Hey all, sorry it took a little longer than I said it would for this chapter to get out. It's definitely my longest one yet so I'm definitely wanting reviews for this one! As for those who have reviewed, thank you guys SO much!

I think Chapter 6 may take a little longer since I'll be a little busy this week but I'll have it out soon, I promise!

Chapter 5: Civilized Conversation

That night at dinner, things were tense between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Seamus had once again slighted Ginny so she was sitting amidst the tension.

"Alright. Someone tell me what's going on." Ron and Hermione had started to say "no" when Harry cut them off with a burst of laughter.

"Hermione had a sex dream about Malfoy!" Ginny's mouth fell open only to release a fit of giggles. Hermione, however, was not as pleased.

"Harry, I'm glad you find it hysterical that I had a horrible nightmare about the slimy Slytherin I'm living with. Perhaps you'll have one about Ron so you can see how ridiculous you'll feel." Ron and Harry exchanged disgusted glances.

"I have to admit though- it's no wonder you dreamt about him. I don't know what it is but he looks amazing this year," Ginny said. Harry's face fell as Ron gawked at his sister.

"Yeah, must be that intense Deatheater training. Does a body good," Harry muttered.

"Oh please, Harry. You know that Malfoy's not a Deatheater. Dumbledore would never permit advocates for the Dark Arts in Hogwarts. Lucius Malfoy knows he'll have to wait until Draco has at least graduated." Hermione was right. She was always right.

"He might as well have that mark on his arm though," said Ron. "Everyone knows he's going to join You-Know-Who anyway." Harry nodded in agreement with his best friend.

"You don't know for sure," said Ginny. "I overheard Pansy tell one of the other Slytherin girls in the bathroom that Malfoy just got in a fight with his father about something involving the Dark Arts this summer. Maybe he's not so eager to follow in his father's footsteps."

"Ginny, it almost sounds like you're standing up for Malfoy!" Ron looked at his sister in astonishment.

"Pity, Weasley. First your girlfriend and now your sister. Perhaps I'll charm your mother next." All eyes turned to find a smirking Draco standing behind Hermione. Ron tried again to dive at Draco but Ginny and Harry held him back.

"What do you want, Malfoy? Haven't caused enough trouble for today?" Hermione sneered at Draco.

"Oh no, Granger, I'm quite satisfied with today's events. I just came over to tell you that Dumbledore wants us to visit each dorm tonight and formally greet everyone and go over the basic rules for the first years. Then we're to patrol the halls," he looked pointedly at Ron, "alone."

"Alright, I guess we should go over what we should say." Hermione looked wistfully at her friends. "I'll see you all later when we come to the Gryffindor tower."

"Okay, bye Hermione." Ron leaned over and pecked her on the cheek and the Head Girl and Boy retreated to their dorm. Ginny gasped.

"What?! When did that happen?! Why does no one tell me anything?!" Ginny sputtered. Harry laughed and grinned at Ron.

"About time, right?"

"Yes! And this means I win ten galleons!" Ron choked on his food.

"WHAT?!"

"Fred, George, and I made a bet last year how long it would take both to get together. I said that it would happen by your graduation, Fred said you would die a lonely bachelor, and George— oh nevermind, anyway, I get ten galleons!" Ginny's face had turned beet red after reminiscing about the wager. Unfortunately for her, Harry and Ron noticed and they devilishly grinned at each other.

"Gin, why did you leave out what George said?" Harry inquired.

"Yeah, what could be worse to mention than me dying alone? Wow. I think I'm finally realizing how cursed I am to have Fred and George as brothers." Harry stifled a laugh and Ginny blushed redder still.

"No, Ron, George thought you would actually get with Hermione, but not until something else happened first." Harry and Ron looked expectantly at Ginny.

"Well?"

"Ginny, you're not leaving til you tell us! I see you edging away from the table!" Ron grabbed onto his sister's arm. Ginny looked back and forth between Harry and Ron, panic clearly written across her face. She took a deep breath and spoke very quickly.

