So I understand it's taken me super duper long to update

So I understand it's taken me super duper long to update. I mean, the seventh book has come out and everything!! I loved it and had to stay off fanfiction for a while to cope, but alas!—school is out for the summer and I have some creative juices a bubblin'.

Disclaimer: You know what's mine and what isn't. Honestly.

"Hermione, you can't seriously be going through with this?" Ginny said, throwing herself dramatically across Hermione's king-sized bed, nearly squashing Crookshanks in the process.

"Of course I am! If he wants to repay me he's going to have to do it the honest way! I'm no fool, Ginny, and he's certainly is playing me for one! Now, where'd my wand holder go…"

"Here," Ginny said, tossing a black garter looking thing towards Hermione. "You should at spare your best black dress! Honestly, what if something goes wrong and he really does need to save you and can't save your dress?" Ginny asked as Hermione snapped her wand into place high on her inner thigh.

"If he ruins this dress, he won't need to save my life because I'll have taken his! I love this dress. Doesn't it swirl nicely?" Hermione spun around as the knee-length cocktail dress whirled around her knees.

"Are you at least bringing a jacket? After all, the dress is strapless and it's cold outside!" Ginny said, dashing to Hermione's closet to pick out a jacket.

"No, Gin, I'm not taking a jacket. I'll look too suspicious…like I've planned something."

Ginny departed the closet with a dress in hand and rolled her eyes. "You do have something planned."

Hermione snorted.

Ginny laid the dress down gently on the bed before studying it crucially. "I knew this midnight blue will look fabulous on you, you know? You and Ron will look smashing together…"

Hermione lost all sense of humor from the gentle banter before. "Don't go there. I've been there with everyone and their gremlin except you. You know better than to bring him up. We're through. Forever. There's no turning back."

Ginny sighed and picked the dress back up. "It could've been nice, you know. We'd be real sisters then."

Hermione gave Ginny a tight squeeze, careful not to wrinkle the dress. "We already are, Gin. Anyhow, I've got to run. After all, Hermione Granger is never late." Hermione winked at Ginny and kissed her cheek. "You and Harry behave tonight!" She said before skipping out the door to apparate to the hospital.

Hermione arrived in front of St. Mungo's at precisely 8:30, approximately ten seconds prior to Draco arriving.

"Glad you could make it, Granger," Draco said, brushing away nonexistent wrinkles from his suit jacket. "Aren't you a bit, ehm, frigid?" He asked, taking note of her lack of jacket.

"Just a bit, but we're only going to be outside for a moment, Malfoy, so let's get a move on, shall we?" Hermione said rubbing her arms roughly to keep warm.

"Whatever." Malfoy said, roughly grabbing Hermione's wrist before apparating to the resturaunt.

"Malfoy! I swear on my career if you do anything remotely like that again, I'll—" Hermione started, flinging her fists into the air towards Malfoy's face. She then glanced around and noticed where they were. "Ehm, Malfoy? I wasn't sure that a dark ally qualified for a classy resturaunt.."

Malfoy grinned widely, almost to the point of maniacal. "It's just right around the corner," He said, walking briskly away from Hermione.

Hermione groaned and tried to follow as best she could in her strappy stilettos, but she wasn't making the same progress. "Draco, slow dow—ahh!" She said, jumping back as the entrance to the ally was filled with three brutally large men.

"Heh heh heh, pretty lady out for a walksy by herself, eh?" The one in the middle said, elbowing his mates, getting them to join in on the laughter.

Hermione couldn't help it.

She started laughing.

The laughter from the three musketeers silenced almost immediately.

"What are you laughin' at?" The one in the middle asked.

Hermione quieted down for a moment. "It's just…well, honestly, you guys can't be serious? I mean, you all look like dwarfed mountain trolls and your laughter seemed a bit over the top. I wouldn't be surprised if you were hired actors, and if you are, I'd seriously consider a new career path."

They looked dumbfounded.

The one in the middle actually looked a little hurt.

"Honestly, guys, do you know who I am?"

"O'course," The one on the right said, "yer Hermione Granger!"

Hermione clapped her hands together. "Precisely. You didn't honestly think you'd fool me, did you? Now I'm assuming you've already been paid. If not, forward your bill to my address. Now you three scoot away. Go on, shoo!" Hermione said, waving her hands at them. They all looked at each other, shrugged, and disappeared into the darkness.

"Now is when the show begins," Hermione said, smiling to herself. "AH!! OH MY GOODNESS YOU BAD, BAD MEN! UNHAND ME THIS INSTANT! OH NO, DRACO, SAVE ME!! Yikes, ah, oh no…" She stifled a chuckle. "Three, two, o—"

"You men unhand that fair maiden!" Draco shouted, wand drawn, hair and jacket blowing in a nonexistent wind.

Hermione burst out laughing, immediate tears leaking from her eyes.

Draco finally took a moment to look around, only to realize that Hermione was standing alone, hunched over in laughter.

She had outsmarted him.

And he was furious.

"Granger, what is the meaning of this?" He asked, sheathing his wand and storming towards her.

Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes before continuing. "Honestly Malfoy, did you really think that those three ridiculously huge Hagrid-clones would convince me that I was in danger? They were obviously hired. To be quite frank I'm rather disappointed in your blatant failure. I hope you never really want someone hurt because I think you'd fail miserably."

Draco stood there, his mouth agape. "You knew that I—"

"Don't insult my intelligence, Malfoy. Now where's my dinner—I didn't get dressed up to stand out in the cold," Hermione said, walking smoothly to the opening of the alley, swaying her hips in victory.

"Great. Now I'm stuck with a completely unscathed Hermione Granger for at least an hour who insists on tormenting me with those girly hips swaying back and forth! How dare she, that coniving, crazy, concubine!" Draco fumed, balling up his fists in fury. He then realized fully what he said and chuckled. "A coniving, crazy, concubine...that's a good one," he said, walking towards Hermione, his mood lightened by his own love for his wit.

It ended a bit abrubtly, I know. Oh well—my goal is to finish this story by the end of the summer—I really like where my mind wants to go with this. I'll keep writing if y'all keep reviewing !!

VBC