Surprise Mate

Chapter II

Harry set down beside Hermione with Ron sitting across from them. During the whole ride in the carriage he hadn’t spoken or even acknowledge Ron's existence. As they waited for the rest of the students to come into the Great Hall Hermione slipped him a note.

We need to talk tonight Harry. We can wait till after Ron has fallen asleep or meet in the Room of Requirements for privacy.

Harry was shaking his head at the note, “Not tonight 'Mione, tomorrow morning.”

Before Hermione could reply Ron spoke up, “Are you going to ignore me the whole night Harry? I didn’t mean to be an ass earlier to day. It's just every time I see that ferret my blood boils.”

“I am not asking you to be his friend Ron. But sometimes you need to control your anger. For all I know you could have messed up my chances of getting to know if Malfoy was a real threat to us or not.” Harry said to him. Although he knew Draco and Pansy were no threat he didn’t want his friend to know about their friendship just yet. If this afternoon was any indication of how Ron was going to take it then he was going to keep it secret just a little while longer.

“I'm sorry Harry I didn’t know. I will try and control my anger towards Malfoy but I can't make any promises.”

“I'm not asking you to Ron. But I need you to back off sometimes. If you would have paid attention while we were on the train you would have seen that Malfoy and Parkinson were not causing me any trouble. I was sitting there perfectly fine. If I felt threaten I would not have still been sitting there when you came into the compartment, would I?”

“No you wouldn’t have. I am sorry Harry.”

“Apology accepted.” Harry said just as the first years entered into the Hall.

Once the first years had been sorted and Dumbledore had said his speech, the Hall became noisy, for Harry almost unbearably so.

“Harry why can't we talk tonight?” Hermione whispered to him knowing that no one would be able to hear them.

“I am meeting up with someone tonight.” Harry told her

“Is it Malfoy?”

Harry cheeks slightly turned pink but he nodded his head. “It's Draco and Pansy. You can come if you want Hermione. You will need a change of clothes because I doubt that we will be going back to the tower after that. We can meet in the common rooms at twelve-thirty. Not a word of this to anyone Hermione.”

“Understood Harry.” Hermione said to him with a smile. Neither notice the looks Ron was shooting them scathing looks. That he immediately concealed before they turned around.

When Harry looked up his eyes met Draco's. Their was an unfamiliar look in those eyes but it was nothing menacing he gave a small smile that Draco returned then went back to his food. Hermione tried to find whole he was looking at but the moment must have passed to quickly for that. Even though she had a feeling who it was.

When the meal ended the prefects showed the first years to their dorms leaving Harry to walk to the Tower with Neville, Seamus, Dean, and Ginny.

“I can already feel the massive amount of work we are going to be doing this year.” Seamus said to Harry and Neville.

“Well after this we only have one more year than we don’t have to worry about it anymore.” Neville said optimistically.

“Still doesn’t change how much work we are going to be doing this year. But thankfully Lupin is the Defense Against the Dark Arts, so we won't have an incompetent teacher this year.” Harry said to them a smile on his face as he thought of his pseudo godfather.

“If it is one werewolf that we can trust to give us a good year in DADA then it is Lupin.” Ginny said smiling as she wrapped an arm around Dean's waist.

“Very true, Gin, very true.”

When they reached the tower Harry went to his room and packed a bag of clothes for tomorrow he also grabbed Draco's birthday present, he also put in the Marauders map and his invisibility cloak. He placed everything inside of his trunk and went back to the common rooms to meet up with Ron and Hermione.

He took his usual seat by the fire place even thought there really was no real reason for the fire since it was still summer. He didn’t have to wait long for Ron and Hermione to come followed by a group of first years that stared at the room in wonder he could hear whispers among them when the saw him, The-Boy-Who-Lived. It took all that was in him to keep from rolling his eyes. He smiled at them some of the girls blushing fiercely but he didn’t notice that. He turned his attention back to the fireplace and waited for Ron and Hermione to finish showing the first years the common rooms and to their dormitories. He didn’t have to wait long, they soon joined each taking a seat on either side of him.

“You had the first years blushing something fierce Harry.” Hermione told him amused.

“Did I?” he said looking over at her.

“Some of them were as red as tomatoes. Some couldn’t hear over their own babble and giggles and ended in line with the boy to their dormitories.” Hermione snickered.

“Poor things, they think I'm irresistible.” Harry teased.

“If only they knew the truth they would be heart broken.” Hermione said

“Knew what?” Ron asked looking between Hermione and Harry.

Harry grew a glare at Hermione as if telling her 'fix it', “That Harry has absolutely no interest in them.” Hermione said only telling Ron half the truth

“Well wouldn’t it be obvious they are to young for him.”

“Exactly.” Hermione glad that he was okay with just half the truth. She would have to be careful about what else she let out of her mouth. Some secrets weren’t meant to be shared at the moment. “I gotta run up to my room for a moment I’ll be back in ten minutes” she said the thoughts of secrets reminded her of tonight.

“Alright.” Harry told her. When she was gone Ron turned to Harry.

“Is there something going on between you and Hermione?”

Harry looked at him as if he had grown two more heads and became a Hydra, “Um no. Why do you ask?”

“The both of you seem to be hiding something from me so I assumed that you two were seeing each other.”

“Hermione and I are just friends Ron. Besides 'Mione is not my type.”

