The Other Side of Midnight

Ch 4

Transfurigations

Harry tossed and turned in bed unable to sleep. His thoughts were haunted by an image of Hermione in those tiny denim shorts and tight t-shirt that she had worn at Diagon Alley and try as he might he couldn't get himself to think of anything else. He cursed himself for his lack of control over his thoughts and cursed Hermione for suddenly becoming so beautiful. He turned over to lie on to his back and listened to the sounds of the night and Ron's gentle snoring from the bed next to him.

He finally got up and fumbled for his glasses. He might as well read the Dark Arts book Sirius had given him for his birthday instead of just tossing and turning around in bed.

He picked up the book from the side table and slowly made his way out of the dormitory and when he was outside the door he raised his wand and whispered Lumos.

The tip of his wand burst into light and Harry then proceeded to make his way to the common room.

He sunk his frame into one of the plush armchairs and raising his wand lit a few candles around him. He slowly opened the book and began to read but after a minute or two shut the book in annoyance finding himself unable to concentrate on the content.

He sighed. This wasn't going to work! He had to do something about it. But what? What did he tell Hermione? I can't stop thinking about you, so lets do something about it?

He smiled as he thought of her reaction if he possibly said this to her. First she would be too shocked to say anything, then she would probably say plenty, and it wouldn't be pleasant conversation, that was for sure.

He suddenly looked up as he heard a shuffling noise from upstairs, he looked towards the source of it and a moment later saw a figure emerge from the still dark stairs that led to the girls' dormitories.

It was Hermione! She was dressed in a thin sky blue robe under which Harry could see a bit of her matching nightgown peeking out.

He felt his mouth go dry. She was just the person he didn't want to see tonight of all nights, or perhaps just the person that he desperately wanted to see.

"Harry? What are you doing up so late?" she asked coming over to stand beside his chair.

"I couldn't sleep. But why are you up?"

"I couldn't sleep either," she replied.

Harry would have been overjoyed to find the reason for her not being able to sleep as it was largely due to an image of a green eyed boy in a training robe, who was concentrating on doing his martial arts exercises, his muscular body flowing as smoothly as honey under him.

"Were you having nightmares again?" she asked gently, startling Harry who had been staring at the lovely sight that she presented in the thin dressing gown.

"Eh? Oh no, nothing like that. It was just..." Harry mumbled stupidly, catching himself in time and stopping the rest of the sentence from slipping out.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing I just couldn't sleep."

Hermione walked towards the chair opposite him and sat down; she then proceeded to look at him closely with her shrewd eyes.

"What is it Harry?"

"Nothing."

"Harry... you can tell me."

"No I can't, you wouldn't like it trust me," Harry replied hoarsely, wishing she would go away.

"After so many years of knowing you, I doubt that there would be anything you can say that would astonish me. So go ahead and say it," Hermione said impatiently.

Harry looked at her and some devilment inside him stirred up and he was very tempted to tell her just to see the shocked expression on her face. She was always so sure of herself and he wondered for a second how she would react to something so unexpected.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked softly with a bit of a challenge in his voice.

Hermione caught it and immediately answered without hesitation, "Of course, why else would I ask?"

"Ok you asked for it! It's just that ever since I saw you at Diagon Alley you have changed for me, maybe forever. I just can't relate to you the same way as before and it troubles me."

"What do you mean?" she asked slowly, the fear apparent in her voice. Whatever it was it wasn't what she had expected. Harry was one of her closest friends and she was scared of losing his friendship.

Harry had qualms for a moment about telling her and then he decided that they were both good enough friends and mature enough to deal with it and there was no reason to keep it hidden any longer and torment himself. And besides she would not stop until she found out everything anyway.

"I mean that I can't get you out of my head. I suddenly see you in quite a different light than my best friend. I find myself staring at you and admiring you even though I try to stop it. It's just that you have become so beautiful all of a sudden," Harry burst out frustratedly.

He shrank back into the chair shocked at what he had just said. He was afraid of being slapped at any moment by a furious Hermione, or at least being given hurt or surprised looks by her, anything but the expression on her face right now - for she was smiling at him.

