Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: Phew, okay, that was refreshing. Glad I could finally write from someone else perspective. Hope you all like this chapter. I think it went pretty well. Tell me what you think.

Also, I'd like to reply to some reviews I got and basically inform everyone else at the same time. So in case any of you are wondering, no, I am not Mr. Speed Gonzales updater, I've actually got up to Chapter Twenty Two already written, and I'm posting them spaced out to give people a chance to read and review them.

And, lastly, to the reviewer who mentioned why Harry didn't just use a glamour to disguise himself. Well, I personally think that a glamour (because we really don't know a lot about them, or even if they can be done in the HP universe yet, do we? I can't think of any of the top of my head) wouldn't be enough to disguise him. Basically, Harry's charm is just a really powerful glamour anyway, as you will see. As for Hermione using it as well, well, it really doesn't matter if she's seen or not does it?

Anyway, that's that, so before I leave you to it - thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

It was finally time for the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year. Students all over the castle talked excitably about what they would be doing, which shops they would visit first, and what they would buy. Most notably, it was the third years that were most excited, as this would be their first visit to Hogsmeade. First and Second years could only sit back and watch with jealous eyes, wishing they were allowed to go as well.

Harry waited for the crowds to die down before starting towards Hogsmeade. He had agreed to meet Hermione outside the Three Broomsticks, the local pub. He'd already cast his special, self-invented Imperceptible Charm. From now on, the only people who would be able to recognise him would be the ones he introduced himself too.

The weather wasn't perfect, but no one seemed to mind, trudging out through the snow packed ground to reach the magical village. Hogsmeade was as packed as it always was during the Hogsmeade weekend, students crowding the streets in a sea of black robes. Harry passed between them with no difficulty, smirking. His Charm worked like...well, like a charm.

He quickly found Hermione waiting for him outside the Three Broomsticks. She looked very pretty indeed, with her hair tied back in a ponytail, looking all snug with a scarf around her neck and a woolly hat on her head, her cheeks tinged pink from the cold and, if Harry wasn't mistaken, even wearing a little bit of lip gloss. He came to a stop right behind her, tapping her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned to look at him, frowning.

"It's me," he said with a smile, "Harry."

"Oh," she blinked, "right, sorry, I didn't recognise you."

"I know," Harry said.

"The Charm?" Hermione asked, catching on.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed, "shall we?" He offered her his hand and she took it with a smile. "Where to first?" They started down the busy street.

"I don't know," Hermione said, sounding mildly embarrassed, "I've never done this before. Neville and me usually just get any supplies we need, check out Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, sometimes Honeydukes..." She trailed off.

"Well," Harry said, "we could go to Madam Puddifoot's, most girls like that place." Harry had trouble hiding his distaste for this suggestion. He'd never been, but had heard horror tales about it from many Slytherins, mainly Draco and Blaise.

"What's Madam Puddifoot's?" Hermione asked, curious.

"It's a tea shop," Harry answered, "but to be honest with you Hermione, I've heard a lot of awful stuff about that place. I'll go if you want too, but I'd rather not."

"Oh," Hermione said, even more curious now, "why is it so bad?"

"In Draco's words," Harry began, "it's cramped, full of frills and people snogging, and smells like two hundred bottles of perfume all put together."

"Sounds horrible," Hermione said, smiling at Harry's obvious disdain for the place, "let's go." She said, ginning mischievously.

"You're kidding me," Harry said, gaping at her like a fish out of water.

Hermione laughed. "Yeah, actually, I am."

Harry visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I thought you were serious there for a second."

"Nope," Hermione said, "that place really does sound horrible. I'd rather just find a nice quiet spot and sit and talk."

"Talk?" Harry asked, wagging his eyebrows. "I didn't think there would be much talking."

"What did you have in mind?" Hermione questioned, playing along.

"Well," Harry said, "let's just say it'd be a lot more...hands on...than talking."

"Pervert." Hermione accused good-naturedly.

"Only when it comes to beautiful girls like you," Harry said, "so, it's pretty much just you."

