Okay, yeah, I know I know no need to tell me – I've updated after an exceedingly LONG time…! I'm sorry you guys! I keep trying to hurry up with it and I end up delaying it longer! Sorry X infinite. You guys definitely deserve more than this.

So, here it is chapter 25! Finally up! No… not too much of romance, but… it does contain certain VERY important clues… and if u get them, u can see where this story is going. Read on:

'Look, there he comes now!' said Ron. Hermione turned her head sharply away from Professor Covey, whom she was surveying, trying to judge whether he was trustworthy enough.

'Thank goodness!' she muttered to herself.

'I knew he was going to come in sometime or the other' said Ron, shrugging.

Harry came over and sat down next to Ron, Hermione sitting in front of him.

'Hey' he muttered, and without saying another word started piling food on his plate.

'How did it go with Mr. Good Looking? Hermione here was a little worried about you' said Ron.

Hermione would have retorted had she not been so lost in thought at that moment. She had a feeling something was wrong and now she was almost sure. Harry had entered the Great Hall not exactly looking like himself. And clearly, he had quite a pale look about him. As if someone had drained him of energy. Seeing this, she had seriously doubted Professor Covey. However, that was only until she had seen Draco Malfoy himself coming up behind Harry. Was it her imagination? Or was that really a look of guilt on Draco's face? A thought revealed upon Hermione and she could have just as well killed herself right on the spot.

Draco didn't stop and look or smile at her, which was something extremely odd. He usually gave her sign when no one was looking.

''Twas okay' said Harry, his mouth stuffed. 'Worried about me, Hermione? Why would that be?'

'No, nothing… erm… nothing'

'What's up with you? Thinking about homework or summat?' demanded Ron. 'You still haven't touched your food'

'What did Professor Covey want to talk about, Harry?' Hermione inquired as calmly as possible, as if she hadn't heard Ron at all.

'Nothing much, actually. He just… uh… gave me a remedy for – for my head ache' he said offhandedly.

'That's awesome!' cried Ron. 'Covey's more useful than I thought'

'Oh?' asked Hermione skeptically.

'You doubt him?' said Harry, looking at the expression on Hermione's face.

'Sheesh! Its like you're Harry's guardian or something, the way you worry about him!' Ron spoke up.

Hermione seemed to be composing herself and when she spoke her voice was of a forced calm tone.

'Did it work?'

'Yeah, 'spose so!' Harry answered.

'What do you mean?'

'Tsk! I'll have to give it some time to see whether it works. If I have another head ache – it clearly didn't work'

'Hogsmeade weekend this Monday!' cried Parvati as the three of them entered the common room after dinner.

'Oh cool! I was getting low on jokes, got to write to Fred and George to send me some as well' said Ron, checking the notice on the bulletin board in the Gryffindor Common Room.

'This is our sixth year. We've got loads to do, you know…' started Hermione.

'Aww, c'mon! There's time for a little break, isn't there?' reasoned Harry. Hermione was still deep in thought.

'You have to come! You'll die studying at this rate'

Hermione stepped into the girls dormitory and looking at her bedside table she remembered something. She hadn't opened the gift at the breakfast table; instead she had put it away under her bed. Nobody was in the dorm; she supposed it was safe to open it.

Putting her hand under her bed, she took out the gift still in its red wrapping paper. Looking around to make sure no one was there, she took off the wrapping.

A red box dropped in her lap; opening it she saw a most unusual thing. A rectangular object of a grey-blue color greeted her along with a note written on green scented paper.

She decided to read the note first. Putting the rectangular object aside, she settled herself on the floor next to her bed and unfolded the paper. It was written in a cursive font with rich green ink:

"Hi Love,

Hope all is well. I know you must be thinking that I shouldn't have sent this to you by owl post at breakfast time. And I know you think I shouldn't have done it up in the red wrapping paper. However, I had my reasons. The wrapping paper is of great value to me. I made it myself! Hope you like it!

I don't believe you know what the gift that I sent you really is, but I guess that being the cleverest witch of your age; you must have read about it somewhere. It's called a "transferolatum" and it's an extremely useful thing, even if it's not too pretty to look at! Now what this does is that it transfers messages from one person to the other. You shall see a number of odd symbols over it and press buttons next to them. They stand for alphabets, its Latin and that's just the way it works. For example if you press the button that your User's Manual says stand for the English alphabet 'H' and then press the button representing 'I' and then simply press send, I will receive a message from you, saying 'Hi'. You must have guessed by now, that I have the other transferolatum. Although they are much wanted everywhere, they aren't owned by everyone. Possibly because it doesn't come in their affordable range. Anyhow, I got these made especially for the two of us; you'll see what I mean once you open the package – which you mustn't have done until now!

