A/N- SORRY! I know that the word sorry is not enough, nor is the excuse of school work, but here's another chapter. I know it's been way too long, but you've all been fantastic in sending me reviews. I love you all, and your feedback is greatly appreciated. Just to let you all know, because you continue to ask even though I've answered this question before, I am not going to abandon this fanfiction. I might not be the quickest person at updating, but I will finish it.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE – Study week

Only once Hermione stood up from the forest floor and looked around for her dress, did she realize how cold it was. She looked about her, and shuffled the leaves with her feet, but couldn't find her dress. Stupid, she thought. Why did I wear a black dress? The branches and leaves of the overhanging trees blocked out most of the moonlight, and Hermione realized that she mightn't be able to find her dress till the sun came up.

"Draco, have you seen my…?" she trailed off as she turned to face him. He was standing with a smirk on his face, wearing only his pants and holding her black dress in his hand. " Draco, you knew I was searching for that. Why didn't you say anything/"

"It was more fun to watch you search." He smirked. "You might not be able to see much in the dark, but I can see well enough…"

"You pervert." Hermione smiled, taking the dress off him and pulling it on. She glanced at Draco's bare chest just before he pulled his own shirt on. "I'll bet you've never had a problem picking up girls, Draco."

"Why do you say that?" He asked. "Sure it's the truth, but how do you know?"

"Well, all you'd have to do is walk into a room, take off your shirt, and the girls would flock to you." She stated, wrapping her arms about herself to keep out the cold.

Draco walked over to her and enfolded her in his arms. She snuggled up against him and heard him say, "You know Hermione, you could always do the same thing. Guys don't mind a chick without a shirt on. In fact, we welcome it."

"Shut up." she said. "I'm cold."

"Already?" Draco asked. "Then we'd better get you back to the bonfires."

Hermione smiled and let Draco lead her out of the forest back to the party. As they approached, they noticed a few people heading back up to the castle, but the majority of students were still standing around on the beach dancing and drinking.

Draco draped his arm around Hermione's waist and when he sat down on a log next to the fire, he pulled her down on his lap. The party continued, because everyone knew that this was their last chance for fun before they'd have to buckle down and study for their NEWT's.

Only once the sun began to rise, did they have any reason to go back to the castle. Hermione sat watching the sun's ray's glimmer across the lake, when she heard a familiar voice sound from behind her.

"This is ridiculous." The voice sounded tired, but also firm. Hermione and Draco both turned around slowly, after pausing a few seconds to figure out who it was.

"Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked, suddenly feeling more awake than she had the past couple of hours. "What are you…um?"

"Teachers aren't as ignorant as you students wish to think." McGonagall replied. "Most seventh years hold a party at this time of year, but usually they are inconsiderate and hold it somewhere inside the castle. You have been kind enough to hold it away from the castle, so we could 'not notice.' But I expected you back in the castle before the younger students saw you on their way to Care of Magical Creatures."

Draco stood up, forcing Hermione to stand also. "Sorry, we'll head back in now."

"Make sure you do." McGonagall said, passing a hand over her face in fatigue. "No one should be up this early."

"You should get back to bed Professor." Draco told her, hoping to sound concerned for her well being. He laid a hand on her arm and attempted to steer her around and back towards Hogwarts castle.

"Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said sternly, though she did smile slightly. "I know which way the castle is, thank you very much. Just make sure you are all inside before breakfast, or Professor Snape will be next down here."

Draco's smile faded at this, and he watched Professor turn around and walk slowly back up to the castle, before facing Hermione and sighing. "Well, I suppose that means we have to pack this up."

She nodded and murmured her agreement. "I'll go tell the boys." Hermione looked at Draco, before taking a step towards him and kissing him on the cheek. "I'll see you later." Then she walked off to find Harry and Ron and let them know that they had to move inside.

