Prologue

August 2nd, 1999

The Burrow

Ginny shrieked, almost falling down the stairs as she hurried to find her mother, "Mum!" She yelled, jumping over Crookshanks (Hermione had given him to her for some reason. Ginny didn't know why.) and running into the kitchen, "Mum, there's a letter from Hermione!"

She thrust it into her mother's hands, grinning widely, "She wants me to go and stay for a couple of weeks before we all go back to Hogwarts. She also says she's sorry she didn't write sooner but she was busy with her book and moving into her new house."

"What book?" Ron asked, while Mrs Weasley said, "What house?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Harry agreed to let her write a book about their - your - seventh year. And Hermione's bought a new house in Wizarding London. Near the Ministry." She turned to her mother, "Please can I go? I haven't seen anyone my age since the battle and I miss her!"

Mrs Weasley sighed, "I suppose I can't stop you. You'll be eighteen in little over a week."

Ginny shrieked again and hugged her mother.

"But I want you back at the end of the week. And I want her new address."

…

"Hermione?" Ginny called, after apparating into her friend's house.

The first thing she noticed was that everything was purple in this room; the walls, the rug on the wooden floor, the curtains, the couch, the chair, the cushions, the flowers in a vase on the table. Surprisingly, it looked good.

"So … you've seen the lounge."

Ginny spun around, already pulling her friend into a hug.

"What's with the purple?" She asked curiously.

Hermione laughed, "We wanted a different colour for each room." And before Ginny could even think about asking what she had meant by 'we', Hermione had grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her out into the hallway, "Come on, I'll take you on a tour!"

…

The house was weird … but it didn't look bad. The kitchen was large and sunflower yellow while the dining room was a deep red. The bathroom was a warm blue and the library … well it had floor to ceiling bookshelves. There were four guest bedrooms; one in yellow and black (for Hufflepuff), one in blue and bronze (for Ravenclaw), one in green and silver (for Slytherin), and one in scarlet and gold (for Gryffindor).

Hermione chuckled when Ginny raised her eyebrows, "I couldn't resist, Anyway, you're in the Gryffindor room. Just drop your bags in there."

Ginny did so, then asked, "What's your room like?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment before guiding Ginny back out onto the landing and towards the next room. Reluctantly, she opened the door, revealing to Ginny the master bedroom. Furnished in Slytherin green and silver. The walls were green, the carpet was green (though slightly darker than the walls) with a silver patters, the curtains were green, matching the carpet, the lamp was green. The curtains around the four poster bed were drawn back to reveal the light green sheet, darker green duvet and silver pillows.

Ginny gaped at it, "Hermione? Hermione, why is your room Slytherin green?"

Hermione's eyes widened slightly as a door opened and close downstairs and someone called out, "Hermione?"

Ginny looked at Hermione questioningly, trying to remember where she's heard that - definitely male - voice before.

"Hermione?" It came again, along with footsteps on the stairs.

"Now Ginny, "Hermione began nervously, "Don't freak out - I wanted you to be the first to know, though I didn't plan on telling you 'til later …" She trailed off as a platinum blonde head peeped around the door.

"Oh, you're her then." He drawled, the statement obviously directed at Ginny though he was looking at Hermione. He smiled sweetly at her, pecking her on the cheek.

Ginny stared at him, "Malfoy?" She shrieked. She turned to glare at Hermione, "What, in the name of Merlin, is going on!"

Hermione blushed as Draco wrapped an arm around her waist protectively, "It's a long story …"

"I think you're forgetting, Hermione," Ginny said, "That I'm here all week."