DISCLAIMER: I am not the literary master mind known as J.K. Rowling and therefore do not own any of these characters.

*~*~*~*~

Hermione Granger was almost finished with her potion and decided to take a look around. As usual she was the furthest on with her potion.

‘Well except for Harry and that stupid Half-Blood Prince,’ she thought.

Ron’s potion was horrible, and Ernie’s wasn’t that much better. Then her eyes fell on him.

Why was it that every time she looked at him her breath caught and she broke out in goose bumps? Recently she had not been able to keep her eyes off of him. She couldn’t understand it…

*bell rings overhead*

“Earth to Hermione…heeelloooo….anyone in there?� Harry had noticed that his friend had all of a sudden zoned out and apparently hadn’t heard the bell signaling the end of class.

“Oi! Hermione!� yelled Harry.

“Wha…oh! Has class ended? Sorry, I just sort of…blanked.� She packed up her things, and left the dungeon with Harry. She couldn’t believe that she had zoned out like that.

‘I didn’t even finish my potion!’

Angry with herself for getting distracted, they entered the Great Hall and found Ron already started on his lunch. She began to eat but soon found her thoughts traveling back to the dungeons…to him…

“Well thank you very much for ignoring me Hermione,� said Ron. Hermione came out of her trance and looked around. Ron had a very irritated look on his face.

“Oh sorry Ron, I was…er…thinking about some homework that I believe I messed up on.� She really hoped this excuse would work.

Looking a little suspicious Ron continued, “Well I only asked you about five times whether or not you were going to come watch me practice today.�

She thought about it then said, “Sorry Ron, but I need to go to the library to finish an Arithmancy essay I’ve been working on.�

With no classes after lunch, Harry and Ron proceeded to the quidditch pitch for some practice; Ron had asked Harry to have extra training sessions with him. Hermione however, went to the library to finish her essay. She found her favorite table, sat down, and pulled out the essay that she was working on.

Forty minutes later, she had finished. After packing up her things she got up and headed for the door, intending to take a nap before dinner.

Not watching where she was walking, she ran right into someone heading into the library at the same instant she was leaving. She looked up and froze. She had run right into him…they both stood there staring at each other…him with a look of disgust…her with shock…

“Get out of my way you filthy little mudblood!�

Hermione stood transfixed. Then, abruptly coming to her senses, she ran flat out towards Gryffindor Tower, all the while her thoughts lingering on those electric blue eyes…

‘Why is Draco Malfoy having such and effect on me?’

*~*~*~*~

He had seen her staring at him during potions. He could not understand why though. Surely she had no idea. She couldn’t know…

Draco walked up and down the rows of books, in search of none in particular. He had only decided to come to the library out of pure boredom and exhaustion. He had been working night and day on the task the Dark Lord had given him but was hitting dead ends. Plus there was a distraction. He had been falling for her ever since they both had become prefects. But he couldn’t act like he had feelings for her.

He couldn’t let this happen. She is a mudblood for heaven’s sake! And she wouldn’t want him anyway. Her shocked face was enough for him to realize that she knew. She knew what he had decided to become…

*~*~*~*~

Dinner that night was very strange. Not only could she not stop thinking of her encounter with Draco, but she found herself staring over at the Slytherin table. A fact not lost on her two best friends, Harry and Ron.

“What in the bloody hell could be so interesting over there?� Ron was looking from Hermione to the Slytherins then back to Hermione.

“Nothing,� answered Hermione, quickly shifting her gaze back down to the fork held in her hand.

“Yeah, right,� said Harry who did not believe this for a second. “Who exactly are you staring at? Because in potions you were completely gone, and you’ve just left us again, and each time you’ve been staring in the direction of Draco Malfoy.� Not being able to look away from Harry’s accusing glare, Hermione just blinked.

‘I’ve been staring! What is wrong with me?’

“What would I be staring at Malfoy for?� she asked Harry.

“I don’t know but that sure looked to be what you were doing.� answered Harry.

He thought he understood why she had been staring. No matter what she said, Harry knew that Malfoy had been attracting Hermione’s attention lately. Whether or not Malfoy had noticed was a different story…

Ron looked completely confused and shocked. He hadn’t noticed that Malfoy was in Hermione’s line of sight. And obviously Harry knew something he didn’t. He kicked himself for always being so slow on the uptake.

“Hermione…you don’t,� he paused not knowing how to continue, “you don’t…like Malfoy, do you?�

‘Like Malfoy…LIKE Malfoy!?...Do I like Malfoy?’

“I…no…of course I don’t like Malfoy Ronald! How could you ever suggest such a thing?�

The use of his full first name was enough to convince him, and Ron decided to drop the subject. Harry however gave Hermione a look that suggested disbelief, but decided not to continue with it.

‘I’m in a right spot now’ thought Hermione, as she finished her dinner.

Once done, she told Harry and Ron that she was going to go to bed early, and with that got up and started towards the doors of the great hall.

*~*~*~*~

He sat there and watched as she got up and walked out of the great hall. He couldn’t understand it. She had been staring at him all through dinner, until apparently Potter and Weasley had noticed. Well, he knew Weasley was too daft to catch on, but he was uncomfortably aware that Potter might know why Granger had been staring at him.

‘This isn’t good’ he thought

He couldn’t let Granger tell Potter what he was. The Dark Lord would not be pleased if he was found out. He was starting to wish that he had never agreed to take the dark mark, but it was too late now…

‘Wait a moment,’ he thought. ‘Granger’s not stupid. If she knew that I had become a death eater she would have reported me! No, that couldn’t be why she’s been staring at me…unless…no. no, that would never happen. She would never…’

Draco got up and headed towards the doors of the great hall. Ignoring the question of “Where are you going Draco?� from Pansy, he made his way out of the great hall and down towards his dungeon common room

DISCLAIMER: I am not the literary master mind known as J.K. Rowling and therefore do not own any of these characters.

*~*~*~*~

That night it was extremely hard for Hermione Granger to sleep. She kept waking up throughout the night; the only thing she remembered from her dream was a pair of electric blue eyes. His eyes…

The next morning, being Saturday, Hermione woke up feeling her lack of sleep in the form of very heavy eyes and a slight headache. She took her time getting dressed then headed down into the common room to find Harry and Ron.

As expected they were the last people there, loyally waiting for her before going down to breakfast. Their expressions changed however when they saw her face.

“What happened, Hermione?� Ron asked. “You went to bed early! Didn’t you get any sleep last night?�

“No, I couldn’t sleep very well last night. I kept having this weird dream but its no big deal.�

Hermione decided that she was not going to tell them that every time she had woken up she was left with the picture of Draco’s blue eyes in front of her.

“Shall we go down to breakfast then?� She asked. Ron nodded and headed towards the portrait hole.

“You go on Ron,� said Harry. “We’ll catch you up, I have to ask Hermione something.� Ron looked confused but shrugged and exited the common room, leaving Hermione alone with Harry.

‘Great!’ she thought. ‘If Harry asks…I can’t lie to one of my best friends…

“What is going on Hermione? I know it has something to do with Malfoy.� As he said this, he sat down in one of the armchairs by the fire and just looked at her expectantly.

“I…nothings wrong.� She lied.

“Yeah right,� he said. “That’s why you have been completely zoning out in potions and staring at the Slytherin table at every meal, and,� he added “that is why you go ghost white and suddenly change your attention to something else whenever Malfoy makes eye contact with you.� He just sat there and let her soak what he said in. She thought she saw a slight gleam of triumph in his eyes.

‘Oh hell, How could I have been so obvious without knowing it?’

“No, Harry it’s just…I’ve been tired that’s all. N.E.W.T. level and everything, that’s all.� She couldn’t believe she was lying to him.

“Listen Hermione,� he was serious now. “I don’t know why you would but if you like Malfoy, I would like it if you told me.�

She was shocked at both realizing what he said was true ‘Damn it!’ and that he didn’t look disgusted or angry with her in the slightest.

She thought for a minute then burst into tears.

“Oh Harry! I don’t know what’s wrong with me! He’s never been kind to any of us, but for some reason that doesn’t matter to me anymore!� Sobbing she sat with her head in her hands in the arm chair across from him.

Harry had thought that he had guessed correctly. He moved over to the chair next to Hermione and put a loving arm around her. He really didn’t like the idea of Hermione fancying Draco Malfoy, but he also didn’t like to see his friend like this.

“Look Hermione,� he began; she stopped sobbing but didn’t look up. “I don’t like him, I probably never will,� tears began to form a new in Hermione’s eyes but she still kept her face in her hands. “But, if you like him then I will try to stand him a bit more.�

Now she looked up, was he saying what she thought he was saying?

“Yeah, well thanks Harry,� she said in a shaky voice. “But he will never notice me like that. He hates all of us, and plus I’m a mudblood.� Tears started to fall again as she said this last word.

“Looks like we will just have to get him to notice you then, won’t we?� He smiled at the look on her face.

Harry was offering to help her gain Draco’s affections! She could not believe any of this but was so elated that she now had someone to confide in.

“Oh! But you can’t tell Ron! You know that he has always fancied me, even though he’s with Lavender, he’d have a heart attack at the thought that instead of him I choose Draco.� Hermione was so worried that she started to cry again.

“I won’t. But we better get down to breakfast before Ron starts to become too suspicious.�

Hermione nodded, dried her eyes, and they made their way down to the great hall.

*~*~*~*~

He hadn’t slept at all, and knew that it showed on his face. All he could remember from those dreams were her eyes. Her beautiful brown…

’NO!’ he thought ‘I can’t let these thoughts enter my mind! She is a mudblood, and I am pure. It won’t work. Plus I already have Pansy so what am I looking at Hermione for anyway?’

At the same time he realized that he had used her name, he also knew why he would want her over Pansy. Where pansy was bigger and a slight more man-ish, Hermione was small and feminine. She was much more physically appealing than Pansy was, no question…

With a vigorous shake of the head, he cleared his mind of these thoughts and headed up to the great hall for a late breakfast.

Just as he came up from a passage way off the entrance to the great hall, he ran right into Hermione and Harry on their way down the stairs. All three of them stood staring. He noticed Harry had an odd look on his face. Then he looked to Hermione and noticed that she had been crying. All of a sudden he felt angry, but realized that in light of the relationship between the three of them he could not voice his concern.

‘I must keep her from noticing.’

“Watch where you are going Granger! That’s the second time you’ve dirtied my robes with your mudblood filth!� Harry looked like he wanted to bash his face in and Hermione merely went pale.

“I’m sorry Draco.� She said, barely above a whisper.

Then she and Harry left him standing there shocked. She had used his name. There was no venom in her voice at all. He had to be imagining it, or he could swear that…

Clearing his mind again, he entered the great hall.


*~*~*~*~

Please review guys! this is my first fan fic attempt!! thanx! i have more chapters coming!!

DISCLAIMER: I am not the literary master mind known as J.K. Rowling and therefore do not own any of these characters.

*~*~*~*~

“Just talk to him Hermione,� Harry said as they sat in the common room Wednesday night working on their homework.

Ron was off somewhere with Lavender.

“But if I were you I would wait until no one is around, maybe find him when it’s his turn to be patrolling and ask to join him.�

It had been four days since she had run into him outside the great hall, and she intended to keep her distance for as long as she could. She really didn’t want to take Harry’s advice, she was too nervous. She knew that she would have to see Draco eventually because they were both prefects, but she still wasn’t looking forward to it.

“I dunno Harry. He might just decide to treat me like he always does anyway.� She couldn’t help but look sorrowful.

“Oh come on, where’s your Gryffindor courage? Listen, when is it his night to patrol again?�

“Tomorrow.�

“Right, then tomorrow I will make sure no one is in the common room to see you leave and you can have a go at making conversation with him.� Harry said this in a tone that meant she wasn’t going to get out of it. “And if he starts acting like a prat, slap him and come back here.�

At this Hermione laughed and turned to see Ron and Lavender enter through the portrait hole.

It was decided then. Tomorrow night she would take her first stab at talking to Draco.

*~*~*~*~

She was avoiding him on purpose, he could feel it, he was after all a Slytherin. The question he kept asking himself was why. Why was she avoiding him all of a sudden? It was extremely odd given the fact that she normally stood her ground quite well when faced with him. Most Gryffindor’s were like that.

“What’s wrong Draco? You look like you haven’t been sleeping.�

It was Pansy. He hadn’t been giving her the attention he used to so naturally she was getting worried.

‘Man I need to get rid of her.’

“Nothing,� he lied.

He was not about to let it slip that he was falling for a Gryffindor, let alone a mudblood. To his surprise however Pansy became angry.

“Yeah, go ahead and lie to me! That’s all you’ve been doing lately. I’ve seen the look on your face recently when you look at me! Who the bloody hell is she Draco!� Pansy’s face had turned slightly pink from the shouting she was doing.

‘Thank god we are in the Slytherin common room and not out in the corridors.’

“Could you tell me what you’re on about so I can contribute to this argument?�

He figured since she suspected him already why not make her mad enough to break up with him? It would surely save him from having to do it himself.

“Oh please, don’t even play that angle. I know you’ve been looking past me at someone else for a while now. I want to know who the hell she is!� Pansy’s anger was steadily increasing.

“Well I’m not going to tell you now am I?� Draco hoped that this would do it and he was right.

“I KNEW IT! You bastard!� Pansy shouted.

Out of no where came her hand and she slapped Draco hard across the face before turning and heading to her dormitory.

‘Well I suppose that was as painless as I could get it.’ Draco thought as he rubbed his now pink cheek.

With Pansy now out of the way, he could concentrate. How was he going to be able to start a conversation with Hermione without the whole school noticing?

*~*~*~*~

The whole of Thursday morning and afternoon Hermione was barely able to concentrate on her lessons. All she could think about was what she was about to do this evening.

“Harry I can’t do it.� She told him as they were on their way to Gryffindor tower before the last lesson of the day.

“And why can’t you?� He asked. Harry knew this was difficult for her, but he also knew that she really did want to talk to Draco, so he had to make sure she wouldn’t chicken out.

“I just know it won’t make a difference! All he will see is an ugly mudblood getting in his way.�

“If he thinks that you are ugly, then I will have to knock some sense into him.�

Hermione was taken aback. She had never thought that she was pretty, but to hear her best friend say it out loud made her blush.

“Ok. I will try.� She said looking down at the floor.

“You better, considering that I’m making sure there will be no witnesses to see you leave.�

Harry had a suspicion that this evening would not go well. So he planned on being there to help. Not that he was going to let Hermione know about this part of the plan.

Evening came around far to fast for Hermione’s liking. Before she knew it she was in the great hall having dinner. And next thing she knew she was sitting with Harry in the common room at quarter till nine, waiting for it to empty. Ron was either somewhere with Lavender or had gone to bed without them noticing.

Slowly the common room began to empty and luckily by nine was completely deserted except for Harry and Hermione.

“You better go,� Harry said. “Draco should be starting his patrolling, I think it’s a safe guess that he starts in the dungeons.�

Hermione’s face was set and determined. “Ok,� she said. “I’ll see you in a bit.� And with that she marched through the portrait hole and out of sight.

Waiting a few seconds to make sure she wasn’t going to walk back in, Harry stood up, threw on his invisibility cloak, and followed Hermione out of the common room.

Hermione slowly made her way through the corridors. Though she would not get in trouble for being out because she was a prefect, she wanted to make sure that she didn’t run into anyone else until she found Draco. And find him was exactly what she did. No sooner had she walked halfway down the corridor when she saw Draco come out of a secret passage directly in front of her.

She stopped so abruptly that Harry almost walked into her. He should have known better than to follow so close behind, but he was as surprised by Draco’s sudden appearance as Hermione had been.

‘Come on Hermione,’ he thought.

*~*~*~*~

He couldn’t believe it. He had actually walked right into Hermione’s path.

‘It can’t be this easy,’ he thought. ‘What is she doing out of bed anyway? She knows it’s my night to patrol.’

*~*~*~*~

“Draco,� she said uncertainly. “What are you doing here?� No sooner had the words escaped her lips, she knew she sounded like an idiot for asking.

A sneer played on Draco’s lips. “What do you mean what am I doing here? You know very well that it is my night to patrol Granger.�

“Yes, I mean,� she was stumbling over her words.

“You what Granger? I haven’t got all night to just stand here. In fact I should be asking you what you are doing out of bed at this hour.�

‘Don’t just take this Hermione!’ pleaded Harry silently from under his cloak.

Hermione gathered her wits and decided to get it over with. She took a few more steps towards him and said, “I was looking for you, actually. I was wondering if you wanted some company while you patrolled. I know that I don’t like walking around the castle alone so I thought you might feel the same way.�

She waited for the harsh words, the insults, but they didn’t come this time. She looked at his face and couldn’t believe what she saw. Confusion and, she could have sworn she was hallucinating, elation? But then she saw doubt cross his face, and waited slightly anxious.

‘She wants to patrol with me so I won’t have to be alone? I must have misheard her.’

“Why would I want you to patrol with me? I am perfectly fine with doing it alone Granger.� He realized he shouldn’t have been so harsh when he saw her face.

‘You stupid prat! Next time I see you in the corridors I am going to hex you!’ thought Harry angrily from under his invisibility cloak. He knew that look on Draco’s face, and he was not going to let him play with his friend this way.

Hermione looked extremely crestfallen and said in a low voice that even Harry had trouble hearing, “Never mind, I was stupid. Good night Draco.�

She said this last part louder and turned to go back to the common room, causing Harry to jump quickly to the side in order to get out of her way.

“Wait a minute Granger.�

Hermione stopped and turned to look at him. ‘I guess he does want to insult me after all.’

“I suppose you could join me if you wanted to, I can’t exactly stop you seeing as how you too are a prefect.� Draco didn’t want to make it sound like he wanted her to come, though he desperately did.

Hermione could not help smiling at him. ‘It worked! He’s going to let me walk with him!’

“I was just about to start this corridor, since you’ve come from that direction and saw no one, we can continue this way.� He pointed and she caught up to him and they started walking down the corridor.

‘What on earth am I supposed to say to her?’

‘What on earth am I supposed to say to him?’

‘When on earth is she going to say something to him?’ thought Harry as he followed quietly behind.

Finally it was Hermione who decided to break the awkward silence.

“So, why are you in this corridor? Don’t you usually start patrolling the dungeons first?� She hadn’t been able to think of anything else to say.

Draco shrugged, “I don’t know, decided to change my route. What’s it to you?�

At this Hermione looked down, maybe it wasn’t worth it if he was just going to be rude the whole time.

“Nothing, just wondering,� she said in a small voice.

‘Brilliant! Keep acting like a complete jerk when she obviously wants to spend time with you! Good going!' Draco thought to himself.

“I’m sorry,� He said. Hermione’s face instantly looked up at his. “Maybe since you’ve decided to keep me from boredom out here, I can cut back on my rudeness. But only when no one is around to see it Granger.� He wanted to make it perfectly clear that she was not to start talking to him whenever she saw him around school.

Hermione was perfectly happy with that. ‘It’s a start,’ she thought to herself.

They walked all the floors that were supposed to be patrolled, and surprisingly enough had had a very intelligent conversation. Hermione was very surprised at how wonderful Draco could be when he wasn’t speaking with hatred and contempt.

Realizing that they should probably get back to their respected common rooms they stopped, and looked at each other, the silence slowly creeping back between them.

“Well Granger, since we have finished patrolling we should head back.� He didn’t know what else to say.

“Yeah we probably should.� Hermione wished he would walk her back but knew he wasn’t going to offer. “Well good night Draco.�

She had noticed that he hadn’t once called her by her name. ‘I guess I can’t get everything.’ She thought.

She was about to turn and walk away when he spoke, stopping her.

“I can,� he started for some reason looking a bit uneasy. “I can walk you back Granger. Might as well, there might be someone out now that wasn’t before.�

“Yeah, ok.� She said, and they headed off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

‘Thank God!’ thought Harry. ‘But I have to make sure I get back before she does.’

Harry slipped ahead of Draco and Hermione so that he would be in the common room waiting and she would never suspect that he had followed her.

Then Harry saw something that made the color drain from his face.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’

He couldn’t believe it! It must be close to 11 PM and they are still snogging!

Ron and Lavender were wrapped around each other right in front of the portrait that hid the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

‘Shit!’ thought Harry. ‘Hermione is going to have a fit if Ron sees her with Malfoy! But I can’t very well tell her because then she would know that I had followed!’

He didn’t know what to do, and he could hear Hermione and Draco about to turn the corner.

‘Too late,’ he thought.

Hermione came around the corner laughing. Draco was actually funny if given the chance. Once they turned the corner she saw something and stopped, all laughter fading in an instant. There, with a look of complete shock and disgust was Ron. Behind him, Lavender looked like she wanted nothing more than to burst into a fit of giggles.

‘Damn it, what the hell am I going to do now? This is going to be all over the school by breakfast tomorrow morning.’ Draco decided in a quick instant what he needed to do.

“Fifty points from Gryffindor each, for being in the corridors after curfew.� He spat at Ron and Lavender. Lavender quickly lost the urge to giggle.

“Hermione, what,� Ron stammered. “What are you doing with, with Malfoy?� His face still held the same shock.

Following Draco’s lead she responded.

“I, Ronald, am a prefect. It is part of our duties to patrol the corridors in case someone is not where they are supposed to be. In case you have forgotten Malfoy is also a prefect and we were both patrolling tonight.� She knew he wasn’t about to let it go.

“You were laughing. I heard it.�

“Yes I was laughing Ronald. For your information I choose laughter over tears when someone is insulting me.� It was the only thing she could think of that made sense, but she did feel a bit guilty.

“Now, both of you get into your dormitories before I take more points off of Gryffindor.�

‘Go inside!’ Harry begged silently.

It was the only way he would get in before Hermione. To his relief Lavender pulled the stunned Ron inside and he slipped in with them leaving Hermione alone with Draco.

Now the silence between them was unbearable.

“Listen,� Hermione began unsure whether she should continue. “I know you probably won’t talk to me like this again, but thanks. I knew you weren’t as bad as everyone thinks. I hope we can really be friends one day.�

She said this in a rush and ran into the Gryffindor common room not giving Draco a chance to respond.

