A/N: - Sings One of Us by Abba- I have been dying to write this chapter! I have two other stories to work on and I write the chapters in order… like I'll write a chapter to Letters To You then Addicted To You and then this story and start all over again! Oh and thanks for the reviews!

DISCLAIMER: I don't think J.K Rowling would be mean enough to take Draco from Hermione if she allowed them to get together in the books. Therefore, I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Fourteen: The Plan

He reached out, tears falling down his own cheeks as he touched her smooth, blood-smeared cheek. She stirred and sat up suddenly looking around at her bedroom for who had touched her. She rubbed her eyes and gasped at seeing Draco standing in the doorway, crying.

"You're back!" cried Hermione standing up and looking at him stunned, "T-they said they took you away. T-that you bent the rules just for me!"

"And they are right," admitted Draco softly as he stepped towards her, "Though I don't know how I found myself here."

"I don't care how you got here, Draco," cried Hermione grabbing hold of his warm hand, "Just don't go. Stay, please."

"I can't, Mione. I can't see you until I'm 34."

Hermione shook her head tears streaming down her face once more, "No, no, no. Why? Why can't you just leave the Unknowns? Please Draco! I need you! I love you, doesn't that matter?"

"It does. Oh by Merlin believe me when I say it kills me to leave you. I wanted to say goodbye, explain it all too you but they wouldn't let me," whispered Draco holding Hermione close to him, their foreheads touching, "I love you more then anything and our child… please tell it about us, how much I love them and will be home as soon as I am free."

"I will, I promise with my heart and soul. A-and no matter what you say I am not going to love any other man but you," vowed Hermione before kissing Draco gently on the lips.

"I'm being called," said Draco regretfully, "I have to go."

"No," sobbed Hermione clutching onto him tightly, "Don't answer it. Refuse to."

"Hermione if I don't they'll keep me in their service longer. I can't risk it. Just know that I love you and I will return as soon as I am allowed."

Hermione nodded but the tears didn't stop falling as he gave her one last parting kiss before leaving.

CO

Hermione woke with a start and sat up looking around her room in hopes of finding Draco standing in the doorway saying it was a joke, a cruel, cold-hearted prank pulled by the Head Unknowns. She sat silently, willing him to walk in, to embrace her, and whisk her off to get married. But the door didn't open and Hermione's eyes welled with tears once more as her heart thudded with immense pain.

"C-come back," sobbed Hermione clutching her gown tightly, "Please… let him come back to me… please!"

The door opened and Hermione stopped crying mid sob. But when she saw it was both Harry and Ron she started crying again. Her two best friends walked in and sat either side of her, both wrapping an arm around her. Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder as she cried, clutching onto Harry's hand.

"It hurts so much!" cried Hermione, "Why… why can't love conquer all?"

"It will," said Harry softly, "I bet anything Draco will come back when he is free."

Hermione sat up and took a deep breath, "These must be the repercussions, right? And in a few days I'm going to have to face the Great Evil with Ginny and Lavender, right?"

"I-I guess," shrugged Harry.

"So they knew! They, up there, knew all along they were going to take him!" screamed Hermione shrilly, startling Harry and Ron, "I hate them… I damn well HATE THEM!"

Ginny and Lavender hurried in and looked at Hermione in surprise. She really was a wreck. Her make up was horribly smeared, her gown crinkled with her hair a complete mess.

"How about you two go order dinner in tonight?" suggested Ginny to Harry and Ron, "Take Oliver."

The two men hurried out and Ginny stepped forward, kneeling down in front of Hermione.

"Sweetie… perhaps you should go have a relaxing shower. Lavender and I will fix your dress up," said Ginny calmly.

Hermione looked at Ginny silently as a single tear leaked down her face.

"Honey you can't do this to your self. I know now isn't the time," added Lavender, "But we are running out of time. The Great Evil won't waste any time in organizing an attack on us once the contract ends… we need all hands on deck for this."

Finally Hermione nodded and both Ginny and Lavender helped her up and into the bathroom. From there they helped her remove the dress and left her to shower and cry some more.

