A/N: Chapter written by avdubs! Remember that she's posting on her ao3 account too. Thank you all for your lovely comments and reviews on this fic, we appreciate them all! We just want to take a quick second and reassure people that this will remain a Dramione fic, as there's been a few concerns about them not ending up together. And secondly, we've diverged from canon a bit to include the Easter Holidays. We know the story is slow moving at this point, but it will pick up again once we drift back to canon events, which will be soon anyway. Enjoy!

The start of April brought fresh showers, which though the grounds appreciated, the students of Hogwarts did not. The last thing Hermione wanted to do when her eyes fluttered open was escape the warmth of her bed. Lavender and Parvati must have already left or were still sleeping, as Hermione couldn't hear their usual giggly whisperings. The rain continued to slash against the windows as she snuggled into her covers, the sound almost lulling her back to sleep, but one glance at the clock on her bedside table told her she needed to get up and head to breakfast if she wanted to get to class on time. It was only when she was fully dressed for the day and had her bag slung over her shoulder that she realized Potions was her first class of the day. The corner of her lips quirked upwards and her stomach fluttered at the thought of seeing Draco first thing that morning.

When she entered the common room, she found Harry and Ron sitting by the fire playing a game of Wizard's chess.

"Morning," she greeted. "Ready for breakfast?"

"'Bout time you woke up," Ron said with a smile as he and Harry abandoned their game and joined her in the middle of the common room.

"You could go to breakfast without me, you know," she pointed out. The three of them climbed out of the portrait hole, side-by-side, and headed for the Great Hall. Harry hadn't said anything since she came down to the common room, which she found rather odd. He'd usually at least say good morning to her. Ron seemed to be aware of Harry's sullen mood as he was walking quite close to him and kept casting worried looks his way. "Harry?" Hermione asked as they descended a flight of stairs. "Everything alright?"

He was silent for a moment before he inhaled sharply and scrunched up his features. "I just keep thinking about our run in with Tonks. She didn't seem right when she found me on the train at the start of the year, and you were there this time, Hermione. You saw how different she seemed."

Hermione furrowed her brows. Tonks had seemed off; more distant. The older witch used to make Hermione laugh and she always felt that she could go to Tonks if she needed someone to talk to, but the Tonks she saw just a few days ago, wasn't the one she'd come to know over the last two years.

"Sirius was her cousin, Harry," Ron interjected before Hermione could respond. "She's probably just upset."

"Maybe," Hermione mumbled as she sorted through her own thoughts. "But it could have something do with the war, or the Order."

"Yeah well, none of them write to me, do they?" Harry said bitterly. "Not even Remus. So even if something is going on, I wouldn't have the faintest idea."

"Harry, I'm sure they're just busy," she assured him, reaching out to squeeze his arm. "I mean the Death Eaters aren't exactly laying low, are they?"

He didn't respond and instead kept walking. They'd arrived at the Grand Staircase and from above, Hermione could see the Entrance Hall flooded with students, some heading into the Great Hall for breakfast and some just leaving. It was probably best that they drop the subject of Tonks for now anyway. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Hermione saw Draco leaving the Great Hall with Parkinson and Nott on either side of him. She silently cursed herself for not getting out of bed and heading to breakfast sooner. Draco's gaze drifted over in her direction and when his eyes met hers, he gave a stiff nod and a small smile. Hermione lifted her chin ever so slightly and hoped that he had seen her acknowledgement. She watched Pansy tap his shoulder and scowl up at him and at that point Hermione returned her attention to weaving through the crowd of students.

Aside from Harry's less than cheerful mood, she'd been having a decent morning. Sure, she had missed Draco at breakfast, but she knew she would still see him in Potions, and hoped that after their Ancient Runes class they could go to their room. She made small talk with Ginny while they ate, and it wasn't until the post arrived that her good mood was soiled.

MUGGLE TOWN DESTROYED IN FIRE, the headline read. The words glared up at Hermione, as her spoon hovered between her bowl of oatmeal and her mouth, and her heart sank to her stomach. It wasn't anywhere near her parents, but it struck a chord in her. Was this going to become a new pattern for the Death Eaters? Would her parents' neighbourhood end up being one of the ones the Death Eaters chose to destroy in the future?

