Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Chapter 26

Ky's POV

"Morning beautiful!"

Greengrass jumped in her seat and I laughed at her reaction as heads swiveled left and right as I jumped over the long bench and took the place next to her. Her green eyes glowered at me as she siphoned the coffee she spilled on herself due to my sudden appearance and I returned it with a wide smile.

My smile fell at her usual company, Davis, the guy with the penetrating green eyes whose name I should really learn and the mini Crabbe and Goyle. "Penis piñata."

I held Davis' ice blue gaze as I stated the words and his nose flared and he remained seated, I cocked my brow, reaching for the milk and he shot up at my fast movement. He cleared his throat and skulked away, his triathlon of idiots following suit.

Parkinson, Bullstrode and Tracey Davis were glowering at me a few seats down from Greengrass and a whole array of reproachful faces reigned down at me from up the table; I smiled at a first year whose head was turning this way and that as if waiting for an explosion which never came.

"You do like causing a scene, don't you?" Greengrass muttered into her mug, glancing down at the Daily Prophet she had laid out in front of her.

I rolled my eyes, "Me? No, I just wanted to have breakfast with my favourite girlfriend from Slytherin, where's the harm in that?"

She smirked, "Favourite, more like only." Her smirk widened, "Although I must say I do quite enjoy that colour of puce on Pansy's face so early in the morning."

I laughed, pouring the milk over my cereal and glancing at the brunette, "She looks like she's constipated…I had no idea I had such an effect on her."

Greengrass let out an airy laugh, "Oh you do. Snape really had a go at her when he thought she was the one that let out those Posters of you, I think everyone at this table is very aware of what the outcome would be if they dared mess with you, hence there are no spells flying at your invasion."

"Invasion!" My brows rose, "I highly doubt sitting at a different table for breakfast can be counted as an invasion! Anyway, you ran off so quickly yesterday I forgot to ask why you didn't join us at Hogsmeade on Saturday. It can hardly be because you had other arrangements because your sole confidantes are those four dimwits. What's the deal Greengrass, why you not playing with the Snakettes anymore?"

She sighed, finally turning to face me, "Thornton, it is much too early for this conversation." Her eyes dilated slightly as it stared at a spot to the left of me, "I must excuse myself, my presence is needed elsewhere."

Before I could turn to see what it was that had her hastily retreat, her place was almost instantly filled by my favourite Slytherin.

"Salazar Snake it is you! I told Blaise it was you but he thought that Crikey didn't manage to get that wig we had charmed to his head off as yet!" His hazel green eyes narrowed as I smiled at him in greeting and he moved his face right in front of my own, I didn't flinch at the action though, smiling at the oddity that was Theodore Nott. "Something is different…something is different… you brushed your hair!"

I rolled my eyes, adding more sugar to my Coco Pops as a shadow fell over us momentarily but I knew who it belonged to without looking, "I always brush my hair Teddy! You take me for a savage?"

"Then what is it!" He muttered, and sniffed at me, "It isn't perfume is it?"

"Push up bra." I finally looked up at Zabini who had occupied the seat opposite us, so that's why Greengrass had scampered away. I smirked at him as he took a bite of dry toast.

"Why Zabini, how kind of you to notice."

Zabini rolled his brown eyes at me and then frowned at Theo, who had taken to openly staring at my chest.

"Ted-" He held up his finger at me and I stopped speaking, his eyes dark green as they continued to zone into my chest.

"O Ok good." He sighed in relief, letting out a deep breath and looking away from my breasts, "I thought I had an erection for a second there." He laughed out, "That would have been awkward."

I glanced at Zabini who had his face in his hands at his friend's impropriety; I let out a laugh as Teddy summoned a handful of pancakes as if he didn't just let out that thought provoking gem.

I felt a shadow fall over me and I smirked, glancing up at the blonde at my shoulder, "Sit Malfoy, I promise not to bite."