Message me once you receive it. I wanted to talk about something to you, before we were…well, interrupted.

Yours,

Draco Malfoy"

This letter would've made any girl's day, even Hermione's had she not been suspecting him. The transferolatum was like a mobile phone, even in the Muggle world people 'messaged' on them.

She put the letter away then curiously opened the package containing the transferolatum. It was very pretty, and Hermione wondered why Draco had written otherwise. With a shimmering grey-blue color, it had a screen and a number of buttons. And it surely was custom-made, for, at the top of the transferolatum, was a large D and on the other side an H, both carved in very professionally. Two doves were also carved in between the two curvy letters. Hermione smiled… then remembered what Draco was more than likely guilty of.

She took the transferolatum, looked at the users manual for instructions and aggressively yet swiftly wrote Draco a message.

Draco was lying on his back in his dormitory, his thoughts deeply disturbing him. He'd sent Hermione the gift at breakfast time, why hadn't he received a message yet? And no sooner had these thoughts came to his head when a small beep averted him. He looked at the transferolatum on his bed and hurriedly picked it up.
'Hurry up, or we'll be late!' cried Hermione to the boys as she got down from her dormitory to go to Hogsmeade. Winter had brought cold winds with it and Hermione was well bundled for it.

'What's the hurry? And to think you didn't want to go', said Harry wrapping a muffler round his neck.

'I've to do stuff'

'What do a research? Or a survey?' asked Ron, snickering.

'You read my mind Ronald! A survey is just the thing!' said Hermione, in a tone difficult to predict.

'Is she serious? I was only kidding!' said Ron to Harry.

'Which one do you think I should get?' asked Ron surveying Zonko's new stock and asking for Harry and Hermione's opinion.

'I dunno man, you decide. I still think you should write to Fred and George and order some of their stuff' said Harry.

'Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. What about you Hermione?' he asked.

'Oh I don't know!' she replied after a pause. She looked really anxious about something and kept glancing at her watch.

'Forget these, let's go to the Three Broomsticks, I want a Butterbeer, I'm freezing!'

'Could you guys excuse me for a moment? I promised Lisa I'd meet her next to the Shrieking Shack' said Hermione, getting up from the table after hurriedly consuming her bottle of Butterbeer.

'Lisa?' asked Harry.

'Turpin' answered Hermione.

Ron let out a whistle. 'Ravenclaw, right? Ask her for me, Herms?' said Ron, winking at Hermione.

'Is that all you can think of? Besides, she's already hooked!' she said smiling wickedly.

'Aww! Not fair! Who's the guy?' he asked, put out.

'Jeffery Jerkins. You're not going to pick a fight with him are you?' she asked challengingly and set off.

'Hey'

'Hello' Hermione replied coldly, seating herself on the chair opposite Draco in Café Roma – a nice little place in which only a few people were allowed admission. It was not visible to every witch or wizard, only those who had a pass could enter it.

'Not in a good mood, I see!' said Draco, smiling.

'Not at all'

'So…' Draco cleared his throat. 'Would you like to order anything?'

Hermione opened the menu which was placed in front of her and looked at it with mild interest. 'A Strawberry Daiquiri' she muttered, and in no time, a queer little creature came whizzing up to her with a tray in its hand that had a large glass of Strawberry Daiquiri placed on top of it. The creature placed the glass in front of Hermione and whizzed away as quickly as it had came.

'Quick service' Hermione mused. She took a sip of her drink. It was delicious.

'So… you had something important to talk about?'

'So I did'

'Well…?'

'If you did something… that you know you shouldn't have done, Draco, would you tell me?'

'What are you trying to say?' Draco raised an eyebrow.

'I asked you a question. Answer yes or no'

'This is not gonna be good!'

'Answer yes or no!' Hermione cried.

Draco winced. 'Am sure glad this cabin is soundproof, otherwise it would have – '

Hermione spoke in a calm but dangerous voice this time.

'Draco. Yes or No?'

'I guess I'd –'

'Yes or No?' she asked in the same dangerously quiet voice.

'Yes. I probably would!' said Draco finally; however, Hermione still thought he didn't quite meet her eye when saying that.

'Thank you! Now, is there something you want to tell me?' she asked, staring right into his eyes.

'Not exactly…'

'Are you sure?'

'If you're saying I did something I wasn't supposed to do, you're wrong' he said, somewhat heatedly.

'I'm not saying that' replied Hermione, her mood coming back to normal again.

