Hey everyone it's me again! I was bored, so here you go! And thank you to all my fantastic readers who have reviewed this story (and any others for that matter) I'm so grateful!

Don't mess with me

Hermione awoke one morning to a truly brilliant day. The sun poured through the window of her dormitory, half blinding her as her eyes got used to the light. Upon hearing a small hoot, she glanced towards the open window and smiled as she spotted Tiran, his grey feathers glowing because of the sun. He flew gracefully onto her shoulder and she stroked his head for a moment before getting up and grabbing her wand from her bedside table. Twiddling it in her hand absentmindedly she opened her door and descended the staircase to the common room, humming happily as she went. Her hand felt around the table for her sunglasses as she ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times. Finding them underneath a pile of study papers she rested them behind her ears to hold her hair back. She had a feeling she would need them today. She flicked her wand and her pajamas vanished to leave only her Hogwarts uniform in its place. Quickly packing her bag full of school books and rolls of parchment left out and scattered messily on the table from the night before, she checked her watch before walking out the door of her common room. As the portrait hole swung back into place she noticed a figure standing near the marble staircase, leaning against the railing and inspecting his shoes.

"Harry?" Hermione said, walking towards him, slightly confused. He looked up at her and smiled, but it wasn't his smile. Something was wrong, she could tell.

"Hey 'Mione" He said. His voice sounded different, but she couldn't seem to put her finger on it. She looked at him closely, trying to understand.

"What are you doing here, shouldn't you be at breakfast?" She asked him. He looked down at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets, shrugging. "Wasn't hungry"

They began to walk down the marble staircase, but Hermione kept looking questioningly at him. Something wasn't right. She didn't know what it was, but it must be something bad for him to have to come to her, alone, and wait outside her door.

"Harry, what's wrong?" She asked, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, looking into his face. He looked uncomfortable and desperate at the same time.

"I…I've been having those dreams again Hermione, about…S...Sirius…" He said, looking at her with a lost sort of glaze in his eyes. She sighed sympathetically for him. Harry had never quite got over the day when Sirius had died, trying to save them from the death eaters in the department of mysteries. She hadn't actually seen it of course, by that time she was lying unconscious in another room but Neville and Lupin had told basically everything that had happened, and Harry still seemed to feel it was his fault, as he had lured Sirius there. No matter what anyone said to him, he hadn't stopped blaming himself, and it still troubled him now, almost two years after Sirius' death. Hermione opened her mouth to comfort Harry, try and make him forget his nightmares, say anything that would make one of her best friends feel better. But before she could get a word out someone had tapped her on the shoulder. She reluctantly turned around, though not really concentrating. Her attention was still focused on Harry. It was only until she saw Liam's face grinning back at her that her focus slipped slightly towards him so she didn't seem completely rude.

"Hey Hermione!" He said cheerfully, giving her a small kiss in welcome and grinning.

It was soon common knowledge around the school that Hermione Granger and Liam Parker were an official item, as most things tended to travel very quickly around Hogwarts. Many people (mainly Lavender, Ginny and Parvati) were eager to know the details. Although Hermione admitted that she would have probably done the same, she couldn't believe just how nosy those three were. It was entertaining though, she had to admit. To see their eager faces after each time she came back from a date, or from a homework session of some kind, and their mouths open wide like they were some species of goldfish as they listened to her talk. But it was nice having such close friends to confide in. She, in some cases, actually enjoyed telling them about her relationship, however corny it might sound. It made her feel somewhat proud of her boyfriend. Letting it out made her feel good and she suspected that if she didn't have her friends to tell she would probably be yelling out the info to a random 1st year down a corridor one day. But whatever anyone said or told her, she was pretty happy with the way things were going. Liam was amazing and she felt she couldn't have asked for anything more. I mean sure, maybe he wasn't the most interesting person to talk to…and maybe he didn't have a great sense of humor…but hey, he was cute and sweet and a good kisser, so Hermione wasn't complaining. But she had to admit; sometimes it did feel like she was talking a brick wall. Still, as she said before, she wasn't complaining. Nope, nuh-uh, she was completely happy…

"Umm…hi Liam" She said awkwardly, taking a small glance at Harry, who was looking down again, scuffing his shoes on the floor and not saying a word.

"Hey can I just talk to you for a bit? Umm…alone?" He said, also glancing over at Harry, but not with a worried look on his face, more of an evil glare.