With several students pulled from school, and every disappearance and headline bearing more bad news, her worry for her parents safety grew. Harry shook his head and looked angry, Ron folded the Daily Prophet up and Ginny tried to change the subject to something more cheerful but Hermione wasn't listening anymore. My parents aren't safe, She thought to herself, her appetite shrinking by the second.

Hermione remained silent as the three of them headed to the dungeons for Potions. They arrived just in time as the bell rang. She glanced over at Draco, to find his back facing her. She sighed and took out her copy of Advanced Potion-Making, letting it fall onto the table with a thud. Professor Slughorn told them they would have a test the Tuesday following the Easter holidays and they would have the opportunity to begin studying during class today.

Thankful that she was saved from having to learn new content, Hermione got out a fresh roll of parchment and opened to the first Potion Professor Slughorn had written on the blackboard. Not long after they started, Ron asked to look at her notes and she slid them to him without so much as a glance in his direction. When the class ended and she had taken notes on the theories and importance of particular ingredients on nearly every Potion that Slughorn had listed, and she swiftly packed up her things and reminded herself there were just two more periods separating her from Ancient Runes with Draco. As much as she loved Harry and Ron, they weren't the best for comfort, and this was one of the rare times where she really needed it.

She could barely focus on a word Professor Flitwick said in Charms and she'd gone back to the dormitory during break just to sit in silence. The article headline had really shaken her. It felt like a wake up call, a reminder that there were bigger things going on aside from snogging Draco, classes and studying. She'd gotten so caught up in everything going on with Draco and his situation, and the Prophet had been void of news this troublesome for a few weeks now, that her concern for parents well-being had been moved to the back burner. It would always be there, of course; she was a muggle-born witch living in the middle of a war that was determined on taking out her kind.

Hermione arrived to Ancient Runes with her head still clouded by intrusive thoughts and her heart sitting like a weight in her chest. Draco greeted her with a cheerful smile and moved his left foot to rest against her right under the table. She smiled wearily at him as she unpacked her belongings and he must have noticed her troubled expression as he had slid his hand under the table to squeeze her knee.

"What's wrong?" he whispered.

She shook her head and put a finger to her lips. Professor Babbling had started her lecture and the last thing Hermione wanted to deal with right then was getting told off for disrupting a teacher. Draco rolled his eyes and waited while she wrote her reply on a piece of parchment.

It's not something I want to talk about right now. Can we go to the room after class?

Of course we can. He wrote back.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She crumpled the parchment and tucked it into her bag as there would be no opportunity for note passing during a lecture. For the duration of their lesson, his hand remained firmly on her knee, and for the first time since seeing the article headline that morning, she felt like she could breathe properly.

Draco arrived to their room just a few minutes after she had to see that she had conjured the same bed he had a few days ago. She lay on top of the covers, facing away from him and stared out the magical window that mimicked the gloomy weather outside.

She felt his weight on the bed as he laid down next to her. Slowly, she rolled over to face him, her lips pursed into a thin line and tears pricking at her eyes. Draco reached out to brush the hair away from her face and ran his fingers along her jaw before grabbing her chin and lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"Talk to me, Granger," he said softly, his pale gray eyes piercing hers. "What is it?"

"Did you happen to see The Daily Prophet this morning?" she asked after remaining silent for a moment, the softness in her voice making her feel small. Fragile.

Draco winced. "No, I didn't."

Hermione cleared her throat and sat up to retrieve her bag where the recent copy of The Daily Prophet was tucked away, and pulled it out. The headline was front page, so she handed the paper to him as it was and watched with bated breath for his reaction.

"It wasn't my parents' town," she told him before he could jump to conclusions and assume the worst. "But-"

"You're worried about them," he said quietly, the paper clenched tightly in his hands. His eyes quickly scanned the article and she watched as his brows furrowed and his jaw sat as still as stone.

