Charades

A Draco/Hermione Story

Summary: At the end of her 5th year, Hermione was offered a post in a secret company in exchange for the knowledge of what was to come of the future. It's been one year and she's helped defeat Voldemort with the knowledge she gained, but can she keep her secrets from her friends? Who will be the first one to figure out what is wrong with her? Does love really conquer all? Post HBP, not DH compliant. OC characters involved.

Disclaimer: I neither own Harry Potter and its affiliated characters nor the song Charades.

Pairings: None yet, but eventually...

Author's Note: This is completely experimental and is probably going to bomb, but I had this idea just spur up and had to get it out. You may see some similarities between this and a certain show on Fox, but no more details until later. Hermione is living in London with a friend.

RE-POST: I received a helpful review saying that I needed to break up the paragraphs. Thanks sarahr85!

Chapter 1: I'm All Dressed Up

"That was—amazing." The man breathed from the other side of the bed. Hermione stood up and dressed, ignoring his compliment completely. She performed a few spells to remove the smell from her person and freshen herself up. She zipped the side zipper on her fitted and expensive black satin dress, slipped into her black satin stiletto pumps, and grabbed her purse from the hotel room reading table. "Where are you going?" The man asked.

She turned to look at him, her face expressionless. "You paid for my service, not my company. I have an appointment to keep." She told him honestly walking to the door.

"I paid for the night, it's only 8." He protested, standing up from the bed and walking fast over to her. Hermione was faster, pulling out her wand and pointing it at the man.

"You know how this goes, Mr. Harcourt. Obliviate." She erased her face from his memories and left the room without as much as a glance. When she exited the building, rendering the necessary spells on the surveillance cameras and anyone else in the building, she pulled out her cell phone. She hit speed dial one.

"Results?" a female voice answered.

"Task completed." Hermione replied, walking down deeper into London.

"Good. Tomorrow, 10 o'clock." And she heard the click of the call being ended. Then, she performed the same spells on herself that she'd just completed in that muggle building. No faces, if they didn't have faces her job was easier. Her cell phone rang again and she picked it up. "Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, Gin. What's up?" Hermione replied as she reached her car parked a mile down the road from the hotel she was just at and pressed the button on her key chain to unlock the car.

"Are you heading over?" She questioned.

Hermione laughed. "I'm on my way. Who's all coming over?" She asked.

"The whole bunch…and Harry invited Malfoy." She told her honestly. Hermione took in a breath of surprise. Ginny must've heard it, because she added, "He thought that since Malfoy turned over that new leaf, we could try to play nice, he doesn't have a whole lot of friends anymore." That made sense. Malfoy did have a few friends, the ones that Hermione herself had gotten to know in the year since she joined the company, but they didn't spend a lot of time with him. He was a gentleman, in her eyes, and had taken all the abandon on the chin. Hermione had started to try to convince her friends to trust the blond haired boy, but this was the first move that they had made in that direction. Hermione got into the car and started the engine.

"Ok, well, tell everyone I'd be there shortly."

"Will do, see you." They both hung up at the same moment and Hermione put her phone in her purse. She pulled out of the space and into traffic, heading towards South London. If she weren't careful, she'd be late for Harry and Ginny's engagement party. Once Voldemort had been stopped, Harry didn't waste anytime getting the woman that he loved to be his forever. Hermione personally thought that they weren't a good match; she thought that they were too different, much like her and Ron. She hadn't said anything to them, because she didn't want to get involved on something that really wasn't any of her business. They would be marrying at the end of the year, according to Ginny, before they went into Auror training.

Ron and she were still dating, though both agreed that they weren't a good match, it was mainly for they're self-esteem. Hermione kept Ron, because she knew that he was solid in her life, the only thing really. Her job was trying and she could always go to Ron at the end of a Task, even if she couldn't tell him what she did or why or anything about why she needed him. He never questioned her coming to him, never asked questions, mainly because he never noticed that anything was wrong with her. That was one of the reasons that they wouldn't work in the long run, he had the emotional range of a pea, and was blind as a bat. He couldn't tell when she was upset. It worked for now, because she couldn't allow for anyone to know about what she did for a living. The company was Unmentionable, forbidden to be discussed by the Ministry centuries ago, and if anyone were to find out, she would have to use her skills that they had trained her to use on them. She didn't like deceiving her friends, but it was better than them finding out that she was a Witch for Hire, that she was a Charaden. It would be worse if they found out that she wasn't the only one in their year, or even among their friends and family.