"Thank you Harry," she said softly. "If you must know I have been having thoughts about you on similar lines and I was trying desperately to subdue them or at least tell you to get it out of my system. But I didn't know for the life of me how to do it."

Harry stared at her stunned and tried to take in what she had just told him.

"You're not upset at me?" he asked softly, almost being disappointed at her reaction.

"No, why should I be. Every girl likes to be told that she is beautiful, and if Harry Potter, the most famous wizard in the world, say's it its even more flattering."

Harry looked at her and slowly smiled. He reached over and pulled her gently towards him by her hand. She did not resist and slowly sat down on the arm of his chair.

"You know, I always thought that Cho was beautiful but looking at you now I wonder why?" Harry whispered softly running his hands through her soft hair.

She smiled as she felt his nearness intoxicate her senses.

"You're pretty gorgeous too mister," she said gently running her hands through his messy hair.

"Come on! You don't have to say that just because I said you were beautiful," Harry said wryly.

Hermione looked at him surprised. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" Harry inquired.

Hermione grinned. "That all the girls at Hogwarts think you're too handsome for words."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding!"

Hermione shook her head. "Do you know that every girl in Gryffindor was looking at you practice today before breakfast?"

"What? How come?" Harry asked stunned. Was there no such thing as privacy? And why did they want to see him practice Aikido?

"Well Mr. Potter if you don't know this then you have been sleeping throughout your four years here. You are the winner of the Triwizard tournament, only person to have fought You-know-who and lived, youngest seeker in a century and now captain of the Quidditch team too. And to add to it you have suddenly become this incredibly handsome muscular guy. It's enough to make anybody drool."

Harry grinned at her and suddenly reaching over pulled her head down and brought his lips up to meet hers. He gently moved his lips over hers feeling her soft lips and drinking in the soft feminine scent of her. His light brushes made Hermione give up all resistance and she opened her mouth under his and allowed him to kiss her fully. He moved his hands up into her hair and pulled her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

Harry felt his body rage with desire and he instinctively moved his tongue into her mouth exploring the honeyed sweetness within. Hermione moaned and dug her nails into his scalp. Harry moved his hands down to her waist and picking her up with surprising strength and gentleness moved her on top of him and crushed her body to his. He ran his hands down her back and moaned as her felt her tongue slide into his mouth. His desire for her was going out of control and only with a great effort was he was able to pull away from her.

Hermione looked at him drugged with passion and greatly annoyed with him for pulling away.

"What is it?" she asked irritatedly.

"Herm I wont be able to stop if we go any further than that." Harry said softly

Hermione nodded even as she felt the state of his desire. She tried to get off him and was stopped as his hands tightened around her like steel bands.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked softly.

"Well it's obvious that we need to talk about this and sitting like this we won't be able to do any talking."

Harry nodded and reluctantly and released her.

"Are you sorry?" he asked softly as she sank her frame into a chair.

She looked at him for a long moment. "No," she said finally.

"Me neither." Harry replied to the silent question in her eyes.

"This is going to change everything isn't it?" She asked.

"Yes. But understand this Hermione, you are very dear to me, and whatever happens that will never change. You will always be my best friend."

"Thank you Harry, you don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that."

"Ok now what about Ron?" asked Harry, for it had been troubling him for sometime now.

"What about him?" she asked puzzled.

"Oh come on Hermione! Even you must have noticed his behavior last year after the ball."

"Oh that!" she said waving her hands dismissively. "Don't bother with that. If you are under the impression that Ron is in love with me you are wrong. He and I talked about it during the holidays and what I realized was that he was just jealous of Viktor. You know how Ron is about these things don't you? Extremely possessive."

Harry nodded. Ronald Weasley had very strong opinions about everything and once his mind was made nothing would change it. It was one of the qualities about him that Harry was very uncomfortable about and it had led to them not talking to each other last year because Ron was under the impression that Harry had been hiding something from him.

It had taken a ferocious Hungarian Horntail that Harry had faced to convince him otherwise.