"I always have been," she said. "But after this…" her voice trailed off. She didn't want to say outloud yet. If she said it outloud it would become real, and she didn't want it to be real yet.

Draco snuggled closer to her, so their bodies were touching and he draped an arm over her waist. His lips briefly met her forehead and when he pulled away, Hermione tilted her head so their foreheads were touching.

"Tell me about them," Draco whispered, his breath tickling her nose. "Your parents."

Hermione let out a breathy laugh. "Well, erm, they're both dentists." At the look of confusion on his face, she added with an involuntary giggle, "They're like...teeth healers."

Draco wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That sounds awfully unpleasant."

"It is," she said. "But it's not always bad. If you have something serious done, you get a milkshake afterwards. Or at least, I always did."

His lips curved into an amused smile and she couldn't help but smile in return. "Now that doesn't sound so bad," he mused.

"My dad made the best homemade milkshakes," she told him, recalling all the times her father would knock on her bedroom door, a strawberry milkshake in hand and a smile on his face. "Gods, I haven't had one of his milkshakes in years."

"Tell me more," he said, more confidently this time.

And so she told him about their Christmas traditions, back when she still saw her parents over the Christmas holidays. She told him how she and her mum would spend the night before Christmas baking cookies and how her Grandmother would come over Christmas morning. She told him every single corny joke her dad had cracked, or rather the ones she could remember. Draco listened as she went on and on about her mum and dad until her lungs felt like they were on fire and she was forced to pause in her ramblings.

"Sorry," she mumbled after catching her breath. She had just talked for so long, but it had been refreshing, being able to talk without interruption.

"Don't apologize," he told her gently. He reached out to brush her hair away again, but this time, his fingers lingered at the end of her curls. She smiled at him, the corners of her mouth curving slowly upwards.

"Harry and Ron don't even know this much about my parents," she said thoughtfully.

Draco frowned. "Really?"

She nodded and readjusted herself as her arm was starting to fall asleep. "How is it that your two best friends don't know that much about your parents?"

Hermione shrugged. "They've met them on occasion - in Diagon Alley mostly - but it's just not something we talk about. It's not like we talk about Harry's parents either, but that's-"

"Understandable," Draco finished for her.

She stopped, shocked at what he had said. Her smile grew wider, nearly reaching her eyes and she found herself wanting to jump and down in joy. She must have looked absolutely ridiculous as Draco was staring at her with a peculiar expression. "What?" he asked.

"You empathized with Harry," she said.

"No I didn't," he said with a frown.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat up as he did so as well. "Yes, you did." She leaned over quickly with one hand resting on his shoulder and placed a quick peck on his cheek. Draco let out a laugh and shook his head, his elbows resting on his knees.

"Why are you laughing?" she asked.

He paused and when he turned to look at her, she saw the faintest tint of pink covering his cheeks. "You look lovely when you get excited," he mumbled so quietly she could hardly hear him.

She could have melted on the spot, and for a moment, she thought she had. Any sort of response from her flew out the window. Draco was changing and she was watching it happen before her eyes. It felt like a gift, and one she'd grown to cherish. She wasn't sure if she was simply unearthing this boy who'd been there underneath a hard, cold exterior all along, or if he was turning into someone new.

"Tell me about your parents," she said, nudging him with her knee. "What's your mum like?"

Draco was about to begin when the warning bell sounded. "Shit," they both muttered before jumping off the bed and searching frantically for their shoes and bags. She felt a little guilty that she had spent so much time talking but her guilt would do her no good now.

"Hey," she called out as Draco had started for the door. "See you tomorrow for double Arithmancy?"

He chuckled and grinned at her, his hand on the doorknob. "I wouldn't miss it, Granger."

Hermione was in a slightly better mood after she left the room. When Ron had asked her during double Herbology why she was in such a good mood, she told him she felt better with most of her workload completed. It wasn't true, of course. She hadn't touched her homework during her free period, and she would most likely retreat to the library after dinner to squeeze in a few hours, but it was worth it. It was so very worth it, she thought to herself.

