A/N: Hello! Sorry for the delay! But this is my longest chapter ever! It has about 4,600 words!

Chapter 9:

I stepped into Malfoy's room, looking around curiously. The walls were a light, soft blue, surprising me because he was a Slytherin. He had a bookshelf lining the wall to the left, full of books. The door was located in the right corner, and the upper left corner was taken by his bed. Malfoy was sitting on the green (of course, I knew Slytherin colors would be here somewhere) sheets with a heavy blanket that was silver. The floor was covered by a thick, black carpet. There was a dresser in the corner and a broom propped up on it. The floor next to the oak dresser was occupied with Quidditch things such as a case for the balls, broom cleaning supplies, and Slytherin Quidditch robes.

"Did you come in here to just stare around my room, Granger?"

"Zabini. My last name is Zabini. And since when do you call me by my last name, at least lately?"

"Since my best mate and his sister made fun."

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I was just joking around, you know. I didn't mean anything," I said, walking over to pull one of the spare chairs near the bed. I sat facing Malfoy and watched as his cold demeanor softened.

"I know. I'm just tired. Stayed up late last night, as you know."

I nodded in understanding. "Ok. Take a nap. I'll tell Blaise that you were tired from last night. If we have any plans, we'll wake you. Sleep well." With that, I walked out of the room with a small wave and promising look on my face.

I strolled down the stairs and peeked my head into the dining room. Nobody was there except Spinky. I smiled and waved. I walked up to Blaise's room, thinking he was there since he wasn't in the dining room. I knocked on the door lightly.

"Yes?"

I walked into my brother's room and sat on a chair. "I apologized to Malfoy. He said that he was just tired and I told him to take a nap. He told me to wake him up if we have any plans. Speaking of plans, I was thinking of telling Harry, Ron, and Ginny today."

"Oh. Ok. I was going to say we could go swimming, but of you don't want to, you don't have to."

"We have a swimming pool?"

"Yes."

"Wow. That is bloody awesome. And I want to swim."

"How about this? You tell your friends and then invite them to come over and swim with us. Does that sound good? And I'll invite some of my freinds, too, along with Draco."

"That sounds amazing!" I leaned over and gave Blaise a hug. "Thank you."

He laughed and I smiled back at him. I'm going to go now. See you soon!" And I ran out of the room, looking for Mum. I found her in the lounge room, reading while sitting on one of the couches. I walked into the room and sat down next to her. She put her book down instantly and turned to me with a slight smile on her face.

"Hey, Mum. How did you sleep?"

"I slept well, and you?"

"I did also, thank you. But I wanted to ask you a question. I was going to go and tell Harry, Ron, and Ginny about ... well, who I really am. And I was talking to Blaise about it, and he said I could invite them over to go swimming. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course, honey. You don't have to ask. Blaise never does." We laughed. "Good luck, Mia. I know this is hard on you, and I would be glad to help in any way I can."

I smiled at my mother, knowing she meant every word she said. "Thank you, Mum. Are you going to swim with us?"

"Oh, no," she laughed, "I think I will stay inside, thank you. But I promise to join you some other time. I will get you lunch and towels."

"Thanks Mum, again. I'll see you later."

She nodded and I kissed her on the cheek, bouncing away after. I waved and disappeared out the door.

I walked to the fireplace and grabbed some Floo powder. I stepped into the green flames and yelled, "The Burrow!" as the flames engulfed me. I stumbled out of the fireplace, now in the kitchen of the Burrow. Harry, Ron, Ginny, George, and Bill and his child were all sitting at the table, playing a game of Exploding Snap. As they turned to me, the cards exploded, flying everywhere.

"Hermione? Is that you?"

"Merlin, what happened Hermione?"

"Is that 'Mione?"

"Blimey, Hermione, I don't remember you buying a Makeover Tonic form the shop."

"Hello, Hermione. What happened?"

"Aunt 'Mione! You look different!"

I smiled as the words came flying at me, trying to understand what everybody was saying. But I only responded to one, and it was the one that came from the little boy sitting on the chair next to Bill. I walked over to the two-year old boy and picked him up. I laughed and flew him round, bringing him back down on my hip.

"Why, hello, Dom-Dom. I haven't seen you in forever! I've missed you!"

The little boy laughed when I tickled him. "Are you really still Aunt Mione?"

"Yes. I just look different. Just like you. You're getting to be such a big boy!"