When the portrait hole closed he began the trek back to his own common room. “Friends� she had said.

‘Well, I will be lucky if she is willing to even be that.’ He thought. ‘Yes, friends. That is all I can let it become, because once she finds out it would all be over anyway.’

He was both happy and sad. He knew he had no hope with Hermione Granger.

*~*~*~*~

When she entered the portrait hole, her ears met the loudest argument that she had ever heard. Lavender was no where to be found, but Harry and Ron were in the middle of a good row.

“She was laughing with him!� Ron shouted.

“Ron you are being the biggest prat right now!� Harry shouted back. He Turned and saw Hermione standing there. Ron turned and saw her too.

“What the bloody hell has gotten into you Hermione?� he shouted and she just glared at him.

“What? I can’t patrol with the other prefect?� she said this daring him to continue.

“Not when it’s that prat Malfoy! Any other guy and-� Hermione interrupted him.

“Oh wait! So are you mad that I was walking with another guy or that the guy happened to be Draco?� Hermione asked angrily.

“And she’s calling him “Draco� now?� he put this to Harry with an incredulous stare.

Harry was not entering into this one; he merely sat down and looked back and forth between the two.

“I will have you know Ronald that I can walk with whomever I wish.� There were tears forming in her eyes. “Now if you do not go to your dormitory I will report to McGonagall that I caught you and Lavender out after hours!�

Harry could see her shaking with anger.

Ron just gaped at her. Then, looking defeated, he climbed the spiral staircase to the dormitory.

“Hermione,� Harry started but she interrupted him.

“No Harry.� She said. “I am going to bed I’ll talk to you tomorrow.�

Then she headed up the staircase leading to the girl’s dormitories. She guessed this settled it. She had no hope with Draco Malfoy.

Ron did not talk to Hermione the whole of Friday, and when she woke up on Saturday morning it was to find herself with the image of Draco’s eyes before her and a throbbing headache.

‘I don’t know how much longer I can stand this.’ She thought to herself as she got dressed.

Not only did the whole school know about her little “evening stroll� with Draco but they were making it out to be something it wasn’t. Lavender was lucky that Hermione hadn’t caught her alone, she would have been hexed into oblivion; everyone knew it had been Lavender who had spread the story.

The worst thing though was Draco’s attitude toward her. She knew that he had to make it look like he still hated her with all his heart ‘ha! That won’t change.’ But it still hurt all the same. She really just wished she could talk to him like she did two nights ago.

She headed down into the common room and found Harry waiting for her; Ron had decided not to speak to him either.

“Good morning,� said Harry. Hermione couldn’t have asked for a better friend.

“Good morning Harry,� she answered. “I take it Ron has already left.� She was becoming tired of Ron’s puerile behavior.

“Yeah, but don’t worry Hermione. He’ll stop acting like an idiot eventually.�

“Ha! I’ll be dead by the time that happens!� She laughed as they headed down to the great hall for breakfast.

“And look at it this way,� Harry added. “It’s a Hogsmeade weekend, so we’ll be able to walk around the village and forget all about ‘Won Won’ as Lavender calls him.� At this they both laughed.

*~*~*~*~

“Will you come off it already Pansy!� Draco had refrained from shouting but now he was becoming extremely annoyed. “I was performing my prefect’s duties! I did not ask that Granger be made a prefect so I don’t know what you’re so pissed about!�

‘If she doesn’t shut up!’

“Well that’s not what everyone is saying,� Pansy continued angrily. “They are saying that you were actually flirting with her! And she’s a mudblood!�

“Look, seeing as how you are having a fit about something that didn’t happen I will leave you to it.� Draco said, as he marched out of the dungeon common room and up to the great hall for breakfast, leaving Pansy standing their fuming.

‘Honestly! It’s not my fault all I can think about is her, and all I wake up to are her eyes looking into mine! At least it’s a Hogsmeade weekend, I can get away from everyone, wait a minute.’

Draco was struck with a brilliant idea, and redirected his steps towards the owlery.

*~*~*~*~

Breakfast was almost over, when the headmaster stood up. He hadn’t been there the past few days and Hermione wondered what news he had for them.

“Good morning all,� Dumbledore said. “As many of you know, this year we have been forced to increase security measures outside and inside the castle as well.� His eyes twinkled in Hermione’s direction and she thought she saw a smile before he continued.

“I have no doubt that some of you have heard that both our prefects were patrolling the corridors Thursday evening.�

At this a soft whisper swept through the hall and eyes came to rest on Hermione who looked around and realized that Draco had not come to breakfast.

“This,� Dumbledore waited until the room was quite, “is so that they will not be alone in the case of an emergency.� Ron refused to make eye contact with Hermione, and Harry just smiled at her.

“Enjoy your weekend.� And with that Dumbledore sat back down and began speaking with professor McGonagall.

‘I can’t believe this! Now I can walk with Draco without having to hide it!’

Harry and Hermione got up leaving Ron with an odd look on his face and began to head towards the oak front doors so they could be on their way to Hogsmeade early.

“Can we stop in Honeyduke’s first, Harry I want to get some - ouch!� Something had hit her on the head as she was walking out the door. One of the school owls had dropped a letter on her head and had taken off back to the owlery.

“Who’s that from? Were you expecting a letter Hermione?� Harry asked giving it a glance.

“No, I wasn’t.� She opened it to see one just one line of text.

Meet me by the Shrieking Shack when you get into the village.

~D.M.

‘D.M. who had the initials…’

“I think it’s from Draco!� Hermione said in astonishment.

Harry snatched the note and looked at it. Then he smiled.

“Well you are going to meet him aren’t you?�

“Oh, I don’t know Harry…We really don’t know that it’s from Draco, what if it's not?� Hermione would not like it if it was a trap set by a Death Eater to get her and Harry away from all their class mates.

“Ok, then we will go under my invisibility cloak, and if it really is Draco you can talk to him. If it’s not him we can just leave, ok?�

Hermione thought about it as they walked. Finally she said, “Ok.� And they continued the rest of their walk to the small wizarding village in silence.

*~*~*~*~

He saw the owl drop the note on her head. He was already half way across the grounds when he turned to look back.

‘This was perfect,’ he thought, ‘Now I can tell her that I wouldn’t mind if she patrolled with me, and maybe she’ll ask if I want to patrol with her when its her turn.’

Draco smiled, something he hadn’t done in a long time, and continued walking to ensure that he arrived at the Shrieking Shack before Hermione did. He hadn’t heard the announcement that Professor Dumbledore had made that morning at breakfast.

As Draco continued down to the village, a figure came out from behind one of the trees on the grounds and began following him.

After making a quick stop into Honeyduke’s, Hermione and Harry slipped under the invisibility cloak and started to make their way to the shrieking shack.

“Harry, why would he be asking to meet me? He never used my actual name while we talked so I don’t think anything has really changed…I’m being stupid, I don’t want to do this.� She stopped so fast that Harry almost pulled the invisibility cloak off her.

“You don’t know that Hermione,� Harry whispered. “He could honestly want to be your friend.�

“Yeah, and he could honestly want to play a giant joke on the ugly mudblood.�

“Look,� Harry didn’t know how to say this, but he had to tell her, “I followed you under my cloak that night, so I would be there if you needed help. You know if Malfoy started acting like a prat.�

“You followed -� Hermione began but Harry interrupted her.

“Yeah, but that’s not the point Hermione,� he really did not want to admit it but he knew what he saw. “During that whole time when you were talking to Draco, I saw something in his face; his eyes said that he was glad you were there. He wanted you there.�

Hermione didn’t know if she should be angry with Harry, or happy at what he had just said.

“And I’m sorry for following you,� he added. “I just wanted to make sure Malfoy didn’t treat you in a way you shouldn’t be treated.�

“Oh, Harry! You are so wonderful!� She gave him a very awkward hug as people walking by started to look around when they heard a voice come from thin air.

“So you think there is a chance that he likes me?� she asked hopefully.

“Well, if anything I can tell that he wants a friend.�

Hermione feeling a bit better about the situation started walking again, and they both arrived at the Shrieking Shack and saw Draco waiting with an expectant look on his face.

*~*~*~*~

‘Where is she?’ he thought to himself. ‘She had to be in the village by now. Maybe she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.’

‘Then why did she ask to join you the other night on patrol?’ a voice in his head asked.

‘She won’t come, she -’

There was a noise coming from behind, and Draco turned.

“Pansy!� Draco breathed. “What are you doing here?�

“What? Expecting someone else?� she asked venomously. “Or should I say, expecting something else?�

‘Can’t she just accept that we aren’t together anymore?’

“Again, you fail to let me know what you are talking about.� Draco had a sick feeling in his stomach that Pansy was going to mess up everything.

“I know you are waiting to meet with that mudblood Granger!� Pansy looked to be thoroughly enjoying this. “I saw you look back at her when you were on your way here. I saw it Draco!� color was rushing to her cheeks as she began to shout at him.

‘Damn. Pansy knows I am a Death Eater I can’t let her think that she is right. She’ll go telling everyone from here to the Dark Lord!’

“And I would be waiting for Granger why?� Draco asked trying to sound only mildly interested.

“Because you fancy her that’s why! You fancy that stupid little Gryffindor! You left me for her!� Pansy was shaking with anger, and tears were beginning to form.

“Don’t be stupid!� Draco shouted. “You left me remember? You’re the only one who seems to cling to this notion that I like Granger in the slightest. What the hell was I going to do when she asked to patrol with me? She would have thought it very strange if I would have argued.�

Draco thanked God that Hermione wasn’t there to hear any of this.

“Plus I decided to use it to my advantage. Get her to think she’s found some good in me to keep her off her guard. Now you get out of my site with your idiotic ideas! And this is the last time you will speak to me of it.� Draco finished and turned to face the shrieking shack.

Pansy ran from where she stood, crying all the way back towards the castle grounds.

*~*~*~*~

‘I knew it couldn’t have been real’ she thought, as tears streamed down her face.

“Come on,� whispered Harry. “Lets go and have a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.� He turned Hermione and they started to sneak away without Draco hearing them.

‘When I meet up with Draco alone he is going to be in so much -’ his thoughts were interrupted by Hermione who at that moment threw the cloak off of them both and turned towards Draco.

“You pure blood bastard!� she yelled, both crying and shaking with rage.

*~*~*~*~

Draco turned; expecting to see Pansy back again, but instead met the tear stained and angry face of Hermione. Harry was standing just behind her looking like he wanted nothing more than to kill him.

‘Where did they come from? I didn’t hear anyone coming.’

“Hermione when did you -� But he wasn’t allowed to finish his sentence because Hermione had begun to yell.

“DON’T you ‘Hermione’ me! I heard what you just said to Parkinson!� Hermione hated herself for believing that Draco wanted to befriend her.

“So, playing a little joke on the mudblood are we? Keep me off my guard? Well Malfoy,� she spoke his name with such hatred that he winced. “I will have you know that my guard is up, and will stay up so long as I have to patrol the corridors with the likes of you!� She glared at him through her tears.

“What - what are you talking about?� Draco didn’t understand any of this, and was still too shocked and horrified that she had heard what he had said.

She laughed mockingly, “Oh, that’s right you weren’t at breakfast.� Her sneer would have made Professor Snape jealous.

“Well I might as well fill you in. Professor Dumbledore made a little announcement. The prefects are to patrol the corridors together from now on, new security precautions.�

She wasn’t crying anymore but was speaking with complete malice.

“That’s right, I will be in the way of all your rotten little plans now you - STUPEFY!� Hermione had her wand pointed at Draco so fast that he did not have time to block the spell. He fell to the ground, knocked out.

“Hermione!� Harry could not believe what he had just seen her do. She had never done something like this before. She didn’t answer however, and instead she turned around and headed back up towards the castle, leaving Harry with the unconscious Draco Malfoy.

Hermione ran all the way to the girl’s dormitory in Gryffindor tower, and threw herself crying onto her bed.

‘I’m so stupid!’ she thought.

She didn’t know how long she cried into her pillow; an image of his eyes the last thing she saw before falling asleep.

*~*~*~*~

Harry was still stunned that Hermione had actually stupefied Draco. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he could tell by Draco’s face when he had seen Hermione standing there that something was wrong, or that’s what he hoped.

‘Well, I can’t leave him like this, and I might as well get to the bottom of this.’

“Ennervate,� Harry pointed his wand at Draco and waited for him to wake up.

Draco opened his eyes and tried to remember what had happened. He was telling something to Pansy then Hermione came and heard all the things he said to Pansy.

“Hermione!� exclaimed Draco, immediately sitting up.

“Don’t bother she’s already gone back to the castle.�

Draco jumped. He hadn’t even noticed Harry standing there.

“Now look,� it was Harry who began the interrogation. “I don’t know what the hell is going on here but I want to know right now if what you said to Parkinson was true or not.�

‘No one knows about this, I can’t tell him,’ Draco thought. ‘But if I don’t tell him he will probably hex me and leave me here.’

Harry could see Draco struggling with his thoughts.

‘No, I have to tell him. Hermione has to at least know that I didn’t mean it, whether she believes it or not.’

“No Potter, it wasn’t true.� He stated matter-of-factly.

“You better not be lying, because I swear, if you are then -�

“I’m not lying!� Draco interrupted. “I really was waiting for Hermione, and not to play a trick on her either.�

Both Harry and Draco noticed the sudden use of Hermione’s name. Harry stood there appraising him for a few moments.

“Well,� Harry shrugged, “you need to tell her that, because she -�

“She what!?� Draco’s voice slightly rose in volume. “She what Potter? She wanted to be my friend? Ha! That’s doubtful.�

“You are a bigger idiot than we all think. She likes you Malfoy!� Harry had to shout to keep Draco from interrupting him again.

“And yes,� he continued, “she does want to be your friend, well did, because she knew that that was the only thing she had the slightest hope of making a reality.�

Draco just stared.

‘She likes me? but, but that’s…’

“She likes me?� all of a sudden Draco’s sense of secrecy left him.

“Yeah well you’ve done a fine job of ruining that haven’t you?�

“I…I didn’t know,� Draco couldn’t even think straight.

‘She likes me? Why would she like me?’

“Hey, I don’t really like the whole idea, but if you will make Hermione happy then you better get up to the castle and see about telling her.� Harry hated how he was being forced to help Draco.

‘It’s for Hermione.’ He kept saying to himself over and over again.

“No.�

Draco was tuning to look up the path that led to the castle.

“No Potter, I can’t. She won’t hear a word from me now. You have to tell her.� He turned to Harry with pleading in his eyes.

“Are you crazy!? She will murder me if I even bring the subject of you up!� Harry was not stupid; he wasn’t going to go looking for a fight with Hermione now that he knew what she would do if pushed to it.

“You are the only one she will listen to Potter, please. Please tell her.�

‘I can’t believe that Draco is actually begging’ he thought. Harry decided however, that for Hermione he would give it a try.

“I’ll try, but I am not going to force Hermione to listen to me.�

Draco just nodded his head.

They both left the village; separately from each other, and headed back to the castle.

Draco thinking all the while of her angry, hurt and tear-filled eyes.

*~*~*~*~

By the time Hermione woke up dinner was already half way through. She didn’t feel like going down and facing anyone just now. Her swollen eyes and pale face would attract more attention than she wanted right now.

She got out of bed, and went into the bathroom to wash her face. When she came back, she noticed that Hedwig was perched right on top of her pillow, holding a note in her beak.

“Hedwig, I hope Harry didn’t send you to tell me to come down to the great hall.�

She looked at the snowy owl suspiciously and took the note from her. Hedwig hooted then took off out of Hermione’s bedroom window.

Hermione,

Meet me in the common room I want to talk to you.

Harry

P.S. I brought you some food.

She folded up the note and thought.

‘He probably wants to talk about Draco, but I’m not going to let him. I don’t want to hear another word about him ever again.’

She decided she wouldn’t let Harry just sit there after he had brought her something to eat, so she went down to the common room to find him.

He was sitting at a table in the corner of the room, and she gratefully accepted the food when he offered it to her.

“Thanks Harry.� she said feebly.

Harry watched her for a while as she slowly ate the food he had brought for her. He still didn’t have the faintest idea how he was going to bring Draco up. Hermione however gave him the solution.

“I know that you want to talk to me about Draco,� she was looking at her food not at Harry, “but I don’t want to hear anything about him Harry. I was stupid but I have learned my mistake.� She couldn’t keep the tears from forming again.

“Hermione, you have to hear something, Draco -�

“No Harry, stop. I don’t want to hear it,� it hurt too much to hear his name.

“I don’t care.� She got up and went back upstairs to her room.

Harry sighed; he knew that she still cared about Draco.

Harry looked at him and shrugged, then continued working on his potion.

‘She won’t even look at me! I guess Potter meant it when he said he wasn’t going to force her to listen,’ Draco thought.

Draco couldn’t understand why it hurt so much, or where for that matter the pain was coming from. He had never been friends with Hermione and he knew she had hated him on previous occasions, so why was this time different?

‘Ha! Tonight is going to be wonderful,’ he thought sarcastically.

Tonight was Hermione’s night to patrol the corridors but because of Dumbledore’s little announcement, Draco would be joining her.

With a sigh, Draco stopped looking at her; which he had been doing all class trying to mentally will her to look at him, and half heartedly continued working on his potion.

*~*~*~*~

It was taking all her resolve not to turn, look him directly in the eye, and curse him into a million pieces.

‘I hate him!’ she thought as she threw the next ingredient into her potion causing it to splash a bit on the floor.‘AH! Nothing will go right will it!?’ she thought angrily as she cleaned up the spilled potion with a wave of her wand.

She knew that tonight she would have to walk the corridors with Draco, and she was planning on making it absolute hell for him.

‘After all, he deserves it, doesn’t he?’ She cursed herself for letting her hopefulness get in the way of her anger. It didn’t hurt so much when she was angry.

‘Harry has been acting strange. He hasn’t said one foul thing about Draco since that day. And Draco has been equally strange! He hasn’t called me a Mudblood all week.’

The bell rang to signal the end of classes, and Hermione packed up her things and left with Harry and Ron. Now that Hermione had taken to calling Draco every foul name she could think of Ron took it as an apology and started talking to them again.

“So you have to patrol with the ferret tonight,� Ron said with a gleam of hatred in his eye. “You want me to come so I can hex him?�

As much as she wanted to hex Draco herself, she had decided without telling anyone, not even Harry, that she was going to try to at least confirm for sure that what Draco had said was true.

“No thanks Ron. It’s ok. Plus you already had a patrol night this week,� Hermione answered.

“Yeah, that’s true.�

They entered the great hall and sat down to lunch.

*~*~*~*~

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come, Hermione?� Ron was trying desperately to get her to let him come.

“Yes, Ronald, I am sure.� She was getting a bit annoyed that he kept asking her.

“Ok, geez,� he said, and sat back down in his arm chair.

Hermione looked at her watch and noticed that it was five minutes till nine. He would be waiting in the corridor for her by now; Hermione had allowed herself to speak to Draco for a total of thirty seconds in order to tell him that he was to meet her outside of the Gryffindor common room.

“Ok, well I’m off,� she said to Harry and Ron.

“We’ll wait up for you Hermione,� Ron said.

“Yeah,� Harry agreed.

She left and was almost at the portrait hole, when someone grabbed her arm and stopped her. It was Harry.

“What is it?� she asked, a bit confused at the way he was looking at her.

“Hear him out,� Harry said. Only able to bring himself to say that much before he turned and went to sit by the fire with Ron.

She looked at him for a few seconds then exited the common room to find Draco standing in the corridor waiting.

*~*~*~*~

They stood looking at each other for a few moments.

‘I wish I knew what she was thinking,’ Draco mused.

“Are you going to stare at me all night or are we going to patrol?� Hermione snapped making Draco flinch slightly at her tone.

“No…I mean, yes, lets patrol.� Draco needed to tell her. He had to; he at least wanted the hope that she would forgive him.

They walked through the castle, in silence, scanning around for anyone who was out of bed when they weren’t supposed to be. Hermione was deliberately making the silence as uncomfortable as possible.

‘He hurt me, so why not hurt him back,’ she thought. ‘But if he meant what he said then it wouldn’t bother him would it? But did he mean it?’ She continued fighting with herself until Draco spoke, distracting her from her thoughts.

“Hermione,� he said hesitantly and stopped causing her to turn and look at him.

“What?�

‘I will just tell her, and if she continues to want to hate me then I will live with it. Will I be able to live with it?’

“What?� she asked again impatiently.

“I…�

‘Just tell her damn it!’

“I was lying when I said that stuff to Pansy.�

“Ha! Yeah, I’m sure you were.� Her heart was doing flips that it might be true, but she was not going to make it so easy for him to hurt her again.

Draco flinched again at the hatred and disbelief she put into her statement.

“No, I really didn’t mean it. I just…� He didn’t know how to continue. He had to tell her in a way that didn’t reveal him as a Death Eater.

Hermione just stood there watching him struggle to explain himself. She was not going to offer him any help.

‘If he wants to apologize then he has to do it on his own.’

“I was just trying to keep Pansy from figuring out that I do want to talk to you. I enjoyed that night when you asked to patrol with me, but if Pansy knew that then she would write my mother telling her that I am a traitor.� Draco looked away from her eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to look directly into them.

“Oh,� Hermione said. “So you just said it to keep yourself from getting in trouble? Only looking out for you? Ok, so let’s finish patrolling.�

“No!� Draco was going to make her understand.

“No what? And do not shout at me Malfoy!�

“I wasn’t just looking out for myself. I was thinking of you. I know that what I said hurt you, but I had to say it. Nothing good will come of people knowing that I want to be your friend.� Draco was on the verge of tears, but he was not about to let any of them fall.

‘Does he honestly have tears in his eyes!?’

“Nothing good will come of it? Well, I don’t see how it’s worth it if I can’t say ‘hi’ to you in the halls just because people might talk!� She was beginning to shout now; she was done with settling for less.

“So you do want to be friends with me?� Draco was struggling to control his happiness at this prospect.

‘Oh he is such a guy! Of course he picks out the one thing that isn’t even the point!’ she thought.

