Hermione wandered through the dungeon corridor, invisibility cloak wrapped snug over her body. She dragged her feet as a bulky sixth year walked past her, holding her breath she moulded herself to the wall. When he had walked past Hermione followed his blundering footsteps to the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Emerald Serpent" he mumbled deeply as he reached the door.

The portrait swung open with a creak and the boy stepped inside, with Hermione following quickly behind. She looked around the room, sitting opposite the roaring fire; on the deep jungle green settee was Draco, Blaise and Theodore. Draco was smirking, Blaise wore a small smile but Theodore wore a frown, and was scanning Draco's clothes.

"I don't understand, what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Not me, us. When Granger comes into the Great Hall tomorrow morning, you catch her eye and ask to talk to her."

Theodore nodded, "Okay"

"Then, you take her over to where our two tables meet" he gestured "and ask her opinion on how you should plan the yule ball as you're still having it even though the Triwizard tournament has been canceled."

"Huh, you have been listening"

Blaise snorted "yes, it's not like he came to me yesterday to find out what our Head Boy has been up to"

Draco threw a cushion at Blaise's head "I've been distracted"

Blaise chucked the cushion back "oh yeah" Blaise sat up straight and coughed while straightening his tie "hmmm, now what can I do to get Granger to notice me today?"

"Shut up! I do not fancy Granger, we just have a… a…

"Start of a hot sordid love affair?"

Hermione stepped back in surprise

"Blaise! I do NOT like Granger" Draco whispered harshly, sitting forward

She let out a sigh of relief

Draco's head spun round to face her, and he stood up "who's there"

Blaise and Theodore slowly raised too, frowns on their faces when their eyes met an empty room.

Hermione wrapped the cloak closer to her body and tip-toed towards the stairs across the room. She quietly breathed out in relief when she made it safely to the 7th year's dormitory without being discovered. Looking around the room, she searched for Draco's bed and trunk.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the perfectly made bed on the right hand side of the room. The emerald drapes were pulled neatly to the back and the trunk was tucked under the bed. Hermione was about to completely discount this bed when a name tag caught her eye. She glanced back in surprise. The tag on the trunk of the bed said 'property of Draco Malfoy', she blinked in surprise. 'Draco Malfoy owns the neatest bed in the whole history of Hogwarts? Who would have thought it!' Hermione heard voices downstairs, and realised that she better hurry up. Opening the trunk she cast the same non-verbal spell over all his robes and clothes that she had used in the corridor. She smiled contently when all of Draco's belongings turned sparkly and multi-coloured. Before she closed the lid she cast another spell so that everyone but Draco could see the colour change.

.

Before Hermione was about to head off to the Great Hall the next morning, she pulled Ginny over to a corner of the Gryffindor common room.

"It worked" she whispered excitedly "I managed to get in and out without being detected and the mission is complete. However, I heard that Draco, Blaise and Theodore are going to try and pull a trick on me this morning"

Ginny bit her lip "you didn't hear what it was?"

"No, they heard me in the common room and I had to go and find Draco's trunk. When I came back they were laughing over something a younger Slytherin had said to Professor McGonagall. All I know is that Theodore is going to try and corner me between our two tables and to make me stay there until whatever they have planned is completed."

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked, tucking her scarlet hair behind her ear.

Hermione shook her head slightly, "I don't know."

Draco looked up from his bangers and mash as Hermione and Ginny entered The Great Hall. He sent a small smirk as they looked over his way.

"Are you sure this will work?" Blaise whispered next to him

"Certain" Draco said "Well… just as long as Theo plays his part" Draco looked around "Where is Theo anyway?"

"I'm not sure; his drapes were still drawn when I got up this morning"

Draco was about to reply when a huge bought of giggling ensued across at the Gryffindor table, all the girls including first years looking straight at him.

Draco glanced at Blaise nervously "what do you think that's about?"

"Well mate, I was going to say – but you were in such a good mood this morning. You see you're kind of-," Blaise cut off, his hand rubbed his throat to find what had seemingly made him choke. Finding nothing he tried again, "you're –," Blaise erupted in a fit of coughing.