As she'd promised to herself earlier, Hermione headed to the library after dinner. She made sure to bring her Potions book to continue reviewing, her Arithmancy book and notes, as well as her Transfiguration things. There weren't many students in the library that evening; many of them had probably checked out mentally with the Easter holiday just three days away. Hermione sat at her usual table and pulled out all of her books, notes, three quills and a plethora of parchment. Time to get to work, she told herself.

She decided to tackle Transfiguration first since it was the class she was worried about the least, and she couldn't exactly practice her non-verbal spells in the library anyway. She read through her notes and jotted down key points or important theories to memorize, sifting through roll of parchment after roll of parchment. It had felt like an eternity since she had been able to sit down and completely concentrate on her course work. Tackling her list item by item made her feel exhilarated, in control and productive. She truly missed throwing herself into her studies on a daily basis and forgetting the rest of the world.

But like all good things, the energy she'd had earlier slowly began to fade as the early evening hours ticked by. Her concentration slipped away and she found her thoughts drifting to what it would be like to have a normal year at Hogwarts. After all, the closest she had ever come was the train ride to Hogwarts the start of their second year. Maybe she wouldn't have to find so much solace in her studies. She could have more free time to spend with Harry and Ron and Ginny. She could fall asleep at night knowing only upcoming exams, Quidditch matches and Hogsmeade visits lie ahead. She could join clubs or mentor younger students. If there was no Voldemort, she wouldn't have to worry about her parents safety so much. She could spend Saturday afternoons down at the Black Lake with her friends without a single worry…

"Miss Granger!" said a high pitched voice that could only belong to Madam Pince. "Miss Granger!" she said again. Hermione felt a sharp shove at her shoulder making her jolt upright in her seat. There was something long and feathery blocking her vision and when she reached up to her forehead to pluck it off, she saw it was her quill. She turned to look at Madam Pince with heavy eyes and an apologetic smile.

"The library is closing," Madam Pince said tersely, her hands on her hips.

"Right," Hermione said. "Sorry, I'll pack up my things and go."

"Quickly," the librarian replied before going back to her desk.

Hermione yawned and began shoving her belongings back into her bag. Her dreams had been pleasant, but they left an ache in her heart. They couldn't have a normal year at Hogwarts with Voldemort still alive. As she trudged back to the common room, Hermione hoped and prayed that Harry would defeat him in the end.

During Arithmancy the next day, she and Draco had agreed to meet in their Room after lunch. She ate quickly, wanting to get there as soon as she could and to get away from Lavender's cooing as she fed Ron bits of her roast chicken. Harry hadn't been to lunch and she wondered if perhaps Dumbledore called him to his office for an impromptu meeting. She should have known better, she really should have, but at the time she was much too eager to see Draco and get away from the rest of the castle. Their Room had become a safe haven not just for Draco, but for herself as well.

The halls were practically empty as she climbed staircase after staircase only to arrive at the seventh floor with sweaty bangs and her lungs on fire. After catching her breath, Hermione merrily made her way to the blank stretch of wall. Just as she rounded the corner however, she saw something that made her freeze in her tracks and jump back behind the corner. Slowly, Hermione peaked around the stone wall and watched as she saw a pair of feet pace back and forth in front of the wall.

That's Harry, she told herself, a scowl marring her features. How could it not be? Not a single person aside from Harry owned an invisibility cloak. A part of her knew she should get out of there, but her feet stood rooted to the spot. She couldn't leave. Not when she knew Draco was in there, waiting for her. Hermione stood as still as a statue as the minutes ticked by, her free period going to waste. She had hoped he would just give up quickly and leave, but once again, she should have known better. Harry was more determined at catching Draco than he was anything else. There was just under ten minutes left of their free period when she saw Harry appear in full and shove the cloak into his pocket. He gave one last lingering look at the blank wall before stalking off down the corridor. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief but had no time to wait for Draco and tell him what had just happened, as she wouldn't dare risk being late to a Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Hermione arrived at Ancient Runes the next day with two gold coins clutched tightly in her hand. She took her usual seat at the table in the back, stacked her book and parchment in front of her and waited patiently until Draco arrived. It wasn't until every other student had filed in that he turned up, just in time for the final bell. Professor Babbling cast him a stern look as he passed. Draco noticed the incessant tapping of Hermione's foot before he sat down and by the time he was settled, she had already slid a piece of parchment his way.