“Yes I do,� she said and noticed that Draco looked surprised and happy. “But I don’t want to have to hide it just because there are people who wouldn’t think it was right!�

Silence grew between them as they both looked at each other.

“So it’s very simple Draco,� she said in a more gentle tone. “You either are my friend or you aren’t. You can choose.�

‘Why does she want to risk so much just for the sake of calling me her friend? I’m not worth that.’

“Hermione, I’m not worth you risking so much just so you can count me as a friend.�

“That is for me to decide Draco, and I want to be your friend if you will let me.�

Draco stood there staring at her; her eyes held something in them, but he wasn’t quite sure what it was. It was like trying to figure out what a shape was from far away. But the longer he looked into them the more he felt like what he was doing would be ok.

“Yes, Hermione, I want to be your friend.�

Hermione walked back into the Gryffindor common room with a smile on her face.

“So you hexed him then?� asked Ron.

“No,� laughed Hermione.

“Then why the giant smile on your face?� Ron looked a bit confused.

Hermione just looked at him. She was definitely going to tell the both of them, but knew that Ron’s reaction was going to be horrible.

“Ron, listen,� she began with a glance at Harry. “Draco is my friend. I don’t expect you to get why, I just expect you to accept it please.�

Harry expected as much, but Ron looked as if he had just had the wind knocked out of him. His mouth opened and closed as if to say something, but he was having trouble getting the words to come out.

“What?� he at last managed to gasp.

“Draco is my friend,� Hermione said calmly and resolutely.

“After all the things he’s done to us, after how he’s treated you all these years, now he’s your friend?� Ron could not believe what he was hearing.

“Yes,� answered Hermione. “Like I said, I don’t expect you to understand why Ron, I just want you to be ok with it.�

“And you’re ok with this?� Ron addressed this question to Harry with wide eyes.

“Ron, I’m ok with it because Hermione is my friend and I love her,� Harry answered. “And if being friends with Draco will make her happy, then I’m fine with it.�

Ron looked like the world had fallen in on him. Hermione hoped he wouldn’t, but Ron asked the one question she had been hoping to avoid.

“So,� he began. “So, you are his friend, or do you like him past that?� Ron was very pale.

‘How am I going to explain this to him? He looks hurt enough as it is, I don’t want to see him like this.’

“Ron, I,� she paused. “I’m not going to lie to you. I do like Draco, but I know he doesn’t feel the same way. We are just friends.�

Ron couldn’t stop tears from forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Draco Malfoy beat me, did he?� Ron didn’t understand. “He beat me. I’ve been your friend for so many years, but you choose him.�

“Oh, Ron, don’t -�

But Ron got up without another word and went up to the boy’s dormitories. Hermione’s mood, while happy five minutes ago, was now the opposite; tears were running down her cheeks.

‘Why can’t it be ok with people that I’m his friend? Why?’

“Don’t worry, Hermione,� Harry said soothingly. “He’ll come around, I promise. I’ll talk to him. Ok?�

Hermione only nodded.

*~*~*~*~

“And what are you so happy about?�

Draco jumped, and the smile he had had on his face when he walked back into the Slytherin common room vanished; Pansy had apparently decided to wait up for him.

‘Damn this girl!’

“Have fun strolling with the Mudblood?� she asked with an evil sneer on her face.

‘What am I going to do? Hermione will definitely be angry if I lie about it, but then again Pansy can make my life hell…well its not like its not hell now so what’s the difference?’

“Hermione is my friend, Pansy,� Draco said defiantly.

Pansy’s jaw dropped in shock. Then her eyes gleamed and a wicked smile crossed her face.

“Well, well, well,� she said. “Looks like I was right doesn't it? Your mother will find this news very interesting won’t -�

“You say one word to my mother and it will be the last thing you do.� Draco's face reddend with anger.

Pansy merely laughed.

“Fine, I will not tell your mother,� she said continuing to laugh. “But that won’t stop everyone else from talking about it. It will reach your mother eventually. I am sure she will be happy to hear that her son is a filthy blood traitor!�

She laughed all the way up to her dormitory.

‘Welcome to hell.’ Draco thought with a sigh, and headed up the stairs to his bed.

*~*~*~*~

Both Hermione and Draco received scorn and ridicule from their classmates over that next two weeks. Though hardly able to talk to each other during school, it was widely known that there no longer seemed to be enmity between them.

‘Honestly! What the hell is wrong with people?’ thought Hermione as she walked with Harry to potions.

“Ron still doesn’t want to talk to me, does he?� she asked Harry.

“No, but he’ll get over it, don’t worry.�

Hermione didn’t know if she really believed that. She knew that she had really hurt Ron.

They entered the dungeon classroom to find Ron determinedly staring at Slughorn, waiting for their lesson to start.

Hermione looked over at Draco who smiled and waved; she returned his greeting like wise.

‘This is so wonderful. I can’t believe he is actually my friend. I do wish it could be something more, but I guess that’s asking too much,’ Hermione mused. ‘But, I can’t help but notice something in his eyes when I look at him. I wonder what -’

But she was forced to quit her musings as at that moment Slughorn began the lesson on antidotes.

*~*~*~*~

‘Wow she is beautiful. But she will never feel that way about me, so I might as well quit hoping.’

Draco was only half listening to the instructions that Slughorn was giving him.

‘Plus, I’m a death eater,’ he thought for the thousandth time. ‘So it would never work. She will go back to hating me the moment she finds out. I doubt that I could make anyone see how much I really don’t want to be doing this.’

Torn between his desire to be more than just Hermione’s friend, and to keep her as far away from him as emotionally possible, Draco began working on his antidote.

*~*~*~*~

The next few weeks went by quickly, and soon Draco and Hermione were almost as inseparable as Harry, Ron, and Hermione used to be; Ron was still looking very depressed.

It was Thursday; Draco’s night to patrol, and this meant that Hermione would get to see him alone for a few hours. It was during their patrol hours that Draco and Hermione really got to know each other. They could talk as freely as they wished, because no one was around to listen.

“Harry, I need to talk to you,� Hermione said as she sat down in the armchair next to him.

“Sure, what’s up?�

“Ron still won’t talk to me, I have tried everything, and he still refuses to even look at me!� she began sobbing. “He’s one of my best friends and I really need him.�

“Hermione,� Harry said soothingly. “It will be alright. Honest, Ron will realize that he shouldn’t be acting like this eventually.�

Hermione could only cry.

‘Why do I have to lose one friend in order to gain another?’

*~*~*~*~

That night Draco noticed that something was wrong with Hermione. She wasn’t talking as she usually would but just walked along side him in complete silence.

‘I told her that it wasn’t worth being my friend! Now she’s miserable because Weasley isn’t talking to her anymore.’

“What’s wrong?� Draco asked.

“Nothing,� she lied.

Draco glared at her.

“I don’t think so. We usually are talking about all sorts of things by now, and you haven’t said more than two words since we began patrolling.�

‘She’s probably changed her mind, really does hate me, and just can’t figure out how to tell me. I don’t blame her because I’ve only cost her one of her best friends.’

“Nothing is wrong. I just have a lot on my mind that’s all,� Hermione answered, hoping that he would decide to change the subject.

There was a silence that lasted for several minutes, then, Draco spoke in a whisper.

“I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore. I know Weasley hasn’t spoken to you since we started hanging out. It’s ok really.� He didn’t look at her.

“No, Draco, that’s not it,� but as she said it he saw tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Draco didn’t press the matter, and they finished patrolling in silence. When they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room however; Draco always walked her back, Hermione burst into tears.

“He’s just being ridiculous. He won’t even look at me anymore. He is my best friend and I really need him but he just -� Hermione was overcome by tears at this point and couldn’t continue.

Draco looked at her crying.

‘I’m the reason she’s feeling so much pain.’

He pulled Hermione into a consoling embrace. Hermione’s tears soon died away and she looked up into his icy blue eyes.

He stood there holding her, looking into her deep brown eyes; searching. He was very aware of how close they were to each other, and noticed that she had not backed away from him. Then, as if they both realized exactly how close they were, they let go of each other.

The silence now was highly uncomfortable.

“Well, goodnight, Draco,� said Hermione. And she turned and went into the Gryffindor common room.

“Goodnight,� Draco said to the now empty hall before going back to his own common room.

After their “close encounter� outside the Gryffindor common room, Hermione felt that something had changed between herself and Draco.

‘I am so confused. My head hurts. He only hugged me because I was crying, so why did it feel like that wasn’t the reason at all? And now all of a sudden, it’s like my mind completely erased him.’

Hermione had been having nightmares, where she would wake up seeing Draco’s eyes before her. She knew that they had been nightmares because they have recently been accompanied by an angry and hurt emotion. But after that night, it stopped. She hadn’t had that dream in three days.

‘Maybe he, no that can’t be it.’ She was so preoccupied trying to figure out what was going on that she ran into someone as she was entering the library. She looked up and was immediately frozen in place. She had run into Ron.

‘It’s Sunday, why on earth is Ron in the library of all places?’

They stood there looking at each other. Then Hermione noticed that Ron was holding a book. Ron saw her gaze drift towards the book and tried to hide the title, but was too slow. Hermione read: “Love Potions and their Effects.� Hermione gaped open mouthed at Ron who now had a determined nonplussed look on his face.

“What are you planning on using that for? You know that love potions are banned at school.�

“Who said I was going to make one?� Ron challenged. “A guy can’t read?�

“Well, that is a strange book to take out of the library for some ‘light reading’.�

Hermione had a sickening feeling that Ron was planning something that had to do with her.

“You know Hermione, you aren’t the only one who’s interested in subjects other than those covered in class.� Ron looked angry as he said this.

“Ron, I didn’t mean it that way, I just thought that you may be considering,� she paused not wanting to accuse him and make their present situation any worse; but Ron finished the sentence for her.

“You thought that I might be considering slipping you a love potion? Ha! Oh please Hermione, like I could even brew one in the first place.� Ron’s cheeks flushed pink as he said this. “I like you but I am not so desperate that I would resort to a love potion to make you like me.� He walked around her and exited the library. Hermione followed.

“Ron wait!� she called.

Ron turned and looked at her, but didn’t say anything.

“You still haven’t told me why you’ve taken that book out.�

“Well there might be something in it that can explain what’s been going on.�

“What do you mean?�

“You and Malfoy,� he answered. “I can’t honestly believe that you like him. He must have slipped you something to make you act like this. It doesn’t make any sense.�

Hermione stood dumbstruck. Ron honestly thought that she, Hermione-the-know-it-all-Granger, would not recognize a love potion if it was slipped into her drink!

“You what!?� she yelled. “How can you possibly think that that’s why I like Draco? Are you that jealous?�

“YES!� Ron yelled back, tears in his eyes. “Yes I’m that jealous! Hermione, I have been nothing but the best of friend to you and you knew how I felt about you and I just don’t understand how you can like Malfoy over me! He’s hated you, spat at you, called you foul names, yet you look right through me to him! Why?�

Hermione listened to Ron’s outburst and saw the hurt and lost expression on his face, as tears began to form in her own eyes.

“Its not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I just don’t feel anything stronger than friendship between us.�

“Well that’s fine for you then, have fun with your little ferret.� Ron turned and started to walk away again.

“Ron please listen to me.�

Ron stopped but did not turn around. Hermione caught up with him and stood directly in front of him, forcing him to look at her.

“You have to understand how important you are to me,� she said.

“Obviously I’m not that important,� Ron stated angrily.

“No, you are Ron. Being one of my best friends means so much to me. I really need to know that I still have you as my friend.� She looked pleadingly at him.

‘This has to be decided now. I can’t go through days of being depressed about Ron and confused about Draco; it’s too much for me.’

“Well Harry seems to be handling the position of best friend quite nicely so I don’t know why you think you need me.�

Tears flowed freely down Hermione’s face.

‘He really isn’t going to forgive me. Why won’t he? It’s not fair.’

“I love you Ron, as my friend I love you. And I really need you now, some things have been happening and I’m so confused and I need to have you to talk to.�

“Well that must suck,� Ron said, and he left in the direction of the Gryffindor common room leaving Hermione crying in the corridor.

*~*~*~*~

“Who pissed you off?� Harry asked as Ron came fuming into the Gryffindor common room.

“Hermione, that’s who!� Ron spat as he dropped angrily into the armchair across from Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes and said with some anger, “Did you say something to her to hurt her on purpose.� It wasn’t really a question, because Harry already knew the answer.

“No! She’s the one who ran into me then had a field day about the book I was taking out of the library!�

“What book was it?� Harry asked suspiciously.

Ron hesitated then took the book out of his bag and showed it to Harry without making eye contact. Harry stared with the same expression Hermione had worn when she first saw the book.

“Ron, you, you’re not going to try to give Hermione a love potion are you?�

“Are you mad!? Like I could brew one in the first place! What is wrong with you people?�

“Then, what are you doing with it?� Harry had a feeling this is where the conversation between Ron and Hermione had gone down hill.

“I wanted to see if maybe Hermione was under the effects of a love potion given to her by Malfoy.� Ron looked very irritated at having to discuss this twice.

“Oh, please tell me you didn’t tell her that.�

“I did,� Ron said looking into the fire.

“I can’t believe you are that thick Ron! You really need to get over yourself.�

“Me? What are you on about?� Ron was looking very confused at Harry’s sudden anger.

“Yes, you Ron. Hermione is your friend, but you are all stuck on some self pity trip that you are completely disregarding her feelings.�

“What about my feelings?� Ron shot.

“What about them? She knows that she hurt you and she has apologized more than you deserve! Don’t you want her to be happy? I have a suggestion, come down from your emotional pedestal and think about the friend that you are losing.�

Harry stormed off, leaving Ron sitting by the fire.

*~*~*~*~

That night at dinner, Hermione avoided not only Ron but Harry and Draco as well. She really just felt like being by herself after her episode with Ron that afternoon. She was distracted from her food when Ron came and sat down next to her. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, and then Ron spoke.

“You know,� he began. Hermione didn’t look up, she was afraid about what he was going to say to her next.

“If you want, I can walk right over there and punch Malfoy in the face for not noticing how you feel about him. That is if you would like me to.�

Hermione looked up into his face, her heart leaping.

‘Oh does he mean it, is he forgiving me?’

“Oh Ron!� Hermione cried and she threw her arms around him in a hug, and began to cry on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I’ve been acting like such a prat Hermione.�

“It’s ok,� she sobbed. She then smiled and Harry joined them to finish dinner together; something they hadn’t done in a long time.

When they had all finished and were on their way back to the Gryffindor common room, Ron suddenly spoke making them jump.

“I’ve got it!�

“Got what?� Harry and Hermione asked.

“I’ve got a plan, and if Malfoy doesn’t notice you we will have reason to question his sexuality.�

Harry and Hermione burst into fits of laughter. Hermione hugged Ron and the three of them entered the Gryffindor common room smiling.

“Ahh!� Draco clutched his left arm which was now burning with pain. He looked down at the dark mark now very clear, and giving him the sensation of having his skin seared off.

The Dark Lord was summoning him.

Draco snuck out of the castle to the apparition point, touched his wand to the dark mark, and was instantly transported to Lord Voldemort’s current location.

“Cruico!� said high pitched voice.

Draco fell to the ground screaming. Pain like he had never experienced in his life coursed though every part of his body; his very bones felt like they were on fire. His screams penetrated the dense fog hanging over the graveyard, where he was being punished by the Dark Lord. After what seemed like hours to Draco the pain lifted, but his body still ached. He lay there gasping for breath, unable to move.

“Now then Draco,� Lord Voldemort hissed. “I want you to tell me why you have not been following my orders.�

Gasping for breath, Draco tried to form an answer but he was too slow. Again the Dark Lord sent pain like none other through his body with the Cruciatus curse.

“What have we learned?� Voldemort asked in a hiss.

“I am sorry my Lord, forgive me for not answering swiftly enough.�

“You are lucky to have such a merciful master, now answer my question. Why have you been neglecting your orders?�

“I have not been neglecting your orders my Lord, Albus has -� but his explanation was interrupted. Once more Draco was screaming and writhing with pain on the cold earth.

“Do not lie to me!�

Again the curse lifted leaving Draco weakened and sore.

“Do you think that I have not searched your mind? Crucio!�

Draco was on the verge of losing consciousness.

“You have been neglecting my orders, to consort with a mudblood! You have turned traitor to your Lord!�

“No,� Draco managed as the curse was lifted once more. “No…Master, I swear…I haven’t. I am merely using her.�

“Ah, are you now?�

“Yes, my Lord. If -� Draco gasped as he stood up; his body was aching all over from the punishment he had received. “If I can get in close enough, I can slip something to Potter that will kill Albus Dumbledore. Potter has meetings with him.� Draco kept his gaze respectfully cast downward.

“So the mudblood is a means to an end?� Lord Voldemort asked.

“Yes, my Lord. As soon as I have fulfilled your orders, I will dispatch with that mudblood filth.� Draco stood and braced himself should Voldemort decide to curse him again.

“Very well, go. But do not fail me Draco, next time I will not be so merciful.�

Draco bowed and dissaperated back to the castle grounds. He slowly made his way up the sloping lawns to the oak front doors.

*~*~*~*~

“Hermione, where are you going?� Ron asked as Hermione got up from the table they were sitting at.

“It’s Draco’s night to patrol, remember? I’m going to go meet him.� She could not help but smile, she had her friend back and now she could work on getting Draco to notice her.

“Oh right, well hurry up because I need you to read over my potion’s essay, Slughorn is starting to turn into Snape when it comes to these.� He grimaced and continued working.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, waved bye to Harry, and left the common room.

“You know,� Harry began. “I don’t think Hermione will like this plan that you are formulating.�

“What do you mean she won’t like it? It will get her Draco now won’t it?� Ron asked looking up from his essay.

“Yes, but not the way she wants to get him.�

“Look Harry, we can just tell her the plan, and if she doesn’t like it we will come up with another, ok? Lay off it for now.�

Harry shrugged and went back to his Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment.

*~*~*~*~

Hermione was half way down the marble stair case, intent on heading to the passageway that lead to the dungeons, when the oak doors of the entrance hall opened and Draco walked in looking as if he was about to pass out.

“Draco! What happened!?� Hermione ran down the rest of the stairs over to him to keep him from falling to the floor. “I need to take you to Madam Pomfrey.�

“No,� gasped Draco.

“But you need to go to the hospital wing! Madam Pomfrey can -�

“No, I need-� Draco could barely speak due to the after effects of the Cruciatus curse. “I need to go to the room of requirement.�

“The room of requirement? But-�

“Please, Hermione.�

“Ok, lean on me. I will take you there.� Hermione was both worried and troubled about what had happened to put Draco in this state.

When they were nearing the room of requirement, Draco could not remain conscious any longer and fainted.

“Ok, I need a room for Draco to rest that has potions to ease his pain.� Hermione concentrated on this thought as she walked three times past the apparently solid wall. On her third pass a door materialized; she stumbled a bit under Draco’s weight as she entered the room.

Inside the room were several beds like those in the hospital wing, and shelves of medical books and potions. She put Draco on the nearest bed and turned to face the shelves of potions.

‘I can’t help him if I don’t know what happened!’ Hermione was frantic with worry as she looked at Draco, who was very pale.

“Draco,� she said standing next to his bed. “Draco, you have to wake up and tell me what happened to you.� She shook his shoulder in an attempt to wake him.

“Ennervate!� Hermione shouted, and pointed her wand at Draco’s chest. Draco’s eyelids fluttered.

‘Oh please, please let it work.’

“Draco?� Hermione said uncertainly. Draco answered with a groan.

“Draco! Oh thank goodness. Listen, you need to tell me what happened to you so I can help.�

Draco’s thoughts were a mess. He remembered the Dark Lord and his torture. He remembered Hermione and… ‘Hermione!’ He looked around, and there was Hermione standing next to him looking very worried. He realized he was in a bed and went pale at the thought that she really had taken him to the hospital wing.

“Hermione,� Draco was surprised at the weakness in his voice. “Where-�

“You said you didn’t want to go to see Madam Pomfrey, so we are in the room of requirement. There are all sorts of potions here, but I need you to tell me what happened so that I can help you.�

Draco wanted to hug Hermione, and would have if he wasn’t so weak. Madam Pomfrey would have noticed immediately that he had been tortured, and that would have led to awkward questions.

“Draco!� Hermione shouted. Draco’s eyes had begun to close again, and it looked like he was just going to go to sleep without telling her anything.

“I’ll be fine Hermione,� Draco managed in a strained voice.

“Draco what hap-� she stopped.

‘That…that cannot be what I think it is! That cannot.’

Hermione’s eyes were very wide, and her face had gone ghostly pale. Draco could not figure out why she had stopped so abruptly.

“Hermione,� he said tentatively.

Hermione turned her eyes to meet his. In that moment Draco knew. He glanced over, and sure enough his sleeve was pushed up far enough to expose the Dark Mark which was branded on his left arm. He turned back around, but instead of seeing the concerned face of Hermione, he met the tip of a wand. Hermione was on her feet with her wand pointed directly at his chest.

“Hermione, no, I have to tell you-�

“Tell me what?� Hermione was in a state of disbelief.

‘I can’t want anything, can I? One thing can fix itself, and then something else has to go wrong! Why?’ Tears were forming anew in Hermione’s eyes.

“You’re a Death Eater!? You are a Death Eater, and I’m an idiot!�

Draco could only stare. He had to get her to listen to him, but he didn’t think that he had a very good chance at succeeding.

“Hermione-�

“No, you keep your mouth shut!� Thinking quickly, and taking advantage of his weakened state, Hermione searched Draco’s robes. Draco could hardly move as it was, due to the torture he had undergone, so he could do nothing to stop her from finding his wand, and throwing it across the room.

“Hermione, I need to talk to you.� He tried to sit himself up on the bed, but Hermione moved her wand even closer to his face, causing him to lie back down.

“Move, and I will curse you and go and get Professor Dumbledore,� she said. Though she was visibly shaking all over, her steady wand hand was enough to convince Draco that she would carry out her threat.

“How…how long have you been a Death Eater?� she asked shakily, but still steadily holding her wand, which she now had pointed directly at Draco’s heart.

