"What's going on?" Hermione asked the next morning when Harry met her in the Common Room. "Ron just ran out of here like his head was on fire. What happened to your face?"

Harry had a large purple bruise on his left cheek where Ron had hit him the night before, which still ached a bit.

"Ron hit me." Harry said glumly.

"WHAT?" Hermione looked utterly dumbfounded

"I may have deserved it." Harry admitted, though even he wasn't convinced of it. "I compared him to Malfoy."

"Why in the world would you do that?" Hermione asked hotly.

"HEY!" Harry shouted her down. "If he hadn't been going on and on about how Daphne Imperioused me, maybe I wouldn't have said it."

"Oh." Hermione said, shaking her head. "Oh no, this is getting out of hand."

"I agree."

"Harry, why are you talking to her?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, not you too." Harry groaned, heading out of the portrait hole.

"Not me too what?" Hermione followed him.

"You're going to tell me to drop it. To ignore her because she's evil or wants to turn me over to Voldemort, right?"

"I was going to do no such thing, and I'm a little offended you would even think that of me." Hermione huffed. Harry stopped and turned to look at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed."

"I was only curious how you two began speaking. I think it's good that you're trying to make friends with her. Frankly, I've always been a bit curious why you never tried to make friends with more people."

Harry shrugged and the two of them continued on to the Great Hall.

"My cousin always used to scare anyone off who tried to be my friend. I guess part of me still thinks that could happen, even though Dudley is terrified of wizards and witches. Maybe it's just because I've been, you know, trained to react to the threat or something."

Hermione didn't say anything, but she looked rather upset at Harry admission. They entered the Great Hall and took seats along the Gryffindor table. Hermione noticed Ron and Seamus sitting with Dean, all of them talking and looking at Harry angrily.

"What's that about?" Hermione asked.

"Before Ron hit me, I had a row with Seamus. His mother wanted to keep him out of school because of the Daily Prophet." Harry shrugged.

"Oh. I see. I guess we should have expected that. By the way, what exactly did you say to Lavender and Parvati. When I got to the dorm last night they kept asking me questions about you. They said you had spoken to them earlier, but wouldn't tell me what happened."

"I apologized to Parvati for being a git at the Yule Ball. Lavender suggested I make it up by taking Parvati to Hogsmeade."

"Are you going to?" Hermione looked surprised by this news.

Harry merely shrugged. "Let's say I'm trying to keep my options open. I would like to have a normal year, if at all possible, and Sirius suggested I try to be more social. He thinks maybe that will help keep me out of trouble."

"Or get you into some." Hermione smirked.

"Hermione, have you thought about dating anyone?" Harry inquired. Hermione's eyes bulged out, and she began looking all around them as if this was the set up to some sort of prank. Harry still had his head down to his plate, so he had missed her reaction.

"Um, Harry. I like you. You're my best friend…"

"Huh?" Harry looked up, confused by her words.

"It's just that…Well, I don't think I have feelings like that for you." Hermione said, trying to let Harry down easy.

"What? NO! No, Hermione, you're like my sister. That's not what I was asking." Harry said, his face going just as red as Hermione's. They both began to chuckle, which turned into a full blown hysterical laughing fit.

"I'm sorry, it's just the way that you phrased that…" Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes, her face still rather pink from her earlier embarrassment.

"I guess I didn't think that question through. It's just that we're all in that age where we think about that sort of thing, and I was just wondering how it might affect our friendships. We've been pretty close, and like I said, I think of you as a sister, and I want the best for you."

"That's really sweet, Harry. Thank you."

Harry simply shrugged, while Hermione thought about his question.

"I suppose I have thought about it. After the ball last year, I guess it was kind of hard not to think about it all. I am nearly sixteen after all. I'll admit that there are a few guys that I might find interesting."

"Is Ron one of them?" Harry asked, peering down the table at his other friend.

"I don't know." She shrugged, her voice unable to hide her disappointment in their redheaded friend who was busy stuffing his face further along the table. "He's got a few good qualities, but he's also got a lot of not so good qualities. I just don't think Ron and I would be a good match. I mean, look at how much we argue."

"Do you think you'd be friends with him if it wasn't for me?"

