Hey all,
CareBearErin: im glad u think its a good tactic. Jayden and Aaliyah are smart ones, eh.
rodneysbaby: hehe hmm...not too sure on the amount of chapters because im going to end up with the war and theres still Christmas and stuff so there'll be quite a few more chapters.
Stegijsa: haha i'll try to make the ball unique...who knows...perhaps i will. you're right when u say that the Ron problem hasnt ended. i intend on making a few more problems with him XD.
haha hmm...i think i'll be going over that part...mah bad.
Kuroi Tenshi - Dark Angel: haha its alright. i also went through one of those 'not reviewing' stages but then i started writing and realised the importance of reviews XD
purplecrazy2291: thank you, i appreciate the reviews. i cant wait for the ball either. im going to chose something SPECTACULAR for her to wear. XD i hope it'll be spectacular XD
Love-is-Everything: i know that people may feel bad for Ron and i do too but he'll be happy in the end, i promise. the whole complimenting Draco thing...imagine it as her becoming all dreamy...you know when you like someone and ur describing them how u sometimes may get a bit carried away? yeah like that...and with the past/present stuff...well the story is a lot about their past...like how they ended up together and why they're living in America and all. i'll be swapping a little bit back and forth between the memories but remember that the story is basicaly finding about what happened so yeah. and i'll try to reply to reviews as much as possible XD. i really appreciated your long + helpful review.
DeathEaterKnight of Tortall: im really honoured to have this story thought of as "one of the best DMHG" that you've read. it means A LOT! THANK YOU!
tom's a hottie: haha i'm glad that DMHG "blow" you away. i love them too!
Raju: rajesh mah man/brudda/lovely...sorry bout the full name mottey/raju/fungush king...thank you sooo much for the review deary. im soo touched that u think the chapters were "as, if not more, entrancing than the one that preceded it". haha big words for raju. im glad ur proud of me, brudda, means a lot.ahh and im glad u'd recommend me. love ya mate XD tc.
Thanks also to; sunflower18, Shdwcat27, Lunny of Ravenclaw, df, Hazelocean, Brittany, nathley, Bre.
to all that reviewed, i really REALLY appreciated it. 14 on the first day. it made my heart swell..sorta. i felt sooo special. aask raju if u need to. i was sooo happy XD thank you so much!
Hermione sighed heavily, feeling reluctant to go down for dinner. Ginny grimaced as they entered to see Ron glaring angrily at his food. Ginny sat opposite Harry, beaming happily. He had taken Hermione's advice and finally asked Ginny who had readily accepts, only to add to Ron's anger.
Hermione tentatively sat down, coincidentally across from Ron. He grabbed a large spoon of mashed potato and slammed in onto his plate. It shattered loudly, the ceramic flying across the table and nearby. Silence fell upon the room at the sudden, shrill noise. "Repario. Scourgify." He muttered through clenched teeth.
Hermione looked past him at Draco, who was staring in shock and winced at her. Ron looked up at Hermione and saw her staring off behind him. Clenching his fists tightly, he bit down harshly on his lip. Hermione smiled weakly at whoever she was looking at before worriedly glancing at him and then down to her plate which she silently filled.
Aaliyah came bustling from the Ravenclaw table, where she had been chatting to Sally-Anne Perks, and seated herself beside Hermione. "So Mione, hows it going?" Hermione sighed heavily.
"Erm…alright I suppose." Aaliyah nodded sympathetically. She asked the same of Ginny and Harry and was about to do so to Ron but saw the murderous look on his face and quickly rethought her actions.
"Have you seen Jayden? After we left your common room seeing as you were so busy," She began arousing a blush in Hermione's cheek much to Ron's suspicion and annoyance. "I went to the Gryffindors and he went down to the Slytherins. I haven't seen him since."
Hermione answered her and before long the three girls were in a deep conversation about the upcoming ball, much to the disgust and anger of a certain red-head who was opposite them. Harry noticed this and quickly attempted to divert his attention, only to flare more anger in him.
