Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or plot, settings, ect. JK does.

A/N: I am very quick getting this up, you should all be quite pleased! For you people that are not fans of Draco….erm…sorry in advance. Thank you to all the reviewers! ATTENTION: I am looking for a beta and/or a muse for United We Stand. If I didn't have to read over the chapter about five times to comb for mistakes, they would be up a lot quicker. Any one interested? Please PM me if you are, and you can start right away with the next chapter.

Also, since many of you, I know, enjoy the humor part of this fic the most (even though there is little) perhaps you might like to check out My Robin, the other fic that I have started. It is a Sirius/OC, Remus/OC romance/humor. Just in case some might be interested…Oh, and I have started posting my stuff on so if you see it there under the name proud2beinsane, tis moi. I am a little freaked out however, because apparently someone already used my e-mail address to sign up for an account there. Hmm…Sorry for the rambling! Enjoy!I do have one question for all you readers, and that is why does this fic have almost 2000 reads, but only 31 reviews? Hmmm? The last chapter had about 75 hits, but only three reviews. If you read something, then you review it! I don't mind constructive criticism, or fortune tellers either!

Oh yes, and I finally realised that the little star things I had been using for dividers in MS Word do not show up on So, enter bar divider thingies!

Chapter 11: WHAT! I snogged Draco Malfoy!

Nichole couldn't stand to look Eric in the eyes and see what she had done to him, so she simply ran from the lake straight up to the Ravenclaw fifth year girls' dormitories. She was at least grateful that it was still empty so she wouldn't have to explain why she had red blotchy eyes and black streaks down her cheeks, making her look something like Frankenstein's bride. After all, who went to bed at seven o' clock on a Saturday night? Nichole changed into her pajamas and pulled the lace curtains around her bed. She pulled up the quilt to her chin, but sleep wouldn't come. Even Shami had gone out for a late-night mouse hunting endeavor, leaving her truly alone.

And the worst thing was, was that Nichole had no one to blame for her misery but herself. She was the one who had dumped Eric, not vice versa. And if Eric had dumped her, Sarah would probably feel horrible for her and be bursting with comfort and sympathy. She would probably even offer to beat him up, or burst his manly bits for her, that's how good of a friend she was.

After a couple hours, she heard the door to the dormitory open, and heard someone sit down on the bed to her right. Sarah was back. Nichole could not bring herself to face her yet, so she kept her back turned to her and feigned sleep.

Now that she had dumped Sarah's brother, she was not so confident of how sympathetic she would actually be. She might even be a bit…well…resentful. Sarah had been so happy when Eric had started dating Nichole, and she seemed to assume that it would always be going somewhere. Come to think of it, the last time the three of them had had a really meaningful discussion was back at Sarah's sleepover during the summer. Though Nichole had informed them about her dreams she had been having about Harry, she had not told them how she could see the future. They didn't even feel like best friends any more. Since Meghan had been sorted into a different house, they saw each other only half as much, and she felt like her and Sarah were slowly drifting apart. Would her break up with Eric make it even worse? The only people Nichole had spent a considerable amount of time with lately were Eric and Harry. And she could only assume that Eric really wouldn't want to spend time with her anymore. She hoped that they could eventually go back to being friends like they used to be, but she knew that eventually was the key word in that sentence. What had she done?

It wasn't as if Nichole could just go and start spending all her time with Harry now either, that would make it look like she had broke up with Eric for him, which she kind of had, but not really. I mean, she did admit that she did feel something for Harry, but she did not plan on acting on it, at least not for a long while. After all, she did not want to lose what might now be one of the few friends she had left. Nichole rolled over on her bed, and waited for sleep to come.

Nichole made it through Sunday like a zombie. She awoke before any one else did, and skipped breakfast because she wasn't hungry. She sat in a back corner of the library, which was quite cozy when it was raining outside. She settled down to read her History of Magic textbook, which was very interesting, even if the teacher was not. They had recently been assigned a term paper that was due after the Christmas break. The paper was on the topic of the Four Founders of Hogwarts. They were expected to learn about the beginnings of each of them, how they met, how they came up with the idea to build Hogwarts and how they saw it through, and why the friendship between the four had crumbled unexpectedly. Nichole figured that she may as well start with the course book. By five o 'clock, Nichole really was starting to get very hungry, so she dragged herself down to the Great Hall. She sat down alone at the Ravenclaw table, ignoring the concerned stares of her roommates. Fortunately, they knew better than to ask any questions. As soon as she finished, she went up to her room, and into bed. Sarah returned to the dormitory with the rest of Nichole's roommates, and she went right to sleep.

