Alice's pov.
The way Hermione behaved was not normal.She was nervous and was trying to get rid of me.She was also hiding something in her cloak.After she walked into the forbidden forest,i started following her.I wanted to know if she was really on the trail of sneaky students or if there was something else.

My mind was filled with terror and i forgot why i had started following her once i was very deep inside the forest.No student would have come sneaking inside the forest this deep.And i saw that Hermione was walking without any difficulty as though she had already been here.I saw a faint light in the distance and saw the silhouette of two people near a dilapidated house.

All the three of them went inside the house.I was utterly taken aback.I knew that she had lied to me and had come this deep to meet...whom?And what on earth were people doing here so deep inside the forest where only wild beasts and other mysterious creatures were present?I debated with myself if i must wait till the trio and if there were others inside to come out or if i must,as a Gryffindor,pluck up the courage to barge inside.

I decided to wait.Then i heard the laugh of people and the three of them came out.As it was silent,i heard what they were talking.I sneaked out from behind the tree and came and hid near a bush that was close to the trio."What?"said the clear voice of Hermione.The tall figure in front of her turned towards her and said,

"I love you Hermione Granger."That was the instant that i saw his face.I was shocked."Oh my god!!"someone screamed.To my shock,the scream had escaped from my lips.I was filled with terror.All the three turned towards me.Before i knew what was happening,i was sandwiched between a tall and pale and cold Cedric Diggory and a big beast,i wolf,i persume,on either sides.

Hermione's pov.
I was shocked to hear the scream.Before i could analyse what happened,Cedric and Andy were missing from my side and i saw them near a bush with a feminine figure slumped between them.I rushed near them and to my horror,it was a person i had never expected to find.

"Alice!!"i exclaimed.

She looked at me with terror in her eyes."Shall we finish her off?"asked the tensed voice of Andy.He had come back to human form.

"Wolf......now.....man....?"said Alice.She was clearly confused.She looked at me and fainted.

Cedric lifted her and took her into the house.

"Agrumenti!"

I splashed the water on her face and i made her get up."What....what are you doing with dead people?"was the first question she asked me,pointing at both of them."You know her?"asked Andy.I told them about her."Then finishing her off will be difficult...."he said."What?"asked Alice,terrorised."We cannot risk it.If she tells anyone about us,then we will be in grave danger.We will have to kill her.."said Cedric.

"No!She is my best friend and she can keep secrets and she will not breath a word about this outside."i said."Are you sure we can trust her?"asked Andy.I promised and told Alice about stuff she never knew about Cedric and Andy.She listened to me,wide eyed.

"...and that is how i met them and this is how These two are alive."i finished."I will not tell anyone about this...and was it Cedric who was proposing to you?"she asked me.Then it struck me of what happened before she shouted.I turnrd and looked into the then-black-now-gold eyes of Cedric.Andy turned rigid next to me.

"So....i had told you.I have always fancied you,even during the time at Hogwarts.I even wanted to ask you for the Yule ball but then asked Cho after i heard that Krum had asked you.I have seen you a lot of times in the library where you used to read a lot of books and spend your free time,like me,there.Even if we were not in the same years,i have heard a lot about your brains...and beauty,if i might add,by the professors.And i really liked you but never got a chance to tell.

"I think i have told all that i have in my heart about how i feel for you."he completed,leaving me totally baffled.

Not once i have felt that way towards Cedric.I had,maybe felt,quite attracted to him like all the girls did but love was not the term.I didn't know what to say.Cedric suddenly grasped my hand and closed his eyes.He had a tight and cold grip on my hand that i couldn't tug it off.After a few moments,he opened his grey eyes and stared at me."If you feel so."he said,dejectedly and practically sped out into the wilderness.

I was in the dark when Andy explained."He can read your feelings when he touches your hand."he said and followed Cedric."Um....i think we must leave."I totally forgot that Alice was here.I nodded and left for the castle.

"You don't like CEDRIC DIGGORY??"she asked as we were walking."He was just my friend Alice."i said to the totally shocked girl."I would practically do anything for him.I am not like those crazy girls who just fancy him.I really like him!Even if he is a....vamp..it makes no difference.Well,he only looks more handsome and dazzling....and with the cool superpower he has...and you say no to him?"she kept ranting.

I didn't know why but i felt like telling it."Draco Malfoy is my friend."She stopped mid way and stared at me."You have a poor sense of humour."she said."I am not joking.He asked me if he could be my friend and i said yes."i said."There is no way you are befriending that sly snake,filthy cockroach,bouncing ferret.."she went into spitting insults."Stop Alice.You are insulting a prefect."i said,not getting any other reason.

She was shocked."Slytherin has changed you a lot."she said and the rest of our was filled with silence.I didn't like the comment of hers about me changing after going to slytherin.It was almost dinner time when we were back and students were filling into the great hall.I joined the slytherins and sat,as usual at the corner where the first years sat.

I was really shocked when Draco came in the last and sat next to me,refusing Pansy who invited him to sit in her lap.I looked that there indeed was an empty seat near Pansy but he had sit next to me.All his friends were shooting death glares at me.Dumbledore was sitting in his seat and looking right at me.I was nervous again.He was giving his normal speech and one point gave me a jerk.

"It has come to my notice that many students have been sneaking into the forbidden forest during the free hours.It has already been explained that exploring the forbidden forest is not one of the activities you could do during the free hours.What exactly are you going to do there?Make.friends with creatures there and go for picnics?"

A few students giggled the very serious faces were mine,Alice's and Malfoy's.

"From now the prefects will patrol the entrance of the forbidden forest in their free hours.All house prefects will discuss and take turns.This is a precaution as i have already told you that evil forces of you know who are lurking all around,trying to penetrate the safe walls of this school.So....."

"Ahem.."

It was the devil in pink.She never missed any opportunity to insult and prove headmaster Dumbledore wrong.She seized the dias and started talking about how nicely Dumbledore was joking and how safe Hogwarts was.

I exchanged a look with Alice who was equally carrying a dread in her face.Draco,next to me,wasalso nervous.He was glancing at me from time to time.After dinner,we led all the students to the slytherin common room.On the way,Draco made a conversation.

"Do you think someone saw you sneaking into the forest and went and told Dumbledore?"he asked.

"I don't know.When i first met them in the forest and came back,headmaster and Snape were giving me nasty glares like they knew where i had been."

"And know they want to prevent that..."

"Alice,my friend,knows it too."

"What?"

I explained everything to him.

"So it will be much better if you stop visiting them."he said with a scowl.

"Why are you so much concerned about me?Did you forget about the second chance?"i huffed.

By this time we were on to our way to the common room.He didn't answer.As i made my way to the bed and lied down,he said,

"I don't want you to get hurt or caught."

I was struck by his sudden care towards me.He was sitting on the arm chair by the window,with only his trousers and his hair freshly gelled.His body features were shining in the moon light.His pale white skin was smooth and every detail of his smooth face was clearly high lighted.I wanted to go and run my fingers over his tussled hair and body but decided against it.I chided myself for thinking that way towards him.

I was confused.Had i really changed after coming to slytherin?Were my feelings being altered?Was i liking Draco Malfoy??No.Not possible.

Thinking this,i fell asleep,knowing very well that i was just trying to cover up my feelings.

Hey ppl!!
I had viral fever with dengue for a fortnight!!
But i am back now to update my chaps as quick as possible!!

Vote n comment n share!!