A/N: long celebratory screech WHOOOOOOOOO!!!! I HAVE OVER 100 REVIEWS!!!! I love you guys, I never thought I'd break the 100-mark!!! I know I've been gone for a long time, but it's really a good thing. I didn't really have the plot in my head, just vague ideas with a few good lines and aspiring characters. But now, I have the whole plot figured out!! . Anywho, I made this chapter in a very good mood, while listening to the amazing band known as Hinder. So, enjoy and review!!

A while had passed since the "rip-ups" as they came to be known.

Things were more or less calm again, although often Hermione and, occasionally, Draco, would confiscate all sorts of nasty things upperclassmen were selling that were supposed to "protect" the younger.

While most of them were more or less harmless, there had been an incident where Draco had tried to confiscate a supposed potion to make the drinker invisible for 24 hours, and somehow the potion spilled all over him.

The potion had fizzled and burnt through his robes nastily, and while he had immediately been taken to the Hospital Wing, he had nasty scars all over his chest. Of course, this just meant he got more attention than normal. But he wasn't taking advantage of it like he normally would have been.

In fact, the only one who seemed to notice this new behavior was Hermione, and she had little idea what to think about it. It was difficult to imagine he had matured that much.

Two days after the "rip-ups", Draco had officially asked her out. At the Gryffindor table. She grinned, remembering it...

Three days ago...

Hermione was trying unsuccessfully to cut her bacon. She didn't know if it was because her hands were shaking from nerves or the elves had made it too hard, but no matter what she couldn't slice it.

Today was the day Draco would ask her out. She blushed, remembering how they had discussed it the night before. He wasn't at her table yet for breakfast, but he soon would be.

The Gryffindors had pretty much accepted Draco and Hermione as friends. Even Ron, somehow. Although that was probably because Ronald Weasley was currently completely enchanted by, and dating, Pansy Parkinson. Of all people.

She snorted thinking about it, but what was she to say? She was about to date a Slytherin too.

She felt someone slide onto the table bench next to her. Her heart started fluttering like crazy when she saw Draco's pale fringe out of the corner of her eye. He smiled at her, and ate his breakfast, seemingly not nervous at all.

Once he had finished, and Hermione was just nibbling on a cinnamon scone, he turned to her, giving her a tiny wink. Out loud, he said, "Hermione?"

Praying she wouldn't stutter, she answered, "Yes?"

He grinned at her. "Will you go out with me?"

The entire Gryffindor table went silent. The other tables paid them no heed, but all conversation at the red and gold table stopped. Ginny was giggling hard into her hand, trying not to show it. Harry was staring, eyebrows raised, but no real expression on his face.

Ron was an interesting story. His face kept shifting from normal, to purplish-red, to normal, to purplish-red, to normal.

Biting her lip, Hermione let a smile loose, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering like crazy. Softly, she said, "Yes. I will."

She had to giggle when Draco whooped and put one of his arms around her, grinning like he had just won the lottery.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at Hermione, and, grinning, mouthed 'You're going to talk to me about this later.' Hermione nodded back, her butterflies gone, really happy for the first time in several days.

So now it was two weeks to New Years and there was rumor that the party would be beyond anything Hogwarts had ever done before, including the Yule Ball.

It was Monday, and the Great Hall was full with chatter and clatter, of people and cutlery. There was a rumor buzzing that Dumbledore had an important announcement, and sure enough, after the plates were cleaned, he cleared his throat and stood up.

Hermione sank slightly into her chair, figuring it would probably be about the Trampoline Lessons she and Draco were supposed to be working on.

Dumbledore waved his hands for a quiet hush to fall. "My dear students!" his voice rang out as strong and clear as ever. "I have two important announcements, both of which are completely new to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Excited whispers started almost instantly. Were they about the New Years Ball? One stern look from Professor McGonagall was all it took to extinguish the chatter.

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled merrily. "Yes. Now, since we have a new teacher to our staff, I was wondering if, perhaps, Professor Depp would like to explain them?"

With twinkling blue eyes meeting warm, brown ones, Professor Depp stood up, smiling slightly at the students. It seemed to Hermione his eyes lingered on Rhea for a while, but that could have been her imagination. "The first announcement…is Trampoline Lessons!"

Hermione groaned quietly, shaking her head to quizzical looks from the Gryffindors around her. He continued, "The Ministry of Magic is requiring a sort of mutual Muggle Studies this year, and…I say, please be quiet." This last part was directed right at the horrified-looking Slytherin First Years.

They were all pale, eyes widened in horror, and several already looking quite determined not to have any part in it. Professor Depp could obviously sense this. "It is required, by the Ministry. This may not sound like much, but what it means to you, is that if you do not take it and PASS, you cannot hold a job in the Wizarding World."

He restrained himself from looking at the Slytherin Table again, hearing their furious whispers quite clearly.

Hermione's eyes almost fell out of her head. 'Jeez…' It seemed those around her, who were muggle-born were also confused. Their very futures based on whether or not they could bounce on a trampoline? A stretched, elevated piece of rubber? But some of them were already smirking and grinning too. It couldn't be hard to pass a class like that. Privately, Hermione had to agree.

Professor Depp called for silence again. "And the second announcement, one which should be a tad more…pleasing. We are happy to announce, that last year's Yule Ball was such a success, that the last day of school before the holidays, we have decided to hold a New Year's Ball, at the same level of grandeur as the Yule Ball was."