Draco didn’t know what to do. He had backed himself into a corner. He didn’t want to lie to Hermione, but at the same time, the Dark Lord would kill them both if he admitted the truth.

“Hermione, I -� but again he was interrupted.

“No, answer my question! How long?�

He hesitated before answering, and then let out a breath, “Since this past summer. But Hermione, you have to listen to me,� he pleaded.

“Ha! Of course I do, so you can feed me some other lie, just to further whatever plans Voldemort has you following.�

“No, you have to listen.�

“No, I do not! You have to listen to me Malfoy,� she spat with all the hatred she could muster. “You will answer my questions, and that is all.� She was finished having the wool pulled over her eyes, she was going to get answers.

“Now, tell me what Voldemort planned for you to do.�

‘Not for me to fall in love with a mudblood,’ Draco thought.

“Look, Hermione -�

“Answer the question!� she said more forcefully, gesturing with her wand slightly to make sure he got the point.

‘She knows now, and everything is messed up anyway... There is nothing left to do, I have to tell her. At least I will have been honest with her one last time, because it doesn’t look like she will be around after this.’

Draco sighed, leaned back onto the pillow, and closed his eyes. When he spoke, he spoke slowly and almost in a whisper.

“The Dark Lord,� he paused for a second, still keeping his eyes shut; he didn’t want to look into her eyes. “He…he gave me orders to kill…to kill Professor Dumbledore.�

After what seemed like ages, he dared to open his eyes and look at Hermione. Her face was ghostly pale, and her eyes flashed a mixture of fury, anger, fright, shock, and tears.

‘I have to tell her everything.’

“Hermione, I’m not done. I have to -�

“No,� Hermione interrupted, but in a very small voice. She stood there with her wand pointed at Draco for a few more seconds, not saying anything, just staring into his eyes.

“You are done. That is all I need to know.�

“No, Hermione, please listen to me!� a single tear rolled down Draco’s cheek, as he pleaded for Hermione to listen.

Hermione shook her head.

“I am finished listening to you Malfoy. Whatever I thought about you, or about anything else, isn’t and was never true.�

“No-�

“I am going to restrain you, and go and get Professor Dumbledore. He will decide what to do with you.�

More tears began to fall from Draco’s eyes.

‘She isn’t going to listen to me.’

“Please, Hermione.�

‘He looks so sad, and there is something in his eyes, I can’t…no! He is a Death Eater! This is just him trying to get the better of me.’

“Petrificus Totalus,� Hermione said aiming the spell at Draco.

His body instantly became immobile; all he could do was stare back at Hermione’s slightly trembling form.

He begged and pleaded with his eyes for her not to go; for her to change her mind and hear him out.

“I am going to get Professor Dumbledore,� she said, and before she turned and left the room, Draco noticed one small tear slide down the side of her face.

Hermione left the room of requirement, and as soon as the door had vanished behind, her she fell to the floor crying.

‘Why does everything have to go so wrong?’

She continued to cry as she sat there on the floor. She had been hurt and lied to. There was only one thing to do now; go get Professor Dumbledore, tell him what she had found out, and take Draco out of her life…forever.

The walk to the hidden entrance of Dumbledore’s office felt very long. She didn’t know how she was going to tell him what had happened without breaking down again. She had barely been able to keep the tears from taking over in front of Draco.

“Fizzing Whizbees,� she said to the stone gargoyle. It leapt aside immediately, to reveal the revolving spiral staircase leading to Dumbledore’s office. She arrived at the large wooden door and knocked.

“Come in,� came the familiar, and characteristically calm voice of Albus Dumbledore.

She entered, and noticed the headmaster leaning over his pensive.

“Ah, Ms. Granger, what a pleasant surprise.� He greeted her with that characteristic twinkle in his eyes. “Have a seat.�

Hermione sat down in a chair in front of Dumbledore’s desk, while Dumbledore himself went around his desk to sit facing her.

“Pardon me for asking, but where is Mr. Malfoy? I believe it is your night to be patrolling the corridors.�

Looking down at the floor, Hermione answered in an uncharacteristically small voice.

“That is what I came to see you about Professor.�

There was a pause. Hermione continued to look down at her feet, and Dumbledore sat patiently waiting for whatever it was she had to tell him.

“Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater, and He-who-must-not…I mean, Voldemort, has given him the task of,� Hermione looked up at the headmaster, whose gaze had turned very serious. “He is supposed to kill you, sir.�

*~*~*~*~

Draco lay in the bed unable to move. The only thing he could think about was the look on Hermione’s face when she had seen the Dark Mark on his arm.

‘I wonder how long it will take the Dark Lord to kill me,’ he mused to himself. Suddenly, Draco went pale. ‘When Dumbledore gets here, I have to make him listen to me. He has to protect Hermione. The Dark Lord will kill her, just to get back at me for betraying him.’

At that moment, the door to the room that Hermione had left him in opened, and Dumbledore, accompanied by a teary eyed Hermione, entered.

“No one else knows that you brought him here?�

“No, Professor,� said Hermione in barely a whisper.

“Good, good. Now then,� Dumbledore took out his wand from the inside of his robes, and pointed it at Draco. Instantly, Draco felt himself released from the full body bind that Hermione had placed him in.

“And, I believe we can give this back to you now.� Dumbledore pointed his wand in the direction that Hermione had thrown Draco’s wand earlier, and it flew in the air towards him where he caught it, and handed it back to Draco.

Hermione stood open mouthed and shocked.

“Pro-Professor,� she stuttered. “He’s a Death Eater, and you are giving him back his wand!�

Dumbledore looked at Hermione’s indignation at his current actions and merely gave a brief nod. “I think Ms. Granger, that Mr. Malfoy here deserves the benefit of the doubt and to be heard.�

“Benefit of the doubt! I SAW HIS DARK MARK!�

“Now, now Ms. Granger, there is no need to shout.� He turned to Draco and looked sternly into his pleading eyes. “Mr. Malfoy, I have been told some distressing news, and I would like to ask you to please show me the inside of your left arm.�

Draco sat up and swallowed. He glanced at Hermione, but she was refusing to look at him, and was instead focused on the floor at her feet. He looked back at Dumbledore and slowly, he rolled up his left sleeve to reveal a very vivid Dark Mark.

Silence settled once again in the room, though this time it was even worse than before. Draco never felt bad about any of the things he did. Picking on first years, Gryffindors in particular, messing with Harry and his gang, and until very recently making fun of Hermione. He had begun to see how horrible he had been to her, and was sorry that he ever acted that way, but now seeing the look of disappointment in Dumbledore’s eyes, Draco had never felt more ashamed about anything in his life.

“Draco,� Dumbledore began. “Is it then true that you have been ordered by Voldemort to murder me?�

Again silence followed. Draco tried glancing at Hermione once more, but she was still determined to not make eye contact with him.

“Yes sir,� he answered feebly.

“Then why, if you will allow me to pry into your personal affairs, have you not done so in the five minutes that passed since I gave you back your wand?�

At this, Hermione looked up.

“Professor! You are asking him to follow through with his orders to kill you!?�

Truth be told, that is what Draco thought Dumbledore to be asking as well. Dumbledore merely gave a weak knowing smile at Hermione.

Dumbledore turned to look back at Draco, who was now sitting with a baffled and confused look on his face, and waited. He didn’t move or say anything else; he was waiting to see given the chance, what Draco would do.

“Sir, I,� Draco began. “I can’t.� He looked away from both of his questioners.

“Well my boy, I know very well that you can’t. Forgive my modesty, but a sixth year student, even one as gifted as yourself Mr. Malfoy, would not be able to kill me in your weakened state.�

“Then wh -�

“The question is not whether or not you can kill me, but whether or not you want to kill me.�

“No, I don’t want to,� Draco said this very shakily, as tears began to form in his eyes. Finally someone was going to listen to him.

“Good. Now that that is settled,� Dumbledore turned to look at Hermione. “Ms. Granger, I need you to go and get your friends Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, and bring them here.�

Hermione’s attention had apparently been elsewhere, because she started when Professor Dumbledore spoke to her. “Ha-Harry and Ron? But Professor, why do they need to be here?�

Dumbledore smiled at Hermione. “That will all be explained as soon as the three of you return.�

Hermione stared at Dumbledore for a few more seconds, then without another word left to go get Harry and Ron.

“Where the blazes is Hermione?� Ron asked, checking his watch. It was almost midnight, and Hermione had not returned from patrolling.

Harry reflexively checked his watch. Like Ron, he was starting to get a little worried. He always waited up for Hermione, but this was the latest he’s ever had to wait. Harry was about to suggest that they go and look for her, when the portrait hole swung open.

“Hermione, where have y- What happened!?�

Both he and Ron ran over to her with concerned looks on their faces. Hermione was very pale, and her cheeks were stained with tears. She looked at them for a few seconds with blank eyes, then said,

“Professor Dumbledore wants to see the three of us right now.�

“What?� Ron asked. “Why does he want to see us now? It’s almost midnight! Hermione, tell us what happened.�

“It has something to do with Malfoy, hasn’t it.� Harry didn’t ask, but stated an obvious truth.

Hermione merely nodded to his statement.

“Alright then, come on. Let’s go.� Harry led the way out of the portrait hole while Ron and Hermione followed. As he was about to go down the corridor leading to Dumbledore’s office, Hermione stopped him.

“No, he’s not in his office.�

Harry looked at her. “Then where is he?�

“The room of requirement.�

“What is he doing in there?�

But Hermione didn’t answer; she just led the way down the corridor that would take her back to the room. She felt as though her world were unraveling.

‘The one guy on earth I pick to fall in love with, is a Death Eater.’ Hot tears began to roll down her face again, and she quickened her pace to make sure neither Harry nor Ron saw them.

They stopped in front of the apparently solid wall, and waited while Hermione walked past it three times in order to make the magically concealed door appear. She stood still in front of it for a few seconds; as if taking her last chance to run in the opposite direction.

“Hermione?� Ron asked nervously.

“Wha- oh nothing, I’m fine Ron.�

She reached out her hand, turned the knob on the door and the three of them walked into the room; the door concealing itself once again.

*~*~*~*~

They sat there silently after she left. Dumbledore had conjured a chair for himself, and was seated in it and staring around the room as if fascinated with its contents. Draco could cut the silence with a knife. He knew why Dumbledore had sent for the wonder team; to tell them all about the recent events. There was however, another reason, and that was to give him the chance to tell him whatever he wanted said before he was surrounded by people who wouldn’t want to hear him out.

‘Look Professor, I’m really sorry about the Dark Mark, I’ll try not to do anything like that again. But, if you would please protect me from the Dark Lord, I’d really appreciate it…Oh that sounds so bloody stupid! But how am I supposed to tell him-’ his thoughts were interrupted.

“Draco,� said Dumbledore in his characteristically calm voice. “I can’t help but notice that you have a lot on your mind.�

“I do sir.�

“Well, no one is around except for me, so why not share.�

Draco looked down at his wand that was resting in his hands. He knew what he had to do, but was having a hard time getting started.

“Did you want to take the mark?� Dumbledore asked quietly.

“NO!� Draco burst out, without watching his tone. “I didn’t, I didn’t want it. But my father and my mother were there, and the Dark Lord would have killed all of us if I didn’t take it.�

“I see. Why then, did you not come to me the moment you returned to school? I can help you Draco.�

“How? How can you possibly help me? Especially now! He will know that I have betrayed him and he will kill me, my parents, and,� Draco stopped. He didn’t want to say it.

“And Hermione,� Dumbledore finished for him.

He looked up into Dumbledore’s face. There was a pained expression there that he had never seen directed at him from anyone. It was full of concern and sorrow.

“Yes, he will, and you have to protect her. She, she won’t listen to me if I tell her what I told you. None of them will; they won’t believe that Draco Malfoy son of Death Eaters became one, but really didn’t want to do it in the first place.�

“You don’t know that,� said Dumbledore. “Ms. Granger cares a great deal for you, and I am sure she would listen.�

“Ha! She won’t, and with all due respect sir, you know she won’t. But she will if you tell her.� Draco looked at Dumbledore pleadingly.

“Alas! That I cannot do. That Draco, is something you must tell her yourself.�

There was a few moments silence where neither of them spoke. Draco knew that Dumbledore was right; he would have to tell all of them what he had just said to Dumbledore. He was wishing that Voldemort had finished him off, when Dumbledore spoke.

“You know Mr. Malfoy, it is very strange, given your actions for quite sometime, that you are at all concerned about Ms. Granger’s well being. I was under the impression that you two highly disliked each other.�

“I don’t dislike her,� Draco said in a whisper as he looked down at his wand again. “I-�

Draco looked up as the trio entered the room; the door making a clicking sound as it closed behind them.

The three of them stood there looking around. Harry noticed that they were in a room that looked very much like the hospital wing, and then he saw Draco on the bed and Dumbledore sitting in a chair next to him. Ron just looked as confused as ever.

“Ah, come in, come in,� Dumbledore said with a slight smile.

They walked over to where Dumbledore was sitting, and he conjured three more chairs so they could join him. Harry spoke first.

“Um, Professor,� he glanced over at Hermione before continuing. “What are we doing here exactly?�

“Well Harry, Draco has something he needs to tell you all. Actually he needs to tell you and Ron what Hermione and I already know. Then I believe, he has some things to say just to Hermione.�

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Draco; except for Hermione’s.

“Oh,� Dumbledore interjected. “One more thing, you will not want to hear what Draco has to say. I implore you however, to listen, knowing that I already know everything, and that there is nothing to worry about.�

Again, everyone’s gaze shifted over to Draco. He felt very uncomfortable in the spotlight. He swallowed as he tried to figure out the best way to not just tell them, but start the big confession.

‘Great. Just great, Dumbledore could have at least taken away their wands; they are going to curse me when they hear the words ‘death’ and ‘eater’ next to each other.’

“It is getting rather late Draco, so if you don’t mind.� Dumbledore still had his calm expression on his face and the faintest hint of a smile.

Draco looked from Dumbledore to Harry and Ron, and then to Hermione who was still refusing to look at him. He swallowed hard, and looked down that the sheets clenched in his hands. He didn’t know where to begin.

‘How the hell am I supposed to start!?’

“Try the direct approach,� Dumbledore said in seeming response to Draco’s thought.

Draco looked up at Dumbledore and nodded.

‘I’ll just suck it up and say it. Hermione doesn’t want to look at me, so it’s not like it can get any worse.’

“I’m a Death Eater,� he said very softly, since the room had been silent however everyone clearly heard him.

“What!?� Harry and Ron shouted in unison. Ron looked dumbfounded, and then rounded on Hermione.

“And you…� he couldn’t finish, instead he just stared at her.

Harry on the other hand, was staring incredulously at Dumbledore, who was staring at his wand as though he found it the most interesting thing in the room. He loved Hermione, but Malfoy being a Death Eater crossed the line.

“Professor, how can you be ok with this!?�

“Well Harry,� Dumbledore said calmly. “Why don’t you try letting Draco finish.�

Harry’s mouth hung open, but he sat back in his chair and shot a murderous glare in Draco’s direction.

Draco had sat the whole time staring down at his hands. He couldn’t make himself look up at a room full of people who wanted to kill him, except for Dumbledore that is. He rolled up his left sleeve, and showed them the Dark Mark.

“I took the mark over the summer,� he continued speaking in almost a whisper. “I was forced into it.�

“Forced!� Harry spat. “Yeah right -�

“I really was forced to take it!� Draco shouted interrupting Harry. “You don’t believe me fine, but I was. My parents where there, and the Dark Lord pretty much said that we would all be killed if I didn’t take it, so I did.�

Draco stared at Harry, daring him with to challenge what he had said. When Harry didn’t say anything, Draco continued.

“Just because I took the mark, doesn’t mean that I want it,� he stopped here; he didn’t think there was anything else he needed to say to them. He really just wanted to talk to Hermione. Silence settled over the room. Draco looked from Harry’s murderous glare, to Ron’s mixture of shock and anger, and then settled on Hermione’s lowered head.

“I think,� Dumbledore began. “That Draco has said all he needed to say to you. Now, if you Harry and you Ron, will come with me to my office, I would like to speak to the two of you.� He got up out of his chair and headed towards the door. Though Dumbledore had only addressed Harry and Ron, Hermione had also gotten up to follow them.

“Ms. Granger, I do believe that Draco here would like to speak to you,� Dumbledore said from the door.

“With all due respect professor, I don’t want to speak with him.�

The way she said “him,� made Draco flinch and look down at his hands again, which were now trembling slightly; he still needed to rest due to the Cruciatus curse Voldemort had used on him.

“You would be doing me a great favor, Ms. Granger, if you stayed and listened to what he has to say.�

After a few moments hesitation, Hermione sat back down in her chair.

“Splendid,� Dumbledore said brightly. “Now Ms. Granger, and you too Mr. Malfoy, when you are done having your little chat, I need you to come join us in my office.� With that he turned and left the room, Harry and Ron in tow.

*~*~*~*~

The moment the door closed behind them, silence engulfed the room. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Draco took a breath and looked up at Hermione. She was determinedly looking at her hands, which were resting lightly in her lap. He decided to give it a try.

“Hermione?� he ventured tentatively.

*~*

She heard him speak, but didn’t answer and didn’t look up at him. Instead she continued to look at her hands.

She wanted to curse him and be done with it. She wanted to curse herself for ever entertaining feelings for him in the first place. Shouldn’t she have known better?

‘What is wrong with me? I am smarter than this. I’m the one who thinks things through, so how did I end up in this situation?’

*~*

He could tell that she was reluctant to answer, and he didn’t blame her. He however was tired of chickening out of telling someone the way he felt; somehow he was going to tell her.

‘I will tell her, and that will be it, she’ll know. It probably won’t make any difference though.’

Draco sighed. “Hermione, will you please look at me?�

She lifted her head up, and he met her hurt and confused brown eyes. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was.

“I need to tell you something.� He could see the tears lurking behind her eyes; she was fighting them.

*~*

She heard him say that he needed to tell her something, and felt her hand cling to the side of the chair she was sitting in.

She looked up to meet his icy blue eyes. They held pain, but resolution. She was on the verge of tears, and had to use every ounce of her will power to keep them from overpowering her.

‘No, he can’t tell me. That’s not what he is going to say. I won’t let him say it. He can’t, it’s not possible that he does…Death Eater…Death Eater, he’s a Death Eater…’

“What?� she asked, her voice shaking slightly with her effort to hold back her tears.

*~*

Her “what� almost broke his resolve. He could hear the pain she was feeling when she spoke, and saw how hard she was working to keep from crying. He looked down at the Dark Mark branded on his left forearm. He couldn’t take off that mark, but he could prove it wrong. He looked back at Hermione.

“Hermione,� he hesitated as he saw her stiffen, as if steeling herself for the blow that was to come. “I…�

*~*

‘No, no, no, no, no! He’s going to say it! He can’t, he can’t!’

*~*

“…love you,� he said, his voice so soft that the slightest noise would have drowned him out.

Draco sat there waiting to see her reaction. She never broke her eye contact with him, and he watched as the feelings of happiness, anger, sorrow, and fright passed through her eyes all at once.

‘I said it.’

*~*

‘He said it. He said it. He loves me…Bastard! He lied to me! And not just any lie, he lied about serving Voldemort! …Why is this happening to me? … What am I going to do?’

She continued to look at him. She had let it happen twice; she had let him get to her, and both times had brought her suffering.

‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me,’ she thought. ‘I am a fool aren’t I? … Well not anymore.’

Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Dumbledore wants us to go join them in his office. I think we better get going.� She was still fighting her tears, but was slowly losing the battle.

She got up and headed towards the door, stopped and turned expectantly waiting for him to follow her.

*~*

Draco’s heart broke; something he would have never thought would ever happen to him.

‘She didn’t even respond to…’

Suddenly he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He didn’t think pain like this could exist. The Cruciatus curse seemed like a pinch compared to this. He knew that she was most likely to respond the way she had, but some part of him had still held on to one speck of hope. Now, her complete disregard of what he had said ripped through him like daggers.

‘I…I …I guess that’s all I can do,’ he thought to himself now having to fight tears of his own.

Though he was weak from his torture earlier, he willed himself out of bed and over to the door. He looked at her and she turned quickly, opened the door and exited. He followed her to Dumbledore’s office; she didn’t look back at him once. Had she looked, she would have seen that his face was stained with tears.

“Fizzing Whizbees.�

The gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore’s office sprang to life when Hermione uttered the password. Both she and Draco stepped on to the revolving staircase, neither one looking at the other. They reached the doors of Dumbledore’s office, and Hermione knocked.

“Do come in,� came Dumbledore’s voice from the other side.

They walked into his office. Hermione took the empty seat that was between Harry and Ron, while Draco took the seat farthest away from the trio.

The room was quiet; even the portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses were keeping very silent.

“Professor, I don’t think this is such a good idea,� Harry said breaking the silence. “How do we know that he won’t find out?�

“I am confident in Mr. Malfoy’s ability, as long as he has his full strength, or is sufficiently prepared before being subjected to any torture.�

Hermione looked up, brows furrowed together slightly. Draco too, had a confused look on his face.

“Professor, what are you talking about?� Hermione asked.

Dumbledore looked from Hermione, then to Draco, then back to Hermione.

“Well, Ms. Granger, I have come up with a plan of sorts involving your three classmates.�

“Three?�

“Yes,� Dumbledore answered. “Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Malfoy.�

Dumbledore turned slightly to look at Draco. Draco’s face was pale and drawn; he clearly was in need of rest.

“Now, Draco, I will be quick and explain the general idea of the plan, so you can excuse yourself and rest. The plan however, will only work if you agree to it.�

“I’ll work as a spy, if that’s what you want me to do,� Draco answered without being asked.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. “Yes, that actually is part of what I would like for you to do. Since that was the most important part, I can explain the rest to you later. Please head back to your dormitory, and get some rest.�

Draco looked at Hermione; she wasn’t looking at him.

“Goodnight, Professor,� Draco said, and left Dumbledore’s office.

After the door to his office had closed, Dumbledore turned in his chair to face Hermione. Her head was still cast downward, and every now and then a glimpse of a tear could be seen as it fell from Hermione’s face into her lap.