Hermione bit her lip and twirled a small chunk of hair around her finger. "Well, I'm sort of busy at the moment Liam, can't it wait?"

"No!" He said, rather hastily, grabbing her arm and pulling her slightly. "I really need to speak to you, and it'll only take a second, please?"

Hermione grew flustered, and flicked her head between Harry and Liam, trying to decide which one to choose. Harry looked up at her with a face most unlike his own. It was pleading her, begging her. If he ever needed her it was now. "Well I'm kinda in the middle of something right now Liam, sorry, it'll have to wait until later"

Liam looked back at Harry again and she saw him look Harry sulkily up and down. "But it's really, really important! Please Hermione?"

Hermione moaned and began to see if she could compromise. "Well-

"Great!" Liam cut over the top of her, as if she had already agreed to it. "We'll only be a moment!" He pulled her by the hand away from Harry, leaving him sitting on the bottom stair, staring after her like he was a sad little puppy. She looked apologetically at him and mimed the words 'I'm sorry' before she was pulled around a corner to face Liam.

"This better be important Liam" Hermione said, looking over her shoulder, trying to see Harry. "It is, it is" said Liam, looking excited. "McGonagall just said at breakfast that the ball is coming up, 6th and 7th years only!"

Hermione folded her arms and glared at him, unable to believe where he was getting at. "Yeah…" she said, her tone was colder than ice. "So what?"

"Well, you are going with me right?" He said, grinning foolishly. "I mean, cause you're my girlfriend and all?" He looked at her expectantly but his expression changed to confused as Hermione simply stared at him, unimpressed and in disbelief that he could have done that. That he could have been so inconsiderate! When she spoke, her voice shook with indignation. "Do you mean to tell me…" She said, her eyes shooting into his. "That you pulled me away to ask me that? That was your REALLY IMPORTANT news?"

He looked at her, dumbfounded. "Well…yeah"

She opened her mouth silently and shook her head. "Unbelievable!" She said, turning swiftly on her heel and walking away. He called after her. "So…is that a yes?"

She stalked away in utter and complete fury, her fists clenched. How dare he, in the time where Harry had needed her most and he had pulled her away for that? Is he completely clueless or just plain thick? "Harry?" She called, walking back around the corner. "Harry I'm so s-

She stopped speaking and looked around. Harry had vanished from his spot on the stairs. Hermione called out his name but got no answer. He had left. She moaned and put her hands over her face. Could things get any worse? What a great start to the morning…

Still in a fury about Liam, and in guilt about Harry, she walked hopelessly into the Great hall, hoping that was where Harry had disappeared to. As she entered the hall she was surprised by the amount of noise that was being created that morning. As she looked around she noticed that most of the excited discussion was coming from 6th and 7th years and she guessed straight away what all the commotion was about. She sat down in between Lavender and Ron, where they had been saving her a seat. Parvati was sitting next to Lavender, chatting excitedly just like everyone else in the hall, and Ginny was nowhere to be seen. She turned to Ron who was in the middle of stuffing a piece of bacon into his mouth.

"Hey Ron have you seen Harry?" She asked, trying to ignore his chewing habits. He took an enormous swallow and turned to her, shaking his head. "Nup, haven't seen him at all this morning, was gone when I woke up. Why?"

Hermione sank into her chair and sighed, waving a hand at Ron. "Doesn't matter"

Ron shrugged and went back to his bacon and Hermione turned to Lavender and Parvati who where talking to each other in almost hysterics. Hermione joined in their conversation, hoping they wouldn't…

"So have you heard about the ball Hermione?"

They would.

Hermione sighed and looked into the faces of her two highly excited best friends. "Yes…I have" she said, without enthusiasm. Lavender and Parvati looked a bit crestfallen. "You have?" Parvati said, looking disappointed. "From who?"

Hermione sighed yet again. "Liam…" The two girls grinned. "Oh well that's ok then, I take it he asked you to go with him?"

Hermione nodded and Lavender strummed her fingers on the table. "Well, 1 down, 3 to go then isn't it?"

When Hermione gave her a confused look she said "Well, it's Me, Parvati and Ginny to go, cause we haven't got partners yet. By the way, where is Ginny?"

