"I still don't see why we have to do this," Ron grumbled, finding himself a chair in Hermione's living room while still clutching the bottle of Muggle alcohol to his chest. "Why on earth would we want to befriend Malfoy?"

The boy has a point, Severus commented, for once agreeing with a Weasley. Why would they suddenly be nice to Draco unless they had a solid and very convincing reason to?

You're going to have to give them some sort of a reason, Hermione, he told her, sighing. He had been asking Hermione to break the connection all day and every time he asked she had merely answered, "No," before changing the subject.

As hellish as he was trying to make out it was, he had to admit that part of him (a large part of him) was enjoying listening to Hermione's thoughts and observations. She was intelligent and irritatingly amusing. It really wasn't helping his decision to wallow in self-pity. He also had to admit that he was almost looking forward to seeing how Draco would react in a roomful of Gryffindors, especially when he was trying his best to be friendly and nice to win Hermione over, so he'd have to be on his best behavior.

Hermione sighed. She had decided to get her friends to meet in her rooms early to make sure they wouldn't do anything that would send Draco scurrying from the room in either anger, or abject terror. Except she'd been talking for at least fifteen minutes and she was no nearer convincing them to be nice – even Harry wasn't being entirely helpful, although she supposed that could be because she still hadn't talked to him about his insane proposal.

Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville, Hannah and Cho were all sitting in specially conjured chairs in Hermione's 'living room'. Ginny had conjured herself a beanbag and was sitting cross-legged in the middle of it. She seemed to be dividing her time between giving Cho evil glares and staring longingly at Harry.

Cho was sitting in a chair by the fire, shooting evil looks back at Ginny when she thought Harry wasn't looking. And Harry wasn't looking very much of the time at all, being far too preoccupied by watching Hermione, wondering when he'd manage to get her alone to ask her if she'd made up her mind yet.

Neville and Hannah were sharing one small chair, squashed together and completely happy about it. They were the only people in the room who seemed to not be about to run full pelt out of the room, screaming, "help, Hermione's trying to make us talk to a Slytherin!".

Ron was still refusing to look at Hermione and was flirting with Luna in a completely vain attempt to make Hermione jealous, while Luna seemed more interested in a spot above Ron's head.

Bloody ridiculous. Teenage hormones! Hermione heard Severus mutter in her head, as he took in the tension in the room through her own eyes and ears. He noticed Ron as he steadfastly avoided looking at Hermione.

I see you finally broke up with Weasley, he observed, cringing at the obvious way Ron was flirting with the Ravenclaw girl.

Didn't you know? I did that a while ago, Hermione told him, while frowning at the ensemble of Witches and Wizards in her room. How on earth was she going to get this lot to get on with each other, let alone get on with a Slytherin who they quite rightfully hated.

Swapped the boy for Potter? Severus asked. He cringed as he realised how jealous he sounded.

No, Hermione answered shortly. The stab of guilt that went through her wasn't missed by Severus. He had no idea why Hermione was feeling guilty, and quickly assumed it was because she was lying to him, which only served to irritate him more. The fact that he'd been standing over cauldrons all day wasn't helping his demeanor any either.

Of course, he said, his voice irritatingly superior. And I suppose you're going to tell me he's not sitting there gazing longingly at your arse either.

Hermione quickly turned and glowered at Harry, who's eyes guiltily shot up from where he had indeed been staring at her arse, and he quickly looked away.

"So… Luna. How are you?" Harry asked pointedly, clearing his throat and turning away from Hermione's accusing glare. "How's The Quibbler going at the moment?"

"Were were talking Harry," Ron interrupted him, sulkily. "Steal the shirt of your back, he would. You always want what I've got."

Harry ignored Ron and carried on his conversation with Luna, as if Ron had never spoken. So Harry had resorted to ignoring Ron now, had he?

Hermione turned away again and shook her head in disgust. Men!

Boys, corrected Severus. Although he was quite sure he'd never been that bad at their age.

How on earth did you see where Harry was looking? she asked, baffled. He could only see the things she could see and she had had her back turned to Harry.

I have been a spy for a lot of years Hermione, Severus informed her, his voice sounding even more superior than before. Then she felt him smile. I've learned to sense things. Besides, I've seen you in those jeans before and the boy would either have to be blind, or flying for the other team not to be ogling you in them.