"Speaking of the ball, you're going with your lover boy, right?" Harry, Ginny, Hermione and almost all of the Gryffindors in hearing range looked up at her words and then turned to Ron as to see his reaction, his face reddening. "I mean, of course you are. You both are so perfect for each other. I mean it is obvious that you are both in love. I've seen the way that you guys look at each other. There's evident passion in your eyes, on both parts." Aaliyah rambled on, oblivious to the warning looks of her peers.
His face quickly turned a violent red as his hands tightened around his empty plate. With a loud crack, the plate snapped once more. He jumped up and stormed out of the Great Hall, pushing the doors apart fiercely causing them to crash against the cold stone of the walls. Silence greeted his departure as students and professors alike stared until the doors slammed shut once more.
A tornado of voices hit them at once as people began to chatter incessantly, not to mention turn and stare at the remaining two of the 'Golden Trio'.
Only minutes later Lavender raced out of the room, though much more discreetly, to comfort her 'Ron-Ron'. Hermione paled visibly. Ron was murderous and vicious at the sound of her with another.
Harry, Ginny and Aaliyah turned to Hermione, only to see tears forming in her eyes. A shadow fell over her back as someone coughed softly. "Hermione," The whole hall fell silent for the third time that night, shocked at the sight of a Slytherin opting to go to the Gryffindor table. "We, erm, have that meeting that we decided on in five minutes. We, erm, need to, erm, get up to the place now…" Draco mumbled softly, slight colour appearing in his cheeks.
Harry glared heavily at his 'enemy' though the two girls smiled softly. Hermione looked up at Draco with teary eyes. "I remember now." She said softly, almost inaudibly. "I'm coming." She placed her fork on the table before following Draco out of the hall, quite sullen.
Harry leapt up from the table and grabbed her elbow. "Hermione," He started. Hermione glanced at Draco who nodded to her, indicating that he would wait in their room. "Are you okay?" He questioned, while slowly leading her up to her quarters.
Hermione sighed heavily. "I don't know, Harry. It's just that…that Ron was one of my best friends for so long now that it's just so hard to see him so angry at me."
Harry nodded slowly. "I know how you feel from the Triwizard contest. It's just…you were so infatuated with him last year. You were always so upset when he was close with another girl but here you are, head over heels some other guy in two months."
Hermione looked down, fidgeting with the hems of her sleeves. "Harry…you've got to understand my plight. I…I liked him for so long and then I bumped into…this guy during the summer. I began to like him so much and he liked me, just like it was with Ron. But unlike Ron, he did something about it. He asked me out and now our feelings have developed. Ron couldn't expect me to just hang around for almost five years!"
Harry nodded again as they came to a stop outside the portrait. He raised an eyebrow at the actions of the couple in the painting. Draco was seated under a tree, Hermione's head in his lap. They were quietly talking to one another, while Draco ran his hand through her hair over and over again. She smiled softly up at him, ran her hand up to the back of his neck and pulled him down to her for a long kiss.
"Erm…Mione?" He questioned, staring oddly at the picture. Harry turned to Hermione who was staring at her shoes, a blush aroused in her cheeks. She coughed softly and then knocked on the door, drawing the portrait couple apart.
The door was pulled open and Draco appeared. "Hey b-Hermione, Potter." He greeted, nodding in Harry's direction. "You were almost late for the meeting." He said with a soft cough.
Hermione nodded, gave Harry a quick hug and then climbed through the door. "See you later, Harry and thank you for understanding." She whispered before closing the door behind her. Almost as soon as she had done that Draco had spun her around and captured her lips in a soft kiss, her back hitting the portrait with a soft thud.
Harry turned around when the portrait closed her leave when he heard a thud against the portrait, where Hermione had just been. He gulped nervously and quickly knocked on the portrait once again.
Hermione and Draco quickly pulled apart and fixed up their attire while Draco quickly moved to the other side of the room. Hermione opened the door, surprised to see Harry standing there with a curious and worried expression on his face.
He raised an eyebrow at the sight of a slightly dishevelled girl, her lips slightly swollen. "Hermione?" He questioned, suspiciously. Hermione smiled sheepishly. "Oh! Its nothing, Harry. You know me, just a tad clumsy. I just tripped over my own two feet! Thanks for wondering!" She quickly blurted out before shutting the portrait firmly.