"Where do we go from here?" Harry asked.

"Let's just take it one step at a time shall we." Hermione replied.

Harry nodded and then getting up crossed over to her and pulling her to him kissed her gently.

"You witch! How did you get so beautiful all of a sudden?" he asked looking tenderly at her flushed face.

Hermione grinned and pulled his lips down to hers.

~*~~*~~*~

The next day was much better as Harry remembered this time to take his school robes with him, and so was not caught in a situation like the day before, though there were no shortage of people that hoped that he would make the same mistake twice.

He hurried down for breakfast and took a seat next to Ron and Hermione who were already eating their breakfasts.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully, piling eggs and bacon onto his plate.

He was adjusting his napkin when he suddenly felt Hermione's hand catch his under the table, he looked up at her inquiringly and saw that she wasn't even looking at him and was just eating her breakfast, though at close inspection he saw that her eyes were twinkling with merriment.

He grinned. Two could play at that game, he ignored the fact that his hand was caught in hers and went on eating his breakfast with his other hand. He hoped that no one would notice that he was eating with his left hand as it could raise some unpleasant questions.

He reached out to pour himself a glass of pumpkin juice and spilled it on the table as he awkwardly tried to pour it with his left hand.

"Here let me do that for you," Hermione said hiding a smile.

She took the jug from his hand and poured him a glass and then proceeded to ask him innocently. "Is anything wrong with your right hand Harry?"

Ron looked at him curiously and Seamus and Dean were also giving him questioning looks as they finally noticed that he was not using his right hand.

"I... I... sort of... twisted it today while exercising," Harry said, saying the last part quickly and following it up with a weak grin to hide the bad job of lying that he was doing.

He looked over at Hermione from the corner of his eye and saw that she was laughing silently into her napkin while pretending to wipe her lips.

"Take it easy Harry, first match coming up soon and we can't afford to have you injured," Seamus said seriously.

Harry nodded and resumed eating again - with his left hand.

"Hey Harry!" said George, slapping him on his back and making him spill still more pumpkin juice on the white tablecloth. "When are the tryouts?"

Harry put down the goblet carefully and thought for a moment. "Today after classes, I'll put up the notice after breakfast."

"Hmm, Ok, sounds good," Fred said. "But don't worry about the notice, I'll put it up right now. I've already finished eating breakfast."

Harry nodded "Yeah but include the message that we want the first years there too."

Fred looked at him curiously "First years? But you know that's not allowed."

"Yeah, but I want to see them try out anyway, I'll ask Madam Hooch to be present during practice in case there's a problem and ask Prof. Mcgonagall's permission during classes today."

"Will do," Fred said and walked off after slyly dropping something in Neville's goblet of pumpkin juice.

After a minute Neville started to float out of his chair. He clutched the table tightly a frightened expression on his face, but it was no use. His legs started to rise up into the air and soon he was hanging upside down and holding on to the table for dear life. Slowly his fingers slipped from the table and he started floating away to the top of the ceiling. He started screaming then.

"Help, Help, someone get me down. Please get me down!"

Neville, scared as he was of heights had closed his eyes tightly shut and was screaming for help with them closed so that he might not see the floor, which looked like it was a hundred feet away to him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at him for a second and started drawing their wands to try to help him. But the problem was they didn't know what counter curse to use, and Seamus and Dean were too busy laughing to be of any help.

Finally a very angry Professor Mcgonagall had to get him down and a shaken Neville hurried away and it was to be a few days before he had any more pumpkin juice.

They sat down and started to eat their breakfast again, Harry still eating with his left hand, because Hermione had clutched his hand tightly into hers once again when they had sat down.

Finally Hermione finished eating her breakfast and slowly got up and let go of Harry's hand gently stroking it as she did so.

"I'm off to the library," she said, to nobody in particular.

She then walked out towards the library without even looking back at Harry.