“Now,� Dumbledore said, breaking the long silence. “If you boys would kindly head back to your dormitories, I would like to speak to Ms. Granger.�

“But, Professor,� Harry said. “Shouldn’t we all discuss what’s going to happen?�

“I trust that you, and Mr. Weasley, will be able to give her all the details.� Dumbledore’s face suddenly became serious. “But, I want it understood now, that you, Ms. Granger, will not be participating in this plan.�

Hermione looked up at Dumbledore.

“But…but, Professor, I have to help Harry and Ron with whatever it is. They may need me,� she said weakly.

Dumbledore’s eyes sparkled.

“Do not worry Ms. Granger; you will help them, just not in the way you think.� He turned to Harry and Ron, “Now, if you two would kindly excuse yourselves, Ms. Granger will be along in a moment.�

Harry and Ron got up, and left Dumbledore’s office. Hermione’s tear stained face was turned towards Dumbledore’s, waiting for him to explain what her part in all this would be.

“Now, Ms. Granger,� Dumbledore said. “Mr. Malfoy informed me that he needed to talk to you. I trust he said all he needed to?�

“Yes, Professor, he did.� Hermione cast her eyes downward. “But, with all due respect, I don’t really want to talk about it. I just want to go back to the common room.�

Dumbledore looked at Hermione for several minutes. “I see. Then, I gather you aren’t very willing to accept whatever it is he’s told you?�

“How can I Professor? He’s lied the whole time about what he was, and now he wants me to believe everything he says. I can’t do that.�

Dumbledore sighed. “Very well, Ms. Granger, you may head back to your common room. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley will be waiting up for you.�

“But, Professor,� Hermione said. “You haven’t told me how I am going to be helping Harry and Ron.�

“Yes, I have,� Dumbledore said. “You are tired, Ms. Granger, and I am sure that once you have had some rest, everything will become clearer for you.�

Hermione got up reluctantly, and headed towards the door. She turned and said, “Goodnight, Professor.� As she turned back around to leave the office, she could have sworn that she saw the tiniest of smiles on the headmaster’s lips.

*~*~*~*~

“I see you’ve been given what you deserve.�

Draco turned to see Pansy in the corner of the Slytherin common room. She appeared to him like a vulture, waiting for a weakened animal to die.

Draco ignored her, and continued limping slightly towards the stairs that led to his dormitory.

“In truth, I’m surprised the Dark Lord didn’t kill you.�

“There’s a simple reason for that, Parkinson,� Draco spat. “I am not a traitor. The Dark Lord does not kill his faithful.�

Pansy’s laugh was more like a shriek. “Ha! What a load of rubbish. What did you tell him? That you really don’t like the mudblood? That you’re using her? Is that what you said?�

Draco glared at her, then turned and resumed his walk towards the dormitory stairs.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see how this one ends.�

“It’s going to end with you shutting your fat mouth, before I shut it for you.�

Pansy just laughed again. “Hmm, and with you gone, there will be no one to protect your darling little mudblood. I wonder what tortures-�

“I swear, Parkinson, if I see you even come close to hurting Hermione, I will-�

“Oh, what do we have here? Defensive are we? And you called her ‘Hermione’. So I am right, you do have feelings for that filth!�

Draco’s blue eyes gleamed with murderous intent. “If you touch her, it will be the last thing you do.�

“Ha!� Pansy laughed, and she walked around him to the stairs that lead to the girls dormitories. Draco could hear her laughing the whole way up to her room.

Hermione slowly made her way from Dumbledore’s office, back to the Gryffindor common room.

‘I can’t believe I trusted him. Ron was right all along.’

When she walked through the portrait hole, she saw Harry and Ron sitting by the fire waiting for her. They looked up at her as she entered, but said nothing. She just sat down in an armchair next to Ron, and stared into the fire.

“Umm, Hermione?� Harry spoke uncertainly.

Hermione looked up from the fire, and into Harry’s eyes. She saw the concern that he felt for her.

“I’m sorry,� he said.

“Sorry for what? You didn’t do anything, Harry.�

“I know, but-�

“We know how much you care about Draco, so we’re sorry that you are hurt,� Ron finished for him.

Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes.

‘Ron’s always there for me.’

“I am just tired of things going so wrong,� she said, a few tears falling down her face. She looked into the fire for a few minutes, then sighed, “So, what’s the plan that you all came up with? All Dumbledore told me was, that I would help, but not in the way I think. So, I am completely confused.�

Harry glanced at Ron before speaking. “Well,� he said. “You aren’t going to like it very much.�

“Yeah, I assumed I wouldn’t like it, once I was informed that I wouldn’t be involved. So, what is it?�

“Well,� Harry continued. “Draco is going spy on Voldemort’s movements, but,� he hesitated.

“What?� she looked from Harry to Ron, both of whom seemed reluctant to finish the explanation. “What are you all going to do?� she asked again.


“Dumbledore wants-�

“No, Ron,� Harry cut him off. “Hermione, we aren’t going to tell you what Dumbledore has planned for us to do.�

“What!?� She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “But, Dumbledore told you to tell me. I was there when he told you! Why won’t you tell me?� Tears were starting to form all over again in her eyes.

‘This night just keeps getting worse by the minute,’ she thought sarcastically.

“She’s right mate,� Ron interjected. “Dumbledore did tell us to tell her the plan once she got back.�

Harry shook his head. “Yeah, but don’t you see? If we tell her the plan, it will involve what she needs to do to help us succeed. If we tell her, she might not act in the same way.�

Ron thought for a second, “Yeah, you’re right.�

Hermione was becoming slightly irritated with the pair of them. She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, how the hell am I supposed to help if A, I don’t know the plan, and B, I don’t know in what manner I am supposed to help?�

“Don’t get angry Hermione,� Harry said. “Dumbledore explained it to us, and it’s a bit odd, you know how Dumbledore is, but he said that you would know how to help when the moment arrived. So you see, if we tell you the plan you might not act when you need to, because you’ll be expecting the event.�

Hermione threw up her arms, and rolled her eyes. “More secrets! First Draco, now you two! I can’t do this anymore.� She walked away from them towards the portrait hole.

“Oy! Where are you going?� Ron asked.

“I’m leaving the common room, obviously.�

“Yeah, but Dumbledore reckons that you need to get some rest tonight. He told me and Harry, before you got to his office, not to let you leave after you came back.�

This only served to further anger Hermione. “Well, that’s lovely. Then I guess I’ll be off to bed, since I am being placed in confinement,� she said, and stormed up the stairs.

Harry and Ron sat there in the silence for a few seconds, when Ron spoke, “You think she’ll be alright?� he asked.

“I hope so,� Harry answered, looking at the stairs Hermione had just ascended. “Because, if she doesn’t do what Dumbledore said she has to, a lot of people are going to die.�

Ron grimaced.

After a few moments of silence, they both got up and headed to the boys dormitory, each silently hoping that Hermione would do what was needed.

*~*~*~*~

Hermione woke up the next morning with swollen, puffy eyes from all the crying she had done the previous night. She got out of bed, washed her face, and headed down to the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ron, as always, were there waiting for her to join them.

“‘Morning,� Harry said tentatively.

Hermione forced herself to give him a weak smile. “Good morning, Harry.�

“Should we go down to breakfast then?� Ron asked.

Hermione only nodded in response, and the three of them left the common room, and headed down to the Great Hall.

When they arrived, Hermione kept her gaze on the floor, refusing to look in the direction of the Slytherin table. She didn’t want to have to look at Draco if she could help it.

After breakfast, they all got up to head to their first class, which unfortunately was Potions. Hermione was not thrilled by the prospect of Potions class; it was easy to avoid Draco in the Great Hall, or the castle in general, but it was going to be hard in Potions when Draco sat directly in her line of sight.

“Guys, what if I don’t go to Potions today? Will you cover for me?�

“What!?� Harry and Ron both exclaimed at the same time. Neither could believe the words had come from Hermione.

“Hermione,� Harry said. “You’re not going to skip Potions, just because of what’s happened. You’d be angry with yourself if we let you.�

“Yeah,� agreed Ron. “Plus, if you start skipping, it will be a signal to everyone else that its time to quit this school rubbish if the know-it-all Hermione Granger isn’t even going to class anymore.�

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. Ron always had a way of making her feel better, even when she thought it wasn’t possible.

“Yeah, that’s true,� she responded. “You two would be lost without me anyway.�

“There’s the Hermione we know,� Harry said with a bit of a smile. “Everything will be fine. We’ll be there to get you through it.�

She smiled at them, a smile that quickly disappeared when they entered the Potions classroom. The first person she made eye contact with was, Draco. His gaze made her pause for the briefest of seconds, before she sat down waiting for the instructions from Slughorn for today’s potion.

*~*~*~*~

His breath had caught in his chest when she made eye contact with him. There was something about those eyes. She hadn’t looked over at him once during breakfast, and as horrible as it was, he was glad that Potions would at least force her to have to look at him.

Draco turned around to listen to the instructions from Slughorn. They were all to pick a potion to brew as a gift for someone, and they would have 3 class periods to complete it, and could come in on appointment to work on it if it took more time; Slughorn’s idea of a nice little project.

Once they all were working on the day’s task, he turned again to look at Hermione. She was hard at work trying to complete the assignment.

‘I’m a prat,’ Draco thought.

He turned to his copy of Advanced Potion Making, and leafed though the pages. Page 277 caught his eye. He read what the potions effects were and looked back at Hermione.

‘Maybe this will show her, better than I can tell her.’

Wondering vaguely what potion she was making, and for whom she was making it, he took out his ingredients, and began making his gift for Hermione.

Over the next week, Hermione put all her energy into the project that Slughorn had assigned them. She had decided to brew some Felix Felicis for Ron. He had been there for her, and she really hadn’t appreciated his friendship like she should have.


Keeping herself busy with brewing the potion had helped to keep her mind off of Draco; not permanently, but enough to get her to the point where she no longer cried herself to sleep.


“Oh ho! What do we have here, Felix Felicis?�


“Yes, sir,� Hermione answered, as Slughorn passed by her caldron.


“Well, that must be a good friend, for you to brew that. It’s a very advanced potion. Carry on, Ms. Granger,� Slughorn said, and continued walking around the dungeon classroom.


She had seen Draco look over when Slughorn had exclaimed about her potion, but she had resisted the urge to look at him. Now that Slughorn had moved on however, with nothing to fix her gaze on, she made eye contact with Draco.


There as a look in his eyes that she had never seen before, and she wasn’t exactly sure what it was.


‘Ha! He better not have any illusions that I am brewing this for him,’ she thought.


She went back to concentrating on her potion; she wanted to make sure it turned out perfect for Ron.


She glanced at Ron and Harry. They too were concentrating on their potions, not saying a word. She thought she knew why; they had decided that they didn’t want to make it anymore uncomfortable for her in Potions than it already was.


‘I couldn’t have asked for better friends.’


Hermione sighed and began stirring the half finished Felix Felicis; clockwise how her text book instructed.


*~*~*~*~


He looked up when Slughorn had exclaimed that Hermione was brewing Felix Felicis. He knew that she wasn’t brewing it for him, but he still found it interesting that she had chosen that particular potion.


‘Well, not really,’ he thought. ‘She is probably brewing it for Potter and Weasely, thinking that it will help in the plan Dumbledore’s come up with.’


Dumbledore’s plan. He had been called back to Dumbledore’s office two days ago, and Dumbledore had told him his idea. It was a clever idea, but also risky; he knew they would lose some people. He hoped to God that Hermione wouldn’t be one of them.


His part in the whole thing was the most complicated. He was now working on increasing his power as an Occlumens with Professor Snape; if he didn’t master this skill they were all as good as dead, including Hermione.


Draco sighed when Hermione looked away from him, and turned back to the potion that he was making for her. It was very complex, and he had been working feverishly on it, making sure Slughorn never exclaimed about it so that Hermione would not know what he was making.


‘I hope it will at least get her to think better of me.’


The bell sounded and Draco set his caldron aside and put away his things. He got up and headed towards the door. He got to the door just as Hermione, Ron and Harry were trying to leave. He just stared at Hermione, who stared back for a moment, and then exited the class room. Ron walked out after her with a mixed expression of hatred and pity on his face; Draco was no fool, he knew Ron fancied Hermione, but was controlling himself because of how distressed Hermione was. Harry on the other hand had an apologetic look on his face as he left the class room after the other two.


Draco sighed. ‘Well,’ he thought. ‘This is what I get.’


*~*~*~*~


Later that night, Draco sat at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, but he didn’t join in with everyone else eating dinner. He was looking over at the Gryffindor table, staring at the back of Hermione’s head. She had started sitting with her back to him.


“Ah!� Draco let out an involuntary gasp of pain. He looked down at his left arm, but didn’t have to roll up his sleeve to know that the Dark Mark there was as vivid as ever. He was being summoned.


Several people at the Slytherin table had looked up at his gasp of pain, but he glared at them, and they went back to eating their dinner.


He couldn’t wait that much longer before meeting the Dark Lord, or there would be consequences, but he had to tell Dumbledore before he left.


Draco got up and headed to the staff table. When he got there, he addressed Dumbledore.


“Excuse me, sir,� he said. “But, I need to speak with you, its important.�


Dumbledore looked at him and nodded. “Ok, Mr. Malfoy, lets step out onto the grounds.�


Dumbledore got up and walked out onto the castle grounds with Draco. Once they were a good distance from the front doors, he spoke.


“Voldemort is summoning you, isn’t he?� Dumbledore asked.


“Yes, sir,� Draco said. “Um, what do I...I mean, how do I do this?�


“Well, the most important thing is that you maintain the block on your mind. I’m afraid that is all I can tell you. You, will have to come up with satisfactory answers to any of his questions, and try to learn as much as you can, without being detected.�


“Right,� Draco said with a grimace.


Dumbledore looked at him with a sorrowful expression. “I’m sorry to have to ask this of you, Draco. I have Severus, but Voldemort has become too suspicious of him lately.�


“It’s alright,� Draco answered. “I want to do this. He’s the reason Herm-…I mean, he’s the reason my life is so screwed up. I want to help get rid of him.�


Dumbledore nodded. “You better go, Voldemort will not be forgiving if you are late.�


Draco nodded and began to walk towards the Apparition point. Before Draco departed, Dumbledore spoke.


“Draco, do not let it trouble or distract you. It will work out, but you must keep it buried deep in your mind.�


Draco nodded, then turned and Disapparated.


When he reappeared, he was standing in the usual graveyard Voldemort summoned his Death Eaters to. He didn’t see Voldemort right away, which made him very uneasy. He double checked that his mind was sufficiently prepared to block any attempt at entrance.


All of a sudden he heard movement behind him, and turned to see Voldemort. Draco bowed low.


All of a sudden, felt a strong force pressing against his head, as if something was trying to break through his skull.


“You are blocking me,� Voldemort hissed. “What are you hiding from your master?�


“I am hiding nothing, my Lord,� Draco answered, while trying to maintain the block in his mind.


“You are! Do not lie to your master!� Voldemort hissed. “Show me.� His voice was murderously low, and Draco felt the force in his head increase in strength, but he fought it.


Then the pressure eased, and Voldemort stopped his attempt to gain access to his mind. Draco didn’t dare look up at him.


“Who has been instructing you in Occlumency?� he asked.


“No one, my Lord, I have been teaching myself.�


“Do not lie!� Voldemort hissed. “Crucio!�


Draco’s knees hit the ground, and were soon followed by the rest of his body, as he fell screaming and writhing on the ground at Voldemort’s feet. He couldn’t think. It was getting harder to maintain the block in his mind, but then, when he thought he could hold out no longer, Voldemort lifted the curse.


“Now, tell me,� came his snake like voice. “Who has been instructing you in Occlumency?�


This time however, instead of waiting for an answer, Voldemort again tried to enter Draco’s mind. Draco felt his presence just at the edge of the weakening barrier. He fought hard to keep it in place, which was difficult in his weakened state.


“Show me who,� Voldemort ordered.


Draco tried to maintain control, but was unable to keep the image of Snape from coming to the forefront of his mind in answer to the question. At once the force that was trying to enter his mind disappeared.


“Severus,� Voldemort whispered. “He, is a powerful Occlumens, which accounts for your learned ability. But, why has he made it his job to teach you Occlumency?�


Draco coughed as he answered. “He thought…he thought it would be a good skill, my Lord, in case I were to ever be captured and questioned.�


“Then why,� bellowed Voldemort. “Are you using it against your master!? Crucio!�


Again, Draco was writhing and screaming in pain. This time Voldemort did not stop to ask him another question, he wasn’t stopping at all. Draco thought he would go mad with all the pain, or be killed. He could already feel blood flowing out of his mouth and down the side of his face. Against his will he thought of Hermione. At once the curse stopped.


Voldemort swooped down, and pulled Draco up towards him by his hair.


“So, you did lie,� Voldemort said. “I am no fool. I knew you were never loyal to me. Dumbledore won’t be acquiring another spy.� He drew Draco’s blood stained face closer to his. “You are dying. It is going to be slow and painful for you,� he hissed. “But, you have enough strength left to Apparate back to Hogwarts. Go, I want you to die there.�


Voldemort stood up looking down at Draco. Draco was struggling to get breath; each attempt caused sharp pain and more blood to issue from his mouth.


“Go,� Voldemort said, with an evil hiss. “I want that filthy Mudblood to watch you die.�

Draco didn’t know if he had made it back to the Hogwarts gate. He was sure that his lack of strength would cause him to splinch himself, or that he would die before he reached his destination.

He had the faint sensation of being carried, and wondered if this was it, if he was dying. Then, darkness enveloped him.

*~*~*~*~

“Severus!� Dumbledore said, in an unnaturally strained voice, as he burst into Severus’ office carrying Draco’s limp body. “He is still alive, tortured by the looks of him, severely.�

Snape stepped over to Draco, who Dumbledore had laid upon his desk, and said a few incantations. A deep red light glowed over Draco’s body.

“He has massive internal damage. I am not sure I’ll be able to stop the bleeding in time,� Snape said, but began waving his wand over Draco’s body, his face taught with concentration.

The deep red light that was glowing over Draco’s body began to turn to lighter, and lighter tints of red; Snape’s skin grew paler with each passing minute. When Snape put down his wand, he was breathing as though he’d just run a great distance, and the light was still a faint pink.

“He is still bleeding internally, Severus,� Dumbledore said, pointing at the pink light. “But Poppy should be able to help fix the rest. You saved his life.�

Snape nodded, but said in a slightly angry tone, “you should have sent me, Albus; I would have been able to withstand this. You knew he was not yet strong enough.�

Dumbledore looked down, with a sad expression, at Draco’s body. “No,� he said, shaking his head slightly. “Draco was the one who needed to go.�

“But, what did it accomplish!?� Snape asked furiously. “He was nearly killed, what have we gained by-� but Snape stopped, he understood what Dumbledore’s plan had been. “Did he know that’s why you sent him? Did he have any idea?�

Dumbledore looked at Snape. “No, he didn’t. He would not have succeeded if he had known; he would not have returned alive.� Dumbledore picked Draco up, and carried him up to the Hospital Wing.

*~*~*~*~

Hermione, Ron, and Harry had all noticed when Draco had left the Great Hall with Dumbledore.

When neither returned however, they finished their dinner and headed back up to the Gryffindor common room.

“Where do you think they were going?� Hermione asked, as they sat down in the armchairs in front of the fire.

She was staring at the flames, so she didn’t notice the worried looks exchanged between Ron and Harry.

“No idea,� Ron said, trying his best to sound casual. “My guess is that Dumbledore wanted to discuss the plan in more detail.�

“Yes, but, Draco was the one who went up to Dumbledore,� Hermione countered.

“He probably had a question. Dumbledore is asking a lot of him,� Harry chimed in.

Hermione continued staring into the fireplace. After a few minutes long silence, Harry spoke again.

“Hermione,� he began slowly, “why don’t you try to give him another chance? As much as I hate to believe it, he is truly sorry about lying to you.�

Hermione looked over at Harry, who had a pained expression on his face.

“I just hate seeing you like this, its not good for you, and I know that is has to do with him.�

Hermione smiled.

‘I really do have the best friends,’ she thought.

“Thank you, Harry. It means a lot that you care so much about me,� she looked at Ron. “But, I can’t keep holding on to this illusion I have about Draco.� She held Ron’s gaze for a little while longer, and then she got up.

“Where are you going?� Harry asked.

“I need to go to bed,� Hermione answered. “This is over. You are right about this not being good for me, so I’m stopping it.�

“What do you mean?� Ron asked.

“I mean,� Hermione sighed. “I mean, that I’m not going to waste time crying over Draco, I’m finished with it. I made a wrong choice, but…he’s not the only guy in the world, and there are more important things happening right now.� And she left for the girl’s dormitory.

*~*~*~*~

Voldemort’s laughter rang out over the graveyard.

Draco stared, eyes wide with horror, and his face drained of all blood, as he watched Hermione scream and writhe with pain at the Dark Lord’s feet.

“These are the consequences for betraying your master,� Voldemort hissed.

Draco struggled against the vines Voldemort had conjured out of the ground, but with each attempt, the vines tightened around his arms and legs.

“First,� Voldemort said. “I will kill her…slowly. You’ll want to pay attention, because when I am finished with this filth, I will do the same thing to you.�

Tears were rolling down Draco’s face. He continued to struggle against his restraints, but was now having difficulty because the vines were cutting off his circulation, causing his arms and legs to go numb. He couldn’t get to her; he couldn’t save her…she was going to die, and it was his fault. He had failed to protect her.

“That’s right,� Voldemort hissed, reading his thoughts. “You killed her.�

Hermione stopped writhing and screaming. For one split second, her eyes met his, then, there was a flash of green light.

Hermione’s body lay there, lifeless, and her empty eyes stared into Draco’s, while Voldemort laughed.

*~*

Draco woke up with a jolt, tears streaming down his face, his heart pounding. He’d been having the same nightmare for the past week. Always ending with Hermione dead, and him unable to even attempt to save her.

He leaned back against his pillow; he was still in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey had insisted that he stay to regain his strength, and the blood that he had lost. He was ready to leave; he wanted to see for himself that Hermione was still safe.