Harry stared at the portrait, his eyebrow still raised. Hermione had never been a clumsy one. It was truly a rare occurrence for her to 'fall over her own feet'. Shaking his head confused, he turned around and returned to the Great Hall.
Hermione grinned sheepishly as she shut the portrait behind her while Draco waited nervously. He grinned as she threw herself onto the couch. "That was so embarrassing!" She exclaimed as he sat down in front of the couch.
She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and kissed his cheek softly. "Where were we before we were interrupted?" She asked slyly. Draco spun around and grinned suggestively.
"Ooh I think we're about here." He whispered back before slowly climbing up onto the couch and kissing her seductively. Hermione giggled into his lips before reciprocating his actions.
"Ah! There you both are!" An amused voice interrupted them once more. They pulled apart to see a grinning, sapphire eyed boy smirking at them. "Ugh what the hell do you want, Blaise?" Draco asked still hovering over Hermione.
"Well, I was just wondering if Granger…oh darn it…Hermione here would like to ask Sally-Anne to the ball for me. I…erm…" He started, his voice drifting away softly.
Hermione grinned, shrewdly. "Aw…is widdle Bwaise scared to ask a big, meanie girl to a ball?" She said, scorning his nervousness.
Blaise gaped at Hermione before glaring heavily. "No!" He started before stopped quickly. "Well…erm…maybe…it's just that she's so perfect and I doubt that she would…you know…want to go with me…" Hermione smiled.
"Oh don't be an idiot, Zambini. I'll ask her, on one bloody condition. Leave us to continue what we were doing before and knock on the door before entering so that we won't need to be interrupted like this again."
Blaise grinned cunningly yet his eyes sparkled with hope. "Thank you so much, Hermione and I'll keep what you said in mind. Good night to the both of you." He said before leaving and shutting the portrait behind them.
Hermione smiled at Draco as he leaned back down onto her. Just as they were once more comfortable, a loud knock at the door came. "GAH!" Draco exclaimed before climbing off the couch and opening the door.
Albus Dumbledore stood there, a knowing look in his eyes. "Ah, good evening Mr Malfoy. I was about to open the door myself when I realised that newly-weds are quite predicable and I didn't quite want to risk your embarrassment." Draco smiled sarcastically before moving to let Dumbledore inside.
He smiled knowingly when he saw a very dishevelled girl propping herself up on the couch. "Professor Dumbledore!" She exclaimed before quickly sitting up.
"Good evening Hermione. I have something of important matter to inform you both about." The pair nodded as Draco quickly sat down beside Hermione, discreetly grasping her hand in his.
"As you know, the privilege of being the Golden Children has its ups and downs. You have already acquired a few of these gifts such as wandless magic. One of the main others is unassisted flying. You will be able to fly without the use of a broom or charm. But there are obviously ties that the pair of you share."
"I've been going through Merlin's diaries and I've found some news that you may find disturbing or quite welcomed. The bonds that you have acquired are very strong, strong enough for you both to share a 'lifeline'. You will be twice as strong as you were before yet every hit will affect the other until the end of evil."
"Professor?" Hermione questioned. "What exactly do you mean it will affect the other? How will it and what do you mean by saying that we share a lifeline?"
"Yes Hermione, they are very good questions. The bond that has been created is between your lives. You are both strong people and your strength has been doubled due to the fact that there is two of you yet if Draco is struck down by a curse, then part of that strength will fall. It will not, though, hurt Draco as much seeing as he shares your strength. Do you both understand this?"
Hermione and Draco both nodded. It was pretty straightforward. "There is, though, one downfall of this bond that you both share with each other. If one is to pass away and be struck down by death, then so will the other. This is because, excuse my use of third person but, in Draco's heart is a part of Hermione's soul and in Hermione's there is a part of Draco's soul. By one passing, that part of the soul will die away and without that the person cannot live."
Hermione felt her mind melt away slowly. "Wh-what! H-how are you sure of this? How was Merlin sure of this?"
Dumbledore smiled sympathetically at his students. "The gods appeared to him and took him to a haven where they explained to him the workings of his gift. I advise you to tell your secret-keepers about this. Good night, my children."
Hehe...keep reviewing! i really appreciate them!
love always,
angie