Harry listened to Hermione and Ron arguing, he had lost the reason of this week's argument fifteen minutes into the bout, "guys, can we just go to the library? I need to finish my charms essay."

"Not until Ron apologizes!" Hermione said angrily, crossing her arms.

"Apologize for what!?"

"You know what!"

Harry groaned as they started arguing again, Harry stood up and walked to the entrance, "I'll be in the library." He said, but they didn't argue as they continued to argue, Harry just rolled his eyes and walked out, he never understood why those two argued all the time, and over the smallest thing, this year was especially annoying since he wasn't allowed to follow them into Hogsmeade, and with what happened with Sirius Black getting into the castle, Harry was now even more on edge then ever, Harry just sighed and walked into the library, it was close to empty, the only people in it were Madam Pince and a Slytherin girl in his year, she was doing homework and only gave him a quick glance before continuing her work, Harry sat down and started looking through his notes and the prompt and started writing, trying what he could to make the essay appear professional, but slowly he hit a snag, "what was the wand movement…" he mumbled, looking through his notes, 'wand movement…wand movement…I didn't…damn…" he looked around, but there was no one to ask other then the Slytherin girl, so Harry took a deep breath and said, "Erm…excuse me…um…Daphne right?"

She looked up, trying to find who said her name, "um…yes?" she asked with a suspicious glance at him.

"Um, I was wondering if you remember the wand movement for the Draconifor spell?"

She continued to look at him like he was crazy, "um…it's sort of like swish and flick, "She said, trying to remember, "but with a slight twirl towards the end."

Harry nodded, "right…thanks" he started writing again, Daphne went back to her work, every now and then looking up at Harry.

"You're working on the Draconifor spell?" she asked after a short while.

"Yeah," he said, not looking up.

"You do know that's due tomorrow right?" she asked, running a hand through her hair, "as in, you need at least two feet of parchment or Professor McGonagall is going to kill you."

"Yes I know," he said, "which is why I'm trying to get it done now."

"How much do you have written?" She asked, putting her book down.

"Foot and a half." He said, "I just can't think of anything else that needs to be in the essay."

She looked down at her book, then sighed and walked over, 'let me see what you have."

"Wait what?" he asked in confusion.

She rolled her eyes, "let me see your essay, come on then, I don't bite."

"I don't know that," he said, "you know, Slytherin's and Gryffindor's, enemies for life and what not, you might take a chunk out of my arm just to say you did."

She gave a snort and covered her mouth as she started laughing, "I'll try to control my self." She said.

Harry smiled a little and held out his parchment, she took it and read over it, muttering as she did, "it's good," she said, "you definitely hit all the marks…but you haven't discussed why this spell is useful, or practical, you've only covered it's history and what it takes to actually cast it, you need to try and explain more of why the spell should be used."

Harry nodded slowly, "I think I get it." He said.

She nodded, "good, I'll leave you too it then." She stood up and walked back to her spot, opening up her book and continuing her work like she hadn't had a full conversation with Harry.

"Um…thank you." Harry said to her, but she didn't respond, so Harry Just continued on with his essay, and once he was done with that he moved on to his Charms homework, during this he heard Daphne curse.

"Come on, I know it's in here somewhere." She muttered, flipping through her book.

"What's in where?" Harry asked, making her jump and making Madam Pince shush Harry.

Daphne looked at harry, as if it were the first time she was noticing him, "excuse me?" she asked quietly with a glance at madam Pince, who was now watching them closely.

"Well I heard what you had said, and I was wondering what you need help finding."

"Well…I'm trying to find the diet of a Hippogriff, for some extra credit in care of magical creatures."

Harry thought about it, "insects, birds, small mammals, sometimes worms."

She made a face, "they're supposed to be proud creatures and yet they eat worms."

"I said sometimes." Harry said a little defensively, "when they can't get their normal food they paw at the ground to look for worms!."

"Be quiet!" Madam Pince hissed, making Harry flinch.

Daphne waited until Madam Pince left to say, "You seem to know a lot about Hippogriffs."

"We looked up a lot of things on hippogriffs for Hagrid." Harry said, "Buckbeaks hearing is coming up."