"She's in no state of mind to deal with the Great Evil," said Lavender softly as she spread the dress out, "Why couldn't they wait until after we had finished him off?"

"Who knows?" said Ginny; "I mean, I do remember Draco saying last year he would be our Unknown until we no longer needed him. So… I guess magically speaking, we don't."

"Yeah but Hermione needs him more then ever."

"I know, but that's not on a magical level is it?" replied Ginny clearing away the blood stains, "She needs him on a personal, emotional level and you heard what Lily and James said: it's against the rules."

"They did say they tried to stop them from taking him."

"Two Head Unknowns against how many others?" said Ginny with a raised eyebrow, "They would have been outnumbered greatly."

"I was pretty harsh on them," came Hermione's voice as she entered the room dressed in more comfortable clothes, "I suppose I should apologize, huh?"

"No," said Lavender, "No you shouldn't. Mione, you have every right to be upset and angry."

"I saw him again. In a dream. I mean I don't think it was a dream," frowned Hermione sitting on the edge of her bed, "I could really feel him… his warmth… he had no idea how he got there. We said goodbye but he promised he would be back the moment he was free."

Ginny sat beside Hermione and wrapped in arm around her, "I bet you anything he will return. Even I can see how much you two love each other."

CO

"So what exactly should we be looking for?" asked Ginny two days later in the evening.

Hermione gave a sigh and rubbed her forehead. Work had exhausted her, as well as being pregnant, "Anything that seems possible. I mean we need to destroy this guy… but-"

"I knew there would be a but somewhere," said Lavender irritably as she rubbed her temples.

"Well the three original sisters said the book would help us on our way to destroying him. Just listen," said Hermione seeing Ginny had every intention of interrupting her, "What if we are meant to somehow… make him lose power and then find another way to destroy him completely?"

"You mean… make him severely weak like You-Know-Who was when the killing curse backfired on him?" asked Ginny with a frown.

Hermione's eyes lit up, "Yes! That must be it! See Enid, Emily, and Elizabeth said Sir Darkness wasn't easy. In the book they said it must remain a mystery… maybe like us they had a really hard time. Maybe we need to really weaken him until we find out the key to really destroying this jerk."

"But how?" cried Lavender, "It seems like this dude has no weak spots."

"Oh but he does," said Ginny, her brown eyes twinkling, "You. He loves you in a sick sort of sense, but those emotions prove he is mortal like the rest of us despite his really… long life. Eww, Lavender you have a really, really old guy hot for you!."

"Shut up, Ginny."

Ginny grinned teasingly as Lavender whacked her on the arm in annoyance.

"You two, behave," said Hermione as she grabbed The Evil Rulers of History: Their Rise and Downfall.

"Remind me again how that book will help?" asked Lavender.

"Every evil mastermind has a weakness. Voldemort's was love. He couldn't feel it and always underestimated the power of it. So… the Great Evil is bound to have one. He loves Lavender. He can feel it so maybe there is a key in weakening him in that."

"Okay," said Ginny slowly, "Love can be a friend and enemy. We need to make love his enemy. See what is the one thing a person in love won't do to the one they love?"

"Hurt them," said Lavender promptly with a nod from Hermione.

"Right. Well think about it," said Ginny seriously, "When you hurt someone you really love how do you feel?"

"Horrible. You literally hate yourself for it," said Hermione with a shrug, "Where are you going with this?"

"Emotions," said Ginny slowly with a grin spreading on her face, "Are a powerful thing. Luna taught us that."

Hermione and Lavender looked at Ginny curiously before both smiled in realization.

"Turn his emotions against him-," said Hermione before Lavender cut in.

"- turn his powers against him."

Ginny grinned, "To really weaken him… hurting you Lavender, will break is soul."

Hermione glanced down at the book and frowned at a picture of the one thing that made everyone miserable, "Do you think it is possible to take his soul then?"

"Well I was only joking about that," said Ginny why.

"Look, turning his emotions on him is powerful stuff and we don't have time to work all that out," said Hermione, "The contract will be up any day now. But what about we take the one thing from him he needs to function?"

"His soul?" said Lavender.

Hermione nodded looking at the picture of the Dementor, "I'm sure there is a spell for that in the book."

