Disclaimer: I own nothing.

a/n: I suppose you could say it's hypocritical of me to say that I hate author's notes and then write a long one myself. Oh well. What is there to be done? It isn't absolutely necessary for me to say what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. I really should work on eliminating my hypocritical ways…

Anyway, I had lost my outline, but found it just recently. It doesn't matter though, because I can't read half of my own scribble, and I can't remember what the other half was supposed to mean. I do know that Draco was supposed to end up all nice and happy-go-lucky, but that just sounds stupid after reading HBP. I'm going to tweak that a little which might change the overall mood of the story. Never fear though! I cannot resist the urge of writing at 2 am and produce wacky scenes.

And now I'm just babbling. Babble, babble, babble…

There was something else I wanted to say, but I can't remember at the moment…

Oh yes! I have decided not to continue the quote-finding contest. The treats to go to those lucky winners were scribbled on my outline and are currently some word in which I cannot think of right now. What I was thinking at the moment has been reduced to a nothingness that only takes up room in my notebook. Also, my cookie dough that I was intending to bake for you has grown moldy in waiting. I wish not to look upon the green fuzzy mold that has taken over, and I will throw it away promptly. However, I will still be sneaking in POTC quotes for my own amusement. You may still want to be on the lookout.

There are two quotes in this chapter.

It might have been that he was back at Hogwarts. Maybe it was just the fact that he had lost an enemy and gained a friend. It could have been that in the here and now, things were as they should be. Whatever it was, Harry could not have felt better. He blamed Ron and Hermione's dispute on an insignificant issue that caused his mischievous side to kick in. He would have to fix this. Harry was sure he would receive a beating by his best friends for what was accumulating inside his head. The thought almost made him giddy. Harry shoved half of his slice of pie in his mouth in a Ron--like fashion to stop himself from laughing. All of this came to a screeching halt, however, as his hormones overpowered. Harry froze mid-chew.

"It was too late!" she was saying, hurrying over to the Gryffindor table. "It was too late to come and find you! Hermione, I forgot to write down the Arithmancy homework again."

"Hannah!" Hermione said severely. "What were you doing?"

"Oh, I don't know," Hannah said lightly, looking up at the ceiling and then out the window as if she might space out. "I climbed a tree!" she said excitedly. "I haven't climbed one in ages!"

"You were doing that all afternoon?" Hermione said skeptically, but amused at the same time.

"Well, no. But I fell out!" She pulled up her sleeve. "I broke my wrist in four places."

"You'll have trouble writing a foot essay in 20 minutes with those bruises," said Hermione.

Hannah groaned.

For the first time, Harry unglued his unblinking eyes from Hannah's face. Glancing at her arm, he saw what looked like a bracelet of bruises around a swelled wrist.

"Why didn't Mme Pomphrey clear them up?" Hermione asked, inspecting her wrist.

"She will tonight." Hannah covered her wrist back up. "She said it might teach me not to climb so high in trees," she said shyly, yet smiling broadly.

"Well let me look at the essay question. I've forgotten exactly what it was."

Hermione stood up and then stooped down again to retrieve her bag. In the brief second that they stood next to each other, Harry noticed that Hannah was a couple of inches taller than Hermione. Hannah was almost as tall as him. Harry's eyes slid down her lean body and then locked back on her face. He shifted the food in his mouth.

"How come you're so nice to her, but you'll bite our heads off when Harry and I forget assignments?" Ron demanded.

"Because Hannah can write a perfect essay in 20 minutes and receive top scores. You two couldn't write a prefect essay even if you had a week to do it." Hermione turned to a now blushing Hannah. "Here," she said handing her essay over.

Hannah glanced at the title and then handed it back.

"Alright," she said, her brown hair bouncing due to its slight wave. "Thanks."

Hannah hurried away. Harry followed her brunette head until it disappeared amongst a group of Ravenclaws.

Harry finished chewing and made a large swallow. He then took a long drink of pumpkin juice and returned his gaze to the Ravenclaw table, searching for Hannah. Ron snickered.

Harry looked at him, annoyed that his search had been interrupted.

"What?"

Ron shoved his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Honestly, Harry, could you be more obvious?" Hermione said, taking a large book out of her bag.