Before Hermione reached Grimauld Place, she had one more stop. Her flat was on the other side of London from the old Headquarters and she needed a change of wardrobe. Her outfit that she wore at present read as seductive and she needed a more 'her' ensemble. She parked in the drive and went up to the appropriate floor, put in her key and unlocked the door. "It's only me, Blair!" She called out to her roommate. Blair Radcliffe was a talented and beautiful witch, a Ravenclaw. She had known Blair for years, but they only became friends when Hermione had been recruited for Charade. Charade was a company that was in the business of hire. Wizards and witches were recruited and trained in combat, both magical and muggle, Memory Charms, Legilimens and Occlumens, and acting. Then they were trained in specific skill sects, such as espionage, languages, solicitation, assassination, research, and high-risk situations.

After Voldemort had been out-ed and the whole event down in the Department of Mysteries had been published, a woman approached Hermione in Diagon Alley. Her name was Lilah Hart and she ran Charade. She had proposed that Hermione join Charade in return for information about the future and the access of a time turner to learn first hand. Unable to deny that, she took the offer and learned about all the deaths, all the advents that would determine their future, then used that information to help Harry. She never told anyone about her career and she learned every skill that Charade offered in training. At first, she loved the work. Being hired to work in research labs all over Europe, the thrill of chasing down Death Eaters, working in the Magical UN as an interpreter, spying on companies, it all thrilled her. Then came her first assassination, it was the hardest one to get through. She then decided to start using the Memory Charms on herself, so she wouldn't remember the face of the man that she'd killed. Her first solicitation was also hard, not wanting to loose her virginity on the job. So, she decided that she'd deceive her best friend.

That's right, Hermione Granger didn't loose her virginity to Ron, and she lost it to Harry. She had told him that she was nervous about sleeping with Ron and she wanted someone she trusted to be her first. She had explained that Ron had a habit of abandoning them when they needed him the most and she didn't want to loose her virginity to him. Harry was flabbergasted to say the least. He had agreed and she spent the night in his arms. They never spoke of it again, neither one telling Ron nor Ginny. Hermione did eventually sleep with Ron, but not until she had already had nine solicitations. Blair and Hermione had helped each other pull through the first few hard months and had grown close because of it. There were 8 students recruited from each seventh year class, because of the war, their 8 had been recruited earlier than usual. The 8 were required to undergo psychiatric evaluations after every Task, but that didn't always help. Having a friend that she could talk to about the Tasks was what most of them needed. So, each of their 8 had left home and moved in with another one, and Hermione had become roommates with Blair. They were even better friends a year later, than Hermione and Ginny had been the entire 5 years that they'd known each other.

Hermione went back to her bedroom and put on a high waist pencil skirt over a white sleeveless dress shirt with ruffles. She then added a thin black belt across her waist. She changed her black shoes for a pair of white, which were shorter and less intimidating. She also pulled her curly hair back into a high ponytail and put a white ribbon in her hair as a headband. She redid her makeup to a more modest composite and was finally presentable. She kept the hand bag, since it was simple and left her bedroom. When she reached the living room, she saw Blair. She was Hermione's height, about 5'4", and slender. She wore black skinny jeans and a fitted leather jacket. Her mahogany hair was also tied back into a high ponytail, every strand carefully in place. Her hands were clad in familiar leather cloves and her jacket pocket looked heavy. "Task tonight?" Hermione asked. Blair looked at her.

"Ministry hire from Unspeakables. The D.O.M. needs something taken care off." Blair explained as much as she could. They weren't permitted to discuss tasks until they were completed and even then they couldn't discuss them except at the appropriate place. "My holster is hanging in my closet. The gun is too conspicuous in the pocket." Hermione told her. Blair looked down and nodded.