“Good, you’re awake.�

Draco looked around, and was startled to find that the person walking down the ward towards him was Harry.

“Is Hermione alright? Where is she? Does she know what -�

“Quiet,� Harry interrupted. He waited to make sure Draco wasn’t going to start talking again, and then he continued. “Yes, Hermione is fine, and she is obviously still here in the castle. But, no, she doesn’t know what happened to you. She still thinks that you are on some mission that Dumbledore gave you.�

“What!?� Draco exclaimed. “Why hasn’t anyone told her anything? I’m mean, it’s not like she’ll come running to see me if she knows, but why is she being lied to?�

Harry looked towards Madam Pomfrey’s door, took out his wand, and cast the Mufliato spell.

Draco’s eyes widened slightly. “What, exactly do you need to tell me, that you are afraid of being overheard?�

Harry looked at him for a moment before he spoke. “You can’t tell Hermione what happened when you left the castle.�

“Why -�

“Because,� Harry interrupted again. “It’s too early for her to know about anything that’s going on.�

Draco looked at Harry with a confused expression on his face.

‘Why would it be too early for...’ Draco knew the answer before he finished his thought. Hermione was out of the loop. Draco sighed.

‘This is better,’ he thought. ‘Maybe this way she won’t get hurt.’ But then, Draco repeated what Harry had said in his mind.

“What do you mean ‘too early for her to know’?� he asked Harry.

“Well,� Harry started. “Dumbledore intends her to know eventually, but not right now. He said that there will be a critical moment, where she will be the one who can either help or hinder us, but that that moment isn’t here yet, so for now she can’t know anything.�

Draco’s mind was becoming a bit jumbled.

“So,� he spoke slowly. “Wait, you’re telling me that she is part of the plan then?�

“Yes,� Harry said.

“Well then, why the hell didn’t Dumbledore tell me!?�

Harry was silent for a few moments. Draco looked at him, and the feeling that he might not be in the loop began to creep over him.

“He didn’t tell you,� Harry said. “Because, you don’t know what’s going on either.�

“Is Dumbledore, out of his mind?� Draco asked.

Harry laughed, “I asked him the same thing, before you guys got to the office, but now, I am starting to think that this has a good chance of working.�

Draco nodded. “Yeah, ok,� he sighed. “So, what’s Hermione’s part in all this?�

“I can’t tell you.�

“Why the bloody hell not!?�

“Because,� Harry said, calmly. “You knowing could affect the outcome, which, I might add, will either turn out to be complete genius or suicide.�

Draco stared up at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing. He should have guessed that is what he had been sent for, it made sense now; they wanted to prod Voldemort into acting when they would be able to control most of the variables in the situation.

‘Risky,’ Draco thought. ‘But still a good idea, especially if we can pull off the last part.’

“So,� Harry spoke. “About, Hermione.�

Draco turned his head to look at him. “What about her?�

Harry’s face became stern. “Look, you hurt her, bad. What I want to know, truthfully is; do you love her?�

“Yeah, I do,� Draco said, almost defiantly.

Harry chuckled. “Chill out, just doing my brotherly duty, making sure she’s not falling for someone who isn’t worth it.�

“Her brother, ha,� Draco scoffed.

“Hey, she doesn’t have one, so somebody’s gotta look out for her.�

“Yes, someone does have to look out for her,� Draco said, very seriously.

Harry understood his meaning. “Nothing will happen to her.�

Draco nodded, and Harry turned and left the Hospital Wing.

‘Drawing the Dark Lord to Hogwarts, what the hell is he thinking?’ Draco pondered this question, until he fell asleep.

*~*~*~*~

“Hey, Hermione, wait!�

Hermione turned to see Harry running down the hall towards her.

“Hey, Harry, where have you been?�

“The Hospital Wing.�

“Why, is everything ok?� Hermione asked, alarmed.

Harry nodded. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I was just, uh, visiting a friend who hasn’t been feeling too well.�

Hermione glared at him. “Who?�

“Uh, you wouldn’t know him, he’s in another house.�

“Well, ok, but who-�

“Look,� Harry said quickly, changing the subject. “How’s your Felix Felicis coming? Because, I think it would be good that we have that over the summer, I think Dumbledore is going to be having us look for Horcruxes with him.�

“Uh, it’s going well, it should actually be finished soon.�

“Ok, well, there’s something I need to tell you.�

They stopped walking down the hall, and Hermione turned to look at him.

“Harry, if this is about Draco, I really don’t want to hear-�

“No,� Harry shook his head, interrupting her. “This isn’t about him. I need your help with something.�

Hermione’s face both brightened and looked worrisome at the same time.

‘Oh, finally! He is going to ask me to help them.’

“Alright, Harry, what is it?�

“Next week, I am going to be leaving the castle with Dumbledore.�

“What!?� Hermione gasped.

“Yeah, he thinks he’s found another Horcrux, and he said that this time I can go with him. Anyway, but that’s why I need to know how far along you are with the Felix Felicis, because I think you guys should have some with you, just in case.�

“Wait, why? Do you think something is going to happen here?�

“I dunno, maybe. I just want you guys to be safe.�

“Yeah, ok, well the potion should be done soon, and we’ll have plenty to go around.�

Harry nodded. “Good. Well, I’ll talk to you later, there’s Quidditch practice and I’m running a bit late.�

“Oh, well you better get going, you’re captain.�

“See you,� Harry said, and he headed down the corridor and around the corner out of sight.

Hermione stood there for a moment, thinking.

‘Who on earth could Harry be visiting in the Hospital Wing?’

She was half tempted to go walk by the Hospital Wing, just to satisfy her curiosity, but she decided instead to go back to the common room like she had originally intended.

*~*~*~*~

“Where are you going Hermione?� Harry asked.

Hermione, Harry and Ron were sitting around the common room fire, when Hermione got up and headed towards the portrait hole.

“Oh, I just uh, I just have to go to the library for a minute,� she said, looking down at her left hand which was playing with a thread on her robes.

“Alright, well don’t take too long, I need you to look over this essay,� Ron said, with a grimace.

Hermione nodded, and turned and left the common room.

‘Sorry guys,’ she thought, and headed towards the Hospital Wing. ‘No one will tell me anything, so I’ll find out on my own.’

*~*

“No! Hermione!� Draco woke up sweating, heart pounding for the tenth day in a row. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the nightmare.

‘I have to stop this, I have to keep her safe,’ he thought, head bowed, eyes closed.

“Draco.�

His eyes snapped open, but he didn’t look up.

‘Was that…’

Draco slowly looked towards the door of the Hospital Wing. There, standing completely still, mouth slightly open, skin white as a sheet, was Hermione.

“Draco…Draco, what, what happened?� Hermione asked, moving slowly towards him.

Draco couldn’t answer; all he could do was stare, unblinkingly at her.

‘What is she doing here? Why would she…’ his thoughts were scattered. He was still shaken from the nightmare, and seeing Hermione standing before him was playing tricks with his mind.

“Draco, what happened to you?� Hermione asked again, finally reaching the side of his bed, and sitting down in the chair that was next to it.

“I…What are you doing here?�

Hermione’s brow furrowed slightly. “I ran into Harry earlier. He had just come from visiting someone in the Hospital Wing, but he wouldn’t tell me who. So, I told them I was going to the library so I could come see for myself. How long have you been here?�

Draco looked down at his hands. “A little over a week.�

“What!? And no one told me!�

Draco coughed out a laugh.

“What’s funny? You have been in the Hospital Wing for over a week, I’m not stupid, you had to have been seriously hurt,� she looked down at her own hands.

“Someone should have told me,� she said, in a sad whisper.

Draco looked over at Hermione’s lowered head. He was struggling with two very opposite emotions.

‘She must care, she wouldn’t have sounded so worried if she didn’t…But I can’t, she can’t…I have to save her.’

“Hermione, why are you still here?�

“What?� she asked looking up.

“Why are you here? I would have thought you would have turned around and left the minute you saw it was me in the hospital bed.�

“Well, I…� Hermione hesitated.

“You need to leave,� Draco said.

“No,� Hermione said.

Draco looked at her.

“Hermione, you have to leave. I don’t need you here.�

“Ha! That is what all of you keep telling me. ‘Hermione, no, you can’t help,’ or ‘Hermione, no, we don’t need you yet,’ and well I’m just-�

“It’s true,� Draco said, interrupting her.

“But, why?� Hermione asked, tears welling up in her eyes. “Why can’t I help?�

Draco’s heart broke seeing the hurt look in her eyes. “Why would you even want to help me in the first place?�

Hermione looked down.

“Look, it’s alright, I don’t need you just feeling sorry for me-�

“No,� Hermione said, shaking her head. “That’s not-�

“You haven’t wanted anything to do with me since you found out I was…since you found out, so it’s alright…its fine.�

“That’s not it. Draco, I want to help. I want to feel like I am helping the people I love.�

Draco felt as if his heart had stopped.

‘No…she has to mean Potter and Weasley…she can’t mean me.’

“Its fine, Hermione, really it is. You can go find a way to help Potter and Weasley…you should go, they need you more than I do.�

Tears began to find their way down Hermione’s face.

“Draco, I’m so sorry about how I’ve been. I shouldn’t have-�

“No,� Draco said, interrupting. “No, you reacted just like I knew you would. I’m just sorry that I let you get hurt. I shouldn’t have even let it get that far.�

“But, Draco,� Hermione said, reaching her hand towards his.

Draco pulled his hand away, and looked at her now tear stained face.

“You really should go,� he said, his voice cracking with the effort of keeping himself from losing what little resolve he had left.

He saw the pain rip across her eyes, but she nodded her head and slowly got up from the chair.

*~*

‘I can’t do this anymore,’ Hermione thought, stopping her movement. She was still standing next to Draco’s bed in the Hospital Wing. ‘I…’

She turned towards Draco, and with out thinking, put her hand on the right side of his face, leaned down, and kissed him.

*~*

Draco’s heart pounded, ready to explode from his chest as he felt her put her hand on his face and saw her lean towards him.

He felt her lips meet his, and a shock of electricity went scorching through his body. He felt her quiver slightly; she was still crying. His hand came up to find the side of her face, as his brain finally reconnected and he tried to kiss her back, but she had already pulled away.

“Draco, I-�

“Hermione,� he said, interrupting her yet again, this time not able to keep his own tears from falling. “Hermione, you have to leave now.�

He wanted to die right then and there, as Hermione began to cry harder and turned and ran out of the Hospital Wing.

Draco put his head back on his pillow, tears freely flowing from his eyes. He was shaking all over. Slowly he brought his hand up and touched the place on his lips where her lips had been moments before.

“I’m sorry,� he whispered, into the dark Hospital Wing.

That night, Draco Malfoy cried himself to sleep.

Madam Pomfrey released Draco from the Hospital Wing two days after Hermione’s visit. As he headed towards the Slytherin common room, all he could think about was how her lips had felt on his.

‘She loves me? She was going to say it…I interrupted her…but why…’

His thoughts were scattered. Every time he thought about Hermione, his breath would catch in his chest, and he would shake with the same feeling he had felt when she had kissed him two nights before.

Draco entered the Slytherin common room, and finding it empty; it was after all a Saturday, he decided to sit down in front of the fire to think.

‘This is bad,’ Draco thought, putting his face in his hands. ‘Bad, bad, bad…this has to stop, but…’

Draco sighed, and leaned back in the armchair with his eyes closed.

“Aw, what do we have here? Worried for your mudblood girlfriend?�

Draco nearly jumped out of his skin, and turned around to see Pansy standing by the entrance to the common room. Draco groaned.

‘Oh Merlin, not this again.’

“What do you want, Parkinson? I’m not in the mood for your games,� he said, in a tone that clearly emphasized his hatred.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t be.�

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. “What is that supposed to mean?�

“Oh, you don’t know?� Pansy asked mockingly. “That’s strange, because according to the story, you were there.�

‘What is she on about?’

“For Merlin’s sake, get to the blasted point will you!�

Pansy laughed, “Have you seen your filthy little girlfriend since you’ve been back?�

“No,� Draco answered. “And she’s not my girlfriend.�

“Oh, that’s not what the rest of the school thinks,� she said, sitting on the couch across from him.

Draco was getting a little tired of this, and was about to share this sentiment, when Pansy looked up directly into his eyes.

“People usually don’t go around kissing a girl they’re not going out with.�

*~*~*~*~

“How did this happen?� Hermione whined, tears threatening to fall from behind the curtain of her eyelashes. “How is it that everyone knows I kissed Draco in the Hospital Wing?�

She looked from Harry to Ron, both of whom had sympathetic and apologetic looks on their faces.

“Well,� Harry said. “You did run back into the common room in absolute tears, and when we asked you what was wrong, you sorta told the entire common room what happened.�

“Oh,� Hermione groaned, and she put her head in her hands.

‘What…what was I thinking?’

“Oh, and I don’t care what you say, Hermione,� Harry continued. “I am going to hex that little ferret bastard when I see him next. This is taking things too far.�

Hermione looked up. “Oh, no, Harry, don’t. Really, he doesn’t -�

“He does!� Harry exclaimed. “He loves you, and he’s being a complete prat, and I am not going to let him get away with treating you the way he has.�

Hermione stared into Harry’s green eyes.

“Harry,� she said in a small voice. “How…how do you know that he loves me?�

“Well, because I bloody asked him didn’t I? I had to make sure that he did, it’s my job.�

“Your job?�

“Yeah, my job. I’m the only brother you have, I had to make sure.�

Hermione looked down at her hands, and wiped the tear that had crossed the barrier and landed on her thumb, onto her robes.

‘He…he loves me?…but why…’

“Harry,� she said, looking up at him. “I love you, you really are like the brother I never had…I just…just please, do this for me…just leave Draco alone.�

“But-�

“No, please, Harry,� Hermione said, the hurt in her eyes pleading with him to fulfill her request.

Harry sighed, “Alright, if that’s what you want, I’ll leave him alone.� He pointed his index finger roughly at her. “But I promise you, Hermione, if he gets one more strike in my book, I am going to have to kick his snotty little ferret arse.�

“Here, here,� Ron said, giving his agreement and vow to join in.

Hermione put her head against the back on the armchair she was sitting in, closed her eyes and sighed.

‘Why did I kiss him?’

*~*~*~*~

Monday afternoon found Hermione standing outside the Potions classroom, shaking slightly.

“I can’t go in there,� Hermione said, turning around as if she was going to walk back up the staircase that led to the dungeons.

“Oh, yes you can,� Harry and Ron said together, grabbing her arm and turning her back around to face the door to the Potions classroom.

Hermione was shaking all over.

‘Oh God, oh God, oh God…why do things like this happen to me?’

“Hermione,� Harry said, grabbing hold of her shoulders and making her look at him. “Everyone knows what happened in the Hospital Wing-�

Hermione whimpered.

“And,� Harry continued. “I know that the only people in that class are a bunch of Slytherins, a few people from the other houses, and specifically Draco, but you will go in there and it will be fine.�

“Yeah, Hermione, come on. Pluck up that Gryffindor courage,� Ron added in encouragement.

Hermione looked back and forth between the two of them. She felt as if she was going to be sick, and wished that Harry wasn’t holding her there so she could run back to the safety of the common room.

‘Ok…ok…I can do this,’ she thought, breathing deeply. ‘It’s not that big a deal. I kissed him…oh God why did I kiss him?’

“Harry, I dunno-�

Harry shook his head. “Nope, no more excuses, in ya go.�

Next thing Hermione knew, she was shoved through the classroom door, and as luck would have it, the first person she made eye contact with was…

‘Draco Malfoy…of all people I could fall for…’

“Whoa, whoa, there she is, and making eyes at Malfoy. What’s the matter Granger, got a taste of a Slytherin and now you’re looking as if you want to change houses,� Blaise Zambini taunted her when he entered the class room.

Hermione blushed and looked down at the floor, concentrating on finding her way to her usual table.

“You shut it, you stupid git,� Ron said to Blaise.

Hermione didn’t see the threatening look Draco shot Blaise from across their table.

Luckily Professor Slughorn came into the classroom, which effectively kept anyone from getting into a row.

“Alright, settle down, settle down,� Slughorn said. “Now, again today, we will be working on our projects. Most of you should be almost finished, so let’s get going.�

Hermione busied herself with finishing the Felix Felicis she was brewing.

‘Just concentrate…concentrate…,’ she kept repeating to herself in her head. She needed to finish the potion by the end of the week.

*~*

Draco took out his ingredients and his potion book. The week he’d spent in the Hospital Wing had set him back a great deal with the potion he was making for Hermione.

He raised his hand, and Professor Slughorn walked over to him.

“Ah, Mr. Malfoy, yes, Dumbledore told me about your…er…circumstances. If you would like, you may come by the class room in the evenings and try and make up for lost brewing time.�

“Thank you, sir,� Draco answered.

“But, if you don’t mind me asking my boy,� Slughorn continued. “What is it you are brewing? You’ve been very secretive with your potion.�

“Well, sir, it’s for a friend of mine, who’s in this class, and I don’t want her – I mean, I don’t want them finding out,� Draco said, hoping the potions master would decide to drop the subject.

Slughorn chuckled, “Oh, come now, I can keep a secret. You will after all, have to tell me eventually, seeing as how I will be grading your potion making skills.�

Draco hesitated for a moment.

“Ok, but please do not say it loud enough for anyone to hear,� he asked, and he opened his potions book to the right page and pointed at the potion he was making.

Slughorn’s eyes widened. “Your Eyes,� he whispered. “That is a very complicated and very complex potion. It involves both potion brewing and infusing the potion with charms at very specific intervals.�

Draco nodded. “Yes, sir, it’s proved to be the most difficult potion I’ve ever tried to make.�

“Well,� Slughorn beamed. “If you pull it off, you’ll earn top marks. It usually takes someone at the level of Master Potion Maker to have the skill and experience to brew it. Giving someone the chance to see something the way you envision it, very complicated. Not many people get the chance to see something from someone else’s perspective. I hope whoever you give it to, appreciates it.�

With that, Slughorn moved on to check on everyone else’s progress.

Draco looked over at Hermione, who was concentrating on the Felix Felicis in front of her.

“I hope she does too,� Draco whispered, and he turned back around to continue working on the potion.

*~*

“Psst, Harry,� Ron whispered out of the corner of his mouth, so that Hermione couldn’t hear.

Harry glanced at Hermione before answering, “Yeah?�

“Do we tell her now?�

Harry shook his head slightly. “No,� he said. “Not yet, we have to wait.�

“How much longer? We have to do it soon.�

“When the Felix Felicis is finished, then we tell her. We can’t have her getting distracted, we need that potion.�

Ron nodded slightly, and both boys went back to working on their potions.

Hermione woke up on Tuesday, and got dressed slowly. She rubbed her eyes; the dreams where she would wake up with an image of Draco’s eyes before her had started again.


She didn’t have to worry about going to Potions, but there was always the chance of running into Draco while going from class to class.


‘Ok,’ Hermione thought, sighing and looking into her mirror. ‘I can do this. I have to do this. I can’t let this distract me, I have to finish the Felix Felicis tomorrow, and I have to get ready for whatever may happen this weekend…I won’t let this affect me.’


Hermione nodded to herself in the mirror, turned and grabbed her scarf and bag off her bed, and left her room.


When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she noticed that neither Harry nor Ron were there waiting for her like they usually did. She frowned slightly, but decided to continue down to the Great Hall for some breakfast.


When she reached the Entrance Hall, she just started at the doorway leading into the Great Hall.


‘Just walk in, and sit at the Gryffindor table,’ she thought to herself.


She took a deep breath, and walked into the Great Hall. She saw Draco look up at her when she entered, but she determinedly focused on the Gryffindor table and sat down with her back to him.


‘OK,’ she thought, and let out the breath she was holding.


She looked up and down the Gryffindor table, but Harry and Ron weren’t there either. Now she was starting to worry.


‘Where on earth could those two be?’


“Hermione!�


Hermione turned to see Ginny running towards her.


“Ginny, hey, what’s up?�


“Well,� Ginny huffed, sitting down next to Hermione and loading her plate with eggs and toast. “My brother, and my boyfriend are missing this morning, and I wanted to know if you knew where they went.�


Hermione shook her head. “No, actually, I don’t. I was going to ask you if you knew where they were.�


Ginny looked nervous when she asked, “Do you think they are doing something for Dumbledore?�


Hermione grimaced.


“I dunno, maybe. But you would think they would have at least hinted that they weren’t going to be here this morning, so we wouldn’t worry.�


“Yeah,� Ginny sighed. “Well, the only thing to do then is to accept that they are fine and continue on with our day, I’m sure they’ll be here for class.�


Hermione nodded, and started to put some food onto her plate. She was putting jelly on her toast, when she glanced over at Ginny who was staring at her intently.


“Ginny,� Hermione said. “I can feel your eyes burning a hole through me, if you want to ask me something, ask.�


A mischievous smile broke out across Ginny’s face. “So, is it true? Did you really kiss Malfoy?�


Hermione sighed. She knew her best friend couldn’t resist this kind of gossip.


“Yes, it’s true.�


Ginny let out a giggle and grabbed Hermione’s arm.


“Sooo,� Ginny giggled.


“Sooo, what?�


“Ugh! Hermione, please, come on, we are gossiping! So, how was it? Did he kiss you back? Have you talked to him? Are you guys dating now?�


“Whoa, whoa, Ginny, oh my God, where did all that come from?�

“Hermione,� Ginny said, exasperated. “You kissed Malfoy! I knew you liked him, but you didn’t tell me you like him that much!�


Hermione blushed slightly and said, “Well, I just recently admitted it to myself.�


Ginny giggled excitedly again. “So, are you going to answer my questions or what?�


“Well, there’s nothing really to tell. I kissed him, and then he told me to leave, so-�


Ginny gasped, “He told you to leave?�


Hermione nodded.


“What is his problem,� Ginny said, turning to glare over at the Slytherin table.


