Hello, hello! I apologize in advance. This won't be the most interesting of chapters but in the next one, monumental things will happen. So bear with me and you will be rewarded

Chapter 17

No ones point of view in particular…

It was past midnight when the young redhead crept up the staircase to her best friend's room. With a grimace she pushed the groaning door open as little as possible and crept over to the bed she knew to belong to Hermione. Ginny had heard a most strange rumor that afternoon and having been unable to locate Hermione that afternoon had been impatiently waiting. Upon finding said best friends bed empty – a very strange occurrence indeed- she decided to wait for her return.

She did not need to wait long. It was not 5 minutes later that Ginny heard voices coming from outside and softly tiptoed over to the window. There she was struck dumb to find her best friend a) on a broomstick and b) on a broomstick with Draco Malfoy. She was smiling at him and he seemed to be tilting his head towards hers. Ginny leaned against the windows nose pressed against the glass when she lost her balance and fell into the windows causing them to burst forward. Both heads snapped towards her and Ginny felt her face redden.

"Oh, there you are." She stated at last feeling absolutely ridiculous. Hermione raised her eyebrows at her as she endeavored to look sweetly irreproachable. She retreated back into the bedroom as Hermione murmured a farewell to Draco before closing the windows. As she turned back to Ginny her face went from sweet and blissful to disapproving and curious.

"Wonderful timing Ginny."

Hermione POV

Ginny slid onto the bed with a modestly ashamed face.

"I'm sorry." She stated. Shaking her head Hermione joined her on the bed and pulled the curtains about them, casting a silencing spell.

"What are you doing up here anyway?" she asked taking her coat off. Ginny's smile returned.

"Well I heard the most interesting rumor today. A few first years tell me they saw you and a certain Mr. Zabini strolling around Hogsmeade together looking very cozy." Hermione looked at her hands as she remembered the morning, guilt creeping into her mind.

"I came to see you to have this confirmed. I know well enough that half the rumors going round the school a based on nothing more than a good imagination but I must say that after that little escapade I'm not so sure."

Hermione didn't know what to say. It was true. She'd had a lovely morning with Blaise. His relaxed attitude made him very easy to be around, and as they wandered the streets she found herself surprised by how much they had in common. Blaise was very well read, had a keen interest in languages and had a younger sister who he clearly adored. He was handsome, attentive, humorous, sporty and clever- anyone woman's perfect man. They'd enjoyed a very pleasant carriage ride to Hogsmeade and than walked the streets for about an hour. This was followed by a very good lunch at The Three Broomsticks. Blaise had jokingly offered to go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop but Hermione cringed at the idea of eating in a place that she decided was far too similar to Dolores Umbridge's office during her time at Hogwarts. By the time they'd returned to Hogwarts Hermione felt vaguely light-headed and couldn't stop smiling.

Staring down at her entwined hands, Hermione felt thoroughly ashamed. There was technically nothing wrong with what she'd done; she'd only gone for a walk and eaten lunch with Blaise. And she'd really just been flying around the castle with Draco. Both of these things she would do with Harry, Ron or Ginny. But it wasn't on a technical level that Hermione felt guilty. She was emotionally beginning to feel very attached to 2 certain Slytherin's and this scared her. Slytherin's were dangerous; they played with people's fears and emotions for fun and were more than capable of breaking hearts on purpose. But there was something about the way Blaise smiled at her, so earnest and genuine. And there was something about the way Draco looked at her, how his eyes -usually so unreadable- would become clear and his emotions obvious. And Hermione knew full well that Draco and Blaise's actions were not intended to be those of a friend like they would be if Harry did them. And it was here that lay the difficulty.

"So…" Ginny started cocking her head to one side. "Want to tell me what's going on." And with both relief and shame Hermione did. Every detail of that day as it happened. From her morning in Hogsmeade with Blaise, to the Quiditch class that afternoon. From her shared words with Draco in the hospital wing, to going flying with him that night; every little thing.

It felt good to get it off her chest but now Hermione was afraid of what Ginny would think of her. She watched her best friends face with analytical eyes, anxious for her reply.

"Those poor boys." Ginny said at last. Hermione groaned dropping her head into her hands.

"I'm horrible." She murmured.

"Well they've probably had it coming." Ginny comforted her reaching over to pat her shoulder.

"I am…this is…we…it's so wrong." Hermione cried. "This is not who I am. I'm not that girl! I'm not the girl that the guys chase after or the girl who plays with their emotions. I'm the girl whose read every book in the library, who would rather stay home and study than go out to a night club. This isn't supposed to happen!"

