"... and this is our common room," said Hermione, spreading her arms wide as if to encompass the room that had become her home.

"Its so... bright," Draco replied, noting the vaulted ceilings and high windows. "You've got throw pillows," he added with a laugh.

"Genuinely used for throwing, too, " Hermione smiled, then turned at the sound of the portrait hole slamming closed.

"I'm telling you, Harry, that catch was amazing. Shame it was only a practice, though." Ron paused as her noticed Draco standing very comfortably in the middle of his common room. "What the bloody hell is he doing here?" Ron shouted. "Get out!"

"Ron--" Hermione started, but Ron quickly interrupted her, "Don't 'Ron' me. This is the Gryffindor common room. Hence the fact that its full of Gryffindors. He. Can't. Be. Here."

"I suppose I'll just be off, then," Draco said quietly, not wanting to further inflame Ron, who was certainly still an enemy.

"I'll go with you," Hermione added, casting an angry look at Ron.

All the while, Harry had been standing there silently, waiting for the confrontation to be over so he could wash the grime of Quidditch away in peace.

"I'll see you later, mate," he said as he gathered up some clean clothes.

And Ron was left alone again.

Harry had barely stepped into the hallway leading off the common room when the portrait hole opened again.

"RON!" shouted Ginny the moment she walked in. "Oops. Sorry, Harry, didn't mean to yell in your face," she added awkwardly.

"No, its alright."

"Oh," Ginny said quickly, digging into her robes. "Erm, this is for you." She then inched around him and into the common room. Harry could hear her shout, "What did you say to Hermione, Ron? She's ..." as he walked out.

She's what? he wondered. Infuriated? It wouldn't surprise him. He'd have a talk with Ron later about how to treat one's enemies politely. That is, if he could come up with ways to do so while he was in the bath.

Harry walked into the bathroom and promptly looked around for anyone else. This was the only time that Hogwarts' communiality ever got to him. He liked to bathe in privacy.

"Hullo?" he asked aloud, his voice echoing back at him.

"'Lo?" someone answered.

"Nothing, just checking for people. I'll come back later."

"No, don't worry, I'm done," answered the voice. It was a girl's voice, one he'd didn't recall, but who sounded familiar. A lithe, pale girl emmerged from round the corner, toweling off her long red hair.

"You're Blaise, right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah... yes, how'd you know?" she asked back uncertainly. Blaise was so unacustomed to people noticing her that it caught her off guard.

"You're a friend of Draco... erm, Malfoy?"

"Yes. And you're Harry Potter," she said seriously.

"Yeah, that's true," Harry laughed. It had been a while since someone had told him his own name, and he always found it funny.

"You're a friend of Hermione, then?" Blaise asked. She stood in front of a mirror, quickly charming the rest of the water from her hair.

"You know her?" Harry asked. He studied this girl and wondered why Draco had picked Hermione over her. She was tall and thin with wide, round eyes and deep red hair. He began to feel almost angry at Draco for having someone so beautiful and then taking Hermione away from him.

"Oh, yes. She's... erm... very clever. I don't know her really, though. Draco doesn't like me talk to her. 'fraid I'll scare her away, I suppose," Blaise replied, smiling. Her tone of voice made it difficult for Harry to distinguish whether or not she was kidding.

"Well..." Harry started, but Blaise interrupted.

"I'll let you alone, then," she said, and was quickly gone. Harry was glad to see her leave. Not because she was rude or unkind, but because he was dirty and simply wanted a hot bath.

A few minutes later, Harry was soaking in a tub of hot water and heavy foam. He rummaged through his robe pockets for Ginny's note.

Harry,

Very simply put, I want you to know that I care about you. I don't expect anything in return. Although, it wouldn't hurt to talk to me once in a while, would it?

Ginny

"Way to make me feel great, Ginny..." Harry mused aloud. He felt terrible for some reason, though he hadn't done anything awful lately. He almost wasn't ready to talk to her again yet, but things had been so strained around the common room the he was willing to give it a try.

Harry threw the note back into his robes and stepped out of the bath. It was almost time for dinner.