“No, Ginny,� Hermione said, turning her back around. “Don’t look over there.�


“Oh,� Ginny laughed again. “Don’t want him to know we’re talking about him, I see.�


“Ginny, please, can we stop talking about this?�


Ginny just shot her a glare. “You know, Hermione, there’s a reason you kissed him. You should go talk to him.�


“And, what?� Hermione asked. “Yell at him for being stubborn, and tell him that no matter how many times he tells me to leave, I’m not going to?�


“Yes,� Ginny said simply, taking a bite out of her toast.


“Ugh,� Hermione said, putting her head on the table. “Ginny, it’s not that simple.�


“Yes, it is. You like him, he obviously likes you, and therefore, I don’t see the problem.�


Hermione just looked up and stared at her.


Ginny stared back.


Hermione sighed, “Yeah, ok, I know I can’t go forever without talking to him, I just can’t right now, alright?�


“Fine,� Ginny said. “But promise that you will, or else I will make you.�


“Ok, I promise.�


“Good,� Ginny said, getting up. “I have to go, gunna be late for Transfiguration. I’ll talk to you later.�


“Ok, see you.�


Hermione sighed, and looked down at her half eaten breakfast. She needed to go too, or she was going to be late for Ancient Runes.


*~*~*~*~


He had caught the murderous glare Ginny had sent his way, and he saw Hermione turn her back around towards the Gryffindor table.


‘I bet I know what that was for,’ he thought.


He stared at the back of Hermione’s head the whole time he was eating his breakfast; barely concentrating on the food he was consuming.


After a while he saw Ginny get up, leaving Hermione alone at the Gryffindor table. A few minutes later he saw Hermione get up and head for the Entrance Hall. He quickly took another swig of pumpkin juice, and followed her.


“Hermione,� he called, as she was beginning to climb the stairs.


She turned to face him, and he could see her tense up. He walked over to the bottom of the stair case; she was two steps above him.


They stared at each other for a few minutes; he saw her fidget with a loose string on her scarf.


“Did you want to tell me something?� she asked, and he could hear the nervousness in her voice.


Draco blinked. “Uh, sorry, yeah, um, I won’t be able to patrol with you tonight. I have to go make up for lost time on my potion for Slughorn’s class.�


“Oh,� Hermione said. Draco thought he saw her frown slightly.


“So…�


“Yeah, I’ll ask Ron if he’ll patrol with me instead.�


Draco nodded and looked down at the floor.


“Look, I just want to say-�


“I’m gunna be late to Ancient Runes.�


They both spoke at the same time.


“Oh, sorry,� Draco said, his face flushing slightly. “You should get to class.�


“Well, what were you going to say?�


Draco shook his head. “It wasn’t important. Don’t worry about it.�


They both stood there looking at each other for a few more minutes. Draco swallowed uncomfortably.


“Didn’t you say you had to get to class?�


“Right,� Hermione said, blinking again. “I…well, bye then.�


He watched her go up the stairs before heading back to the Slytherin common room.


*~*~*~*~


Hermione walked into the Gryffindor common room after her Ancient Runes class, and saw Harry and Ron sitting by the fire.


“Hey!� she exclaimed. “Where have you guys been? I was starting to get worried. And so was your girlfriend.�


“Yeah, I already saw her,� Harry answered. “She yelled at me for not telling her I wasn’t going to be around this morning.�


“Well,� she said, looking from Harry to Ron. “Where were you guys?�


“How’s the Felix Felicis coming?� Ron asked.


“It’ll be done tomorrow, but stop distracting me. Where were you guys?�


Harry looked around the common room to make sure that the few people who were in there weren’t listening in.


He leaned close to Hermione, and whispered, “We were at Grimmauld Place.�


Hermione’s eyes widened slightly. “Why were you guys there?�


“Dumbledore needed us to go inform some of the Order members that they were needed here Friday night,� Ron said.


Hermione frowned. “Why couldn’t Dumbledore tell them that himself?�


“Because he had to go do something, he wouldn’t tell us what, but I think it has to do with the Horcrux we are going to be going after on Friday. Anyway, he didn’t want to risk sending an owl, so he sent us,� Harry answered.


Hermione sat back in the arm chair and looked into the fire.


‘The more we talk about Friday, the more I feel like something really bad is going to happen,’ Hermione thought to herself. ‘That, and those dreams don’t make me feel better.’


Her dreams were always associated with an intense feeling of sorrow. Divination wasn’t really her best friend, but she had the bad feeling that all these things were not just coincidences.


“Alright, so, about Friday, what do I need to know?� she asked.


“We’ll tell you tomorrow,� Harry said. “After you finish the potion, because we don’t want to take the chance that what we tell you will distract you.�


Hermione sighed, and then she remembered something.


“Ron,� she said.


“Yeah?�


“Draco can’t patrol with me tonight, will you come with me?�


Ron nodded. “Sure, no problem.�


*~*~*~*~


“No!�


Draco had nodded off for a moment while lying in his bed. He couldn’t even nap; the nightmare of Hermione being murdered in front of him came to him every time he fell asleep. Draco breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart.


Suddenly, it came to him.


‘It’s the only way.’


He jumped out of bed, and ran out of the common room, and headed towards Dumbledore’s office.

“Sugar Quills,� Draco said to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore’s office. It sprang to life, allowing him to access the revolving staircase. When he reached the doors, he didn’t even knock; he just opened them and walked right in. He stopped dead in his tracks.

“Mr. Malfoy, it is rude not to knock,� Professor McGonagall said. She was sitting in the chair behind Dumbledore’s desk.

“I’m sorry, Professor. Where’s Professor Dumbledore? I need to speak with him.�

“He isn’t here at the moment.�

“Well, do you know when he’s going to be back? It’s really important that I talk to him.�

“I’m afraid I don’t know,� McGonagall said. “Would I be able to offer any help?�

“No,� Draco said. “No, thanks anyway, Professor.�

Draco turned and left the headmaster’s office.

‘Damnit, I hope he gets back with enough time for me to talk to him.’

*~*~*~*~

“So,� Hermione looked up from her Ancient Runes homework. “Do either of you know what potion Draco is making for Slughorn’s class?�

The three of them had been sitting in silence in the Gryffindor common room working on their homework, trying to get as much done before Ron joined Hermione in her patrol that night.

“No idea,� Harry answered distractedly, as he scratched out a few lines of the essay he was working on.

‘I wonder what it is.’

“Maybe he’s making it for you,� Ron spoke, looking over at her.

“What on earth would he be making for me?�

“I dunno,� Ron answered, shrugging. “Just tossing out ideas…it’s what I would have done.� Ron’s face turned slightly red, and he quickly looked back down at his paper.

Hermione frowned slightly. “Ron, I’m-�

Ron shook his head. “Please, don’t say that, Hermione. Just don’t.�

They all sat there in a tense silence. After a few minutes Harry put down his quill.

“Oook, awkward,� he said.

Ron’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, and Hermione grimaced.

“Come on, let’s go,� Harry said, standing up and beckoning them to follow him.

“Where are we going?� Hermione asked.

“We are going to the Room of Requirement. The three of us are really stressed out, and we can’t concentrate anyway. So let’s go, maybe have a Butterbeer, and get some rest.�

Hermione looked down at her paper. She would normally have been finished by now, but all her thoughts kept drifting back to Draco.

‘Harry’s right,’ she thought, rubbing her eyes. ‘We do need to relax for a bit.’

“Yeah, let’s go,� she said, and looked at Ron. “We can begin patrolling from there.�

Ron just nodded, and the three of them left the common room and headed for the Room of Requirement.

*~*~*~*~

After he left the headmaster’s office, Draco had gone down to the Potions classroom to work on his potion. When Slughorn asked about his other classes, he had been able to convince the Potions Master that his other Professors had given him permission to skip, saying that there wasn’t such a demanding assignment in any of his other classes.

Draco leaned over the now light blue contents of his cauldron. He had just added a Dragon claw which he had infused with a Day Dream inducing charm. He was supposed to wait exactly two minutes, then he needed to stir the potion counterclockwise seven times and it was supposed to become transparent.

Draco waited, then stirred after the two minutes had passed, and as expected the potion became clear as glass.

“Well done, Mr. Malfoy,� Slughorn said, coming up behind him and inspecting his potion.

“Thank you, sir,� Draco answered, scanning his potion book for the next step.

“At this rate, you may have it finished tomorrow in class. If I remember correctly, you have one more ingredient to add, then you need to let it simmer for sixteen hours.�

“Yes, sir, and that would allow me to add the last ingredient tomorrow during class.�

“I say,� Slughorn said, beaming. “I’ve never seen anyone work so hard on a potion before, especially one this difficult, and to make up for all the time you’ve lost in one day is remarkable.�

“Thank you, sir.�

“It’s almost nine. I’ll leave you to add that last ingredient, good night, Mr. Malfoy.�

“Good night, sir,� Draco said, and watched the Potions Master pack up his things and leave the classroom.

Draco looked at his watch; it was 8:30 P.M.

‘8:30 P.M.…I could still patrol with Hermione,’ Draco thought, then sighed. ‘She was going to ask Weasley to patrol with her.’

Draco went to the class store of ingredients to get the Lace Wing Flies that was required before he needed to let it simmer.

He walked back over to the potion, and stared at himself reflected on its surface.

‘Maybe I can catch her leaving their common room, and maybe she’ll let me patrol with her.’

“Yeah, I’ll do that,� he said out loud to himself, and he added the flies, and began to stir the potion as his book indicated.

*~*~*~*~

Hermione checked her watch.

“Ron, its 8:45 P.M., we should probably get started patrolling, we can do this floor first,� she said.

They had spent the past few hours laughing and trying to keep the mood as light as possible; the Room of Requirement helping by keeping a steady supply of Butterbeer and little deserts at arms reach.

“Yeah, you’re right,� Ron said, getting up and looking at Harry. “You going back to the common room?�

“Might as well,� Harry said. “No point hanging out here alone, plus, I should really try to focus on those homework assignments.�

Hermione laughed, “Harry, you know that Ginny is not going to be able to let you concentrate.�

Harry winked at her.

“Watch it,� Ron said, in the mock warning tone he used when they talked about Harry and Ginny’s relationship.

They were all chuckling as they exited the Room of Requirement.

“Alright, well, we’ll see you later, Harry,� Hermione said.

“See you,� Harry said, and he headed back to the Gryffindor common room.

Once Harry had rounded the corner, Hermione looked at Ron.

“Let’s go down the corridor, and then we can double back and finish the other floors,� she said, and began walking down the hall.

Ron grabbed her hand.

“Hermione, wait.�

*~*~

Harry, humming a made up tune, turned the corner on the corridor in which the portrait of the Fat Lady hung, and immediately noticed the presence of Draco Malfoy waiting just outside.

“What are you doing?� he asked, as he walked up to him.

“I’m waiting for Hermione to leave on patrol, to see if she’ll let me join her,� Draco answered.

“I thought you told her you couldn’t patrol with her tonight,� Harry said, eyebrows drawing closer together in confusion.

“Well, yeah, I did, but I skipped class to work on the potion and got done with enough time, so I thought I’d come and see if she’d let me patrol.�

“Oh,� Harry said. “Well, she’s already patrolling.�

“But, I’ve been out here for ten minutes, and she hasn’t-�

“We were up at the Room of Requirement, we just left and she was going to start patrolling from there with Ron.�

“Ah, I see,� Draco said, disappointment settling in on him. “Alright, well, bye then, Potter.�

Draco started walking down the hall, intent on heading back to the Slytherin common room.

“Go catch up with them,� Harry called after him.

Draco waved a goodbye in response to Harry without turning back around to look at him.

‘Maybe I should,’ Draco thought. ‘Nah, it was uncomfortable just talking to her earlier, I’m not in the mood for that again.’

But as he was about to go through the hidden passage that lead to the Dungeons, he changed course and headed towards the Room of Requirement.

*~*~

Hermione looked inquisitively at Ron.

“Hermione, I need to tell you something, and I need to do it before I lose my nerve.�

Hermione just stood there looking at Ron. Ron swallowed and his face turned slightly red, but he looked determined.

“I know how you said you feel about Draco,�

‘Oh God,’ Hermione thought.

“And what with you kissing him…but-�

“Ron, I don’t think-�

Ron shook his head. “Let me say this.�

Hermione was uncomfortably aware that Ron was still holding her hand.

“No matter…no matter how hard I try,� Ron said. “I still don’t understand why you like him. And I still don’t understand how even though I’m the nice guy, you still don’t even look my way.�

“Ron,� Hermione didn’t know what she should say.

“Will you let me have just one chance?� he blurted out suddenly. “Just one, Hermione, you, you said you kissed him and he told you to leave, that has to mean something.�

Hermione just stood staring open mouthed at him.

“Hermione, just one chance for me to prove…I just think you deserve better, and I want a chance to see if that means me.�

Now she was acutely aware that they were still holding hands. She could feel Ron’s trembling slightly, and she was in such shock with Ron’s bluntness, that she couldn’t even move her hand.

“Ron, I can’t,� she said in a whisper.

Ron let go of her hand, and he gave her a nod.

“Ron, please don’t…look I just don’t want to hurt you anymore than I already have, and if I said yes, I know that’s what I would wind up doing.�

Ron nodded.

“Yeah, ok…I get it…I just needed to say it.�

Hermione didn’t know what to do. The silence was driving her crazy. She looked down the hall behind her and froze.

“Draco.�

At hearing her whisper, Ron turned.

“Is, everything alright?� Draco asked tentatively; the tension in this hallway smacked him in the face the moment Hermione and Ron had come into sight.

“Ha, perfect,� he said, shaking his head. “I’m gunna go, Hermione. Malfoy, you finish patrolling with her, she doesn’t want me.�

“Ron, no,� she said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Ron just shook his head, and walked away.

Hermione just stood there. Draco looked at her, and slowly walked over to her. He stopped two feet from her. She had her hands drawn up to her face, as if shielding it. He reached out his hand towards her shoulder, but drew it back. He glanced around nervously; he wasn’t sure how to handle this.

“Hermione,� he said slowly.

She breathed in deeply, put her hands down, and looked at him.

“You don’t have to patrol,� he said quietly. “I’ll finish up; you don’t have to go with me.�

Hermione took another deep breath. “No, I’ll patrol. I can’t let you do it alone, it’s my job too.�

Draco nodded, and they began walking down the hall; tears were still there on verge of falling down Hermione’s face, but she fought to control them. Draco was nervously messing with a hang nail on his left thumb. Hermione broke the silence.

“Why did you tell me to leave?�

Draco stopped and looked at her.

“What?�

“In the Hospital Wing, when I…why did you tell me to leave?�

Draco hesitated.

“Please, tell me, I need to know…it’s important.�

“I had to.�

“Why?�

‘It’s now or never,’ he thought. ‘I can’t keep causing her so much pain. She deserves more…she deserves better.’

“Hermione, you aren’t safe with me, and I can’t let anything happen to you…I have to protect you.�

“But…that’s so…stupid,� Hermione said, stuttering on each word as she fought to keep herself from crying. “I don’t know why you have to…I love you. I want to be with you…� Her words ended as she lost her battle, and the tears began to slide down her cheeks.

Draco’s heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest as he looked into her eyes. He reached out and pulled Hermione into his arms, where she buried her face in his chest and cried.

“I’m sorry,� Draco said. “It has to be this way.�

Hermione cried harder, wrapping her arms around him. Draco held her closer.

“I’m sorry,� he said, again, when he felt her crying slow down.

Hermione looked up at him; he was still holding her in his arms. Draco brought his right hand up to gently cup the left side of her face. He wiped away a few of her tears with his thumb. Then, without thinking, he leaned down and returned the kiss she had given him in the Hospital Wing.

“I love you,� he said, fighting the voice in his head that was telling him he was making a big mistake. “But, it has to be this way…I want you to have better than me.�

He kissed her one more time, and then Draco Malfoy walked away.

Hermione woke up Wednesday morning looking like she had gone ten rounds in a boxing ring and lost. Her face was swollen and red, and her cheeks still showed the track marks from the tears she had spent all night crying.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror.

‘Oh,’ she thought, sighing deeply.

More tears started falling, but she managed to get them under control. She held her wand up to her face, and cast a charm that would lessen the swelling and the redness. She then got dressed and brushed her hair, before heading down to the common room.

It was late; everyone else was already down in the Great Hall, probably finishing up their breakfast and getting ready to go to their first class, everyone except for Harry and Ron. She found them, as always, waiting for her to come downstairs. They were sitting in the arm chairs by the fire when she stepped off the last step. Harry looked over at her.

“Hey,� he said, in a quiet voice.

Hermione tried to force a smile, but she couldn’t even manage that. She sat down next to them and stared into the fire.

After a few moments silence, she spoke.

“I’m sorry, Ron.�

“No, Hermione, I don’t know what was wrong with me yesterday. I shouldn’t have attacked you like that.�

Hermione shook her head. “No, I’m glad you did. You were right, there was a reason he told me to leave the Hospital Wing.�

“Yeah, but it is a pretty stupid-� Harry began, but was interrupted.

Hermione looked at him. “Is it that stupid?� she asked. “If you knew that Ginny would be in danger by being with you, would you have done the same thing?�

Harry looked down, hands fidgeting. Quietly he said, “How did you know?�

“I realized it last night,� Hermione said. “After…after I started thinking about things, rationally, I realized that most good people would do anything to protect someone they love, including leaving them.� Tears were welling up in her eyes again, but she controlled them.

“Wait,� Ron said. “What’s going on? How did she know what?�

“I’ve been planning on breaking up with Ginny,� Harry said. “It’s the only way I see of keeping her safe. If she’s with me, she’ll be a target, she’ll be in danger.�

The smile that graced Hermione’s lips was one of sadness and pain.

“When are you going to tell her?� Hermione asked.

“I was going to wait until the end of term, she has O.W.L.’s this term, and I didn’t want to distract her.�

Hermione reached out and put her hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.�

Harry looked up, eyes glassy. “Hermione,� he nearly laughed. “You have had you’re heart broken, and you’re the one giving comfort? You can’t be-�

“I’m not,� Hermione said. “I’m just…� She looked at Ron. “I’m just better, stronger than this. I haven’t been acting like myself at all. I’m hurt, especially because I know he…he loves me, but I need to be stronger than this.�

“Hermione,� Ron said. “It’s ok to be…sad, or angry, or-�

“Ron, no, I need to be stronger than this. I have to be able to help you guys, and I can’t do that if I’m focused on him,� Hermione looked down at her hands. “He…he said I deserve better, and…and maybe he’s right.�

Hermione looked up at Ron; his face had turned slightly red.

“Maybe I deserve someone who can actually be with me, without it being so complicated.�

“Hermione,� Harry said.

“It’s alright,� Hermione said, and her voice had a solid resolved tone to it. “I’m going to be fine.�

Both Harry and Ron looked at if they were going to start saying something, but they stopped when Hermione got up and headed towards the portrait hole. She stopped just before it, turning to look and see if they were coming.

Harry sighed, “Ron, about Ginny, I-�

Ron shook his head. “I know you care about her mate. You’ll do what you think you have to.� He patted Harry consolingly on the back.

Harry nodded, and they both got up and left the common room with Hermione.

*~*~*~*~

Draco hadn’t slept all night. All he could think and feel, was the pain that started the moment he walked away from her.

‘What did I do?’ he thought.

He looked at his watch. He was late for breakfast, but he didn’t really care.

‘This is why,’ he thought, laying back on his bed and covering his eyes with his hands. ‘This is why I don’t get involved. This is why I do things alone…it hurts too much.’

He decided he was going to skip his morning lessons.

‘I have to go to Potions though,’ he thought, and sighed.

*~*~*~*~

The Great Hall was unusually loud with the buzzing of gossiping students this Wednesday morning, but Hermione’s mind was too distracted to notice.

As much as she hated it, what Hermione did notice, immediately, was that Draco had not come to the Great Hall for breakfast. She looked away from the Slytherin table, and started putting food onto her plate.

After a few moments of silence, Harry spoke up.

“So,� he said. “I was thinking that we can each take a small vile of Felix Felicis to keep with us on Friday.�

Hermione sighed and nodded. “Yeah, that’s probably the best thing.�

She saw Harry glance nervously at Ron.

“Look, you guys,� she said. “I don’t want you acting all weird around me. I’m going to be fine, I promise.�

“We know,� Ron said. “It’s just-�

“No, seriously, it would help if we just dropped it.�

She took a bite out of her toast, and picked up the Daily Prophet that a post owl had just delivered to her. Hermione coughed and sputtered, choking on the piece of toast in her mouth.

“What is it?� Harry and Ron asked in unison.

Hermione looked back up at them, eyes wide, face white as a sheet.

“They’ve found Fudge,� she said, in an almost inaudible whisper.

“Found Fudge, what do you mean ‘they’ve found him,’ he’s at the ministry,� Ron said, perplexed.

“No,� Hermione said, shaking her head. “They’ve found him…dead.�

“What,� Harry said, grabbing the newspaper out of Hermione’s hands.

Former Minister of Magic Dead

Late last night, the Auror Office received an anonymous tip about possible Death Eater Activity.

When the team of Aurors responding to the call arrived on the scene, they saw immediately that someone had set off the Dark Mark.

Upon entering the dwelling, a body was found; that of Cornelius Fudge, former Minister of Magic.

It is believed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named committed this murder himself, although experts are at a loss to explain his latest calling card.

A howler was left on top the Minister’s body, which when it exploded screamed:

“To all who oppose me…�

Continued on page 5


Harry looked up from the paper, mouth agape.

“Harry,� Hermione said nervously. “Please, be careful on Friday.�

*~*~*~*~

“Alright, alright, settle down,� Professor Slughorn said, in an effort to quite his Advanced Potion Making Class who were discussing the news of Cornelius Fudge’s murder. “I understand a lot has happened today, but Professor Dumbledore wishes all the teachers to try and keep things running as smoothly as possible. That means I will not be answering any questions, Seamus,� he added after Seamus’ hand had shot rapidly into the air.

Hermione, not being able to resist, glanced over at Draco once the class began working on their potions. He had her back to her, and looked to be working really hard on his potion.

‘Or he’s working really hard to forget about me,’ she thought.

She looked down at her cauldron of Felix Felicis; it was just starting to turn a golden color. She only had one more ingredient to add, and it would be finished.

