Disclamer: I own nothing but my plot and characters. Thank you J.K Rowling for your creation.

A/N: Suspense! hhahaha.

Chapter 20: Play Detective

"Oh, if it isn't Grungey-Granger and Mangey-Maguire!" Draco Malfoy, The Ferret Boy Wonder, was standing in front of us, in front of the bookstore, with no way to escape.

"Shove it, Ferret!" Hermione wasn't in a joking mood.

"My word," Draco spoke harshly, "you two are spending an awfully lot of time together. Are things getting a little intimate, or is your relationship strictly business?"

"Draco, you are a putz." I actually though about swearing at him in Italian, but decided that it was far too great of a language to waste on a ferret.

Draco was disgusted, "You are pushing you limits, Maguire. I've had enough of you!"

"Oh ok, thank you for reassuring me. I wasn't sure if you had your fill of me or not. Can I ask you a question?" My attitude was coming out from beneath the layers of kindness.

"What? What do you want to know?" Folding his arms across his chest, Draco listened.

I laughed, "Are you having a bad face day, or are you always that ugly? Unless of course you inhereted ugly genes from your father, but I don't find him as repulsive as you."

"Why I oughta.." Draco pushed me, and I fell to the ground, against two legs...Lucius Malfoy stood behind me, uncomfortably close behind me.

"You jerk!" Hermione punched Draco in the shoulder and he yelped in pain.

"You think you're so great," Draco yelled, "because Grangey-Granger punched me for the second time in all the time I've known her! Stupid Maguire, you will pay for this."

Lucius took my hand and helped me off the ground. I looked Draco in the eyes and shouted, "You know, if ya only wanted me on my back you shoulda said so! The only problem with that is, I wouldn't get on my back for you if you had the last supply of semen on earth. Lovely, eh?"

Hermione looked at me with the worst surprised facial expression ever. I didn't mean to sound so gross, but it was true.

"Sorry," Lucius appologized, "At least greed for popularity and pushing everyone else out of the way doesn't run in the family."

Walking away from the scene, Draco gave me the middle finger, which his Father didn't see. Hermione took a few steps away, but waited for me.

Appologizing once more, Lucius declared, "I will see you again, Miss Maguire, but I'm wishing for a better situation to meet in. Oh.." He took the Trick Spell book out from a bag he held, "I know someone out of your group, most likely you, had something to do with his getting drunk. I am aware, however, that he had a bottle of whiskey in his clothing trunk, but I confiscated it yesterday before the Ball. I don't want my son getting into anymore trouble. Except, I am glad he got in trouble for last night..If it was you, he deserved it. I only purchased the book because I want to research a few tricks of my own. So, Hermione and yourself don't have to play detective anymore. Although, it's kind of cute that you did..In a humorous way." With a quick, but appreciated smirk and a farewell moment, Lucius strolled away.

"He's not a jerk after all," Hermione decided, approaching my side.

I grinned and started to walk with 'Mione to another store, "No, he really isn't. I don't think he'll say anything about us being the source of Ferret Boy's alchohol problem. Even if Lucius does decide to get us in trouble, do you really think anyone will care after all that time?"

"No..but we do have to be careful." Walking into a gift store, Hermione and I searched for some presents to give out.

0o0o0o0o

"Merry Christmas!" Harry and Ron shouted simutaneously as they entered the Gryffindor Common Room.

Seeing as the feast was over, and it was near nine o'clock, our group of friends decided to exchange presents before it got too late. I got Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Neville a bunch of candy and some miscelanious items I thought they'd like. I'm not very good at shopping for other people, but they all appreciated the gesture and loved everything I bought for them. For Hermione, I bought a pretty, wooden music box. The top of the box had a painting of two pink roses, which meant friendship. The music box played Canon In D by Pachabel. Hermione thought it was very beautiful.

So, presents got passed around, and our friendship group was having a great time together. Hermione bought me a few romance novels, since I haven't read in a long time, she thought I should start back up again. Hmm..Even I think I should begin reading a lot like I used to. Maybe not reading caused me to be so overdramatic. Damn, that is probably the reason!

"Freckle-Face, why so down?" I asked Seamus, who looked a little glum.