Hermione blushed, flattered at his compliment. A comfortable silence fell as they walked together, heading to nowhere in particular, just walking and enjoying each other's company.

"How about we head back to the Three Broomsticks? "Harry offered. "It's a pretty nice place. Much better than Madam Puddifoot's."

"Okay," Hermione agreed.

So they turned around, heading back the way they had come, winding away through the crowd of students. No one seemed to pay them any attention, not even to Hermione. The charm really did work perfectly.

When they arrived outside the warm pub, Harry spotted Draco lingering around the door, as if waiting for someone. When Harry and Hermione passed him, he didn't seem to notice a thing.

The inside of the warm pub was just as crowded as the street. Bubbling laughter and the chatter of conversation filled the room. Harry spotted Hagrid sitting at the far side of the pub, drinking a large pint of firewhisky on his own, and looking glum. Harry started towards him, pulling Hermione with him, but someone got in his way. Harry looked up, catching the eye of Ron Weasley. Harry tensed.

"Sorry," Ron said, looking over Harry as if he wasn't even there, and then continued on to his destination. He sat down at a table with his sister Ginny Weasley and his friends Dean and Seamus. Harry idly noticed Dean giving Ginny long lingering looks, which she seemed to be ignoring.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered in his ear, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Sorry," Harry said, "come on, I want you to meet someone."

Harry continued to drag Hermione over towards Hagrid, manoeuvring around the crowd. He stopped before the half-giant, who looking up, startled.

"Hey Hagrid," Harry said.

Hagrid frowned, looking confused. Harry suddenly realised Hagrid wouldn't be able to recognise him and went on.

"It's Harry," he whispered.

"O'," Hagrid grunted, "didn' recognise yeh ther Harry. An' who's this?" Hagrid asked, peering down at Hermione with his beetle black eyes.

"This is Hermione," Harry said, sitting down and pulling Hermione with him.

"Hi," Hermione said.

"'Ello," Hagrid greeted. "Ah remember yeh, from my classes, righ' smart yeh were, weren't yeh?"

"Thank you," Hermione said, looking embarrassed again.

"Hagrid," Harry got the giant man's attention, "I've cast a charm on myself so no one will recognise me, so keep quiet okay?"

"O'," Hagrid looked surprised, "tha' why I couldn' see yeh Harry?" Harry nodded. "An' why yeh do tha' then?"

"I don't want to be recognised," Harry said, "It'd cause a lot of fuss we just want to avoid."

"We..." Hagrid looked between the two of the, then smiled, catching on, "Ah see, got yerself a girlfriend have yeh Harry?" Hagrid boomed out a laugh, and Harry quickly shushed him. Hagrid looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Harry said, "but keep it quiet right? Don't want anyone knowing right now."

"Righ'," Hagrid rumbled, "Got it."

"So how come you're sitting here all alone?" Harry asked. "You look like someone just died."

Hagrid sniffed, then wiped at his nose. "Not yet," he said, "but it's my friend, Aragog, he ain't doin' so good."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said with a gasp, looking horrified.

"Thanks," Hagrid said, his black eyes shining, "yeh got yerself a good un' ther Harry. Don' let her go."

Hermione blushed at the compliment and Harry chuckled. "I know Hagrid," he said, "and don't worry. I won't."

They spent the rest of the evening talking to Hagrid, before bidding him goodbye and leaving the Three Broomsticks. Whilst walking up the snow-covered path, they heard a commotion up ahead, and then a scream. Harry, beginning to panic, started dragging Hermione up the path, running at full speed.

They reached a gathering of students, all closing in around the figure of girl writhing on the floor. Harry came to a stop, Hermione following suit, bending down and panting.

"What happened?" Harry heard some yell, over the screaming.

"I don't know," someone said. "She was just arguing with her friend about something, and then she rose into the air, and started screaming."

"What's going on here?" It was Professor Snape, who came swooping down on the students.

"She's been attacked!" Someone screamed.

