A/N: After reading Book 6, I have decided that this will remain an AU and that I WILL NOT conform this to the current canon. For those of you who have already read Book 6, only the details of Apparition and maybe a detail or two from the book will be added to this, but they will be VERY minor. And Blaise will keep looking like I chose him to look before.

Bold italics are Railane's intros, italics are thoughts, and anything in bold is a diary entry.

Chapter eight: Holiday plans

What happened in Hogsmeade quickly became the utmost matter of speculation amongst our classmates, since we weren't allowed to discuss all the events and could only give people a vague idea of what had actually gone down. The most difficult part was simply trying to conceal what had happened with the Aurors, especially for me. But thankfully everyone had something else to talk about soon.

The week after the events in Hogsmeade, the Great Hall was filled with excited whispers of questions and plans. The notice had been posted in every common room, and it seemed that everyone had forgotten everything else that had been happening to concentrate only on the upcoming event. Railane was glad of it, because it meant that the talk of what happened at the Hog's Head had been exchanged for the more exciting topic.

Blaise leaned over the table to pour her some tea and frowned at Pansy when he settled back into his seat. "Do you really think she's going to ask Draco?"

Railane shot him a look. "Are your eyes blue?"

He looked at her with a sheepish smile. "Right."

The Great Hall doors opened with a clang and in walked Harry and Draco. Harry walked over to Liana and the others and Draco sat next to Blaise. Pansy and her gang looked at Draco and giggled, making him turn to Railane and Blaise in question. "Pansy thinks you'll go with her," Railane explained as she helped herself to more buttered toast.

"She thinks I'll go with her where?" he asked her, still confused.

"To the dance, of course," she replied. Seeing his blank look, she sighed in exasperation. "The Christmas Ball? You know, the one from the notice that's posted pretty much everywhere around here?"

"I didn't see it. I'm living away from society now, remember?"

Railane nodded. "Right, sorry. The Christmas Ball will happen the day before we leave for the holidays, which incredibly is just next week, and we're supposed to go with someone from another house to promote inter-house unity and whatnot. Blaise and I haven't discovered who we're asking to the dance yet."

Blaise nodded mournfully. "It's horrible, really, the fact that I can't take my girlfriend to the dance."

"You could take Seamus," Railane offered quietly. Blaise smacked her softly and Draco looked at her seriously.

"I think I'll take Richards to the dance."

Railane looked up at him in surprise before calming herself. "That'd be nice of you." Blaise smiled knowingly and Railane looked back at her breakfast in silence. "I don't think I'll go. I don't like dances much, anyway."

"You could go with Harry," Blaise suggested.

"He'll probably ask Cho Chang to the ball, now that Diggory's not around anymore," Draco pointed out.

"See?" Railane pointed out. "I'm just going to skip this mad thing altogether."

Blaise looked over at the Gryffindor table, and at a certain Irish person, before grinning at his breakfast plate. "Maybe we'll both end up going with unexpected people."

"Or maybe some of us won't go at all."

"Heavens, Lane, you're so bloody stubborn," Blaise commented and she actually smiled at him.

"I'm accustomed to getting my way." The trio laughed, earning sour looks from most of the Slytherin table, but not caring. Their laughter was interrupted by the arrival of owl post, which brought Railane a letter from her mother. Blaise looked at her curiously, and smiled when her face lit up. "Mother says we're going to go to the Caribbean this Christmas!"

Blaise smiled even wider, happy for her. He knew how much she wished to have time to spend with her busy mother, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity for her to do so. He placed his hand over hers, getting her to look at him. "I'm really glad, Lane. It seems like you're going to have a fabulous holiday."

Crabbe and Goyle had also gotten mail, and Draco frowned, recognizing the owls. "Their parents are writing them? Shocker."

Railane mirrored Draco's expression unwittingly. "I have a sinking feeling that it might be related to our little Hogsmeade incident."

"I hope not. It's enough that they're thinking about banning more Hogsmeade visits," Draco commented darkly, and both Railane and Blaise agreed.

Liana sighed as she drank her juice. When she'd first heard about the ball, she thought it was her chance, but sadly they had to go with someone from another house. She had no idea who Railane would go with, since she couldn't go with Draco or Blaise. She looked at Harry and Ron and decided to find out who they'd go with. "Who are you guys asking to the dance?" she questioned innocently.

"Dunno," Ron commented, turning a bit pink. "I don't know many people outside of you lot."

She turned to Harry, who shrugged. "I think I'm going to ask Cho."

Hermione and Ron looked at him in shock as Liana looked lost. "Why is that so shocking?"

"Well he'd acted like he didn't want anything to do with her last year, so," Ron told Liana with a shrug.

