Chapter Thirty-Two: Covert Meetings

Chapter Thirty-Two: Covert Meetings

Ron and Harry have a serious talk. Ron apologises to Hermione. Draco and Astoria join some of the DA in the Room of Requirement for a strategy meeting.

(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of the remarkably talented J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.

(ii) Thank you to all the readers who have stayed with me through the writing of this tale. Your kind reviews have been enormously helpful. Not only do they provide motivation and inspiration to keep going, but your intelligent comments help me formulate my plot and character development. So please do continue to review and tell me what you think of the story. You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear from you.

(iii) And finally, much gratitude to my brilliant beta, Queen_of_Stars. You have been the most gracious of friends through these long months. I am so thankful that you agreed to help me work on, polish and present this story. All errors that ultimately remain are my own.

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When the song came to an end, Ron softly kissed Lavender on her forehead. 'I need to go talk to Harry, Lav. I've not had a moment with him all evening. Do you want to go join Padma and Parvati?'

Lavender looked unhappy with the suggestion, but she allowed herself to be walked to her group of friends. She wanted to rip into Ron, but something stopped her from making a scene. She didn't want Ron to accuse her of embarrassing him in public. She knew enough about how jealous her friends were to see her get back together with Ron to give them more room to gloat about her quarrelling with her lover in public.

Once there, Ron did his best to appear still enamoured with the blonde, even while a little voice in his head insisted that the biggest mistake he had ever made was getting involved with her again. Ron couldn't understand how things suddenly seemed so much clearer. Watching the way Hermione and Snape had interacted had hurt him. However, it seemed the hurt had somehow managed to break through his armour of blinkedness and vindictiveness to allow him to see where his duty and loyalty lay. Hearing Ginny's reasons for why Harry had broken up with her had despite Ron's best intentions rung true in accordance with his innate sense of strategical thinking. If it had been a game of chess, he would have been able to clearly see that his sister and best friend were not meant for each other. But, blinded by anger, hate, hurt and mistrust, he had allowed his sense of honour and loyalty to fall by the wayside.

After leaving Lavender with a gentle kiss on her cheek, Ron wandered around looking for Harry. Not being able to find him anywhere in the Great Hall, Ron scratched his head before heading out to the Quidditch pitch. As expected, Harry was flying around on one of the school's Cleansweep 2000s. Ron grabbed a broom from the shed before joining his friend in the air.

Harry grimaced as Ron joined him. 'I guess you heard, then?' he asked pointedly.

'Yes, mate, Ginny said,' responded Ron. Then, in a move that completely surprised Harry, Ron asked, 'You okay?'

Harry stared, before nodding his head. 'I guess so. It wasn't easy, but I had to do it, Ron. It was for the best. Ginny and I want completely different things, and I realised that although I do love her, I'm no longer in love with her. You know, it's something that's taken me a long time to understand. But,' Harry stopped speaking and sighed. 'Have you ever really looked at Severus and Hermione together?' he asked, changing tact completely.

Ron frowned. 'I've tried to avoid it whenever possible,' he finally said morosely.

Harry grinned. 'Yes, but you know what I mean. When they dance together, they focus entirely on each other. They have eyes for no one but each other. It's like the rest of the world fades away. When I'm dancing with Ginny, I'm always aware of other people, and I know she is constantly watching the crowd, the press and our audience. We don't get lost in each others' eyes.'

Ron's gaze narrowed. Finally, he frowned mightily before nodding his head. 'I see what you mean. But why, Harry? I just can't see it. The Greasy Git and our 'Mione?'

Harry shrugged. 'Love's weird. You weren't around though. I remember the first time she spent the afternoon with the Malfoys and Severus. When she came back home, she was glowing. And after their first date, I thought she was going to burst from happiness. I used to feel that way about Ginny, way back in sixth year. But something changed after the war. I grew up. I guess, I was no longer a part of Voldemort, and losing him made me become more my own man. That man wants nothing of fame, glory or prestige. He, I mean I, wants a quiet life. I want children. I want to work with my hands, like Neville does. I only just realised how much I enjoy cooking and working in the garden.'

Ron threw back his head and laughed. 'Ginny would hate your kind of ideal life. She hates the thought of spending even a moment in the kitchen. She wants to eat at all the expensive restaurants and be seen in the most exclusive of dresses.'