The next morning, Nichole still felt like absolute crap, and Sarah obviously wasn't happy with her. Sarah could tell when Nichole was sleeping, and when she was faking. If she really wanted to, she would have made her talk. Nichole left the dormitory early, before anyone else was awake to head down to the Great Hall.

After an unsatisfying breakfast of eggs, which Nichole mostly just moved around her plate, rather than eat, and toast, Nichole headed off to the greenhouse. She still had forty minutes to go before class, so she decided to take a walk around the very large Hogwarts grounds. She went over to the lake, and climbed into the large tree near it, whose branches hung over the rippling water. The lake was very large, and Nichole saw what looked like a gigantic octopus thrashing around in the deeper waters.

All through the day, Nichole walked like a ghost through all of her classes. She listened to the professors, and took notes, and didn't speak, unless she was asked a question. At the end of the day, Nichole again climbed up to the tree by the lake, this time armed with the reading set for homework for her Defence Against the Dark Arts class. It was getting a little bit chilly by dinner, but Nichole had never minded cold, so she stayed later so she could sneak back into the castle for a late dinner and avoid Sarah, not to mention Eric. As soon as she was done eating, she climbed back up to the Ravenclaw dormitories, and drew the curtains around her bed.

The next day went much the same, only she bumped into Cho Chang on her way down the stairs.

"Sorry," Nichole mumbled.

"It's alright. You look terrible. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

"That's ridiculous, you're not fine. What happened? Did you…break up with your boyfriend?"

How did she know? Nichole simply nodded in answer.

"Aw, that's too bad. I hope you feel better. Don't forget, the try-outs for the team are the day after tomorrow."

Nichole again nodded, then carried on her way through her monotonous day.

On Wednesday, Nichole did notice something strange. As she walked into the Great Hall for her early breakfast, she noticed people staring at her. Some of them seemed to stop talking as she entered the room, as if she had been the subject of their conversation. She sat down uncomfortably at the Ravenclaw table, and quickly gulped down a small breakfast. She left as quickly as possibly to avoid the staring, but it followed her throughout all of her classes that day. There were people outside, so her tree would not be an option of privacy. Instead, she escaped to a corner of the library.

On Thursday, the stares turned into whispers, and Nichole's suspicions were confirmed. She sat quiet as a mouse in the back corners of all her morning classes, wondering what she possibly could have done. They couldn't be talking about her break up with Eric? That wasn't that important. Maybe Marietta had started some kind of rumor? Cho had said that she really didn't like her…

During lunch, Nichole was avoiding the Great Hall, and hiding out in one of the girls' bathrooms on the second floor, when a ghost suddenly popped out of the toilet she was seated upon. Nichole yelped in surprise. She was also interested to see that this ghost was not old. In fact, she looked about her age. It was what came out of the girl ghost's mouth that floored her the most, however.

"So, is it true?" the girl ghost asked, in a whiny voice.

Nichole was confused. "I'm sorry…who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Myrtle, though many people call me 'Moaning' Myrtle. I've no idea why!"

"Oh. I'm Nichole."

"Well, obviously, everyone knows who you are! So tell me, is it true?"

Everyone knew who she was? Since when? "I'm sorry…is what true exactly?"

"That you snogged Draco Malfoy of course! What else would I be asking?"

Nichole almost fainted. "I-WHAT?"

"Oh, yes, it's quite the little scandal. You're a naughty girl, you are. Right after you broke up with that Hufflepuff boy too! And still, everyone thought you did that because you liked Harry Potter, but now there's another involved. Dear me."

Nichole's head was swimming. She never. The WHOLE school was talking about this? "Who told you that?"

"Then it IS true! Oh my goodness, I must tell someone!"

Myrtle went to float off through the wall of the bathroom, but Nichole screamed, "NO! That's not what I meant! Who told you?"

"Now, don't try and deny it! Every school has at least one of…those type of persons running around, there's no need to be asham-"

Nichole cringed. That was exactly the type of reputation she wanted. "Who told you?"

"Relax, don't get your knickers in a twist! No one in particular, the whole school's going on, and on!"

