Hi everyone, this is Heather (Heather2910) uploading this chapter for Blair. I have read this chapter and it is fantastic so please leave reviews for Blair, I know she loves hearing your opinions! Enjoy

The students were loathe to start school again, especially with the muggles in tow. They had been given a week off to find a muggle to bring, and tomorrow would be the day that classes started again. The sixth years and below had mixed reactions, from smug looks to seventh years, to jealously, to curiosity. The seventh years spent some time showing their muggles about the castle, mainly the Grand Hall and the way to their dormitories. At dinner, the tables were magically enlarged to fit all the new visitors.

"Welcome students and guests alike!" Dumbledore stood at his podium, speaking. "As you can see, every seventh year has brought a friend today that will accompany them to classes tomorrow. I would like you all to give a warm welcome to these muggle children who have agreed to visit our fine school." Claps echoed around the hall. The muggles who were not staring at the ceiling in wonder, blushed.

Dumbledore sat down. Harry saw Marcus sitting next to Draco at the Slytherin table. He was talking to a boy Harry somewhat recognized as being Blaise's muggle, Fox?

Seamus elbowed Harry. "Mate, that muggle looks just like you!"

"I know! His name is Marcus. He's Draco Malfoy's muggle." Harry whispered. Seamus's eyes widened, as did Ron's and Hermione's.

"Is that what you wanted to tell us?" Hermione asked. "Malfoy's got some sort of plot going on?"

"Well, thats part of it." Harry told her and Ron. "There's more, but I'll tell you back in the common room."

Ron looked at him suspiciously. "Are you okay, mate? You seem… spooked."

"Just found out some rather terrifying information." Harry laughed it off. "You'll get a kick out of it, I promise."

Ron and Hermione nodded to him. "Alright. As long as it can wait, it can't be that bad." Hermione reasoned.

"You just wait." Harry said under his breath, sneaking one more glance at Draco, who was staring off into space with an expression that looked suspiciously like Luna's.

"An extra room will be made in each house dorm, to be used by the muggles for sleeping purposes. Curfew remains the same."

Harry showed Dudley the large room. He immediately chose a bed and fell asleep. Grateful, Harry tiptoed backwards and out of the room, careful not to make any more noise.

Kyle and Daisy were shown to their beds as well, and they took some time setting things up and arranging their overnight bags. When they were finished, Ron and Hermione joined them and they all found Harry, sitting in the Common Room.

"This place is wicked." Kyle grinned dumbly, excited. "I never thought something like this was even possible!"

"Aren't you related to Ron somehow?" Hermione asked. "Didn't you know about magic before?"

"He's my aunt's second cousin's best friend's brother-in-law. My aunt is a witch, her second cousin is a squib and her best friend is, too, so Kyle grew up in the Muggle world." Ron explained. Kyle nodded.

"I didn't even know half my family were wizards." He said. Daisy looked at Hermione.

"Come to think of it, I didn't know my best friend was a witch until now. I guess it would be inconvenient is all people knew about magic, huh?" She asked. Hermione nodded.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Daisy." She apologized. Daisy waved it off.

"It's okay. Today makes up for it."

Harry grinned at them all. "I'm just glad Dudley's the pig he is, or he would have had energy to stay awake now."

Daisy shuddered. "He's the kind of, um, muggle, that I really don't like! No offense, Harry."

"Please, be offensive. It doesnt bother me." Harry said. Hermione lightly punched his arm.

"Ow!"

"That's rude, Harry. It's your aunt and uncle's fault he is the way is." She scolded. "True, he's made some bad choices, but I'll bet he'll get his comeuppance one day, without us teasing him behind his back."

"He called you "a buck-toothed butterface."" Ron coughed into his hand. Hermione froze.

"He WHAT? Why, that horrible, insensitive, fat, PIG! I should curse him until his ears fall off!" She raged, until Daisy held her arms down. Harry, Ron, and Kyle exchanged glances.

"Are we allowed to insult him now?" Ron asked timidly.

Hermione's eyes were practically red with fury. "By all means, don't let ME stop you."

The conversation started again, not just on the subject of Dudley, but of all sorts of magic as well. Finally, Kyle and Daisy were beckoned to by a group of muggles, and they got up to say hello.

Ron and Hermione rounded on Harry. "Okay, what's the big secret you've got to tell us?" Ron asked him.

Harry checked to make sure no one was listening. "Okay, so you know that muggle boy that looks just like me?"

The two nodded. "Yes, Malfoy's guest. I knew he was up to no good." Hermione guessed.

"Well, his name is Marcus, and he filled me in on some rather interesting information…" Harry explained to his friends all that had happened on the train. Several times, one of them would interrupt with an exclamation such as, "WHAT the BLOODY hell?" (courtesy of Ron) but they got through the story rather quickly.

Ron actually laughed. "That git! He likes you, that's hilarious! Are you sure this Marcus kid is telling the truth?"

"Pretty sure, I mean, he's got nothing to lie about." Harry said.

Hermione appeared to be thinking quite hard. Ron nudged her. "Mione? Sickle for your thoughts."

She looked at Harry, biting her lip. Finally, she said quietly, "Harry, I don't want you to make fun of him for this. I mean, there must be a reason he's kept it a secret."

"Yeah, cause he's a bloody git, that's why!" Ron laughed again. Harry nodded to Ron.

"Exactly! He's kept it a secret exactly because he knows I'd make fun of him for it. And that's just what we'll do!" Harry and Ron grinned.

Hermione glared at the two of them. "Harry James Potter, you will NOT tease Malfoy about this. That makes you just as bad as he is. He's probably insecure about this and you taunting him certainly won't help."