Hermione blushed.

Don't distract me, she admonished. I'm about to make a really over the top, motivating speech and my blushing through it won't help people buy it.

"Fine, I get that you're all ever so slightly reluctant to spend the evening making small talk with our not so friendly neighbourhood Ferret," she said, turning to address everyone in the room. "I am also aware that Malfoy's nastiness has gone over and beyond mere inter-house rivalry. But how else could he have been? He's been brought up to be the way he is and the way we are treating him is just pushing him into the ranks of the Death Eaters even faster."

She smiled in satisfaction as she realized everyone in the room had fallen silent and they were still looking at her, waiting for her to continue.

"He has no freedom of choice. If he doesn't become a Death Eater, who will he have left? All his friends are Voldemort fanatics. We might not like him, but this is an opportunity to make him see that he wouldn't be alone if he did choose not to be 'Lucius take two'."

She looked at their faces one by one. Only Neville, Hannah and Luna really seemed to fully buy everything she was saying. She turned her smile into a glare and narrowed her eyes.

"Plus," she added, her hand on her hip and her eyebrow quirked. "If you aren't lovely and sickly sweet to Malfoy not one of the Seventh years here are going to get one iota of help with their History of Magic homework this weekend. And if you remember, the essay is a delightful comparison of all the Ministers of Magic and every one of their policies on Muggles, 1794 through to 1994. Do you really want to do that homework with no help at all?"

Severus smirked at the panic in everyone's eyes. Clearly they had all been banking on the fact that Hermione would come to the rescue again and practically do their homework for them. It would almost be worth it all going wrong with Draco, just to see them try to struggle through the essay on their own.

I'll have you know I have never done anyone's homework for them in my life! Hermione stormed, indignantly. I just help push them in the right direction.

Just like you don't save Longbottom every single time the ridiculously incompetent boy messes up on my class? Severus asked, shaking his head. You know, I only pull you up for half of what I see.

Hermione cringed. Bugger. I thought you'd at least miss some of that.

You underestimate me, Miss Granger.

God, that voice… Hermione thought to herself, cringing as she tried to squash the thought far too late. An amused and pleased chuckle sounded in her head and she suddenly felt warm all the way from her ears to her toes.

And that laugh… she added, purposely this time, fighting a blush. Then she turned and looked at her friends again.

"I know there are a lot arguments and misunderstandings between all of us at the moment," she said, summoning the fruit punch she and Ginny had made earlier. "But just for tonight, can't we put all these differences out of our minds? No fighting, no glowering, just drinking and fun?"

"Are you feeling okay, Hermione?" Ron asked from the corner, his brow furrowed. "You of all people encouraging us to drink?"

Hermione summoned the bottle of vodka Ron still had clutched tightly to his chest, ignoring the annoyed look as he tried to grab it as it flew out of his arms and over into Hermione's outstretched hand. She poured half of the bottle into the large bowl of red liquid and made a little stirring motion with her finger, watching as the punch mixed in the bowl until she snapped her fingers.

"You're getting good at that wandless magic," Ginny observed quietly from her beanbag on the floor. "Wish I could do that. Would come in really handy at home."

"Yeah," agreed Ron. "I could summon Fred and George's balls every time they even thought of playing a trick on me."

Hermione grinned at Severus' inner wince.

"Right, so we've all agreed to make every effort to be nice?" Hermione confirmed, her heart sinking as she heard the knock on the door that could only belong to Draco.

I'm not ready for this, Hermione thought to Severus. I hate confrontations and arguments and inviting Malfoy here with all these lot is practically begging for a fight.

You can do this, Severus reassured her, doing his best to hide any feelings he had to the contrary. You've faced the Dark Lord himself before, what is the Platinum Blonde Prat compared to that?

Not to mention the fact that I've faced you in a bad mood before, Hermione added with a small smile. If I can survive a telling off from you, I can survive anything.

She felt Severus smile as she took a deep breath, reached for the door handle and opened it.

Draco was wearing his most expensive cloak, as some sort of defense Hermione presumed. His hair was slicked back and he had an air of nervousness about him.