Harry was outside the Room after lunch yesterday, that's why I never showed up, she'd written.

Anger overtook his features once he read her note and as she watched him write down his reply, she thought he was going to puncture the parchment. When Professor Babbling wasn't looking, Draco slid the parchment back to her.

And here I thought you stood me up. Hermione let out a soft snort, the sound muffled by her hand clamped over her mouth. Something needs to be done about him, Granger.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and toyed with her quill while she thought of her response. She'd had the same thought last night, but there was no talking Harry out of this. They could barely talk about the subject without arguing. Harry might be her best friend, but there was no way she could talk him down from stalking the Room of Requirement. She had come up with a plan though, and a good one she thought.

Hold your hand out under the table, she wrote. Draco shot her a puzzled look but did as she asked. As discreetly as she could, Hermione slipped one of the gold coins into his hand. Draco cocked his head to the side before peering down at the coin.

They're like the coins we used for the D.A. last year. We can communicate with each other through these. That way, if something like yesterday happens again, I can at least warn you. She slid the note to him with pursed lips, and she hoped he would pick up on her annoyance.

Draco nodded in understanding and tucked the coin into his pocket. Meet me in the library during our free and show me how these coins work? He'd written and when she glanced up at him, she saw the traces of that familiar, mischievous smile. Draco winked at her, sending a blush crawling up her neck to her cheeks.

Hermione groaned and let her head fall with a soft thud on to the large book in front of her. The rain hadn't ceased since it arrived two days ago and continued to pound against the tall library windows. For a Thursday afternoon, the library was shockingly empty, but neither Draco or Hermione were complaining.

"Yes, Granger?" Draco said, not looking up from his Astronomy homework. It was the fifth time she had let out a noise of discontent.

"My back is stiff," she said grumpily. "I need to stretch my legs." Hermione pushed herself away from the table and got up. As she walked by Draco, she could feel his stare lingering on her and when she turned around to look at him, she saw he had been watching her hips.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked rather impatiently.

Draco jerked back, surprised at the tone of her voice. He smirked at her, one eyebrow raised and his arms crossed over his chest. "You're bossier than usual today," he commented as he got up out of his chair and walked over to her.

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that toyed at her lips. "I wanted company on my walk," she said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself, Granger," he mused with a shake of his head.

The two headed towards the Restricted Section, sticking to the rows closest to the back so as not to be seen. Hermione didn't know when it happened, but her hand had slipped into Draco's along the way as they walked in comfortable silence while she absent-mindedly scanned the tomes lining the shelves. The back rows were mostly dark, with only the occasional window providing an inkling of light. She had stopped to actually look through a few books in the Advanced Transfiguration section when she felt Draco place one hand on her waist and use the other to brush her hair to one side, exposing her neck. She felt his chin rest in the crook of her neck and his lips press against the line of her jaw; both of his hands had slid around to her front, holding her firmly to him. His lips trailed along her jaw to behind her earlobe and down the side of her neck. A soft moan escaped her lips and she let her head tip back to rest against his shoulder. His hands lay splayed across her stomach, reminding her just how big they actually were.

He drew away for a brief moment and Hermione took that as her chance to turn around. There was a tingling feeling in her abdomen and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing straight. She brought her hands up to Draco's cheeks and cupped his face in her hands and his grip on her waist tightened as he pulled her forward, his lips meeting hers and their bodies pressing together. Hermione opened her mouth almost immediately, allowing his tongue to brush against her bottom teeth. One of his hands had moved to cradle the back of her neck before he deepened the kiss and another moan escaped her throat as her hands snaked around his neck, nails digging into his skin. Draco stepped forward, pushing her back towards the shelves. She stumbled but quickly caught her balance when her back hit the shelving unit and she heard several books fall onto their sides.

