Chapter Five

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Ron asked angrily.

Hermione looked perplexed. "What…" was all she said. What could she say?

"He's done something to you hasn't he?" Harry asked, worry evident in his voice.

"No, he hasn't, so don't go pestering him about me. Be mean to him if you want to. You could kill him for all I care, but do it for a good reason, and not because you think he had something to do with the way I'm acting. Be careful when you decide what actions to take. You don't tend to look deep enough into things. Make sure you know exactly what you are doing, before you do it," with that said, she walked past them to her dorm.

"She's hangs out with our enemy, and we're the ones who get lectured?" Ron said skeptically, watching his friend walk away.

"Something really weird is going on," Harry said. "And I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

"How?"

"I'll find a way. Hermione's always telling us to use our heads, right? So that's just what I'll do."

………………………………….

"Something really weird is going on, and I can't figure out what it is," Hermione huffed, as she jumped onto Amber's bed. "It's crazy how- Oh my gosh. I can't get over how great your room is. I wish mine was like this. It's too bad I have to share," Hermione looked around the room again.

It was a one room dorm, in a sense. Her bathroom and walk in closet were separated from the room by green beads hanging from the doorframe. The bed was in the back of the room. It was a bit larger than a king. It was very puffy, with ten pillows set on top. The ensemble was a collage of blue green and purple.

There was a small library in the opposite corner, and a study right next to that. The colors varied throughout the room, but they all matched.

"Well, you can stay here whenever you want. Just let me know, unless it's an emergency."

"You bet. I don't suppose I could make your library a bit bigger?" Hermione asked, glancing at the books in the corner.

Amber laughed, "Of course you can, but you might want to see the rest of my library first."

"What?" Hermione looked around, "Where?"

Amber waved her hand, and shelves filled with books suddenly lined the walls. "Books were practically my life. You didn't think that, that was all I had, did you?" She laughed again.

"Well, I have to admit I was surprised to see that you didn't have very many, but I figured there was a good reason for it," she said, as she got off the bed and walked around the room, looking at the books. "Wow," she breathed. "Yep, you definitely have the best room ever. Why don't you have more stuff in it, though? There's a huge area in the middle that has nothing in it. What is it?"

"That is where I practice my magic."

"How? I mean, what do you practice on?"

Amber looked at Hermione, "Well, I conjure something to practice on. It's all a part of training. You should try it. You can conjure anything you want. You could even transport something, or some one. Muggle technology works here as well. This is the most dangerous place in the castle, because anything goes here. None of the Hogwarts rules apply in here, so make good use of it, and remember, don't tell anyone. It's a secret."

"Are you serious? You can watch T.V. and listen to music in here? That is so cool. Anything applies? That sounds awesome. Very dangerous, but awesome. Anyone? I could bring anyone here? Even my parents? Not that I'm going to or any-. Wait a second. If you can summon anyone here, then can anyone get in here, without being summoned?" Hermione turned to look at Amber.

"That's what makes this room so dangerous. However, no one knows about this. Not even Professor McGonagall. So you see why it is so important that you don't tell anyone?" Amber sat up, and looked Hermione in the eyes.

Hermione nodded, "I won't tell anyone, I promise. So, guess what I got Malfoy to let me do today?" Hermione said, changing the subject. She jumped back onto the bed.

"What?"

"He's going to let me use his broom from now on, whenever I want to. I don't even have to ask," Hermione beamed.

"You're kidding," Amber's eyes got wide. "He loves that thing. He'd never let anyone touch it, especially you."

"I know. It was so weird. We were out on the lake when I asked him. I'm not even sure what made me do it, but I did. I expected him to blow up in my face, for even suggesting such a thing, but nope, he agreed. As long as nothing happens to it."

"You were on the lake? How so?"

"Well…" Hermione described everything to her, starting from the night before, when she got the owl from Fred and George.

Amber smiled, after hearing the whole story. "You are so lucky to be alive right now. I bet you're glad you took that potion."

"What was that potion?" Hermione asked.

"Something I made up, so it doesn't have a name. I made it so you could relax. There is so much you can do, but you were too uptight to do any of it. Don't worry, it's nothing bad, and it will wear off in a week or so, but I'm hoping you will have changed by then. I hope you realize how much you can still do when you relax and have fun.

"Take today for example. You walked on water, with the help of a broom, ran around, took a nap, and still managed to finish next weeks homework without feeling stressed at all. I'm hoping that you'll still be pretty much the same as you are now, when the potion wears off."

"Me too," Hermione said, when Amber was finished. "So, you made that potion? How long did it take you? Did you have to…?"

…………………………………………

"You had better pay more attention to your reputation."

"What?"

"Your job may involve getting to know this girl, but you can't hang out with her in public. Be nice to her in private, and avoid her as best you can when you are out in the open. Displays like today are going to ruin you," Blaze advised his friend.

"Oh… that. Right,… well…"

"Hey, one little mistake, right? Besides, I don't think too many people saw. And-"

"It's a bit more complicated then that, mate," Draco said, as he got up from the couch in the Head's common room. "Her attitude has changed. She's not the same mudblood we use to know."

"What do you mean? She couldn't have changed that much," Blaze questioned.

"She's more laid back. She-"

"Come on Draco, we have to patrol," Hermione said from the doorway. "Also, I think we need to talk to Professor McGonagall, and do shut your mouth Zabini. It's rude." She turned and left.

"So what you actually meant to say before, was that she got hot," Blaze said, as he walked to the portrait with Draco.