Thank God, he's as nervous as I am, Hermione thought as she gestured him in.

"Right, let's get started," Hermione said brightly, conjuring Draco his own seat. "Now if you'll all just sign this parchment before we start…"

xxx

Three hours later Hermione was feeling very pleased with herself. She was the only person in the room who wasn't drunk (or even drinking) and also the only person in the room who had managed to get out of doing anything completely embarrassing.

Ginny and Luna had had to moon Filch, while using concealment charms on their faces so they wouldn't be recognized and Harry had had to do a Shirley Bassey number, complete with the sequined dress. 'Hey Big Spender' would never seem quite the same again.

Ron had had to go down to the common room and confess his undying love to Seamus, who had looked at him like he was a complete psychopath and had then said, 'Alright Ron. That's nice."

Cho had had to leap around the room making monkey noises, followed by eating a banana in a suggestive way, which had made Neville's eyes bulge, although that could have just been Hannah digging him in the ribs with her elbow. Neville and Hannah had had to describe their very first time together in embarrassing detail and had completely disgusted Draco with their soppiness. Draco himself had just been dared to kiss Harry and wasn't looking hugely pleased about it.

The look of horror on both Harry and Draco's face was enough to make Hermione beam in delight, but combined with Severus' ongoing amusing observations she was almost hysterical.

"Cho, how could you?" Harry asked in horror. "Give him another dare! Any other dare!"

"Now really Harry, The Boy Who Lived backing down from something as small as a kiss?" Hermione teased with a grin.

I think you have had me inside your head for far too long, Hermione, Severus pointed out. She had said almost exactly what he had been thinking.

"That sounded eerily like Snape," Ron observed from the corner.

"Professor Snape, Ron," Hermione corrected absentmindedly.

I'll be taking house points from Gryffindor soon, Hermione thought to Severus. God this is amusing. Which one do you think will chicken out first?

I'm not sure. I don't think Gryffindor bravery goes quite this far…

Harry glowered at Hermione; she was enjoying the situation far too much.

"It's not up to me to back down," he said through gritted death. "It's Malfoy's dare."

Draco looked around the room eyeing the gleeful expressions. He noticed that the male Weasley was a little green and grinned evilly.

"What's wrong Weasley?" Draco asked, addressing Ron. "Don't want to see your boyfriend getting off with another bloke?"

"How dare you!" Ron spluttered, trying to drunkenly get to his feet. "Just because Slytherin is full of…"

"Ron, I don't think you should finish that sentence," Ginny chastised. "Being that at least one of our brothers is gay, I'd thought you'd be a bit more open minded…"

"Gay? I'm not gay!" Malfoy spluttered, sounding remarkably like Ron. "I've had plenty of women!"

"A cover up," Ginny said, her voice teasing. "Oh go on Draco, get on with it. We all know you don't really fancy Harry."

"Bloody humiliating," Harry muttered to himself as Draco got to his feet and determinedly made his way over to his seat.

"Stand," Malfoy ordered, not looking Harry in the face. He turned to eye Hermione. "That parchment we all signed better do something really nasty to anyone who dares breath a word to anyone about this, Granger."

"It does," Hermione promised solemnly, hiding an amused grin.

Draco isn't actually gay, is he? Hermione asked Severus, wondering at the determined but nervous look on Draco Malfoy's face.

How on earth would I know? Severus asked, trying very hard not to think about Draco having sex with anyone, either male or female. It has never come up in polite conversation, if that's what you mean. 'Oh hello Luicius, lovely massacre we're having here. And by the way, is your son gay?'

For all I know he's with one of the school's House Elves every night, Severus thought with a cringe at the image of the youngest Malfoy and Dobby in a passionate clinch.

That would certainly explain some things, Hermione thought with a grin. And in certain lights Dobby could look a little like Richard Gere…

That would be with the light offHermione. Severus grinned. He had been shoved back into his cold cell about half an hour earlier. A couple of rats had run over his feet since he'd sat down on the cold hard floor and he had been very glad Hermione had ignored his pleas to free him from her mind. Rats hadn't really bothered him before, but now every one he saw reminded him of bloody Peter Pettigrew. Creepy little creatures. At least with the connection between Hermione and himself, he had something else to concentrate on. He could almost imagine he was there at Hogwarts with her, watching her friends make complete and utter prats of themselves, instead of sitting alone in the least welcoming of the Malfoy guest suites.

