Disclaimer: One of these days, after I get out of the "fanfiction phase", I am going to start writing original books that will make me a BILLION KADRILLION DOLLARS!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!! *lightning strikes in the background* Then, maybe I will have all sorts of fanfics written about my work. Then I'll go back into the "fanfiction phase" and write fanfics about my own books. HEEHEHEHEHEEEE! And.... *laughs so hard, starts gasping for air* I won't write a disclaimer! HAHAHAHAH!!!!! And people will try to sue me, but it won't work!!! Cuz IT BELONGS TO ME! ALL OF IT!! HAHAHAHAAAA! ... ... Ahem.... Unfortunately, this is about Harry Potter, which I don't own... So... Yeah....

~*~*~**~*~*~

It was time for the 5th years to have PE, and Shaylee was waiting in the room, not tardy for once, huddled in a downy coat instead of her usual robes. She had used her strange logic to see that dressing in her school robes was being disrespectful to the rest of the faculty, because if she froze to death, they would have to find a new teacher.

Her cousin walked in the room with Harry. Hermione and Draco were close behind, talking with their heads huddled together. Ron laughed when he saw her. "Not used to the weather, Shay?"

Shaylee glared at him and sniffed indignantly. "Does the term 'South France' mean anything to you? It's warmer there than it is here. Besides, my dad always took us someplace warm for the holliers*. I didn't exactly spend that much time in cold weather."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Nice excuses, Shay. What are we doing today?"

Shaylee chuckled bitterly. "Oh, you'll see... It's ironic how I'm the teacher, yet I can't change the class schedule because of the weather..."

Hermione looked at Draco apprehensively. "I take it we're doing something outside, then..."

Draco shrugged. He appeared to be deep in thought. "Draco? Are you listening to me?"

Draco came out of his "trance" and smiled at Hermione. "Yeah, sorry, Hermione. I was just thinking about when we should ask-" Hermione shushed him. "Just wait, Draco."

"OK, everyone! Sit down!" Shaylee said as she leaned against the now closed door.

"Today, we're going to go outside-" She narrowed her eyes. "-and ice skate on the lake. Please don't break the ice or get hurt, because I will be too cold to save you and you'll be out of luck."

Her students just looked at her blankly. She sighed. "Don't worry. The ice is frozen. Just get out there."

They walked down to he entrance hall, chatting with their friends on the way. Shaylee led them outside to the lake.

"OK, guys! Listen!" she called, pulling her arms out of the sleeves and into her coat for warmth. "In a minute, you'll have ice skates on, but first, you need to understand my rules."

She waited until they were silent, then started again. "This is the only part of the lake you can skate on. The squid has already claimed the eastern end for itself."

She told them the rest of the rules, then pulled her arm out so that she could transfigure their shoes into skates. She did so, then watched as they skated off onto the ice, trying to stifle her laughter at those who were tentatively stepping out onto the iceso that they wouldn't fall.

There was a sudden gust of wind that caused Shaylee to pull her arms back into her coat. After she was safely bundled up again, she turned her gaze back to her class.

Hermione was skating backwards, pulling Harry along, trying to get him to skate. Draco and Ron were skating on either side of them, laughing at Harry's attempts.

"Oh, honestly, you two! It's not as if Harry ever had the chance to go to a public skating rink!" Hermione chided them.

"Neither have I," Draco claimed, grinning at her cockily. "My mother has her own skating rink in our backyard. She taught me." With that, he went into a sophisticated, though truthfully simple, twirl.

Harry glared at Draco while Hermione muttered darkly, "Show off..." Ron chuckled at this and Draco grinned.

"No, actually, that's the only halfway interesting thing I can do. I was just trying to-" He paused, trying to think of a word. "Show off," Ron finished for him. They both laughed as Draco admitted that this was true.

Shaylee shook her head and laughed. Who would have ever thought that Ron and Draco would ever be joking around with each other?

After they were done ice skating and it was time for them to make their way back to the castle, the 5th years skated off of the ice to be transfigured back into their shoes. Harry had been successful so far in skating back without falling, while Draco was listening to Ron's description of the pond in his backyard where he learned to ice skate. They were getting along well, though the sight of them talking was scaring a few of their classmates.

They were just reaching the edge of the lake when Draco looked at Ron conspiringly (AN: It turns out it isn't a word, but you know what I mean, right?). Ron grinned as he saw what Draco was "saying". He nodded, and on the count of three, the two whizzed right past Harry, making him falter and fall right on his face, which was, luckily, in the area to fall on the snow.

Both Ron and Draco laughed as they saw Harry laying face-down in the snow, looking up at them accusingly. "Funny, guys..."

The two skated back up to him peacfully and offered their hands to help him up. He took their hands, stood up carefully, then tore away from them quickly, causing them to fall down on the ice, leaving all of them laughing.

~*~*~**~*~*~

Shaylee walked through the dungeons towards Severus' classroom. She had just come in from outside, and her cheeks were still red, and she was still keeping her arms inside her coat. She turned the corner and saw Scott coming out of the classroom, talking quietly with Fred, George and Lee.

"Hey! If it isn't my four favorite 7th Year male Gryffindors!" Shaylee greeted.

Fred jumped, but George looked up smoothly and merely commented, "We're the only 7th year male Gryffindors."