'Don't I know it,' said Harry. 'That's why I broke it off, mate. I knew we would not make each other happy in the long run. She needs someone like Malfoy.'

Ron gasped. 'You take that back, Harry. My sister's not going to go out with the Ferret; I don't care what you think.'

'Listen to yourself, Ron,' said Harry laughing. 'I didn't say she was going to go out with Malfoy. He's so madly in love with his fiancée that he doesn't seem to see any other woman. I said she needs someone like him. Someone with money, someone who loves the good life. She needs a pureblood. Not me. I'll never be prominent in society. My position is through luck, not through desire.'

Sighing, Ron nodded. 'I guess. But, mate, it's going to be really tough at home.' Then, grimacing, he said, 'There's something I need to tell you. Something happened in the Great Hall while you were away.'

As Ron narrated the situation, Harry's eyes widened first in anger, then in shock. Finally, he grasped Ron by the shoulders and shook him roughly. 'Idiot!' he yelled loudly. 'Can you hear yourself?' Harry released Ron in a disgusted shove and began to pace.

Ron sighed. He did not move to defend himself. Listening to himself relate Ginny's suspicions and his mother's emphatic agreement to a dark geis sounded foolish beyond belief. Raking his fingers through his thick red hair, he growled loudly, 'I know, mate, I know. I was blinded by anger, by this bloody dark magic that's swirling through my head. Now, when I think of it, I can see how unlikely it is that 'Mione or the Malfoys would do something so utterly obvious. If they wanted to control us, they would blackmail Kingsley or something. I know. That's why I did all I could to remove Lavender from the crowd gathered in front of the Head Table. That's why I came to tell you. I know.'

Harry stopped pacing as he listened to Ron's earnest and sincere speech. 'Alright, mate, I believe you. But we need to do something to stop Ginny from spilling all of this to her little group of friends, or worse, the Prophet. Can you imagine the shit that will hit the fan if this gets out?'

Ron grimaced. 'My mother's likely to talk, too. Though I guess Dad will be able to keep her grounded. Right, I'll talk to Ginny. I want you to speak to Dad and Bill. But first, we need to speak to 'Mione. I need to apologise and get her input on all of this.'

Harry smiled. It was good to see Ron wanting to include Hermione in their plan.

The two boys made their way back to the Great Hall via the student entrance. Thankfully, Hermione was easy enough to spot. She was standing with Neville, Susan and Hannah.

Ron blushed and did his best to prepare himself for his well deserved punch in the face. He knew he'd treated her appallingly.

Harry quickly hid the grin that was on his face. Ron didn't need to know he was looking forward to Hermione's reaction. Approaching the group, he smiled in greeting. Then, he said, ''Mione, Ron has something he wants to say to you.'

Hermione frowned but turned her curious stare to meet Ron's suddenly rather mature gaze. She wondered what on earth Ron wanted to tell her, especially in front of an audience. Hannah, Susan and Neville were watching the expressions of the Golden Trio like spectators at Wimbledon.

Ron, though, didn't seem to mind the others who were observing the interaction. Indeed, he took strength from their presence, for he knew 'Mione wouldn't do anything too drastic with their friends watching the confrontation. Clearing his throat nervously, he said, ''Mione, I'm sorry. I've been a complete arse and a prat. I want to apologise.'

Hermione had expected something significant, even an apology, but she hadn't expected such obvious and heartfelt regret to colour Ronald's speech. Indeed, she had thought that if the red head was apologising as Harry's introduction had prepared her to expect, it was something engineered by her dark-haired friend. Her heart melting at the clear note of honest and earnest contrition, she flung her arms around Ron. She had, despite all the grief he had put her through, missed him. Laughing, all she could say was an exasperated, 'Oh, Ron!'

Harry laughed and joined his two best friends in a group hug. Neville, Susan and Hannah beamed at the display of teenage joy and joined the collective hug. Soon, all six of them were laughing as they renewed their bond of friendship. Finally, breaking up from the embrace, Harry spoke quietly. 'We've got stuff to talk about. Meet me in the Room of Requirement in twenty minutes. Make sure you're not followed.'

Everyone in the group nodded. They realised that their reunion had garnered plenty of attention. The evening had been filled with reunions and intriguing gatherings. Much gossip had been generated. If they all suddenly vanished, there was no telling what trouble people like Lavender Brown or Pansy Parkinson could cause.