"Are you on Task?" She asked.

"No, just returned. I'm going to Harry's." Hermione explained. Blair nodded again and retreated to Hermione's room to retrieve the holster.

"Oh, yeah. That was tonight?" Hermione nodded once. "Tell them I'm sorry."

"I will. After all, you can't leave your sick grandmother alone, can you?" Hermione said smiling, then she left and called out goodbye before closing the door and leaving the building.

***

To say that Harry felt uncomfortable was an understatement. Ginny was talking animatedly to her mother about children and where they were going to live and about a million other things that Harry thought was a bit premature. He loved Ginny, he did, but this was—he'd thought that proposing was the best thing at the time, but now he'd realized that it was too soon. It was too late to reverse it. At first, he'd been so happy just to get through the war and was able to be with her. He never did figure out how Hermione had known about Malfoy's orders to kill Dumbledore, or how she knew where all the Horcruxes were, or any of the other million things that had helped him end the war a month and a half ago. They had lost only a few people during the war, Tonks and Moody. Lupin was raising Teddy, their son, and had been re-assigned the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts this term, since he was now a noted war hero. Harry was happy to have an excellent Defense teacher and to be honest, he was happy that school was starting in three days, because he needed to escape Ginny and Mrs. Weasley's wedding plans. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Hermione and Blair.

When Hermione began to spend time with the intelligent, high society Ravenclaw, Harry hadn't thought much about it. Blair Radcliffe was known to be a friend of Draco Malfoy's and Pansy Parkinson's, but once he got to know the girl, he'd learned to love her perspective on the world. The society that she'd grown up in was so different from the one that he was used to; the kind that his aunt and uncle could only dream of, if they were to aspire to the heights of the magical community that is. She was intelligent, well dressed, beautiful, and brought a fair bit of interest to their group at large. He'd been shocked to learn that she had been apart of the DA and he hadn't even noticed. Of course, that year he had been focused on Cho Chang, and students that needed extra help. She excelled in everything that she did and she had an incredibly kind heart. Ron had taken more time than Harry to adjust to the newest member of their group, but he too learned to enjoy the perspective that she brought, though he was often jealous of her wealth, like he was with Harry. Ginny out and out didn't like her, she complained that she flashed her wealth in their faces, by dressing in designer cloths (Harry suspected that Blair only owned designer things, even robes) and she was a snobby pureblood that had no place in their lives. It was only when Harry pointed out that Ginny was also a pureblood that she'd stopped that line.

Harry could see what Hermione saw in her, the genuine good soul and the fact that they had almost everything in common. He'd been surprised to learn that they had gotten a flat together in the city near Grimauld Place, but they spent a lot of their time with him, so he didn't complain. It was just strange not to have Hermione living with him at his home. He found himself thinking about Hermione a lot after the engagement. He still hadn't told Ginny that he'd slept with Hermione, knowing it would be the thing that would drive a wedge between them, especially as he hadn't slept with Ginny. As far as she knew, he was still a virgin, not that he and his best friend had lost it together in a one night stand. Harry had wondered why Hermione had asked him, even after hearing her reasoning, because Ron hadn't told him anything about sleeping with her until nearly a month later. Ron didn't realize that she wasn't a virgin, having not experienced it before, and didn't complain about that, but only that she'd been distant during and after. Harry wondered why. They hadn't talked about it since it happened and he was scared for her. Worried that she'd been hurt by it or something. He knew he couldn't let it rest, because she was all that occupied his mind lately.

He'd noticed that she'd been distant with them all, for a while. Disappearing unexplained and he'd thought that he'd seen her talking to Pansy Parkinson in Diagon Alley a few days ago. Then, he could've sworn that Blaise Zabini had smiled at her later that day. Hermione was friendly, that was sure, but she'd never talked to Zabini before, none of them had, and Parkinson was the last person that he'd expected to see having a civil word with her. Sure, she talked to other people, they were all friends with people in other Houses, but her speaking with Slytherins—it was strange for Hermione. Of course, if they were nice to her and hadn't given her trouble, he didn't see anything wrong with it, but it was just odd. Then again, inviting Draco Malfoy to his engagement party was odd on his part too. It was time for change—that was for sure and who was he to deny it?

