Gryffindors eagerly awaited the potions class the next day. A grateful Neville took particular care to stand next to Sia, hopeful that Sia would once again divert Snape's attention to herself, and he would once again be blissfully left alone.

Snape had found a way to get past the rude shock that he had been given the day before. He was now no longer breathing down the students' necks, but contented himself with sitting at his desk and waiting for the students to bring the corked samples of their work for that day. He eyed Sia malevolently; no other student, apart from Harry, of course, had ever given him any reason to back down. Potter was a bitter pill that he had had to swallow from time to time, mainly because of Dumbledore. The way he had smuggled Sirius out from under the nose of Fudge himself, and deprived him of an Order of Merlin, still rankled. Not to mention a number of things he couldn't pin on him, knowing full well that it was his doing- be it the ingredients stolen from his cupboards, or his frequent nighttime wanderings that would have resulted in several detentions. That flying car episode still made him seethe with disappointment…he had been so sure that Potter would be expelled.

He sighed and looked at Sia again. He had never been confronted with such weapons before. The girl was certainly smart enough to realize that. But she didn't know yet just how vicious he could get.

Sia was dressed provocatively again, though she had left her shirt tucked in today. The length, or the lack of it, of her skirt, and the tightness of her shirt was all she had done. She knew Snape would not be as shocked twice, and she had no desire to be the cynosure of gawping eyes of the male population as she tried to focus on her work. However, most of the boys still stole glances at her, and Draco had breathing troubles yet again.

A little before the bell rung, Snape ordered all of them to cork their samples and bring them to him. The class obeyed, and just as Sia turned away from his desk, she heard a shattering noise behind her. She turned back slowly to look at Snape, and saw her flask lying shattered at Snape's feet. Snape smiled evilly at her, and said, "Oops. Tough luck, Miss Raisingh." Harry was reminded of Snape pulling this dirty trick on him.

Sia smiled innocently at Snape, and replied in dulcet tones, "Oh, I am so sorry, professor. I am extremely clumsy. That's why I always fill an extra flask." And with that, she pulled out another corked sample from her robes, and handed it to Snape who now looked murderous. Sia half-turned as if to go away, and Snape's hand moved to the edge of the table; but then Sia turned back and told him brightly, "As a matter of fact, I have several more samples all corked and ready, professor. I don't want to lose marks because of my clumsiness, you see." With that, she made her escape; as she was sure Snape would have hexed her to hell if she had stayed there.

Her work was done, anyway. Gryffindor had again got away without losing any points, and hopefully Sia would think up something new for the next class. Thankfully the bell also rang then.

Draco was impressed with the girl. A glamour doll with brains and smartness. Too bad she was a Gryffindor and not a pureblood. But he felt he had to give credit where it was due. He saw Sia momentarily alone up ahead, and hurried up to her.

"Hey Raisingh, how come you are not in Slytherin?"

Obviously, he felt being a Slytherin was the ultimate compliment you could hope to get. Sia was not amused, though. She stopped and looked him directly in the eye. Draco noticed that it was a habit of hers…either she wouldn't look at you at all, or she would look right into your eyes.

"Have you seen any good-looking girls in Slytherin, Malfoy?" she asked bluntly.

"I…what?" he seemed nonplussed.

"That's why." Sia answered with a smirk.

Draco smiled, inspite of the fact that he should've felt bad for his house. But he had been behaving weirdly around her. There was some truth in her statement anyway. But still, he should really stop smiling so much…it was ruining his image.

Sia was momentarily Stunned; this was the first time she had seen him smile, and at such close quarters. His beautiful mouth was open, revealing perfect teeth…and his eyes were dancing merrily-silver pools in which she found herself floundering. Gosh, he could kill with smiles, she thought. She blinked to cover her confusion.

Draco saw his advantage at once; he was a keen observer of such things. So Miss Smarts was not immune to his charms…nobody was. He leaned forward slightly, pressing his advantage, and whispered close to her ear, "You need to watch out…Snape is not a pushover."

Sia fought to breathe normally, and not to inhale his spicy-cool scent deeply. She had a strong urge to lean into him, or to pull him close. He was smiling at her again, sure that he had got to her. As she fought for control over her senses, Sia sorely wanted to say something to show him that she was unaffected by his proximity, but her normally efficient brain seemed to have jammed. As she cast around desperately, she noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione coming up behind him…no doubt worried that Malfoy was giving her a bad time. And just behind them, Parkinson was stomping towards them, looking highly suspicious and enraged at the same time. Sia smiled inwardly and thanked Heavens for this face-saver.