Hermione's face fell and she shook her head slowly. "If it weren't for you, I would have been done in by that Troll. Ron was the reason I was even in that bathroom, if you recall.."

Harry nodded. "Things are strained between us, and I'm worried that we won't be able to fix them."

"Harry, Ron cares for you like any of his other brothers, and brothers fight. He's afraid of losing you to other people. You know how he compares himself to his other brothers. You're the thing that sets him apart from them."

At this, Harry frowned. "It makes me wonder if he's ever been my friend because of who I am, rather than my fame."

"I think so. Otherwise, he'd not be putting up so much resistance to the idea of you making friends with Slytherins."

"Did I hear you correctly, Miss Granger?"

Professor McGonagall stood behind Harry, class schedules in her hand. "Are you trying to make friends with Slytherins?"

"Mostly Harry is, Ma'am." Hermione smiled at her favorite teacher.

"Well done, Mr. Potter. Five points for school pride." The usually stern teacher gave the smallest of smiles and handed them their schedules.

"Wow." Hermione mouthed watching their Transfiguration teacher bustle off to finish handing out schedules. "You made her smile?"

"I did?" Harry asked, as his back had been to McGonagall the whole time.

"Can you imagine what things could be like if our house and theirs could forget this stupid feud?"

"I don't know. It might take the fun out of Quidditch." Harry grinned. Hermione reached across the table to swat his arm.

"You prat." She smiled.

"Come on, let's get to History. I'm might need you to prod me to stay awake."

Daphne and Tracey did not fail to notice the disparaging looks they were getting from the housemates, or the fact that they were being sort of isolated. When they sat down for breakfast, several people close to them stood up and left, and no one else would sit close to them f they could help it. The girls simply shook their heads and ignored it all.

They were joined finally by Daphne's younger sister, Astoria, who looked rather proud.

"Please tell me it's true." She smiled. Astoria was quite similar to her sister in looks, though her hair was much lighter in color, and she looked a bit more like their father, especially her nose. "Tell me you really are going out with Harry Potter."

Tracey nearly shot milk out her nose at this statement, while Daphne dropped her fork loudly. Astoria was practically bouncing in her seat waiting for her sister to answer her. Daphne looked at Tracey for help, but her blonde friend was to busy cleaning her face, or rather hiding behind her napkin to offer any help.

"I'm not going out with Harry." Daphne sighed, retrieving her fork from the floor.

"Yet." Tracey added. Daphne glared at her friend.

"I've only just started talking to him. He's nice, and I'm hoping to become his friend."

"And then his girlfriend?" Astoria asked hopefully.

"Why are you so interested in my love life?" Daphne questioned.

"Well, I'm a little concerned with what's going to happen to you because of all this mess. But also, I'm really proud of you. I think most other people would just go along with Malfoy just to avoid trouble. But if you're going to shake things up because of how stupid house rivalries are, why not do it with gusto and snare the Gryffindor Golden Boy. Besides, Harry's really cute."

Daphne smiled at her sister. Astoria had apparently started coming to the same conclusions she herself had come to a few years before. She hoped that Astoria might follow her example, and widen her circle of friends outside of the Slytherin dorms.

"Are you going to marry him?"

This time, Tracey's milk did come out her nose, and she nearly fell on the floor laughing. Astoria, having seen the amazing milk nose trick began laughing hysterically, while Daphne could only stare in utter bemusement at her younger sister. She couldn't believe what had just left her barely twelve year old sister's mouth.

If Daphne were honest with herself, she would have been able to admit that she had once or twice fantasized about a life with Harry Potter. She had managed to repress it all in order to focus on building her relationship with the boy. However, it was questions like that which made it increasingly difficult not to follow Tracey's advice, and her own desire and grab Harry and kiss him.

Tracey managed to haul herself back up on her seat, and shoved her goblet away. Perhaps it was best to refrain from drinking anything further until little Astoria went away. Astoria had also managed to get herself under control and was looking at her sister with hopeful eyes.

"Could you introduce me to him?"

"Careful Daphne." Tracey could not stop grinning. "Your little sister might be trying to steal your potential boyfriend. Daphne whipped her head up sharply and cracked it in the process, which made Tracey guffaw, and Astoria to look up worriedly.