Snapping back to reality, Seamus said, "I'm not. I was thinking..What if we throw another party like last year? With pajamas and all?"

"No!" Ron, Hermione, Harry, Neville, and I yelled in almost perfect unison.

"Whoa!" Seamus jumped, "Chill...it was only a thought. I won't actually get another party like that. I don't want us to have to deal with an overly-nosy Snape. Remember, Maranda, he came in just to check on us because of Malfoy."

"He came in to see Maranda in her pajamas," Ron teased, "and to check her out."

I took a pillow from the couch and slammed Ron with it.

Pretty soon all six of us were having the best pillow fight ever! Hermione hit Neville, who fell over and hit Harry. Harry took it upon himself to then hit me, and I fell on top of Ron. Then, taking my pillow, I smacked Ron in the head and stood up, immediately getting hit in the back of the head by Seamus. I turned myself around and smacked him right back. Hermione was fighting with Harry and Neville. Ron was about to smack Neville in the head. All of a sudden, Seamus kissed me on the cheek!

"What the?" I made nothing of the gesture, and smacked Seamus in the leg with my pillow.

He returned the smack as his fluffy pillow hit my stomach. I laughed as I fell to the ground. Suddenly, Seamus 'Freckle-Face' Finnigan helped me up, but smacked me in the butt with the pillow as I stood. I was surprised at his blunt friskiness, but I didn't show signs of caring. Not that I don't like Seamus, but do you honestly think I want to start another relationship? I wouldn't anyways because he is just my friend...

"Seamus, what's with the flirting?" Hermione stopped pillow fighting.

Dropping his pillow, Seamus replied, "What flirting?"

"You kissed Maranda on the cheek!" Ron sounded a bit upset.

"I know I did," He looked at me, "How can I resist a lovely friend like Maranda? So pretty, but not sure of why she's here.. I'll tell you somethin', Manic-Mara, you may be crazy, but you are one of the best female friends I've ever had. I know you don't want a boyfriend, and I respect that, but I want you to know that if you ever change your mind, I'm here. I think you are just amazin'."

Not only was I blushing, but I was twiddling my thumbs. I thought I gave up that nervous habit! Seamus was a sweetie, and maybe he just wanted to show his appreciation for knowing me or whatever, but I couldn't allow myself to do the right thing and ask him out.

"Thank you," I began, "for saying all of that. I understand why you did that, and I have no problem with you confessing your feelings. But please," I joked, "next time you want to show your likeness towards me, don't hit my butt."

I think Seamus was grateful that I made a joke, for everyone laughed and began to pillow fight again. I walked next to Seamus and gave him a hug, then hit him over the head with my frilly pillow.

"Merry Christmas!" I shouted at the top of my lungs after we tidied the room up a bit and started for bed.

Hermione sat on my bed, next to me, and started to cry.

"'Mione? What's wrong?" I tried to be as nice as I could, for I'd never seen her shed tears.

She looked at me with red eyes and sobbed, "I like Ron."

"...Yeah?" Didn't we all like Ron as a friend, or was I missing the point?

"So," She wiped her tears on her sleeve, "I don't know how to handle it anymore. I want to ask him out, but isn't it wrong of a woman to ask the man for a relationship?"

I did miss the point.. "No! A woman can do anything..You know that! Or are you just hiding the real reason why you won't ask him out?"

"Yeah..I'm afraid that he won't like me anymore or that maybe our friendship will get weird if we break up, or not even go out." She was really serious.

"Oh man, Herminone..I honestly have no idea what to do or say to help your situation. But...I'll talk to him for you..When did you want to go out with him?" What was I going to do?

Hermione looked me square in the eye, "At least by New Year's Eve. I don't want to now because of the E.Y.P tests.. So, will you talk to him after then?"

"Sure," I agreed to talk to Ron as I patted 'Mione's back. My comforting her stopped her tears, Thank Merlin. I don't think I could handle if she cried anymore because I had no idea how to handle it.

As I went to sleep I wondered, Why did all this drama happen tonight? Between Seamus trying to go out with me again, and Hermione with her Ron situation, how was I to avoid the word 'love.' If she went out with Ron, I'd hear it all the time. Poor Hermione, she doesn't know that love doesn't exist...