Dominque beamed and smiled again. I laughed and put him down, and he ran to his father. Bill picked him up and put his son on his lap, but was still looking curiously up at me. I sighed. "Hey, Dom-Dom, why don't you go play with your toys in the other room?" I suggested. He nodded quickly and ran into the other room to get some of his toys.

"Hermione? What happened to you?" Ginny asked me, her voice soft.

I took a deep breath and started. "Well, just a few days ago, I found put that I'm not really Hermione Granger. I am Hermione Zabini. A Glamour Charm was placed over me a when I was born. I was given up for adoption. To Muggles, as you already know. I just found out a few days ago, and decided to move in with Sasha Zabini, my biological parent, and Blaise Zabini, my twin brother. They own a manor, the Zabini Manor, and are really nice people. It has been amazing the last few days, and I didn't tell you sooner because I didn't have the time to come in person, and you deserve more than a letter about this. I am still the same person, I would say, but with different looks. And I am now a Pureblood." There was a brief moment of silence before George broke it.

"This is one of the most unexpected things I have ever heard."

We all laughed, easing the tension from the room. "Wow, Mione," Harry said.

Ginny stood to embrace me and pulled back. She said, "Mione, wasn't this hard on you? I mean, leaving your parents so suddenly?"

"Yes, in some ways, but we haven't really been as close as we were before I ... you know, ... erased their memories." I spoke the last part quietly, it not being a subject I like to converse about.

She smiled sadly and stood beside me. "Well, I don't know why you approached us so cautiously about it. I, at least, will stay by you the whole way, whether it's fights with your parents to pulling your hair out from living with two Slytherins, one a man. Men can be so confusing." Ginny shook her head and sighed when she said the last part.

"Oi!" Ron yelled. "I'm not confusing, am I?" Ginny and I looked at each other for moment before we burst out laughing. He huffed and looked over at Harry. "Women."

At this, Ginny and I turned to him, raising our eyebrows and suddenly serious. "And what is that supposed to mean?" Ginny asked, giving Ronald a glare.

He gulped and stuttered. "Uh- I mean, um, noth- nothing."

"And that is what I thought," I said with an empty threat creeping into my voice. When Ron looked scared for a few moments, Ginny and I laughed again.

Harry shook his head in amusement and said, "How are you, Hermione?" He asked the question would offend me.

"Fine, and you? Oh, and if you like, you can call me Mia. That is what Mum and Blaise calls me."

Harry smirked. "No, I would like to keep calling you the name I have for the past, what is it now, about eight years?" he teased me.

Everybody rolled their eyes and laughed. It was nice to think that the people standing in the room, of course, since Bill, and George left a while before, were people you pretty much grew up with.

"So, my plan was to come here, tell you and then offer to go swimming. So, would you like to go swimming?"

"You have a pool? That's bloody awesome!" Ron said, his face lighting up to become one of surprise and excitement.

"It is," Ginny agreed.

"I'll come," said Harry.

"Me too. I would love to swim around."

"Yeah, it would be fun."

I smiled. "Okay, go get your things and we'll Floo over."

They chorused an 'ok' and ran upstairs to get their bathing suits and anything else they needed.

About five minutes later, they came down the stairs, finding me waiting near the fireplace.

"All you have to say is 'Zabini Manor', ok? Then just follow me. Ginny, you and I will get dressed in my room, while Harry and Ron will get dressed in the loo. I should warn you, Blaise is going to be inviting over some friends."

"Oi! Slytherins?" Ronald yelled as I stepped into the fireplace.

In answer, I just smirked over my shoulder.

I stumbled out of the fireplace and stepped back quickly when the flames turned green again. Ginny came in next, and she did the same as I. Ronald, then Harry came. Once we were all there and had all the soot brushed off, I said, "Okay, just follow me."

We walked through the house to my bedroom. Ginny, Ron, and Harry gazed around the big house in wonder. We didn't come across anyone along the way. I came to the bedroom door, and said, "Boys, the bathroom you can use is just down the hall, the first door on the left. Make sure you knock, because I'm not sure if anybody is in there. And meet us back here when you are finished."

They walked to the bathroom, and Ginny and I opened the door to my bedroom. I walked over to the small dresser, remembering seeing bathing suits in there when I was exploring my room. I turned to Ginny, who was just staring around in awe. "Ginny, should I wear a two-piece or one?"