Daphne looked down, "I'm sorry for what's happening to that hippogriff." She mumbled, "what Malfoy did was underhanded and dirty…he knew that insulting that Hippogriff like that would make it attack him, and now he's milking his injury to make it look worse…" she shook her head, "I may not like Hagrid, but that first class really wasn't that bad, at least not until Malfoy did what he did."

Harry watched her, looking for any sign of lying, then shook his head, "It's not your place to apologize for the git."

She gave a small smile, and tried to hide it behind a cough and her hand, "well, I feel someone has to apologize for the way he acts."

"Why do you hide your smile?" Harry asked curiously.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"Well, you've laughed, and smiled a few times while I've been here, and each time you've hid it behind your hand, or a cough, why?"

"I just don't particularly like my smile," she said, "or my laugh, I tend to snort when I laugh."

"Oh come now, it can't be that bad."

She shook her head, "it can be pretty bad."

"How can I know that if you've never laughed in front of me without covering your mouth?"

She rolled her eyes, "what does it matter if today's the only day we ever actually talked? I'm surprised you even knew my name."

"We're the same year, why wouldn't I know your name?"

"I think you said it a while ago," she said, "Slytherin, Gryffindor, enemies for life? Any of that ring a bell?'

Harry just gave a snort, "not too understanding with sarcasm are you? I don't hate Slytherin's."

"hmmph, could've fooled me." she muttered, standing up, and collecting her books, "have a good day, thanks for the help."

As she left Harry shook his head before following her out, "if we're supposed to be enemies why did you help me?" Harry asked her as she walked down the empty corridor.

"Because I'm a decent human being." She said dryly.

"Decent human beings don't help me as much as you did today."

She glared at him, "just drop it Potter, it was a one time deal, don't expect it to happen again, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my common room." She turned down another corridor and quickened her pace, leaving harry behind.

Harry exhaled loudly through his nose and turned around, "well, at least I got my homework done."

Harry stood ankle deep in the water on the black lake, tossing stones across the water, he was trying to get classes and Sirius black off his mind off his mind, and also get the thoughts of a certain Slytherin off his mind too, ever since he talked to her, he had wanted to try and befriend her, but anytime he saw her she was surrounded by other Slytherin's, who would sneer and throw insults at him anytime he was close, so he had no choice but to steer clear.

"You seem frustrated." Someone said from behind him, he turned around and found Daphne sitting with her back against a tree, watching him with curious eyes, a book was in her hands, she was leafing through it absentmindedly.

"Not frustrated." Harry said slowly, "Just, trying to forget a few things."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He shrugged, "School…dementors…just seems a bit much doesn't it? Besides, I like to come down here, clear my head for a little while…um how long have you been sitting there?"

"Since you showed up about fifteen minutes ago." She said, looking down at her book, "I have to tell you that I'm not really thrilled about my spot being barged in on by you."

"well this is the spot I always come to when I'm stressed or need time to relax," harry said, "I even carved my initials in the tree."

She looked at the tree, looking it over for the supposed it carved initials, "there not-" she started before rolling her eyes as harry ran over and quickly started carving with an old pocket knife.

"Now they are." He said smugly, walking back to the shoreline.

"well, mine were here first." She said, standing up and motioning to a lower part of the tree where a neat DG was scrawled on the wood in cursive, "and quite professionally I might add."

"you had to have used magic to do that." He said, looking at them.

"you can't prove that." She said, sitting back down.

He shrugged, "There any reason we can't just share the spot?"

She thought about it, 'No, I don't suppose there is," she said, watching him carefully, "why? Can't get enough of me?"

"oh don't be so full of yourself." Harry said, turning around to hide his blushing, "I just really like this spot."

"right," she muttered, standing up, "what are you doing anyways?"

"skipping rocks." He said, picking up another flat stone.

"Why? What's the point in it?"

"waste time mostly." Harry said, "it's also kind of calming."

She walked over slowly, slipping off her shoes and socks as she did and stepping into the water beside Harry, "how do you do it?" she asked slowly.

He picked up a stone and handed it to her. "all you got to do is bring your hand back, like this." he showed her," then you flick your wrist and send it off."

She tried what he said, but all that happened was the stone plopped into the water, she let out a small groan.