She leaned towards Draco conspiratorially and whispered, " You need to watch out too, your pug looks angry", and gestured towards Parkinson with her eyes. As Draco whipped around and saw Pansy, Sia laughed softly. And then, all four were upon them.

Pansy eyed Sia nastily, and said, "Trying to smarmy up to the Head Boy, Raisingh, or trying to get him to kiss you?"

The next instant Sia's wand was pushed against Pansy's lower lip even as Sia looked at her almost benevolently. "You do realize, Parkinson, that I can Transfigure you into the real bitch that you are without any difficulty," Sia began softly. "The only reason I don't do it is because it would be such a waste of time…you would still have the same face, and you would still be licking the same guy." With that, she raised her eyebrows in Draco's direction.

Ron doubled up with silent laughter, and Harry and Hermione stifled their own laughter and settled for a snicker. Sia blew a kiss to Draco, winked at a thunderstruck Pansy rubbing her lower lip, and left with her newly acquired friends. Pansy glared after her, angry beyond reason; but when she looked at Draco, she felt a stab of pain. Draco didn't look angry. In fact, he looked amused.

Later that day, Hermione was sprawled out on her bed on her belly, listening to Ginny recount the latest gossip, as Sia listened on mildly amused. What with the recent turn of events, Sia had entered their circle without any fanfare. Ron had announced to the whole common room after classes that day what Sia had said to Parkinson. Sia had been besieged with questions and well-done thumps, and Hermione had rescued her by dragging her to the Head's dorm with Ginny.

In Hermione's room, the three girls were spending some quality 'girl-time' together. Sia had told them some rather funny stories about the boys at Beauxbaton's, and Hermione had recounted some of the adventures she had had with Harry and Ron over the years. Sia was actually envious of their close friendship. Ginny had told them about growing up with Fred and George, and had them all in splits. They learned that Sia had a younger sister, Kiara, who was now in her fifth year at Beauxbatons. But although they talked much, neither Ginny nor Hermione noticed that Sia was not quite forthcoming on details about her personal life. However, she had much to say on the subject of boys.

"So, HG, how far have you and Ron got?" Ginny giggled as Hermione frowned. The girl was quite blunt and straightforward.

"Er…got where?"

"C'mon, girl…don't hedge. I know you like him, though I just don't know why, with due apologies, Ginny. I mean, apart from the fact that you both have been best friends to your best friend for over six years now, what else have you got in common?" Sia was inquisitive to a fault, reminding Hermione of Malfoy more than ever.

"We are…we…well, we have known each other for a long time now…and Ron is a very nice person." Hermione was sure about the last part.

There was no escaping Sia, however. She just smiled knowingly as she looked at her, and winking at Ginny, continued.

"Of course he is, dearie. But you don't go to bed with a 'nice person'. You go to bed with someone who makes you want to go to bed with him. What say, Ginny?"

Hermione blushed a deep red at that. She had not been able to imagine herself in bed with Ron yet. Ginny, however, giggled some more, and seemed to agree with Sia.

"Tell me, Ginny", Sia continued, baiting Hermione. "Do you want to sleep with Harry because he is a nice person, a hero, the Chosen One, or because his kisses make your blood sing?"

Ginny smiled mischievously, and added blithely, "Definitely the latter. And make no mistake, Hermione, I am going to sleep with him before the year is out."

"Ginny Weasley!" Hermione admonished in a way that reminded Ginny of her mother, and she giggled even more. Sia smirked at Hermione, and blew a kiss at Ginny.

"So, HG, what it boils down to is…do you want to sleep with Ron? And not just sleep, mind you, but do all that you are supposed to do with a guy in sheets. Hmmm?" Sia raised her eyebrows at Hermione impishly.

Hermione blushed to a color that was more Ron's than hers. She decided not to rescue Sia again if that meant this sort of interrogation…and on such a topic! And Ginny, the turncoat that she was, seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly. Well, an honest answer to that was impossible to imagine, she thought. She was good at working things out, not at imagining them. That was more an area of Harry's expertise. If she started going out with Ron, as she wanted to, then naturally, she supposed, they would do 'all that was supposed to be done', at some stage in their relationship. She blushed again. This girl was devil-incarnate, Hermione thought petulantly as she saw Sia looking at her with an amused expression; she really enjoys setting the cat among the pigeons. But then she thought about Ron again, and blushed yet again.

After what seemed like ages, Hermione, blushing profusely, nodded.

Ginny whooped loudly, and fell back on the bed, laughing, reminding Hermione of Ron. Sia smiled wickedly, and clapped her hands gleefully. "Bravo! So the blushing bride finally says 'I do'."