"Look, why don't you let me actually build some kind of friendship with him, and then I'll introduce you." Daphne said, not really sure what was happening. Astoria smiled and hopped up out of her seat and headed up the table where her second year friends were waiting.

"What the hell just happened?" Daphne asked Tracey, who had her head buried in her arms. Daphne could hear snorts of laughter, and smacked Tracey's head. "Stop it."

"I'm sorry, but your sister has big plans for you. She's already got you and Harry married, and you seem to be trying to keep things at a slow pace."

"Well, I don't want to scare the boy." Daphne looked tensely at the Gryffindor table. "We've only just started talking, and for the most part all we talked about is prejudices and stupid house rivalries. I don't know a thing about him, and he doesn't know anything about me."

"Then teach him a few things about you, like how you feel in a broom cupboard." Tracey suggested. Daphne gave her a wry look, and shook her head.

"I think you need to get your mind out of the gutter."

"Good morning Ladies." Professor Snape said flatly as he handed them their schedules. He stared at Daphne for a moment before he continued on his way.

"That was a bit strange." Daphne said.

"What?"

"Professor Snape just stared at me, like he was trying to …I don't know. It was just weird."

"Uggh." Tracey grimaced, looking at her schedule. "Herbology first thing. It's still raining out."

"We'd better get moving. The greenhouses are all the way on the other side of the school."

Harry had managed to stay awake through History of Magic, thanks in large part to Hermione actually poking him in the ribs. He would have been upset, except that he had asked her to do it, as she reminded him when they left class.

Ron had not sat next to them, as he was obviously still angry at Harry. Harry wished that he and Ron could settle things between them, but Ron seemed to want to have nothing to do with Harry for the moment.

"Don't worry, he'll come around." Hermione said as they started making their way to the dungeons for Double Potions. Harry and Hermione were discussing what their first lesson was likely to be, when Harry, not paying attention to where he was going ran right into Cho Chang.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Harry said, stooping to help her gather her books.

"I guess I should have checked to see where you were going." Cho laughed, and Harry felt his palms get a bit sweaty. "Have a good summer, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "S'alright, I guess."

"That's good, I suppose. Well, I have to get to Runes. I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah." Harry gave a weak smile and watched her go.

"Come on, Loverboy." Hermione laughed, taking Harry's arm and guiding him to the dungeons. They were the last to arrive to the hall outside of class where the rest of the Gryffindors and the Slytherins were waiting to be allowed into the potions lab.

"Hi Harry." Daphne said, coming up to the raven haired boy, who still looked a little goofy.

"Forgive him." Hermione rolled her eyes. "He got hit with a hormone hex."

"A what?" Harry asked. Hermione's comment had knocked the cobwebs from his head, and he smiled to Daphne. "How's you day been so far?"

"Alright. Had Herbology already. After lunch it's Runes." Daphne smiled.

"Oh, me too." Hermione brightened a bit.

"You should sit with us." Tracey said. She was standing just behind Daphne.

"I think I'd like that." Hermione said.

At that moment the door to the Potions class, and Snape waved them in. Harry noticed a lack of curled lip, or superior sneer as he walked next to Daphne into the class. He and Hermione took a table right next to Daphne and Tracey.

The door closed with a heavy thud, and Harry watched Snape cross to the front of the class. The greasy haired professor faced his class, folding his long arms into his cloak.

"Before we begin, I'd like to mention that at the end of this year, you will be sitting a very important examination. This test will prove exactly how much You have learned regarding the composition and uses of potions. Imbecilic as many of you appear to be, I expect you all to manage at least 'Acceptable' in your OWL, or I shall be more than a little…put out."

There was a collective shiver throughout the class, which Snape ignored. His black eyes had settled on Neville, who Harry thought might be trembling a bit.

"After this year ends, many of you will no longer be taking my class, as I will only accept students into my NEWT classes who have received 'Outstanding'."

This time, Snape's eyes found Harry, who stared back defiantly.

"However, we still have an entire year to get through before that happy moment, and I think we should begin. We will start the year off with a concoction that will most assuredly come up in your examination in some form. The Draught Of Peace. Please read the instructions through very carefully, as this is quite a temperamental potion. Ingredients, on the board. You may begin."