“Too much of a bookworm?”

Harry laughed, “No I don’t mind the fact that she is a bookworm it's just that I see her as a sister and we don’t have that connection.”

“If there was something going on between you two would you tell me?”

“If there were then yes, if I was seeing Hermione I would have no reason to keep it from you. As our friend you would deserve to know that you were officially the third wheel.” Harry joked.

“Ha ha, very funny Harry.” Ron said smiling himself. “But if 'Mione isn’t your type then who is?”

The question Harry feared, how could he tell Ron without telling who? “Well like Hermione I like them book smart, with a good sense of humor and slightly sarcastic. And I prefer blonds to brunettes.”

“So no one like 'Mione with a dry sense of humor?”

“Nah, I like 'Mione sense of humor just fine but I want someone different.”

“So is there someone you are interested in?” Ron asked staring at Harry who was staring at the fire, but that didn’t hide his blush that told Ron his answer. “So who is she?”

If only you knew, thought Harry. “Not ready to give out that information I don’t even know if they are interested just yet. When I am sure that I won't get rejected than I may come and tell you.”

“May?”

“Sometimes it's not good to kiss and tell.” Harry said smiling as Hermione came and set back down with them.

For the rest of the evening they discussed random things till they all were getting tired. It was almost ten when they each went to bed. Harry went to his bed and took a quick nap before he was to get up to go meet up with Hermione in the common rooms then go down to the Room of Requirements.

He woke up ten minutes before he was to meet Hermione in the common rooms. He listened to make sure all of his room mates were asleep before he slipped out of bed and got his bag from his trunk. When he got to the common rooms Hermione was waiting for him.

“Ready?” Harry asked her pulling out his cloak and the Map.

“Yeah, you sure they won't mind my being there?” Hermione asked a little bit worried.

“They probably bitch about when they first see you but they love me so they'll shut up.” Harry said smiling at her as he threw the cloak around them and checked he map. Their corridor was empty so they could slip out without someone seeing the portrait open and no one there.

They slowly made their way to the seventh floor and down the corridor that led to the Room of Requirements. When they got there a door appeared for them to enter meaning the Slytherins were already there and set the room up.

The room was set up with a fireplace a couple of muggle beanie bags, sleeping bags, tray of late night snacks everyone's favorites except Hermione's since she was not an expected guest, there was also a muggle radio so they could have some music to fill the silence. All in all it looked like it did every time Harry met up with the Slytherins for their late night rendezvous. Slipping the cloak off them Harry smiled big at Draco and Pansy who were already occupying two of the three Beanie bags.

“Seems you forgot to leave something in the Tower, Potter.” Draco said to him when he saw Hermione standing by him in her pajamas. She looked about ready to leave but Harry grabbed her wrist without even looking away from Draco.

“Back to surnames, Draco?” Harry asked him his eyes narrowed dangerously as if telling Draco that he wasn’t going have his friend bullied. “I didn’t forget anything in the Tower. I figured since we are all going to be civil we can invite Hermione. But if you have a problem with it me and 'Mione know our way back to the Tower.”

“And leave me with him Harry? I think not!” Pansy said jumping up from her beanie bag and pulled Harry and Hermione closer to the sitting area. “Draco was just being his usual prat self Harry.” Pansy said shooting a glare towards the blond. “I for one do not mind Granger's presence, seeing how I have been the only girl far to long in our trio.” Pansy said pushing Hermione down in the beanie next to her and pushing Harry to sit on Draco's lap. “Now tell Harry your sorry and Hermione too.” she said to Draco.

Drawing in his pride Draco mumbled an apology to them.

“I don’t think I heard you Draco.” Harry said smiling at the blond who was obviously having problems wrapping his tongue around the words. “But luckily I know you enough to know that took a lot out of you.” Harry teased. “So I accept you apology but I don’t think 'Mione heard you from across the room, so speak up.”

Draco threw a menacing glare at him and seriously contemplated throwing Harry off his lap, but he was enjoy the close proximity to his mate as his lower regions were clearly stating. “Sorry for my lack of hospitality Granger, it won't happen again.”

“Apology accepted Malfoy.” Hermione said smiling at him. She found it slightly amusing the affect Harry and Pansy had on the blond Slytherin. He seemed almost powerless against them.

“And since you put on dignity on the line I guess I can still give you your birthday present.” Harry said to Draco as he pulled out a small box wrapped in green and silver paper.

Maneuvering himself so he could neatly open the box while Harry was still in his lap he quick and neatly tore in to the parcel. What he found made him gasp. It was a pendant with a dragon and lion facing off at each other. The detail was beautifully done, he could tell this was no cheap purchase.

“I thought I was a good representation of us. You are the dragon and I the lion. Forever going toe to toe.”

“I love it Harry.” Draco said smiling up at the brunette, “Thank you.” another set of foreign words to him. His little lion was slowly morphing him and Draco didn’t mind it one bit, because it was all for the better good.

“Your are welcome.”

The girls across from them had small smile on their lips, both knowing Harry was completely blind to Draco feelings but harvest some of his own. It was going to take some planning to get them to admit the attraction to one another. Hermione and Pansy sharing the same thoughts turned toward each other and gave a slight nod to each other, they had planning to do, both of them wanted to see their friends happy and loved, they be damn if someone got in their way of that.