Hermione had known that Draco had given her the bracelet for almost a week now. It had been driving her crazy keeping it from her friends, but she knew Harry and Ron would go mental if they knew. Luna and Ginny, however, might understand. It was a chance Hermione was willing to take; for the first time ever she was glad she had girl friends she could rely on for advice.
She dropped her bag next to a chair in the living room of the Shrieking Shack. After third year, Hermione had started coming here to get some alone time, knowing no one would think to look for her here. She had tracked down Ginny and Luna and had them come with her.
"Er... Hermione? This is the Shrieking Shack..." Ginny said as she looked around nervously. "You know this place is haunted don't you?"
Luna smiled. "Dad said it wasn't haunted when he was in school. He thinks there could a nest of Crumple Horned Snorkacks living here. You think we could check real quick?" Luna asked innocently.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but agreed. Ginny grinned, but plopped down in a seat near the fireplace. Hermione stood and lit a fire, then help Luna look around. It was easier to do this, than to explain the Lupin situation. When they were through with their search, they joined Ginny back in the sitting room.
"Sooo..." Ginny started. "Why did you drag us out here Hermione?"
Hermione frowned. She wasn't really sure where to start. "Well... I found out who Malfoy was writing about in his diary."
Luna and Ginny stared at her in anticipation. "Get on with it then!" Ginny said.
Hermione took a deep breath, "Me."
Their jaws dropped. "What?" They said in unison.
Hermione launched into the explanation of how she knew, hoping they would know what she should do.
Ginny jumped out of her seat when Hermione finished. "You put the bracelet back on? After what happened with Katie?"
Hermione sighed. "They never proved it was him. He wasn't even in Hogsmeade that weekend."
"And really, we all know what the diary said. If he was responsible for Katie, then he probably didn't have a choice." Hermione was surprised at Luna's sensible reasoning.
Ginny sat back down. "I guess you're right..." Ginny trailed off. "What are you going to do?"
Hermione sighed, "I was hoping you guys could help me with that..."
"Do you like him?" Luna asked.
"Well... I suppose... He isn't so bad anymore, you know.. And you'd have to be blind not to notice how good looking he is..."
"Luna, its not that easy..." Ginny said
"Of course it is. He likes you, you like him. That's how relationships work, don't they?" Luna said absentmindedly.
Ginny snorted. "With normal people, yes. With Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy? No way."
"Why is it so different for them? Shouldn't love conquer all?"
Hermione's face was a crimson red, but she ignored her embarrassment. "I think I know who he is supposed to kill as well..."
Ginny and Luna froze and waited for her to continue.
"I think... I think that it's Dumbledore..." Luna looked mildly surprised, but Ginny looked disgusted. "But I think Dumbledore may already know what they have planned. Why else would he ignore everything Harry has been trying to tell him about Malfoy being a Death Eater?"
Ginny nodded. "Well... You could be right... And you don't think there's any way we could stop him? I mean clearly he likes you, maybe you could try to help him, you know, talk him out of it or something..."
"I don't know... It's like he's been avoiding me. And then when he is around me, he's as hateful as ever."
"Maybe he's been found out." Luna suggested.
"Snape!" Hermione said suddenly. "When we were practicing Occlumency, he was searching specifically for memories with Draco... I could tell! Then when I went back into his mind, he had loads of Draco's memories at bay! I bet he was looking to see what all I knew, because he had seen too much through Draco's mind!"
Ginny grinned. "I have an idea."
The girls looked over at her curiously. "You have an Apparition lesson tomorrow morning before your lessons with Snape right?"
"Yes..." Hermione said hesitantly.
"And Blaise Zabini is in that class, correct?"
"Well, yes.. But I don't see what he has to do with this.."
"Blaise knows Hermione. He has to, they're best friends. And who better to get information from than Malfoy's best friend?"
Hermione bit her lip nervously, but listened intently as Ginny went over her plan.
It made her rather nervous how devious the youngest Weasley had become, but she supposed it could work. Blaise had been adamant that he and his friends weren't all bad... Could she really use him to prove it though? She would be finding out soon enough...
I know this one is rather short, I didn't even realize it until I went to upload it. I apologize for that, and because its a bit of a filler, just because I love writing Ginny, and Luna adds so much to the story, just being herself.