she jumped over the couch and pouncing onto Draco.

"Gah!" He yelled and Harry fell backwards, laughing madly.

Hermione planted a big kiss on Draco's lips. Draco smiled, returning the kiss and started laughing again. Hermione stood from her place and smiled. She returned to jumping around the room and Draco pulled Harry down to his face.

"Next Easter, let's send her sugar- free things." Draco said in a raspy voice.Hesat upand let go of Harry. Harry laughed and began to whisper:

"Good idea."

Author's Note:

Hello y'all, I dunno why but I like this chapter. I found it rather bubbly and funny. Tell me what you think, R&R and HAPPY EASTER!

Lol, I was going to post this on Sunday, but I just couldn't wait… so enjoy!

Airalynn

Updated: (SATURDAY) MARCH 26, 2005

I will most likely NOT BE UPDATING next Sunday. Due to Friday morning surgery, I might be a little sore to be able to post / write. Apologies!