Harry laughed a little, 'Not like that, let me see." He gave her his stone and stepped behind her, putting a hand around hers, Daphne blushed a little, and kept looking straight ahead, trying to keep an air of professionalism. "Now, bring your hand back." Harry said softly, trying to keep himself focused on showing her how to skip a rock, he guided her hand back carefully, "and then you flick your wrist and-" together they sent the stone skipping across the lake, it gave three hops and then stopped.

Daphne smiled, "I did it!" she said turning around and looking at Harry, who was grinning back at her, then it dawned on her how close they were and she gave a slight cough, stepping away from him, then gave a startled gasp as her foot hit the drop off and she started to fall, Harry, who still had a hold of her hand, pulled her back up, but became unbalanced and fell into the water, drenching himself, Daphne started laughing, not even bothering to cover her mouth as she laughed, Harry just playfully glared at her.

"Think that's funny do you?" he asked.

"I-I-I'm sorry." She spluttered, trying to stop laughing, "I-I-it's just, your face!" she started laughing again, "It was so funny!"

Harry smiled, "your laugh isn't that bad." He said.

Instantly, Daphne covered her mouth, "I…I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" she started, "I mean…it's very improper of me to laugh…"

"Don't worry about it," harry said, standing back up, "I actually like your laugh…it's…cute."

Daphne blushed a deep crimson, "Um...thank you…" she mumbled, she held her hand out to help him, he took it, then smiled and pulled her into the water with in making her gasp at the coldness of the water, she stood back up, pushing Harry deeper into the water, "you prat!" she laughed, "it's cold!"

"Oh I hadn't noticed," Harry said, standing up in the water, shaking his hair out like a wet dog, making Daphne laugh again, "thought the water was close to boiling when I fell in, wonder how it got so cold so fast."

"No need to be snippy." Daphne said, walking out of the water and taking her sweater off and putting it on a low hanging branch, she shivered slightly, Harry walked over to where his things were a little ways from the tree and pulled out his sweater, "here." He said, holding it out to her.

"I-I'm fine." She shivered, refusing to take the sweater."

"Come on, you're shivering and if you don't take it, you'll hurt my feelings." Harry said, giving her a hurt puppy dog face.

She smiled slightly and took it, "well, we wouldn't want that now would we?" she asked, she looked around then said, "turn around.'

"Why?" he asked in confusion.

"Just do it!" she said, swatting at him, he quickly turned around, holding his hands up in defeat, Daphne looked around one more time before quickly unbuttoning her blouse and throwing the sopping wet shirt on the same branch as her sweater, she then threw on Harry's sweater, smiling at the warmness, it was slightly too big for her, hanging a little off her shoulders, and covering her hands a little, "alright, turn around." She said.

Harry turned back around, "any reason why I had to turn around?" he asked.

"I wasn't going to put a dry sweater on over a wet blouse." She said, blushing a little as she talked.

Harry raised an eyebrow, and then looked at the branch that held her blouse and turned slightly red, "oh, right."

She crossed her arms and sat down against the tree, "it'll take a while for a clothes to dry," she said, not looking at him, "might as well relax while we wait."

Harry nodded and sat down on her left side, they sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while, until Harry asked, "Why were you so afraid of me finding your laughter improper?"

"What are you talking about Potter?" she asked, looking at him.

"I'm talking about when I pointed out your laughter." He said, "you froze up, tried to cover it up talking about how improper it was to laugh, what's that about?"

She looked down, "there's nothing about it." She said, "it's improper…"

"Not very improper to laugh with friends." Harry commented.

"Is that really what we are?" She asked, more to herself then him.

"Yes." He said, "at least, I'd like us to be…I mean…I know we don't really know each other…but hey, you have to start somewhere when you want a new friend, right?"

She smiled, "I guess your right…" She said, looking at him again, he wasn't looking at her, but across the lake, his green eyes scanning the horizon as the sun slowly dipped down, "but…never mind." She mumbled, looking down.

"What?" he asked, looking at her.

"It's nothing," she said, "Just…incomplete thoughts trying to form words."

Harry looked at her curiously, but didn't push it, he looked back across the lake. Daphne snuck a look at him, and then slowly leaned her head against his shoulder, he looked down at her, but said nothing, instead he let his head rest atop hers, "still don't want to say anything on those incomplete thoughts?" he asked.

