Hey y'all hope you liked chapter eight. Please review my chapters so I know if I need to change or improve on anything. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them from you. You never know, maybe your suggestion will be in the next chapter. Thanks so much!

Chapter Nine

Heather was a big help to Candie. She wrote the information for the invitation. Candie designed the pictures, (without wand) and drew them on the cards. She put a spell on the cards to make the pictures move. Lindsay, Heather and Candie's, best friend, helped them create envelopes and personalize them. They all worked together. Caitlyn had the job of getting the invitations to their owners. She was so excited to get to use Owl-Mail. When they were all finished they discussed what Gus and Draco were going to be doing with Candie.

Heather informed them that the two boys were going to meet Candie in the owlery. Then they would head their way over to Hogsmeade Village. They would shop in the nearby stores, and hangout. Hopefully Draco and Gus will get to know each other and become friends.

"Do you think it's going to work?" asked Pansy, who was standing in a corner of the common room eves dropping.

"I hope so." Candie said sharply.

Lindsay whispered in Candie's ear, "You really don't like her do you."

"Was it that obvious?" Candie said jokingly.

"Why don't you like her?"

"She doesn't like me. I don't exactly care for her. But I think she is irritated at the fact that Draco dumped her, for me."

"Wouldn't anyone dump her for someone else?" Caitlyn teased. They all snickered and giggled at the comment.

"Be quiet! Draco is coming." Heather warned. They all fell silent.

"Why is everyone so quiet?" Draco wondered aloud. "You aren't talking about me now are you?"

"Yes. Actually, we are." Heather said boldly.

"Did you get your invitation?" Caitlyn added.

"Yes, I did. I can't wait for it either."

"Everyone helped design the card and envelope." Candie said gratefully.

"Yes, I could tell. On the inside of my invitation, at the bottom, it said 'created by Heather'." Everyone gave Heather a quick look.

"What? I thought I should be recognized for the part I did. What's the big deal?"

"It's not that. That is something we all could picture you doing." Candie said matter-of-factly. "I thought it was funny."

"Are you all coming with us?"

"No, I promised I would take them before they went back home though. We are going next week. You are welcome to join us." Candie persuaded.

"I will see you tomorrow then, right?"

I can't wait." Draco said softly.

The next day Candie went up to the owlery and waited. It was about 7:45 in the morning. Draco and Gus were supposed to be there by 8:00. She petted and fed the owls while she was there. She had written a letter earlier, to her mother and father, and had sent it of with Hunter. A small sniffle came from behind her. She slowly turned and saw Neville Longbottom standing in the doorway. She saw that his eyes were bloodshot and watery. She could hear his hard quivering breathing and sobbing.

"Excuse me?" Candie whispered softly. "What's the matter?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know I wasn't the only one here. I have a letter to send." Neville said quickly. "I have… I have a letter to send… to my…my… my parents."

"Is that why you are crying, because you need to send a letter to your parents?" Candie gently spoke.

"It's not the sending of the letter. It's who the letter is being sent. My parents were tortured with the Crucious curse." He choked. He burst into loud, hard sobs.

"Oh! Don't cry! It will be alright. You see, my father tortured my brother with that curse. He tortured him often too."

"You-Know-Who was trying to force my parents to join his group of followers."

"My father is a follower, and was trying to force my brother into becoming one."

"It seems we have something in common." Neville said with a hoarse voice.

"Neville, sorry to kick you out like this but, Draco is coming and he might not be very friendly to you. I saw how he treated you on the train."

"Thanks. By the way, what's your name?"

"Oh! Sorry. Candie Melt."

"Well Candie, can we keep what happened in here between you and me? Please?" His eyes were hopeful.

"Neville, I won't say a word unless you give me permission to."

"Thanks again!" Neville sent off his letter with a barn owl and left quickly without a sound.

Draco strutted in to the owlery. "Hey! You're here! I was expecting to have to wait. Shall we go?" When he said those words Gus walked into the owlery.

"What is he doing here?" Draco said sourly.

"Well, you're not the highlight of my day either." Gus answered back.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you that it was going to be us three. I'm so sorry. I wanted to invite my two favorite boys to come with me. I thought we could all get to know each other a bit more. Is that okay with you?" Candie said in a sweet, demanding voice.

"Yeah, it's fine with me." They both lied.

"Alright then, let's get off to Hogsmeade Village."

The three of them were very quiet. Candie tried to make them start a conversation. That didn't work. They wouldn't even argue until Candie mentioned the right topic.

"What's you favorite sport?" She asked them both.

"Football!" Gus cried

"No! Quidditch!" Draco argued.

They went on for about half-an-hour. They finally gave up on it when they got to the village.

"Where do you guys want to go first?" Candie asked lovingly.

"Zonko's is the best joke shop there is around here! Let's head over there." Draco suggested.

"Gus? Is that alright with you?"

"Sounds awesome!" He cried boyishly.

"Great! Let's go then."