Parting from the group first, Ron made his way back to Lavender, Padma and Parvati, who he knew would be dying to know what was going on. Sliding his arms around the busty blonde, he buried his nose in her hair. 'You smell so good,' said Ron in greeting. He knew sex was the best way to distract Lavender, and his open adoration of his girlfriend would immediately put the twins off the scent too.

Lavender preened under Ron's attention. Smiling at her friends, she licked her lips in invitation and asked seductively, 'What was all that about?'

Ron did his best to not let his annoyance show. 'Oh, just Harry wanting to see us try to be friends. I didn't want to hurt him. You know what he's like. He hates it that I'm no longer blinded to what's going on.' Ron had not spoken a lie; he truly was no longer blind to what had been going on under his nose.

Lavender, of course, took his words to mean something completely different. 'You're too nice, Ron. Hugging that jumped-up tart. Did you see the way she was dancing with Snape? He may have been cleared of Dumbledore's murder, but he still killed him.'

Ron frowned. The darkness was rising within him once again. But he did his best to tame the beast within his chest and look at what Lavender was saying as though it was a mere game plan on the chess board. When looking at Dumbledore's death on that front, he could see the strategic importance of Snape's placement within the heart of the Death Eaters with an unquestionable position of loyalty to Voldemort. 'Mmm... you're right, of course, Lav,' said Ron softly. 'But can we not talk about them?' Turning his attention to the twins, he asked jovially, 'Why are you two beauties standing around, hmm...? Are the rest of the blokes too blind to see how good you both look?'

Parvati seemed to glow at the compliment, though Lavender's eyes darkened in jealousy. She's always known her friend had fancied Ron. Padma, though, just smiled and said teasingly, 'Well, all the handsome men are taken, so we are stuck being wall flowers.'

Ron laughed. 'Come on, ladies, we guys aren't that dumb.' Leading Lavender to the dance floor, he threw over his shoulder, 'Maybe you need to show them your moves and give them a reason to join us on the dance floor.'

Lavender frowned jealously, but she could not really complain when Ron gathered her into his arms. Pouting, she whispered, 'I don't want to share you.'

Ron stroked her back and looked at the clock. Ten minutes before he needed to meet the others. 'Don't be like that, babe. You know you want them to have a good time.'

Lavender pouted, but soon the three friends were engaged in a battle to see who could dance the most provocatively. Ron smiled in satisfaction at his ploy and left the trio with a wink. 'I'll just get myself a drink and watch you from the sidelines.'

Lavender nodded. She was having fun, and she could see clearly the admiring glances some of the other men were giving her. Compared to Padma and Parvati who were dressed in brightly shimmering saris, she was displayed in all of her voluptuous glory in a tiny miniskirt and halter-necked top.

Ron silently moved out of the crowd and made his way via a circular route to the seventh floor. He knew it was likely there were students still out of bed despite curfew. He didn't want to be spotted, especially not so close to the Gryffindor common room. There was no telling what would get back to Ginny.

Harry, meanwhile, silently nodded to Neville once Ron had left their group, and the two young men meandered towards the drinks table. Chatting to people they met along the way, they leaned against the wall and pretended to watch the crowd and the dancing. By standing around doing nothing, the interest surrounding them slowly faded away. It was obvious to any casual observer that the boys were doing nothing but talking. Anyone listening would have heard them discuss Quidditch. Eventually, after about fifteen minutes of idleness, the two left the hall via the entrance leading out towards the Quidditch pitch. Anyone who was observing them would assume they had just strolled out for a breath of fresh air.

Augusta Longbottom, though, was not the usual dim-witted observer. She knew her grandson well and could immediately see that his act at causal nonchalance was clearly that, an act. She could well imagine that he was being informed by Potter of what was going on. Preening with pride at this clear yet discreet sign of how closely her grandson was trusted by the Saviour of the Wizarding World, she redoubled her efforts to distract anyone who she could see paying extra close attention to the boys. She had seen how Kingsley, Minerva and Severus had done the same thing up at the Head Table. The sight of the three of them laughing and relaxing had done much to dispel the curiosity that had arisen at the ominous gathering not long ago.

Susan and Hannah, as Hufflepuffs, were never really seen as being important. To the curious onlookers, they appeared nothing but ciphers, hangers on. Squeezing Hermione's hand, Susan said softly, 'We'll go and prepare the room for our meeting. Do you want us to collect anyone else on the way?'