Speaking of Draco Malfoy, the tall blond boy was standing in a corner of the room, just enough out of the way from everyone, nursing a bottle of butter beer. Harry excused himself from the chirping Weasley women and walked over to that particular corner, grabbing his own butter beer on the way. The boys met eyes awkwardly and they both just stood against the wall watching everyone. Neither spoke for minutes before Harry couldn't stand the silence any longer. He glanced at the taller man and said, "What's up?"

Malfoy looked at him and smirked. "That's the best you can come up with?" He asked, then looked back at the crowd.

"Well…I guess it is. I didn't know how to break the silence." Harry admitted.

Malfoy chuckled. "I understand. This isn't exactly easy for me either. Why did you invite me anyway, Potter?" He asked seriously.

"I dunno. Why'd you come?" Harry redirected.

Malfoy seemed to think about his answer thoroughly before replying, "Company. I wanted company. Ironic, isn't it? I came here to not be alone, but here I am, in a corner, only speaking to you because you won't go away." Harry laughed and took a sip of his drink. "Congratulations, Potter. I'm sure you and the Weaselette will hate each other for a good long time."

Harry looked at him with a frown. "What do you mean?" He asked seriously.

"Ginny and you are nothing alike, Potter. She's fire, you're ice. You're the chosen one, she's a Weasley. Come on, tell me you haven't noticed? Tell me that you aren't regretting this whole thing?" Harry thought about this. He did regret asking her to marry him so soon, but not that he'd asked her. He loved Ginny. He was spared to answer by the entrance of Hermione into the den. Harry smiled and Malfoy followed the direction of his eyes. The both of them walked towards her, just as Ron was from his perch with the twins. "Hey, Granger." Malfoy said, smirking. Harry looked at her. She looked bloody fantastic. The outfit she wore just flattered her and he could barely keep his eyes from her. He noticed that he wasn't the only one. Malfoy had given her the once over, but kept his eyes on hers. Ron had his mouth hanging open.

"Hello, Draco. How are you?" She asked politely. She always alternated between his first and surname. She was the only one of them who had ever been comfortable with not having complete enmity towards him, though she had the most reason too.

"I'm just fine. And yourself?" He returned. Harry marveled at how easily they conversed.

"Quite well, thank you." She turned to Harry and gave him a hug, which he gladly reciprocated. "Congratulations, Harry. Blair wanted to me to send her apologies, her grandmother fell ill again and she went to her." Harry would be lying if he said that he wasn't disappointed, he had been looking forward to seeing Blair. But she was such a kind soul, to go to her grandmother's to care for the older woman. She was so easy to talk to, she was Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and a Seeker. She also wanted to become an Auror, just like he did. They could talk for hours about the other million things that they liked in kind. Harry remembered what Malfoy said—he was wrong, wasn't he?

"Oh, its fine, Hermione. We can catch up at the Farewell Dinner." Harry told her smiling. Hermione returned his warm smile with one of her own.

"So, 'Mione, did you have any plans for lunch tomorrow?" Ron asked as they all walked to the refreshment table.

"I'm not sure, Ronald. I may have to meet my parents. I'll send you an owl." She promised. Ron nodded and she gathered a few small sandwiches and a butter beer. "So, Draco, are you looking forward to next term?" She asked conversationally as they each took a chair and dragged it to the corner that Malfoy had occupied just minutes before. Harry sat down beside her, Ron on the other side, and Malfoy facing her. Harry didn't really understand the look in Malfoy's eyes. It was something that he doubted his one-time nemesis even noticed. He had a light in his eyes; something that he saw in Bill's eyes when he looked a Fleur or when Mr. Weasley looked at Mrs. Weasley. It worried Harry to a point. He'd been around the both of them together all summer, and neither had any inclination towards one or the other at all, until now. It seemed wholly Malfoy, so Harry didn't think it would lead anywhere. He looked at Hermione, she was smiling, eating her finger sandwich like she didn't notice a thing wrong with him.

