Summary: Voldemort's sudden attack leaves Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Draco stuck in the library. Leave any group of teenagers in a confined area for a week, and interesting things are bound to happen as friendship, hatred, and family ties are forgotten. Lots of romantic triangles, deception, love games, and other fun stuff!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, settings, etcetera; nor am I in any way associated with JK Rowling, Scholastic Books, Warner Brothers, or whatever the British publishing company is called. I'm just me, a silly fan who likes to write stories. I am making no profit from this story except to keep myself (and hopefully others) entertained while waiting for the sixth book. So please don't sue me, I'm a poor college student and have nothing to offer anyway. This disclaimer will apply to all subsequent chapters.

The Longest Week Ever

Chapter One

The Attack

"Guys, we shouldn't be doing this." Hermione's voice was anxious as her eyes darted around the deserted hallway. "It's against the rules." Although she had become more accepting to breaking rules than she was when they first came to Hogwarts, Hermione still liked to have a good reason to do so. Take saving the school from destruction or freeing an innocent man from having his soul sucked out, for example. Now those were good reasons to break the rules. Simply playing a silly prank, however, was not justifiable in her mind.

Ron rolled his eyes from beneath his mop of red hair. "Geesh, Hermione, would you just relax? We're not even breaking any rules, anyway."

"Of course we're not," Harry agreed, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Nowhere does it say that we have to be in the Great Hall during lunch time."

"But why couldn't we do this some other time?" Hermione insisted. "Because we don't want to be seen, that's why. And if we don't want to be seen, then we must be doing something wrong." They had finally reached the library, and quietly tip-toed inside.

Much to their relief, the library was empty. It made sense, though. No one was crazy enough to study during mealtime. Even Madam Pince's desk was vacant, save an enchanted clock that showed when she would return from lunch.

"Perfect," Ron grinned as he marched toward a stack of books. Harry followed, but Hermione continued to hang back.

"C'mon, 'Mione." Harry motioned for her to come over as he sat down at a table. "We don't even need to get anything from the Restricted Section."

"Yeah, but we need you," Ron plopped down into a seat next to Harry, throwing an armful of books on the table. "This will be the greatest thing in Hogwarts history. We'll be known for years."

"And get detention for years," Hermione countered as she approached her friends, hands firmly planted on her hips.

"But he's a slimy git," Ron insisted. "He deserves it." Harry and Ron had hatched the genius plan after the last potions session when Draco Malfoy had slipped an ingredient into Ron's cauldron so that the potion he was mixing exploded in his face- and earned him detention and fifty points from Gryffindor for the mess. That night, they had intensely looked through Hermione's books until they found the ideal potion: one that would cause the taker to say the exact opposite of whatever he wanted. The best part of it all was that the potion was irreversible- you just have to wait a month until it wears off. It was perfect for revenge- they could just see Malfoy calling Snape a git and telling Hermione that he was in love with her! Unfortunately, the potion was extremely complicated. "Besides," Ron added, "you're the only one who can make this happen. You could practically teach our potions class, you're so smart."

Still looking hesitant, Hermione carefully picked up a book. "I suppose. But it isn't an easy process. It could take several weeks, actually."

"We have all year!" Harry smiled, and opened his mouth to say something else when he was interrupted as the library door flew open.

In stomped Ginny Weasley. Her hair was just as red as that of her older brother, pulled into an untidy bun at the nape of her neck. As the color of her face matched that of her flaming hair, she was apparently quite irritated.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione quickly scrambled to cover what they were looking at. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, save it!" she growled. Ginny had grown accustomed to her brother and his best friends always hiding something or another, and had stopped caring long ago. Slamming a package on the table, Ginny crossed her arms over her chest.

"Erroll dropped this off for you, and you weren't there to get it," she scowled. "Dean and Seamus offered to take it to you, but you know how nosy they are- they would have just opened it themselves. Normally I wouldn't care, but it's from Fred and George, and you know how secretive they are about such things." Ginny raised her voice, nailing in the point that she was none too happy. "So I had to interrupt my lunch, leave the table, and hunt you down. Why can't you just follow the rules like normal people?"

