Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine to take.

Chapter 1

Hermione smiled adoringly at the two guys who were beside her. One had the rich orange hair while the other in dashing brown. Yes, they were handsome because of the coming of age but they looked pale and sickly; Hermione's stomach twisted.

The cure for her two best friends' was still missing and the Healers were not making it close to any progress, her beating heart raced faster. If she weren't so scared of being apart from the two men across from her, she would have went straight to the library and ripped out every page, but she felt as if she was stuck to them and she could never leave them alone for more than a day without feeling guilty.

Their still bodies still scared her and she took comfort in the warm necklace they had given her two months ago. She gripped the quilt even tighter around her seeking warmth and thought of happy memories.

The Saint Magus was unusually silent but it was 11 PM and it was acceptable. Hermione could hear the tapping of the healers' shoes and the rhythmic motion of the hospital and it comforted her but halfway through her dozing off the door opened ever so slightly and McGongall stepped inside. The newly appointed headmaster of Hogwarts looked at Hermione compassionately.

"Hermione…may I speak to you? Just a short time, outside," Minerva said and stepped out of the room as if she was intruding, not giving the slightly haired bushy witch enough time to speak. Hermione followed her out and into the reception room and closed the door lightly.

"Is something wrong Professor? Is it alright for you to be out of Hogwarts?" Hermione concernedly asked. She felt uncomfortable in the stiff couch the hospital had but she could live. The professor cleared her throat and moistened her lips.

"We know where the cure is," Minerva said, simply. Hermione looked in the eyes of her Professor, trying hard not to keep her hopes up. She pushed them down, and let her logic ride. She couldn't take it anymore if somehow that floating balloon of faith was suddenly pluck out of her hands so Hermione protectively hid it.

Minerva continued, "It's in Hogwarts; this I am very certain of. We received this information from Dumbledore's hat. A student from 90 years ago had the same predicament as Harry and Ron are now experiencing and that student was saved by a cure. What and where that cure is-is unknown." Hermione thought about what the professor had said but was still doubtful.

"How does the sorting hat know?" Hermione asked incredulously, there were still questions flying around her; trapped in her mind.

"For purposes the present headmaster recorded the student's thoughts using the Sorting Hat for future purposes," the elder witch confidently said.

"Now, what I'm asking you to do is find the cure."

Hermione almost choked thankful for the missing drink. Find the cure? Was she insane? Minerva puckered lips and frowned lightly. Hermione realized that she had said her thoughts aloud.

"Of course, you won't be going alone. The students who have now personally passed of their seventh year for their own reason were personally asked by me to go along with you to this trip. I believe that the four of you are well acquainted with each other, Miss Parkinson and the others will be meeting you tomorrow morning like they usually do. Just take the train. But dear, I have to hurry," Before Hermione had said another word the headmaster had Disapparated away and left Hermione alone.

Everything was going too fast and Hermione felt the insecurity of it. She was just not used to things that were uncontrollable but she could live with it.

Hermione was still in shock. Her mouth was still gaping and there was her hand reaching out to the air where Professor McGongall had once seated. She groaned and 'harumphed' also standing up. 'It's a great opportunity! It's better than sitting in the hospital for ages being completely useless' Hermione thought with dignity and strode of to Ron and Harry's room but remembered that the trip was still three days away.

Hermione sat down at her usual spot and gazed at the two intently. She couldn't sleep and so she spent the entire night thinking. She had a lot of things to think about but her once enclosable eyes now slowly lolled off to sleep again. Her body cozy form the quilt.

"-mione! Hermoine!" a shove came to her, it was soft and the pusher smelled nice. Hermione groaned aloud. She opened her brown eyes to meet Pansy's cheerful face peering at her.

"Go on and eat!" Pansy encouraged the still groggy Hermione. The pastries were too tasty to refuse, and the Golden Girl soon ate them like the lion she was. Pansy was serene drinking her coffee without haste.

"I heard about the 'mission'," Hermione clipped and looked at Pansy who nodded in return.

"Blaise and Draco will be coming," Pansy added to Hermione's lack of knowledge and took a bite of the still warm bagel.

"Where are those two?"

"Actually, we were supposed to come here together but Draco's clothes were soiled-don't ask why- and he had to go back to the Manor for a change of clothes and I guess I lost Blaise in the hospital. Merlin! He can even get lost in a hospital when I'm just right beside him. I swear, I feel like a nanny," Pansy grumbled on about the past two days that Hermione had rarely gone outside.

Hermione smiled fondly smiled at the witch opposite to her. Who would have thought that Draco's gang and Harry's gang would have ever merged together? A year ago she would have laughed at the prospect of it but Hermione was open minded and so was Pansy and if their two guy friends weren't such dicks to each other in their first year; things would have gone well.

Pansy rambled on, her face changing every so often that it amused Hermione. The Slytherine princess had changed (for the better. Pug face was a word that was a forgotten word to the new Pansy). Her hair was now long that ended mid-back and her once pale lips were now glossy thin. It was nice to see Pansy like that. In a state where she loved herself was a very pretty Pansy.

But she was interrupted by the slide of the door when Draco and Blaise came in, the faces scowling.

"Well, I see the two of you have found the way in without my help. Should I give you a ribbon?" Pansy sweetly said, her words were sugar coated with sarcasm. Draco just shrugged and sat beside Hermione whilst Blaise took the chair and moved it, forming a circle.