"I am. We'll be sharing a dorm, you realize?" He replied. Harry looked at him sharply, as did Ron, both shocked by that statement.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, before Hermione could reply.

Malfoy looked at him, smirking. "Heads, Potter. Granger and I will be Head Boy and Girl. I received my letter this morning, and I'd wager that Granger did as well." Malfoy turned those silver eyes to Hermione who nodded.

"I was just going to ask about that. You received the post, then?" Hermione asked him.

Malfoy nodded. "Yes. I thought that perhaps in light of last year that Dumbledore would've given the post to Potter, but I really don't understand that man at all." Harry sighed. He had hoped to get Head Boy, but Malfoy did beat his scores in almost every subject every term. He was second only to Hermione in marks and Harry did see the integrity that Dumbledore saw in the Slytherin. Harry wanted to soon regard him as a friend, to rectify any bad blood between them, but he still didn't like that little twinkle in his eye as Hermione and he discussed their positions and the beginning formations of Prefect schedules. Ron just seemed bored and began to discuss Quidditch with Harry. Harry knew immediately that this year was probably going to be the roughest on all of them—and they didn't even have to fight Voldemort or the Death Eaters any longer.

***

Blair climbed the tallest tree over looking the area that the Target was in. She walked lithe like a cat along the branch until she was at the end, about twenty feet from the Target's roof. She tightened her pony tail and took in a deep breath before doing a summersault over the twenty foot gap and landing noiselessly on the roof of the large manor house. She took out her wand, performed an Ex-Ray spell, and pointed her wand at spots in the roof until she saw the Target, sitting in his study reading a book. She had to go down three stories, over 200 feet, and through a window. The 200 feet would be the start, as she did lithe layouts quickly covering the distance with ease. She re-did the spell on the tip of her wand and pointed down. He was still there, unaware and undisturbed. Climbing down would be tricky. She looked over the edge of the roof and saw a rose cage that trailed up the side of the house. She brought her legs over the edge and took her first steps onto the small ladder. Soon her entire body was off the roof and she climbed down efficiently. She reached the second floor and climbed over a balcony railing and was surrounded by the light of the den. Quickly, she covered herself in darkness and performed a Disillusionment Charm. Invisible, she carefully slipped into the open glass doors that led to the balcony and made her way to the fireplace, where the Target sat, turning a page. She reached into her jacket and her hand wrapped around the butt of her gun, safely nuzzled in Hermione's shoulder holster.

She pulled it out, silently, then performed a silencing charm before retiring her wand for the moment. She pointed the gun at the back of the Target's head and cocked the hammer. She pulled the trigger and blood and grey matter shot out of the front of his head and onto the walls and fireplace. He slumped forward and she put the gun back in its holster, re-emerging her wand from her hip holster for it and performed a transfiguration spell on his book to copy her gun to the exact parameters. She did a few specialized spells on the Target to where he had GSR (Gun Shot Residue) on his writing hand and the trajectory of the shot. She transferred the blood and brain spatter to the opposing wall and on his chair professionally then pulled out a piece of parchment with a specialized suicide note written in the Target's hand and placed in on his tea set. She looked around the room and made sure that everything was perfect, then exited the way she entered. She waited in the dark of the balcony for the Target's house elf to come in. The creature squeaked and called for her mistress. Another job done. She left the property and Disapparated to her flat.

When she arrived home, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed speed dial one. "Results?" a masculine voice requested.

"Task completed." She replied mechanically.

