We sat on the Hogwarts express on our way back to Hogwarts for our fourth year. To say that it was going to be a normal school year would be absolutely stupid.

After the Quidditch World Cup was over and everyone was partying to celebrate the win (or the loss in the case of the Bulgarians) there was an attack by deatheaters. Everyone was running; there was panic and chaos and pretty much everyone was going crazy.

The Dark Mark was even in the sky, which was usually a sign that someone had been killed. What was worse was that the dark mark was created using Harry's wand which obviously didn't look very good, until, they found a house elf named Winky belonging to a man named Crouch, the gaming commissioner of the Ministry of Magic. The house elf was freed (much to her dismay) and the entire ordeal was over.

To say that it was just coincidence that the dark mark showed up and that death eaters attacked in the same place that Harry and I were in would be ludicrous

Obviously someone was after us.

"You guys have really bad luck, do you know that?" Ron asked.

"Of course we know that. We always manage to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," I said. "Let me see, first year we had the actual Voldemort almost in the flesh trying to kill us. Then we had the giant snake and again, Voldemort trying to kill us, last year there was Sirius which thank goodness turned out to be a misunderstanding, and now deatheaters. And we're not even in school yet."

"Let's talk about something else that's not as depressing as our luck. Hannah, what happened with Malfoy at the Tournament?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, he looked awful peeved when he saw you again that night," Hermione said.

I sighed. "He likes me, or at least he did before I told him we couldn't be friends because he liked me.

"Not that I'm taking Malfoy's side or anything, why couldn't you be his friend if he liked you?" Ron asked.

"Because that would be weird wouldn't it? Knowing he likes me and still choosing to hang out with him? What I ended up sending him signals that he interpreted as me fancying him as well?" I asked.

Harry stared at me. "So, you're afraid you'll like him is what it is?"

"I didn't say that. Why would I say that?" I asked.

"Because it's true," Hermione said. "It's you getting defensive just like you did last year when we started saying – at the beginning of the year mind you – that he liked you."

"Deny, deny, deny, and that's exactly what you're doing now," Ron said.

"Let me get this straight, you don't like Malfoy at all, correct?" I asked.

"I hate his guts, yes," Harry said.

"And we pretty much stopped being friends last year because I was friends with him right?" I asked.

"I guess," Hermione said.

"But now that I've decided to stop talking to him you're questioning my motives?" I asked.

"Well it looks a bit suspect, Hannah. You don't want to be his friend because he likes you, which kind of says that you're afraid if Malfoy, a boy that hated you for so long can actually fancy you, that you might actually find yourself fancying him back, if you don't already," Hermione said.

"Let me make this clear, I do not, have not, and never will fancy Draco Malfoy," I said.

"Then what harm is there in being his friend?" Harry asked.

"Maybe you all traumatized me and I'm afraid if I talk to him again you'll get all pissy again and stop talking to me," I said.

"We're not like that anymore. We've managed to grow up," Ron said. "There's no way we are fickle anymore."

"That's good to know," I said, "but all the same I don't think we should be friends. When he gets over me, then we'll talk."

"And Malfoy, the ladies man that he is, shouldn't be stuck on you for too long," Hermione said.

"Indeed, indeed," I said. "He'll be back to Pansy in no time."

There was a tap on the door of our compartment.

"Come in," Ron said.

The door slid open and there stood Seamus.

"Hey, Seamus," Harry said.

"Hey guys," he replied.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Actually, Hannah, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a few minutes if that was alright," he said.

I shrugged. "Why not."

I got up and walked out of the compartment with him.

"So, how've you been since the tournament?" he asked.

"Fine," I said. "I guess after a while you get used to crazy people trying to hurt you."

Seamus chuckled. "I like your optimism."

"Thanks," I said. "So, what did you need?"

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to make any plans to hang out this year," he said.

"Of course. We always hang out Seamus," I said.

"No," he said with a laugh, "just like, plants with you and me."

I paused and stared at him for a moment. "You mean like. . .?"

"Like a date or something, yeah," he said.

In the past week I'd experienced a lot of things – my first kiss, my first non-school related sporting event, the boy who ever fancied me, and even my first run in with deatheaters, and today here I was, being asked out on my first date, and by Seamus no less, a boy who was sweet, and funny, and even rather good looking.