She walked over to the drawer, having broken out of the spell she was in. As she pondered over which bathing suit I should wear out of the seven or so that were in there, I looked at Ginny's, which was laying on the bed. It was a one piece that had straps going around the back and a light pink, almost peach, colour.

"You should wear this one." Ginny pulled out a two piece. It was a pale blue, like water, and the top part was almost a shirt, because it has a front part coming down with a strap at the bottom with matching swimming shorts. I smiled. She really did have the best sense of fashion.

As we both put on our bathing suits, I realized that I didn't even know where the pool was. I would have to call for Spinky. After Ginny and I finished getting dressed, we opened the door to find Ron and Harry with their hands raised, about to knock. "All done! Let's go."

"Spinky," I called. The house elf immediately appeared.

"Yes, Mistress Hermione?"

"You don't have to call me mistress. And could you be so kind to show us where the pool is?"

"Why, of course, Mis- Hermione."

He walked us down the stairs, through the dining room to a door right next to the fireplace that I didn't notice before. It led us to a big, plain space, with sunlight filling the room from the glass doors. Spinky led us outside, and about ten or so yards in front of us, there was a pool that was huge. I noticed the splashes that were already occupying the pool, so before we went any closer I said to Spinky, "And could you please bring us some towels?"

"Of course. I will be over soon."

I thanked him and turned to my friends. "Okay, who's ready?" Without waiting or an answer, I turned around again and started to walked towards the pool. I heard Ginny, Ron, and Harry behind me. I walked up to the pool where the sun was heating the deck, and quickly jumped onto the carpet when I touched the hot wood. It was a big difference to the dry, but cool grass we were just walking on. I looked around and saw that everybody was now staring at me.

The people Blaise had invited over were Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, and a Slytherin girl whom I didn't know. I shrugged over at Ginny, Harry, and Ron, who were tensed on the grass from all the Slytherins that were there. "Come on, Harry, Ginny, Ron. I would like to introduce you properly to my brother."

I smiled at Blaise, who was in the water with Malfoy and Nott. He smiled back and hoisted himself out of the water. He came over to me and tried to hug me, but I pushed his bare, wet chest away, not wanting to get soaked until he laughed and said, "Hello, Gryffindors. Nice seeing you again."

Ginny was the first to walk up and over to Blaise. She stuck out her hand and said, "Hello, Zabini. I would like to say the same to you, but you're a Slytherin, and I am never particularly happy to see one."

Blaise smiled as he shook her hand, looking her up and down. I elbowed him and said, "Nice try, Blaise, but she has a boyfriend."

"Who? It can always be arranged." He smirked like the Slytherin he was.

Harry, having heard what we were talking about, came up and put his arm around Ginny, making it clear who her boyfriend was. "I don't think it can, unless you are planning to do something to me that I should know about."

Blaise's tan skin paled visibly, and he shook his head. I heard Malfoy behind me say, "Blaise, mate, I don't think you want to mess with the 'Chosen One', or whatever they call him these days. Isn't it 'The Boy Who Just Won't Damn Die'? Blaise chuckled and shook his head. Harry laughed lightly and I turned to look at Malfoy and rolled my eyes.

Ron stomped up the three stairs to the deck and, clutching his wand tightly in his right hand, nodded at Blaise. I rolled my eyes, pulled my wand out from my back pocket, and did the spell non-verbally. His wand flew out of his hand and into mine. I then performed the spell on everybody on the deck and in the pool. Parkinson yelled, "Hey!", the other girl huffed, Nott said nothing, Blaise rolled his eyes, Harry shrugged, and Ginny just gave her wand to me. I did the spell on Malfoy, and nothing flew into my hand that was already full of wands. I furrowed my eyebrows, and said the spell instead of doing it non-verbally. "Expelliarmus!"

He rolled his eyes. "I don't have it, Mia. Unlike the rest of you, I don't feel the need to carry my wand everywhere."

"Then where is it, Malfoy?" I asked, cautious, but not unbelieving.

"Bedroom."

I nodded and put the wands in a bucket I conjured. I set the bucket down and asked, "Is the water cold?"

"See for yourself, Mia," Malfoy said, a smirk forming on his lips.

"I'm not going in until I known if it's cold or not."

All of a sudden, I felt two hands grab my legs, and two hands grab my arms. They swung me back and forth, letting me go the third time. I flew in to the water, splashing down into the coldness. I screamed when I came back up for air. I glared daggers at the two boys who were laughing and slapping each other's hands.

