Eight o'clock in the morning was way to early to wake up, Ash decided when her alarm sounded and woke her up. All around her people groaned at the sound and cursed her for setting the clock.

"Sorry," she whispered as she turned off the annoying sound and get out of her soft... warm... blankets.

Swiftly she dug out her school uniform and went into the bathroom to freshen up and change.

As soon as she was presentable, she skipped out of the room and down the corridor to the common room where a not-so-happy-looking Blaise greeted her with a yawn.

"Morning," Ash chirped.

"Morning," Blaise groaned, "someone seems way to happy to this early in the morning. Especially when an detention is awaiting her in half an hour."

Ash pouted for a second and then smiled again. "Oh come on! Don't be such a Joy-Kill"

"Just stating that I never saw someone this happy at 8.30 in the morning. Especially after a party the night before, where she was hammered and having an detention ahead of her for staying up until four in the morning."

Ash stared at him again. "Joy-Kill," she smirked and turned away to go to the Great Hall.

Blaise followed silently. As they reached the Hall, the Slytherin table was still empty, while the other tables burned with life.

Quickly the two Slytherin's sat down opposite each other and dug into the food that appeared in front of them.

"So... What do you think he'll make us do?" Ash asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No idea... clean out the dungeons?"

"No! No cleaning please! I hate cleaning!" Ash cried.

"Well, then it should be the perfect punishment for you Miss. Weasley," Snape said from behind her. Ash turned to look at him. "If you don't want to come late for your detention you should follow me now," he added and off he went.

Quickly Blaise and Ash followed behind the teacher as he guided them towards the dungeons. When they reached his classroom he opened the doors and ushered the teenagers into it.

"Alright, as you see the room hasn't been dusted and cleaned since the end of the last school year. I expect it to shine when I come back," he said and turned to leave. "Oh and before I forget give me your wands. You will not be able to use magic throughout the duration of your detention."

Both students sighed when they watched their wands vanish into one of the cupboards and Snape lock the door.

Once he left the room, Ash and Blaise looked around the room. "Oh what fun."

"When do you think he'll be back?" Ash asked carefully.

"By the look of this room... I suspect in about five hours."

"Thank Merlin we ate something! Otherwise we'd be left without food until dinner!"

Blaise laughed. "Weirdo."

They cleaned for about an hour in silence. First wiping of the tables and chairs and then slowly moving on to the cupboards and shelves. The floor they had decided to leave for last.

After a while Ash turned to look at Blaise. "Thank you," she said.

Blaise looked up surprised, "For what?"

"For everything. For being my friend, for listening to me yesterday, for not rejecting me..."

Blaise looked at her confused, "why should I reject you?"

"Because..." she fell silent again.

"No, Ash. Don't do that to yourself. None of the things that happened are your fault. You can't control who you fall in love with and when you fell, its hard to not be a bit 'blind'. He was an ass and if he fell for Voldemort's luring, it his own fault."

"But, I let him kill my parents..."

"Your parents would not have wanted you to interfere. You would have just died along with them. They where adults. They knew the risks and I'm sure they'd be happy to know that you escaped Voldemort's clutches."

Ash looked at him surprised. "You said his name."

Blaise looked at her surprised. "Yeah so?"

"Oh, nothing. Not many people do that."

"You said it."

"Yeah but I've been hanging with Ron and his friends all summer."

Blaise just grunted and went back to work. Again silence fell between them.

Finally they finished cleaning the room, but Snape still didn't come. "Um... do you think he'll come soon?" Ash asked after they sat down on one of the tables and stared at the completed task.

"I guess so..."

Again silence.

This time it was Blaise who broke it. "Do you like Malfoy?"

Ash turned around startled. "W-what?"

"Do you like Malfoy?"

"No - no, I don't...at least I don't think so."

"I saw you guys dancing at the party. Seemed pretty heated to me."

"Oh... well, I don't know. He's an total ass, a hot ass I must admit... but still an ass. I've always heard bad things about him from my cousins and I'm sure they have a point, but from what I got to see from him until now, I don't really see him as the git they described to me. But that doesn't really matter now, does it?" Ash tried to explain.

"Why not?"

"He's Pansy's."

Trying to hold back laughter he asked, "who told you that?"

Confused Ash put her head to the side. "Well, Pansy was talking about getting him back and then she and Draco went into the dorm rooms together."

"Draco and Pansy go back a long time. But they won't ever come back 'together' as Pancy so nicely put it. They were in a relationship once and from what I know about Draco, he really doesn't want to be in one with her again. Although I must admit, he won't say no to an easy fuck."