"Allright. So we've established this fact: HG wants to sleep with Ron." Hermione roused herself at that, and started spluttering and waving her hands frantically. Ginny laughed harder than ever. Sia, however, continued as though Hermione had not just behaved as though she was drowning.

"So, HG. How far have you got with Ron? I certainly haven't seen you both going out, or have you both been sneaking around?"

"Er…actually…ummm…" Hermione cast around for a way to put things across in a dignified manner, just as Ginny took away the winds from her sail.

"What she means is, Ron, being the utter fool that he is, hasn't had the guts to ask her out yet." Ginny said bluntly.

"Or, in other words, Ron, being the typical boy that he is, has been taking HG for granted, and not noticing her as he should." Sia announced.

"He has been rather busy…what with the homework and quidditch and…" Hermione was up in his defense automatically.

"Harry, I believe, has the same amount of homework, even more of quidditch with him being the captain, and a lot more on his plate besides, and yet I don't see Ginny moping around."

"I am not moping around either." Hermione was stung.

"You shouldn't anyway. That's not the way he will notice you. You have to do something really drastic if you want to motivate him to shed his inhibitions and unbutton your shirt."

"Sia! I don't want him to…" Hermione was shocked.

"You just admitted you want to sleep with him. If you want to sleep with your shirt on, you are not going to go much far. He will just find someone else, shirtless, and skirtless too."

Hermione was shocked at such language, but she couldn't deny the truth in Sia's words. That was part of the reason that had driven Ron to Lavender last year. She was too much of a 'friend', and less of a 'girl'.

She looked up at the two girls in front of her. Both looked sympathetic. Allright, so I need to swallow my pride and ask for help. However, the moment her expression changed, words were not needed. Both the girls jumped to her rescue.

"Hermione", Ginny began understandingly, "You need to follow your own advice. The one you gave me when I was moping for Harry. Live your life, look around, and go out a bit with someone else. Harry became jealous and realized his feelings for me only when he saw me with Dean."

Hermione shook her head at that. She had already tried that last year, with McLaggen, and the results had been disastrous for her. And Ron still refused to understand her relationship with Viktor Krum. If things got ugly between them because of such petty issues, Harry would ultimately suffer, and with battles looming ahead, she didn't want Harry distracted because of them.

"C'mon, Hermione, be a sport. If you don't show him you don't care, he will go through this entire year without asking you out." Ginny implored. "And I'm not asking you to fall for another guy, just let him think he has competition."

Hermione, however, continued to shake her head. Who knew what Ron would do if he got suitably angry! She wasn't about to take chances. And she didn't want to endanger another Gryffindor by making him the object of Ron's ire.

Sia watched Ginny and Hermione trade off reasons for and against taking such a step, and was secretly amused at the contrast between the two girls. But as their arguments became drawn out, she started losing her patience, and decided to take matters in her hand.

"Look, HG, and Ginny," she began. "Neither is fretting and not doing anything going to work, nor is only snogging another guy in front of Ron. It would be so obvious. We need something else. And anyway, what guy would HG snog? Not Dean or Seamus, surely, or Neville! We don't want bloodshed in the Gryffindor commonroom. No no no…" Sia got up off the bed and started pacing the room restlessly as she thought, the other two girls watching her curiously.

Suddenly, she turned around to stare at Hermione, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Of course!" she breathed, "Why didn't I think of him before?"

"Think of whom?" Hermione was a bit apprehensive.

"Malfoy, of course!"

"What! Sia, are you out of your mind? He's a shark, he would eat Hermione alive! And besides, what about Ron? Don't you think he will kill Malfoy if he so much as touches Hermione?" Ginny nearly yelled as she sat up so fast she sent pillows flying..

"Calm down, Gin Gin." Sia was amused at her outburst. Really, this redhead was a fire-cracker; no wonder Harry was hooked.

"Look, I am not suggesting that HG sleep with him or anything. Or even ask him for help, lord forbid. He is so conceited it would probably make him float two inches above the ground. All I am saying is, we make Malfoy notice HG. He notices girls much more than Ron, and his taking notice of HG will make Ron take notice like nothing else will, believe me. Ron hates him with a passion, doesn't he?" Sia smirked.

"He does, but…what if they should come to blows?" Ginny was still skeptical.

"Who cares if they do? They both deserve a few socks, anyways. And if they do come to blows, I wouldn't worry about Ron killing Malfoy…I would be too busy praying for him." Sia had a twisted sense of humor, no doubt, Hermione thought.

"And how exactly does Hermione go about catching Malfoy's attention? By giving him a lap dance?" Ginny had already moved into the spirit of things.