CO

"How is she going?" asked Molly the next morning when Ginny came around for a visit.

"Throwing her full focus on work and Charmed stuff," said Ginny taking the offered hot chocolate, "So in other words not coping at all. Harry heard her crying last night when he went to the toilet."

Molly gave a sad sigh and shook her head, "One tragedy after the next. Ron is a lot happier. Whatever Luna told him has changed him for the better. He is playing Quidditch again with your brothers and Harry. He doesn't sleep all day on the weekends… I've got my Ronnie back."

Ginny smiled and squeezed her mother's hand, "That's brilliant."

Molly nodded, "But… well… I never said a Charmed life was easy, did I?"

Ginny shook her head and bit her lower lip, "Harry… Harry wants us to move into a house of our own. He doesn't want to raise our child where everything happens."

"I see. How do you feel?"

"I can't leave Hermione. She needs me at the moment and… and all the Great Evil stuff is really crazy at the moment."

"You said you might have an answer?"

"A temporary one depending on how long it would take a man to regain his soul."

"What?" cried Molly.

"Yeah. My mind screamed that too when Hermione suggested it. But it's all we can handle at the moment. Our power is still growing but not enough to completely destroy him. I mean we pretty much have the answer for when the time comes to destroy him. But well… if this is the temporary solution then I am all for it."

"That alone is powerful. How do you plan on doing it?"

"We're working on a two part thing. A chant to call for it and a potion to capture it when it comes to us."

"A mans soul is difficult to take."

"But you see, the Great Evil may be mortal but he isn't entirely a real man. Besides, his so-called love for Lavender is going to work in our favour. It's his weakness and we are going to play on it."

"Normally I would reprimand you for doing that but I must say that is actually very clever."

Ginny smiled, "Team work. It is a brilliant thing."

CO

"What do you mean they are over employed?" sighed Hermione looking at the Head of England's Magical Medical Society, "I have a friend who works there, and she is run off her feet!"

"Healers are because the nurse staff out number them," said the balding man.

Hermione nodded and looked down at the fact sheet, "Three nurses to one Healer you say, on this sheet?"

"Yes."

"Well… how about training half the nurses to become Healers? That should even the odds up."

"It would also mean pay rises for the new Healers. St Mungo's can't afford that."

"Mistress, the Ministry has the funds to cover the costs," said Percy handing Hermione a sheet with the Ministry funds, "We can cover their training costs, which should leave St Mungo's with enough money to cover the pay rises, with enough left for keeping healing supplies in stock."

Hermione gave a nod, "It would be a good investment, and it benefits the country with more medical workers. How does that sound Mr Hodge?"

The man was silent before finally nodding in agreement, "A wonderful decision Mistress."

Hermione smiled warmly, "Brilliant. Well I will have the forms drawn up. Then tomorrow you can show me the grades all the nurses earned at school and in their nursing studies and together we will pick out which ones could handle becoming a full fledged Healer."

The group stood and all left.

Hermione gave a sigh of relief as she headed down the corridor with her mother and Percy.

"He knew he had no argument against your suggestion," said Lynette, "He just hates the fact you are working on changing the way the hospital is run."

"And he hates the fact I am female," added Hermione, "If only he knew who I really was. I bet that would scare him out of his robes."

"Honey, that is a sight none of us wish to see," said Lynette earning a smile from Hermione and chuckle from Percy, "However that is one reform no one can argue with. It's about time someone took action and started fixing St Mungo's."

They descended a flight of stairs before walking along the corridor to the Ministers office section.

"What else do we have to do today?" asked Hermione looking at Percy.

"That was the last meeting of the day. You have to see your Healer about your pregnancy at midday and after that I think you have free time to go through letters of importance."

Hermione nodded, "Right well, why don't you both go do what you have too and I'll get to those letters before heading to the hospital."

Percy headed into his office as Lynette went to hers. Hermione entered hers, at the far end of the corridor and closed the door. She sat down silently and rested her head on the back of the chair. Her thoughts drifted to Draco as she wondered where he was, how he was coping. Slowly her eyes fluttered shut as hundreds of thoughts continued to swirl.

