"GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat shouted from over Maria's head. She looked pleased, but not surprised and she flashed her charming smile to the disappointed Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as she made her way for the red-and-gold table yet again.

"Ah, Ronnie. So je suis in the Gryffindor. But I am not happy 'ith you, no. You did not keep your promise. Where did you run off après la classe? You promised moi, didn't you? But after, you vanized. Just like thwat!" She snapped her fingers and looked belligerently at Ron, who was shrinking beneath and turning tomato shade.

"Ah, well…I was…er…in the library…ummm….doing my transfiguration homework."

The truth was that Ron and Hermione had gotten away for some little privacy. They had taken a walk along the lake and the Hogwarts' grounds, hand in hand. She was the one who had suggested the idea, and Ron had agreed willingly.

"Iz 'omework more important than moi?" she looked so mad that even when Harry came in, he cautiously seated himself far away from her and looked questioningly at Hermione.

What does she think of herself? Lording over Ron like she's his torturous wife. Ron is such a blind dunderhead. He can't even see that 'lovely Maria with a sensitive mind' is nothing but a she-monster with a callous heart and devilish brain. But she didn't say anything because during the walk, Ron told her that she would have to be really nice to Maria as she was Ron's family.

Then, still with the steel in her voice, though softened she said, "Iz ok. Tomorrow?"

Ron nodded mutely.

When Harry realized that it was safe to come and join them he walked over.

"Hey, Harry," said Ron, relieved etching across his face. "How was your meeting with Tobias Floxtom and Rachel Windkor?"

Harry had a meeting with the junior DA heads so that they could discuss the strategies and the spells to start with.

"Pretty OK. Those kids are bright and ready to learn. I told them that they can attend a few senior DA classes to get a brief idea." Harry attacked his pork hungrily.

"Ah. 'Arry is a nice ticher. He tich me Expelliarmus well. I never do zat spell good, ever. But now"-she smiled at Harry-"I know eet!" She finished triumphantly. "Oh, an' Hermione. You are showing me the Girls' Dorm aren't you? "

Hermione nodded, putting her sweetest smile on.

"I am 'ungry. Zis "Ogwarts food does not please me, no. it is so….taseless. At Beauxbatons, the food was so delicious. Les repas sont grands."

The rest of the meal went uneventful unless you counted Maria constantly grumbling about the food or about the stifling heat. After dinner, McGonagall summoned Maria to her office.

"Darling 'Mione," the slur of her tone made Hermione sick, "Will you come avec moi to the professor?"

As much as she didn't want to, Hermione remembered that being friendly with would be better than breeding hatred so she went with her to McGonagall's office. McGonagall just told Maria that she'd be in the same dorm as Hermione and that her books would be here by next morning. Then with a curt goodnight, she escorted them back portrait hole.

"Damn, you got my queen! Hi Hermione, hi Maria!" Harry waved. Ron did not lift his head. He was much too busy concentrating on the Wizard Chess game he was playing.

"Hey, dahlings!" Maria smiled and turned back to Hermione. "Shall we?"

Hermione walked her up the girls' dormitories' steps and invited her into the warmth of her dorm, where Lavender's books and innerwear were lying indecently on the floor.

"'Oo is zis insolent fille who 'az so disgustingly kept her lingerie everywhere?" Maria asked with relish.

" Lavender," Hermione mumbled.

"Zho me ze bathroom please." Maria was obviously unimpressed.

She led her to the spacious bathroom. It was very clean considering Lavender was not exactly the cleanliness freak. It was done in red and gold and a huge crimson Jacuzzi was placed in the middle. The faucet was full of lavender's beauty products and to a lesser extent, Hermione's. But even this did not leave a mark on our highness Maria. Instead she looked at Hermione distastefully, as if she were a particularly disgusting ingredient for a potion.

"Darling Hermione," she drawling, clutching her hand and looking at it with the same dirty looks, "you are just so drab. Vois tes yeux, zey are so plain, look at your lips, so unkissable. Your cheeks, so eenglish-like, your figure, so no proportionate, your hair so buzhy like a forest. Hermione, you need a make-over. Look at me." She ran her hand along her sheet of hair."If you want to' ave a boyfriend zen you need to be attractive, beautiful. You unersand?"

Hermione snorted. So nobody told this female that I already have a boyfriend. In fact I have the man whom she's eyeing. But I think she better know that the hard way.

"Oh well," sighed Maria, comprehending the look on her face, "I'm going for un bain. Zen I go to zleep. Zee you later, baby."

This woman sure has a weird way of talking, thought Hermione as she looked at her bonny face in the closet mirror. Am I that bad? She wondered. The truth was that she was very pretty in her own way. She had the charm of an English girl and English girls never really dress up like the French. Her eyes were bright, contrary to Maria's statement, her lips were kissable (after all Ron AND the Bulgarian Quidditch God had kissed them), her figure was not bad, if it wasn't as good as Maria's and hey hair was bushy, but It suited her. Satisfied she walked back to the common room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ron was sitting alone on the couch and scribbling his potions homework and grunting at regular intervals. These grunts were followed by confused questions like 'what is Pisockial stone' and 'Slughorn is a git'. Neville was sitting in the other corner of the room discussing the DA classes with Luna who braiding her hair again. The butterbeer corks' necklace was up on her throat again.

"Hi," Hermione sat down next to Ron.

"Just what I need, 'Mione." Ron was relieved. "Help me with this homework."

"Sure. Where is Harry?"

"Patrol," replied Ron in a bored tone.

"With?"

Ron grinned. "Ginny."

Hermione giggled and remarked, "Hope he comes back in a same situation as us."

Ron put his arm around her and they spent the rest of the evening on Ron's essay, which was atrocious.

At 10:50 Harry popped in with Ginny (but not arm in arm) and they flopped down on the couch.

"So anything interesting?" Hermione asked expectantly, though it was obvious nothing had happened.

Ginny missed the point. "Oh yeah, we met Voldemort. He invited us for tea tomorrow and he asked me out," she said sarcastically.

Everyone laughed.

"Well, guess it's time for us to split," Hermione yawned.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "The patrol pooped me out."

"Totally." Ginny nodded with vigor.

"Well, so good night guys," Ron stretched his hand. "Thanks Hermione for the help. I love you."

He kissed her lightly on her cheek. Ginny giggled at this public display of affection, but then she remembered that Ron had done a worse job with Lavender, so she did not comment.

"Sweet dreams. Me too darling," Hermione replied. Do I sound like Maria?

As she walked up and recapitulated the events of the day, she realized that her day had been an almost perfect one…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: this chapter is sort of plot less, but I still like it. Maria is proving to be someone with not good intentions, is she? Maybe I'm overdoing her character, but even Fleur was of the same kind. Ron and Hermione look cute together, but will they last? The big Q – what is Maria's motive? So you people have to wait AND meanwhile DO REVIEW. I'm not threatening you, because I'll keep posting for those who appreciate my work, but please!

Je suis: I am
après la classe: after the class
moi: me
Les repas sont grands: the meals are great
avec moi: with me
Fille: girl
Vois tes yeux: look at your eyes
Un bain: a bath

Next chapter's gonna be Hermione's birthday (unless I come up with some material in between) so hook in there…..