"I just think we should try again," Harry replied defensively. "Besides, it's not like there's anyone else for me to ask."

"You could ask Luna," Ginny suggested as she scooted closer to them. "Very little people are nice to her. Or Ron could if you still want to ask Cho."

"Who would you go with?" Liana asked her.

Ginny turned red. "I'd actually like to go with Blaise, but since he's dating Railane and all I don't think that'll work."

"Someone's bound to ask you," Liana commented. "Besides, Blaise and Railane can't go together anyway."

Everyone remained silent for a few minutes and Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Well, isn't anyone going to ask me who I'm going with?"

Liana shot her look. "How about no?"

"Why ever not?"

"'Cause the entire castle knows who you're going with, Hermione: the fabulous Macmillan," Ron replied irritably.

Liana and Ginny snickered, exchanging identical looks, as Harry smiled into his glass, trying not to laugh. People began to wander from table to table, asking people to the dance, and both Blaise and Draco walked to the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron had already left towards the Ravenclaw table. Draco cleared his throat, looking at Liana with a regal air. "So, Liana, do you have a date yet?" Liana shook her head, still in shock, and Draco continued. "Would you go with me?"

She looked past Draco at Railane, who nodded at her with a wan smile, before looking back at Draco. "All right, then." Draco smirked and turned to Blaise, who was fiddling with his collar.

Liana smiled. "Come on, Blaise. Who are you going to ask?"

He smiled back, his nervousness temporarily displaced. "I was hoping that, since Ginny and I haven't had a chance to get to know each other yet, she would go with me." He turned to Ginny. "So, will you?" Ginny blushed, nodding, and Blaise winked at her. "Perfect. Now let's go see if anyone's asked Lane yet." Both boys turned to the Slytherin table, walking over there, and as soon as they were out of earshot Ginny squealed. Liana grinned at her, shaking her head. Blaise was getting himself in a bit of a fix.

A few minutes later Ron and Harry replied, both with smiles on their faces. Hermione, who they hadn't noticed had left, returned too, looking very pleased with herself. In a quiet agreement no one mentioned their dates, so Hermione couldn't talk about hers. A few silent minutes later the bell rang, and they all filed towards their classes.

Railane doodled on her parchment absentmindedly, writing her name over and over as Professor Binns continued talking about the wizarding bans in a monotone voice. She knew it was important information, but just then she didn't really care. Both Draco and Blaise had dates, and no one had asked her. She hadn't been expecting anyone to ask her, but she'd thought that maybe it would happen. Problem was, being a Slytherin made her unapproachable, and no one from another house would ask her. Since she couldn't go with a Slytherin, and the only two she would like to go with were taken anyway, chances were that if she did go it would be a very long night.

To her left she could see Draco with his head bent, reading a book intently, and she allowed herself to look at him like she didn't get a chance to very often. His whitish blond hair almost reached his chin, and was perfectly straight. The length of his hair made his high cheekbones stand out even more, and added to the overall delicateness of his features. His almond shaped eyes held the entire spectrum of gray, and the long, almost invisible lashes, gave him an innocent aura, which she knew was far from true. There was a lot more to him than anyone could see, and, ever the detective, she fully intended to find out what it was.

She was brought out of her contemplations by a piece of parchment fluttering around her. She plucked it from the air with an air of annoyance and opened it to find a note from Blaise. 'You're staring,' it read simply, and she shook her head, writing back. 'No, I'm not.' She threw it to Blaise and instants later the parchment had returned to her. She opened it impatiently to read his reply. 'Whatever, love. I call it like I see it.' She turned back to him to continue the argument, but saw that he was decidedly ignoring her and sighed. Entertainment was over, and now she had to go back to trying to focus on Binns.

Crabbe used the opportunity of Blaise ignoring Railane to began talking to him. "Hey, Zabini." Blaise turned his slanted blue eyes towards him to show he was listening. "Goyle and I are curious about Lesperance. She's a pureblood, right?"

"Yeah, her parents are Aurors," he replied absently.

"And that friend of hers, the Gryffindor," Crabbe continued, "what's her name? Is she a pureblood, too?"

"Liana Richards, and she's a half-blood." His eyes suddenly narrowed. "Why?"

It was Goyle who replied. "They're interesting, that's all. Haven't had a good chance to speak to either of them."

"Uh huh," Blaise replied disbelievingly, turning his back on them as he rolled his eyes. Railane was running her hands through her hair, a decidedly thoughtful gesture, and as the bell rang he ran to catch up to her.