"Draco!" she scolded in a hushed tone, their lips brushing against one another. "Be careful of the books!"

Draco let out a throaty laugh, one that she felt travel from her lips to the tips of her toes. In a rather bold move, Hermione bit his bottom lip and dug her hands under the fabric of his jumper to grip his sides. His lips traveled from her mouth to her cheek, down her neck to the crook of her shoulder. He flicked his tongue on the hollow spot, making her head tilt back and her back arch, her body pressing against his. She was panting in his ear as his mouth continued trailing up and down her neck...along her jaw... and his hands slipped under her shirt and traveled towards her breasts. The tips of his fingers slipped under her bra as her hands snaked up his sides to rest on his shoulders. Merlin, if she knew this is what it felt like to snog Draco Malfoy, she would have kissed him months ago. Every touch of his fingertips felt like an electric shock against her skin, with lust and need surging to every nerve in her body. Every flick of his tongue was like tidal waves of a pleasure she had yet to experience.

As their kisses grew more heated and heavy, and their hands continued to wander and tug and pull and pinch, Hermione felt something hard press against her thigh. She gasped, and pulled away from him, her arms falling to rest by her sides again. Draco's hands left her breasts and came to rest on her hips. "What's wrong?"

A blush had surely crept up her to cheeks by now. She stammered, unsure what to say, or how to phrase it rather. "Your...erm...you-" She pointed down at his trousers where they could both clearly see him pressing against the fabric. "We should get back to our table," she said quickly, averting his eyes and pushing past him. "We've been gone for too long."

Draco looked disappointed, but he combed his fingers through his hair and let a smile settle on his lips. "Well come on then," he said moving towards where she stood. "You still have to show me how those coins work, yes?"

"Hermione, are you sure there's nothing going on with you?" Ginny asked Thursday evening as they sat a table farthest from the rest of the students mingling about in the common room and occasionally worked on their homework.

"I've told you," Hermione said through gritted teeth, now a bit annoyed that Ginny wouldn't just drop the subject. She had pestered her all through dinner. "I've just got a lot on my mind lately."

"Right," Ginny snorted. "Except none of those things should leave you smiling like a bloody idiot. So again, I ask, what in Merlin's name is going on?"

Hermione bit her lip and paused in her writing but she didn't meet Ginny's eyes. She wanted to talk about Draco with Ginny, she did, because there were quite a few things that bothered her that she wasn't quite sure how to talk to Draco about. For one, she had no idea what her and Draco actually were. Clearly, they were past friendship, but they'd never discussed their relationship all that much. Then of course, there were the more monumental problems. None of them knew where this war would lead or what it would bring, and deep down she worried it would manage to rip them apart.

Finally, Hermione sighed heavily and set down her quill. "Alright, fine," she snapped, her voice no louder than a whisper. "There is something going on but I don't want to talk about it yet. Maybe...Maybe at some point, but not now. Please, Gin. Just not right now, okay?"

Ginny's mouth hung open slightly, her response on the tip of her tongue but Hermione stared her down with a pleading look. She watched Ginny's face fall in defeat. "Okay," she said. "Not now."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "I trust you, you know that. But I just...I'm not ready to talk about it, yet. That's all."

The youngest Weasley nodded and returned to her homework. It wasn't actually talking about Draco that Hermione wasn't ready for, it was the anger and lack of understanding that she knew would come eventually.

Hermione entered the library on Friday morning with two croissants stuffed down in her bag and a pep in her step. They were just one day away from the Easter holidays and that meant a full week dedicated to studying, and not having any classes shoving new information down her throat. The early Spring sun illuminated the wooden floors and dusty shelves as she wove her way towards the back, where she knew Draco would be waiting for her. She only saw a few students as she passed by the rows of shelves, but none that she recognized.