His face remained unchanged as I smiled up at him; the dilating of his misty grey eyes the only sign that my addition to their little Breakfast Club had any sort of effect on him. He let out a long breath through his nostrils and turned on his heel, strutting to the exit.

I rolled my eyes at his departure, obvious much? I turned back to Teddy, my eyes clasping on emerald green ones that shone bright with anger from three tables away. I held his gaze, in no way afraid of the glower and my mouth was set in a defiant line. Movement on his side broke the stare down as we both looked to the new arrival…of course it would be her…

"Ky!" I stopped, halfway up the staircase to our dorms, Mi turned around at the voice and I felt her seize up slightly in the confined space. "Can we talk?"

Mi looked down from her step above me, as if waiting for her instruction, I nodded my head still not turning around and Mi turned back around, making her way up to our dorm.

I took a deep breath, the sight of pink lips on familiar cheeks, of ginger strands and tousled black hair…

"Ginny." I turned, leaning on the wall to my side, the door to the dorms opened at the bottom of the staircase and the first year with the blonde pigtails that I always saw Eddy with squeaked in fright, shutting it again and ushering away her friends.

Ginny stared at the now shut door, as if choosing to occupy herself with the scene rather than face me, I sighed and she slowly dragged her light brown eyes to me.

"I…You…I should apologise." She stated with a shrug, not looking me in the eye.

"Whatever for?"

She let out a breath from her flaring nostrils and stared at me as if I was purposely being slow, I took a step down so we were just one step apart, and considering Ginny was taller than me I was only slightly above her.

"Ginny, relax." I sighed, "Harry is single right? Well," I laughed, "He was single. So why would you apologise?"

"I suppose I should have given you a bit of a heads up." She said nonchalantly.

I shrugged, "It's unnecessary. Is there anything else, I believe the first years are way past their bed times and much too afraid to encroach on the apparent showdown they've obviously expecting to occur."

She nodded, observing my every feature and I rolled my eyes, knowing I hadn't given a stitch away. Mi was right, I'm done moping, I am no jealous ex girlfriend, if Harry was done with me, I was done with him….

I pushed the large tomb aside and threw my bag onto the floor, collapsing into the chair with a huff.

"You…are you brain adled? What is with your constant invasion of…you don't sit here!" I ignored Malfoy and bent over, pulling out parchment and ink from my bag and pushing his copy of Numerolgy and Grammatica back to his side of the desk.

"You Snakes are really paranoid. What is with your constant use of invasion? Do you even understand what that means? Gum?"

He glanced at the packet in my fist with a face that looked like he was trying to set it on fire, I rolled my eyes, taking a stick out and plopping it into my mouth and I smirked on the inside as his silver orbs flickered to my lips and he swallowed.

I was sure of one thing at the conversation I overheard at Nonno's office between himself and Sev…the boy they were speaking of was Malfoy. He was the boy that Sev was supposed to be guiding because…what did they say…Voldemort gave him a death sentence? Meaning he gave him a task that he was positive Draco couldn't accomplish…did that make him a death eater? Is that how it worked? Or is this task that he has to accomplish like an initiation, if he passed it then he would take the mark?

That was easy then, I just wouldn't let him pass…Nonno thinks Draco could be salvaged and I wholeheartedly agreed. Draco thought that whatever mission Voldemort had set for him would be the death of him if he failed, but I know Nonno wouldn't let that happen...we didn't need Draco to fail…we needed him to surrender…surrender the mission…whatever it may be…he needed to walk away, all the way over to our side. Because just like me, he could be salvaged.

"Thornton?" I snapped back to reality, he was scowling down at me, his copy of Numerology opened in front of him, "Vector wants us to do this in pairs, if you'd rather sit and daydream about Potter, by all means go ahead, but don't expect me to make you a copy as well."

I smiled and his glower faltered, ignoring the jab about Harry. Malfoy changed his slither away tactic to taking the offensive…very un-Slytherin…but then again, he didn't exactly have anywhere to run now did he?