How had all of these people decided they liked me over the summer?

"Of course I'll go out with you," I said. "I'd like that a lot actually."

Seamus smiled. "Great. So, I'll talk to you later then?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

"Cool. So. . . I guess I'll leave you to your friends then," he said. He smiled and then walked away.

I walked back to my cabin and sat down.

"What was that about?" Harry asked.

I'd never labeled Harry as my protective older brother, but he'd always shown signs of being pressed about my well being. I'd never anticipated the day where I'd have to tell him about me going out on a date with a boy, someone who was his friend and roommate at that.

"Well. . . First promise me you won't be upset or anything," I said.

"Of course," Harry said.

". . .Well. . . Seamus. . . He asked me out on a date and I said. . . I said yes," I said.

Harry stared at me, a blank expression on his face.

"That's great. It's no secret Seamus is one of the most good looking boys in our year," Hermione said.

Harry and Ron glared at her.

"After you two of course," Hermione said. She rolled her eyes.

"Hannah, if he hurts you, I'll kill him, just so you know," Harry said.

Harry's true colors were starting to show now.

"Oh calm down Harry, we've known Seamus for like, ever, and besides it's just a date. It's not like we're going out or anything," I said.

"But you will be," Harry said. "Just watch. Before the end of October you'll be doodling his name inside your potions book."

I scoffed. "I do not doodle, especially inside of a book, and most especially inside of my potions book."

Harry stared at me a moment longer.

"If he hurts you-."

I groaned. "I got it. Jeez."

***

"I totally approve," Parvati said.

Parvati was the type of girl who was boy crazy and seemed to know all the ins and outs of relationships. After telling her about Seamus she was ready and willing to give her two sense.

"What's there to approve of? It's a just a date, and we haven't even formally set up a time for it," I said.

"So, Hannah's it's just the prospect of a date that could lead to an actual relationship with a boy totally is cause for me to say whether or not I approve," she said.

"Blah, blah," I said.

There was a rapping on the window. We looked over and saw there was an owl, a eagle owl.

"Isn't that Malfoy's owl?" Parvati asked.

"Yeah," I groaned. I walked over and let the owl in. I took the letter and he flew away. "And guess who it's for?"

"You no doubt," Emily said. "Honestly, you two couldn't be a more odd pair to be friends."

"We're not friends. Not anymore at least," I said.

"Why not? I thought you guys made nice at the tournament," Emily said.

"Oh they did," Hermione giggled. I shoved her. The last person I wanted to know about this was Parvati who had the biggest mouth in the whole school.

"We did make up but something happened and I decided we shouldn't be friends anymore," I said.

"Well what happened?" Parvati asked.

"I'd rather not say, thank you very much," I said opening the letter.

Dear Hannah,

Not friends anymore? Whatever, you're still going to be my friend whether you like it or not. Anyway, I wanted you to meet me tomorrow night at midnight in the dungeons in the corridor to the Slytherin common room. I have some information regarding the World Quidditch Cup that I thought you might be interested in. Don't tell anyone about this meeting. Not even your clever little friends.

Draco Malfoy

*Wow, Malfoy be a little more cryptic, seriousl8

"So, what'd he want?" Hermione asked.

"Let's be friends," I said.

"Well if he didn't do anything too terrible there's no harm in a second chance," Emily said. "Well. . . A third one in this case."

"It's not horrible, it's just that the circumstance regarding our relationship has changed on his part and I just didn't want to be his friend anymore. I could let it go but. . . I'm not. I can't," I said.

"Whatever," Parvati said. "You realize these conversations are the reason no one ever talks to us."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Plenty of people talk to us," Hermione said.

"Sure they do, but not in our room," Parvati said.

"And what is your theory behind this?" I asked.

"We're too intellectually mixed," she said. "Hermione's smart no matter the circumstances. Hannah's book smart but outside of that she's as dumb as a box of rocks. Emily's not book smart but she's very socially adept and me. . . Well I'm just a dumbfuck."

We stared at her for a moment.

"We love you Parvati," Emily chimed in.

We all giggled. I looked at the clock. "I guess we better hit the hay, huh, with classes starting tomorrow and all."

"I suppose, not that I'm really excited about going," Parvati said.

We all climbed into to bed and turned off the lights. I could already tell it was going to be the start of an interesting school year.