Ash formed an 'O' with her mouth, then she nodded. "Yep, definitely an ass."

"Not necessarily. Just a guy," Blaise countered and laughed.

"So, you're like that as well, Mr. Zabini?" Ash raised an eyebrow.

"A guy? Last time I checked I was."

"No, a womanizer."

Blaise smirked, "some have described me as such"

Ash laughed, "well I guess your good looks do have to count for something"

Blaise smirked, "of course they do!"

Both of them laughed and joked around even longer. "By the way, why did you ask me if I liked Draco?" Ash said again after a while.

"I just want you to be careful. Draco is an amazing friend to have, but he does have his down sides. One of them is that he thinks that he can get every girl he wants. I don't want you to get hurt by him."

Ash looked at Blaise and hugged him, "thanks your an amazing friend but don't worry I wont be one of Draco's conquests"

Blaise smiled at her warmly.

Finally they heard the door of the classroom open and they saw Snape walk into the room. Impressed he looked around and gave them back their wands. "We'll see each other after school tomorrow here again. Be on time."

Quickly the two friends slipped out off the classroom and ran down the hallway, stomachs growling.

When they entered they saw that the dinner was just about to be served. "That prick!" Ash fumed cheerfully, "He left us in that classroom for nearly 12 hours!"

Blaise just chuckled and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "You'll come to love him eventually"

"No, never! I refuse to even like that prick!" she answered grinning as they made their way over to their friends.

"The first day of school. The first day of doom more like," Tracy told Ash while they were on their way to the Great Hall to grab breakfast before the torture of classes sucked them dry of energy.

Ash snickered at her friends words. "I'm actually quite excited!" she chipped in, earning a freaked out look from the black haired girl next to her. "Well I'm going to get to know the new teachers and maybe I will meet some other people who will talk to me without a glare and -" Ash was broken of when she ran into someone.

She looked up to see Draco looking down at her... Did he remember what happened at the party? She wondered silently. She hadn't seen him at all since that fateful night. Did she want him to remember? Or rather not? She was unsure.

"Hey," she smiled up at him. If he did remember he didn't let it show.

"Hey," he smirked back. "Where are you heading?" he asked the girls.

"We're on the way to the Great Hall, grab something to eat and get our torture plans. What about you?" Tracy answered.

"I just sent a owl to my family. I was also on my way to the Great Hall."

"Nice! Then we can go together!" Ash grinned and interlinked arms with Tracy and Draco, dragging them along.

When they entered the Great Hall Ash looked up at the ceiling. "Ah! Such a nice sunny day!" she cheered seeing a cloudless sunny sky projected above her. She picked up the pace when she saw the wonderful food spread across the Slytherin table. "So yummy!"

"Ash!" Draco suddenly asked her as a horrific thought came to his mind. "Do you actually like school?"

Ash looked at him surprised. "Well, I don't hate it," she answered.

"Weird, isn't she?" Tracy asked from beside her as Draco just stared at her wide eyed.

"Reminds me of Granger," he shuddered and shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, come on people! It's not that big of a deal to actually like learning new things."

Tracy and Draco looked at each other. "She doesn't know the teachers yet," they said in unison. All three of them laughed.

Slowly the rest of the Slytherin's joined their little group. Pansy sitting herself next to Draco and his goons flanking him, Blaise sitting down next to Ash while Daphne glared at Ash and sat on his other side.

Confused Ash looked at her, but didn't say anything. It could wait until later.

While silently eating her waffles, Ash saw how Professor Snape slowly walked down the table handing out pieces of paper.

"Timetables are being handed out," she stated and the heads around her turned and groaned when they saw that she was right.

Once Snape finally made it to their group he gave them all a paper and headed back towards the teachers tables.

"What do you have?" Blaise asked looking over her shoulder to see what was on her piece of paper. "What the hell? How many subjects do you have? Ghoul Studies - Is that even a class?"

Ash chuckled, "It's an extra-curricular class, such as Music and Muggle Music."

"Muggle Music? Why would you wanna do that in your free time?" Pansy asked disgusted.

"Muggle Music isn't all that bad. Also I want to become an singer. Hence I should know all about music there is to know!"

"You can sing?" Tracy asked, hoping to get away from the muggle subject.

"Yeah, it's one of my few passions," she smiled.

"You've gotta sing us something!" the others insisted.

"Later OK? When not so many people are here?" the others nodded.

"What else is there?" Blaise peeked over her shoulder again.

"Arithmancy, Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, Transfiguration - is there any subject you don't take?" he read aloud.