~*~~*~~*~

Harry was sitting in the first Transfurigation class of the year and waiting for Mcgonagall to arrive. He wondered what was keeping her as she was normally one of the most punctual people that he had met and never been late once in the past four years. He turned around and saw her coming into the class carrying a large and obviously heavy looking cauldron. Harry immediately jumped up to help her and she allowed him to carry it to her desk.

"Thank you Harry," she said nodding at him as he returned to his seat after placing it on her desk.

She then turned to the rest of the class, "Ok today is probably one of the most important classes in transfurigations that you will have, so pay very close attention. We at Hogwarts recognize potential Animaguses during the fifth year. I say potential because most of you will not be able to cope up with it as it is very difficult work, but if you pay attention and work very hard at it three to four percent of you might make the grade. But I must tell you that the last three years no one has been able to accomplish it"

The class was listening to her eagerly, this was what they had been waiting to do all during the previous four years of transfurigations and no one was deterred by her words as every one of them was firmly resolving to be one of those few who would make it as an animagus this year.

"Ok, the first thing we have to do is find out what animal you will become."

"Find out? You mean we can't choose?" Seamus asked disappointedly.

"No, Mr. Finnigan, you can't choose. It is the animal which chooses you and not the other way around," Mcgonagall said irritatedly.

Seamus and quite a few of the others got very disappointed at these words, each of them had already secretly chosen what animal he or she wanted to be if they ever became Animages.

"Ok now I'll tell you briefly about the process. Once we find out what animal you'll change into you will have to study up on the animal, its behaviors and tendencies, what it eats, everything... This will help you to feel the animal within you, if you do not know anything about the animal you cannot change into it as animagus transformations are all about visualizations. Now as for how we will find out what animal you will change into, we will use this potion for that. It is an animage detection potion and will help you transform into your animagus form for a brief second or two."

There was wild excitement at these words, they were going to get to transform into their animagus forms today itself! Nobody had expected it so soon.

"Ok, now when I call out your names come forward and drink it," Prof. Mcgonagall said picking up a scroll.

"Brown, Lavender," Mcgonagall said looking at it.

Lavender came forward eagerly and taking the vial of potion that Mcgonagall handed her quickly gulped it down.

She started feeling a strange ticklish feeling and suddenly in her subconscious she saw a sort of golden portal before her. She hesitantly walked forward and as she stepped forwards it seemed to close around her sucking her in.

She felt a melting feeling in her body and felt her bones shrinking and twisting and remolding rapidly into a shape of an animal. It happened within milliseconds and yet it seemed like ages to her.

Suddenly she was able to see again and she blinked looking around at the class that was goggling at her in wonder. She felt incredibly light and frisky and she realized that she was a small animal because her vision was very close to the floor and she had to look up to see the rest of the class.

Then just as suddenly she rapidly started shooting up and started turning back into her human figure.

She looked at Mcgonagall who was scribbling rapidly on a scroll and asked hesitantly, " What did I turn into Professor?"

Mcgonagall looked up and peered at her distractedly, "A squirrel."

Lavender slowly walked back to her seat still trying to grasp all that had happened so fast and trying to relive the sensation of transforming.

"Granger, Hermione."

Hermione walked forward excitedly and grabbing the vial of potion gulped it down, she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the vile taste.

But before she could register anything else she had started to feel the melting feeling, she felt her spine curving and suddenly she fell on all fours and her hands changed to huge black paws from which sharp claws protruded, she started growing sleek black fur all over her body and felt a long powerful tail grow behind her.

She stood looking around through her glowing yellow eyes and suddenly yawned, exposing sharp teeth and then stretched lazily, extending her front paws and flexing the powerful muscles in an utterly feline catlike gesture - she had turned into a Black Panther in all its glory.

She changed back a half second later and Prof. Mcgonagall gave her one of her rare smiles. Hermione almost skipped back to her seat with pleasure and as she sat down next to Harry she felt him cover her hand with his and squeeze it.

He bent forward and whispered naughtily in her ear "You know, you look incredibly sexy in a position like that."

Hermione blushed and punched him in his arm lightly "Stop it you," she whispered back grinning.

"Patil, Parvati."