At once the student began gathering ingredients to brew the potion. Harry decided that he wanted to do his best, or at least come up with something Snape could not criticize. As he performed each line of instruction, he would read it several times through to make sure he was doing it correctly. He fought every urge to look around the class, and focus hard on his own work.

Snape announced that class was coming to a close by telling them all there should be a silver vapor coming from their potions. Harry couldn't tell if the steam coming from his cauldron was exactly silvery, but it was at least light in color, which made him feel pleased. Hermione of course, had managed to brew a perfect Draught. She ladled a bit into a crystal vile and labeled it with her name.

"Time is up." Snape said.

Harry corked a vial and took a quick look around the room. Ron's potion was issuing a rather thick greenish smoke, while it looked like Seamus was chipping something that resembled concrete of his cauldron to put in a vial. Both Daphne and Tracey had perfect looking potions, while Malfoy's looked rather muddy.

Harry handed his vial to Snape, who looked at it for several moments. Harry waited for the remarks, but none came. Instead, Snape looked up at him with a questioning expression.

"Can I help you Potter?" Snape asked more than a little irritably

"Um, No sir." Harry stuttered. "Just handing in my potion."

"Which I have received. Now as there is precious little time left, I suggest you clean up you work station before you leave, or I shall give you detention, and you can clean all the Potions labs."

Harry nodded and went to gather his things. Hermione stared at him while he cleaned his things, but managed to hold her tongue until they were out of class.

"That was amazing. He didn't say anything horrible to you."

"Well done, Harry." Daphne said as she sidled up next to him. " You had Malfoy distracted all class. He's usually a fair hand at potions, but he seemed flummoxed today."

"Don't get to excited." Harry cautioned. "I'm sure I'll screw up next time, and Snape will get to insult my intelligence and my upbringing, and then give me detentions."

Harry and the three girls headed to the Great Hall for lunch where they separated, heading for their respective tables. Harry and Hermione sat down next to Fred and George, who looked nearly giddy.

"So, Harry." George grinned as Harry sat down next to him. "There's a rather sinister rumor going around that you were seen with a couple of Slytherin girls."

"Should we be worried that you're falling to the temptation of the Dark Side?" Fred looked concerned, though Harry saw the twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

"Yes, I did have a very nice conversation with Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis." Harry said firmly. "They're very nice."

"OY! You actually spoke to the Ice Queen?" Fred asked flabbergasted. George also looked more than a little impressed.

"Who?" Hermione asked looking between the twins.

"Daphne Greengrass of course." Fred said. "They call her the Ice Queen, because she so cold to everyone."

"That's not the impression I got from her at all." Hermione said, casting her eyes over her shoulder to the Slytherin table. "She's been very friendly to us."

"She is easily one of the prettiest girls in the school, no question. But she's always so aloof when boys have tried to talk to her." George said. "How'd you break through her frosty defenses?"

"Actually, she sought me out." Harry admitted. "At the end of last year. We talked a bit and agreed that we would try and get to know each other this year."

"Harry, when exactly did this happen?" Hermione asked, looking a bit worried.

"While I was still in the Hospital wing. Why?"

Hermione began chewing her bottom lip, but shook her head. "Just curious."

"Hermione, I know that look. What's on your mind?" Harry pressed.

"Well, it's likely just a coincidence, but it's a bit dodgy that a Slytherin would suddenly want to strike up a friendship with you right after You-Know-Who returns."

"That is rather suspect, Harry." Fred agreed.

"It would be if she hadn't admitted to wanting to talk to me before, but being afraid of what her housemates would do." Harry responded. "Look, guys, I know I don't always have the best judgment, but she's alright."

"Harry, We're not saying she's not." George said, placing an hand on Harry's shoulder. "We just don't want to see you hurt. If you like her, forget everything else, and be her friend."

"I wish Ron felt the same." Harry said, peering down the table to were Ron sat with Dean and Seamus.

"Ron's pretty stubborn, you know that. Once he sees that she's not dangerous, he'll come around."

"Excuse me?"

They all turned to see a young girl with light Brown hair standing there, clutching a few books to her chest. The crest on her robes told them she was a Slytherin.

"How can we help you?" Fred asked, a bit crossly. The girl's eyes went to Fred's, quivering a bit before returning to look at Harry.

"My name is Astoria, and I was just wondering what your intentions toward my sister are?"