As Draco watched after Hermione, he suddenly felt a weight rest heavy upon his shoulders. They had less than two weeks before they were planning on confronting Voldemort, and their safety during that confrontation was not certain. Hermione was strong, and didn't let it show that she was scared, but Draco now knew her well enough to know that she was. Every time she looked at him, he saw the same look of fear in her eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own.

An hour later, Draco and Hermione volunteered to perform the final cleaning charms on the shore of the lake. Harry thanked them in a voice so tired it betrayed the big night he had just had. Once Harry and Ginny walked off to the castle, Draco and Hermione pulled their wands out and began clearing up.

"Hey Hermione!" Draco called to her from a few meters away. She turned to face him after vanishing a whole pile of empty cups and bottles.

"What?" she asked.

"I found you some chocolate." He smiled at her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a brown paper bag. "I think it's dark."

Hermione's eyes widened and she moved towards him. "You found dark chocolate? Where?"

"It was just sitting here in my pocket." He said, raising his arms out to the side as if he was confused that it ended up there.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as she took it off him and peered inside. "Where did you get this Draco?"

He shrugged, and performed a vanishing charm on the remains of the large bon fire that had been burning all night. "Some Ravenclaw was walking around offering to her friends, but when she walked passed me she didn't even offer. I smiled at her and everything."

"You sure it was a smile and not an intimidating sneer?" Hermione asked him, reaching into the bag and beginning to eat the chocolate.

Draco frowned. "I suppose it could have been a sneer. I just wanted the chocolate."

"So how come you have the whole bag now?" she questioned as they began walking up to the castle.

"She put it in her robe pocket and turned around." He explained. "Never a bigger mistake made. I brushed passed her, reached into her pocket and removed the bag. That's teach her."

"Draco." Hermione reprimanded. "You shouldn't steal off people."

"You're welcome to give it back to her." he said.

"Don't be stupid." She said with a full mouth. "This is delicious."

Draco laughed and opened one of the large front doors to the castle, and stepped back for Hermione to enter. She smiled at him and walked through. As they walked through the entrance hall they heard the younger years eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Hermione cast Draco a look that portrayed how tired she was. He leaned down and kissed her before saying, "You get some sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow. No cabin tonight, I think. We'll both still be in bed."

Hermione nodded her agreement, and headed up the stairs to the Gryffindor castle. She didn't even bother to remove her clothes, and sleepily noticed that Pavarti and Lavender had done the same. As she lay her head down, she thought about her time in the forest with Draco and smiled. Only a few seconds later, she drifted off to sleep.

Hermione woke on Tuesday morning with a headache and an empty stomach. She sat up groggily and pulled herself out of bed. She staggered into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her head pulled back in disgust at the dark circles under her eyes., and she shuddered away from her tangled hair. Hermione pulled her clothes off and turned the shower on cold.

After washing her hair and attempting to wake up, Hermione got dressed in clean clothes and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She slumped down at the Gryffindor table and ate her porridge while staring dully at her glass of orange juice. Once the younger students cleared out of the hall to go to first classes, Hermione looked around and noticed a fair few seventh students sitting with glazed over faces at their house tables. She smiled slightly to herself, and walked back up to the Gryffindor tower.

Ron and Harry were sitting in arm chairs with their eyes closed and hands resting on their foreheads when Hermione entered the common room. Hermione hadn't drunk nearly as much as her friends and smiled evilly as she approached them. She stopped right beside them, took a deep breath and screamed,

"It's only a hangover Professor Snape! You don't have to expel them!"

Both boys jumped up and looked wildly around the room. When deciding that Snape was not actually about to expel them, they turned their heads slowly to glare at Hermione, who was laughing at their reactions. "Gotcha." She grinned, and sat down on the mat on the floor in front of them.

"That was not funny." Ron complained, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.

"We didn't appreciate that Hermione." Harry added, passing a hand over his eyes in fatigue.

"I know." She said. "But you boys must remember why we have no classes this week."