As I go out of the pool, I exchanged a glance with Ginny, who smirked sneakily and pointed to Blaise and Harry, who were still laughing at my expense. I knew what that meant. I started to distract the boys, knowing Ginny would do the rest. "Oh, boys, I wanted you to get along, but this is clearly not what I meant! I am seriously considering getting my wand from that bucket over there and hexing both of you to oblivion!"

Harry stopped laughing and said, "Come on, Hermione, you have to admit it was funny, at least a little bit."

I started laughing, but not for the reason they thought. Ginny was sneaking up behind Blaise and Harry, carrying squirming, but alive, toads that she must have conjured up with her wand. Malfoy snickered from behind me, and Nott laughed openly. Parkinson and the other girl were giggling behind their hands. Ronald just smiled at the scene. Ginny quickly grabbed onto Blaise's and Harry's shirt from behind, and stuck each toad into their shirts. She pulled her wand from her back pocket and performed a sticking spell on their back as she backed away. As soon as the boys felt the cold and slimy toads on their backs, they stopped laughing and their eyes widened.

Blaise and Harry started reaching for their backs, obviously trying to get the toads off of their backs. Soon everybody, excluding the victims, were laughing openly and loudly. I took pity on the boys and undid the sticking spells. The toads fell to the deck with a splat! and took off, going to the direction of the forest. Blaise and Harry both turned to Ginny and me. They glared daggers and spoke in low voices.

"Ginny and Hermione, you will regret this."

"Mia and Weaselette, you better hope to Merlin that you run quickly."

Ginny and I looked at each other and ran. We sprinted down the stairs to the deck and around the pool. We split into different directions, Ginny going left and I going right. I curved around the pool again and jumped up onto the deck, the others still laughing loudly. I grabbed my wand and cast a Confundus charm on Blaise, who was running up the steps of the deck, and Harry, who was still chasing his girlfriend.

"Ginny come on!"

Then I dropped my wand and jumped into the pool, splashing Malfoy and Nott. I ducked under water as Ginny jumped into the pool, her knees pulled to her chest and her arms crossed around her legs. We came back up for air, laughing together. "That was bloody awesome!" Nott yelled as he swam over to us. He laughed again and I decided that I liked Nott already. He seemed outgoing and nice.

Malfoy swam over to is and nodded his head, a real smile on his face. I stopped laughing for a moment and stared. The Sun was shining directly above Malfoy, letting his face be illuminated by the light. His hair seemed even lighter than before. His smile lit up his face more than the sun with the blinding white teeth and warm, bright eyes. My eyes went down to his bare chest, which was toned and muscular. You were able to see his muscles in his biceps. His shoulders were wide. This muscular man was very different from the skinny, mean boy we knew at Hogwarts.

I blushed and looked down, afraid someone might have noticed me staring at Malfoy. "I have to admit, Weaslette, that wasn't half bad. You could still use some practice, though." Malfoy smirked at Ginny.

Ginny raised her eyebrow and said, "I am the little sister of the practical jokers of Hogwarts. I'm sure that if I needed help, they would tell me. And then teach me. You just saying that I need help means you have no idea of what pranks are. I can teach you. You could learn from personal experience," she suggested.

Malfoy's eyes widened, almost as much as Harry and Blaise's before. Ginny and I laughed. Just then, I looked up to see Harry fall into the pool, the Confundus charm still on. I gasped and swam over to him, scared that he would drown because of the charm. Harry disappeared underwater for a few seconds, and I dived down. I opened my eyes just in time to see Harry's head pop back up. I came back up for air and bumped into a hard chest. I looked up and found myself staring into blue-silver orbs.

My eyes widened at the closeness between myself and Malfoy. He stumbled back in the water. "Sorry, Malfoy. I-I didn't see you there."

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault," he responded quickly.

I ducked my head and blushed, backing up more. I smiled to myself, thinking of how Malfoy's left eye had a small glint of green near his pupil. And how when I bumped into his chest, I bounced right off. Those were just some of his perfections. But he also had a small bump on the bridge of his nose. A small imperfection like that just made him a bit cuter.

I realized what I was thinking, and mentally slapped myself. This was Malfoy. I couldn't be thinking like that.