Draco was already at their table, his head bent low over the parchment "Good morning," she greeted cheerfully as she sat down across from him. She pulled out the two croissants and passed one to him. "I hope chocolate is okay, there wasn't much of a selection left by the time I got to the platter…"

"Chocolate is fine," he told her with a quick dismissive wave. "Sorry just let me...finish this star chart…" Hermione waited patiently as he wrote out the last few labels and added a dot or two before he dropped his quick and looked at her properly since she first arrived. "Morning," he said with a dazzling smile.

Hermione returned his smile and pulled out her Charms textbook, even though she didn't feel like studying all that much. "So," she said, sitting up a bit straighter in her chair. "Easter holidays starts tomorrow."

Draco tore off a piece of his croissant and stuffed it into his mouth. His eyes fluttered as he chewed, and she couldn't tear her eyes away as he licked the sticky residue off the tips of his fingers. He froze when he caught her watching, a smirk playing at his lips. "Will you be staying here?" he asked before tearing off another piece of the pastry.

She nodded and tore off a piece of her own croissant. "There's some work I need to get done that I can't do anywhere else," she paused before glancing up at him again. "Are you staying?"

"Yes," he said, though he sounded conflicted about this aspect. He was silent for a moment before he said, "Mother wanted me to come home, but-" His features contorted into a mixture of pain and fear. He squeezed his eyes shut and balled his hands into tight fists. "I just can't."

Hermione nodded as though she understood. "At least we can spend the holiday together," she said quietly. "Ron and Harry will be gone."

Draco glanced up at her then, sadness in his eyes but a smile on his lips. He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers. Her heart fluttered as his thumb ran along the back of her hand. "At least we'll be together," he repeated back to her.

"You're really not coming home for Easter?" Ron asked incredulously, looking at Harry in disbelief.

Ginny, she noticed, shook her head and raised her copy of The Quibbler higher to cover her amused expression. Harry was now giving her a peculiar look and the heat in Hermione's cheeks was growing hotter by the second. Why did this have to be such a big deal? She clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "No, Ronald, I'm not," she snapped. "They still need Prefects here, you know."

"Mum hasn't seen you in ages though," Ron said, sounding a bit disappointed at the news.

Hermione sighed and rubbed her temples. She could feel a headache coming and mentally cursed herself for skipping lunch that afternoon, but Harry, Ron and Ginny would be leaving for the Burrow soon and she could go down to the Great Hall and enjoy dinner by herself. After learning that Draco was staying for the Easter holiday as well, she was rather eager for her friends to leave. She felt horrible for feeling this way, but the ball of excitement in her stomach was growing as the hours slipped by and their departure drew closer.

"I'm sorry, Ron," she said, and a part of her really was. She loved going to the Burrow during their holidays. She missed Molly's cooking, and she even missed the twin's pranks and antics. She dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned in closer to the two boys when she spoke next. "But with me staying here, I can search for more books in the library and probably venture down to Hogsmeade; see if I can find any books there."

"That's actually a really good idea, Hermione," Harry said, though he was still looking at her curiously.

"Thanks, Harry," she said with a relieved sigh. "Oooh, and while you two are gone I can draw up your study schedules!"

The two boys exchanged unenthusiastic glances before giving her strained smiles and muttered their appreciation. She knew they hated her study schedules, and even though she had no intention of actually making them, they didn't have to know that. The large, grandfather clock in the far corner of the room chimed and when Hermione glanced over at the sound, she saw it was already six o'clock. Her heart skipped a beat. As soon as they left, she could head off to the Room of Requirement to meet up with Draco.

Harry stood up, stretched and grabbed his trunk. "Ready, Ron? Ginny?" he asked.

Hermione stood as well and went to give Harry a hug. "Try and clear your mind, okay Harry?" she whispered to him. "Maybe it will help figure out a way to get the memory from Slughorn."

Harry nodded and told her to have a good Easter and that they'd be back the coming Saturday morning. She said good-bye to Ron and Ginny, and promised them both she'd be here waiting for them when they returned, and waved goodbye as the three of them climbed out of the portrait hole to head to McGonagall's office where they would use her floo to arrive at the Burrow. The second the door swung shut behind them, Hermione muttered, "Finally."