Okay! It's tough finishing these chapters when technically I'm supposed to be studying for my exams... unfortunately I care more about these stories than I do about my exams so here's another chapter for now! (keeping in mind that I'm updating on the sly so don't be too surprised if I disappear for a few days during the actual exams)

Oh, and... yeah, I said that there's not going to be any romance in this fic? Technically there isn't but Hermione so obviously likes Nico here. He's not going to go liking her back or anything though!

To MeggieBlack: I try. Since I love reading fanfictions a lot too and feel annoyed with people who abandon their stories for too long.

To Me: Yes, probably.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor Percy Jackson & The Olympians

—Draco Lightbringer—

The annoying thing about Nico is how he can make me seriously annoyed, unlike Harry. Honestly, it's terribly difficult coming up with snide comebacks and insults if the only things you have to work with are 'mudblood' and 'wait till my father hears about this'. And usually the only things they can come up with are 'snakes', 'git' and 'ferret' so it doesn't irk me off as much.

But the Malcolm comment was a low blow.

Malcolm, as you may know, is another one of my godly half-brothers. He is also Little Miss Perfect Annabeth's favorite sidekick. I am not the typical Child Of Athena (no typical child of Athena would believe in wizards and witches before meeting them) mainly because I liked to challenge Annabeth's decisions a lot.

As I told Nico, I wanted to be like Malcolm for a few years, even though I didn't want to ever since the war started and he did nothing. I totally hate him now.

The fact that I hadn't been acting completely irritated me. I was twenty seconds away from yelling a batch of choice curses at him, which I never really do (except to Annabeth, Malcolm, and a whole bunch of others at camp as well, and Nyroc when I first met him). I can usually keep calm on the inside. That Nico was able to actually annoy me was troubling.

I decided to head to The Room Of Requirement. That was our usual meeting place. It used to be Myrtle's bathroom until The Chamber Of Secrets was reopened.

The Slytherins didn't notice me leaving (everyone hates Malfoy) and I told Crabbe and Goyle, my mistforms, to go do something useless. I didn't think that many other people knew about the Room Of Requirement and I wanted to keep it that way.

'I need the Potter Band meeting room' I said in my head as I paced up and down. It would've changed by now, Nico would be allowed to come in too.

Luna was already there when I got there, and Nyroc was still laughing his head off about something that happened in Divination.

"Alabaster's on his way." I said to Luna, holding up the gold coin that we used to communicate. It had words on the sides instead of numbers and grew hot whenever a new message appeared.

"Good." said Luna. "And Nico?"

"No idea." I said. "But I have a feeling he'll make it."

That moment, the door opened and Alabaster stepped in.

"Hey guys." He said. "What's up with Nyroc?"

Luna grinned. "Sybill Trelawney was going on about him and Nico having death in their souls and stuff."

We both stared at her, then started laughing. It felt good to act like myself again.

"Hilarious." said Nico, as he closed the door.

"Nico!" said Luna "When did you get here?"

"Few seconds ago." he said.

"How?" asked Alabaster. "I got completely lost the first time."

"Lavender was ever so eager to take me to the seventh floor." he answered with a smirk.

Nyroc and Alabaster rolled their eyes.

"Is there a reason we're here?" asked Luna impatiently.

"Yes." I said. "How do you like Hogwarts, Nico?"

I watched him look away from me for awhile, doing what we all do when we're around each other; contemplating whether we could tell each other the truth.

"It's weird." he decided. "But not in that way. Everyone here is so nice. I mean, not that I don't like it, exactly, but..."

"I know just what you mean." Nyroc agreed. "It still feels weird to talk to people."

"You'll get used to it after awhile." said Luna. "But do you like it?"

Nico shrugged, getting a little more comfortable with our company. "I think so. Sorta. Like I said, it's weird but... it's nice."

I nodded to him. "We all feel like that."

Nico stared at me. I guess I could see his reasoning. He was coming in all social, Luna and Nyroc were relatively slightly-lower-than-average social status. Alabaster... probably anything was an improvement from being on the run.

But me? How could being hated be an improvement?

It's nice to let my Athena-attitude side come out. Even better to be able to release my emotions without caring about my reputation. It was fun to be mean to people without having to care that you're hurting their feelings since you're doing this for their own good. I suppose that makes me a terrible person, but I'm pretty sure that's how all my siblings would think. If they cared.

I didn't answer Nico, since technically he didn't say anything to me.

Instead.

"Good job today, 'The Angel'" I said sarcastically. "'The Ferret' got pretty pissed off."

He raised an eyebrow and grinned at me. "It was fun to yell at you." he admitted. "Even if I didn't exactly want to in the first place."