"To sleep…" Ron said dreamily, snuggling up in his arm chair and putting on a small smile.

"No." Hermione disagreed. "To study for out NEWT's, which start in six days. I'm going to get my books and start to study. Will you both do the same?"

Harry sighed and Ron groaned dramatically. "But Hermione." He pleaded. "Can't I sleep for just a few more hours? I'll study afterwards."

"No, you'll just keep sleeping. Then you'll wake up and decide that you're hungry. You'll eat, then feel sleepy again, and go back to sleep." Hermione told him. Ron looked as if he was about to object, then slumped in his chair and muttered,

"But that's living, Hermione."

She laughed at him. "Go get your Charms work, both of you. We'll start with that."

"Yes, mother."

Hermione and Draco's days were spent studying for each of their NEWT's. They studied in various places. The library, their respective common rooms, the school grounds if the sun was out, but the most used was the silent retreat of the cabin.

Their evenings were spent with Credere as she perfected her act of Hermione. Draco found that towards the end of the week, the two of them began pulling tricks on him to see if he'd notice who he was talking to. He nearly kissed Credere a few times, but pulled back when Hermione would clear her throat from across the cabin. Credere would just smile and start talking. Or rambling, as Draco called it. She never shut up, but Hermione told him that that was a good thing, because it helped her perfect her words.

Friday afternoon, Hermione was sitting on the couch in the cabin studying with Draco next to her. After a few hours of silent study, Draco packed his books away and sighed audibly. He looked at Hermione expectantly and waited for her to do the same. But she continued to read her Potions text book, writing down dot points every so often.

Draco reached over and brushed her cheek softly with a few fingers. A trace of a smile crossed Hermione's face, but she continued to read. Draco let his hand fall to rest gently on her thigh. Hermione glanced at it for a moment before returning to her book.

A few moments later, Draco tried a more direct approach, and kissed her on the neck a few times. She reached up and placed on a hand on the back of his neck, but didn't say anything. Draco frowned, reached down and undid the clasp of Hermione's robe. Then he ran his hands down the back of her neck, barely touching her skin, and he felt her shiver slightly.

But she didn't respond, just continued reading her potions book.

Draco sat back and watched her for a few minutes. When she studied, she really studied. Hermione allowed herself no distractions. Draco smirked ever so slightly and edged over so their thighs were touching. He leaned towards her and kissed her temple. He ran his hand gently through her hair. He touched her lips with a few fingers and from there, trailed them down her neck and across her chest.

Still receiving no response, Draco sighed and snatched the book off her.

Hermione looked at him with a level stare. "Draco. You're annoying me."

"And you're annoying me. What are you, made of stone?"

"No. I want to pass Potions. Give me back my book." She extended her hand and waited for him to hand it back.

"You will pass potions." He told her. "You've been studying for hours. Take a break."

"I have a feeling that at the rate you're going it won't be much of a break." She said with raised eyebrows.

Draco grinned and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Interested?"

"Only in getting my book back." Hermione replied.

"Fine." Draco's grin didn't disappear, and he quickly stuffed the book down his pants. "Get it back."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the amusement off her face. "You're revolting. That book was clean."

"Well now it's not." Draco informed her with a wink. "So take a break."

"I don't understand how my book not being clean has any effect on whether I take a break or not."

Draco frowned at her stubbornness. "You still need your book." He tried.

"Then I'll get my book." Hermione reached over, held Draco's eyes defiantly with her own, and stuffed her hand purposefully down his pants. A few seconds later, she pulled out her potions text book. Wiping it on his robe, she opened it once more and continued to read.

Draco sat back grumpily on the couch and folded his arms. "Spoil sport."

"I can't do this. I don't know why I didn't leave school three years ago, before it got hard. I'm going to fail, there's no way to avoid it." Ron paced in front of Hermione, Harry and Ginny in the Gryffindor common room Sunday night. His face was slightly pale and his expression was twisted with worry.

