OMG, I haven't updated in ages! I had writers block (I know, again!) but i listened to some (and by some, i mean a lot ... i've been driving my parents crazy) Evanescence and, surprisingly, it helped. And i fixed my computer! Woo! So i can use all of the programs on it now, It's till super slow though. *sigh* However, i recently came into some money, and if i keep saving (which, you know, is unlikely. I'm a teenage girl, it's not in my nature to save!)I'll have enough money for a laptop in no time! When that time comes, i promise you i will be updating once a week. Until then ... this will have to do.
x Aly x

BTW: There will be odd hints at slash in the following chapters of this fic. Sorry. I am officially obsessed with slash. Just ignore them if you want, they're not essential to the main plot.


Chapter 9

One month later there was a buzz of excitement all around Hogwarts as everyone prepared for the valentine's ball. Ginny seemed to be the most enthusiastic, but then, she already had a date - her almost boyfriends, Blaise Zabini.

"Cheer up, Hermione, you'll never get asked if you keep scowling all the time." Ginny said way too cheerfully.

Hermione's scowl deepened further, "Then I guess I'll keep scowling, 'cause I'd rather go alone." Hermione insisted, "And if you suggest Draco Malfoy one more time I am going to strangle you."

Ginny smirked, "Actually, I wasn't going to mention Draco, but now you've brought it up … I still don't see why-"

"Draco's just a friend. Barely. And I couldn't go with him even if I wanted to (which I don't!) - the Carrows will be at the ball, no doubt, and if they see him with me … that's it. He'll be classed as a traitor and you know what happens to traitors!"

Ginny sighed, "Well, you have to go with someone. I wish Ron were here."

Hermione almost choked, "Uhh, I have to go. I have muggle studies in five minutes and you know what she's like if we're late."

Ginny nodded, smirking inwardly, "Try not to get into too much trouble. You've got enough scars."

It was true, Hermione did have Muggle Studies. She just didn't plan on attending. Instead, she carried on up the stairs, past the fifth floor, where she should have turned right, past the sixth floor and up to the seventh floor. She rushed along the corridor, grateful for the large crowds of students that she quickly blended into. She ducked behind a tapestry to wait for a moment until the hallway quietened. When she was sure there was no-one around she stepped out from behind the tapestry and hurried across to the door, which had just materialised in front of her.

"What are you doing her?" Asked Lavender, looking up from her muggle fashion magazine.

"You know why I'm here, Lav. I need help with my dress."Lavender nodded, putting down her magazine, "Who're you going with?"

Hermione sighed irritably as she reached up to take the box containing her dress down from the top shelf of the cupboard, "I don't have a date. I'm going alone."

Lavender stared at her, "Seriously! I thought you and Malfoy were togeth-"

"No!" Hermione explained, turning to face Lavender, a murderous look on her face, "No, me and Draco are not dating. No where near! And I am most certainly not going to the ball with him!"

Lavender shrugged, taking the box from Hermione and placing it next to her on the sofa, "Your loss; Malfoy's hot!"

Hermione growled possessively, surprising herself.

Lavender, however, didn't seem so surprised, and smiled kindly at Hermione, "You like him … a lot. You're scared, though, I know." Hermione opened her mouth to argue but Hermione cut her off, shaking her head, "Forget about Malfoy for now, despite how difficult that may be for you, who talks about him 24/7. Let me see your dress." She lifted off the lid of the box, still talking, "I saw it yesterday, when you were working on it - it really is beautiful. I'm jealous!"

Hermione smiled, silent, as Lavender carefully lifted the scarlet dress from its box.

"You're a talented seamstress." She added, holding up the dress to get a better look, "Ever thought of opening a dress shop when you leave school?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, blushing, "Honestly, Lavender!" She chastised, "I'm not that good! I botched up the stitching at the bottom so I had to shorten it. It won't even reach my knees now!"

Lavender tutted, "Stop complaining! It's gonna look great! No, go put it on so I can see what needs work."

"It's a shame you can't go to the ball, Lav." Hermione said as the two girls packed the dress back in its box and placed it in the cupboard.

Lavender shrugged, "I don't mind. I went to the last Valentine's ball with Seamus so I have no idea who I'd have gone with."

Hermione nodded, "Are he and Dean…" She trailed off, smirking.

"Not yet. Dean's still totally oblivious. It's obvious though - did you see the way Seamus pounced on his back in September!"

The girls were still laughing ten minutes later when Neville walked in. He looked relieved when he saw Hermione.

"There you are! We were worried when you didn't turn up to class!"

"Well, I'm fine. Frankly, I'm just sick of Muggle Studies. I am a muggle-born after all so it's not like I don't know these-"

"Muggle Born?" Neville repeated, "I thought you were a half-blood!"

Hermione blushed, "Did I say muggle-born? I meant half-blood. Of course I'm a half-blood. Definitely not a muggle-born!"

"Hermione?"

She looked up to see them both staring at her, and sighed, "Alright, I lied. I'm not really a half-blood. I'm the same muggle-born I have been for the past six years. Molly faked those documents so I could come back to Hogwarts."

