Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, J.K. Rowling does.

Chapter 2

Campsites and Not-So-Happy Campers

Hermione was spinning, and then her feet firmly hit the ground. She landed gracefully- well as gracefully as one can when using a portkey. She barely had a chance to turn around when there was a high pitched squeal and, "HERMIONE!" and she was hugged vivaciously. She didn't have to think to know who it was.

"Parvati? Jeez, you'd think I haven't seen you for a year," said Hermione sarcastically as she extricated herself from Parvati's grasp.

"Well, I'm just happy to see you is all. I thought I was going to be stuck with only boys," bubbled Parvati. "Not that two them aren't absolutely gorgeous, but I'm gonna need a girl to gossip with, and try new fashions and make up," she said all in one breath.

"Right…" was all Hermione could think to say. So she opted to change the subject instead. "So anyone else here yet?" she said as looked around the campsite. They were in a good size clearing with trees surrounding them. In center of the clearing was a little pit; presumably for the fire. In between the trees there were three paths leading out of it.

"No, you're the second. The other two should be here and minute," Parvati said as Hermione looked around. Just as she finished speaking two disheveled looking boys appeared. One, a tall, bleach blond with cold piercing cobalt eyes lost his balance and toppled over. He just sat there on the ground looking around. The other boy turned and looked at the boy on the ground, his black hair covering his mid-night blue eyes, with slight smile on his face.

"Jeez Draco, I would have thought you would be used to portkeys by now. After all, you are a pureblood," said the darker boy now smirking, while pushing stray locks out of his eyes.

Hermione was having a hard time holding in her laughter as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. Parvati was trying not to giggle. It wasn't everyday you saw prince of Slytherin Draco Malfoy topple over. It was bloody hilarious. Fortunately for them, neither boy had noticed them, nor there probably would have been a couple of hexes thrown their way.

Draco started sputtering indignantly; arms crossed over his chest, he looked like a little child pouting. Unable to think of a comeback he just said, "Shut up Blaise!" Blaise just laughed and bulled him up.

"Draco, don't pout; it's not very becoming of you," he said. All he got for a reply was, "Hmf!"

He was acting like a little child. Hermione couldn't hold it in anymore. She tried desperately to stifle a giggle, but she couldn't, it just kept coming; soon she was all out laughing and holding her sides. Parvati had soon burst out giggling and had to sit down to contain herself.

Safe to say the boys had finally noticed the girls. Blaise was grinning apologetically at Draco, who was scowling at Blaise. His usually pale cheeks seemed to have gone a couple of shades redder. Blaise, who figured he wasn't a Slytherin for nothing, decided to have a little more fun.

"Aww… Drake, are you blushing? That's a first," he teased. He emphasized his point by wiggling his finger at Draco's cheek.

Hermione, who had contained her laughter to a giggle here and there, started laughing again. She quickly took a picture without them noticing. 'Draco Malfoy, blushing! That is a first! Must commit that to memory forever.'

"I am NOT blushing!" sputtered a very indignant Draco, startling Hermione. She looked over at him and noticed at once that his cheeks, which a red hue before, were now crimson; with anger or embarrassment she wasn't sure.

It was then that she spotted two piles of what looked like disassembled tents and a letter a top the left one. She picked the letter up and read it through. Immediately after reading it she groaned, catching the attention of everyone. Parvati looked questioningly at her, and Draco looked relieved that the attention was drawn away from him. Blaise walked over tentatively and asked softly; almost shyly, his whole demeanor changed,

"What does it say?"

She handed it to him and he read out loud,

Dear Group,

Here are just a few more reminders. There are two tents for you to assemble as a group without magic. The tents are slightly magical. You will see, once you have erected them. There are to be two to a tent. Once student form each house in each tent. You will find everything you need in each tent. Each morning an agenda will appear with the day's tasks on them. You will each find a journal in the tent. You should write down your progress each day and if you would like, your thoughts. Professors Snape and McGonagall will visit you sometime during the week. For the rest of the afternoon and evening you should decide sleeping arrangements and try to get to know one another better. And yes the tents will know if one Gryffindor and one Slytherin are sleeping in each tent. Like I said they are slightly magical. There are three paths leading out of your campsite. The left one leads to your water source and facilities. The one in the center leads out of camp to where you will complete your day's tasks. The right one leads to one other group that you can visit from time to time. Have fun and let the unifying begin. Do behave.

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

He finished reading the letter and looked at the two poles blankly. Malfoy had the same look on his face, just a little less expressive. Hermione saw the looks on their faces and asked,

"You guys do know how set up a tent without magic…right?"

Blaise shook his head sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. Malfoy on the other hand looked outraged.

"I'm not a mudblood like you. I'm a pureblood. Purebloods only use magic. We don't need to resort to muggle…methods. Besides, why should superiors," he motioned to Blaise and himself, "have to do it, when we have inferiors right here to do it for us? Now I suggest you tw-"he was cut off when a sharp pain prickled in left check. Parvati gasped, and Blaise just smirked. Hermione was fuming, and now her hand stung. But Draco, he was seething. He stood up and stalked towards her, fists clenched at his sides. She backed up, a little afraid he might hit her, but still indignant.

"What the bloody hell was that for? I was only telling the truth. You and gossip girl over there," he spat pointing to Parvati, "should be nothing but servants for us more pure families. I'll be damned if I get along with y-"he was stopped yet again by a sharp pain in his right cheek. He rubbed his cheek and pointed a finger at her. "Would you STOP doing that?"

"No! Not until you," she poked him hard in the chest, "smarten up. Just because I'm what you oh-so-politely call a mudblood does not mean you are better than me! I have bested you in everything with the exception of quidditch for which reasons are my own." She kept poking him in the chest accentuate each sentence. "You may have more money than me, but I don't need money or my daddy to get everything I want. I have friends and family that love me, and I them. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to see which group is near us." She gave him one more poke for the hell of it, and before any of them could say anything she was gone down the right path. She left a very dumbfounded Malfoy, a proud Parvati, and an incredibly impressed Blaise.

A/N: Tell me what you think of the chapter. Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanx to all my reviewers, and I hope to hear from more of you.