"Blaise, are you alright?" Draco slapped him on the back a few times

"Yeah" Blaise said before gulping down some pumpkin juice. Whilst drinking, his eyes danced across the Gryffindor girls. Ginny was twirling her wand in a spiral with her fingers, seeing him looking at her she gave him a cheeky smile and wink.

Blaise slammed his goblet down on the table "that little minx has cast a spell on me"

Draco looked at him curiously, excitement gleaming in his eyes "who, Granger?"

"No" Blaise glared across at the bushy brunette and red head who were in almost uncontrollable laughter. "The Weaslette"

As Hermione walked into the hall next to Ginny, she glanced over at the Slytherin table to see where her enemy in waiting was sitting. Draco was easy to spot with his sparkling robes. He gave her a small smile but she was careful to hide her own as she and Ginny walked across the hall and sat down next to Lavender and Pavarti.

"Morning girls" Hermione said politely as she took a place

"Morning Hermione" Pavarti and Lavender replied "Ginny"

"You won't believe what we've just seen" Ginny whispered, leaning across towards the girls

"What?" Pavarti and Lavender leaned in eagerly

Hermione whispered "Look over at the Slytherin table at a certain Mr Malfoy"

Lavender shrieked when she spotted Draco, "Oh my gosh!" she laughed and ran to tell one of her fifth year friends.

Pretty soon the whole Gryffindor table was filled with giggling girls and grinning boys.

"Is it just me," said Ginny "or does everything feel absolutely fantastic this morning?"

Hermione grinned, "Oh it's definitely a wonderful morning" Hermione made wild motions with her arms "the sun is shining through the ceiling, the owls are hooting, the food smells brilliant. What could be better?"

Ginny frowned and suddenly grabbed Hermione's arm "well I wasn't meaning that you actually find something bad" Hermione joked

"No" Ginny said, and pointed over to Blaise and Draco "did you place a spell so that others couldn't tell Draco what was going on?"

Hermione frowned "oh no! I didn't!" Hermione looked worryingly in Ginny's eyes

"Don't worry" there was a glint of fire hiding in her friend's eyes as she moved her wand over at Blaise.

When Blaise started coughing Ginny sat back satisfied "there we go, got there just in time! Though I only managed to confine Blaise from telling, I don't know a spell to do the whole Slytherin table"

"That's okay, I doubt they will tell him anyway, they are probably friendly with each other but everyone does like a good joke. The only other person who'd tell him is Theo, I'll get him when he comes in"

She looked towards her friend only to find her spinning her wand and grinning over at Blaise, she elbowed her laughing "you're enjoying this a lot aren't you?"

"You bet" Ginny chuckled, "not every week I can annoy Blaise and Draco"

"Since when have you been interested in annoying Blaise?"

"Oh, only for the past week" Ginny said carefully, whilst taking a huge drink of orange juice, therefore cutting off her speaking.

Hermione looked curiously at her friend, but let the subject drop.

.

Draco watched as Theo walked into the Hall and headed over to the Gryffindor table. The appraisal from some of the girls made him chuckle. He'd have to remember to tell Theo later. He watched as Theo started talking to Granger and led them to the place Draco had told them, "Sorry," Draco overheard "it's just some of those fifth years are looking at me a bit menacingly and I'd rather be in neutral ground" Theo looked over at Draco, who nodded encouragingly.

As Theo carried on as planned, Draco waited for the owl post to arrive. As he started to hear the fluttering of wings he signalled to Theo to wrap it up. He watched as Hermione smiled at Theo and felt something niggle at the back of his neck. But before he could think about whatever that feeling was, the owl post arrived. His Eagle owl swooped down near to Hermione before she could start walking away and dropped a small vial of liquid on her. Nobody except Ginny seemed to notice what happened next as they were looking through what post they had received.

Hermione started to grow smaller and smaller, her eyes turned green and her skin started to turn furry. Soon in her place, was a little black kitten, which Theo picked up and handed to Draco.

As he stood up with his hands placed around the hissing and spitting kitten, Ginny stood up across up over at her table too.

Blaise headed off to intercept her, and Draco, holding a very furious feline in his hands, descended into the dungeons.