Parvati took the potion and she started transforming rapidly, she felt her hands stretch and feathers grow over them and all over her body, her legs started to grow thin and her feet curved into webbed claws. Her mouth elongated into a long beak and she flapped her long wings twice before rapidly turning back into her normal self.

She looked over at Prof. Mcgonagall who answered without looking up from her scroll " A crane."

Parvati swelled with pride at transforming into such a beautiful bird and she shot a nasty look at Hermione as if to say - this is what a girl should turn into.

Hermione ignored her, ever since they had come back for the fifth year Parvati had been acting really weirdly, she would make snide remarks and not answer when she was asked something. Hermione was puzzled as to what it might be until she noticed Parvati giving her really jealous looks when she thought Hermione was not looking. Hermione had asked Sally about it and she had laughed it off saying.

"She's just jealous at not being the prettiest Gryffindor fifth year anymore."

"Perks, Sally-Anne."

Sally walked forward and gulped the potion down, she was a very well liked person and her happy go lucky nature appealed to all. She was very unconscious about her looks and thought that she was rather plain. In fact that was really not true from any angle, she had a pretty oval face, which always had a smile on it and it was framed by thick, long raven black hair down to her waist. Her hair was the envy of the other girls in her year.

She was a passionate Quidditch supporter and player and had a tendency to neglect her homework until Hermione scolded her for it. This was one of the reasons that she and Hermione got along very well - the second was that neither of the two had any use for gossiping like the other two Gryffindor girls did.

She began to shrink as soon as she gulped the potion and feathers started sprouting all over her, the color of her hair. Her mouth extended into long, sharp black beak and her feet turned into claws.

She was the second one of the students to turn into a bird - she had turned into a raven.

"Finnigan, Seamus."

Seamus walked forward nervously conscious that he was the first boy to be called forward. His lips were moving silently as though he was praying to the heavens to turn him into a dandy animal.

He gulped the potion and waited, within milliseconds he had dropped to all fours, his hands and feet growing thinner and lengthening the ends changing into hoofs. He started growing sleek white hair all over his body and his face lengthened.

He didn't need to be told what he was, he could feel it as he stood there - he was a horse animagus.

"Thomas, Dean."

Dean drank the potion and started growing in size, his body grew bulkier and it was growing thick brown fur all over it, His arms grew thick and muscular and his nails grew into long and powerful claws.

He had transformed into the huge and powerful form of a grizzly bear. He looked around the class and lifted a powerful hand to scratch his snout.

"Oh wow!" he said delightedly when he had transformed back.

"Yeah Dean, if you can act like that during practice today I reckon you are a sure candidate for the keepers position," Harry said grinning.

"Longbottom, Neville."

Neville was trembling as he walked forward and Harry seeing him could understand what he was feeling. He knew that Neville must be under incredible pressure to prove himself and hoped that he would turn into something nice. Neville took the potion and gulped it down.

The class watched as he rapidly shrunk in size and his body took the form of an Otter.

He hurried back to his seat a little disappointed and Harry clapped him on the back reassuringly as he passed by him.

Harry didn't think it was all that bad, Neville had never been one for the air and so a bird would not have suited him and an Otter was an animal that could swim very well. Harry thought that it would suit Neville very well since the water had an amazing variety of yet undiscovered plant life, and Neville was very interested in Herbology.

"Weasley, Ronald."

Ron got up and walked forward eagerly, he wondered what he would change into and hoped that it would be something that could match the others. He accepted the vial of potion and quickly swallowed it.

He shrunk from his five foot five height to four feet and his arms started lengthening, large feathers grew all over his body and his face twisted into a sharp and cruel beak. He felt his feet mold themselves into powerful talons.

Ron spread his three-foot long wings and gave a powerful screech.

Mcgonagall nodded at him when he transformed back and said "A condor."

Ron grinned, he was happy with his animagus form. He had always wanted to turn into some kind of a bird and he was well satisfied with a powerful bird like the condor.

"Potter, Harry."

There was silence in the class as Harry walked forward, everyone looked at him expectantly. What would the boy who lived, the only person to ever fight the Dark Lord

and get out alive and the joint winner of the triwizard tournament turn into?