I stared at his reproachful grey eyes and his smooth pink lips, he had better lips than I did…that wasn't right. I cast the spell in my head and felt the blank spot appear, but instead of the spot getting bigger, it shrunk until it was nothing and I was back to staring at grey eyes that glared at me at my attempted invasion of his mind. Just as I thought, he knew occlumency! I laughed and his glare faltered,

"Let's play a game!"

He closed his eyes as if pleading for patience from a higher power, "Is that game answer section C, D and F of Chapter 5, because if it isn't, I don't want to play."

I ignored him, glancing around the room, our Arithmancy class was our smallest class, the subject wasn't popular amongst the masses and made even harder to sit for considering you had to get an O in your OWL's just to get a place in it, apparently if you couldn't get an O in fifth year you had no chance of passing NEWT's. Therefore Mi and I were the only Gryffindors in the class, Malfoy and Teddy the only Slytherin's, there were a whopping number of Ravenclaws, five- Terry, Thomas Lee, Michael Corner, Padma and Mandy Brocklehurst and the sole Hufflepuff being Ernie McMillan who was right now consuming Vector's complete attention with a bombardment of questions as he usually did each lesson.

"I know you're legilemens?" His eyes narrowed at my statement and a reminder at my previous attempt to get into his mind. It was a normal assumption to make, to be a legilemens if you're an occlumens.

I refrained from rolling my eyes, you'd think I'd right out accused him of having the dark mark…he half looked like he wanted to leave his seat…I couldn't have that so I leaned toward him conspiratorially, "I mean, what with having Bellamy around…one would have to be proficient in such skills? She's not exactly the honest, trustworthy type now is she?"

He didn't respond, staring down his nose at me, I turned back to observing the class, "Anyway, I picked up the skill over the holiday," Vez had been an annoying teacher considering he never really had to learn it what with his Ability, and when he 'lost' his Ability his picking up of legilemency and occlumency had been unnaturally fast and of course he was expecting it to be the same for me. It wasn't and we had spent many of our first nights of the holiday screaming at each other…well more I screaming and him responding in that unnerving drawl of his that made you want to rip the hair out of your head…I did miss him…

"Anyway, let's have us a race. We'll have a go at each person's mind, and whoever gets in first, wins."

He sighed, looking away from his book, "Wins what?"

"A date with Tad Hamilton."

He narrowed his eyes in the equivalent of a 'huh' for Malfoy and I laughed, "Horrible muggle joke, anyway, are you in?"

"This is absolutely unnecessary, considering everyone is going to be thinking about these examples which are what we're-"

I leaned into my chair blocking out his words, observing the back of Padma's black shiny hair, chanting the spell in my head, it was much the same technique as occlumency hence being learned in one made it that much easier to garner the others skill. I cleared my mind, forming the black dot in my head, the black dot slowly got larger and larger and I fed it with concentration until my mind was a blank screen and slowly Padma's voice floated through…

…he keeps looking at her, I should probably tell Julez… Not that she would even bat an eyelash, she would never accept that she has feelings for him. Well it's obviously because he seems to be immune to her feminine wiles, one boy in a hundred I suppose. Well it's comforting that there are boys who don't think breasts are everything, although it would be much more comforting for my poor A cups to know that Anthony loved them just as much if they were DD's but of course he doesn't…the way that boy-

"Boobs!" I screamed, clapping my hands together as Malfoy's eyes relaxed and he stopped trying to get into Padma's head. I knew he wouldn't turn down a challenge and instead of checking if I was right he just refocused his attention on Padma's partner and he smirked when he saw who it was.

"Me." He stated in confidence.

"Conceited much?" I rolled my eyes, not taking his word for it and breaking down Brocklehurst's defences easily.

…feel his eyes on me…oh don't be silly, his just looking ahead and you just happen to be in front of him, oh Rowena your face is going red, can Padma notice. Oh she's looking at Terry, thank the Founders. Oh man…that's his cologne, thank you wind…oh my word…he smells-

"Fine. But that point wasn't deserved considering you didn't even get into her mind, you just guessed."