'Then what are you saying?'

'Just whether there was something you want to tell me!'

'You said you had something important to talk about! Now you're asking me if there's something I want to tell you!'

Hermione chose to remain silent.

'You don't trust me, do you?' Draco muttered.

'It's not that!' said a flustered Hermione, her emotions brimming up again and putting her into a dilemma.

If Draco had done something to Harry – she was to leave him. However, if he hadn't – why was she risking their relationship on a doubt? What if it was Covey's doing? But there was a possibility that Draco had jinxed Harry or something… Harry was one of her best friends! She promised herself she would make this year the best possible for Harry! If Draco was to come in the middle of her planning, she was to remove him…

She finally decided to ask him straight out. If he was as true as she thought he was, he'd tell her.

'Draco… have you come across Harry lately?' she asked.

Draco looked up at her sharply, then looking down again, muttered 'No'

Hermione sighed. His guilty manner was making things difficult for her.

'Listen, Draco I –'

'Hermione, I may be a Slytherin, and a son of a Death Eater, but I'm true to my word. I said I loved you, and I still do. I do not lie to the ones I love. I would never lie to you…'

A raging war was going on in Hermione's mind. Half of her wanted to believe him, love him, cherish him. The other half wanted her to remain faithful to her friends, to leave Draco to hate him – she could never do that! She loved him. But he was a Slytherin, possibly even a Death Eater himself! What did she know? Unless...

'I believe you' she said looking up at him with innocent brown eyes.

The gleam of happiness that shone in Draco's grey-blue eyes was worth her decision.

He took her hand into his own and pressed his lips upon it.

Hermione smiled.

'There's something I had to give you!' she said after a moment of silence.

'You didn't have to, it's alright!' he replied, blushing at the same time.

Hermione magicked a metallic-silver band and pretended to have taken it out of her bag, handed it to him.

'I thought you might like it'

'It's…awesome!'

'Well? Can I put it on for you?' she asked hopefully, another thought in her mind.

Christmas came and went. Hermione and Ron had stayed back for Harry's sake. They had an excellent feast and overall, Christmas was more fun than it had ever been. School resumed after that as usual and the teachers piled the sixth years with more homework than they had ever had in any of their previous years at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

'You guys will never believe this!' cried Ron as he sat himself next to Harry on the breakfast table.

Harry and Hermione both gave him questioning looks.

'I saw Covey on my way down' he started excitedly.

Harry stared at him. 'You don't… you're normal right?'

'Tsk! Of course I am! That's not what I'm saying. I saw him with Esmeralda' he paused dramatically.

'Eww Ron! You should give them some privacy, you know' snapped Hermione.

'That's the anomaly! They… well, as far as we know, like each other. But, this time, when Esmeralda came up to him, Covey brushed her away! It was so weird. He had this weird look on his face and Esmeralda seemed put-out obviously, her look told me it was unexpected. That shows they didn't have some sort of disagreement' he ended.

Hermione looked skeptic.

'Are you sure?' asked Harry.

'Dead sure!'

'Why do we care?' muttered Harry, turning back to his plate.

'Point!' said Ron, grabbing a toast and spreading jam on it. 'That's out of Covey's behavior though. I mean, he's an overall nice guy right?'

'He is'

'Your scar hurting yet Harry?' asked Hermione.

'Not at all! It's amazing, that Easaper thing'

'It sure is'

Hermione raced up to her dormitory before the start of their first lesson for that day. She had written up the page she had copied from the Dark Arts book that Harry and she had found in the hidden book case. She took it out from her diary and read it over.

Stepping out of the dormitory, Hermione had decided to investigate upon the matter. It was starting to become more confusing than ever.

She came out of the dormitory to find herself face to face with Draco Malfoy.

'Hermione, I need to tell you something!'

'Shoot!' she said, turning away from him and walking straight ahead.

'You need to believe me! I have nothing to do in this!'

'How do I believe you? How?' she cried.

'I'm not a death eater! You saw that for yourself, didn't you?' he asked.

'Yes I did! But you still have something to do with Harry's situation'

'I do not!' he cried aggressively. 'That's what I'm trying to explain'

'Then who is?' she asked.

Draco hung his head.

'You won't believe it'

'Try me'

'Paul Covey'

Hermione stared.

'I saw him come out behind Harry and mutter a spell. I know for one, that it was something concerning Dark Arts, I've seen it before'

All this time, he didn't meet Hermione's eye. She pointed this out to him.

At this, Draco looked up, and holding Hermione's face in his hands, he looked directly into her eyes.