"Ron," Ginny tried to say comfortingly. "You'll be fine. The only exam you have tomorrow is Herbology, and you know all that. You can keep studying tomorrow night. Don't stress."

"But Gin," he turned on her pleadingly. "Mum will kill me when I fail school. It'll be worse then when Fred and George left Hogwarts early. She might kick me out of home…I have nowhere to go." Ron closed his eyes in a pained manner.

"You can come and live with me, mate." Harry said with a slight smile and his arm around Ginny's shoulders.

Ron opened his eyes and looked at Harry in shock. "You think I'm joking, don't you? You've got no idea that this time next year I'll be living in a gutter with no money and no education, all because I failed school."

Harry's smile widened. "If you think you're going to fail school Ron, then I don't think I should even bother sitting the exams."

Hermione sighed. "Shut up you two. Ron, read a textbook or something, just stop whining. It's giving me a headache."

"Oh." He looked at her for a few moments. "Sorry, Hermione." And he sat down on the couch next to her in silence.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. "If I knew it was that easy, I would have said that hours ago." Ginny commented.

Harry smiled at her, then continued to read his Herbology notes. That evening, most seventh year students had a breakdown of some description with the prospect of their NEWT's the following day. Ron's breakdown was mild compared to Neville's, who actually started crying hysterically when he heard someone mention Potions. Hermione had to perform a sleeping charm on him so he would stop, because even the comforting reminder that their Potion's exam wasn't until Wednesday didn't seem to help.

Parvarti fainted when Lavender told her that she needed to know at least thirty constellations, and their histories for their Astronomy exam, and Dean angrily threw his Charms text book into the fire when he forgot the wand flick in his levitating charm.

Hermione, much to everyone's surprise, was one of the few who didn't breakdown. She didn't even pull an all night study session like Ron, but closed her notes early and retired to bed before nine.

Monday morning dawned all too early, and Hermione made her way down to breakfast feeling bright and ready for the day. Which was quite the opposite of Ron, who had dark bags under his eyes, and hung his head in fatigue.

"Morning all." She said, in an evilly loud voice, causing Ron to start in alarm and nearly knock his porridge in his lap. Harry's hand quickly reached over and caught his bowl just before it tipped, then set it straight on the table again.

"Good morning Hermione." Harry relied, looking wan and dispirited. "I know you slept well, but we didn't, so if you're any sort of friend, you will keep your happiness to a bare minimum this morning."

She smiled at him, and nodded. "Sure. How about I test you, Ron?"

He looked up from his porridge. "So you can see how much I don't know? I don't think so, Hermione. You used this tactic two years ago, to make you feel better about yourself. And although I was very happy for you and your bountiful supplies of knowledge, it didn't make me feel very optimistic about exams. So if you'll pardon me, I'll pass."

Hermione looked slightly guilty, but pressed him. "I promise I won't do it like that this year. I'll test you on stuff and actually tell you the answers if you don't know it, instead of telling you to find the answer yourself."

Ron glared at her. "That was so mean of you, Hermione." He turned to Ginny and explained. "I was just about to be called in for my Charms practical exam, I forgot how to do something, and Hermione tells me to borrow a particular book from the library and learn it myself. I had half a minute at the most." He explained in exasperation. "Even if I could apparate in the castle, I wouldn't have made it."

"Get over it, Ron." Ginny told him in her blunt, sisterly manner. "Just let her help you now."

"Fine." He sighed, dropping his head in his hands in defeat. "Test me."

Hermione smiled and sat down between Ron and Harry and quizzed them on topics from Herbology. Every now and then, Neville would chip in from across the table when neither of the boys could remember the answer. Before long, the teachers asked that all students leave the Great hall and wait out in the Entrance hall for the tables to be set up. Only a few minutes after that, were they called and asked to file in and sit at the table that was marked with their name.