Nichole ran from the bathroom, she went to the library, but it was full of studying students. As soon as she entered, they all looked up, and the whispers, and pointing began.

Have they no manners, she thought.

She tried the grounds next, but it was a nice day, and it was filled with students as well. Even her tree was occupied.

If only she could fly away from it all!

That's it! Fly! No one will be able to bother her up there!

Nichole raced off towards the broom shed. She grabbed the shiniest broom she could find because, hey, she had nothing else to go by when judging a broom's quality. She headed out to the Quidditch pitch where she had had her flying lesson with Harry. That seemed ages ago now. She mounted the broom and took off, not noticing the brown-haired figure emerging from the Quidditch storeroom. She flew a few laps around the pitch, before the brown-haired figure approached her on her own broom.

Nichole jerked in surprise. But, thankfully, it was only Meghan. Meghan whom she hadn't spoken to in ages. She stared into her brown eyes for what seemed forever, until she spoke.

"So, Nichole, am I going to have to interrogate you?"

"Sorry, it's just that…I heard that someone started rumors about…something, and I thought you might have believed them, and now you hate me, or think I'm a slut like the rest of the school."

"Nichole, think about who you're talking to! You should know that I, of all people, do not believe rumors, especially when they're about my friends!"

"Well, there's also the fact that-"

"Just because you broke up with your boyfriend doesn't make your friends hate you. You might feel guilty or something-I don't know what goes through your head. And if you like Harry Potter, then, I'd say go for it, because by the looks of it, he might like you too. Sarah being a baby about it shouldn't bother you, she'll get over it. Besides, it's not like you broke up with her. I think she's ridiculously over-reacting."

Nichole smiled. "I guess. But I'm not going after anyone yet. I think I want to be single for a while. I mostly broke up with Eric just because our relationship was dull, and I changed over the summer, you know?"

Meghan nodded in agreement.

"What I'd really like to know, is who started all of this crap!"

Meghan grinned. "Well, who is a slimy, pompous git, who likes to cause people trouble for the fun of it, and also enjoys his evil and vile reputation to boot?"

Nichole stared at her. "Malfoy? You think he started it himself? Why would he do that? I thought he hated all muggle-borns!"

"Well, that may be true, but it doesn't really seem like he was in a relationship with you, you know what I mean?"

"That…that…why? Why me?"

"Well, it's not only you he torments. I've heard horror stories from Hermione! He jinxed her teeth last year, and Snape didn't even give him so much as a detention!"

"That's horrible!"

"I know, you know what? I say we do some anti-Malfoy therapy."

"What do you mean?" Nichole asked warily. Meghan had her share of crazy ideas.

"Well, take this bat, and I'll throw those balls on the ground at you. I'll charm them to look like Malfoy's face, and you whack them as hard as you can at the target over there. Plus, it's good training for being a beater. You should try out for your house team, you're a fair flyer."

Nichole smiled. Meghan's insane ideas were sometimes a lot of fun. And smacking Malfoy's face around might be just what she needed. After half an hour, Nichole spotted a bunch of Ravenclaws making their way towards the pitch.

Crap. The try-outs were today!

She didn't ever actually mean to try out, she would never be good enough, and it would only make people laugh at her! She tried to make it to the ground before they got to the pitch, but did not succeed.

"Trying out for beater?"

Meghan had at least been smart enough to un-charm the balls they had been practicing with, but she answered her for Nichole. "You bet she is!"

Nichole glared at her.

"Well, let's get started then!"

An hour later, Nichole was making her way back from the try-outs. They hadn't been as bad as she'd anticipated. She'd been just as good as the other two people who had tried out for beater, and she did succeed in not embarrassing herself. She was about to walk up the marble staircase, when she spotted Draco Malfoy standing in the dungeon corridor talking with Professor Snape. She clenched her fists. She was feeling rather confident after the flying, and beating of bludgers around the air, so she calmly waited for Professor Snape to leave (no need for more trouble from him), before she marched up to Malfoy. She walked quietly on the stone floor, and caught up to him just as he was about to turn down another corridor.

"Excuse me?" Nichole spoke in the most menacing tone she possessed.

"Why, it's Miss Muddie. What troubles thee today, or have you come for another delightful snogging session with the Hogwarts Sex God?"