'I saw him! And I know it was some Dark spell. It's not me, it's him. Do you really think I'd be saying all this if I weren't innocent? I know you love me, then why can't you trust me?'

A tear rolled out of her eye, but she chose to remain quiet.

'I can help you find out who it really is' Draco offered.

'We are to study some complicated Charms today. Now as you know, sixth year deals with very complicated incantations and wand movements…' Professor Flitwick was saying in Charms class.

Hermione's mind was somewhere else. She wanted to ensure that it was Covey. Draco had offered to help. That cleared him of any sort of doubt she had on him. But she wouldn't let him know. It was better that way.

Coming out of her trance, Hermione raised her hand.

'Yes, Miss Granger?'

'Professor, are complicated or let's say, Dark charms or spells used alongside potions of any sorts?'

'They definitely are, Miss Granger. The Dark spells are usually performed after a dosage of a potion. It is very useful you see, because potions work excellently alongside such charms. This one, however, that we're about to do, has nothing whatsoever, to do with any sort of potion. Such spells are very advanced magic and are not included in your N.E.W.T syllabus'

How'd u like that 'un?

Hope you enjoyed it; I'll put in the spices in the next chapter, I PROMISE!

Onto my reviewers now:

Ice ColdShiya: Its alrite, just tell me who you are and I can remember. I've a surprisingly good memory when it comes to reviewers! Yeah I know, the previous chapter hardly concerned our love birds, but this one has some of 'em now doesn't it? I'm trying to keep up with the rest of the characters as well, cuz well… it's a story… and its not going to be ONLY focused on Herms and Draco, so I need to put some little parts of other (insignificant) people! )

Yeah, sure, msn… erm… you can probably get my email address from my profile. Gimme an add and we can talk about it.

Thanks for a lovely review again! Keep reading! XOXO

C.E. Hobbit: Heyzzz! How's my little hobbit? Hope good mate, haven't heard from you for quite a while, matey! He's evil… u gotta wait to find that out! Sorry for the delay man, will make it quicker next time – I HOPE! Tell me how this one was and whether it was any better. Add in any sorts of suggestions that might help me improve my story. Thanks a bunch, love ya, keep reviewing!

Chowmeingrl: Wassup? Hope everything's chillin'. Do let me know when the story's coming out, I really am kinda busy so won't be able to search through for it. Gimme a mail and I'll surely check it in. Oh man, tell me about it, I think after Final Fantasy VII's Squall Leonhart, Covey has to be the HOTTEST created character, the way I imagine him atleast! ;) Yeah man, Draco's nothing but 100 pure hotness! How was this one? Better? Lemme know,

Ciao till next time,

XOXO

Existence92: Haylo! New reviewer? Loved the review, short and 'awesome'! Keep reading! Lemme know how you like this one. XOXO

HPbabe143: Intense. That's good! Love it. How is this one, though? I kinda worked a little hard for it, so do let me know. You guys are so awesome, its these reviews that keep me going! Keep R&R-ing

XOXO

AprilShower167: Heyz! Man, you're the best! You have to be the one person who has said 'take your time' WOW! You so TOTALLY rock! Voldemort is mean, now isn't he? It's gonna take a while hun, hang in there. Tell me how you like this one and throw in some suggestions on how to improve it.

Keep reviewing, I love ur reviews!

Peace

XOXO

Swimchik09: Heyz! Glad you found it and more glad that you liked it. Do let me know how you like this one. Keep reading!

XOXO

jtaReins: Hey there! Thanks for the review. Oh, you think they're short? Hmm… I'll try my best to make em longer, but… I don't want to bore you guys! I'll try my best though. Oh the shoutouts? Well, it's a good way to communicate with my reviewers, so I keep adding them in every time. I used to do it alternatively at first. Oh well, I'll try and make it better and longer next time. Thanks for your compliments!

Keep reviewing!

Adieus

Thehpgang: Hey it's you again! Oh man, I swear next time I go on the site, I'll check up on ur fanfics. I just don't get the time – it FLIES away! Man, don't let this be ur last review, I'm gonna die if it is! These reviews keep me going… u know that by now, don't u? Oh well… I know that, I update too rarely… this was a long wait, wasn't it? Hope it was worth it man. Thanks for ur sweet sweet review!

Keep R&R-ing!

Love ya,

Peace out!

Peanuttiddy: Hey there! Glad to know you found it and liked it. Hope you like this chapter as well. Do let me know. By the way, just so you know, ur review was like a wake up call. As soon as I got it in my inbox, I just went and signed in and began ready to update the story! Honestly! Thanks a lot matey.

Keep reviewing!