"Well done. Tomorrow, ten o'clock." And the man hung up the phone. She then performed a Memory Charm on herself, removing the Target's face from her mind. Hermione was right, this job was easier if they didn't have a face. She went back into her room and shed her clothes. She could go to Harry's engagement party, but Hermione gave her an alibi for the night. She didn't really want to see Harry and the Weaselette all over each other, drowning in their premarital bliss anyway. Ginny hated, really hated Blair. She took every opportunity to insult her and on the rare occasion that they were alone, she would warn her to stop talking to Harry or she'd curse her with the famed Bat-Bogey hex or worse. That's right, the littlest Weasley had threatened to use an Unforgivable. Did that stop Blair? No, of course not. She wasn't afraid of the Weaselette. She was trained as an assassin and worse, she wouldn't be afraid, and she wouldn't stop talking to Harry. He could talk to her about anything and they were always on the same page. They could talk about Quidditch, Auror training, the War, anything and that was a small peace for Blair. If she had it her way, she'd be there with him now. She needed to talk, to get her mind off the Task she'd just completed. She'd killed before, and she never let it bother her, but this one did.

Their entire Unit, their 8, had had to kill someone that they knew and it bothered all of them. Even Crow, he'd had to kill his own father after being hired to do so by the Minister. The Ministry liked to pretend that Charade didn't exist, but they used it just as much as your average rich wizard did. Charade did the Ministry's dirty laundry. In Charade, you were still yourself, but you weren't called by your name within the walls of Varden Manor. Once the Unit was recruited, they were given two new names, code names, one for their file and one for the missions. The file names were just letters that corresponded with their real name in some way. Blair's, for instance, was B. Hermione's was J for her middle name. Their mission names, which was also the names that they were called while at Varden by both their Unit and by the CEOs of Charade, Lilah Hart and Xavier Wolfe, went with something that acknowledged something about themselves. Blair's mission name was Trance. When given that name, Wolfe could only say that she was entrancing, that anyone who looked at her, even in her assassin's best, would be under her spell. Hermione's was Honey, because almost everything about Hermione was honey. She had honey brown hair, light honey skin, honey brown eyes, and even her personality was like honey, sweet but could be bitter and sticky.

Crow, which was his mission name, was the big brother of the group. He wasn't the leader of the Unit, because there were no leaders. They didn't ever go on group missions, so a leader was unnecessary. But he was undoubtedly the one that any of them could go to. He had a protective stance over the girls in particular, if they had ever been assaulted by a solicitation, abused in any way shape or form, he had found someone willing to pay for that person to be killed, then do it. A few times, he'd killed them even without money. He had nearly gone mad when one had tried to rape Hermione, and it wasn't even a solicitation mission, it was a research mission. It was before she'd come of age, she'd never been given a solicitation mission because of her youth, just like they all had. The man said that he'd paid for her services and he thought that he should take advantage of it. Once Crow found out, the man didn't make it through the night, and the body was still missing, chalked up in the papers as Voldemort. He'd been in Solitary, a mission-less state while undergoing intense therapy at Varden and unable to speak to anyone until released, for nearly 2 months. The year that they'd all joined Charade had been intense. The lines between houses had blurred. The two Gryffindors, Hermione and Raven (mission name), had had to come to grips with the two Slytherins, Crow and Sin (mission name). It took less time for Crow and the Gryffindors than it did for Sin.

Soon though they were all inseparable and a true Unit. Blair had been friends with Sin, Crow, and even Ice before their recruitment. Ice because he was in her house, but the others because they were all apart of the pureblood high society. She'd become easy friends with Hermione, as they had many similar interests and had started to gravitate towards the Golden Trio and the DA after a few months. She was counted in their number, by everyone except the Weaselette, and Crow and Sin hadn't begrudged her. Others in their group had, but they'd quieted them down. Hermione had saved Dumbledore and Draco with the knowledge that Wolfe and Hart had given her. Draco had fought at her side during the war, with the unwavering loyalty that had always set him apart from other Slytherins. Blair always thought that he was well suited to Gryffindor, but the hat had chosen Slytherin because of his uncanny cunning and his heritage. He was brave and honest, to a point of cruelty almost, and Blair had only seen him be truly mean to only Hermione, Harry, and the Weasleys. Sure, he didn't treat everyone right, his evil henchmen received more abuse than any Gryffindor ever had, but he ran Slytherin. She looked on her desk as she dressed in her red satin spaghetti strapped night gown that hit just at mid-thigh. There was the letter that he'd written her this morning. She picked it up, pulling the rubber band out of her hair and shaking it loose. It read;

Dear Blair,

I just received my Hogwarts letter. I am now Head Boy, though I haven't the foggiest reason why, and I know that Granger is Head Girl, so tell her congratulations for me. The last year has been hard on all of us, and I don't know how this year will go, but I'm counting on a lot of problems, because that's just Hogwarts, isn't it?