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, shaking her head, she murmured quietly, 'I don't think so. If any one else from the DA disappears, people will definitely know something is up. Besides which, the others don't really know anything of what's going on. Let us keep this quiet for the moment. If we need more back up, we can always let the others know later.'

Hannah nodded. 'Okay. We'll see you in a bit then. Good luck.'

The three girls exchanged smiles before parting ways. Hannah and Susan casually headed off toward the loos while Hermione rejoined the two senior Malfoys who were holding court with other influential Slytherins. She knew it caused disquiet amongst people like Pansy and Clarissa Nott that she, the Mudblood, was now not only a celebrated heroine but also a Malfoy with all of the position it awarded her in pureblood circles. No one dared snub her, for it would be their social demise if the senior Malfoys decided to cut them publicly.

Narcissa quirked an eyebrow when Hermione joined their circle. The two Malfoys were not blind and had not missed anything that had taken place in the Great Hall.

Hermione smiled and winked discreetly at Narcissa. Hermione had learned from Lucius and Severus that the best way of distracting people was by telling them what they wanted to hear. If they felt they were being given the truth, they would not bother to look for the truth. 'You wouldn't believe how much people have to say now that I'm a Malfoy,' said Hermione quietly. She'd pitched her voice so that it appeared as though she was whispering, but everyone in the circle heard her. Pretending that she had not wanted anyone to pick up on going on, she went on whispering in her carrying tone, 'Kingsley and Severus were needed to help calm Molly down. She wouldn't listen to reason when Minerva explained that me being a Malfoy meant that I was due special privileges.'

Lucius' lips twitched at his adopted daughter's clever ploy. He was not fooled for a moment. He had seen the tension in Kingsley's stance, and even Severus had looked concerned for a moment before his mask of boredom had fallen into place. Whatever was going on was serious. But he realised that Hermione was doing her best to distract everyone who had watched the confrontation with the Weasley trio. In a bored drawl, Lucius said disdainfully, 'Most people are fools, my dear. They aren't willing to accept that things are now different. It is only the smart who can change with the times, who will continue to lead society. Malfoys have always been the most influential of society. The fall of the Dark Lord has not changed that. That is why, my dear, we are so proud to have you, the unquestionable genius of the Golden Trio as our daughter. There is none better to carry the Malfoy name than the one person who stood by Harry through thick and thin.'

The listening circle of people could not deny the social cache gained by the Malfoys in having secured the celebrated heroine as part of their family. Indeed, as Slytherins one and all, they envied the brilliance and ingenuity of Lucius for not only surviving the Dark Lord's demise with all of his family out of Azkaban, but also guaranteeing his close association with the new movers and shakers within the Ministry. They had not been slow in seeing that Arthur Weasley approached the Malfoys. It had made them all aware that the Malfoys were firmly accepted by the victors of the Battle of Hogwarts.

Not long after, Hermione and Lucius took to the dance floor. There, in the relative privacy of the crowd, she explained to him that she was meeting her friends to discuss what had taken place at the Head Table. 'Cover for me, please?'

'Of course,' said Lucius. 'But do you know what's going on?'

'Not entirely,' said Hermione, looking around to make sure no one was paying them more than the usual attention. 'But Ron was there from the start, and Harry is somehow involved. So I'll know once we've had a chance to meet without an audience. Do you know where Draco is? It might be useful if he came along.'

Lucius frowned. 'I'm not sure. I think he and Astoria are in the rose garden.'

Hermione nodded her head. 'I'll see if I can find them both. I wish Luna were here. She's very resourceful and excellent in thinking outside the box. I hate it that she is always being taken away by her father.'

Lucius inclined his head in agreement. 'Lovegood has never really been a strong man. I think Azkaban hurt him gravely. You mustn't begrudge him Luna's presence. I think it must be the only thing in the world that gives him comfort right now.' He sighed quietly before saying deliberately, 'My family was the only thing that kept me sane when I was in Azkaban. I focused on Draco and Cissy. On how much I wanted to see them again. If it wasn't for them, I would have been completely destroyed.'

Hermione had never heard Lucius speak of his dark days as a prisoner in Azkaban. She realised it was a mark of how much he had come to care for her that he was able to bare his soul so intimately. Standing on tip toe, she kissed him on his cheek.