He scoffed, "A point is a point, irrelevant of its procurement. Who do you want to do next?" He was suddenly in the game now considering he might actually win. I nodded my head to the left which is where Ernie and Michael were sitting.

"Arithmancy."

"Cho Chang."

We smirked, both turning our heads to get a better view of our targets and sure enough when I slipped through Michael's defences…

-keeps thinking that I am overreacting, but she was upset when she found out. I mean, Ginny is as much, maybe even more, my ex than Harry is hers and I don't see why she should be unhappy that they're dating. She'll probably always have a thing for him no matter how many times she groans saying he was a terrible boyfriend but still doesn't change the fact that he is the Chosen one…

I returned his smirk not letting Michael's thoughts get to me and gave him the point and considering he didn't fight me on what Ernie was thinking he must agree that I was right. I moved closer to him to get a better view of Terry and Thomas who would be our next victims and I zoomed into Terry's mind quite easily considering he seemed to be quite emotional and Godric new that left your mental shields in shambles.

-actually thinks that he can have her, that Snake bastard. I don't know why she was humouring him…why did she even let him sit next to her…wait…no…why is he…oh he better not getting any fucking closer…maybe she found out about Friday…she seemed OK when I met up with her and Thornton for a bit in Hogsmeade, fuck, if it were not for Thornton she wouldn't have cancelled our date and now it looks like-

"Granger."

"Mi."

We stated it at the exact same time and his triumphant smirk looked more like a smile now. We both hastened to loom into the head next to Terry's and I think I could actually feel Malfoy's presence in Lee's head this time…or was it because he was so close to me at present…

-know you're hurt about Harry and Ginny Kyri baby, but I can make it better…" Lee grabs my hand and holds it tenderly to his lips as I look up at him with great big grey eyes.

"Oh Tommy," why the fuck did I sound like an airhead, "Screw Harry, I don't care about him. Screw them all. Actually…all I really want is for you…to screw me!" Really, what the fuck?

"Oh Kyri I have waited for ages for you to say those words."

With a hard push I was sprawled onto the bed that Godric only knows where it appeared from and suddenly I was naked and apparently I had a tattoo of a…was that a tattoo of his face on my left boob, and I thought a star was bad. Lee was suddenly on top of me and seemed to be attempting to suffocate me with his tongue…

I laughed as I finally pulled out of his head and turned to Malfoy but his chair had clanged against the desk behind us as he rose to his feet, grabbing his book and bag and strutting to the door as if we hadn't just been privy to the most hilarious amateur porn movie in existence. Mi and Theo both turned around and looked at me and I shrugged in response…I guess I win by default…

Hermione's POV

I watched as Malfoy barged out of the room, I turned to Ky who had been seated next to him and she shrugged innocently and I knew straight away that she had a hand to play in that, I turned back around, if it had been anyone else but Malfoy, I would have felt bad. My eyes met light blue ones that were staring at me steadily from a desk away…

"Hermione!"

I turned, Ky's back retreating further and further away as she ran away from the grounds towards the castle, Harry and Ginny had dispersed just as quickly…Godric what was going on! Ginny and Harry!

"Are you OK? You look two moments away from fainting." I felt warm hands on my shoulder which snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up at light blue eyes, half hidden by his reddish brown hair and Terry took a step closer to me, a look of concern on his face.

I shook my head, realising that I shouldn't be standing here debating the fact that Harry and Ginny are…dating…but consoling Ky. My word.

I turned, "Hermione, wait."

"Terry, I would love to chat but this isn't-"

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" He asked confidently, but I could see his jaw tighten slightly which was a tell that he was nervous.

"Well I am-"

"I mean with me. Go with me to Hogsmeade."

