A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while… I'm feeling sort of a writer's block somewhat for this story. Thanks to all the reviewers! I just want to mention that I don't know what grade Zacharias Smith and Michael Corner are, but according to a website their grades are "unknown" so in this story this story they're going to be in Harry's class. Also, there have been things that make me conclude that Michael is in Harry's class, despite having dated Ginny…

Spooty: Thanks so much! I'm really glad that you like my stories. I know it's corny but I really like it when people say that because I'm not always totally confident with all my writing. So I'm really glad that you like it, and when people consistently review more than one story, it shows that they actually care about my writing, which I also love!

Alenor: Thanks a lot! She fainted because she was going a bit crazy with all the people and she was very overwhelmed. Sorry if that wasn't completely clear. Thanks for your review.

WEASLYTWINWANNABE: Thanks for reviewing! If you don't mind me asking, where do you go to school? It's just sort of random because I rarely know anyone else who goes to boarding school… Outside of my school, obviously.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the cluster names…

0000

By Friday everyone had discovered the strange scheduling that was practiced at Hogwarts. On Wednesdays and Thursdays the students had double periods and classes ended at 1:00 on Wednesdays because of sporting events.

Ron, of course, knew all this already. He was the second to youngest of seven children and all five of his older brothers had gone to Hogwarts. Fred and George were still attending the school. It was their junior year. And they took pride in making their brother's life as embarrassing as possible.

"Hi, Ronniekins!" they cried in unison from across the Dining Hall. It was bad enough to have sixth period lunch and not being able to eat until 1:00 in the afternoon, but to have your brothers have the same lunch period and decide to yell to you using your mother's unflattering nicknames makes things just that much worse. He put his head in his hands.

He was eating lunch at a table with Harry, who seemed to be his closest friend so far, Dean and Seamus, who were attached at the hip, Ernie, who sort of annoyed him with his pompous attitude, Zacharias Smith, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Michael Corner. He had his classes with mostly the same group of people, which helped him get to know people well enough to develop friendships. Unfortunately, the boys and girls weren't quite comfortable with sitting with each other during meals yet. Well, maybe that wasn't so unfortunate.

"I think it's funny," Dean commented, referring to Fred and George's jests.

"Well try having them do it to you," Ron grumbled, poking pitifully at his macaroni with his fork.

"Deaniekins," Seamus created, laughing.

Dean made a face at him.

Ron stared up at the big clock next to the entrance of the Dining Hall they were eating in. There were four Dining Halls. This was because eating used to be separated by grade. It was only 1:20 and class didn't start until 2:00. He was incredibly bored. He got up to put his tray away and then sat down at the table again.

"I'm bored," he said, "Let's go do something."

"You just want to get away from your brothers," Seamus inferred.

"No, seriously," Ron urged. "We're just sitting here. Let's do something."

"Okay, Ron, I dare you to go over to the girls' table and sit with them," Michael joked. The boys laughed lightly.

Ron thought for a moment. "Fine," he said, standing up.

"I wasn't serious…" Michael added.

"No, I'll do it." He marched over to the table at which Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, Hannah Abbot, and Padma Patil were sitting. He pulled an empty chair over to a corner between Lavender and Hannah. "Hi," he said simply.

The girls exchanged immature glances.

"Hi," Lavender said, giggling.

An awkward silence filled the table.

"So… uh… has everyone had a good… first week?" Ron asked, interrupting the silence.

A few "yeah"s and "sort of"s floated along the table and then it was silent again.

This is why not sitting with the girls may not have been so unfortunate after all.

0000

Hermione sat in her Biology 100 class forty minutes later trying desperately to take notes while Lavender babbled on next to her with Padma Patil. It was all she could do not to turn around and slap her. She wished Mr. Slughorn would notice and tell them to be quiet.

"The second characteristic of living things is that they reproduce," Mr. Slughorn continued.

"I'd like to reproduce with Domino," Hermione heard Blaise whisper loudly to Theo at the row of seats in front of her.

Hermione couldn't believe not only how immature the statement was, but how stupid it was as well. Blaise seemed like the type of person who would think up better one-liners than that. But then again, maybe not.

"Clever, Blaise," Mr. Slughorn commented before continuing on with the lesson.

Hermione glanced over at Domino. She sat smugly at her seat; her naturally tanned and pimple-free skin wasn't even turning the least bit pink. Hermione had known the girl for less than a week and already she hated her. She hated how perfect she was and how she never lost her cool and how she walked around as though she owned the world. It seemed like it, too. Boys loved her but most of the girls were afraid of her. It wasn't that Hermione was boy crazy, but she was jealous. She just had to remind herself that she was the one with people sitting on both sides of her, not Domino, who was sitting alone at her table.