He watched through Hermione's eyes with something very close to horror as the blonde Slytherin pulled Harry to his feet, then sent a glower around the room.

"I'm doing this because I'm not going to be the first one to back out of a dare," Draco said, making sure everyone understood.

"Oh get on with it!" Ginny Weasley said again. Severus had noticed that she had been drinking more than everyone else in the room for most of the night and wondered if Hermione knew the cause.

Severus watched in fascination as Potter's adams apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed nervously.

"Look Malfoy, it's a ridiculous dare. You don't have to…"

"Shut up, Potter," Draco said lifting a hand to grasp Harry by the back of his head.

I can't watch. Close your eyes, Hermione.

You can watch Voldemort tear people apart, but you can't watch a couple of blokes kissing? I'd say you have some issues…

Have you been secretly sampling the punch while I wasn't looking? Severus asked.

Draco's lips were brushing Harry's over and over again and both Hermione and Severus were staring at them in morbid fascination. Harry had tipped his head to the side and…

I did not just see that, Hermione said, closing her eyes. My best friend did not just slip the Ferret the tongue. That did not just happen.

I'll join you in that complete denial, Severus said, agreeing completely. He was almost glad he'd missed out on this sort of party when he'd been a teenager. Seeing Crabbe and Goyle Senior with their tongues down each other's throats would have finished him off. He would have run to Voldemort begging to join his clan, just go get away from that.

That was not an image I needed, Hermione informed Severus.

It's alright, I doubt Slytherin ever had gatherings like this – our get-togethers mostly involved masks, Dark Lords and large snakes. Very comforting. Hermione resisted making any dirty jokes about large snakes.

This evening was turning out to be so much better than she'd expected. Draco had been doing his best to not be a complete git, and the others had all made an effort not to be antagonistic. Everyone had finally started to lower their barriers and were actually having a good time. She had even managed to talk Dobby into bringing them pizza, giving him an extra-colourful pair of socks to ease her conscience.

Aunt Matilda's crappy presents have finally come in useful. I wonder if he'd want that pair of brown nylon tights, and the multicoloured crocheted bobble hat…

I won't ask, Severus' amused voice informed her. God, she loved having him in her head, especially after thinking he'd been dead for so long. If she concentrated she could almost imagine she was curled up in his arms, her head resting against his chest. She stopped herself wondering if she'd ever be able to do that ever again. It was too depressing and tonight was supposed to be fun.

Severus bit back a groan as he felt her thoughts and tried to stop himself reaching out into the darkness to try to hold a Hermione that wasn't really there.

Harry and Draco were finally coming up for air and Hermione's eyes widened as she watched her friend take a dazed step back from Draco. His eyes were glazed and his lips were swollen and it was so something she hadn't needed to see. Ever.

"No wonder neither of us managed to snag him long term," Cho whispered to Ginny a little too loudly. "He's been harboring secret feelings for Malfoy all this time."

"He bloody well hasn't!" defended Ron, refusing to look even vaguely in Harry's direction. "Can we get on with the game, please!"

"Yeah, I don't think Hermione has done anything yet," Harry added helpfully, finally finding his voice.

Hermione shot Harry a glare and he shrugged apologetically. Anything to keep the attention off him and safely on someone else.

Draco gets to choose my truth or dare? He'll probably dare me to become a Death Eater, or sacrifice myself to Voldemort or something.

You are overestimating his intelligence, Severus said dryly. And underestimating your own. I'd stick with a truth if I were you, Hermione. At least you can talk your way out of that.

"Fine," Hermione said out loud. "Truth."

Draco looked disappointed for a moment, before his face lit up as a question came to him. He eyed her gleefully, his embarrassment at having kissed Harry temporarily forgotten in his bid to make Hermione squirm.

"So Miss whiter-than-white Granger," Draco said, his voice full of glee. "Tell us about your first time."

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Thank you once again for my lovely reviews – they totally make my day. :o) :o) :o)

If anyone wants to flame me for the Harry/Draco kiss, blame Shinohime, not me ;o)