As Hermione walked in the doorway and scanned the hall for the 'Granger, Hermione' label, Draco slipped passed her inconspicuously and pointed to the middle of the hall. "Over there," he whispered to her. She looked to where he had pointed and smiled when she saw her name.

"How did you find it so quickly?" she asked quietly as they moved into the hall.

"I can find you anywhere." he winked at her, and left her to find his desk. With a smile on her face, Hermione moved off to the table Draco had pointed out to her, and sat down. Hermione saw Ron down the back of the hall, twisting his quill in nervousness. She caught his eye and smiled at him reassuringly. "You'll be fine." She mouthed at him. He just shook his head and looked away.

"Alright students." McGonagall addressed them from the front of the hall, causing silence among the tense students. "The first of your NEWT's is about to start. Good luck, you have two and a half hours. Starting now."

"Would you like one word that describes the past three days?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione on Wednesday afternoon, as they headed to the Gryffindor common room after their potions exam. The day before, they had completed their Transfiguration exam, and some students had done their Divination.

"I think I can guess it." Harry said dryly, but Hermione glanced at Ron in curiosity.

"You ready for it?" Ron asked, then without waiting for an answer, stated, "Shit."

"Is that the word?" Hermione asked as they opened the portrait hole and entered the common room.

"Yep, that's the word. Shit." Ron said in finality. "Just shit. Shit. Herbology exam; shit. Transfiguration exam; also shit. Divination exam; oh yes, that was shit too. And Potions exam; biggest pile of shit to be found on this planet. Perhaps I should have taken a photo of it, because you'll never see shit any bigger than that."

"Ron, get over it." Harry said. "I'm sure my Potions exam outdoes yours on the shit scale."

"Not possible." Ron moaned. "Now I have the prospect of Charms tomorrow…guess what word comes with that thought?"

"I can't possibly." Hermione said sarcastically.

"Try." he said, flopping down on the couch and closing his eyes.

"Yippee?" Hermione suggested, also sitting down.

"Nope." He said. "Shit."

"Pansy?" Draco asked, approaching her in the Slytherin common room. She looked up from her Charms notes curiously. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"

"Sure." She answered. "Where?"

"Feel like going for a walk?" he asked her, making it obvious that it was a conversation he wanted to keep private. She nodded, set her notes aside and followed Draco out of the dungeons, out of the castle and into the cool afternoon air. Once the two of them were far enough away from other fifth and seventh-year students, who were taking the outdoor silence as a refuge to study, Draco turned to Pansy.

"Can I ask for your help?" he said, looking at her with a querying expression.

"Anytime." She replied. "What can I help you and Hermione with?"

He smiled at her correct assumption that Hermione was involved. "Well, it's a big ask."

"I'll do whatever it is." Pansy told him instantly. "I don't have to understand why, just tell me what you want done, and it will be."

"Thanks." Draco said in relief. "You won't understand why, that's a given. But Hermione and I are going to do something tonight at dinner, and you have to owl your father, telling him about it immediately."

Pansy frowned at him, and said slowly, "Okay."

"He has to know right away, so it gets passed on to Voldemort and taken action upon as soon a possible. Maybe try to get Crabbe and Goyle to write to their fathers as well." Draco told her. "Everything we do will be on purpose. So don't leave anything out to try save my back, alright?"

"What are you going to do?" Pansy asked. "Start a revolt-against-Voldemort-club or something?"

"Not exactly, but he won't be happy with me." Draco told her evasively.

Pansy sighed. "I hate it when you do that."

"What?"

"Not explain yourself properly. It's really annoying." She smiled at him. "I promise I'll owl my father directly after dinner. Is that what you want?"

"Yes. We greatly appreciate it." Draco said. "Now I suppose we'd better get back inside and cram for Charms tomorrow."

"Ah, the prospect of it is enthralling." Pansy said sarcastically, but turned and walked with Draco back up to the castle.