"No, I meant what I said. The hot part was included."

"What are you two talking about?" Hermione asked, after hearing the end of their conversation.

"Why you of course," Blaze said with a grin, as he started walking backward.

She laughed, "Right, of course."

Blaze grinned again, turned around, and started running down the hall, back to the Slytherin dorm.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Hermione asked, as she walked with Draco.

"Nothing important. Why do you want to talk to Professor McGonagall?"

"I want to set up a few activities this year, since leaving the grounds is strictly forbidden."

"What kind of activities?" Draco asked, looking at Hermione.

She also turned to look at him, "I was thinking we could have a Ball or two. Maybe we could set up some clubs. So people can have some things to do after classes. I just want them to have something to do, to help keep their minds off of all of the bad things happening," Hermione explained.

"Isn't that kind of a bad idea?"

She frowned and stopped walking. He also stopped and turned to face her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Isn't it a bad idea for everyone to take their minds off of the outside world? They need to know and fear what is going on. If they don't, then there will be no one to fight against it."

"There are plenty of people to fight against it. Some of the younger kids at this school can't do anything to-"

"You'd be surprised at what they can do. Those that are here are here to learn. They want to help fight. Besides, wasn't it your friend Potter who fought against the Dark Lord in his first year, and weren't you and Weasley there to help?"

She smiled, "Alright, then we'll have the Balls for fun, and we'll set up different clubs to teach them more spells. How does that sound?"

He grinned, "Much smarter."

She hit him in the arm and laughed. "Fine, let's go."

He followed her to the Headmistress's office. Once they had explained their proposal, she gave them a bunch of information, and sent them on their way, with new assignments for that year.

"This is going to be so much fun," Hermione said. "We should get Professor R to be in charge of one of the clubs. She has a lot she can teach everyone."

"Yeah," Draco said with a sad smile.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. She had never seen or heard him sound like that before.

"What? Oh, nothing. That sounds good."

She gave him a strange look, but decided to drop the subject. When they reached their dorm, she said, "I'm going to go ask Professor R about being head of one of our clubs. I'll be in, in a second."

"Alright, but if she says no, don't pressure her," he said sternly.

She nodded, "I won't. But I don't think she'll-"

"Neither do I, but just in case. Don't beg her."

"Okay," she said the password, and went into the room across from hers.

"Back again? You know, if you want this room that bad, then I'll trade you."

"No, that's not why I'm here, I have two things I want to talk to you about."

"Okay, shoot."

"Well, earlier when I came in here I was going to tell you that something weird was going on, and now I would like to continue that conversation, because Draco is acting really weird."

"How so?" Amber sat up on her bed, as Hermione came up and sat on the end.

"Well, for starters, he's being nice, and he seems to be concerned about something that involves you. Also, I am acting weird as well, and I know part of that is the potion, but not all of it is, and I don't know where the rest of it is coming from."

"Well, as far as Draco goes, you're just one of those lucky people who gets to see the real him. If he's being nice, it's because he has decided that you are someone he could be friends with. Just remember that I am his best friend, and I still don't know which side he's on. So, be careful.

"You are not acting weird, you are being yourself, and you aren't yourself very often, so you just think you are being weird. The potion is doing its job. It's getting you to relax and open up on your own. So in a technical sense, it is the potion," Amber explained.

"I wish I was as smart as you," Hermione sighed. "Also, I wanted to ask you if you could be in charge of a club. It would pretty much be a Defense Against the Dark Arts club. Students would ask you about different spells that they want to learn, and you would teach them, and of course, if there were any spells you wanted to teach, you could do that as well. So, what do you say?"

Amber thought a moment, "Sounds like it could be fun. Could I give homework?"

Hermione laughed, "Yes, but it would have to be kind of easy, or an assignment for them to get into a different club, that specialized on harder more dangerous spells and curses. It's to help them prepare for the war, just in case something happens, we want them to be able to protect themselves."

Amber smiled, "I think it sounds like a great idea. Plus, that means I would technically be in charge of two clubs."

"Yeah, sorry, I'd ask some one else, but-"

"I'm the best of the best."

"Exactly."

……………………

"So, how'd it go?" Draco asked, as soon as Hermione walked in.

"She said she'd do it," Hermione smiled.

"Both of them?"

"Yep. She thinks it's a really good idea."

"I figured she would, but I didn't want you to pressure, just in case. She's kind of odd," Draco laughed.

Hermione laughed as well, "That she is. So, what are you still doing up?"

"I just wanted to see how everything went," he stood up.

"I see. You really care for her don't you?"

He nodded, "S he's my best friend."

"Yet you still keep her out of the loop."

He growled, and Hermione knew that she shouldn't have said that. "You have no idea what's going on! So, I suggest you mind your own damn business!" he yelled, and stormed off to his room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," she said, as he slammed his door. "Oops," she said to herself. "Hope he's not still angry in the morning, or he might decide that I can't use his broom."

……………….

"Bitch. She has no idea what she's talking about. How much about me has Amber told her? At first I didn't think she would tell anything, but now I'm not so sure. It's not like her." He sighed, "I'm slipping."

How am I supposed to do this? It's too hard to be nice and mean at the same time. Everyone's getting suspicious. And Hermione. What am I supposed to do about her? I think I like her, and that is definitely not a good thing. My job has nothing to do with her and her friends. I just told Blaze that, to get him off my back. I really need to start looking into my real job.

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AN: Sorry it took so long. I was camping for two weeks, and busy getting ready for it the week before, so sorry this chapter is kinda bad.