A/N: This is a contest entry for the Dracolov challenge! If you would like to enter you must e-mail Dracolov, her e-mail is in her profile. The last day to enter is 12/1/04. Please R & R (read and review) and thank you for reading my story.

I am going to do a quick A/N before I start this chapter. There seemed to be some confusion. There were a lot of unanswered questions, I know that, but that is part of a cliffie. You have to have some unanswered questions to have some suspense. Don't be confused. The potion Draco takes will be explained and so will why Lucius didn't kill Hermione when he had the chance. I had all those explanations in the chapter but like I said my mom was hurrying me to get off the computer so my brother could write his paper. It was supposed to be one long chapter but that didn't work out. Sorry for any confusion.

They went up to the Great Hall and walked past all of the students up to the staff table. When they got to their seats they both sat down and started to eat. Hermione didn't eat much; she knew she wouldn't be able to stomach much, the way this story was going. She would probably end up getting really pissed and riled up and it is not good to do either of these on a full stomach.

Hermione was pretty much off in her own little world until she saw Draco pull something out of his robe. He was trying to do it so no one noticed, but obviously it didn't work. He took out a vile with a white liquid in it. He then took off the top and poured about ten drops in his drink. His drink suddenly became white then went back to the orange color that pumpkin juice usually is.

Hermione's curiosity got the better of her. "What is that?"

Draco was startled for a moment, and then answered her, "It is a potion to help keep me from getting caught."

"By who?"

"That will all be explained when we are back in my room, finishing the story."

"What does it do?"

"It keeps me from being able to be found. Severus made it for me."

Hermione's eyes got huge, "Severus? But he is dead."

"Nope. He is in hiding. He had to fake his own death to be able to escape from his clutches."

"Who?"

"All in good time."

"Dammit Draco, you aren't Albus Dumbledore, stop trying to act like it. Give me a strait answer."

"I told you; all of your questions will be answered later, when we are in private."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and if looks could kill.

"Just eat Hermione, or at least let me eat. Then we can go back to my room and finish our discussion."

Draco, without waiting for a reply turned to his plate and started eating. Hermione put her attention back to her salad and just stared at it. She was so engrossed in it that when something furry touched her leg she about knocked the table over. She screamed and everyone in the hall looked up at her. Draco looked at her with a look of concern and then a hint of amusement when he saw what had made her jump.

"Sorry, sweetie, but Draco doesn't feed me much down there, and the house elves won't listen to a ferret. Could you get me something to eat?"

"Don't feed you? You eat everything I keep down there."

"So. I get it for myself. Therefore you don't feed me, I feed myself. And by the way, as a pet owner, you should feed your pets."

"You know what you rat stop talking."

"I am not a mmmpphhh....."

Hermione had grabbed Noah's snout and picked him up. And with Draco laughing, she carried him out of the Great hall. Draco followed her, just to make sure that she didn't hurt him too bad. He felt pretty sorry for Noah, but he should learn how to keep his mouth shut.

Hermione carried him all the way out to the quidditch field and sat him down right in the middle. He looked around then looked up at her puzzled.

"Go to Hagrid, and stay with him tonight, Noah."

"Ok," he said, hesitantly.

"Please, and don't worry he won't be surprised by a talking ferret." Noah nodded and started towards the hut, while Hermione continued, "I mean with a three headed dog, what can surprise a person?"

Noah's step faltered but when he heard her laugh, he kept going, though a little bit nervous.

Hermione took a deep breath and turned toward Draco, "We can continue the story here."

Draco sighed and said, "Ok. So where were we? Oh yeah, so I left, because he said he would kill you if I didn't..."

"Why didn't he kill me anyways?"

"He knew that if he killed you I would defy him and run and definitely join the Order. What he didn't know was that I was already a member, but anyways. Also, he figured you would come in handy later as either a blackmail for me, or for your power.

"So I spent ten years there. I was the prince; no one was brave enough to stand up to me. I was at everything. All affairs my dad could not deal with, I dealt with. Hermione you wouldn't believe the number of innocent, well not innocent, men I had to kill for as small a reason as just not answering fast enough. He was getting out of control and we attacked all over Egypt and surrounding areas. All the while I would report back to Dumbledore, telling him of plans for the future to attack on the Order or the school. Then we got word that Dumbledore was no longer the Headmaster, and spent all of his time just working on the Order.

"I had to come back to check and make sure that this information was true. This was about two years ago. Well, I came back and snuck into the school, and saw you. Just seeing you sparked all of my feelings that I had to lock away when I left. Well, my dad noticed my difference of behavior and followed me one day. He came in on me while I was looking at a picture of me and you; you know the one that was taken by the lake at graduation. He was furious. He came in and started shooting curses at me, one after another, without hesitation.

"It took me a little while to locate my wand and I finally did. Right before I apparated I heard him yell, 'Boy! You just killed her. Now she will die. Trust me; there is no way to save her now!' I got scared for you and went to see Dumbledore. He, Minerva and I talked about it and decided that I should come and teach here to watch over you. That is when Albus introduced me to Noah. He was in some freak accident and got turned into a ferret permanently. Albus said that we would be able to relate."

Hermione chuckled.

"Hey now, girl. I got turned into a ferret once, better then an entire lifetime."

Hermione sobered and looked up at Draco. "What about Severus?"

"He had to go to get away from my dad."

"Oh,"

"See, my dad found out that he was a double agent."

Hermione just stood there thinking before she spoke again,"Is everything you said true?"

"Every word."

Hermione stared at him for just a minute and walked up to him. Then she surprised him by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him like he hadn't been kissed in ten years.

The kiss was amazing, but too short for Hermione pulled away as quick as she pulled him into it.

"I believe you, but..."

"Dammit Hermione, why?! Why does there have to be a 'but'?"

Hermione just held up her hand to quiet him, "But, we can't just start where we left off. Not after ten years."

Hermione had to stop, because she was starting to cry. She took in a deep breath to calm herself, then went on, "I am so sorry Draco, but with your dad still out there, there is a chance that you would have leave again and I can't go through that again. We can work on it. Just give it some time. Please."

"Hermione, I already told you I would wait for you."

"Don't just say it. Do it."

"Ok."

"Draco, I want you to know that I never stopped loving you."

Without waiting for him to respond she took off running towards the school. He started to go after her, but realized that she needed her space and stayed there. He decided that he would wait for about thirty minutes before going back to his rooms.

There you go. Hope you liked it and I hope that it answered any questions that you had. I decided that on all of my fanfics I am going to start adding poems to the end that I like and would like to share with every one else. So here is one of them.

I'm Nobody! Who are you?

Are you--Nobody--too?

Then there's a pair of us?

Don't tell! they'd advertise--you know!

How dreary--to be--Somebody!

How public--like a Frog--

To tell one's name--the livelong June--

To an admiring Bog!

--Emily Dickinson

Did you like it? I sure do. It is one of my favorites. Well, I hope that you liked the chapter, and if you didn't, tell me. I enjoy criticism.

Toodles

Chocolate hugs and cherry kisses

Nikki