"Falling asleep on the job?"

Hermione's eyes snapped open as she saw Draco standing in front of her desk, "What are you doing here?"

"You know, I still don't know. It's like… something keeps dragging me into your dreams… if they are dreams."

Hermione let out a deep breath and frowned, "Whatever it is… I like it."

Draco smiled warmly and nodded before looking serious, "How are you though? I've been so worried."

"I'm coping… just coping," admitted Hermione, "You?"

"Miserable. There's no other word for it."

Hermione stood and walked around to him looking at his face. He did indeed seem miserable. His eyes were swimming with it.

"We aren't entirely apart," said Hermione entwining her fingers with his, "It seems my dreams bring us together."

"But it might not be safe," said Draco quietly, "It could be against the rules."

Hermione's face came over with a look of anger, "What I dream has nothing to do with those… people. They can't stop me seeing you when I sleep."

Draco gently touched her face, brushing back a lock of her hair, "You have to wake up."

"What? Why?"

"Someone wants you too."

"Hermione!"

Hermione jumped awake blinking furiously before looking at her mother, "You woke me up. Why?"

"Its ten to twelve. You have your appointment, remember?"

Hermione gave a sigh rubbing her forehead. She had to look up those dreams, were they real or playing on her fantasies?

CO

"I like it," said Jerry, "Where did the angle come from?"

"Something I overheard one of his party members saying," said Lavender as she showed Jerry her finished article on the former Minister of Magic's smear campaign against Hermione he was trying to continue, "He is such a bad loser."

Jerry nodded frowning a little, "Well, this should put a stop to it. Listen, Hermione said something about fixing St Mungo's. Do you think you could cover it?"

Lavender nodded, "Sure. I should go check out the history first. But Ginny will give me some insight to that."

"Right. But for now, you can have the day off."

"Why?"

"You just can."

Lavender just nodded and headed to her office to gather her things. As she slipped her notepad into her bag a knock came at her door.

"Come in," said Lavender turning to put away a few writing gear. As she turned back around she was met with Oliver grinning at her holding a bouquet of flowers, "Oh hello."

"Oh hello?" said Oliver, "That all I get for bringing you these expensive roses?"

Lavender chuckled and leaned over to desk to give him a kiss, "They are beautiful," she summoned a vase and tapping into her powers, filled it with water before placing the 24 roses into the crystal vase, "So, what are you doing here?"

"You got the rest of today off. I organized that to take you out."

"You did, huh? And where are we going?"

"Somewhere familiar."

Oliver took hold of Lavender's hand and the pair left with a crack reappearing at a park. Lavender looked around and then at Oliver.

"This is where-"

"- I asked you to be my girlfriend," nodded Oliver, "Six months ago."

"It was too," whispered Lavender as he led her down a path to where he had set up another picnic, "Oh Oliver… you didn't have too."

They both sat down and Oliver set about unpacking the food. Warm chicken, pasta salad, normal salad, bread sticks, and a range of other things.

"You spoil me way more then you should," said Lavender as she took a bite of her chicken, "Honestly. All I do to you is whine when I am tired."

"You do more then that," chuckled Oliver earning an amused surprised look from Lavender, "You make me love you more everyday."

"Yeah. I'm sure that was the underlying message."

Oliver just grinned as they continued eating and chatting about different topics before moving onto the dessert. It was a vanilla mudcake, Lavender's favourite cake, with strawberries arranged on top. Lavender took her slice from Oliver and pulled one of the strawberries from the whipped cream, only to have a gold ring with a red, circle ruby placed securely around it. She looked at the ring, to Oliver, back to the ring, then to Oliver again.

"Oliver," said Lavender quietly and also sounding rather breathless, "Is this?"

He nodded and slid forward, on one knee, and took the strawberry from her removing the ring before looking at her, "Lavender Constance Brown. I love you more then anything in the world. Will you marry me?"

Lavender looked at Oliver with wide eyes, her mouth partly open, "Err… yeah. I mean yes, yes of course I will!"

Oliver grinned and kissed her passionately before slipping the ring onto the appropriate finger, "I love you."

Lavender grinned, "I love you too."