"Hermione." Lavender soothed, "Calm down! No-one cares that you're a muggle-born."

"I know one person that will." Neville muttered, scowling at the picture of Blaise and Draco that had been taped up next to the D.A's group photo.

Lavender glared at him for a long moment before turning back to Hermione, "If it makes you feel any better, it can be our little secret."

Hermione snorted, "You? Keep a secret?" She joked.

Lavender laughed, "Yeah, okay, so I like to gossip a bit-"

"A lot." Hermione corrected.

"-But I can keep a secret if I want to, in fact-"

"You know," Neville interrupted with a roll of his eyes, "As much as I'd love to listen to you girls gossip all day, I came here for a reason."

The girls looked at him expectantly, "Yes?"

"It's just … with less than a week to go - truthfully I was going to ask Luna, had she been here - I heard you don't have a date to the ball, Hermione-"

Lavender interrupted him with a squeak of surprise and excitement, but he simply ignored her and carried on.

"And I was wondering if you might like to go with me. As friends of course, because Luna … and I think Malfoy-"

"That would be lovely Neville." Hermione told him, before he could begin talking about Draco.

Most of the D.A had accepted Draco as a member, though few of them approved of him. Neville, unsurprisingly, was particularly hostile towards the Slytherin. Blaise, on the other hand, was quite popular in the D.A, particularly with the girls.

"Uh, Neville, can you get a message round to the others; meeting at eleven tonight - wear dark clothing."

Neville grinned, "We're sneaking out again?"

Hermione nodded reluctantly, "It's risky, with the extra patrols the Carrows have the prefects doing. But I think we should. It's been almost a month, don't want them thinking we've given up! We'll have to use our wands though, we're all out of spray paint."

"I'll let everyone know." Neville assured her, "And I'll order some more spray paint."

Hermione smiled brightly, "Thanks Neville."

"For what?"

"Being brilliant. If you weren't, you wouldn't be head boy and we wouldn't be able to get these things."

Neville smiled, "Yeah, Snape didn't really think that one through, did he?"

"Ginny, Cho, Michael, you'll be taking the Dark Arts classroom." Hermione instructed, "Your message is 'Carrows: Get out of our school!' You'll need to be careful though, his room is just down the hall." The three nodded and Neville continued, "Padma, Parvati and Blaise, you'll be writing the same in the Muggle Studies classroom."

Blaise and the twins nodded.

"Seamus, Dean and Colin, you'll take the seventh floor corridor with the messages 'Potter will Prevail and 'Support Harry Potter' which will be repeated on the fifth floor by Ernie, Terry and Hannah, the third floor by Justin, Alice and Luca, and the first floor by Susan, Anthony and Zacharias." Hermione told them.

Neville continued for her, "Me, Hermione and … Malfoy will be in the Great Hall. The rest of you stay here. Lavender can watch the map. Use the Walkie Talkie if a Professor starts moving. Nigel, Dennis, listen to Potterwatch. Make a note of any deaths, sightings of Harry or You-Know-Who, or any raids. The rest of you keep researching the Deathly Hallows, Harry's getting impatient."

"We shouldn't be long." Said Hermione, pulling on her winter cloak, "We'll leave first. Wait until we're at the staircase before you start following." And then they were gone.

Lavender watched the map for a minute, then nodded at Ginny, "Cho, Ginny, Michael, you're next."

Ginny went first, Michael behind her, followed by Cho.

"I don't know why we have to keep doing this." Cho complained, "It's dangerous!"

Ginny paused on the stairs to glare at the older girl, "We're doing this because people are scared." She spat viciously, "Even if this doesn't help, it gives them hope!" She ignored Cho's shocked look and carried on "And if the only way we can help him is by rebelling against a couple of Death Eaters, or spending hours researching something that may or may not exist, then we should do it! Because it's what Harry would want!" She was walking again, scowling darkly as they made their way down to the second floor, "So what if it's dangerous? What he's doing is dangerous but does that stop him? No!"

Michael slapped a hand over her mouth, pulling both girls into the Dark Arts classroom just as Pansy Parkinson, accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle, stalked past, Prefect Badges glinting in the low light.

"Let's just get this over with." Michael pleaded once they were gone, "Before we get caught."

Ginny nodded, "You get to work. I'll figure out-"

"Lumos Maxima" Cho muttered, before casting a silent charm on the door to hide the light from the outside, "Don't be lazy." She snapped as her spell slowly lit the room.

Ginny's scowl deepened even further and she turned towards the opposite wall, wand outstretched. She had only just finished the word 'out' when they were all startled by Lavender's panicked voice.

"Ginny! You've got to get out of there! Professor Carrow's on his way! He's just around the corner!"

Cho, Michael and Ginny exchanged panicked glances before scrambling for the door.

"Oi!" Came a voice as they hurried from the classroom, "What are you doing out of bed!"

"Voldemort will fall!" Ginny yelled as Michael flew around the corner, dragging Ginny with him.