Lucius patted her hand in response. 'Off you go now. But keep us informed if you need anything.'

'I will. Thank you, Lucius. You have no idea how much I appreciate having you and Cissy in my life. I can't believe how things have changed in a few short months. This time last year....' She broke off, not being able to continue.

'I know,' said Lucius. 'We feel the same. Cissy and I can't believe how easily we allowed ourselves to be blinded, how foolish we were to allow empty talk to convince us the Dark Lord was our only alternative. But the past is behind us. You, Severus, Draco, your lives, your triumphs are our future.'

Hermione squeezed the strong hand that held her before leaving the embrace of her adopted father. She still found it hard to believe that they genuinely cared for her. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. She understood that Lucius and Cissy were using her to shore up their position politically and socially, but she'd realised that was part of being a Slytherin. Their affection for her, however, was real as well.

Hermione left the dance floor and made her way towards the Head Table. Severus was seated alone, looking out onto the crowd that was slowly starting to thin. She smiled as she approached, and he responded with a quick curl of his lips. In this setting, he was ever cautious.

'I'm going upstairs to meet with the gang,' said Hermione by way of explanation. 'If I don't get a chance to talk to you later, can we arrange for a meeting soon?'

'Why don't you join Minerva and me for tea?' asked Severus. 'We can compare notes. And as long as we meet with a suitable chaperone, the castle has nothing to complain about. I've told her about accepting the betrothal contract.'

Hermione smiled. 'Excellent. I'll come by your office at four. Is that alright?'

'Yes, four is fine,' agreed Severus. He didn't want her to go. He wanted to speak to her, to hold her in his arms, to bury himself in her warmth. But he knew it was impossible.

With a last loving glance, Hermione slipped out of the Great Hall. She was cutting it rather fine, but she knew the others would wait for her. Luckily, just as she was leaving the Great Hall, she saw a beaming Draco and a flustered Astoria returning arm in arm from the rose garden.

With a sigh of gratitude, Hermione rushed to them. 'Thank goodness I didn't have to go looking for you two. Something's happened while you two were away. I'm about to go meet with some of the DA and find out what's going on. Do you want to come?'

Astoria was the first to answer. 'Of course. As long as they don't mind us being there.'

Draco nodded. 'Potter seems to have chilled out, but I don't think Weaselbee will be all that happy to see us.'

Hermione growled. 'Well if he's going to be my friend, then he will have to learn to accept my annoying monster of a brother. Now, come on, the others are waiting.'

Draco laughed. 'This I've got to see. Weaselbee's going to throw a wobbly.'

Astoria joined Draco in his laughter.

Hermione's lips twitched as she watched the two laugh, but she felt compelled to admonish Draco. 'Play nice, Ferret.'

Astoria laughed even harder at Draco's expression at the moniker. With a wink at Hermione, she slipped her arm through Draco's. 'Oh, this is going to be good.'

Hermione finally allowed her laughter to emerge. 'Mmm.... I think so too. But this is serious, Draco. Please, please don't antagonise him. It's hard enough getting him to see reason when it comes to me. Ron's not going to like having to deal with you when you're being an irritating git. Even if it is funny later, we can't allow pettiness to get in the way.'

'Okay, okay,' said Draco raising his hands in surrender. 'I'll play nice. I won't insult your precious Gryffindors, and I'll even wait until they hex before retaliating.'

Hermione glared, but she could not ask for more.

The others had all entered the Room of Requirement by the time Hermione reached the door. 'Wait here,' she said to Draco and Astoria. 'I'll go prepare them.'

Draco raised a sardonic eyebrow, but Astoria nodded in agreement.

Hermione sighed. She was starting to doubt the wisdom of asking the two Slytherins to join her, but she felt that they would be instrumental in helping settle whatever was going on. Pushing the door open, she entered the room that had been provided. It looked like a cosy mix between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor common rooms. Not surprising given the mix of people and the fact Susan and Hannah had been the first to arrive.

As soon as Hermione entered, Ron spoke up. 'Good, now you're here, let's start. I can't stay too long.'

But before he could start explaining what was going on, Hermione raised her hand. 'Just a minute, Ron. I know you don't have much time, but Draco and Astoria are outside. I think they should join us.'