"What's this?" Hagrid voice came from behind Harry, before he came striding past them with booming footsteps and stopped before the still writhing girl.

"Get her up to the castle," Professor Snape ordered Hagrid, then turned his attention to the students, "and the rest of you, go on now, back up to the castle."

The students started to slowly break away from the scene, following Hagrid when he picked up the girl (Harry thought he recognised her, but couldn't quite place her) and took of towards Hogwarts. One particular girl, the one who was screaming, was running after Hagrid.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered breathlessly. "We should go."

"Wait a moment," Harry said, lingering out of the way.

"But - " Hermione went to argue, but Harry grabbed her hand and shushed her.

Harry was too busy staring at Snape to worry about offending Hermione, who looked rather upset at being shushed. Harry watched as Snape looked around, before leaning down and picking up a torn package (carefully) that had been dropped on the floor. He tucked the torn paper wrapping the package back around the object, but not before Harry could see what it was - an ornate looking opal necklace. Professor Snape then pocketed the necklace wrapped in paper and hurried away, back up the school. He hadn't even noticed Harry and Hermione watching him.

"Harry," Hermione said softly, her brow creased, "what was all that about?"

"I don't know," Harry said, "but I'm going to find out. Come on."

Harry started to walk back towards the castle, pulling Hermione along with him. Hermione was still looking at Harry, who was staring ahead, his eyes glazed over, lost in though. Hermione looked worried and scared.

(----)

Ginny Weasley was getting rather annoyed. She had agreed to come down to Hogsmeade to spend some time with her older brother Ron, but he had failed to mention he wouldn't be alone. In fact, Ginny wouldn't have minded, had it been anyone but Dean Thomas.

Ginny had been dating Dean for a while last year, being rather attracted to the dark-skinned wizard, but had quickly found him to be rather...dull. He was even worse than the boyfriend she had before him, Michael Corner, who she had at least got along with. But all she and Dean had done was fight. Unfortunately, when she dumped him, he had been rather upset. Inexplicably, her older brother had also been upset. He seemed to have some idealized view of their relationship, and seemed to want to push her into getting back together with one of his best friends. But Ginny had no intention of doing that.

Ginny and Dean Thomas were over, and no matter how much her brother Ron tried to set them up, or how many times Dean tried to get her attention, nothing would change that. So having to sit at a table with them both was practically torture.

And then there was what she had taken to calling the Malfoy problem. For some reason, the notorious Slytherin Draco Malfoy had taken to jumping out at her whenever she was alone and cornering her, before proceeding to come on to her. Ginny had lost track of the amount of times that had happened over the last week or so.

What only made it worse was the fact that she was rather attracted to the blonde. Despite his horrible behaviour and reputation, he was still quite a good-looking boy, and she certainly was attracted to him. But not even that was enough to overcome her disgust at him. He stood for everything she hated. He was one of the Pureblood fanatics. And if that wasn't enough, everyone knew his father was a Death Eater, so he would most likely follow in his father's footsteps.

"So Ginny," Dean said, breaking into her internal musing, "do you want to go for a walk or something? We could go to the Shrieking Shack."

"Dean," Ginny groaned in frustration, "how many times do I have to tell you - and you Ron! - that I am not interested in getting back together with you."

"But," Dean began to argue, but Ginny interrupted him.

"But nothing Dean, we're over, done, finished. Got it?"

Dean scowled, but didn't say anything. Ginny sighed, before downing the rest of her Butterbeer, grimacing at the taste, and then gathering her stuff and leaving the three boys sitting at the round table. She heard Seamus snigger behind her, but kept on walking.

"Aye, I think she doesn't like you mate," Seamus said, but whatever else happened between the boys Ginny didn't find out, as she left them behind and exited the Three Broomsticks.

The cold air hit her like a slap in the face and she shuddered, wrapping her cloak more tightly around her and pulling up her scarf to better ward of the wind and snow. Ginny rushed down the main street of Hogsmeade, wondering where the usual crowd had got to, when she heard a noise coming from down a nearby alley. She stopped, peering into the alley, but couldn't see anything.