*~*~

It took almost all Draco had to keep himself from turning around to look at her. He reached across the desk for the last and final ingredient he needed; a silvery unicorn hair. He added it, his potion simmering immediately, and began stirring it clockwise.

After a full five minutes of stirring, it was finished. The Your Eyes potion was clear but shimmered silver due to the unicorn hair.

Draco sighed. ‘At least she’ll know how I meant for things to go…how I wish they could go.’

*~*~

Hermione forced herself to pull her eyes away from the back of Draco’s head.

“Ron,� she said, looking over at his flustered expression; his potion was nowhere near finished.

“Huh?� Ron responded, distractedly.

“Can I spend the summer with you?�

Ron nearly dropped his wand into the cauldron.

“What?...well…I…�

“I just figured, that with everything that’s going to be happening, I’d be of better use if I was still within the wizarding community over the holiday.�

“Oh,� Ron said, flushing slightly. “Well, yeah, sure. I don’t think Mum will have a problem with it.�

Hermione looked at him for a few moments, then she added, “And, it’d be nice to spend some time with you too. I feel like I haven’t done that in a while.�

Ron’s face turned a deeper shade of red, but he nodded and then turned back to face his potion.

Hermione looked down into the golden contents of her cauldron. Her reflection showed an accepting smile.

‘Yes…I should spend time with Ron. He’s a good friend,’ she thought, and looked over at him. ‘Who knows…maybe I’ve been overlooking something great.’

*~*~

From the front of the room Draco had caught the conversation between Hermione and Ron. He was surprised at the jealously welling up inside him.

‘She deserves better than me, but that definitely does not mean Weasley!’ he thought. Then he sighed, remembering that he was the one who had pushed her away.

Draco poured the potion into the small glass vile he had on his desk, put the stopper in, and sealed it with wax.

‘I was the one who walked away.’

Thursday night found Hermione sitting in the Room of Requirement with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. Hermione’s hands were trembling slightly as she held the small bag that she had brought with her.


“Ok,� Harry said, looking around at all of them. “So everyone knows their job?�


They all nodded yes.


“Nothing at all might happen,� Harry went on. “But the way I see it, its better that we are prepared, just in case.�


“Here,� Hermione said, and she began handing everyone a small vile filled with a golden substance. “There’s way more than we all need for just the night in those bottles, so we’ll just have to take a sip and we can save the rest.�


*~*~


Once everyone had their bottle of Felix Felicis, they all left the Room of Requirement and headed towards their respective dormitories.


“I’ll meet you guys there, I have something I need to take care of first,� Hermione said, to Harry and Ron as they started towards Gryffindor Tower.


“Do you want one of us to come with you?� Ron asked.


Hermione shook her head. “No, it’ll just take a minute. I’ll catch up with you guys.�


Both Harry and Ron gave her a suspicious glare, but nodded and went on their way.


Hermione changed her direction and headed towards the kitchens. When she arrived at the painting of the bowl of fruit, she tickled the pear, and entered the Hogwarts kitchen.


“Good evening, Miss,� said one of the house elves, bowing low. “How can Ruby be of assistance?�


“Hello, Ruby,� Hermione said, brightly. “And you can help me. Do you know where I can find Dobby?�


Ruby’s expression did not show joy at giving out this piece of information. “Dobby is washing dishes over there, Miss.�


Hermione walked over to the sink where Dobby did indeed stand washing dishes. She smiled when she saw him wearing all the hats and sweaters she had knitted; although she had hoped that the other house elves would have taken some of them.


“Miss Granger,� Dobby squeaked upon seeing her, bowing low and sending soap suds all over the kitchen floor. “It is an honor for Dobby to be visited by one of Harry Potter’s most trusted friends.�


“It’s nice to see you too, Dobby,� Hermione replied, smiling. “I was wondering, Dobby, if you’d be able to do something for me. I would pay you.�


Dobby smiled delightedly. “I would be happy to help such a good friend of Harry Potter’s.�


“I need you to deliver this to Draco Malfoy,� she held out a small package.


Dobby had a panicked look on his face.


“Oh! I’m sorry, you don’t have to give it to him, just place it on his bed,� Hermione said, remembering that Dobby had once been the Malfoy’s house elf, and how they had mistreated him.


Dobby seemed relieved, and he bowed low again. “Dobby will be happy to do as you ask, Miss.�


“Thank you, Dobby, and here, take this,� Hermione said, and handed him a golden galleon.


“Oh! Thank you, miss, thank you!� Dobby squeaked happily.


Hermione thanked Dobby again, and left the kitchens. She walked slowly back towards Gryffindor tower; all the things that had happened to her over the last few months, and the decisions she had just recently made were swirling through her mind.


A few minutes later, Hermione stepped through the portrait hole, and sat down next to Harry and Ron at a table in the corner of the common room. She reached over and grabbed a piece of parchment and an extra quill from Ron.


“What are you working on?� Ron asked. “I thought you said you had finished all your work.�


“I have,� Hermione said, sighing. “I’m writing to a friend.�


Ron glanced at Harry. “Oh…writing to Krum?�


Hermione gave him a look. “No, I’m not writing to Krum,� she said in a mocking voice. “I’m writing to an American friend of mine, Angerona, she goes to the Salem Witches Institute.�


“You never told us about her before,� Harry said.


Hermione shrugged. “My parents sent me to this summer camp thing in America when I was eleven; the summer before I came to Hogwarts. Angerona comes from a good American wizarding family. I got my letter from Hogwarts while I was at camp, and when she saw it, she told me all about herself and her family. We’ve been friends ever since.�


“Well, thanks a lot for not telling us about your secret other best friend,� Ron said, in a sarcastic tone.


Hermione rolled her eyes at both of them. “I haven’t written to her in a while. I just want to fill her in on…stuff…�


At that the three of them dropped the conversation. Hermione continued writing her letter, while Harry and Ron tried to finish their homework, but gave up and started a game of wizard’s chess.


*~*~*~*~


Draco walked through the dungeons towards the Slytherin common room. He had just been to see Professor Dumbledore to discuss some things, and then he had needed to go to the Owlery.


Upon entering the common room, he immediately spotted Pansy Parkinson with a smug look on her face, sitting by the fire. He ignored her, however, and continued straight on into his room. He stopped suddenly. There, on his bed, was a small package.


Draco cautiously approached it. Now that he was openly defying the Dark Lord, he couldn’t trust anything; especially a random package left to him in the Slytherin House.


‘Wait!’


He snatched the package off his bed, and held it in his hands. The writing on it was Hermione’s.


“Draco, I had some extra. I hope it helps. Hermione,� Draco read out loud.


He ripped open the package, and onto his bed fell a small vile of golden liquid. Draco picked it up, and stared at it. She had sent him a vile of Felix Felicis. He just stood there, staring at the bottle.


The door opened behind him, and he quickly hid the potion vile in the pocket of his robes. Then Draco got into his bed, without changing, pulled the curtains closed, and laid there staring at the darkness above him.


*~*~*~*~


Hermione heard a tapping noise, and looked up from the letter she was writing. A large tawny owl was tapping on the tower window.

“I wonder who that’s for,� Ron mused, as he walked over to the window to let the owl in.


The owl soared in and landed right in front of Hermione, sticking out its leg so she could remove the small package that was attached to it.


Hermione removed the package. She recognized the handwriting at once.


“Who’s it from?� Harry asked.


She looked at him. “Uh, no one,� she got up from the table. “I’m gonna go to bed, guys, I’ll see you in the morning.�


“Ooo…k?� Harry said, looking at Ron to see if he understood what was going on.


When Hermione shut the door to her room she put the letter she had been writing on her bed side table, and looked back down at the package in her hands.


“Hermione, I’m sorry. I hope this will help you see that. Draco,� she read out loud.


She opened the package, and a small vile filled with a clear but silvery potion rolled into the palm of her hand.


“Oh my…� Hermione started, but she couldn’t finish. Hermione knew what this was. He had made her the Your Eyes potion.


She stared at the bottle. She knew the effects of the potion, and had always thought it would be interesting to take it. But now, she didn’t know what she wanted to do. She stood there, just staring at the bottle.


The door behind her opened, and she quickly put the potion vile in her trunk before the rest of the girls saw it. Then Hermione changed, got into her bed, pulled the curtains closed around it, and tried to fall asleep.


*~*~*~*~


“Is everything ready?� he hissed.


“Yes, my Lord, everything is ready.�


“Good,� the snake like hiss responded. “I want him dead. Then, nothing will stand in my way.�


The Death Eaters bowed. The faces behind their masks held wide smiles; they were eager for Friday night.

“Run!�


“No!�


“Hermione, run!�


Hermione looked at his bruised and bleeding face.


“Come with me,� she pleaded.


He shook his head. “I can’t, you have to go back. You won’t be safe...It has to be this way.� He pushed her in the direction he intended for her to go. Fighting could be heard echoing throughout the castle. “They’re almost here, go back.�


Hermione started down the hall. She turned back momentarily to look at him, but he had already vanished up the astronomy tower stairs.


*~*~


“Potter!� Draco ran over to where Harry was standing, trying to hold up an obviously weakened Dumbledore.


“We found it, the Horcrux, but Dumbledore had to drink this potion. It’s done something to him, we have to get him help.�


“The Death Eaters are almost here! This isn’t the way things were supposed to go.� Draco ran his hand through his hair.


“If everyone would calm down, I will tell you what we need to do,� Dumbledore said, in a frighteningly feeble voice.


“Professor, we will get you help,� Harry began, but was interrupted.


“No,� Dumbledore said. “There are things that the two of you do not know, things that cannot be changed. Harry, I need you and Draco to hide under your-�


“Professor, we will find some help,� Draco said.


Dumbledore smiled weakly. “Draco, when this is over, you need to go with Professor Snape, he will be able to help you.�


“But Professor, what are you talking about?� Harry was more than a little nervous with the way this conversation was heading.


“There is not time to explain, I am sorry,� Dumbledore paused, clutching at his chest. “Harry, I need you to hide with Draco under your invisibility cloaks.�


Harry and Draco exchanged looks.


“Cloaks? Professor, I don’t have one,� Draco said.


“Why?� Harry asked at the same time.


“I need you to go stand in that corner, under the invisibility cloak, Draco, here,� Dumbledore reached into his robes and produced a silvery fluid like material. “And no matter what happens, you must give me your word that you will not take off the cloak.�


“Professor, I-�


A loud bang issued from the castle; the fighting was getting ever closer to the astronomy tower.


“Harry, we are out of time, give me your word.�


Harry hesitated; he had already been asked once to give Dumbledore his word that he would follow through with making him drink that potion, and he didn’t like where that had landed them.


“You have my word, Professor,� Harry said with a grimace.


Dumbledore looked to Draco, silently asking him to make the same promise.


“I won’t remove the cloak,� Draco said.


“Good, now go,� Dumbledore said, while taking out his wand.


Voices could now be heard near the bottom of the astronomy tower stairs. Both Harry and Draco ran to the corner as instructed and threw on their invisibility cloaks. Almost immediately they felt themselves enclosed on all sides, as if some invisible box had formed around them.


“What is this?� Draco asked, feeling the invisible smooth walls around them.


“I don’t know, but I can’t hear anything outside anymore.�


Suddenly, the door to the astronomy tower burst open, and Snape walked through. They saw him look right through them and then around and down to Dumbledore. Snape leaned down to inspect Dumbledore.


Without warning Snape snapped up, wand out, just as a group of Death Eaters burst through the door to join them.


“No!� Harry and Draco shouted, but their voices fell strangely flat, and the others on the astronomy tower didn’t seem to hear them.


*~*


“Where is the Malfoy boy, Severus? The Dark Lord wants us to deal with him as well,� Fenrir Greyback said, with a wolf like growl.


“Draco is gone, I have searched for him but I believe he has escaped with a member of the Order of the Phoenix,� Snape answered curtly.


Greyback’s eyes gleamed wickedly as he stared at Dumbledore sitting propped against the tower wall.


“Well then, lets finish it,� he growled, the other Death Eaters adding their own votes to complete the deed.


“Forgive my interruption,� Dumbledore said. “But it is getting rather late, and I do have several important things to tend to, so if you don’t mind…� Dumbledore’s voice trailed off as he again clutched as his chest.


A howl of a laugh escaped Greyback. “Dumbledore, do you actually think you are going to live?� Greyback looked to Snape. “The Dark Lord gave us orders. You are to do it. But you better be quick, I am becoming impatient.�


Snape looked down at Dumbledore’s helpless body. The wand he had taken from him felt heavy in the pocket of his robes.


“Severus…please,� Dumbledore said, his voice weaker than it had been the whole night.


Snape felt as though he was going to vomit. He heard the sounds of the Order down below, desperately trying to get through the barrier that he had placed on the stairs. He heard Greyback’s low growl. He heard the wind and felt his black hair being whipped in front of his eyes. And he felt the eyes of Harry and Draco boring into his back.


Then there was silence. Nothing. He no longer heard the sounds around him. No wind, no voices, no fighting.


Snape slowly raised his wand arm, his face pale and drawn.


“Avada Kadavra!�


There was a blinding flash of green light, and Dumbledore was thrown up into the air, and fell limp over the edge of the astronomy tower wall.


*~*


Both Harry and Draco watching from the corner could not bring themselves to move. They hadn’t heard a word of what was said, but when they saw the flash of green light, they knew that it could only be one thing.


Neither of them realized that the invisible box that had been holding them had suddenly vanished as the Killing Curse had done its deed. Neither of them noticed that sound had returned.


“Lets go, it is finished,� Snape said, and he led the way through the door, and down the stairs.


When the door closed behind them Harry snapped out of his shock. He pulled off his cloak and ran to the door.


“Traitor!� he yelled. “We have to go after him! He…he…� Harry couldn’t bring himself to say the words.


“No,� came Draco’s voice, as he pulled off his newly acquired invisibility cloak.


“What!� Harry exclaimed, turning to face him, anger flaring in his green eyes.


“No, he’s not a traitor, he had to do it.�


“What?�


Draco took a deep breath and swallowed. Although he had known what had just happened was what Dumbledore had planned, he couldn’t shake the sick feeling that had washed over him as he watched Snape kill Dumbledore.


“Dumbledore knew that this was how it would play out. He…he instructed Snape to kill him…if it proved necessary.�


“No!� Harry yelled, drawing his wand. “You’re lying!�


“I’m not!� Draco yelled, also drawing his wand.


They both stood there, facing each other, neither one moving, neither one blinking.


Tears rimming his eyes, Harry slowly began to lower his wand.


“We…we have to go. We have to get to him.�


Before Draco could stop him, Harry was running down the Astronomy Tower stairs.


*~*~*~*~


The whole of Hogwarts felt empty and cold. The students walked quietly to the Great Hall, where they had been told Professor McGonagall was going to be making an announcement.


Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron all sat together at the Gryffindor table, waiting for McGonagall to announce what they already knew, what most of the school already knew but wouldn’t accept until someone like McGonagall admitted it.


Professor McGonagall held up her hand to silence the few whispers that had broken out in the hall.


“Students,� she began. “As all of you are aware, Voldemort has returned, and his Death Eaters invaded the castle four days ago.�


The whispers inevitably began to spread again, but they quieted down when they saw the pained look on Professor McGonagall’s face.


“And,� she began again, this time a slight tremble evident in her voice. “As many of you have heard, our headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, has died.�


The hall was quiet for a very long time. Several students wiped tears from their eyes, while others (mostly Slytherins) merely rolled their eyes.


“There will be a funeral later this afternoon,� Professor McGonagall went on. “I want you all to wear your dress robes. It was Professor Dumbledore’s wish to be buried at Hogwarts.�


With that Professor McGonagall left the Great Hall. The whispers started again.


“Come on,� Harry said, and he got up and left, Hermione, Ron and Draco trailing after him.


“Where are we going?� Hermione asked.


“You all are going to get ready,� Harry said, looking down at his hands. “I need to find Ginny. I’ll just be a minute.�


Hermione frowned and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. He smiled a weak smile at her and then turned around to look for Ginny.


Hermione, Ron and Draco continued on to Gryffindor Tower; Harry had convinced Draco to stay in Gryffindor Tower feeling that it wouldn’t be safe for him to go back to the Slytherin common room after openly defying Voldemort.


“Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute?� Draco said, grabbing hold of her arm gently after they had entered the common room.


“Sure,� she said and looked at Ron.


“Right,� Ron said. “I’ll just be upstairs getting ready.�


Hermione turned back around to face Draco.


“What is it?� she asked.


“I can’t go to the Burrow with the rest of you.�


“What? Why not? It’s all planned. No one minds, and it’s the safest place for-�


“No,� Draco said, shaking his head. “I am going into hiding with Snape. It was arranged with Dumbledore before…�


Hermione just stared at him.


“I…I don’t understand. I thought Snape was going to pretend to be on Voldemort’s side?�


“No, he went into hiding almost immediately after leaving the castle that night.�


Hermione looked around the empty common room. “But, I don’t see why you have to go into hiding. What’s the difference?�


“The difference,� Draco said, putting his hands lightly on Hermione’s shoulder. “Is that I won’t be attracting even more danger towards you guys than there already is. The Dark Lord wants me dead, even more so than Harry, he doesn’t forgive traitors.�


A tear began to trail its way down Hermione’s face.


“But…what about me?�


Draco grimaced, but was resolved to go through with it.


“Hermione, I was right before. You deserve better than me, we can’t work.�


“But, we haven’t even tried,� Hermione protested, another tear rolling down her cheek.


“Hermione, we both are going to have to be watching our backs as it is, and…and I won’t be of any use to anyone if I am constantly worried about you…I can’t do this.�


Hermione stared into his blue eyes for a few long minutes. She knew he was right, but she was scared and wanted to keep the people she cared about close.


After a few moments, she reached up and wiped the tears from her face and nodded.


“Ok,� she said.


“Have you used the potion?�


“What?�


“The potion I made you, have you used it yet?�


Hermione thought for a moment, and then remembered the Your Eyes potion that she hid in her trunk.


“No, not yet,� she said.


“Use it,� Draco said. “I hope it will make things easier.�


Draco turned and headed for the portrait hole.


“Wait! Where are you going?� Hermione asked, startled to see that he was leaving the common room.


“I have to go,� he said.


“Now? But the funeral, and-�


“I have to go now, Hermione,� he said, and turned to leave.


“Wait,� Hermione said again, grabbing his arm and turning him around into her waiting kiss.


They broke apart and Hermione, tears in her eyes, looked up at him.


“I love you, Draco.�


Draco looked at her for a minute.


“I’ll write to you when I can, that’s the only thing I can give you,� he said, and he turned around and left the common room…left Hogwarts…left Hermione.


*~*~*~*~


“What are you doing?�


Hermione looked up from the piece of parchment she had been writing on, at Ron who was sitting with Harry, across from her on the Hogwarts Express. They were on their way to the Burrow. Snape and Draco were in hiding. Harry had taken control of the Order of the Phoenix. The final battle was approaching.


“I’m finishing the letter I started to Angerona,� she said, looking back down at the now five page long letter.


“Oh, you’re American friend?�


“That’s the one,� Hermione said, nodding.


“You’re telling her everything?� Harry asked.


“Yeah.�


“Well she’s going to love that,� Ron said.


“Keeping something from her would be worse, trust me,� Hermione said, and looked up. “In all honesty I don’t even expect her to write me a reply.�


“What? Why not?� Harry asked.


Hermione smiled a rueful smile. “Because, the second she reads it, she’ll probably come barging through Mrs. Weasley’s kitchen demanding to know why I didn’t contact her sooner.�


“Well,� Ron said, with a slight chuckle. “I guess I’ll just have to tell her to set an extra place for dinner.�


Hermione smiled at him. A genuine smile; something she hadn’t done in a few weeks.


Suddenly there was a noise at the window, and a large tawny owl was seen carrying a letter and trying desperately to keep up with the train.


Ron opened the window and let the owl inside, which proceeded to fly once around the compartment and land next to Hermione holding out its leg.


Hermione looked to the others, who merely shrugged and then proceeded to remove the letter. At once the owl took off out the open compartment window.


“Who’s it from?� Harry asked.


Hermione looked down at the envelope and immediately recognized the handwriting.


She looked up at Harry. “It’s from Draco.�


Ron exchanged a glance with Harry, then looked back to Hermione.


“You going to open it?� he asked.


Hermione looked back down at the envelope then shook her head.


“No, not right now. Later, when we get to your house,� she said, and tucked the letter into the back pocket of her jeans.


The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes and Hermione continued writing her letter. When they were nearing Kings Cross, Hermione folded the now six and a half page letter, put it inside an envelope and addressed it.


“Harry,� she said, as they were gathering their things to get ready to get off the train. “Can I use Hedwig to send this?�


“Sure, I’ll take her out when we get on the platform.�


Ten minutes later, they were lugging their trunks to the platform where a waiting Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood, accompanied by an escort from the Order.


Hermione turned to Harry who was already taking Hedwig out of her cage. She took out her wand and pointed it at Hedwig, who glowed blue for a moment and then ruffled her feathers.


“What was that?� Harry asked, slightly startled.


“It’s a traveling spell. They are used when you have to send post over seas. It will keep Hedwig from getting tired as she’s flying over the ocean and it will help her fly faster,� Hermione said, already tying the letter for Angerona onto Hedwig's leg.


“You’re going all the way to America,� she said, as she stroked Hedwig’s feathers. “Do you think you’re up for it?�


Hedwig hooted in response, nipped Hermione’s finger affectionately, and took off.


Harry chuckled behind her.


“What?� she said, turning to look at him.


“Where do you learn this stuff?�


She smiled. “Well, there are these things called books.�


They both chuckled and headed to where the rest of the Weasleys were waiting for them. Both glad for the momentary distraction from what they knew they all were walking into.










Author's Note:


ok, this is the end of part one. i hope you guys enjoyed it, because i sure enjoyed writing it. the sequel is in the works and i hope to have the first chapter of part 2 up within the next few months.


A special announcment: while you all are waiting for the sequel to this story, i will be posting some of my Hermione/Draco one shot song fics. so keep an eye out for those and enjoy while you are waiting for the next installment.


again, thank you so much for reading and giving all the great feedback :)