Liana and Harry exchanged bored glances as Ron snoozed over his opened Divination book. Professor Trelawney had been having a very long conversation with Parvati and Lavender about how their fates read that they would lead very successful marriages with famous and powerful people, while Firenze looked at her silently, his face expressionless as his eyes shone with amusement. Seamus and Dean were playing idly with their books, and Neville was staring off into space as he turned his Remembrall in his hands.

Harry tapped his book with his wand, trying to animate a doodle he'd made in the corner of a page, and Liana looked over his shoulder when he tapped the book too hard and sparks flew out of his wand. Professor Trelawney immediately ambled towards their table, and Liana elbowed Ron before switching her book with Harry's. Her carefully placed hand covered Harry's drawing, and when Professor Trelawney fixed her bespectacled eyes on him and his book, there was nothing incriminating there. She looked at Liana suspiciously, but Liana simply smiled at her. The Professor gave Ron, who looked disheveled and drowsy, one last disgruntled look before returning to her conversation with Lavender and Parvati.

Harry turned to Liana. "Thanks."

"No problems," she replied with a shrug.

Ron grinned at them before returning to his sleeping spot, and Harry and Liana exchanged glances, rolling their eyes.

After lunch, both Slytherins and Gryffindors filed in for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Railane entered the room holding Blaise's hand, and they sat down quietly, her hand remaining nestled in his. He wanted desperately to ask what was wrong, but her stance told her to not press the matter, so he simply squeezed her hand in silent reassurance before letting go to pull out his textbook. Railane smiled gratefully at him before pulling out her own book and turning to look at Tonks.

"Alright, so last class we were working on Patronus charms. I want those of you who didn't succeed up here to try again."

As people took their turns, Railane brought out a roll of parchment and began jotting down some thoughts as she waited for the lesson to continue. When everyone had finished, Tonks called for their attention again. "We will now try to do a simple impediment jinx without speaking. It is essential that you all learn to do as much unspoken magic as possible. So, who wants to go first?" Both Hermione and Railane lifted their hands simultaneously, and Tonks smiled, motioning for both of them to come forward. "Railane, you will attempt to use the impediment jinx on Hermione as she walks over to you." Railane nodded her understanding, and Hermione had only taken three steps forward when she was forced to stop. Railane's look was haughty, and Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Very good," Tonks praised. She waved her wand, letting Hermione move again. "Your turn, Hermione." Railane began walking towards her and was halfway there when Hermione finally managed to make her stop. Tonks waved her wand, congratulating them both, and motioned for them to return to their seats. Railane sat next to Blaise again and Hermione sat next to Ron, throwing Railane a very dirty look. Railane simply raised an eyebrow at her before rolling her eyes.

Blaise raised his hand. "Could I go next?"

Tonks nodded. "Alright, Blaise and, um, Ron, you're up."

Both walked to the front, and while Blaise managed to stop Ron instants before he reached him, he had already walked over to Ron and taken a few steps back before Ron could manage to stop him. Tonks sent them to their seats and motioned for Harry and Draco, who had been waiting, to try. Draco managed immediately, and was halfway to Harry's side when Harry finally stopped him. Draco smiled lightly at Harry before returning to his seat, and Harry's gaze remained on him until Liana moved up to the front.

She had to go up against Millicent Bulstrode, and Millicent was halfway when Liana stopped her. It took Millicent a lot more than that, and Liana had already taken two steps back when she managed to stop her. Liana had the sinking suspicion that Millicent had whispered the jinx, but she returned to her seat quietly, since Millicent looked like she was more than capable of kicking her ass. She and Railane exchanged amused glances before continuing to jot down ideas for the holidays.

Lucius Malfoy untied the replies from the owls quickly, unrolling the small parchments. Before he could read, Kendrix entered the room. "They've replied already?" she asked disinterestedly.

"They are very loyal," Lucius replied. "Their sons replied as soon as they could and they forwarded the answers immediately."

"Let's hear it, then," she prompted in a bored voice even though her lips were curling into a malicious smile.

"The one who was with Potter is Liana Richards. A half-blood from Gryffindor. How fitting."

"We need details about her magical blood," Kendrix retorted coldly. "Make sure to get Severus on it. What about the other? The one who was with Draco?"

"Railane Lesperance, pureblood. I know of her parents… she comes from a good family…"

Kendrix laughed coldly. "I hope you're not growing fond of the girl, Lucius. Her parents are Aurors and she's likely to become one as well."

"Perhaps. But she's a Slytherin. There is still hope for her." Kendrix shot Lucius a dark look, but he remained oblivious to it as he continued his contemplations.

A/N: So this is it for now. I'll be going on a trip soon so it'll be at least a week until the next chapter. But I have a large part of it already written so as soon as I have Internet access I should be posting, since I'm trying to finish it before I go or when I return.