How was the last chapter? So here's a new one. Please read and Review! [JKR owns everything except the plot!]

"You moron!" Blaise scolded Draco as they went down to breakfast.

"What did I do?" Draco asked innocently while Hermione giggled.

"Shut up Mione." Ginny said. "What did we do that you hexed us so badly?"

"Really? Don't you know?" Malfoy asked.

"We just eavesdropped on a little, cute conversation. What's wrong in that?" Pansy said accusingly.

"Yeah. What's wrong in that?" Ron agreed.

"What's wrong in that?" Hermione asked incredulously. "You were eavesdropping on a private conversation."

"Sure." Theo agreed. "The conversation surely was private."

"Oh shut up!" Hermione said while the others laughed.

"Can't you just remove these boils?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I can, but I won't until all of you apologize to me." Hermione grinned.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy said. "Apologize to you? If you're forgetting, it was our conversation that these idiots overheard."

"Oh God!" Hermione exclaimed exasperatedly. "Alright. I'll remove the boils only if you apologize to US." She said, emphasizing the word 'us'.

"Ok, ok." Ron said. "I'm sorry Mione. Fine?"

"Fine" Hermione said and began to remove her wand,

"Excuse me?"

"What now Malfoy?" Hermione asked, exasperated.

"He apologized only to you. What about me?"

Hermione just stared at Ron. The stare told him to apologize to Malfoy too.

Ron sighed and took a deep breath. He went up to Malfoy.

"Sorry."

Malfoy gave Ron the trademark Malfoy smirk. "Well done Weasley. You apologize really well."

Ron chose to ignore the comment and Malfoy chose to continue his remarks. "What about you others?"

Everyone apologized to Draco and Hermione. The both of them then healed all of their friends one by one and the boils were gone.

Hermione thought of the person now walking next to her. Maybe Draco Malfoy really was a changed man. There were many reasons for that conclusion. For one, she had never seen a true smile grace his features. But that day, on the train, he had smiled genuinely. A true smile, one that she hadn't seen all these years, appeared. She saw another one of his true emotions the previous night. She had seen the caring emotion in those silvery stormy eyes. They held the emotions that she never thought they would. "He has changed." She thought.

"Hello?" Malfoy asked, all the while waving his hand in front of Hermione's face.

"What?" she asked.

"Why do you think so hard Granger?" he asked. "And maybe you were thinking about this handsome, smart man here as you were staring at him all the time." He said, pointing to himself.

"Keep dreaming Malfoy." Hermione said and continued walking. The others followed her.

They all entered the Great Hall. The four house tables stood there as usual, but there was a smaller table beside them. Pansy said to Blaise,

"Look! The other seventh and sixth years are standing over there!" she pointed.

The others followed her hand. The rest of the seventh years and sixth years were standing and chatting freely. They decided to go and ask them why they were standing while they saw Dumbledore step onto the podium. So they just stood there.

"Good morning students." Dumbledore started. "I know all of you are wondering why I have made the seventh and sixth years stand."

Murmurs and nods followed.

"I hope all of you remember that I told you that there would be a change of seating arrangements."

Loud groans broke out in the Great Hall.

"This change in seating arrangement is only for the sixth and seventh years."

All students other than the sixth and seventh years shouted happily. "So that's what the other table is for!" Hermione thought while the others around her groaned.

"Silence!" Dumbledore said and at once, the whole student body went quiet.

"So as I was saying, the seating arrangements that are provided to the sixth and seventh years are permanent for the rest of the year and there will be no change. I will assign the places to all of you and if anyone tries to change their place, they will automatically be hit by an aging spell. I hope you know what it is. You will become 4 four times your present age."

There were angry shouts from the sixth and seventh years. "You can't do this!" Blaise cried.

"Quiet everyone!" Dumbledore shouted. Once again, silence prevailed. "Why do you have to do this?" Theo asked.

"I am coming to that part . As all of you know, this feud between the four Houses has been going on forever. This rivalry has to stop. We have to be united. For this to happen, you must mingle with members from houses other than yours. This change in seating arrangements is to promote inter-house unity."

"Oh great." Malfoy murmured.

Hermione turned to him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"What happened Malfoy?" she asked. "I thought you wanted to be friendly with us?"

"Of course I want to, but I don't seriously think I could stand a bunch of Gryffindors at every meal!"

"Shut up."

Dumbledore resumed his speech.

"I have assigned your places already. As I wave my wand, name plates will appear on the empty table. You will sit according to where your name plate is.

With that, he waved his wand and numerous name plates appeared. Everyone struggled to find their names in the crowd. Hermione and the others made their way through the crowd, searching for their names. Suddenly, Hermione spotted her name and said thankfully, "Thank God!" but all that was gone as she saw the name beside hers. Beside her name plate was another one upon which was written in bold letters:

"DRACO MALFOY"

Hermione slid into her seat and looked at the other name plates. Ginny was seated on the other side of her. Harry was beside Malfoy and Ron was on the opposite side of them in between Pansy and Blaise. Theo was on Blaise's right with Daphne by his side. Everyone sat in their assigned places.

Harry was unhappy as he could not sit beside Ginny. Ginny was feeling the same. Hermione was angry as she had to put up with Malfoy but was happy too, as she had Ginny by her side. Malfoy was exhausted. He couldn't sit beside Granger and Potter at his meals. Ron was the one who was most unhappy for being squashed in between two Slytherins. Pansy and Blaise were ok with the arrangements. The only one who was extremely happy was Theo. He had Daphne sitting beside him.

Everyone was so silent and this was freaking Hermione out. She had to start a conversation.

"I think Dumbledore made us sit in a group as we were the greatest enemies in the past. What do you think?" she asked.

"I think the old man has finally lost it." Malfoy said.

"Malfoy! He is our Headmaster!"

"Well, then he should behave like one."

"Just keep your mouth shut."

"Look – "

Malfoy was cut off by a shout from a seventh year Ravenclaw.

"Your Pumpkin juice has been spiked with Veritaserum Parvati! I saw some students do it!"

"What!" Parvati cried. "But I've already drunk it!"

Everyone watched with interest as Parvati sat simply. Then someone asked Parvati:

"Whom was your best dance with?"

"Harry Potter" Parvati replied.

All eyes turned to Harry as he vowed to kill the idiot who asked that question.

Similarly, other questions were asked.

Ginny called to Theo. "What?" he asked.

"Shall we ask her about the lipstick and the deodorant?"

"It's a wonderful idea!" Theo said. "She's the gossip queen. She would know all about it."

So Ginny went up to Parvati and asked,

"Do you know who put my lipstick in Nott's bag and put his deodorant in my room?"

"Of course I do!" Parvati said.

"Tell me." Ginny commanded.

"It was…."

You will know who it was in the next chapter! Good bye for now and please review!