'No way,' said Ron in anger. 'I don't want the ferret here. What were you thinking?'

Hermione glared. 'I was thinking that my brother and one of my new best friends might be able to give a different perspective on the problem, whatever it is. That you might be willing to listen, to give them a chance.'

Ron opened his mouth to argue further, but Harry grabbed him by the arm. 'It can't hurt, mate,' said Harry. 'Come on, we don't have time for this.'

Ron looked like he was going to push Harry off, but finally he just shrugged out of Harry's grip and threw himself into an arm chair. 'Whatever.'

Hermione quickly made her way to the door and opened it. 'Come in.'

The two Slytherins walked in like they owned the place. Their heads held high, they inclined their heads regally to the others who were watching them with curious expressions on their faces. Harry, though, came forward. He realised the benefit of having the Slytherin presence. Magnanimously, he extended his hand to Draco, who looked at it for a moment before shaking it. Then, Harry smiled and invited Astoria to sit.

She smiled her warm smile at Harry, and then she left Draco's side to sit beside Susan on one of the sofas. Draco took the armchair furthest away from Ron.

Hermione grimaced. She really hoped she had not made things worse. However, it was too late now. Taking a deep breath, she sat down next to Astoria. Once she was seated, Harry plonked himself next to her.

'Right,' said Harry, 'I've got some news. I broke up with Ginny this evening.'

His news was met with a hushed silence. Hermione's eyes widened. She hadn't known he was thinking of breaking up with Ginny. Susan and Hannah, too, looked startled. Neville nodded as though he had been expecting it, but the most overt reaction came from Draco. He began to applaud.

Ron began to stand up, but seemed to decide it wasn't worth the effort and settled back down again. He threw a dirty look at Draco though.

Draco, however, didn't seem to mind. With a cheeky grin that was sure to rub Ron the wrong way, he said, 'Give the man an award. He finally saw the light.'

Susan looked rather alarmed. It was as though she expected Ron to attack Draco.

Hannah, though, began to laugh. She was soon joined by Astoria, and the mood lightened significantly.

Harry frowned initially, but then he grinned at the Slytherin's ironic humour. It had multiple meanings, but he was coming to learn through his association with Severus that most things Slytherins did involved a myriad of meanings. Shaking his head at Draco, Harry continued. 'Anyway, when I broke up with Ginny, she went to Molly. They both decided that it was because I was being manipulated by Hermione and the Malfoys. They think I'm under some kind of geis, as are Kingsley and the rest of the Order.'

Draco listened to Harry speak with mounting anger. But before he could irrupt in a flurry of curses and hexes, Neville spoke up. 'Now that's just sour grapes. You can't put a dark geis on a group of people. It might possibly hold for a bit but not for any length of time.'

Draco stared in shock at Neville's calm and collected response.

Ron, meanwhile, just sniffed in disgust. 'We don't know everything about the Dark Arts. What if Snape helped them brew some dark potion?'

'Don't be an idiot,' said Hermione. 'Ron, really?'

Ron sighed and stood up to start pacing. He was like a caged tiger, cornered and unpredictable. 'Oh, alright, I'm not saying I still believe Ginny. But I did, for that moment.' Then, collecting himself, fighting visibly for calm, he carried on. 'What I'm trying to say is, Ginny and my mother aren't being rational right now. There's a lot of darkness in them, darkness they are not able to deal with at all. I'm getting better at controlling my knee-jerk reactions, but it's still touch and go for me. But for them, there just doesn't seem to be any rationality left. We need to stop my sister before she destroys herself and the Order. Imagine the damage she could cause if she were allowed to just spew such stuff to Skeeter.' He shuddered at the thought. 'I need your help. What do we do?'

Silence reigned. Even Draco seemed to understand the desperation evident in Ron's voice. Draco, the ultimate joker, the one who loved nothing better than to needle someone in pain, was all too aware what darkness had done to his family. How could he ever forget Aunt Bella? Finally, thoughtfully, Draco looked at Astoria, as if her beautiful face and loving eyes could give him the strength he needed. 'You need to distract the Weaslette. She'll be hurting from the Boy Wonder's rejection. Nothing hurts worse than rejection, I should know, so you need to find her another lover, and quickly too. Someone who will shower her with attention, prestige.'