"What are you talking about?" So what if he was looking at the person Hermione was talking to?

Hermione rolled her eyes and disappeared behind Accurate Arithmancy.

"Good thing she's single."

Harry could not help but feel a little happier.

By the end of the day, Harry was feeling almost giddy again. He still could not figure out what Ron and Hermione were arguing about, and it was having a strange effect on him.

I will have to fix this, he decided for the second time that day.

How was the problem. All of his ideas from lunch had vanished without a trace with the arrival of Hannah- but he must not think of her now. Harry needed to come up with another plan.

The coast was clear; nobody was in the hall but them. Harry wondered why this was significant. He still did not have the slightest idea of what to do.

The three walked along a little further when, for no particular reason, Harry looked to his right. They walked almost shoulder to shoulder, Harry being closed to the middle of the hallway, then Hermione, then Ron, almost a foot from the wall. As it happened, right at that moment, the door to a broom closet was wide open.

Without thinking, Harry ran into Hermione, who ran into Ron, who fell into the closet. Harry gave Hermione another shove and she stumbled in on top of Ron. Before either could stand, Harry slammed the door shut, locked it magically, and put his ear up to the keyhole.

At first there was only silence. Then there was some movement as Ron and Hermione stood up.

"Harry?" Ron called. "Harry! Hermione! Harry's gone!"

Harry could almost hear Hermione roll her eyes.

"He's not gone! He's just outside the door! Honestly, Ron."

"Harry?" Ron called.

"Yep?" answered Harry as casually as if they were talking side by side.

"Ok, he's here," Ron confirmed.

Hermione heaved a shaky sigh. Harry could tell she was trying to refrain from doing something violent to Ron.

"When are you going to let us out?" she asked through what sounded like gritted teeth.

"As soon as you two can figure out how to stop fighting all the time," Harry said simply.

"We weren't fighting!" said Ron.

"Could have fooled me."

"Ok, fine, we won't fight anymore—happy?" said Hermione.

"Nope."

It might have gotten a little brighter in that closet. A light bulb just went on over Ron's head as he realized what was happening.

"I'm going to hurt you when I get out of here," said Ron.

"I'm fully prepared for that," said Harry, and walked away.

"But we're prefects!" Hermione called. "You can't leave us like this!"

Harry walked off, wondering what he should do in his spare time.

It had not occurred to Harry that he was giving Ron and Hermione the perfect time to plan their revenge. Draco made him realize this after telling him the story by the lake.

"It's about time though," said Draco. "I have to admit that if you hadn't done something like this, I would have."

"Only you wouldn't have been so nice about it," said Harry, plopping himself in the shade of a tree.

"You know me too well, Harry," said Draco. He started to climb the tree.

"After years of dueling with you, I got to know you a little," said Harry.

"I could say the same to you—but did you know I like to climb trees?" Draco asked, pulling off a small branch.

"No." Harry laid down so he did not have to crane his neck.

"Good, because I don't."

Harry frowned.

"I just feel like throwing something at you." He dropped the branch.

"What?" Harry half laughed. He caught the branch and placed it next to him, just in case he felt like throwing something at Draco later.

"Draco, if I had done that to you, you would have hexed me—or tried to," Harry grinned.

"Are you suggesting something Potter?" Draco asked. He hopped down from the tree. "And just because we're on good terms now, doesn't mean you can insult me." He pointed his wand at Harry.

"And that doesn't mean you can throw things at me," said Harry. "Don't even try," he added, "you know I'll beat you laying down."

"Stu-"

"Protego!" Harry whipped his wand out faster than the speed of light. He sent Draco's spell zooming off in another direction before it disappeared.

Draco threw another hex at Harry, only this time on a nonverbal command. Harry created a protection shield so forcefully that Draco had to grab the tree to keep his balance.

"You can't beat me, Jack," Harry said, standing up. He let his shield disintegrate.

Draco drew back his sword and drove it into Harry's chest. Harry rolled his eyes and, in one swift movement, pulled out the sword and plunged it into Draco's chest.

Draco gagged and stepped back. A leaf appeared in his hand, and he examined it in the sunlight.

"Couldn't resist mate," he said, looking back at Harry.

Draco pulled the branch from between his arm and body, and the two resumed mock-sword fighting with very leafy branches.