"I liked that." Nyroc said, shooting me a look. "Especially after you sent me that stupid valentine as a joke last year."

"Yeesh, it was a joke!" I groaned.

"Lay off him." said Luna. "We all have to act. Nico didn't really mean the things he said to Draco and Draco never meant any of the stuff he did to us."

"We know that." said Alabaster. "And to tell you the truth, this conversation isn't nearly as interesting as it was originally. How was Divination? Besides the whole 'death in your souls' stuff."

"Well, you were right about it, Draco." said Luna, looking to me. "Sybill Trelawney is an absolute fraud."

"Told you." I said to Nyroc, who undoubtedly hadn't believed me.

"Yeah, yeah." he said. "I agree." he didn't look very convinced.

"How was Ancient Runes, Nate?" asked Luna, looking to Alabaster. Merlin, the way he's called two names at the same time is so confusing.

"Fine." he said, grinning. "Obviously."

"No fair." I argued. "You've dealt with runes for practically your whole life, you wouldn't even need to study to get top marks!"

"As if you're one to talk." he shot back, laughing. "Since you get top marks in everything."

I'm supposed to fail my exams as much as I can but there's only so far that acting can take you.

"It's supposed to be a Child Of Athena thing." I told them what I've said before. "Then why is it that practically no other Child Of Athena has ever managed to get an 'A'? Or in this case, an 'O'?"

Nico looked confused again. "'O'?"

Luna began to count off her fingers. "The wizardry grades are 'Outstanding', 'Exceeds Expectations', 'Acceptable', 'Poor', 'Dreadful', and 'Troll'"

Nyroc laughed. "I sense more than one 'Troll' coming my way in our OWLS."

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels?" asked Nico cautiously. We didn't acknowledge that, which was a signal for yes.

Alabaster groaned. "I wish I wasn't in Ravenclaw, then I could just slack off instead of having to study for higher grades."

"Tough luck." I said.

"That reminds me, why weren't you put in Ravenclaw in the first place, Draco?" Nico asked. "I would've thought you were, what with the whole Child Of Athena thing and all that stuff."

"Okay, first of all, grammar check." I said, wrinkling my nose. Luna and Nyroc laughed. "And to answer your question, I didn't want to be in Ravenclaw, just feeling rebellious against anything that tied me to the demigod world back then."

This is one of the many reasons why I decided to completely immerse myself in the wizarding world from young.

"By the way, what's Quidditch?" Nico asked.

I slapped my forehead, Luna gasped, Nyroc and Alabaster groaned.

"I can't believe we forgot that!" Nyroc groaned.

"That, Nico, is THE best sport in the WORLD." said Luna.

"It makes all the other sports look downright LAME." said Alabaster.

"EVERYONE knows it." said Nyroc.

"Every WIZARD." I corrected. "Since it can only be played with flying brooms and magic balls."

Nico looked like he was halfway between excited and frightened. "So... you have to fly to play?"

I sighed. "You're allowed to fly, remember? The gods blessed you and gave you free clearance."

"I know, it's just... I still have a hard time getting used to that."

"I know." said Nyroc. "It still makes me kind of jumpy."

"I can't wrap my mind around that." said Luna. "That seems too generous of the gods."

Me and Alabaster exchanged a look. The gods weren't doing this stuff because they were generous, they were doing it to keep us in line. I had been one step away from joining the Titans and Alabaster had actually gone ahead and did it, Luna had been causing trouble back in Camp Jupiter, and Nyroc was raised alone in the Underworld and was pretty loyal to Thanatos and Hades.

This quest was partly to distract us, partly to bribe us, to keep us from being trouble and making sure we listened to them. Nico was here because we needed a fifth person and pretty much refused anyone else that was suggested.

"We should get Harry to show you how to play." said Nyroc. "I don't play because I'm terrible at it but you shouldn't miss out."

"Why Harry?" asked Luna. "Why not us?"

"Well, I obviously can't be seen acting too friendly with all of you." said Nico. "That'll be too complicated."

"Right." said Nyroc. "I'm sure HERMIONE will be ever so glad to help you out with that."

Nico blushed a bit and it took me a few seconds to figure out Nyroc's comment.

"Does Hermione like Nico?" asked Alabaster in surprise.

Nico blushed even further before suddenly exclaiming, "Oh shit! I told Ron and Harry I just went to get something from the dorm, they'll be looking for me!"

Luna looked at him incredulously. "You told them that before lunch? That means you've apparently spent, what, three hours to 'get something from the dorm'? Are you serious?"

"I know! I know!" he said. Already halfway out the door. "I need to go!"

"Say hi to your girlfriend for me!" called Nyroc with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes as I reached for the knob.

Seriously.