Harry slowly gulped down the potion and started feeling the shivery ticklish feeling, he suddenly found that the class wasn't visible to him because he found himself standing right in front of two shining portals, one a brilliant golden and one a shimmering scarlet.

He stood there as the portals mysteriously beckoned him nearer. But which one should he take?

Mcgonagall looked at Harry shocked at his non-transformation, what had happened and why wasn't he responding to the potion?

Harry was puzzled, which one should he take? What would happen if he took the wrong one? And what would happen if he didn't take any of them? Finally he decided on the golden one and stepped closer to it and let in enfold him in the golden light.

He found himself falling on his hands and feet and felt his spine curving, his body grew into huge proportions and his hands and feet changed into large and powerful paws. His face started changing and all around it a lush and magnificent mane sprouted up. He felt a long tail growing behind him and his teeth becoming long and razor sharp.

He finished transforming within milliseconds and he stood before the class and opening his jaw gave a huge roar that shook the class.

He had turned into a huge and magnificent Lion. He rapidly changed back into his normal human form and found Mcgonagall looking at him curiously.

"Ok that's all for now. Now you will have to do the research and I want an essay on the habits, appearance and behavior of the particular animal you have changed into today by tomorrow's class," she said turning to the class.

There were groans and moans at the though of so much homework.

"Now this is exactly the sort of reason that most people are not able to become animages," Mcgonagall said sternly.

Her words had a profound effect on the class and each of them resolved to go to the library first free period to finish the essay.

Mcgonagall watched the Gryffindors leave and her eyes watched them straying particularly to one of them, Why had it taken so long when it was supposed to work instantaneously?

Harry walked over to Mcgonagall after he finished packing his bag and Mcgonagall looked at him inquiringly.

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"Professor I am holding Quidditch tryouts today and I want the first years to try out as well."

"Out of the question Harry," she said, abandoning the 'Mr. Potter' in her shock.

"Let me finish Professor. I know that it is against the rules but I just wanted to know if there were any really good talents in there. Just think what a pity it would be if we had a Oliver Wood in there and we didn't know about it."

"As I said Harry, it's against the rules and I cannot allow it." Mcgonagall said adamantly.

"But Professor the rules have been already broken once so why not again? And anyway they are not going to be allowed their own brooms unless they are very good at flying. And as further precaution I am going to request Madam Hooch to be present."

Professor Mcgonagall sighed. "Very well then Harry, I will allow it if Madam Hooch is present at the session."

"Thank you Professor," Harry said grinning broadly.

Minerva Mcgonagall looked at him leave the room and wondered whether she should have asked him about the time lapse.

~*~~*~~*~

Harry and Ron sat through an unbearably long Divination class and then finding a free period decided to go and meet Hagrid instead of going to the library like everybody else.

Harry felt that he couldn't do any homework after a class that his death was predicted so often and decided that he would spend the little time that Prof. Trelawney had said he had left, as often as possible-outdoors.

Hermione wasn't able to join them as it coincided with her Study of Ancient Runes class and she bade them to go without her and she would catch up with them later.

They walked across to Hagrid's hut each lost in his own thoughts. Harry was wondering about the red portal and what would have happened if he had stepped towards that and Ron was thinking about today's Quidditch tryouts and whether he would be able to make it as Gryffindors keeper.

They reached Hagrid's hut and Harry knocked on the door.

The door flew open almost immediately and they were greeted by a very enthusiastic Hagrid who gave each of them a bear hug.

"Thought tha' yeh would come ter see me today," he bellowed happily.

Harry and Ron had a seat and accepted a cup of tea that Hagrid had just made, declining however, the treacle toffee that was sure to be cement hard and extremely sticky.

"So what did you do during the holidays Hagrid?" Ron asked.

Hagrid looked at them and leaning forward whispered. "Can' tell yeh, secret work fer Dumbledore see," he said tapping the side of his nose.

Harry looked at Hagrid and innocently asked, "So how were the giants?"