She shrugged, "maybe I will…maybe I won't…maybe I'm waiting…"

"Waiting for what?" he asked.

"A sign?" she said, "something to tell me 'this won't backfire,' or 'this won't seem so sudden."

"Hmm…"

"Do you really see me as a friend?" she asked, "I mean…we only talked twice…one of those times was literally five minutes ago."

"I know…but I became friends with Ron from simply sharing a couple of sweets with him." He smiled at the memory, "I haven't shared any sweets with you, but I think sharing homework and a cold is a close second."

"We do not have colds." She said, and then sneezed, making Harry laugh.

"I think you do at the very least." He said, looking up at her blouse, "I think your stuff is dry enough, and I'm not too scared of walking into Hogwarts covered in water."

She looked at him, then nodded, standing up, "turn back around." She ordered, and Harry complied, going slightly red, Daphne quickly got out of his sweater and put on her blouse, buttoning it up, "alright." she said, crossing her arms.

Harry turned around, "well then…guess I'll see you-"

"Tomorrow," she said quickly, "in the morning, after breakfast? Right here?"

Harry blinked, "Um…sure, yeah I can do that." He said with a grin.

Daphne smiled back and started walking away, "Daphne!" Harry said, making her turn around, her eyes widened slightly as she saw a small dragon fly over, it was a Norwegian Ridgeback, barely the size of her palm, which it landed on and gave a small roar, butting it's head against her thumb, she laughed and looked at Harry, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Is that a good enough sign?" he asked curiously, "or should I try to turn the tree into a dragon?"

She shook her head, 'I think this is a good sign." She said with a smile, before turning around and starting to walk again, "See you tomorrow Harry."

"See you…Daphne…"

Daphne walked into the Slytherin common room, smoothing her blouse out as she did.

"And where've you been?" Pansy asked as she saw the heiress walk in.

"Lake," she said, "dozed off a little, I'm just gonna go ahead and go to bed." She said, walking towards the girls' dormitories.

"What's that in you hand?" Millicent asked, standing up.

"What?" she asked, looking down at her hand, that held the now sleeping Norwegian Ridgeback, it's tail wrapped around her thumb, 'Oh, I conjured this little one up while I was down there." She said, "Just didn't…change him back."

"Well you better hope it doesn't start breathing fire on our stuff!" Pansy huffed.

"He won't, don't worry." Daphne said, walking out again, she went over to her bed and quickly stripped out of her wet clothes and put on her sleepwear, then realized something, the sweater that she had carried in with her wasn't hers, it was Harrys, she picked it up off the floor quickly, looking at it, she looked at the door, and then pulled her night gown off and put the sweater on, it fit her like a short dress, she then put her nightgown into her trunk and got into the bed, making sure her curtains were drawn, she knew that if anyone saw her in a Gryffindor sweater, they wouldn't be too happy, but she didn't care, it was thicker and warmer then hers, and the dungeons were cold that time of the year, she laid down and curled up, looking at the Norwegian Ridgeback as it flew feebly up to the bedpost and curled up on top of it, ready to drop off into sleep. "g'night." Daphne whispered to the dragon. It, in return, gave a small growl, before closing its eyes, Daphne smiled and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

/

Harry walked into the common room, a smile on his face.

"There you are." Hermione said with a smile from her spot beside the fireplace, "we were wondering what was keeping you."

"Just relaxing by the lake." Harry said, "lost track of time."

"Well your just in time to beat Ron at Chess." Hermione said, motioning over to the redheaded strategist who was currently beating Dean, with a gloomy looking Seamus watching, "he's' beaten almost everyone in this room."

"What about Percy?" Harry asked.

"Won't play." Hermione said, "So what do you say? Think you can do it?"

"Yeah…maybe…'

Hermione looked at him, "what's wrong?" she asked curiously, "you look…distracted."

"What? No, everything's fine, just…tired…I think I'll just go up to bed…beat Ron another day." Harry walked past the game and up the stairs leading to the boys dormitory, when he reached his room he fell on to the bed, not even bothering to change out of his clothes, he rolled over and looked at the ceiling, his thoughts on a certain Slytherin girl, in truth, he wanted to get to sleep as soon as he could so he could wake up and see her the next day, and as he laid there, on the edge of sleep, a single thought came to his mind.

"…She still has my sweater…"