They bought lots of gadgets. Draco got Candie something but wouldn't say what it was. Gus did the same. Candie bought Dung-Bombs to send to a friend. Or her least favorite teacher. After Zonko's they went to Honeyduke's. The Candy Shop. They got nine pieces of every kind of candy in the whole store. While they snacked on their treats they headed up to the "Three Broomsticks." They ordered Butter-beer, and talked about everything. They even fought over who liked Candie the most. No one won that argument though. Candie had to force them to stop fighting. When all was well, they went back down to all the little shops. They bought some quills and parchment. They checked out some other stores and then headed back to the Slytherin common room.

"Thanks Candie. That was the most fun I have ever had." Draco said.

"Yes! Same here!" Gus added.

"I had fun myself. I am glad that you guys got to know each other better. I loved that you did that for me."

"I will tell you when the girls and I are going so you guys can come with us."

"I am up for that!"

"Yeah! Me too!"

"Draco…" Gus said.

"Gus…" Draco answered. They nodded to each other and leaned in towards Candie. Gus kissed her on her left cheekbone and Draco kissed her right. A big flash went off.

"That was so cute you guys!" Caitlyn cried. She was holding a camera and had apparently taken a picture of what had just happened.

"Hey! I can show you how to develop those pictures so that they move and are indestructible."

"Really? That's awesome. Come and show me now, that was my third to last picture. Here let me take a picture of you and Draco, and then you and Gus." She had taken the pictures, and then Caitlyn and Candie sent off to develop them.

"So, I uh…" Draco murmured.

"Well! Uh…" Gus murmured back.

There was a silence between them.

"You're not as bad as I thought you were." Draco confessed.

"Ditto." Gus said.

They got to talking and found that they both liked Candie. They had both already known this before, but got to know more about it.

"How long have you known her?" Draco asked quietly.

"For a really long time. More than eight years." Gus informed. "She has been in my life since I can remember. How about you?"

"Well, not nearly as long as you have. I have known her since she came into this world. The first time we met was the second she walked onto platform 93/4. But I have liked her before she showed me how horribly Pansy was treating me. That's when I considered her my girlfriend."

"She's my girlfriend though." Gus defended.

"Why don't we ask her who she considers her boyfriend?" Draco said slyly.

"Alright, let's go now." Gus said firmly. They headed over to girls dormitories and started to walk up the stairs. A second later, the stairs moved from under their feet. They slid back down to the common room floor.

"What the…" They said confused. Apparently, the girls had noticed what had happened, because they opened their door. They all laughed at the two boys.

"It's just Draco and Gus." Candie informed her roommates. "The stairs have a spell on them. A protecting spell. It doesn't let boys into girl's dorms. I thought they would know that by now." Candie and her roommates giggled."

"A spell?" The boys said at once.

"Yes. You didn't know it?" Heather laughed.

"No! No we didn't" Draco shouted up to them. "Candie, we need to talk to you. All three of us."

"Alright Draco. You don't have to be so forceful." Candie said at a strict level.

"Please come down here." Draco favored sweetly. Candie whispered something to her roommates, and headed down to greet Draco and Gus. She looked as if she were to murder someone.

"What's the matter?" Gus asked.

"I am not a child Draco! I don't have to be told what to do! You act all cool when you're like that. I don't see how being disrespectful to me makes you cool." Candie said on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry Candie. I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't mean to hurt you. Come here." He said with his arms opened to hug her. She practically fell into his arms and cried. She was saying things, but it was hard to tell what. Draco placed her on a couch, and tried to comfort her. Gus just stood there. He was still trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Why is she crying?" Gus asked calmly.

"I honestly don't know." He looked at Gus with concern. "Candie, is it okay if I talk to Gus alone for a minute?" Candie nodded. Draco brought Gus to the far side of the room.

"I wonder if she is crying over us. I wonder if she is crying over which one of us she likes."

"It could be possible. Maybe if we ask her now? Maybe she will tell us." Gus suggested. They agreed and went over to Candie's side again.

"Candie? What are you crying about?" Gus asked sensitively. She shook her head.

"She's not going to say." Draco replied. "What if we came to you one by one?"

Candie gasped, "Okay, that-that will be fine."

"I leave first." Gus volunteered. He left for his dorm quietly.

Candie calmed down. She apologized for her outburst. She started talking to Draco about why she was crying. Why she couldn't talk to the both of them at once.

"The thing is. I don't want either of you to get mad at me. I know you both love me and everything."

"Why would I be mad at you? What do you want to say?"

"You're my friend."

"Well I no that." Draco smiled.

"You are only my friend. I am sorry."

"W-what? Did I hear you right? Are you dumping me?"

"What are you talking about Draco?" Candie said confused.

"You are dumping me aren't you?"

"No I am not. I didn't even know that you considered me your girlfriend."

"Oh! Sorry. I guess I didn't tell you."

"No, not really."

"What about Gus?"

"That is Gus's business. If he would like to tell you, he may."

"Okay, would you like for me to go get him?"

"Yes, thank you." Candie said as Draco started to leave.

"Candie?"