"Hermione, how many times has he insulted us? Insulted you?" Harry asked in bewilderment. "Called you a mudblood? Don't you think he deserves to be brought down a bit?"

Hermione's eyes watered a bit, but she held firm. "Yes, but not by a teenage boy that he fancies, of all people. Besides, he didn't seem to rude to you in Kings Cross Station this morning."

"Well, no, but-"

"And from what you told me, he wasn't his usually arrogant and rude self in the compartment on the train."

"No, but-"

"Actually, it sounds like YOU were the one instigating a fight, Harry!"

"Hermione, just because he likes me doesn't mean I should be nice to him! He's a jerk!" Harry cried, exasperated.

Hermione just looked at him. "On the contrary, it's the perfect reason. He's obviously a jerk because he doesn't want you to KNOW he likes you. We don't know how long he's fancied you. My bet is that he was hurt by you rejecting his hand back in first year, then when you were sorted into Gryffindor he felt like he had lost you as a potential friend, but was sad and confused by what he had done to push you away. He's naturally arrogant, so he just became even more so when dealing with you, because he couldn't show weakness or how hurt he was by you not even wanting to be his friend. When he started fancying you he was scared and expressed himself by becoming a downright devil to deal with. And now he's trying to make up for it." She finished, obviously proud of herself for her deductions.

Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Blimey, Hermione, how do you make Malfoy sound like an actual human being?" Ron asked in amazement. Hermione shrugged.

"It's the perfect logical explanation." She said.

Harry thought about her words, then asked, "Um, how exactly has he tried to make up for it?"

"He'll start, believe me." Hermione declared, firmly believing her assumptions.

"Okay, fine, I won't make fun of him." Harry relented. "But I definitely won't go and try to make friend's or anything. He may fancy me, but he's still a git."

"Fair enough. But Harry, and Ron, you, too, please don't go out of your way to provoke him." Hermione begged. "If he starts something, which I doubt he will, you may defend yourselves, but that's it. Please?"

"We'll be on our best behavior, Mione. Promise." Harry elbowed Ron.

"Yeah, sure. I promise." Ron grumbled.

"Good. Now, we should get some sleep. It looks like Kyle and Daisy are heading off."

Indeed, at that moment the two muggles appeared to say their goodnights. Hermione and Ron promised to wait for them in the morning and take them down to breakfast, and then the two went to their temporary room.

The trio said their own goodnights and split, Hermione going up one stairwell and the boys going up their own.

Late that night, Harry was tossing and turning, plagued once more by nightmares, but these were the normal ones, of the dark and creatures that make loud and fearsome noises. Deciding that a glass of warm milk might do him good, he got up quietly and grabbed his Invisibility Cloak for a midnight stroll to the kitchens.

Sneaking out the door to the Tower, disturbing the Fat Lady who was quite annoyed at being woken by an invisible student after curfew, he wandered through the corridors of Hogwarts to the kitchens, using the Marauder's Map. He used Lumos to light his way, every so often casting Nox when he was dangerously close to a professor or Mrs. Norris. He took a minor pleasure in casting Silencio on the cat when she started hissing at him, then when she started rolling over to get the spell off he bolted, proud of his escape.

He reached the portrait that marked the entrance to the kitchens. Tickling the pear, he slipped inside. A house elf asked him what he would like. He told them a glass of milk and sat down to wait. Shortly, he was drinking his beverage.

When he was done, he thanked the elf and exited via the portrait. Not looking as he stepped out, he nearly collided with another body.

"Oi, watch where you're going!"

Harry froze, suddenly wide awake. He knew that voice. It was the one voice he had hoped he wouldn't have to hear until tomorrow.

Draco Malfoy glared at him. "Potter? What are you doing out of bed?"

"It's not any of your business, Malfoy." Harry snapped, trying to move past, his cloak clutched in his hand. Why wasn't he wearing it when he stepped out? Stupid!

Malfoy smirked. "It could be my business if I decide to get Filch." He shot back.

"Then you'd have to explain your reasons for not being in the Dungeons." Harry reasoned, edging backwards. He really did not want to be speaking to Malfoy right now.

"Well, what are you doing up? Couldn't sleep? Is your mudblood girlfriend mad at you?" Draco taunted, with a familiar edge to his voice. Harry had always assumed it was anger, but listening to it now he realized it sounded a hint like jealousy.

"Don't call Hermione that, Malfoy, I mean it! And she's not my girlfriend!" Harry grew angry. He just wanted to go back to Gryffindor Tower.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Potter. So then you just fancied a midnight snack?"

Oh no, not this. Don't try and have a conversation, Harry pleaded mentally. It was no use. Malfoy was looking at him expectantly. Harry nodded. "Something like that. You?" He asked, to be polite.

"Same." Malfoy replied. "Oh, watch out on your way back, Filch is in a bit of an uproar. Something about a student cursing Mrs. Norris."

"Yeah, that was me." Harry found himself saying. And was Malfoy being… sociable?

"Really? Good one, then. He's going mad." Malfoy said. Harry tipped his head in thanks.

They stood awkwardly, until Malfoy opened his mouth to say something else. Panicking, Harry said quickly, "Well, good night, Malfoy. I better be getting back. Need my sleep and all. Bye." He threw on his cloak and ran off, leaving Draco's words to die in his mouth.

The blonde watched him go, a shimmer in the background under his cloak. Knowing Harry wasn't looking at him, he wore an expression of forelorn longing, until he scolded himself and turned to continue his purpose, going into the kitchens.