"Shit."

"Ron! If you say that word one more time, I'm going to whack you repeatedly over the head with your broomstick." Ginny threatened as they sat down at the Gryffindor table for dinner. "I don't care about you or your exams. I just want to eat dinner without any profanity reaching my ears. Do you understand me?"

Ron sniffed and slumped his shoulders. "Yes."

Ginny smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "Sorry. I do care about you. Just not how you're going on your exams, ok?"

"You're a great sister, Gin." Harry commented. "I can tell you care for your brothers future."

"I really do." She nodded, and began dishing up her plate. Hermione sat next to Harry, but left an empty seat on her other side. She had only been eating a few minutes, listening to Ginny and Ron bicker about irrelevant things, when she heard Lavender gasp softly. She glanced at Lavender, to see her staring at something behind Hermione.

Slowly, Hermione became aware of the silence that filled the hall. Even Ron and Ginny's squabbling faded, and they turned to look at Hermione with strange expressions. Harry whispered, "Uh, Hermione? Right behind you, love."

But before she could turn around, she felt someone rest their hands on her waist and literally lift her out of her seat. She was placed on the ground, facing Draco, who looked down at her with a small smile. In one quick glance, Hermione noted that the entire student body was sitting with their eyes transfixed on the two of them. She looked back at Draco, who said to her in a voice audible from the other side of the room, "I love you, Hermione."

Though it was planned that they would do this, he still took Hermione by surprise. Draco smiled at her and his eyebrow quirked slightly as he waited for her to say something. The rest of the school waited too. Eventually, Hermione said, "You've always known that I love you."

There were squeals and whisperings as everyone tried to speak at once. As Hermione leaned towards Draco, she heard Parvarti talking to Lavender. "Oh my goodness! Lav, don't look, it's not a pretty sight. I can't believe her, she's been lying to us!"

"It's alright Parvarti." Lavender said softly. "I knew already."

"What! Why didn't you tell me?" Parvarti sounded outraged.

"Because I promised I wouldn't tell." She replied, as she stood and left the hall. Parvarti followed her, glaring at Hermione as she passed.

Draco hugged Hermione and asked her in a quiet voice, "Do you think this is enough?"

"Should be." She replied. "Sit with me and eat."

Draco sat down in the empty seat next to Hermione and ate dinner with the Gryffindor's. Surely just the act of sitting with Gryffindor's would anger Voldemort, let alone what he had confessed to Hermione in front of the whole school. At one point Draco glanced across the hall, and saw Pansy get out of her seat, whispering something to Crabbe and Goyle. They soon stood and left the hall in her wake.

Once dinner was over, and Ron and Ginny had resumed their argument on the word shit and Ron's free use of it, the group of friends stood and left the hall. Hermione and Draco lagged behind and stopped when they came to the marble staircase that led up towards the Gryffindor tower. Draco said quietly, "Tomorrow night we'll have to get organized. He won't leave it long after he finds out."

Hermione frowned in worry. "Once Voldemort hears that you've been keeping this from him, he'll be angry. But I think he'll be slightly hesitant about you, considering you've actually managed to keep it secret. Usually he knows everything. Secrets are punishable. He'll wait a little while to get organized. I think we have till Friday."

Draco nodded. "After dinner tomorrow night, meet in the cabin and we'll get everything ready. Including Credere. Did you remember to tell her to meet us there when you last saw her?"

"Yep." Hermione affirmed. "She'll be there."

"Great." Draco said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck in Charms tomorrow morning."

"You too." She replied.

Draco waved a hand carelessly. "I don't need luck."

Hermione laughed at him and started to walk up the stairs. "Ah, yes. You and your ever present ego."

"You love me for it." Draco called out after her. Hermione smiled and shook her head, and soon began thinking about the following night, and what she would need for it.

A/N- Thanks for reading, I'd love to know what you think, as usual. Please review, you fantastic people!