Hermione was sketching on the train as they pulled out from the station and back towards London. She had her feet up on Draco's lap and kept stealing glances at James.

"Is there a reason she's looking at me?" James asked Draco.

Draco took a quick glance at Hermione and smiled. "She's drawing you. I wouldn't worry much."

"Wait," James said. "Hermione draws?"

"Pretty well," Draco said. "I'll show you my collection of her art once we get to my house. She usually gives me at least one picture each year."

"Do I have to be still?" James asked.

"No," Hermione said. "I have a pretty good idea of what you look like. Just do what you would normally do."

James frowned. He didn't know exactly what Hermione meant. And he just wanted to relax. He didn't have any homework that he hadn't already finished. And Draco had promised that they could fly if he wanted.

"Other than the ball, is there anything I need to be aware of?" James asked.

"Just that Pansy and Daphne are probably going to be spending a lot of time at my house," Draco said. "It's tradition. Don't know when it started but it's frustrating."

"It started when your parents were first betrothed," Hermione said. "Honestly, don't you ever listen to your parents?"

"Not when they start waffling about our personal family history. It's rather awful. Do you want me to find it fascinating that my family would have hated not you but Evans here as well had we not met when we did?"

James looked between them. "I feel like I'm missing something. Exactly what happened?"

Hermione put down her sketch pad and James could see the beginning of something that was incredibly lifelike though it was clearly not finished yet.

"In the war the Malfoys were serving the Dark Lord," she said after a sigh. "It's not something that anyone wants to say anymore, but it's important to know. Which is why us being friends was so revolutionary."

"Wait. Your parents were Death Eaters?"

"Hermione just said that," Draco admitted. "We don't like to talk about it. It's rather strange how growing up you can believe what your parents teach you. Especially if it's been ingrained into you since birth."

"I thought you guys met when you were five?"

"We did," Hermione said. "It's a rather strange story. I don't think that we would have been friends if we hadn't met till Hogwarts."

"I don't think so. I also think I wouldn't have been friends with Draco," James said.

Draco glared at him.

"Hermione brings out the best in you."

Draco's face softened immediately. "She does."

Hermione picked up her sketch pad. "It was probably about the second time we met that Lucius met me. And it's been pretty good since. But I imagine that my parents were the biggest influence in Lucius and Narcissa's opinions."

James fell quiet and sat for a bit. He was clearly mulling the issue over in his head. Hermione managed to capture that look in his eyes when Theo and Blaise came into the compartment.

"Oh no," Theo said. "Hermione, are you sketching?"

"What's it to you? It's not like I'm drawing you."

"But you aren't drawing me," Blaise sighed slumping next to James.

"Do you want her to?" James asked.

"Yes. Hermione's the best artist I know. She's incredible. Have you seen any of her art?"

"Of course he has," Theo answered. "Draco keeps that picture of them when they were little on his bedside table. He has it at the dorms."

"Wait." James leaned forward. "Hermione drew that?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "Who did you think did?"

"I didn't know it was a drawing. I thought it was a black and white picture."

Hermione laughed. "The portraits at Hogwarts move and talk. Why wouldn't people be able to do the same?"

James frowned. "I don't know. I guess it's because they don't talk."

"You have to cast a special spell for any image to be able to talk," Draco said. "Which is pretty good. Can you imagine what would happen if chocolate frog cards could talk. I think I'd go mad."

"You just say that because Dumbledore would be constantly on your case," Hermione said without looking up from her work.

"He would," Blaise said. "I can't stand him."

"Hagrid says he's the best wizard," James said.

"Of course he would," Theo said. He sat down next to Draco. "Dumbledore is the one who got Hagrid his current job. Which makes him indebted."

"Not to mention that he probably couldn't get a job much anywhere else. After his expulsion and the fact that he's half giant," Blaise added.

"How do you know that?"

"No one gets to be that big unless you are," Hermione said. "It's pretty obvious. He's at least eight feet tall."