Hermione shrugged and looked over at the Ravenclaw table and Liam caught her eye, grinning happily at her and winking, as if nothing was wrong. She scowled at him and turned away. He didn't even care…

Lavender and Parvati were now talking about who they might want to go to the ball with, in whispered giggles. Hermione tried to listen but found herself tuning out, thinking of other things.

She couldn't believe she had just done that to Harry. If she had known…

Her eyes glared at the milk jug as she thought of why Liam had pulled her away. Poor Harry. She glanced hopefully at the large doors, wishing Harry would come striding through and let her apologize. Although this was a rather feeble wish, she was brought back to her senses when she heard Parvati's voice in the distance.

"So what do you think Hermione?"

Hermione jolted back to her senses and noticed that they were both looking at her expectantly. "uuhh…yeah" she said, trying to act as if she was listening. They looked puzzled and Lavender said "Hermione are you alright?"

Hermione looked at them for a moment then stuttered a response. "Oh, yeah I'm fine, just tired that's all"

The bell rang at that moment, so all three girls picked up their school bags and headed out the door towards Potions, Ron racing to catch up.

They walked down towards the dungeons and saw Blaise and Malfoy traveling just before them. Parvati whispered to them, making sure Ron wouldn't hear. "I know they're in Slytherin and all but I still wouldn't mind going to the ball with one of them,cause you gotta admit, that Malfoy's a hot one!" They giggled and Hermione glanced at him thoughtfully. They had a point…

They settled themselves in the third row of the dungeon classroom, taking out their books and quills. Hermione looked around and saw Ron sitting in the back row with…Harry. Hermione tried to catch his eye, to make some sort of sign that she was sorry for what had happened, but his head stayed down, avoiding her.

"There will be no need for fiddling, class, you will shortly be moving to different seating"

A curt, irritated voice spoke as Professor Snape came striding through the door, his black robe billowing out behind him. He turned sharply in front of the class and stared around at them, his usual look of disgust placed on his face.

"I am tired of having to teach incompetent students who when partnered with their friends transform into hopeless piles of mess who can't tell the difference between a sleeping potion and broomstick"

Hermione and Parvati exchanged exasperated looks at this last remark. No doubt he was about to say nothing good.

"So therefore" Snape continued, "For our double lesson today, I will be choosing who you work with"

Echoes of groans and objection rang through the dungeon and Hermione slunk into her chair, moaning with everyone else. This should be interesting…

Just then, Snape had swiftly traveled over to Dean who had just dropped his head onto his desk in frustration. "Do you have a problem with that, Thomas?" He growled, slamming his fist onto the table, about a centimeter away from Dean's head. He jumped and looked up into the face of Snape, stuttering slightly. "N...no sir!" he said.

Snape scoffed at him and leaned in very close. "I didn't think so" he said, passing Dean by. Dean breathed out rather heavily once he had left the area.

He walked around the class, pairing people off. "Weasley, Goyle, over there in the back. Potter, with Parkinson, off you go, hurry up boy we haven't got all day! Patil and Blaise, and…Brown and Crabbe, up here at the front." "Now…

He looked around and glared at Hermione, his lips twisting into an evil smile. She looked reproachfully at him, wondering what he was up to. "Let's see how the know-it-all of the class can handle a challenge. Malfoy, over here. See if you can knock some sense into Granger"

Hermione's eyes closed for a moment, trying to wake herself up from this nightmare. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes again to see Malfoy picking up his books, plonking them onto the desk and sitting next to her. They chose to keep silent and sat uncomfortably away from each other as instructions scribbled themselves onto the blackboard. Looking up, both sets of eyes flew across it, reading the words on the poison potion of their choice they were supposed to be making

Hermione ruffled through the pages of her textbook and placed a clever and complicated potion page in front of them. Draco fumbled with his knife, hastily pulling it out of his bag and beginning to slice the old oak bark into finely cut slices. He kept well away from Hermione, who was now letting the juice of her boysenberries run into a small glass. They both tipped their ingredients into Hermione's bubbling cauldron. At once Hermione reached for the fish tails, her hand wandering absentmindedly to the front of the table, only to jump back at finding a hand was already there. Draco looked equally awkward as his hand jolted too. Hermione whispered something that sounded like "oh, i…sorry" while Draco mumbled something that might have been "oh, didn't mean to…yeah, me too"

They stopped and glanced over at each other, giving a weak smile in recognition that they had both apologized so quickly. Draco ended up taking the fish tail and once again they remained in awkward silence, placing various things in the cauldron, sometimes asking politely to pass the text book or stirring spoon. This continued all the way throughout the lesson, and Snape seemed slightly disappointed that Draco was not making more of an attempt to insult Hermione. Indeed, the pair found it highly interesting to look over their shoulder every so often and marvel that they were actually working very well together compared to all the other pairs.