Nichole was outraged. How dare he speak to her like that, and act as though…that…had actually happened. It wasn't as though there was anyone else around. She was so angry, she did the first thing that came to mind, she slapped him right across the face. "How dare you! Why on earth would you make up something like that? And I had been thinking that you might be a decent human being! That Harry and everyone might be wrong about you!"

"I am a decent human being. Make up what? And look, you've ruined my perfect Malfoy face! If you weren't a girl, I'd hex you!"

"That horrid rumor of course! Like you don't know! And Hermione Granger being a girl didn't stop you from bullying her for five years!"

"I didn't make that up. And excuse me, but she is a very poor excuse for a girl."

"Well then who did?"

"I've no idea, but I suggest you stop shouting, because the Slytherin Common Room is just down the corridor, and these walls carry sound quite well. Unless you want the whole school to think you were having a lover's quarrel with-"

"You are absolutely sure you didn't make it up. How do I know that you're not lying?"

"Because you trust me."

"Because I-what? I certainly do not trust you! What would give you the impression that I did?"

"Because you know what I told you the other day was true."

Nichole laughed. "Hermione was so right. You are an arrogant prat!"

"Oh no, you've broken my ice-cold heart in two! What shall I do now?"

Nichole ignored his sarcasm. "If you didn't make it up, then who did?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Well, seeing as it concerns you, I thought you'd be at least a little concerned."

"Well, uh…I'm not. How's that?"

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Because, it does sound like the kind of thing I'd do."

"But everyone knows I'm a muggle-born. Doesn't that hurt your reputation or something?"

"Oh, Nicky, Nicky, Nicky. Don't you get it? Everyone that's at all important already knows your secret, even if you don't. How many times do I have to tell you, you're not a muggle-born!"

"First of all, don't you dare call me 'Nicky' ever again, or I will castrate you. Second, you are mad, because I know that my parents were both muggles. I couldn't even be half-blood, let alone pure-blood."

"That's the thing, anyone who's anybody knows that you're better than pureblood."

"Oh my god, I have had enough of this. If you are going to insist on going on about things that you will not explain to me, I will just be going. I don't have time to waste on pompous, vain-"

A voice sounded from the adjoining corridor. "Draaaacccoooo! I can hear you yelling at that whore, come on back inside won't you?" Malfoy froze. His face twisted into a grimace, and Nichole heard him mumble something. "Draaacccooo! Must I come and fetch you myself, honestly!" Nichole recognized the voice as belonging to Pansy Parkinson. She was in a few of her classes, and didn't seem very nice. The look on Malfoy's face told her that he didn't seem to like her much either. Her footsteps were coming closer every second, and Malfoy appeared to be doing some quick thinking.

He spoke very fast, "Right, um, I have a small favour to ask you. Since, you know, everyone already believes it anyway, I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we just…you know…then she'll go away, and I really do not feel like dealing with her right now-or ever. Alright?"

Nichole looked at him in confusion. What the hell was he talking about? "Wha-" Pansy was seconds from rounding the turn in the corridor, when Malfoy slammed Nichole against the stone wall and pressed his lips against hers. Nichole was shocked, and not very happy. She tried to shove him away, but all he did was momentarily pull himself away from her mouth to whisper "Just go with it," before he again began snogging her. Nichole once again found herself pinned, helplessly against the wall, eyes still wide open, and she saw the look of utter disbelief on Pansy's face as she rounded the corner. She stared for a few seconds before quietly walking away. Unfortunately, Nichole failed to notice the shocked look on a certain messy black-haired boy's face as he walked out of the Potions Office.

A/N: I do have one question for all you readers, and that is why does this fic have almost 2000 reads, but only 31 reviews? Hmmm? The last chapter had about 75 hits, but only three reviews. If you read something, then you review it! I don't mind constructive criticism, or fortune tellers either! All you people that have this fic on alert, but I have never seen a review from you…well, I know who you are! Relax, I'm not a stalker or anything, I just appreciate when people acknowledge your hardwork. I make a habit of reviewing every story that I read, out of curtesy to the author, I should hope every one does the same, but, it's not a perfect world shall we say.

AND THAT IS WHY…the next chapter shall not be posted until you people start reviewing! It is all done and sitting in my computer. All edited and everything. See? It's this one right here that says 'Chapter 12.doc'. But you won't be seeing it until I am pleased with the reviewing! It could be only three days, it could be a week, it could be a month! It's all up to you!