"Oh." Suddenly my mind went blank…go with him? As in a date? He swallowed and I opened my mouth to utter an excuse…was there one…there must be one…er…think Hermione! I was going with Harry, Ron and Ky. Oh no… I probably won't be going with Harry now considering he and Ginny are…Oh Godric Ron would be with Julez then! Ky! I couldn't… I couldn't leave Ky alone! "I would love to Terry…it's just that…Ky and I actually are making a girls day of it."

"Well actually," He glanced to his left and I saw Thomas Lee observing us, he smiled and I tried smiling back but I couldn't at present, I bit my lip…this was so awkward, "Tommy was wondering whether it was…well actually he wants to ask Ky out but Ernie thinks she needs more time. Judging that Potter seems to think it's enough time what with him dating Ginny Weasley, maybe Tommy is right? What do you think? Would she like to join us?"

Was he not only asking me for a date…but one for his friend too! Ky would never date a guy that doesn't have the courage to ask her out herself! Ugh, I should be with her now! I can't believe it! Harry and Ginny! And now the whole school witnessing her kissing him and it's going to be all over the place! "Look Terry I don't think Ky is ready. I think its best I just be with her tomorrow."

His shoulders drooped and my heart panged, oh Godric, who was I to turn a boy down! I mean! Terry is really smart, and sweet and polite. On paper, he was perfect for me. We could have conversations, enjoyable ones that don't end with me wanting to pull the hair out of my head, or we could engage in polite debate! Not the kind that gets you thrown out of class.

I snapped my eyes forward when I realised I had subconsciously been looking for the dark brown head the whole time and I stopped Terry has he turned to walk away, "Maybe you can meet us at the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?"

Just one butterbeer, I thought and he smiled, nodding his head in gratitude.

The intoxicating scent dragged me to reality and I looked to my forearm, which lay parallel to his, never touching but my skin was on edge…the hair static as if it was yearning to reach his arm, I could feel the warmth emanate from him and I looked down at my parchment as memories of long fingers that burned around my wrists as they lay imprisoned above my head came to the forefront of my mind. I tried concentrating on the equations! What was I doing, was I not supposed to have been in a competition!

"Morning Hermione."

He was already seated in Ky's place and I bit my smile back, why did I want to smile! So what if he had pitched up on time for a lesson, something he never did! Not that I noticed the things he did…anyone would notice that…I mean he pitches up late for everything! It showed that he had no care for others, disturbing the lesson by selfishly disrupting it. Yes, he was selfish wasn't he?

"Good morning Nott."

I lowered myself in my seat, pulling my copy of Numerology out and opening to the pages I knew Professor Vector would request us to open to before she even made the announcement.

Professor Vector stood tall in front of the classroom, her long dark hair plaited to her side, "Goodmorning class. You are to work in pairs for this lesson. You are to complete the problem sets in Sections C, D and F of Chapter 5 of Numerology and Grammatica by Wakefield and Carneiro." She wrinkled her nose slightly whenever she said Carneiro's name, I glanced down, section E was set by Carneiro, did she not like his theorems? "Begin."

I turned to Nott to delegate the examples he should tend to but he had already started, I frowned…then I saw his heading and I straightened up, "Nott, what do you think you're doing!"

He glanced away from his work, "Arithmancy…or is that an existential kind of question…what are we doing? Why are we here? You know I read Kierkergaard's earlier works and I must say-"

I shook my head at him, holding up my hand, not even thinking about the fact that he read muggle literature, "You're doing section E. Professor Vector said we should do section C, D and F."

He shrugged, "But those are boring, it's the exact same examples of Section A, D and G in chapter four but with different variables. E on the other hand-"

"E is not what we need to do!"

He smirked, leaning forward and I held my lips in a thin line, "What if hidden in E are the most challenging and thought provoking of all the arithmancy equations ever set. Yes, it is more difficult, and yes it is forbidden…but what if it is the most satisfying of all equations in Arithmancy…the kind that has you dipping your quill into your inkwell for the twentieth time as you re-equip it for another page of unending writing until finally…you find the answer…can you think of anything more satisfying?"