"Huh! Ruddy savages, tha's what. Noisy, smelly an'... Wha' giants?" he trailed off, realizing that he had been trapped into being indiscreet by Harry.

"Oh come on Hagrid tell already," Ron said hiding his grin with difficulty. Hagrid was just too easy.

"Yeh two will get me inter serious trouble someday, but migh' as well tell yer now. Yes I had gone ter see the giants an' they agreed ter stay out o' the trouble an' not join You-know-who."

Harry grinned. "See, that was easier than keeping it from us wasn't it?"

Hagrid glared back at Harry irritated at the prank that had been played on him and then grinned back, his irritation vanishing.

"Anyway, forget tha' wha' have yeh bin doin' outside at five in the mornin' Harry? Looks like some kind o' fancy chicken dance ter me."

Ron burst into laughter and Harry glared at him "It's martial arts practice Hagrid."

"An' wha' may tha' be?" Hagrid asked interestedly.

"A form of self defense," Harry replied punching Ron softly to make him stop laughing "

Might I remind you Ronald Weasley, that it saved you a good thrashing back on the train?"

Hagrid didn't say any more just "Good fer yeh Harry, I see yeh haven't bin wastin' yer time."

Talk shifted to other topics. "So heard tha' yeh was due ter have yer firs' animagus class today?"

"Yeah it was great Hagrid, almost worth the other four years of slogging," Ron said wistfully remembering his animagus form.

"Wha' did yeh turn inter?"

"I turned into a Condor, Hermione a Black Panther and Harry into a bloody great Lion."

"Tha's great! Yeh mus' be very happy with the results."

"Yeah, but I was kind of hoping to be a dragon," Ron said wistfully.

At the mention of dragons a faraway look came into Hagrid's eyes as he remembered Norbert. "Ah, yes Dragons!" he said sadly.

"Uh... Forget that Hagrid what animal are you going to teach us about this year?" Harry asked, wisely changing the topic.

"Well I thought o' a chimera ter start with an' then there's always tha' lefto'er Skrewt from las' year."

Harry and Ron looked at Hagrid with horrified expressions and Hagrid grinned at them.

"Jus' jokin'. Its ter be flyin' horses an' then Griffins after em'."

"But Hagrid! Griffins are supposed to be very dangerous," Harry said in a stunned voice.

"Ah all nonsense! They're really harmless."

Harry and Ron exchanged worried looks, well knowing Hagrid's version of harmless.

The talk drifted to trivialities and then Harry and Ron took their leave to hurry of for their Charms class.

~*~~*~~*~

Draco was alone in the potions dungeon working on making a sleeping potion that Snape had hinted might come for the O.w.l.s.

He was really irritated with himself and was silently talking to Simon. He had started doing it as a kid when he had no children of his age to play with except Crabbe and Goyle, and that too occasionally. Loneliness had driven him to it, after all a small kid needs some companions - and Crabbe and Goyle weren't the best of company, as they wouldn't know how to make a conversation if it came with a five easy steps recipe book.

His parents weren't much better as they were always busy with their own lives and had no time for him. And so he had invented a playmate of his own - Simon. It was Draco's deepest secret and a side of him that he revealed to no one. Simon was a totally different side of Draco, someone he might have been if the circumstances were different. He was good humored and had the ability to let his hair down and enjoy himself. He was also less restrained in his emotions and more tolerant of Muggles and half bloods. But he shared a common quality with Draco - sarcasm.

'Why Mr. Malfoy, did you make a fool of yourself in the train?' Simon asked slowly. 'Why did you go and say all those things to Harry and act so nasty even though you didn't mean to? And why oh why do you feel so jealous of Harry?'

'What! Jealous and me?' Draco asked.

'Yes you. And why do you persist in hanging around with those baboons even though you can't stand them?' Simon continued.

'You're referring to Crabbe and Goyle of course,' Draco shot back.

'How very brilliant of you to get it so quickly,' Simon said dryly.

'Well, he's always so attention grabbing and he thinks he's so great.'

'Who are you trying to lie to? Your own self?' Simon asked amusedly.