"Boys are so funny!" said a voice to Harry's right.

Draco put down his branch.

"Hey Steph," he said.

Draco is associating with someone who says 'Boys are so funny'? He really has changed, Harry thought.

"Hug!" Stephanie threw open her arms.

Harry's surprise was doubled when Draco smiled and they embraced.

"You two were sword fighting!—so cute!" Stephanie squealed. Draco made no sign of distaste.

Wow, Harry thought for several different reasons.

"Ok," she said more seriously and pulled out a piece of parchment. "Look!"

Draco grabbed the essay.

"Did you do this by yourself?" he asked.

Stephanie nodded, grinning.

"Wow! Great gob!" said Draco, and he hugged her.

"Just wanted to show you," she said. "See you later!" Stephanie turned to Harry, a blank expression suddenly on her face.

"Bye," she said, waving, her hand folding slowly. After a few seconds, she walked away.

Harry looked at Draco and raised his eyebrows.

"I've been helping her with potions," Draco said.

Harry laughed.

"I have!" said Draco. He pushed Harry as they started to walk towards the castle. "She got a really good mark on that essay."

"Yeah, whatever. She's very-"

"She was excited!" said Draco. "She's not always like that. She's really nice and an interesting person. I-"

"Yes?" Harry said, elbowing Draco in the ribs. Draco glared at him.

"I really like her," he finished, looking straight ahead.

There was a pause. They walked up the castle steps.

"So what do you do when you two are done studying?" Harry asked.

"Shut up."

As soon as Harry entered the common room, two very threatening people headed towards him. Harry put up his hand.

"I've met Stephanie Berry," he said, and dropped himself into his favorite armchair.

SLAP. Hermione looked very pleased with herself.

"It's a good thing we weren't caught," she said. "Luna found us."

Harry held his cheek, still looking at her with an expression of mixed amusement and shock. He had expected this, but she hit really hard!

Hermione sat down next to Ron.

"You just wait for what I've planned," said Ron, grinning. "I know where you sleep."

Harry's jaw dropped. Weren't they being a bit harsh?

Hermione sighed and looked at the ceiling.

"It worked though," she said, and Harry saw that they were holding hands.

"What's wrong with Stephanie?" asked Ron.

"She's really annoying," said Harry.

"You must have seen the bubbly side of her," said Hermione. "She only gets like that when she's excited—but I do agree. She can be very annoying."

"How do you know she was excited?" asked Harry.

Hermione shrugged. "It's a girl thing. And she's in my Arithmancy class."

"You don't get like that when you're excited," said Ron.

Hermione ignored this. "She's good friends with Hannah."

Harry remembered Hannah. He wondered when he would see her again. She did seem to be good friends with Hermione also.

"Stephanie can be a little weird too," continued Hermione.

"You're weird," said Ron.

"Oh Ron, do shut up!" said Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Don't start again," warned Harry. "How else is she weird?" He thought of Stephanie's goodbye.

"I can't really explain it." Hermione looked irritated. "I think I'll go to bed." She walked away.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Harry.

Ron shrugged.

"Have fun in that closet, Ron?" Harry asked, grinning.

The tips of Ron's ears turned red. "Maybe."

"Ha!" said Harry. "So why do you want to get back at me then?"

"You don't know what it was like in there at first!" said Ron. "She kept accusing me of everything. You know how Hermione is. And the pressure is weird."

"But it worked."

"Yeah, it worked," admitted Ron. "Maybe we should trap you and Hannah in that closet."

Harry was stunned. He was only looking at her for a little at lunch! How did they all know?

"I wouldn't mind," he mumbled to his feet.

"Ha!" said Ron, imitating Harry. "Hermione was right. But you would mind. Maybe I should do that instead…nah."

It felt wired for his best friend to be openly plotting against him.

"Anyway," said Ron, "do you still have that History of Magic essay to write? I haven't started mine."

"Haven't started either," said Harry. "But Hermione left her bag down here. Maybe we could borrow her notes… or her essay."

"She would kill us!" said Ron. "Besides, she'll come down later to help us. She can't resist it."

"You're probably right," said Harry.

Ready for a long night, the procrastinators pulled open their textbooks.

Hope you liked it! Review time...