Harry looked taken aback at the question, but before he could say anything, Hermione spoke up.

"Who's your sister?" Hermione asked, a small smile starting to appear on her face, as she already suspected the answer.

"Daphne Greengrass." Astoria said.

"Did she send you over here?" Hermione asked.

"No. In fact, I doubt she even knows I'm talking to you. She really likes you. She stood up to Malfoy defending you last night."

"She what?" Harry asked, now turning to look over at the Slytherin table.

"Malfoy had most of the house waiting for her when she got to the Common room last night, and accused her of betraying the house by talking to you. So are you two going to go out?"

Hermione began smirking, while Fred and George guffawed at the girl's forthrightness. Harry could only stammer and stare bewilderingly at the girl, who looked to be growing impatient.

Thankfully Hermione came to his aid.

"It's far too early for either of them to say one way or the other. They've only just begun talking to each other."

Astoria sighed heavily, and shook her head. "That's what Daphne said."

"I'm sorry?" Harry said, hoping to placate the girl somehow.

"I don't see why you can't get to know each other while being together." Astoria said hotly, and stormed away. Harry watched her go, utterly confused at what had just happened. When he turned back to Hermione, Fred and George, there was a moment of awkward silence before the three of them burst out laughing at Harry.

"I'm going to kill her." Daphne said, her head banging against the desk in front of her. "I'm going to squeeze the life out of her. Oh sure, Mum and Dad might be upset, but once I explain why I had to do it, they'll be fine. They're still young. They could still make a new one. Maybe one who wasn't so nosy, or …or…"

"Determined to meddle in your love life?" Tracey asked helpfully.

"Yeah, or that."

Hermione could not stop smirking, nor could Tracey for that matter. Hermione had told them all about Astoria's visit with her and Harry at lunch. Daphne' color had faded until she was nearly as white as any of the Hogwarts ghosts.

"So how long have you fancied Harry?" Hermione asked

Daphne, her head still on her desk could only shrug. "I started sometime during third year, I suppose."

"She used to stare at him from across the Great Hall like a lost puppy." Tracey added.

"Why didn't you ever try to talk to him? Or any of us before now?"

Daphne finally lifted her head, some of her color returning. "Fear mostly. Fear of rejection, fear of the fallout. Just fear."

"I guess I understand that." Hermione said.

"The thing is, after the Final task, I was more afraid of never getting the chance." Daphne admitted. "I mean, he does get himself into a lot of rather dangerous situations, doesn't he?"

Hermione made a non committal noise, not knowing if she should share anything with Daphne and Tracey. She wasn't sure if she would be betraying Harry's trust, and felt it best to keep quiet.

"So, when I saw all of you in the Great Hall, I figured it was my best chance to try. He was kind of cold at first, angry and incredibly sad. But he didn't tell me to shove off. We only talked a few minutes, and he said we could spend some time together this year. So all summer I thought about how I could talk to him, and build a friendship."

"Which could become something more?" Hermione pressed. Again Daphne's face flushed and she lowered her head back to the desk.

"I think that means yes." Tracey giggled lightly.

"Yes, ok? Yes." Daphne said, her head shooting up. "I like him. I think he's incredibly gorgeous, and he's polite, and sweet and gracious. But the truth is, I don't know him and he doesn't know me. What if it turns out we hate each other?"

Hermione actually smiled at this. "I think it's a really good idea to spend time getting to know him, before trying to date. But just so you know, Harry's somewhat guarded, it won't be easy to get to know him. You'll have to be very patient with him."

Daphne nodded, and before she could ask anything else, Professor Babbling began the class with a long winded speech about their coming OWLs. He then began his first lesson, which gave the girls no more time to speak. When class finished, they all gathered their things together and began heading out to the their next class.

"Hermione," Daphne said, taking hold of the bushy-haired witch's arm. "I just want to thank you for your advice about Harry. It means a lot to me that you're willing to allow me to get to know him."

"Harry is smart enough to make his own decisions, and I would never presume to tell him how to live his life, though he might think otherwise. I do nag him a bit about finishing his schoolwork. Just don't hurt him. I think he's had enough of that in his life."

Hermione smiled a bit sadly and then headed off for Defense Against The Dark Arts., leaving her two new friends to wonder exactly what she had meant.