'Ok, Ok, look I tried to make friends with him during our first year,' Draco said irritably.

'Yeah, and a good technique it was, think it will sell?' Simon asked, still baiting Draco.

'Oh stop it already! I know it was my fault but I can't help it. What would my father say if he heard that I was friends with Harry Potter anyway?'

'Oh yes the forbidding father!' Simon said.

'Is that sarcasm I hear there Simon? It had better not be.'

'No, not at all, I'm just wondering what will happen when your father takes you to the Dark Lord to turn you into a Death Eater,' Simon asked innocently.

'I won't go, and I have told him so.'

'Yeah and you remember what he did?'

'Yeah, he laughed.' Draco admitted slowly.

'Exactly!'

'But lets not think of that right now shall we? We can't exactly do anything about it and that Weasley girl has arrived,' Draco said.

'That's Ginny Weasley,' Simon said irritatedly. 'You mustn't go about calling people by their surnames Draco.'

'Ok... Ok give it a rest already,' Draco said.

'And for Merlin's sake find better company than Crabbe and Goyle,' Simon said as a parting shot.

Draco Malfoy looked up at the entrance of Ginny Weasley who didn't pay him any attention at all as she set up her cauldron.

Draco found himself looking at her properly for the first time and had to admit to himself that he liked what he saw.

She was tall for her age and her figure had just started to develop the gentle curves that he could see. Her long fiery red hair had been left open and hung nearly down to her waist neatly combed and parted at the center. With the hair came the true redhead's skin, pale, creamy and flawless.

She would be a real heart breaking beauty when she grew up Draco thought; the signs were visible already.

He noticed that she was trying to make the antidote to common poisons, something that they had covered last year. He also noticed that she was struggling with it and she was about to put in the nettles when Draco yelled urgently.

"Don't put them in now, it'll blow up."

Ginny stopped and looked up at him "What's it to you?" she asked icily.

All the same she didn't put them in.

She wondered why Malfoy was trying to help her, most of the times he would have been only too pleased to see a Weasley get blown up. She sneaked a glance at him and took in his tall lean figure and fair hair, eyes that were a steely grey and quite a handsome face when he was not sneering or making nasty comments.

'Ginny! What are you thinking of?' she said to herself, 'Malfoy handsome! If Ron ever hears that he will never talk to you again. And Harry?' She had a mental image of Harry and blushed. 'Now Harry, he was really handsome.'

Draco had noticed her watching him and went on with making his potion while all the time he enjoyed her attention.

He looked up again to find that she was badly botching up the cutting of the daisy roots, and the shrivelfig was a disaster.

He sighed, and putting down the flame on his cauldron walked over to where she was standing, "Here, let me do it for you, you're doing it all wrong."

"Of all the interfering! Go away and leave me alone," Ginny said irritatedly.

"Ok, go to hell and see if I care," Draco said feeling his anger rising up too.

He turned around to go and a tiny voice stopped him, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off, would you please help me?"

He gave her a small smile and nodded.

He went over and started to cut the daisy roots properly for her. "If they are not cut all the same size they will ruin the potion and the shrivelfig is not skinned properly, look," he said showing her a couple of patches that she had missed.

"I guess that I'm very bad at potions."

"Well you should practice then," Draco said looking up from the cutting.

"It's very well for you to say, Snape doesn't bite your head off when you come down here."

"He doesn't do that to you either seeing that it's still there - and a pretty one too."

Ginny blushed. "You know what I mean."

Draco nodded, he knew only too well and had never minded it in the past but now he felt its injustice. "If you need any help you can ask me."

"Thank you, I'll be sure to take you up on the offer."

"Don't mention it, after all it's my job as prefect," he said pointing to his badge.

As he walked out of the Potions dungeon an hour later he wondered why he had helped her, a Weasley at that.

He knew the answer at once even though he didn't want to admit it - because she was nice company for a change... and because she was very pretty.

'Was this your doing Simon?' Draco asked wearily.

'Just you wait Draco, before a few days go by you'll be thanking me.'