"Divination, Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes" Ash stated without a blink.

"Freak."

"Take that back!"

"Nope you are." Ash glared at Blaise and hit him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"Serves you well," Ash pouted and turned back to the others. "Do we have any classes together?" she asked the others. Quickly they compared their time tables.

She had:
Potions with Draco and Blaise.
Charms with Daphne and Tracy
Herbology with Tracy
History of Magic with all of them
Transfiguration with Draco
DADA with Draco, Blaise, Pansy and Daphne
Astronomy with Tracy
Arithmancy and Muggle Studies as well as her three Electives she had alone...

Ash's first class was Arithmancy. With a sigh she got of the bench. "Well I better get going. I think Hermione is also taking Arithmancy, maybe she can show me the way!" she said and smiled at the others that were still in the middle of their meals.

Quickly she looked around for Hermione. When she saw her, Ash quickly sped over.

"Hey guys!" Ash greeted her when she reached the Griffindor table where Hermione, Ron and Harry sat together.

All three looked up from their meals. "Hey," they said a bit awkwardly. Ash ignored the silence that started to spread around the table again as she sat down next to Hermione.

"So, I was wondering if I had any of my subjects with you guys!" she said and smiled at them, itching to look at the pieces of paper in front of them.

Hermione was the first to show her subject plan to her.

"...Hermione... how do you fit eating and sleeping into this plan?" Ash joked while handing her her own paper.

"Oh come on, don't you say tha- Ash... you even have more classes then I do."

"Not true, three of them are after school electives! Their only once a week!" Ash tried to defended herself. But when the two guys gawked at her she seemed to fail miserably.

"Well, but it seems as if we have nearly every class together, except for Herbology and Transfiguration," she stated and gave her back her planner. Ash grinned.

"What about you guys?"

Ron looked at her and smiled, "Your nuts. You know that?" Ash laughed and nodded wildly.

He shook his head in response. "Well, I've got Potions, DADA and Transfiguration with you."

"Same here, plus Astronomy," Harry answered as well.

"Score!" she yelled and started doing a weird happy dance while sitting on the bench.

The Golden Trio just shook her heads at her weird behaviour. Soon they finished their meal and Ash and Hermione were of to Arithmancy...

Arithmancy was a bore. Why had she taken it again? Oh yeah because Hermione had plastered her with stories of how wonderful it is, how much fun it was - Hermoine had lied.

First of all you were forced to climb seven staircases. and then walk another 10 miles to actually reach the classroom. Professor Vector was a bitch and loved giving them huge amounts of homework - on the first day!

Yet this class did have a few upsides as well. It was extremely easy, Ash was able to spend time with Hermione, without being in the "where should I sit conflict" - which she suspected she would have in most of the other subjects.

On the whole way up to the classroom Hermione and Ash had joked and talked together, without mentioning their houses. However, when they finally entered the classroom and sat down next to each other, Hermione asked, "how's Slytherin?"

"Huh?"

"How's Slytherin?" Hermione repeated and added, "I mean, do they take care of you?"

Ash smiled. "Slytherin is fun. The people are awesome to me."

"Who are you friends with?"

"Well you see me sitting with them everyday. From them, I'm closest to Blaise and Tracy. Those two are amazing, I tell you! We're always cracking jokes and explore the grounds together. On the first day, they showed me the castle and the classrooms and everything and you know me, I had one of my random action thoughts and pulled them to the lake and jumped in and they did as well... OK not 100% correct I jumped in and they looked at me as if I had three heads so I had to come out and shove them into the water. It was hilarious! But anyway, they really enjoyed my super cool idea and now whenever I have one of my whims again they just go along with it!"

"Good for you..." she said and fell silent. After a few minutes of silence - just listening to the teacher talk - she added, "Promise me to be careful Ash, OK?"

"Why do you guys always have to repeat that? I can look out for myself and know how to judge people! I'm not a first year any more!" Ash whispered back harshly and let out an frustrated sigh.

Hermione looked at her hurt. "Ash... We just want to make sure you are OK. We never had a good experience with the people from Slytherin and most of their families are Death Eaters. After what you experienced... We just don't want you to be hurt again."

Ash looked over at Hermione again. "I know, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have... Just trust me, alright?" Hermione looked at her with anxious eyes and then nodded. Smiling Ash turned around to the teacher again.

Ash's next class was Transfiguration. When she saw this on her timetable she had to gulp. Ron, Harry and Draco in the same classroom with each other and her right in the middle of the cross fire... No way could this turn out pleasant.