She slowly started to make her way into the alley, knowing she was probably making a mistake, but unable to do anything about it. Curiosity - what a bitch. Ginny stopped at the mouth of the alley.

"Hello?" she called softly.

She cautiously crept further into the alleyway, her hand reaching down and gripping the wand in the pocket, ready to defend herself. The wind gusted, sending her robes billowing around her and a chill up her spine. She heard the crunch of footsteps descending on snow behind her, and quickly turned, but it was too late.

She was forced up against the wall of the alley, a scream dying in her throat when she saw her assailant. Not again, she wanted to groan, but at the same time fear coursed all through her. She was at his mercy this time, totally and truly. Draco Malfoy had her trapped down an alley, up against a wall, with no one around to come to her rescue if he decided to get a little frisky.

"Hello Weasley," Malfoy whispered, his warm breath heating up her chill face, he was that close to her, "did you miss me?"

"How many times are you going to try this with me before you give up Malfoy?" Ginny asked, fighting down her terror. Oh how she much preferred Dean's constant staring to this. She was starting to regret turning down that walk.

"Only until you give in Weasley," Malfoy continued in his lazy drawl, smirking, "which I'm sure will be very, very soon. Perhaps even now, what do you say, up for some fun? I've always wondering what it'd be like to do it snow, haven't you?"

Ginny shuddered in disgust, unable to stop the image of herself and Draco Malfoy tangled together, naked, in the snow. Ginny squeezed her eyes shut, willing her mind blank. When she opened them again, Draco was smirking at her, almost as if he could read her thoughts.

"You disgust me!" she spat.

"Do I?" Draco chuckled, his laugh sending goose bumps down her spine. Why did he get to her like this? Affect her this way. "I'm not so sure. I think, no, I know you want me too. So why fight it? Give in." This he whispered right in her ear, and his tongue snaked out at the end, licking her ear.

That was enough for her. She pushed as hard as she could, forcing him away, her cheeks burning with her own embarrassment, but also with desire. Ginny clenched her hands, the one wrapped around her wand almost snapping the magical object.

"Don't you dare ever touch me again Malfoy!" Ginny shouted, as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her.

"Don't lie to me Weasley," Draco said, sliding up her again, and she put her arms up weakly, trying to push him away again, "I can smell your desire." He sniffed the air for good measure and grinned at her. She was trapped again, her head against the wall, between his two arms.

"Please don't," Ginny found herself begging, and hated herself for it.

"Don't what?" Draco asked wickedly, his grin turning in a smirk, as he leant his head in closer, his lips almost touching hers now.

Ginny involuntarily felt her eyes slipping closed, and knew her mouth was wide open, panting, and she could feel Draco's own lips just lightly brushing her own, before finally consuming her, his tongue snaking out like before, but this time delving into her mouth. She felt her own tongue rise to meet Draco's own, clashing in the middle. Ginny's arms rose and wrapped around Draco's neck, clutching to him. She felt like she no longer had control of her body, and for now, she couldn't find the energy to care. She just poured it all into the kiss.

When finally her senses seemed to come back to her, her eyes snapped open in horror, and she stopped kissing him, instead resuming her futile struggle against his chest. When Draco tried to kiss her again, she bit his tongue, and he pulled back with a muffled curse, before shouting.

"Fuck Weasley," Draco snapped, "you little fucking tease, what the hell are you playing at?"

Ginny was heaving, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her face flushed with lust, embarrassment and anger. She raised her head high, met Draco's startling silver eyes with her own brown ones, and then slapped him as hard as she could. Draco reeled back with a hiss, his pale cheek reddening.

"You bastard!" Ginny shouted. "Don't you ever dare touch me again!"

And then she fled. She ran as fast as she could, leaving the alley behind, leaving Draco behind, but she couldn't run away from the truth. She had just kissed Draco Malfoy. And she had loved every second of it.

(----)

Piccolo999