Potter asked the Weaselette to marry him. I'm sorry, Blair. I know that you had feelings towards him. And don't try to deny it. I know you, and I've never heard you talk about someone the way you do Potter and you have a light in your eyes when ever he's around. It makes you even more radiant. I don't know how he's been so blind to it, but he can be a ponce sometimes. He tells me that he isn't marrying the girl until she graduates, though she believes that they will marry after he does. He seems unsure of himself and I plan to tell him what I think about this later on tonight at the engagement party. I'll understand if you find an excuse out of it. I'll see you at the Farewell Dinner at the Burrow, and I won't allow you to skip that. Keep your head high and smile, don't try to deny anything because I know everything and you know it.

Love always,

Draco

***

The party was drawing to a close and Draco didn't know what to say or do at this point. He and Hermione talked a good portion of the time about the upcoming year, as they were taking the same classes and would both be Heads. He noticed that something was off about her, but he couldn't tell what. It was as if she was putting on a good act, but she was too talented at Occlumens for him to peer into her mind and find out. He worried that she wouldn't talk to any of them about it. She and Weasley hardly spoke the whole night, which was odd for a supposedly happy couple. It didn't bother him one bit, because he had her to himself for most the night. He'd come to crave Granger's company, and he hadn't a reason why. He barely even questioned it anymore. Tomorrow night he'd get to spend even more time with her at the Farewell Dinner that Mrs. Weasley had planned for them all. She had pointedly made sure that he didn't get out of it, not that he was going to try. He had felt uncomfortable at first with her mothering ways, but soon appreciated them and even had a certain appreciation for the Burrow. He thought it was brilliant, despite its many flaws, and he admired that the Weasleys had never let poverty take away their strong will.

Weasley, the red-haired slug spewing dunce that he was, had actually forced Draco into an argument between himself and Potter about the chances of the Chudley Cannons making it to the Quidditch World Cup this year. Potter had said that England International had the Cup in the bag, which Draco agreed with heartedly, and had told Weasley that the Hollyhead Harpies had a better shot than the Cannons. That had gotten Granger and the Weaselette fired up because the Harpies was an all-female Quidditch team and they had joined the argument bringing in the indignation that he would suggest that an all-female team couldn't make it like any other team. The Weasley Twins settled that by saying that the team the Harpies had put together would be the winners because they now had Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet, the best Chasers in the world. They all then agreed whole-heartedly, even Draco. Those girls had been stronger than any Chaser that Slytherin could muster and better looking at that.

On the whole, he'd had a wonderful time, especially with the seemingly official induction into their lives with Quidditch talk. Weasley had told him in a whisper, later on in the evening, that Hermione never participated in Quidditch talk. He told him to be careful mentioning the Harpies from now on around Hermione and keep it to the guys. Then the Weasel had clapped him on the back and smiled. He supposed that it was official then. He knew that he owed this all to Granger, and he didn't know whether to thank her or hit her. He chuckled lightly to himself at the thought. He wasn't sure if being friends with Weasley was a good thing, but he liked that he wasn't in control for once. He was just there, not the fear inspiring, commanding presence, but a true comrade. It was something that he'd wished that he'd had before.

Soon, the many Weasleys started filing out, as well as Lupin and the few other former Order members. The Minister, Kingsley Shaklebolt, had even come. Draco walked with Potter, Granger, Weasley, and the Weaselette out of the house and onto the street. Potter bid Draco and Granger good-bye, shaking hands with Draco and hugging Granger, planting a loving kiss on her forehead. Weasley repeated the actions of his friend, without the kiss and the Weaselette just hugged Hermione. "See you tomorrow, mate." Harry said to him.