Ginny sat calmly through her rant. Venting was a very beneficial thing to do -if not done too excessively.

"Mione, just because you like two guys, and those two guys like you, it doesn't make you a bad person. But for the sake of everyone involved, it would be best if you decided on one of the Slytherin's ASAP. You want to make the right decision but you also want to do it before blood is spilt yes?" Hermione nodded miserably.

"Good girl. Well I'm off to bed." Ginny declared climbing off the bed. "See you in the morning."

"Night Ginny."

With a sigh Hermione flopped back onto her bed. This would undoubtedly be a very long night…

When Hermione awoke the next morning she found herself surrounded by pro and con lists. Brushing the papers ungraciously off the bed she tried in vain to fall back to sleep. Alas it was not to be so bedraggled and frustrated she rolled of the bed and toddled over to the bathroom. She did a double take at her reflection; bloodshot eyes, blotchy skin and a bird's nest on her head. Can that possibly me? Hermione wondered with puzzlement. Lack of sleep did not suit Hermione in mind or body. Shaking her head Hermione splashed water onto her face and started murmuring spells under her breath. Slowly but surely her hair unraveled itself and her face become one solid colour and the bags under her eyes were concealed. She applied a little bit of lip-gloss and pulled her hair back into a loose bun. Well now at least I look human.

At breakfast that morning Hermione wasn't at all surprised to find the 2 long tables from the previous 2 dinners still in place. The smaller tables hadn't worked out very well as most students still sat with students from their own houses. McGonagall had called these weeks 'an early stage in the development of creating house unity. This is the time for trial and error and to investigate what assists in bonding students. There may be some practices that will be better suited for later stages. Apparently the smaller tables would come back when friendships had been formed outside of the houses. Until, than the two long tables would continue, rotating at each meal who was sitting with who. In the morning it was Hufflepuff and Gryffindor on one table and Slytherin and Ravenclaw at the other, for lunch was Slytherin and Hufflepuff together and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. And for dinner Slytherin and Gryffindor were on the same table, and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff at the other. Hermione had to admit, it was quite ingenious. It also provided her with the opportunity to catch up with people she wouldn't usually see. For instance…

"Hello Hannah." Hermione greeted a pretty Hufflepuff at breakfast.

"Oh, hello Hermione." Hannah Abbott smiled as Hermione sat down opposite her. Hermione and Hannah had become quiet good friends during their 5th year when Hannah joined Dumbledore's army. They'd also fought alongside each other in the battle of Hogwarts. The two exchanged the usually pleasantries; how are you? How have things been? Congratulations on head girl… The usual.

Just as they were reaching a lull in conversation Ginny joined them sitting beside Hermione. She yawned loudly while reaching for a piece of toast.

"Merlin I'm so tired."

"Well you could've slept in. It is Sunday." Hermione pointed out reaching for an apple.

"No, I couldn't get back to sleep and its such a waste of a day just to lie in bed." With neither Hannah nor Hermione able to agree -both enjoyed sleep ins very much- they left the topic at that.

Draco POV

Draco had never realized how lonely it was in his house. He couldn't stand Pansy, Blaise wasn't speaking to him, Crabbe and Goyle were not capable of fluent speech and since Theo had discovered a peculiar interest in reading the Daily Prophet –apparently it made him feel intelligent- he was also no longer available. So Draco sat silently at the Slytherin and Ravenclaw table, with not much else to do but stare at the back of Theo's newspaper.

Breakfast dragged on unbearably slowly for Draco and he was about to leave to go for a walk when McGonagall stood up and requested the sixth and seventh years to remain after Breakfast. Sulkily Draco dropped back down onto the bench and picked up more toast. Eventually the other years left and McGonagall stood once again.

"Thank you for your patience," she began to address us. "I won't keep you long. As I expect some of you know, Hogwarts will be holding a seniors ball at the end of this month." The confused faces contradicted this statement. "Oh, well a ball is to be held here in the Great Hall on Saturday fortnight." Increasingly agitated whispering spread throughout the hall like wild fire.

"Quiet!" Snape hissed. The hall immediately fell silent.

"We do expect that all seniors will behave cooperatively and appropriately during the course of the evening. And to encourage this, we have one obligation." McGonagall eyed them sternly and the students waited with bated breath. "You may bring a partner on the condition they are from a house other than your own."

Aghast cries filled the room and students jumped to their feet shouting protests at the indifferent teachers. Draco smirked while glancing over at the now very distressed Hermione. Perfect.

dun dun da!