"Does everyone know this?" James asked.

Draco shrugged. "Probably. At least the ones who pay attention."

They spent the rest of the ride talking. Hermione occasionally interjected, but didn't put the sketchpad down again. She really wanted get the image done before she got off the train. When she was just putting a few finishing touches on it James mentioned something Hagrid had said before leaving.

"Nicholas Flamel? The alchemist?" Hermione asked.

"Alchemist? What's that? I thought those didn't exist anymore."

"Why are you asking if they still exist if you don't know what they are?" Blaise asked.

"They're exactly what you think they are. And I'm guessing if Hagrid mentioned it the thing that's being hidden is the philosopher's stone," Hermione said. "And you're right. Alchemists don't really exist anymore. Most people aren't really looking for immortality."

"Most?" James asked.

"There's always the outlier," Draco said. "But I imagine that living forever would be less worth it if you had to watch everyone else die."

"You just say that because you'd hate to live without Hermione," James said.

"Of course I would, she's amazing."

"You just had to bring that up," Theo said.

James shook his head. "I've been trying to get them to admit that they're betrothed for a month now. They keep avoiding the subject."

"That's because they aren't," Blaise said.

"We are," Hermione whispered.

It took a minute for either Blaise or Theo to say anything.

"I beg your pardon," Blaise said.

"Can you please tell the Greengrasses?"

"I already told them I had a contract," Draco said.

Hermione sniggered. "I don't know that you can call it that."

"Just how binding is this?" Blaise asked.

"Pretty unbreakable," Draco said. "I don't think that we'd even be able to have affairs. Not that I want to."

"Please tell the Greengrasses," Theo repeated.

"Fine," Draco said. "I'll try again. Though if James wants to marry Daphne it might ease up the aggression."

"You are okay with that," Hermione asked.

"I asked Draco how to go about that," James admitted. "Though I do think that talking to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy about it would probably be better. Probably should have done that first."

"It's okay," Draco said. "I owled mother about it. She's supposed to be talking to Mrs. Greengrass this week about it. And if you dance with Daphne more than twice, she'll probably believe you're serious."

"I am. I don't know that I could find another person I want. Unless they haven't come to Hogwarts yet."

Hermione groaned. "Please don't say that. Astoria is so annoying."

"She's not," Theo said.

"You haven't had to spend an hour with her while she whimpers on about how great Draco is," Hermione retorted. "She's awfully dull."

"Are you sure?" James asked. "Daphne doesn't seem that way."

"High society women aren't expected to have intelligent conversation," Hermione grumbled. "Thankfully Daphne's much too stubborn to behave that way."

"As are you," Theo said. "Though I think you called yourself middle class."

"I'm also a muggleborn," Hermione reminded them. "I don't think that I quite fit in with the traditional idea of a pureblood wife."

"Which makes you the best," Draco said as he wrapped his arms around him.

They pulled into the station and Hermione rushed out to her parents. She hugged them tightly before turning to the Malfoys. She curtsied briefly before a brief embrace with each of them.

"Mum, dad, this is James. You recall."

James shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you James. Hermione said that you'll be at Malfoy manor for the holidays. I suspect we'll be seeing you a bit."

"I'm looking forward to it. Hermione told me that she wasn't looking forward to missing out on spending the whole holiday in Greece."

"You didn't mention that he was so polite," Mrs. Granger said to Hermione.

"We'll talk about that later."

Hermione bid the boys farewell and headed to the car with her parents. She stowed her things and sat in the backseat.

"Alright, what's up with James?" Mr. Granger asked.

"He lives with the Dursleys."

"That fat boy Draco hates playing rugby against?"

"And his parents. We think he's being neglected. He was so skinny at the start of the school year. He's put on some weight but I think it would be best if he could spend as little time at his Aunt and Uncle's house over the summer."

"I think we might be able to arrange something. How would you feel if we took him to Greece for the summer?" Mrs. Granger asked.