I swallowed thickly, his voice was low and I was sure my face was red, I glanced to my side, relieved that Professor Vector was busy helping Ernie and not witnessing…I shook my head, letting the wind fan my face from its sudden heat, "It's useless doing section E when Professor Vector hadn't set it for us. It would be a waste of time, we should rather do the equations set for us."

He narrowed his eyes, straightening in his chair, a small smile on his face, "Nothing in life that makes you happy is useless Hermione, even if it achieves nothing more than a smile on your face."

I opened my mouth but he tipped his head in acceptance, "But I understand you wish to do the equations she set for us. I would hate to jeopardise your perfect score for Arithmancy. How do you wish to proceed?"

I narrowed my eyes, what was he really saying! He speaks in riddles but that question was so straightforward. There must be something hidden there…somewhere. His eyes shone brightly down at me and I hastened to answer…and then I faltered…which were the harder questions…I should do those right? What if he did them and got them wrong? Was Nott good at Arithmancy? Well he had to have been to get an O in our OWL's…

"How about we both do it."

"Together?" I queried, could he keep up?

He chuckled softly, "Where's the fun in that. We'll have a competition of who can finish first."

I rolled my eyes, "And what would you win this time." Was I to sit next to him in potions!

He smirked, "Nothing. Except the privilege of knowing that I finished first."

I scoffed, like that would happen. I smirked back at him, dipping my quill into my inkwell…let the games begin.

I stared at his practically blank parchment and then looked up at him, his forest green hazel eyes were zoned in on the parchment and my brows knitted together, "Nott! Are you even trying!"

I was already done! He wasn't even halfway finish! He glanced at me, "Of course I am." He continued staring at the parchment.

I growled, was he taking it easy on me! Ugh, I hated that! If I win, by Godric it was because I was better.

"Then why are you not-" He held his forefinger to my lips and I froze, not daring to even breath…his finger was like molten lava at my lips and I fought this mad urge to…what! Why on earth would I want to...do that to his finger! Godric what was wrong with me! I didn't dare move my lips as he held his finger to them as all his concentration was focused on his parchment. My throat was getting dry, I needed to swallow but if I did my lips would move and…oh Godric, I squirmed in my seat, what was going on?

"Right. Let's see what you have done."

He let his finger fall at Professor Vector's voice and I snapped around, processing the quiet scratching of his quill and Professor Vector's footsteps as she made her way around the classroom. My breathing was coming out sharply and I tried to double check my work but I felt as if my lips were on fire!

"Mr Nott. I see you have completed section C, I assume miss Granger must have done the latter two, although I do think that you should have divided the work more equally. Mr Nott…" I turned to Vector, her eyes wide as she perused Theodore's work and I quickly looked for the source of her surprise. I found it…and I turned to Theodore who had been quietly observing me for a reaction, he had done section C…an equation that took me thirteen lines to accomplish…he had done in three…yet the answers were the exact same. "This is Manning's bifactorial matrices… we don't even teach it in our syllabus."

He shrugged, still staring at me as Vector nodded at him impressed. She turned to my work and her expression waned slightly…she wasn't impressed…she nodded, ticking each answer in her head and not commenting meaning they were all right…all right but not impressive…She stopped, her eyes narrowing and she looked at me, "I thought I told you not to do section E." There was a slight edge to her voice and I ignored Theodore's smile, staring at the Professor's brown eyes and hopefully looking apologetic.

"I thought you said to accomplish Section C, D and F Professor. I have." She didn't say not to do Section E specifically and she sighed, nodding her head with a small smile, Vector was strict and a stickler for rules and I knew not following her instructions might result in chastisement yet…she smiled…her eyes were slightly glazed over…she cleared her throat…what was going on, "Perfect." She muttered, "Flawless. Excellent Miss Granger." She wasn't impressed…but she was moved. Theodore's smile widened at my blush and I nodded in thanks, slightly confused but happy by her reaction none the less.