Briskly she descended from the 7th floor to the Transfigurations classroom, waving goodbye to Hermione. Five minutes late, she finally reached her destination and entered the classroom.

"I'm so sorry!" she said while running through the doors, but she didn't see the teacher anywhere in the classroom. Only a brown tabby cat that sat on top of the teachers desk. Looking at the tabby, Ash remembered Ron telling her about his first time coming into her classroom late and Professor McGonagall transforming from that shape.

Uncertain she went up to the tabby. "I'm sorry for being late, Professor. I got lost," she said to the cat, as she heard the class trying to hold back laughter.

"Well, I understand that adjusting to a new school can be harsh at time, Miss. Weasley. What I do not understand, however, is why you are apologising to a cat," a strict voice said behind her.

Embarrassed Ash turned around to look at the tall, rather severe-looking women with emerald green robes and a tight hair bun. Turning bright red Ash opened her mouth to speak, but swiftly closed it again as she saw a twinkle in the elderly woman's eyes.

"Now sit down, so we can continue with class," she ordered and sent Ash scrambling to find a seat. One fast glance told her that Draco had kept a seat for her next to him, as had Harry and Ron - in front of them next to Neville - they were waving at her to sit there.

Torn she looked from one seat to the other, but decided to sit next to Draco - giving Ron an apologetic look.

Draco smirked. "Wow, I actually believed you'd sit with the Gryffindors for a second there."

"If you want me, I can still change my seat," Ash countered.

"I didn't say that. Its just that you probably just ruined your relationship with them again," he said, looking back and seeing the death glare Ron sent into their direction.

"They have to finally understand that I'm a Slytherin and that my friends are Slytherins as well. I want to be friends with them, but I'm stuck with you guys for a year and I don't plan on being an social reject," Ash explained glancing over at Draco, who just nodded.

Silence fell over them as they listened to McGonagall explain what they would do this year.

"Do you have any plans this weekend?" Draco asked whispering after a few minutes passed. Ash glanced at him and shook her head no. "It's the first weekend were we're able to go to Hogsmead. I was wondering, if you'd like to go there with me."

Ash's heart started to beat faster as she looked at Draco again. He hadn't turned to look at her, just kept on looking at the front of the classroom, pretending to listen to the Professor. Looking away her mouth tried up. "I-" she tried to answer - wanted to jump up ad down grinning yelling yes, but something held her back. "I-" she tried again, "I don't know, Draco. I- I don't think that would be the best move right now, especially with Pansy being my friend and you guys having this thing..." she muttered. "Also, I still have to figure you out..." she added so quietly that she wasn't sure if Draco heard her or not.

Draco tensed at her words and didn't say anything to her for the rest of the class. Ash mentally sapped herself, fearing that he would hate her now that she turned him down.

But right before class ended he looked at her, "Tell me if you change your mind, you're missing out on something." He smirked at her again and turned to pack his things together. Before Ash had time to finish packing up Ron hovered over her.

"We had saved a seat for you," he hissed.

"I saw."

"Then why didn't you sit with us?"

"Draco had saved me a seat as well, sitting next to a friend seemed more pleasant when sitting next to a friends friends," she answered truthfully looking behind Ron she added, "Sorry Neville."

"No problem," he muttered.

Ron still glared at her. "Now listen-" he started but Ash interrupted him and told him the same thing she had told Draco before, then stood up and left the room. There Draco stood waiting for her at the door.

"I have DADA now, I figured you'd have the same and that you probably wouldn't walk with Redhead and Scarface."

Ash let out a short laugh and smiled at Draco. "Thank you."

Defence Against the Dark Arts proved to be an amazing subject, this year taught by an eccentric elderly women, Professor Humbug. She thought that practical work would be the easiest way to learn to defend oneself, hence they started right the moment they entered the room and she started throwing spells at them, against whom they had to defend themselves against.

After this the day seemed to pass uneventful for Ash, until they retired back to their rooms and Daphne confronted her.

"Stay away from him," she shot at her.

"Huh?"

"You've heard me!"

"I don't know what you mean."

"There's something going on between you and Blaise. But I already told you. He's my mark. Stay away from him!"

"Believe me, we're just good friends. There's nothing going on between us!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are you always together and why does he seem so protective over you?"

"I don't know. But there's nothing between us, trust me."

Daphne glared at her. "Just stay away from him," she hissed and started walking into the bathroom.

"No I wont. You can't tell me with whom I can hang and not. Blaise and I are friends. You wont be able to do anything against that."

Daphne glared at her again. "Watch your back," she retorted and turned away, leaving Ash standing dumbfounded.