"That would be too…dangerous." Sia smiled wickedly. "I mean, if Malfoy really decides to go for HG, Ron will be left high and dry, and we don't want that. All that she has to do is change her appearance a bit…you know, just a little bit of tweaking here and there, and he will be bound to notice. And then…" Sia rubbed her hands in anticipation.

"Er…don't I get a say in this?" Hermione found her voice at last, once she had gotten over the initial shock of what these two crazy girls were planning.

"Of course, HG. You can blush and say 'I do' once we've done planning," Sia waved her off.

"So what do you suggest?" Ginny asked Sia, looking at Hermione critically as though she were just a pesky fly and she was wondering how best to get rid of her.

"I think we should start by shortening the length of her skirt…just a bit, not drastically. Malfoy will probably drool all over her otherwise. He just has to notice…you know, look at her as though he's wondering what she looks like without her clothes. That will zap Ron."

"Wha…?" Shock was now a mild word for Hermione.

"And I suggest she straighten her hair a bit…you know, make her look more eye-catching that way." Ginny ran a hand over her straight locks.

"What do you mean more eye-catching? I have wavy hair missy, and I catch a lot of eyes, in fact, all the male eyes in Hogwarts."

"Ha ha. All except one. Harry has eyes only for me."

"That's because I don't want him to look at me that way. Otherwise, I would show you."

"Really? Why don't you try?"

"And when he's hooked good and proper, what do I do with him? I don't want to sleep with him…that's your ambition."

"What do you mean you don't want to sleep with him? Harry is a very passionate guy, I will have you know. And his kisses are divine, out-of-this-world. You don't know what you are missing."

"I don't want to know either. My tastes are different."

"And what exactly…"

"GIRLS! PLEASE!"

Hermione had been trying to get their attention for quite a while now, but finally had to yell to make herself heard above the two snarling lionesses. She didn't quite know just how or why their conversation had taken such a nasty turn.

Sia and Ginny backed down and looked abashed once they realized they had been quarreling over nothing at all. Hermione was amused at their flushed faces. Sia had a temper to match Ginny's, and that was saying something.

"So…er…back to me, I guess." She suggested into the uncomfortable silence that had settled in the room, trying her best to hide her smile.

Sia seized on the opportunity with both hands. She didn't take kindly to being laughed at; not when she could defend herself now, without her parents' meddling noses.

"As I was saying, HG, Malfoy just has to give you a second glance…not ignore you like he normally does at classes. If he stares at you interestedly for ten seconds, ten gets you one Ron will notice."

"And as I was about to say, Hermione, you can make things move a little faster by being nice to him…I mean, you live together. You will have plenty of opportunities to make him inhale your perfume deeply. That will get him to look interested in classes."

Hermione looked shocked at what Ginny seemed to be suggesting…it was asking for trouble. An interested Malfoy could bring lots of complications, what with her practically living with him, and Ron's temper. And as Sia had pointed out already, Malfoy was much better at dueling than Ron, and better built too.

"Er…isn't this a bit like playing with fire?" Hermione decided to wave her feeble flag of resistance once more before she was subdued finally.

"It most definitely is," Sia smiled with genuine, wicked amusement this time. "But whats life without a little excitement?" This made even Ginny smile. "Besides," Sia continued, "You want to make a guy do naughty things to you. Such business cannot be conducted from inside a church, my dear…you have to get out into the streets for that. So, welcome to the streets." She smiled devilishly, and Ginny joined in with her giggles. Hermione looked at them both helplessly, and joined in with her laugh.

Later that night, as Hermione lay in her bed, she couldn't help but giggle to herself as Sia's words conjured an image of Ron in her mind…looking at her differently…asking her out…telling her she looked beautiful. And then, a Ron who kissed her, and lay on top of her in bed…Hermione turned over as she hugged her pillow to herself. And then, she imagined Ron bending over her mouth as he weighed her down on her mattress with a delicious weight, and her eyes closed as she imagined his blue orbs getting closer. Her lips puckered up to receive the imaginary kiss and she let her tongue touch her lips and the sweet cavern of her mouth delicately as she imagined his tongue doing the same. When she pictured Ron breaking the kiss and gently withdrawing after that wonderful kiss, to her horror, she saw that the eyes her mind had conjured receding from her were gray, sparkling below soft platinum locks. She gasped and sat up, her hand on her wildly beating heart. What am I thinking!!!

A/N: Seriously, how lazy can you get? Yes, you there! C'mon, start execising, and start that by moving your hand over your mouse, directing the pointer to that little purple button . There! Now depress your finger to click on that button, and then use your fingers to type some meaningful words about this chapter and story. Yep, this exercise should be enough for today. LOL. But really, I need feedback people. This story has five times the number of alerts than it has reviews. How very lazy, tsk tsk. So how about that exercise?