She moved on to the next table and I looked at Theodore confused and he smiled back, pointing at his book and I glanced down at his finger. The finger.

Numerology and Grammatica written by L. Wakefield (bestselling author of Magic by Numbers) and M. Carneiro (beloved husband and renowned numerologist (1943-1989)

"He was her…?" He nodded, and I stared at him, utterly perplexed. Yes, this explained why Vector never gave us any equations by Carneiro…weird but I guess she didn't like to be reminded of her late husband…but Theodore…how does he do it? How does he know things…things that I don't know?

He smiled, "I thought doing section E would be useless, it isn't for marks after all. Did you find a satisfyingly challenging equation in there at least?"

I nodded slowly…very challenging…and satisfying…but answered? I don't know…the sounds of footsteps filled the class but Theodore didn't make a move, his smile fell off his face, for once looking serious and my heart quickened, what was happening to me? What was he doing to me…and most importantly…why were my fingers twitching…my breath hitching…my lips quivering…why did I want Theodore Nott to kiss me?

"Miss Granger? Mr Nott?" I snapped to my feet at Professor Vector's voice and glanced around the now empty room, "Do you require further assistance?"

I shook my head in the negative, grabbing my books and making my way to the door, not daring to turn around to look at his face…my mind buzzing with more questions than answers, an unprecedented occurrence as I left the Arithmancy class…

"-is just plain wrong! It's nine pm on a THURSDAY! And we're in bed! They are first years out there, roaming the school! And look at us! Nine PM." I zoned Lavender out; she sat on her bed, applying a drying charm to her pedicure, "We are the hottest girls in the school!" I glanced away from my Runes essay, really? That egotistic, how can one person be that egotistic?

She rolled her eyes at my disapproving look, "I said we, didn't I. Ky!"

I looked to the end of my bed which Ky was sprawled across, the sounds of Sirius singing the Beatle's Hey Jude leaking out of the iPod she had plugged in her ears as she did the Transfiguration Essay McGonagall assigned us, blissfully deaf to Lavender's moans.

Lavender of course wouldn't have that, she tossed a pillow at Ky's head which surprisingly hit, I laughed along with Parvarti and Lavender, Lavender's laughter quickly turned to yelps and I laughed as her bed sheet rose a foot into the air, her rising too with it. Lavender was notoriously afraid of heights.

"Ky." I said in scolding and she rolled her grey eyes, letting Lavender's sheet fall, a little to the side of where the hover charm was placed, causing the dirty blonde to roll off the bed and onto the floor. Ky laughed loudly as Parvarti ran to see if her friend was OK.

"KY THORNTON! YOU RUINED MY PEDICURE!"

"Paint your nails all you want Bobby, your face still looks like a-"

"KY!"

My bed jostled as Ky sprung off it after Lavender launched herself at her and Parvarti laughed as her best friend chased my best friend around the room. I rolled my eyes, the immaturity of it all.

"So…'T' huh?" I snapped my eyes up to Parvarti who had walked over to my bed and was staring at my essay.

"Huh?"

She gestured to the top of my page where I had doodled a small T at the corner. Oh no, I grabbed my ink eraser, when had I done that! How! Oh goodness, I looked at the eraser and smiled, he found a pencil eraser intriguing imagine what he would think of an ink eraser.

I heard a soft chuckling next to me and the smile fell off my face, "Sorry," Parvarti giggled, "You don't have to feel shy though; everybody knows there's something going on between you two."

I froze momentarily, how would anybody know! I mean… it's Nott! He's a Slytherin after all!

"Oh don't look so surprised! You two are perfect for each other!" My eyes widened at Parvarti's wide smile, how! He and I were polar opposites. He was in Slytherin, I was in Gryffindor, he was pureblood and I muggleborn, he was notoriously late for lessons whilst I was punctual!