"Is this some kind of meeting?" Hermione asked. Draco sent her one his what-do-you-think-look and rolled his eyes. Taking off his scarf thankful for the warmness the hospital emitted, outside was freezing cold; give thanks to December.

"McGongall will be sending us an owl for more details," Draco said and they waited a minute later, a loud peck on the window signaled them. Blaise stood up and gave the owl a treat.

"Dear Students,

As you know you will be sent to Hogwarts shortly; in two days. I am sorry for not being able to give you the full details in person but please read carefully. You are on a mission, say it what you will.

You are to find the cure for your fellow. The cure is located in Hogwarts, specifically in a 'popping hall'; that is what our source tells us. As you should know you will be riding the train to Hogwarts in 2 days time at 12 noon in platform 9 and 3/4.

Once you step inside the school grounds, I would strongly prefer that you speak of this to no one. Our meetings together as the newest Order will be very minimal to avoid suspicion.

In relation to the cure the same event happened approximately 90 years ago to a student of Ravenclaw. The headmaster was Charlina Sylvesta also a Ravenclaw once in Hogwarts. The sorting hat also tell us that the cure was made by an unknown person and an extra of it is 'lying around the darkest crevices of Hogwarts' and that Hat also tells us that you should be 'ready for any sign of danger for death might be pecking its beak on you' and once he has stated that 'all of that I have said is incomplete. He he he'

I give you my luck and good wishes. Please take care of yourselves.

Minerva McGongall

Present Headmaster of Hogwarts

Hermione was now truly exasperated. They were following something so blindly! It was almost illogical to be following the tail of a hat! Hermione could not open her mouth to spout out indignation. She instead decided to be neutral about all of it when Pansy shrieked with delight.

"This is it!" she cheerfully exclaimed to herself. Shaking Blaise's shoulders with indignations, she rambled on like a bull instead of the hissing of a snake.

"We still have to be logic about this Pans," Hermione retaliated all her happiness as she gripped on Pansy's shoulders and forced her to sit down.

"Oh! Come off it, you fool!" Pansy hissed-good progress for a Slytherine, applaud! Her eyes squinting like of the snake and smiled deviously. The Slytherine princess in her was now jumping up, no matter how much Pansy tried to restrain it. Hermione was impressed at how manipulative Pansy was if ever she wanted to.

Pansy caught herself before she was about to say something and cleared her throat, embarrassed-though there was nothing to be discomfited about.

"I still think we should give this a try," Pansy said and looked at the lioness.

"I didn't say that we shouldn't."

Hermione tried to grasp something from what Blaise said aloud. She was sure the Hat knew something. That was her first mission once she stepped in Hogwarts, get a grip on the Hat-the very witness- and try to shovel out every single detail of the cure and she would start running off to the library or anything she could get a grip on. Her heart was thudding with enthusiasm, the brave lioness that slept inside Hermione before was now waking up, growling and ready to get its paws dirty.

"Anyway, I better get ready for my clothes," Blaise said and stood up from his seat. "We're going to Hogwarts in less than three days and we haven't even bought anything for our classes since we all skipped out of this year,"

Draco sighed and stood up ready to follow Blaise's lead and so Pansy too had stood up and looked expectantly at Hermione.

"I already bought the books. The three of us already planned to skip out on this year since they were getting weaker and I couldn't just skip off to Hogwarts without them, so instead of studying there. I did it here," Draco shot her Hermione a look that obviously stated that she was a nerdy Gryffindor and shook his head slowly.

"Hermione, when was the last time you stepped outside of this hospital?" Blaise asked her. His face in a worried sketch and glanced at Draco whose brow was now shooting up. Hermione waved her hand off and muttered: 'a week, I guess. Whatever'

"What is wrong with you?" he said, he took Hermione's surprised hand and lifted her up.

"I'm going to send you to Mother and fix you up-I actually pity you now," Draco drawled and spun her around and checked her for any sign of deficiency. Hermione's brows were furrowed in annoyance.

"I'm not that ghastly…am I?" and looked at Pansy and Blaise who nodded playfully. Hermione looked doubtful at Draco.

"It feels like I'm intruding," she replied.

"Just come on, it's like you haven't been naked there before. Don't be embarrassed you practically live there," Draco nudged her.

"I've got your old clothes there but I doubt you'll wear it since Mother has been shopping for your clothes since the dawn of time. Your room is the same as always," Draco droned on and Hermione looked at him gratefully.

"Thanks so much Draco," she gave him a peck of kiss and they Disapparated leaving a hopeful Pansy and amused Blaise.

"It's such a pity, you know?" Pansy said as they walked off into the Muggle Street. "They make me want to puke unicorns and butterflies and even a patronus," Pansy mumbled as they walked on.

"Draco doesn't want to put the moves on her because she's not ready. Did you see the constipated look on his face? When Hermione kissed him? He's all about restraint," Blaise reminded his girl as his feet paced hers perfectly.

"Well, I just hope all of this ends soon. I know they'll end up together but if something happens to the both of them without even-I don't wanna think about it," Pansy mumbled and held Blaise's warm hand and leaned on him.

"Both of them deserve each other," she mumbled and pecked his cheek and continued on. Loving the cold air brush past her and the idea of a Dramione it was all too sweet.

AN;

1.) Ron and Harry are just minor characters but somehow have a hand in the plot.

2.) Draco has feelings for Hermione, and does not retaliate it. On the next chapter, his vies about her will be given clearly. Slight OOC on his account.

3.) Blaise and Pansy are an item.

4.) How did all of them meet? Let your imagination ride :)