Harry and Pansy were arguing at the top of their voice, yelling so they were red in the face at opposite ends of the table, while Goyle had Ron in a headlock, slamming his face on the desk. Parvati looked quite pleased at being placed with Blaise and Hermione could see her eyes flick cheekily towards him every so often. Lavender, however did not look happy at all, having just slapped Crabbe across the face for staring opening down her top. Draco smiled to himself, having just seen Crabbe's stupid face looking very shocked at he received the blow from Lavender. Snape was merely sitting behind his desk, smirking at the chaos that was going on without even getting out of his chair. It was only until Harry ended up tipping the entire contents of his cauldron onto Pansy's head, that Snape got up from his chair and began to settle the class. Pansy shrieked in terror and felt her face as great purple and blue boils began popping up all over her. Hermione grinned happily as a particularly big purple boil sprouted on the tip of Pansy's nose.

"Parkinson, stop blubbering, they're only spots!" Snape said, rolling his eyes. Potter! 30 points from Gryffindor for distorting Miss Parkinson's face" Harry grumbled and folded his arms as the whole attention of the class fell on the wailing Pansy. Draco's head turned and he looked at her in shock.

Raising his eyebrows, he said "Blimey, and I thought she could get no uglier. Well, you learn something new every day"

Hermione, who happened to have heard his remark, suddenly burst out into quiet giggles. She had, after all, found it extremely funny. Pansy looked up at Draco, looking puzzled, as she tried to hear what he said. Both he and Hermione turned away from her quickly before she noticed them and Hermione looked up at Draco, seeing his smirking face through her giggles.

"Malfoy! Granger! What are you doing over there!" Snape came striding over to them, glaring at the pair. They straightened their faces and looked up innocently. "We weren't doing anything sir" Draco said, looking up at Snape without shame as Hermione nodded, trying not to laugh. Snape looked at both of them for a few seconds before striding over to Pansy to re-correct her face.

As soon as he had left, both Hermione and Draco burst out laughing again, unable to keep it to themselves. When the bell rung they picked up their books and bags and headed for the door. Draco let Hermione pass him, and she could have sworn he had smiled at her before catching up with Blaise on the way out.

As she passed Pansy to walk with Harry and Ron, who still looked as though she had spots painted on her face, she murmured "Nice job Parkinson, you look good in blue"

Pansy whirled around and glared at Hermione, the rest of her Slytherin cronies circling around her, looking interested. "Shut up Granger"

"Or What?" Hermione said, raising her eyebrows before turning to leave. Pansy whipped out her wand and pointed it at Hermione's back. "How dare you" She hissed, as Hermione stopped, still with her back to Pansy. "I'll teach you! Incars-

Hermione spun around and yelled "Protago!" Pansy's spell bounced away from her and onto a nearby wall. She lifted her wand so it came just under Pansy's chin, threateningly. Pansy had stopped dead, her wand held loosely at her side, staring at Hermione angrily.

Hermione gave a short laugh. "C'mon Parkinson, can't risk it when I'm actually facing you? Or do I have to have my back to you? We both know I could reduce you to cinders without a struggle, back off while you still can"

If Hermione didn't know better, she could have sworn she caught Draco smirking at Pansy happily, but when she blinked, he was once again looking down at his shoes. Her attention immediately flicked back to Pansy when she had suddenly raised her own wand to point it at Hermione's face.

"Didn't think you'd like to risk getting in trouble Granger" She spat, still glaring. "Might spoil your spotless record. You wouldn't dare fight me, you stupid little mudblood!"

Rage filled Hermione's heart and she felt as if she was on fire. Lifting her wand yet higher, she prepared to yell a spell that would hit Pansy with such force that she wouldn't dare go near her again. But before she knew it she was being pulled back away from the Slytherins by two strong pairs of arms. Harry and Ron struggled with her as Draco pulled Pansy away from Hermione and took her wand away quickly.