"No need to go all howler on me, Gin," Ron muttered as he reached for the package. Fred and George, now in ownership of their own joke shop, always sent their new ideas to Ron before marketing them, to see what he thought. Ron was only allowed to show Harry, Hermione, and Ginny; because Fred and George were paranoid that the product models might somehow slip out to the competition. "It's bloody heavy," Ron remarked.

"You're telling me," yelled Ginny, "I had to lug it around the castle while I searched for you! If I didn't love Fred and George so much, I'd have just given it to Peeves or something."

Ron started to open the package, and then glared at Ginny. "You can return to your meal now."

Ginny sat down in the chair across from him. "No. I carried it all this way, now I want to see what's inside it." Harry audibly sighed, obviously annoyed by Ginny. She shot him a dirty look. Just the past year, something had happened between the two. The first four years Ginny had been hopelessly in love with Harry. Last year, she had finally given that up and they were just friends. This year, however (Ginny's fifth and Harry's sixth) they acted like they hated each other. No one was quite sure what exactly went on between the two, because everyone was too afraid to ask.

Hermione nervously played with her unruly mass of hair as Ron tore the wrapping away. She didn't like the tension that was building. Harry was always so kind to everyone, but for some reason he was just plain cruel to Ginny. Sure, she wasn't nice to him either. But that wouldn't justify it- Harry was a genuinely good guy. There was no reason he should despise Ginny so. Deep down, Hermione thought that he was hurt by Ginny's attitude. Of course he would never admit it, so she never brought it up.

"What's this?" Ron asked as the paper yielded a large bag made of red velvet. He stuck his head inside. "Even though it's so heavy, it's empty."

"Read the instructions, you prat." Ginny snatched a piece of parchment that had fallen to the side and read it out loud. "'The Bott's Bag. Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, in cooperation with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, is proud to present you with the latest in pranking accessories. Simply reach inside and pull out an item of food. But beware; things are not always as they appear. The item pulled out must be eaten before the same hand can receive another flavor. Enjoy!' Hey, look. Fred and George added a note: 'Ron- we thought you would especially like this because you're always hungry! Tell us what you think.'"

Ron reached in the bag and pulled out a massive chicken wing. "Bloody hell!" he remarked. "I didn't realize how hungry I was!" He took a big bite of the wing, and the expression on his face changed. The others laughed.

"What is it, Ron?" asked Harry. "Does it taste like ear wax?"

Ron swallowed. "No, not at all. In fact it tastes like chocolate!" He took another big bite, now talking with his mouth full. "It's delicious, but a bit funny to eat chicken that tastes like chocolate!" He extended the bag to the others so they could try. Harry and Ginny reached for it at the same time, and their hands collided. Both quickly pulled away.

"What's the matter, Potter, never touched a girl before?" The voice was immediately distinguishable. All four students let out a collective groan as they turned to see Draco Malfoy's form stepping into the room.

"What are you doing in a library, Malfoy?" Ron quickly retorted. "I didn't even know you knew how to read."

"Very funny, Weasel. Have you been practicing?" Draco sounded thoroughly infuriated. Truth was, he was angrier than he let on. Every day he managed to slip away from the Slytherin table during lunch for a few minutes of peace and quiet. Those stolen moments in the library- away from cronies and groupies- were the only things that kept him sane. And now a clan of Gryffindors was invading his space. Not just any Gryffindors, either. No, these had to be the four people that he hated most out of the entire school. "I don't know why I bother, speaking to you is just a waste of breath." He turned to leave, but just as he took a step towards the door, it crumbled in. "What the..."

The room was suddenly filled with a loud rumbling noise. The ground shook like an earthquake, and towers of stacked books began to fall. The four Gryffindors jumped to their feet, running from the falling debris. The windows shattered, and the lights flickered and went out. The students scrambled in all directions, looking for some sort of protection. Chaos ensued, and one by one the each student was knocked out.