Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter

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Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw something faintly glowing on the wall. She turned to look and let out a gasp. She hadn't bothered to look at the silver wall hanging lately so she hadn't noticed the etching on its surface. The carved lines in the metal appeared to be glowing, radiating out with the brightest point being on the cheek of a carved female. The lines at that point appeared to be red hot. She reached up her hand and gingerly touched her cheek. She seemed to be in a trance-like state so she was startled when Draco placed the dish with her sandwich on the coffee table in front of her and let out a gasp.

"It's just a sandwich Granger. It can't hurt you if you remember to chew it," Draco snarkily teased her. She again gave him a tired smile and sat down on the sofa to eat her sandwich. For a long time Draco sat across from each other silently chewing their food. Despite her hunger, however, Hermione did not finish eating before Draco did and the latter sat quietly watching the former until she had finished her meal. When she had finished, he spoke to her in a low voice.

"So, Snape asked me to bring your assignments."

"Oh…" Was all Hermione could think to say.

"He asked why you weren't in class." Hermione's eyes widened in shock and fear that Draco told him what happened. "Nobody answered him when he asked but I think he got the feeling that I knew." Hermione looked relieved when she heard that.

"What did you tell him?"

"Just that you weren't feeling well and you had locked yourself in your room. I have a feeling he knows I kept something from him though." His voice was very soft when he said the last part, almost as if he was hoping she couldn't hear it.

"Oh…" Hermione replied, and after a long pause added, "I can't face them."

"I know, but you'll have to find a way to finish your classes, maybe someone can get them expelled." She said nothing and they sat in silence for a long while before they both excused themselves for bed.

The following morning during the breakfast feast Pansy Parkinson noticed, rather loudly I might add, that Hermione Granger was not only missing from the group of Potter and his pals but she was nowhere to be found, nor had she been for several days.

"I wonder what gives..." She babbled on to anyone who would listen, but mostly to Zabini who happened to be the only person who was truly listening, and to Draco who was really the only person she wanted to tell.

"Why do the lot of you concern yourselves with the business of others so publicly like this? It completely baffles me that you bother yourselves with such trivial nonsense." It was Theodore Nott who had spoken. He had begun making himself present among Draco and his gang sporadically since the beginning of sixth year and of cours had been sitting within earshot of Pansy's voice that morning. Draco had his head down on the table but looked up after Nott finished speaking.

"Yeah, Parkinson why do you care?" He knew perfectly well, though, why she was bringing it up and couldn't help but send her a venomous glare as he spoke.

"Because, Drakie-Poo," She said in that grating voice of hers, ignoring his glare and taking this opportunity to plant herself on him like ivy, "its interesting, she's always there, and she's been missing class lately too. Don't you find that a bit strange?"

"Actually she does bring up an interesting point; Granger has not been in class, which is remarkably unlike her. Whatever the reason, it must be serious and that probably means it's rather personal." He said this hoping it would convince the others to leave well enough alone for once.

"In that case wouldn't Potter and the Weasels know something about it then?" Blaise added to the conversation, ignoring Nott's attempt to end it. "The seemed totally clueless…"

"No, you're right, they know, they're just not admitting to it." Draco made no attempt to hide the disgust in his voice.

"How are you so positive they know where she is? You share a dorm with her, do you know what's going on as well?" Pansy's face showed both joy and apprehension after Blaise had said this, for a second she wondered if maybe Draco did know more thank he should. Why would he? That thought made her irritation level rise.

"Last I checked the two of them haven't really been on speaking terms, Blaise, so I can't imagine why Draco would suddenly set aside their differences to find out why the head girl missed class for a few days. And my guess is that she wouldn't tell him even if he did ask. As I said before it's most likely very personal so it is not our business to be speculating about it." Halfway through Theo's lecture Draco had put his head back down, but he lifted it just enough to be heard.

"Nott has a point, I don't want to hear anymore about Granger, Potter or the Weasels. Talk about something of substance Pansy or I'm leaving."

"Might as well go anyway mate, potions starts soon," Blaise said and they excused themselves for class.

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A/N: Late for class but I updated anyway. Please review!