"Yes?" Candie answered smoothly. Draco leaned over and kissed her lips. He kissed her long and then looked into her eyes. He had a loving look in his own. His eyes started to tear and he left.

"Draco? Why are you crying?"

"Well, you would cry if you found out the person you loved only liked you as a friend. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes, and I do." She looked at him with a look that told you, "I mean you."

Draco got Gus from the dorm and wished him luck. He left to his own dorm in silence.

"H-hey." Gus stuttered.

"Hello." Candie answered. She told him almost the exact same thing as Draco. She told him why she was crying and why she couldn't talk to the both of them at once.

"You see, I only like you as a friend."

"Only as a friend? I was your boyfriend though. So are you dumping me?"

"You said the same as Draco. I didn't know I was your girlfriend; you didn't inform me about that. No, I am not dumping you because I didn't know I was your girlfriend. You are only a friend."

"What about Draco?"

"What about him?"

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"That's his business. You may ask him. Don't force him into telling you though."

"Don't worry, okay."

"I won't. Why don't you go and talk to him. Tell him I want to see the both of you together. Okay?"

"Okay." He leaned over and kissed her lips, and then he gave her a quick tight loving hug, and set off to find Draco. Candie watched him as he walked up the stairs, prepared if they left him sliding to the floor again. She laughed to herself and waited.

When Gus finally got up to the door, he knocked. Draco let him in without a word.

"What did she tell you?" They blurted out at the same time. They laughed and said again, "Only friends." They went silent.

"Do you want to give her the gifts we got for her?" Draco asked.

"Sure, but shouldn't we wrap them?"

"Oh! Uh…" Draco grabbed his wand and whispered something. The next thing they knew, they had two, beautifully wrapped gifts.

"Let's go. She wants to see both of us."

They headed back down to the common room. Their gifts hiding behind their backs.

"What took you guys so long?" Candie teased.

"Oh, nothing."

"You know, we were going to ask you about how you felt about us. You didn't have to separate us. We were going to be asking you the same."

"Why didn't you tell me before I looked pitiful?" Candie said softly.

"Here." They both said. Handing her their gifts.

"What is this?" She said surprised.

"Open them." Gus said happily. Candie started with the gift from Gus. It was a quill.

"It's not just a quill." said Gus. "It's a quill that you write messages with. It's like passing notes in class. I have the other quill. There is a button on the side of it, when you push it, you are able to write to me, and I will write back. When you push it again, and it enables you to write to me, so you can keep writing in your classes."

"I love it! Is it a Zonko's product?" Candie asked, "I bet this is the thing that you wouldn't show me."

"Yes it is. Draco It's your turn."

"Thanks." Draco answered. He handed the package to Candie. Candie opened it with great care. She unfolded a necklace. The necklace was made of a soft, tan leather band. On the band were a tooth and two emerald gems, and two green fire-opals around it.

"That one is a dragon's tooth."

"I love it!"

"It isn't just a necklace. It can tell me when you want to see me. When you want to talk. It sort of reads your mind. I have a one too. We can kind of talk to each other. During class, rub the tooth, and then think of talking to me. Then I will answer you back."

"That's amazing!" Candie exclaimed, "Gus? Can you write with a quill in school?"

"The quill I got isn't a quill. The man was selling them with muggle pens. They never run out of ink. I can talk to you with out getting in trouble. I tried it out with Draco. Once you start writing, it goes away. The teacher would have never known you were talking to a friend in a different world."

"Thank you guys so much! I am going right now to put my quill into my bag. I will also put my necklace on."

"I have one more surprise for you Candie." said Draco, "Come with me." He brought her over to a bulletin board. On it had the rules, (which no one followed, It's Slythierin!) it had the dates and times of events, and it had a piece of parchment with big moving letters saying the names of the people on the Slytherin quidditch team.

"I made it!" Candie screamed, "I made it! I am on the team! I can't believe it. I have never played a game of quidditch in my life, and I got it. What position do I play?"

"You play the position of our new beater."

"Beater! Yes! I can't wait!" She jumped up and down and hugged and kissed the two boys with excitement. "I have to go tell everyone!" She ran off and flew up the stairs, slammed the door, and a few seconds later the two boys heard screaming.

"Why are girls so emotional?" Gus asked in a small voice.

"That, my friend, is something us guys will never know." Draco laughed.

Candie's BF: I am glad you like my story. I don't know why I made the headmaster so mean. He didn't know that Candie had already seen the unforgivable curses. So he felt bad afterwards. If he had known that she had already witnessed them he would have not even bothered. Since he didn't ask her, Candie had horrible memories going through her head. I can try to help you understand the story. Uh…let's see. Candie thought she was a regular girl who lived in CA. She then finds out that her parents, and her parent's parents are wizards. Her parents didn't want her to go to Hogwarts. But if your child is chosen to go to the school, they must. Soon she finds out that she is very talented. She can do magic just like any other fifth year. Her father is a follower of Voldemort, she remembers this from when she was very small, (the story doesn't tell you this, but that's how she knows). Thanks so much for reviewing my story!

Fred I. Think