After a few seconds of staring intently into Pansy's eyes and struggling with her two friends, she gave up the fight. Ron still kept a tight grip on her arm all the same. "I've changed, Parkinson. I'm not like before. And when you begin to realize that, I would have already dealt with you"

"Is that a threat Granger?" Pansy shrieked furiously, trying to pull away from Draco.

Hermione looked at Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, who were staring at her in an amazed sort of way. Then Draco, who was fighting to keep Pansy under control, but looking as if he would rather hit her. For a split second, Draco looked up at Hermione and their eyes locked for a second, upon which she noticed just what a handsome face he really had. Finally, Hermione's eyes flicked back to land on the furious Pansy.

"What do you think?" She said. And without another insult, Hermione turned and led the way up the stairs, and out of the dungeon, smiling to herself about the look on Pansy's face, as if she had just had a large stick shoved up her right nostril.

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"Holy Merlin…never would I have…wow…Hermione…wow" Ron spluttered after her, his eyes wider than Hermione had ever seen them. "You…Hermione you- bloody hell"

Harry didn't say anything, but just wandered after them with his hands in his pockets. Hermione noticed this and turned around. "Harry I-

"Don't bother Hermione" He said, as he kept walking. She followed him insistently as Ron followed the pair of them, still muttering amazingly at Hermione.

"You had to go, its okay"

"No, Harry" Hermione said, pulling his arm. "It's not. I'm so sorry, if I'd have known, Harry. Liam, he…oh he was talking about something stupid…and I wanted to stay with you, I really did! Oh Harry, please know I would never want to hurt you intentionally. She took a big breath out and looked at him anxiously.

His eyes focused on her worried and petrified expression and his face softened. "He always was a git, that Liam"

Hermione hugged him and he returned the favor tightly, knowing she would never hurt him on purpose. This was Hermione, after all. No matter how much she had changed from the years before, deep inside, she would always be Hermione. And he loved her for it, as he always had, because she had been his best friend when no one else would, and nothing could make up for the times she had been there for him.

They broke apart and looked at Ron, whose head was flicking between them, having missed the point, like always. He shrugged and pushed in between them as they walked back along the corridor. "Ah good, one big happy family again. So, anyway…back to what I was saying. "My god, the look on Pansy's face. I just…Geez I love you Hermione!"

The trio laughed and Ron embraced both of his best friends with an arm around each shoulder as they walked down the corridor and into the glorious sunlit courtyard.

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Draco waved his hand in goodnight at the disappearing backs of his friends and headed out of the great hall and up the stairs, feeling content and happy after a good meal of his favorite pork chops. He glanced up towards the third flight and noticed the portrait to his common room swing shut with a small snap. Thinking it must obviously be Granger going to bed too, he waited outside the portrait hole so she would go to bed before him, therefore leaving him no opportunity to have to talk to her.

He looked up absentmindedly at the little girl on the picture facing him and she tapped her foot impatiently. "Are you coming in or not?" She said, annoyed. He stood there for a while but heard nothing, so decided to head up to bed. He walked past the huffing girl and into the common room. Jut as he was about to walk upstairs he heard quick footsteps and the sound of somebody looking for something.

Before Hermione could get a chance to know he was there, Draco shrunk back into the shadows and watched her as she finally picked up a small pouch from the back of the bookcase's top bench. His eyes narrowed at she walked quickly over to the fire and threw something into it. It was only a split second later that he noticed it was floo powder, as she stepped into the flames and murmured something, before disappearing from his sight.

He stepped out from the shadows and examined the fire. What was she doing, leaving Hogwarts at this time of night? His curiosity burned inside him but he shook his head and took a few steps away from the fire. Who cares what she's doing…she's only granger..

But he yearned to know what she was up to and his eyes longed to see the other side of that fire….

The flames were still green; if he hurried he could jump in after her…

Although his brain screamed in protest and a pansy-like voice in his head was saying "what the hell are you doing? You don't care about her remember? Forget everything!" he couldn't stop himself from running over to the fire, and jumping inside, just before the green flames trickled slowly back to fiery red.

He was going follow her, no matter what anyone said…

You like? Well I do! Next chapter will be great, I already have it written and it's my favorite out of all 24 chapters so feel special! Well I've got to go have dinner now but ill see of you later and remember, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!