"Yeah, you will." Draco chuckled. "What do you think the chances of a Farewell Quidditch match are?" Draco asked, suddenly curious.

Harry and Ron looked at each other smiling. "Definite possibility." Potter replied. Draco smirked back and nodded, then turned to leave. Hermione quickly caught up with him as he walked down the quiet sidewalk.

"I'm happy you came, Draco." She said, walking beside him. He looked at her and nodded. "Are you ok with all this?"

"I am. Thank you, for everything." He told her. She stopped next to a sleek black car and he stopped as well. "Is this yours?" He asked, checking out the amazing machinery. He appreciated the beauty of the sleek vehicle, sitting there in wait like a panther.

"Yes." She said blushing.

"It's beautiful." He wasn't looking at the car. "A Porsche? 911 Turbo?" He asked looking back at the car.

She nodded, putting a caressing, small hand on the sleek paint. "It was an indulgence. I didn't know you knew cars." She told him, looking up into his silver eyes.

"I didn't know you did, either." He smiled, genuinely smiled, at her. He watched her cheeks flush pink again.

"Do you need a ride anywhere?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I'm just going to Apparate home. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, looking right into her honey eyes. She nodded. "Half the night, I waste in sighs. Half in dreams I sorrow after…For the hand," He reached out and took that small, gentle hand from the car and brought it to his lips. "The lips," He laid a gentle kiss on it, then released it. "The eyes." He looked into her eyes.

"For the meeting of tomorrow." She completed. "Tennyson." She was breathless, which hadn't truly been his intent. He didn't actually have intent, just a result, and he needed to be more careful. She smiled brilliantly up at him. "Goodnight, Draco." She said, stepping away from him and opening the door of her car. She gave him one last look before she was lost in the black of the car. The engine purred to life and Draco was soon watching her drive away. He never noticed the green eyes that had watched the whole exchange in curiosity.

Silently cursing himself, he Apparated home, and sat on his bed. What had he been thinking? He hadn't, that was the problem. He was so daft, to pull that with Granger. Most girls were impressed by pretty quotes by unknown authors, but Granger was different, she knew Muggle authors and she would know quotes and he hadn't even meant to do it in the first place. Sure, he valued her friendship, but that was all. The end of it. He couldn't-no, he wouldn't, take advantage of her trust. He would need to be on his guard from now on. She was Granger, a girl that he had tried to mentally destroy for pretty much the whole of his childhood, a girl that had single-handedly saved him from himself last term despite all he had done to her. She deserved more than that. She deserved someone like Potter, a noble sort of gent, not some ponce that had tormented her for 6 years. She deserved better than him.

Draco looked at himself in his mirror. Staring back at him were sad silver eyes behind dark lashes, his blond hair framed his eyes, his lips were parted and he seemed even paler than usual. He wore a black button up and dark wash jeans, nothing humble about his appearance. She had looked bloody fantastic in the designer outfit that she'd worn and her car was not humble, but it seemed different when she indulged. He didn't even know where she'd gotten the money for that car or her outfit or the flat that she shared with Blair. Blair had probably given her the money, but he doubted it. No, she worked for every penny, and that made her indulgences different. Made her human, something he doubted he had ever been. He was rarely anything but perfect, something that had been bred into him. That wasn't human. That was cloned, mechanical, nothing. He needed to stop this before it started.

He wasn't going to the Farewell Dinner.

Attention: Ok, I am going to warn you all that the chapters won't all be this long. I didn't intend on it running as long as it did. I hope you enjoyed it. This is going chapter by chapter, the more reviews I get, the more likely I am to post more. I also have a Challenge for all of you:

Who are the other 6 members of Hermione and Blair's Unit at Charade?

To help, though I doubt it will, I will give you their File Names, Mission Names, and House Initial, you fill in the rest.

Key: File Name--Mission Name--House Initial

Z--Crow--S

D--Raven--G

A--Baby--H

F--Flame--H

C--Ice--R

P--Sin--S

Submit in reviews. Thank you and see you next chapter.