A/N: R/Hr sort themselves out, but there's a new mystery. Note, I don't promise this is my best writing, it was written ages ago, but I hope you guys like it.


The next morning dawned cloudy and rainy.

Ron's head hurt. It hurt a lot. He got up and saw someone blonde and tall on the bed next to him? Why the hell was Malf…oh. The events of last night came flooding back to him with cruel precision. He had to apologize to Hermione, he had to get to work (he only had an hour before a big meeting), he had to tell Draco drunk pinky swears did not count. First, however he needed hangover potion, badly.

A knock came loudly on the door, "Stop it!" groaned Ron, "Can't you even…" The door opened and in came none other than his sister Ginny, carrying a vile of red liquid. Hangover Potion. "I love you Ginny," said Ron, grinning and gulping the potion.

"Why don't you try telling Hermione that, instead?" said Ginny, placing another vile of potion on the nightstand for Draco, "The twins tell me she practically cried herself to sleep last night. And get to work, you're going to be late." With that she kicked Draco, who gaped at her. She motioned to the potion and the clock and he nodded, sighing, and gulped it down as well.

"Why are you always so on top of things, Ginny?" asked Draco, grumpily.

"Because I'm the only one in this whole bloody house, who has sense." said Ginny, calmly, "If you're not downstairs and ready in fifteen minutes, you aren't getting breakfast."

"Ginny?" said Ron timidly, "What about Hermione? Has she…is she…going?"

"She is." sighed Ginny, "The twins say she has a good reason. Won't tell me what it is, something about promising her. We can try to get it out of them later, after Hermione leaves, they seem to think they really should tell us, but can't. Now, get ready."

Ron wasn't moving. Neither was, Ginny was surprised to see, Draco.

"There's nothing you can do, either of you, you've got to get going, or she'll just be angrier at you. You can find out later."

So, they all went off to work. Fred and George scanned their shop records, making meticulous notes of everything they found. Ron filed paperwork and answered questions, his mind writhing with thoughts of Hermione. Susan called up her society friends, carefully veiling questions of how things were with the government. Draco did what he did best- spied. Ginny listened in on patrons and got a telling off from a fat old lady. They all returned between five and six, wizarding jobs, like muggle jobs, we're strictly eight hour deals. They spent two happy hours with chess and exploding snap games, discussing their days. Then at precisely seven, Hermione came down the stairs.

She was dressed in a long coat, which was obviously covering a skimpy outfit. Ron flinched, as did more than one other person in the room. He avoided her eyes, and she walked purposely towards the door.

Finally just as she opened the door to leave, he ran towards her, and hugged her, "I'm so sorry 'Mione."

Hermione took a breath, to keep from crying, "It's alright, I know you're just concerned, I'll be fine Ron."

"Promise?" whispered Ron.

"Promise." said Hermione, "And Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry too."

"No need, my fault entirely." said Ron, and walked slowly back to his place as the door closed behind her.

He turned to the twins, "Spill."

"What do you mean?" asked Fred, looking perplexed.

"Now that it's morning, I can see it. She doesn't want to go, but she's going. Why the hell is she going? I know you know and if you don't tell me I swear I'll…"

"Calm down Ron we'll tell you." said George.

"We will?" said Fred.

"Yeah." said George, "I mean we have to don't we? At least Draco, he might know…"

"True." said his twin, "Alright go on then."

The three other occupants of the room looked on, unblinking.

"Hermione's told us, we'll she's said that, someone's put a bonding spell on her. Someone high up in the government. She wouldn't tell us who, afraid we'd go curse them. She has to come back to him every night. If not he'll turn her in. Says he'll make sure she's killed or worse."

The room exploded.

"How the hell could she let that happen?" yelled Draco.

"Why the hell didn't she tell us?" screamed Ron.

Ginny just shook her head, "Merlin, imagine…the poor thing…"

"She's the smartest witch of her age, she knows defense…" continued Draco.

"Well we'll just have to find out who it is then…" continued Ron.

"Was she terribly upset?" finished Ginny.

This all was said at about the same time.

"Stop!" yelled one of the twins, Draco was not quite sure which. "Yes it's illegal. And yes she should have been able to stop it. Which is why we think there's something she's not saying. Which is why you all, need to find out who the hell did this to her. Up for it?"

"You think we're bloody gits or something, even Malfoy's not that bad, of course we're up for it!" Said Ron stoically.

"If it's Zabini who did this to her, I swear I'll…" started Draco.

Ginny just shook her head, "Why the hell didn't she tell us sooner?"

"She's embarrassed about it obviously." said George, "You gotta understand she's so embarrassed about everything she does…you know…she was practically hysterical last night."

"She's been before too." added Fred, "That's why we've tried offering her jobs. But she was so stubborn, of course I guess it was really because…oh Merlin, why didn't she tell us?" He looked quite distressed.

"Don't worry Fred." said Ginny comfortingly, "Not a thing goes on in London that's not discussed at the Leaky Cauldron, the ministry, or the parties. We'll figure something out."

"And if not I'll beat Zabini to a bloody pulp, until he tells me something." said Draco.

"Didn't know you cared so much Malfoy." said Ron blandly.

"Hey!" said Draco, mockingly offended, "I may be a Slytherin, and I may be slightly evil, but right and wrong are the same no matter where you go. And bonding charms, well let's just say I've…never mind." He'd suddenly become somber, and Ginny wondered what he'd seen or heard to be so serious on the subject.

They were all silent for a long moment.

"By the way Draco, drunk pinky swears to not count!" said Ron.

"Of course not! You're kidding yourself if you think I wanted it to count." Said Draco.

The twins looked on confusedly. Ginny whispered something in a low tone, and they burst out laughing.

"Just wait till you have a secret Ginny Weasley, just you wait…" said Ron with a sly grin.

"Oh shut up Ron, you'll never catch me."

"Oh, I won't will I?" said Ron, suddenly getting up and racing for his sister, tickling wildly. Ginny squealed and ran out of the room, followed by a laughing Ron.

Draco started as he realized this was the first time he'd seen the normally gleeful Weasley laugh since the fight last night. As much as he told himself he shouldn't get attached. As much as he realized they were all going to die. As much as he hated Gryffindors, and despied traitors, Draco Malfoy felt a pang of sympathy for the boy. It wasn't the first time either. He'd felt terrified for Hermione upon hearing her predicament. He'd laughed with the twins over stories of pubs and girls. That wasn't even mentioning the dancing in his stomach when the Weaslette walked past. Draco Malfoy was becoming attached and it scared the hell out of him.