CO

"What ingredients capture a persons soul?" asked Ginny tiredly, laying on the lounge in the attic rubbing her round stomach slowly.

"Gin, we are working on the chant," said Hermione from where she sat cross legged on the floor the pad of paper in her hand with a quill, "And so far we only have a heading… 'The Soul Chant'."

Ginny sighed, "Where is Lavender?"

Hermione shrugged and stifled a yawn.

"What did the Healer say?" asked Ginny.

"Hmmm?"

"About your pregnancy?"

"Oh I'm due in March."

Ginny grinned, "Your baby will be in the same year as my baby!"

Hermione gave a smile, "Yeah. Anyway, look I'm not getting anywhere with this. Do you want a go?"

Ginny sat up slowly then gestured Hermione for the pad of paper and quill. Hermione tossed it to Ginny and summoned the book to her. She slowly flipped through it pausing on certain pages as Lavender arrived.

"Sorry I'm late!" she cried flopping down beside Ginny hiding her hand from view, "So, how is it going?"

"No where. How do you call a soul? How do you capture the said soul once it's in the open?" asked Ginny with a frown.

"Do you think it is possible to have people visit you in dreams that aren't dead?" asked Hermione suddenly.

Ginny and Lavender both looked at Hermione stumped.

"Never mind," said Hermione hastily, "Show me a potion to capture souls!"

The book flipped its pages wildly before stopping at two pages before the end. Ginny and Lavender stood and came over kneeling down to look at the potion.

"They are dark ingredients," murmured Lavender, "Werewolf blood? Why that?"

"Well look," said Ginny gesturing to the blurb of information, "Its saying only dark spells are capable of keeping a soul in check, but with a touch of good magic the soul is almost invincible to touch. We need an unbreakable jar with an iron trunk to lock it in. The potion is to be spread around the jar inside the trunk.

"An iron trunk?" cried Lavender, "Where do you get those from?"

"With four white crystals surrounding the trunk in an diamond shape no person, other then the owners or relatives of the owners are able to go near the trunk. You see only us three or our mothers can move the crystals," said Hermione, "And an iron trunk… I'm sure we can find one. So, lets get to work on this potion and then work on the chant."

For the next two hours the three worked on the dark potion. They were surprised at finding what ingredients the potion-making trunk contained. Harry and Oliver at one stage came in watching them but left to find an iron trunk. Though they were glad to, as the stench from the potion was overwhelming. It smelt like a decaying animal of some kind.

"Congratulations," said Hermione softly as she caught sight of Lavender's ring.

Lavender quickly stood up right holding the pinch of ground mouse toes in her hand, "Err… I didn't want to say anything to upset you."

Hermione smiled at her, "You could have. I'm fine with it, honestly."

"When did it happen?" asked Ginny, "And could you put the toes in. I want to add the hair of a sphinx."

"Today. He took me to where he asked me to be his girlfriend and yeah. I was really surprised. But well… what can I say? I love him," smiled Lavender as Hermione stirred the concoction three times anti clockwise then five times clockwise.

"Congratulations," smiled Ginny hugging her, "Well is it ready?"

"Let it simmer for ten minutes and place in iron trunk along with the jar, ready to capture the soul. Do we have a gold lid?" asked Hermione.

"Gold jar lid!" called Lavender.

The three jumped as a trunk rumbled and burst open with a gold lid flying into Lavender's waiting hand.

"Ah, there you go," said Lavender before picking the jar up and testing it fitted, "Look at that, perfect fit."

"One… iron… trunk," said Oliver as him and Harry dragged the trunk into the room.

"Ever heard of levitating?" asked Ginny eyeing the trunk, "The battle must happen in this room."

"It will," said Hermione opening the trunk and sticking the jar in, removing the lid to beside it, "We'll let him come to us. That potion will be ready soon."

A/N: A tad shorter then normal but well, it happens. I started this chapter at 12:30am in the morning simply because I had to get most of it written before I lost my ideas. I stopped at 1:45am but well here I am, at 3:30pm the next day finishing it off… or same day, whatever. Anyway, REVIEW!

Until next time…

Love yas!

Love Coz!