"George said you'd get with Hermione, but not until Harry and I got together first." Ginny wrenched her arm from Ron's grasp and took off at lightning speed to the Gryffindor tower.
"Okay, I think we're ready and it's just about time to head over to the Hufflepuff tower." Hermione was relieved that she and Draco had civilly gone over their objectives, but she was feeling a little tense.

"Alright Granger, you seem nervous. What gives?" Draco's voice lacked his usual hint of sarcasm. Hermione noticed and she replied in the same fashion.

"I'm not exactly looking forward to walking into Gryffindor with you and I'm not too happy about being shut in a tower with all of the Slytherins either. Call me crazy, but I don't think your lot fancy me too much now, do they?" Hermione laughed but she truly felt a bit apprehensive.

"Aren't you Gryffindors supposed to be brave?"

"Oh shove it, Malfoy." Hermione turned away but Draco continued.

"I should be more scared about Gryffindor than you. They probably think I'm poisoning you or something. As for Slytherin, you have nothing to worry about since we're there strictly for Head duty. I'll be there with you anyway." Hermione simply laughed.

"Seriously Malfoy, why on earth do you think that would be of comfort?"

"I don't know, Granger. You just reminded me of something I've been meaning to ask you though." Hermione looked up at him thoughtfully and raised her eyebrows. Draco grinned. "Exactly how comforting was I in your dream?" He burst out laughing and Hermione glared at him murderously yet playfully.

"WHY YOU LITTLE—" Hermione lunged at Draco and he pinned her to the floor.

"Now Now, Granger. It's not fair to act out your fantasy without letting me in on it." Hermione struggled to break free from Draco's grasp, but after realizing he was much stronger, she stopped.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" Draco eyes twinkled and he smirked.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Well I was kind of hoping you'd take pity on me," Hermione laughed.

"Oh I already do. I feel bad that you have to hold yourself back from my addicting charm and devilishly good looks so that you can pretend to feel something for Weasley." He let go of her and she scowled at him.

"I don't know why you've decided you need to play a part in my relationship with Ron, but I would appreciate it if you kindly stop being such a prat." Draco glared at Hermione and looked to the clock posted on the wall of their common room.

"Come on, it's time to go."
"Ginny, for the last time, if you don't get down here, you will be sorry!" Ron was yelling up the staircase to the girls' rooms in the tower with a smile plastered on his face. Christmas had come early for him this year. Harry, on the other hand, was not so thrilled.

"Ron," he whispered. "Will you please stop? You're going to ruin any chance I have with your sister." Harry's eyes bulged as he realized his mistake. Ron turned quickly from the staircase and started towards Harry.

"WHAT?!"

"Oh Merlin..." Harry slowly inched his way to the portrait: his only means of escape.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

"Ron, calm down..."

"HARRY! YOU FANCY MY SISTER!"

"Well gee Ron, thanks for informing me. Mind keeping your voice down?" Harry looked around to make sure neither Ginny nor her friends were around.

"Some friend you are!" Ron was fuming and Harry had to admit he was a bit scared.

"What are you talking about?! You were just about to go make fun of Ginny for possibly fancying me, but I can't feel the same?!"

"THAT'S DIFFERENT!" Ron was still angry but a little confused at his own comment.

"How?!"

"She can fancy my friends all she likes, but they can't actually like her back!" It was clear to both Ron and Harry that Ron was making no sense whatsoever.

"WHY NOT?!"

"BECAUSE... BECAUSE SHE'S MY SISTER!"

Harry and Ron stared at each other. Harry was furious at Ron's overprotective nature and Ron was steaming from Harry's sudden interest in Ginny.

"First off, we don't even know if Ginny really likes me. She could have just been embarrassed that George thought she did. Second, if she does, shouldn't you be happy that she'd be with someone you trust rather than say... Malfoy?" Harry looked pleadingly at Ron.

