"What do we have this morning?" I asked Danni as we walked down the marble staircase toward the Great Hall. She shrugged. Both of us were dead tired. If we kept this training up every night, we'd either become insomniacs, or die of exhaustion.

"I didn't get a schedule, did you?" I shook my head, then collapsed into the stairs.

"Bugger," I muttered, trying to pull myself out of the trick step. It wasn't working. "You're not helping!" I snapped at Danni, who was snickering at me. She didn't answer.

"Allow me." I wasn't sure whether to blush or to cringe as Draco Malfoy hurried up the steps to assist me. He lifted me at the waist, and I was surprised at how strong he was. He definitely didn't get that way from Quidditch, that's for sure. I thought about asking him that, but I decided his ego didn't need any more boosting than it already had.

"Um, thanks," I mumbled. Danni snickered.

You're so eloquent.

Yeah, bite me.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said with a sweeping bow. I debated on whether or not to give him my name.

Just tell him!

"I'm James Ryder," I said, finally. He raised one blonde eyebrow. "My real name's Jaime, but I prefer James." He nodded.

"Well, James, I hope to see you soon. What house are you in?" Draco asked, that smile never leaving his face. It was quite nice compared to the sneer.

Here it comes…

No kidding…

"Well, actually…I'm in Gryffindor."

I watched with deep amusement as the smile faded as his face contorted into surprise, and then morphed into the snidest of sneers.

"You're a Gryffindor?" he spat, disgusted with himself for flirting with said Gryffindor. I nodded, brightly.

"Yup! Toodles!"

Laughing hysterically, Danni and I ran down the rest of the stairs to the Great Hall. Pleased with myself, I swaggered into the Great Hall and dropped onto the bench of the Gryffindor table and began loading my plate with food.

"Morning, James!" I looked up and saw Harry sitting next to Danni. Judging by the look on her face, she had noticed this long before me, but what can I say? I smiled.

"Hey, Harry. What do we have for first period? McGonagall never gave us a schedule," I explained. Harry dug out his schedule and glanced it over. He pulled a face.

"Potions with the Slytherins," he said. I grimaced.

"Great. Just what I need."

Another moment with Malfoy.

Think of it this way: now you have a source of amusement.

Yeah, but it's not cool to have a gorgeous babe hate you.

True dat.