I did not get much of a chance to mull over mine and Draco's greenhouse excursion; because that very night I had a dream.

I dreamt that I was a giant snake and that I had bitten Ron's dad.

It had felt so real, and my scar hurt so much, that I ended up in Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night, yelling at him to get to the Ministry to save Mr Weasley's life.

Everyone thought I was barking mad, but as usual, I was right.

So, we ended up going to Sirius's where we hung out for the remainder of the Christmas holidays. It was not exactly festive, but at least Mr Weasley was going to be okay all thanks to me and my superior mind.

He was ever so grateful to me when we went in to visit him, as he should. But as I looked at him, I kept getting vivid flashbacks of the crunch his ribs made beneath my teeth. It was all rather unsettling, not to mention disgusting.

So, I excused myself and decided not to mind my own business as I wandered round the wards with Ron and Hermione, staring at people and listening in on their delicate ailments.

We bumped into Neville Longbottom visiting his parents and discovered that Draco's auntie had tortured them into insanity. Well, actually I already knew this little fun fact, but I had made a promise to Dumbledore to keep it under wraps.

And, as a witch of my word, I watched mutely as Ron called over to Neville and proceeded to put him on the spot.

As a result of this whole Mr Weasley incident, Dumbledore sent Snape of all people round to ruin my Christmas by insisting I was to take Occlumency lessons with him upon my return to Hogwarts. No arguments.

Why the fuck would I want to close my awesome mind to it's awesome powers? I was starting to suspect that Dumbledore was just jealous.

This Christmas fucking sucked.

***

"Remedial Potions? You're taking Remedial Potions?"

Zacharias Smith had cornered me after lunch in the Entrance Hall, asking about when the next DA meeting would be. Thanks to Snape's Occlumency lessons, I hadn't had the time to arrange another meeting since returning from Christmas.

"Good Lord, you must be terrible. Snape doesn't usually give extra lessons, does he?"

Who the fuck does this prick think he is?!

"Shall I jinx him? I can still get him from here," Ron glared as Smith strode away in an annoyingly buoyant fashion.

"Forget it," I said dismally. "It's what everyone's going to think, isn't it? That I'm really thick."

Occlumency was fucking torture. Snape literally invaded my entire mind - my most private thoughts. The humiliation was unreal. I had tried so desperately to conceal the one thing that I did not want him to see, that I had ended up letting him see absolutely everything else.

I would never, in a million years, let him see that kiss with Draco. I would sooner stab my own eye out with a Basilisk fang.

"You are weak, Potter!" Snape spat at me as I had fallen to the floor of the dungeon yet again. "You are nothing but a weak, pathetic know-it-all, just like your father was!"

He had just penetrated a particularly awful memory of the time when I was eight years old and Dudley had lifted my skirt up in the middle of the school playground, showing off my old grey holey knickers.

Fucking pervert.

My cheeks flamed red with fury and humiliation as I staggered back up to my feet.

"Call me whatever you like, but don't talk about my father like that," I snarled, narrowing my eyes with loathing at Snape. "Not when he's not here to defend himself."

Snape's beady black eyes glared back at me. "Get out of my sight, Potter."

"Gladly," I spat, storming straight for the door.

I was still shaking in fury by the time I reached the Entrance Hall. There seemed to be a lot of commotion going on, but I couldn't see what due to a thick wall of students blocking my view. I could just make out a sound as though a woman was shrieking.

Someone chuckled next to me. I turned to see Draco Malfoy looking gleefully over the shoulders of the students in front of us.

"Enjoying the show, Potter?" He drawled, his silver eyes glittering in amusement as I bounced up and down on my feet, trying to see.

"Well I would let you know if only I could see what was going on." I muttered, knowing already I wouldn't like this one bit if it amused Draco.

"Come on then, short arse," he said, forcibly grabbing my hand and pulling me with him as he barged the students in front of us out of the way.

I was too shocked to protest. All I could do was apologise to the disgruntled students who had been sent flying by Draco as he dragged me through the crowd. He did not let go of me until we reached the clearing in the middle of the Entrance Hall.

"There," He said, dropping my hand to gesture proudly at the scene in front of us.

My jaw fell open. Professor Trelawney was standing with her wand in one hand and an empty sherry bottle in the other, looking utterly mad. Two large trunks lay askew on the floor beside her. Professor Umbridge was stood at the foot of the marble staircase, enjoyment stretching her toadlike face.

"You c- can't sack me!" howled Trelawney, as tears streamed down her face from behind her enormous lenses. "I've b- been here sixteen years! H- Hogwarts is m- my h-home!"

"It was your home," Umbridge smiled as Trelawney sank, sobbing uncontrollably, on to one of her trunks, "until an hour ago, when the Minister for Magic countersigned your Order of Dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this Hall. You are embarrassing us."

Draco sniggered next to me as I watched on in disgust.

I angrily rounded on him whilst McGonagall swooped in and rescued Trelawney.

"How can you enjoy watching something so cruel?" I spat. I was tempted to add something about him taking after his father but I held my tongue.

"Oh come on, Potter," Draco smirked, "Have a sense of humour - the old bat had it coming."

"Ugh," I sneered, giving him a revolted look as I turned to head to the Great Hall for dinner. Students had started to disperse around us.

Draco grabbed my arm before I could escape.

"Wait - aren't you going to thank me?"

"For what?" I spluttered. My god, he actually looked hurt.

"You wanted to see the show, so I got you there. Front row seats and all." His pale eyes glinted down at me while a smirk played upon his lips.

"This wasn't a date, Malfoy," I said incredulously.

"It could be, if you ask nicely," he winked at me. He actually winked.

I was about to tell him to go pitch himself off the Astronomy Tower, when Pansy fucking Parkinson came screeching into hearing.

"Drakie!" She shrieked, wrapping her arms around his torso.

She suddenly noticed me standing there and her demeanour changed instantly. She let go of Draco, straightening up to face me.

"What are you lurking around for, Potter?" She sneered. "Haven't you got some rock to go crawl under?"

I smiled sweetly at her. "Actually I was just about to turn your boyfriend here down for a date."

Pansy looked at Draco in horror and I was amused to see a pink tinge rise in his normally pale cheeks. This, too, did not go unnoticed by Pansy - her face turned purple with fury.

He began to splutter pathetically as she continued to glare daggers at him.

"Well I must dash," I said cheerily, "that rock won't wait forever. Toodles!"

And with a little wave, I walked away feeling better than I had done in ages.

***