Shaylee shrugged. "Well, that's beside the point. I'll see you guys later, I guess."

She took a few more steps towards the Potions classroom when Scott said, "Hey Shay, now I feel left out. Not a single word to me."

Shaylee giggled and turned around to him. "Aw, poor ittle Scotty... Are you jealous now?"

Scott grinned. "You caught me! I just can't bear to have my Shay go talk to other guys..." He put his arm on his forehead, acting melodramatic.

Shaylee smiled back at him. "Your Shay? And how do you know I'm going to talk to someone?"

Scott chuckled as Fred and George turned away to hide their mocking smiles. "Well, never mind that. But, I believe that that someone heard your voice flirting in the hallway and came to investigate."

Shaylee turned around and saw Severus standing in the door to his classroom. She smiled at him tentatively, then turned back to Scott. "Jerk. You let me sound like a flirt."

Scott almost couldn't keep himself from laughing. "But, you are one, Shay!"

She narrowed her eyes at him, though couldn't help a small smile. "Stop twistin' hay+, Scott. I'll see you later."

He grinned at her as she turned around and walked into the Potions room and sat in a desk in the front row.

"Hey Sevvy," she finally greeted as she got situated.

"Hello," Severus greeted coolly as he also sat down at his desk. "Did you want something?"

Shaylee glared at him as she stood up. "Severus Snape! Is there a problem? I understand jealousy, but what in the world is this?"

There was silence as Severus looked at her for a few seconds. He stood up abruptly, muttered something, and breezed out of the room. Shaylee just sat there and put her head down on the desk. It wasn't supposed to be that way, she thought. He wasn't supposed to fall in love...

~*~*~**~*~*~

Shaylee jumped as she walked into her office that night to see Severus sitting on the beanbag, calmly reading. She couldn't help but laugh. "You have no idea how stupid you look."

He looked up at her briefly. "Likewise." He seemed to have either forgotten about that afternoon, or was choosing to ignore it. She rolled her eyes at his comment. "Thanks. Hey!" she said, as she noticed what he was doing. "Why are you reading ahead?"

"I felt like it. You've already read it anyway."

Shaylee shrugged and sat down on the floor next to him. "What part are you at?"

"Chapter 17," Severus answered shortly, barely glancing up at her before going back to the book.

Shaylee laughed. "The safety pin... Again..."

"Exactly..." Severus paused, then closed the book. "Am I going to be clobbered by your family tomorrow?"

Shaylee grinned. "Not physically, no. Possibly mentally."

"Lovely."

"No worries!" Shaylee reassured. "Just stay around me and I'll make sure no one bites you!"

~*~*~**~*~*~

There was a knock on the portrait hole door in the Gryffindor Common Room. Hermione jumped up and ran to it expectantly while Harry and Ron looked after her, confused.

She opened it and looked outside cautiously. When she saw who was there, she smiled. "Come on in."

When the portrait hole opened the entire way, Draco stepped in. Harry and Ron didn't really look like they minded, but they were looking around at their house-mates to see their reaction. It wasn't very pleasant. There were people in huddles, whispering quietly and shooting violent glances at him and Hermione.

"Hey," Ron greeted him as Harry eyed the surrounding people warningly. "You might want to sit in the middle so that you don't get murdered," he offered.

Harry nodded as Draco and Hermoine wedged themselves on the couch between Harry and Ron.

Harry leaned over. "Hermione? Do you mind telling us why there is a Slytherin in the Common Room?"

Hermione looked at him strangely.

"I don't mind, but... I'd rather not be pummeled by other Gryffindors, really," he amended.

"Don't worry. He'll be out of here in a few minutes. We just need to speak you to guys and Scott. Where is he by the way?"

"Present," came the voice from behind them.

They turned around to see Scott leaning against the back of the couch and looking at them. He vaulted over so that he was sitting between Draco and Ron, causing the fit on the couch to be a very tight squeeze.

"I was wondering what the upset was, and I came over to see that it's only my man Draco joining us for a little get-together," Scott said, purposely going back to his normal American way of speaking, rather than talk in his adopted English slang. Hermione glared at him softly. "Scott, shut it. This isn't a friendly get together. We need to talk to you guys."

There was a pause as the three other Gryffindors looked at each other, puzzled. "O...K..." Ron finally said.

"I've told you both-- and Scott already knew-- that Draco's father was just trying to get to me through him..." Hermione started. Ron and Harry nodded while Scott just sat back and listened intently.

"Well, I have agreed to go to Draco's house during Christmas vacation-" She kept going, despite the looks that Ron was giving her. "-where we've decided to... Well..." She paused, trying to think of the appropriate term. "Give Lucius what he deserves, I guess..."

Draco joined in."The thing is, we need help. There are going to be other powerful wizards there, and we can't handle them by ourselves."

Hermione nodded. "And... That's what we're asking you for... Your help."

Scott grinned immediately. "I'm in. You can count on me," he said, thumping Draco on the back.

Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment, conveying messages to each other. Then, Ron nodded at him and Harry looked up. "We'll do it."

Hermione grinned. "Great. You guys are wonderful! We'll talk about the rest later. I'd better get Draco out of here before we start another World War..."

~*~*~**~*~*~

*: holidays
+: causing trouble in a playful way

R/R!! I love you guys!! Really!