Nodding slightly to himself, he sat down, and Dumbledore rose once more.

"Thank you Professor. Now, I would like to state that while no foreign schools will be here, I still expect each of you to be on your most mature behavior." He gave a rather stern look, but his normal, jovial one soon replaced it. "Now then, the Heads are currently working on the arrangements for the Trampoline Lessons," Hermione winced to herself, "but I will have notices posted in all common rooms within the week as for when to expect the lessons to begin. As they are required, they are free of charge."

On this last note the Headmaster took his seat again and sipped his goblet of pumpkin juice as Professor McGonagall whispered something to him. Many of the non-muggle born students were hurriedly asking their muggle born classmates what trampolines were.

Neville already looked worried as he questioned Dean Thomas. Dean was trying incredibly hard to hide a grin. "You see, a trampoline is this really wicked mean animal. It's got fangs this big!" He held his hands over a foot apart.

Hermione should probably have reproached him, but she was scrambling, trying to think of how she and Draco could set up the lessons within a few days. She sent a weak smile to Neville, but this didn't calm the terrified boy down any.

After a ridiculously bad Double Potions, Hermione and Draco went, hand-in-hand, to Double Transfiguration. They found seat next to each other, and Draco made sure to scoot his desk slightly closer to Hermione than it already was, trying to look like the perfect couple.

'Odd...' he thought. 'It's... It's nice, holding her hand. Most girls, I just usually take to my bed, but this.. this is... nice..' He shook his head, trying to make some clear sense of it all. But ever since the beginning of the school year, sense seemed to avoid him. The only times he had felt right was when he kissed Hermione. Blushing, he thought to himself, 'And that makes even less sense...'

They had all been waiting for Professor McGonagall to show up.

The older witch finally walked in a few moments before the call of the bell, for once looking rather rushed. Several students asked her is everything was all right, but she simply pointed to the board where the instructions were and told them to begin while she wrote furiously on a long piece of parchment on her desk with an elaborate black and gold quill.

As far as anyone could tell (the handwriting was very small), they were supposed to try to conjure miniature storm clouds out of thin air. Bonus points to anyone who could make theirs rain for more than 60 seconds.

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't Hermione who was the first to manage to make their storm cloud, it was…Neville Longbottom?

Even Professor McGonagall was speechless for a few moments. She seemed to regain the ability to speak when the bell rang, with Neville promptly falling out of his chair. Marching over to him, she yanked him up by his arm and hugged him proudly, while the shocked boy was left to wonder who had put what into her morning pumpkin juice.

Before long, the Professor was wiping tears out of her eyes. "All of you go to your classes. Mr. Longbottom, 100 points to Gryffindor and please stay behind for a few moments." The class left, the Gryffindors hooting and cheering for Neville, the Slytherins in too much of a shock to do anything other than blink.

Malfoy was actually finding the whole thing rather amusing. Grinning at Hermione, he saw an array of emotions on her face. "Dissappointed?" he teased.

She huffed at him. "No. We just got 100 points to Gryffindor, you should be the one who's disappointed," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

He lifted an eyebrow and stepped very, very close to her. Whispering softly, he said, "Keep that tongue in your mouth Hermione or I'll take advantage of it."

But the amusement quickly faded when he tried to catch her eye.

She was angry. Not only at his teasing, but at the lovely comment. "Don't I feel special.."

Without another word, she walked away.

Somehow the sight hurt Draco more than he could even imagine and he had to work to keep breathing. Before long he was the only one in the corridor, one hand against the wall, face paler than normal. "What's… happening to me?" he whispered to himself.

A voice spoke up behind him. "You're in love, dumbass."

He whirled around; one hand already going to his pocket for his wand when he saw it was Rhea. "Wh-" he stuttered.

She snorted. "Let go of the wand before you hurt yourself and come to grips with it: you love her." He blinked and let go of his wand, but feigned innocence.

"Who? Hermione? Well, we're going out, aren't I supposed to love her?" She gave him a look that reminded him incredibly of Professor McGonagall.

'Does she know the truth about me and Hermione? How could she?' he wondered.

She spun on her heel and walked away.

Draco sighed. "OK, wait!"

He chased the thirty feet or so she had walked. "Damn, you walk fast. And I know who you mean." He looked at her hopefully. "Do you think… Ugh, goddammit, do you think…"

She snorted and patted his shoulder. "Yes." She walked away, swiftly disappearing into the shadows of the poorly lit corridor, leaving Draco wondering how she could even know what he had meant.

Meanwhile, Rhea kept walking idly down the corridor, humming a tune to herself.

"It is not safe, to wander these halls by one's self," said a voice out of the shadows. She tensed but no shape emerged. "Who's there?" she asked, fighting hard to keep her voice strong and clear, old memories returning as if they had never been suppressed.

The voice chuckled, then spoke again, fading already: "You know who I am, and I know what you are." It took on a different tone, fading all the more: "The night of the renewal… Is the night of the rebirth… Black tear of blood… and look of mirth… Bosom of the sky… Pearly white and dense… Let the fools lie ignorant… The Devil takes His stance."

A/N: OK, OK, I know my poetry sucks. Heh. I like it though, if you say it slowly in a soft, whispering tone. Anywho, that's seven and a half pages in Microsoft Word, so I hope you guys like it:-D