Draco's POV:

I felt a small body bump into mine, and I immediately looked down to the person who stumbled into my chest. My eyes were met by warm chocolate brown ones. I stumbled back in the water, startled at the closeness between me and Mia.

"Sorry, Malfoy. I-I didn't see you there." Mia spoke quickly, stuttering.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault." I responded quickly.

Mia ducked her head. I saw a slight blush forming on her cheeks. I smiled, noticing more things when I was up close than ever before. She had light freckles dusting her nose. She had small bits of gold flecks in her eyes. It made her all the more adorable than I already thought she was.

What? I don't think she is adorable. This is Granger I'm thinking about. Well, actually Zabini. Mia Zabini. Not different from Granger, though. She just looks different. And she is a Pureblood. So at least my mother would approve of her ...

Stop it, Draco Malfoy!

I stopped my mental battle for the moment and looked up. The blush was still dusted along her cheeks, giving them a rosy coloured look. I smiled slightly, enjoying the sight in front of me. But before I was able to say anything else, she waded over to Potter.

"Harry Potter, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Her voice cut through the laughs still going on, probably Pansy and Marriett. She narrowed her yes when Potter only laughed further.

I'm had to hold back a chuckle myself. Her face was a light red, her eyes wild, and her wet hair still bouncing all over the place, a strand plastered to her forehead. It was an amusing sight, seeing her flustered like that. She was ador-

No. I was not going to think about that.

Mia rolled her eyes at something Potter said. When Potter and Weaslette laughed together at something Mia said, I decided on joining the conversation. Nott was, and he seemed pretty civil towards the Gryffindors.

I made it over to them and nudged Nott's arm. "What're they laughing about?"

Mia answered before the Slytherin next to me, the girls still lounging on the chairs and Blaise watching in amusement, on the deck. "I suggested the Slytherins and Gryffindors starting to be civil towards each other. They freaked." Pansy and Marriett started laughing and Blaise raised his eyebrow, probably doubting it would ever happen.

But Weasley stiffened and his face contorted in anger.

"Hermione, can I have a word?" Weasley gestured behind him, not waiting for Mia's answer. He stalked off the deck. Mia frowned but followed him anyway.

Hermione's POV:

"Hermione, can I have a word?" I frowned but followed Ron nonetheless, knowing he was angry about something. So I jumped put of the water and followed Ronald. When we were about five yards from the pool on the grass, he turned on his heel.

"What are you doing with these Slytherins?" Ronald took on a low, dangerous voice, I guess one that was supposed to scare me, but it didn't.

I arched an eyebrow. "Well, one of them is my brother, the other two male Slytherins are his best mates, and I think Parkinson is Nott's girlfriend, and the other one is a friend of Blaise."

"Ok, but you are forgiving them too easily! I guess I can understand Zabini, and we don't know that other girl, but Parkinson? And Malfoy and Nott? You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am! They have changed! The past is the past! The war is over, Ronald, and it seems you are too childish to notice!" My voice started building up volume until I was nearly yelling.

"I don't understand, Hermione. You are here with five Slytherins, and you are completely relaxed!"

"That's because Blaise is my brother, for Merlin's sake!" I said, pointing to Blaise. "And if you can't understand and accept that he is a Slytherin and has Slytherin friends, then you don't have to be here!"

"I can accept that. I guess I can accept Parkinson and Nott, also. My there is no way in Merlin's life that I can accept Malfoy!"

"Well then leave! Malfoy isn't going to! Because I won't let him! You know, he really has changed. Stop being too childish to realize. He hasn't once threw an insult at me since I got here a few days ago! Nor has he done so to you, Ginny, or Harry!"

There was a moment of silence. It draped over the sun like a blanket. Then Ronald asked me, "Malfoy has been here since you came a few days ago?"

"Yes. And I don't mind that he has."

"How can you not mind, Hermione? After what happened in the Malfoy Manor?"

He was going to say more, but I cut him off. "Don't you dare say that ever again," I growled. "If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't even be here."

"Yeah, just barely," Ron said, using a sarcastic voice. "What about in the Room of Requirement? We saved his arse in there, didn't we?"

"Yes. Now we're even." I walked back to the pool before Ronald was able to say another word.

A/N: So, did you like it? I thought there had to be some kind of exciting thing in this chapter, so I had to make Ronald flip out. Sorry for all of those Ron lovers out there. And sorry for the delays. I am a sick and I don't feel motivated at all. Please review!