Hermione smiled to herself as she continued taking her notes.

0000

In the classroom next-door, Ron, as well as most of the boys in the class, was staring open-mouthed at the teacher. She happened to be a French teaching fellow named Fleur Delacour. She had long, flowing white-blonde hair that cascaded down her back and she was model-thin with big, sparkling blue eyes. Apparently she was every boy in that class's dream girl. Especially Ron's.

Draco, on the other hand, didn't particularly take much of an interest in Ms. Delacour. This was most likely because he and she happened to look very similar. And that intimidated him.

"Zee second characteristic of living things ees zee ability to reproduce," Ms. Delacour said in her stereotypical French accent. That also bothered Draco.

"I'd like to reproduce with Ms. Delacour," Ron whispered loudly to Dean and Seamus, who he was sitting with.

"Too bad you'd never bag a chick like that," Draco said loudly in response.

Ron turned red.

"Excuse moi?" she asked spacily. "Sorry, zey told me not to speak in French. What are you boys talking about and will you please stop?"

"Sorry, Ms. Delacour," Draco said mockingly.

"Good. Now, let's continue…"

Ron stared at the back of Draco's head as though he could kill him with his eyes. If he could, he probably would be gutted on the floor, bleeding all over the glossy black surface. Unfortunately for Ron and fortunately for Draco, he couldn't. Ron had decided from the second he met Draco Malfoy that he would hate him and he did. He thought he was rude and pompous and was not looking forward to spending four years with him.

Well he would have to get used to it sooner or later.

0000

The students couldn't believe how much homework they had their first weekend of classes. Between the heaps of work and the intense bonding activities that they were required to participate in on Saturday, there wasn't much time for fun and games the first day back. Hermione learned soon enough that there was a direct view into the Common Room from her room, and when she glanced down into it that Sunday evening and saw that it was packed with annoying freshmen who didn't have lives, she knew better than to head down there. So she stayed in her room even though she had finished her work.

She sat down at her desk and opened up her computer, preparing for a calm evening. But something always had to break that. This time it was Jamie Foxx's loud voice impersonating Ray Charles singing through the seemingly thick walls surrounding her room.

"She take my money when I'm in need," he sang.

Hermione moaned to herself and dropped her head onto her desk. Then she picked her head up to investigate the source of the noise. She stood up and cracked open her door, sticking her head outside.

Now Kanye West was singing. "Now I ain't sayin' she's a gold digger," came his voice from up the hall.

She stepped out of her room and walked up the hallway, pressing her ear against each door as she did so until she found the source of the noise. She pulled her head back to read the name on the door. Domino. But of course.

She knocked on the door.

"Get down girl, go 'head, get down."

No response. She knocked again, more loudly.

"Get down girl, go 'head, get down."

Hermione ordinarily didn't mind this song that much, but Domino was simply slaughtering it.

"What?" she finally heard coming from the other side of the door.

"Could you turn your music down just a bit?" Hermione asked, trying not to sound as irritated as she felt.

The music lowered about a decibel.

Hermione contemplated yelling at her again, but it was no use.

"…Thanks…" she grumbled just loud enough for Domino to hear through Kanye's rap.

0000

One would think that Draco Malfoy had a good Sunday night. But he wasn't satisfied.

"I saw you snuggling up to Pansy back there," Blaise said that night when they headed back to their dorm in the dark for study hours. "What happened?"

Draco shrugged, his hands in his pockets.

"Did you two hook up?" Blaise questioned, almost cautiously but not quite.

Draco shrugged again.

Blaise laughed loudly. "First action of the year," he announced, holding his hand out for Draco to slap. "Nice job."

Draco smirked. "What can I say?"

"You don't have to say anything," Blaise responded quickly.

"Well, what's going on between you and Veruca?" Draco asked as they reached the dorm.

Blaise sighed as he unlocked and opened the big metal door. "I don't know. She may be hot but she is not easy."

This time it was Draco who laughed. "At least you have a conquest for this year!" The two stepped through the door.

"This year?" Blaise replied incredulously, stopping in the hallway. "I think you mean this week."

"You think it will only take you a week to hook up with Veruca?"

"Yes," Blaise answered confidently.

Draco held out his hand. "Ten bucks you won't."

Blaise took it. "It's a deal."

0000

A/N: That was the corniest thing in the entire universe. Whatever, at least I got out another chapter! Hah. I have no idea how boys interact with each other. Incase you haven't noticed. Anyway, please review! If you do I'll give you three big Hershey's chocolate bars with almonds in them. Unless you're allergic. In your review would you be so kind as to tell me whether or not you pronounc the "L" in almond? Don't ask…