He frowned and stood up to start pacing over on the far side of the room. Thinking aloud, Draco said, 'None of the Gryffindors have enough position to beat Potter's prominence as the Boy-Who-Lived. All the Hufflepuffs will be eaten alive by her temper. The Ravenclaws are as a rule too interested in knowledge to pander overmuch to their partners' ego. You need to find her a Slytherin.'

Ron flung himself out of the chair he had retaken on Draco's pacing. He lunged towards the blond as if to attack, but then stopped about a foot away to swing around to glare at Harry. 'Boy Wonder suggested the same thing, actually,' he confessed in disgust. 'I don't like it. But if it will work...'

Even as Draco and Ron seemed to participate in a battle to see who could outstare each other, Astoria clapped her hands in delight. 'I know the perfect person for her.'

Everyone who had been focused on watching the imminent confrontation between Ron and Draco swung around to look curiously at Astoria. She seemed to gloat even more at the attention before laughing at the gathered crowd. 'Can none of you see it?'

Hermione was smiling inside. The others had expected nothing but derision and sarcasm from the two Slytherins. But their quick understanding of the situation, and indeed, clear sighted view of what needed to be done had surprised the others in the room. Hermione, though, had had no such doubts. She knew Draco and Astoria were waiting for an opportunity to show that they were no longer the enemy. If by helping the DA, and indirectly the Order, avoid scandal and unwanted media scrutiny, they could force the others to see them more clearly for what they were capable of, she knew that Draco and Astoria would do all that they could.

No one responded to Astoria's arched query. Just because the Slytherin couple were consenting to be in the same company as the other did not mean they had suddenly changed their behaviour. When threatened, Draco and Astoria, as Hermione had now learned, retreated to haughty and supercilious mannerisms. But Hermione could see how volatile everyone's temper was. Wanting to defuse the situation, she said with a laugh, 'Right, 'Tory, you've shown that you're smarter than all of us. Now give. Who are you thinking of setting Ginny up with?'

Astoria giggled. 'Theo Nott. Can't you just see it? His dad's dead and their name is shit at the moment after Odin Nott's desperate fight to the death with the Aurors at their castle in Inverness. But Theo was never a Death Eater, or even really an overt sympathiser. He was just afraid of his dad. You know what a bastard Odin was. The only one who seemed to have him wrapped around her little finger was that tramp Clarissa. So anyone who can help Theo distance himself from his father's legacy will be warmly welcomed. Theo, of course, has always spent most of his life, when not in school, with his mother's family in Cornwall. That's where he went when the Slytherin students were made to evacuate Hogwarts. Moreover, since the hated Clarissa is on the prowl for a new husband, the castle will soon be empty of the Dowager Baroness of Inverness. It's perfect. He's good looking, rich and desperate to clear his name from his father's legacy. He'll worship Ginny if we can make her fall for him.'

'Hmm...,' said Ron. He didn't like it, but he could truly say that Theo had never, not once in their years in Hogwarts, taken part in any of the overt Gryffindor bashing that took place in the halls. He'd never been part of any of the Slytherin gangs and had always been kind of a loner.

Harry, too, nodded in agreement. 'That might work, actually,' he said thoughtfully.

Astoria beamed in pleasure. 'Draco has always got on fairly well with him. I'm sure, if he pointed out the benefit in a suitably Slytherinesque manner, man to man, giving some politically sound advice, that Theo would fall for it.'

Draco nodded. 'Yes, Theo and I've always got along. We've shared a desk for Potions for a long time. I'll go down and have a little chat with him. I'm sure he's got enough Slytherin to strike while the iron is hot, as it were.' Draco's eyes were twinkling evilly. 'You know, you'll owe me if this works out.'

Ron growled and clenched his fists.

Hermione though could see that Draco was just jerking Ron around. 'Stop it, Draco. It's not nice to tease people, especially when they don't realise you're not being a bastard but just jerking their chain.'

Draco pouted in mock dismay. 'But 'Mione,' he started in an annoying whiney voice, 'what fun would I have if they thought I was a good guy? The bastards seem to get all the chicks.'

Hermione laughed. 'Idiot,' she said, smacking him gently on the back of his head. 'You don't need any more chicks, you're engaged to 'Tory.'

The others watched the byplay between the two with more and more astonishment. Who would have ever believed that Draco and Hermione would be so openly affectionate? It was obvious by their ability to tease each other that they truly were at ease with each other.