"He is really smart, and so are you. And he is really sweet!" Sweet! Theodore Nott…sweet! My left buttock! "Padma says he always helps her with her Runes homework, you know how pathetic she is at Runes." Huh, Padma, I've never even seen the two together… "It's just that Terry-"

I blanched, "Terry?"

She rolled her eyes and sat down on my bed, "Yes Hermione, Terry. We all know so you don't have to be so secretive."

I didn't say a word, she was talking about Terry! Of course she was, he was Terry…smart…sweet…so much like me Terry.

"Hermione…" I turned back to Parvarti, her dark brown eyes downcast, she fidgeted with my bed sheet, "I know it's none of my business…I mean…it isn't…and I shouldn't…"

"What is it?"

Her eyes flickered to my own and it was glazed with guilt, "Well, Pads told me…and she was obviously there when it happened so it must have really happened. A few Claws got a hold of a bit of firewhiskey on the Beach Day we had…so he must have been really drunk because Julez has been trying to hook up with him since forever and he never pays her any attention! So…"

She looked at me expectantly, letting her words seep in. Terry and Julez…hooked up? I thought she was with Ron. Oh that bitch, Ron really liked her! Wait… Terry and Julez hooked up! Why was I so relieved by that thought…

"I know it sucks. I'm sorry Hermione, you're my friend and I didn't want you to get hurt." Parvarti patted my hand sympathetically, "Boys are dumb. I think he was drunk though, they just hooked up. They're not dating…"

"It's OK Parvarti." I smiled and she faltered, maybe my smile was too wide? I should make it look strained a bit. I shrugged, "These things happen." And the next time he asks me out, I will have just the excuse at why I couldn't go out with him.

There was a rapping at the door and we both stood, Parvarti relieved she had finally told me what had happened and me relieved because…why…I don't know why…

We both made for the door as Lavender and Ky finally stopped fighting, Ky was presently on Lavender's back, the blonde had been trying to fling her off for a while now.

I opened the door and I smiled down at the nervous first year that was being drowned by the massive bouquet of pink, yellow and peach roses. I relieved the poor girl of her load and she scuttled away, her brown hair swaying this way and that, "Thank you!" I shouted after her as Parvarti was already face deep in the bouquet, probably looking for the card.

She found the crisp white card and her eyes widened, "It's for you!"

She jumped excitedly and she made to flip the card open, I snatched it away from her and she and Lavender stopped their incessant squealing in shock. He wouldn't dare send me flowers…would he...

I swallowed and smiled at Parvarti who looked crestfallen, "Don't you know the best part of getting flowers is the finding out who it's from!"

She smiled in understanding and Lavender grabbed the huge bouquet from me, it was kind of vulgar in its size, was that thirty roses? Isn't that a bit much…I was suddenly hoping it wasn't from Theodore.

She smelled them and smiled, "This must be the HUGEST bouquet I have ever seen! AHhhh and look at them! THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!"

I flipped the card open and my blood ran cold…what…

"Well, it's from him isn't it!" Parvarti squealed.

I cleared my throat, smiling at her, "Yup. It's from Terry!"

She pumped her fist in the air, "I told you, didn't I? I told you he was sweet! This is probably to say sorry for his alcohol aided, testosterone driven slip up on Friday night! Oh I am SO jealous!"

"I'm putting them in a vase! If I can find one that it would fit into! Oh, you think we could send the ones that don't fit to Katie! She loves roses, Oliver used to buy them for her all the time when they were together."

I nodded as Lavender and Parvarti ran to other end of the room, digging in Lavender's trunk for a suitable vase.

Ky walked forward, a cocked eyebrow at my forced smile and I let it fall, allowing the complete and utter shock to show on my face now that the other two were distracted.

What in the Founders…I handed the card to her and she flipped it upon…all that was written upon it in neat slanting writing was two words…

Draco Malfoy

A/N: So this is after the Hogsmeade trip where Katie gets injured by that necklace, hence the need to send her flowers.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Please review, it really means so much! Any feedback would be appreciated.

Kalina