Neither knew that Ginny was hiding behind one of the doors closest to the staircase listening to their every word. The name "Malfoy" hit a nerve in Ron. Because of Hermione, Ron despised him more than usual.

"You're right, mate. I'm sorry. I know I can trust you and I was stupid for overreacting."

Ginny was in shock. She smiled to herself. Harry fancies me and Ron is actually okay with it!

Harry was about to say something to Ron when Hermione and Draco walked into the common room. Ron clenched his fists and there was an awkward silence. Harry decided to break it.

"I'll go tell everyone you're here."

After a few minutes, all of Gryffindor were sitting in the common room listening to the basic rules for the year. When they were done, Hermione looked at Ron who still had his fists clenched. Draco noticed as well and smirked at Ron. Hermione walked over to Ron and kissed him on the cheek.

"I won't be able to see you tonight because I have night patrol duty." Ron smiled at her and gave her a hug.

"No problem, I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast then."

Draco and Hermione walked out through the portrait and onto their last destination: Slytherin. When they approached the tower, Draco noticed Hermione was fidgeting.

"Not that brave without Potter and Weasley, are you?" Hermione glared at him and Draco laughed. "Relax, I wasn't kidding around before... as uncomforting as it sounds to you." He walked ahead of her through the portrait after saying the password, "Pureblood Palace."

Throughout the meeting, many Slytherins sneered and smirked at Hermione. She felt as though she was surrounded by a pack of rabid dogs. Surprisingly enough, no one said anything to her until they finished.

"Are you finally going to explain to us why we should listen to a Mudblood like you?" Hermione gave a cold glare at the commentator, Pansy Parkinson.

"Because—"

"Because I'm telling you to," Draco cut in. "If you don't, Dumbledore will suspect that I put you up to it and I will most likely lose my position." It was enough to keep Pansy and the rest of the Slytherins quiet. Hermione had to laugh at the amount of power Draco had over them. There was tension in the room and everyone felt it. Draco grinned at his fellow Slytherins. "You know I wouldn't tell you to do something if there wasn't good reason." The tension immediately died. Hermione could not believe she was standing before so many power-hungry people. She and Draco left the room without another word.

"Before you go running to Dumbledore about what a horrible Head Boy I am, I should tell you that I didn't mean that." He continued walking quickly while Hermione tried to keep up.

"I wasn't going to 'run to Dumbledore.' I somehow knew you didn't mean it." They both slowed to a normal walking pace. "Why did you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Pretend like something was in it for them. Why do you all crave power so badly?" Hermione asked her question softly.

"Like you said, Granger, I pretended. We don't all crave power," Draco said solemnly.

"So Ginny was right then," Hermione said, mainly to herself.

"About what?"

"She said that she overheard Pansy say you had a fight with your father about the Dark Arts, and Ginny thought that maybe you didn't want to be like your father... she was right, wasn't she?" Hermione noticed that she and Draco were walking very slowly. He cast his eyes toward the floor and it was obvious that he took time to think of what he was about to say.

"Granger, I don't trust anyone with this information- especially not someone who has despised me for the past six years. Keep your nose out of where it does not belong." Hermione and Draco walked in silence for the next few minutes.

"Malfoy?" They both paused in the corridor. Draco turned to face her.

"Yes?" She blushed and looked to the ground.

"I... well... it's... it's nice having a civilized conversation with you." She avoided his gaze and walked ahead, leaving Draco for a quick moment smiling to himself. They retreated back to their quarters shortly after and parted ways to their rooms.

That night, they both did not know that the other was lying awake thinking about what had just happened, and as they went to sleep, they both did not know that the other was smiling for the same reason.

Ok, I hope you all liked that one! Like I said, I'm taking my time with Draco and Hermione, but don't worry, it will happen! Review!

Enchantress