Okay, I'm back with an update. Something important to know - Harry finding horcruxes, the prophecy, the mysterious R.A.B. - will NOT be involved with this story whatsoever. This story will not run along the lines of where Book 6 left off (well, Dumbledore is still dead). Do I look like JK Rowling to you? I will treat this like any seventh year with Death Eater threats (why? Angst, Action, Drama!). I think it is important that you should know that by now. :P I've decided to to tell you because I've gotten several e-mails asking. So THERE. I finally let it off my shoulders.

And I've reread this story a couple of times. You do not want to know how much I really want to redo all of the chapters and add new ones in between, it has been very unsatisfying, but as long as you guys like it, I'm happy.

Anyway, on to the point - thank you all for the reviews! I'm almost to 200 and I didn't think my story would even reach 150+. And thanks to those that even took the time to read my Dramione fics on the LJ community of dhr100! I know the last chapter wasn't as long, and this one is longer. I'm finding it very hard to find time to have written long chapters frequently like before, but when the chance comes I will gladly do so. Anyway, Hermione starts us off and it's Narration for the rest. I will shut up now so you guys can read and enjoy. :)

Hermione

My head drooped down over my shoulders and I groaned. My back was aching terribly and I found it very painful even to walk. Most of the girls in the dormitory seemed to be fast asleep as the sky outside was still a light grey color, but Ginny's bed sheets were ruffled and messy as always, meaning she had already gotten up before me.

I hardly got any sleep at all, I thought as I pulled on a sweater and some jeans. While I was combing my hair in the mirror, I noticed that my eyes were only half-open and that they were slightly reddened. My cheeks were rosy and my skin seemed to have slightly abandoned some glow, as 'dull' would describe be in every possible way. I know that inside, my mind was racing with questions, hoping for answers, so I got business done and my way downstairs.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Neville, all looking as hyper as ever, were sitting on the cushions, discussing something.

"Good morning, Hermione," Ginny said, scooting over so I could have some room to sit. Neville quirked his head to the side, looking at me with such question.

"What is it, Neville?" I asked him.

"...N-nothing, it looks like you could use some more sleep," Neville let the thought slide off his mind as he continued to stare into space, waiting for some conversation to start. I could tell that something was stirring up inside Ginny, she seemed to have all this excitement bubbling up in her and she couldn't wait to let it out. And that's exactly what she did.

"Okay, everyone," she began. "I really do think we should discuss over this."

We were very lucky that no one but us was wandering around the Gryffindor Common Room, because if there had been students, eaves-dropping would be the last thing we needed.

"About what?" Ron asked his sister, bewildered. "Ginny, just look it over alright? After the little shock at Hogsmeade, we flew back to the forest, and luckily Filch was there in the front of the school grounds. I can't believe I'm actually thanking him, but you know, if it wasn't for him, we would probably be out in the cold until morning."

"Oh, don't you think about anything, Ron?" she snapped. "And it wasn't a 'little shock at Hogsmeade', either! Rosmerta died for our protection, and don't you think we should do something about it? I know we were very lucky Filch was there, but what about the other teachers? Weren't they aware that Death Eaters were in the castle? And if they're not, aren't we going to have to tell them?"

"But Ginny," Neville started shyly. "What can we do about Rosmerta's death? She's...well...already gone. I don't think there is much more we can do."

Ginny pointed her index finger out, harshly about to state something, but a sigh was the only thing that left her and all of her thoughts just diminished. She sunk back into the couch next to me, and shook her head vigourously.

"You're right."

Harry, worried about how Ginny was feeling, shuffled in his seat and took his own turn to do the talking.

"Ginny, you are right about the teachers, however," he pointed out. "I'm sure that McGonagall might have heard the racket and all the students talking about it, do you think they know by now?"

"I don't know," she replied effortlessly. "I'm quite sure that she did hear about it, perhaps she even asked a couple of students, but they didn't know much. The only ones that had gone through most of it was us, of course, and we haven't told a soul what happened then. Do you reckon we ought to tell McGonagall?"

"We'll see," I said weakly. "If we do know for sure she hasn't heard about it yet - which I do find nearly impossible - we'll tell her privately. If she already does know, and it is necessary for her to know any further information in the event, then we'll explain everything."

"Fine with me," Ron murmured as he took a quick opportunity to yawn. It was Saturday, and for the first time in what seemed years all of us had finished our homework and we could just spend it like the happier days. I was growing impatient and I had to see Draco soon, but I fought against that fact and just decided to wait until I would run into him in the corridors. It had been a long time since I spent time with my fellow Gryffindors ever since I grew involved with Draco.

"Still, though," Ginny said, barely breaking the boundary of a whisper. "I feel so bad for Mandy's parents..."

No one seemed to understand what she was trying to say.

"Mandy?" I asked, try to poke out some information. "Mandy Brocklehurst? That girl in Ravenclaw?"

Ginny stared at all of us strangely, as if we've missed out on very important things.

"Haven't you heard? That night when the Death Eaters came into the castle, there was a Dark Mark above the school, don't you remember? Parvati was screaming terribly. Don't tell me you don't recall seeing it?"

I reduced my sleepy eyes to slits, thinking. Ron crossed his arms at Ginny with doubt, and Ginny merely furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"You're right," I replied. "I saw it when I was in the Common Room before I met Draco in the library."

Harry, Ron, and Neville exchanged looks.

"Yes, Mandy Brocklehurst was murdered," Ginny said, her voice quavering, guilt and pity written all over it. "Luna was waiting in front of the Fat Lady's Portrait Hole much earlier this morning, and when I opened it, she told me all there was to tell."

Everyone seemed to be uncomfortable, without any further questions to ask or answer. Harry stood up first, followed by Ginny, Ron, and Neville. I was last out of the Gryffindor Common Room, still slightly worried.

The school halls weren't as full as I had expected, for it was still relatively early and most students would spend their days in the Common Rooms. Just as we had descended down the Enchanted Stairway, a deadly-shocked Parvati Patil approached us, along with a worried Lavender Brown. I saw Ron flinch a little from the corner of my eye.

"Harry! What happened? With the Death Eaters, and the - " Parvati began.

"We don't know," Ginny inturrupted, looking slightly furious.

"Of course you don't, and - what?" Parvati, her face utterly puzzled, turned to look at Lavender and exchanged looks. "But last night! They broke into the castle, I remember...and I heard screaming, everyone in the girls dorm was going crazy, and -"

"Look, no offense or anything," Harry stepped in between them and descended his shoulders greatly. "But just drop it."

Parvati look horribly struck and Lavender crossed her arms, pouting at Harry. Harry raised his eyebrows back at the both of them. Ron even managed to shoot Lavender a look that would tell her to leave, and this seemed to shoot her straight at the spot, as she quickly tugged Parvati by her sleeve and vanished to the higher floor up above.

"Honestly," Ron muttered. "You think people couldn't be more nosy!"

"If those two are dying for answers," I recalled. "Then we might be facing a lot of students today desperate for an explanation. It would be better if we tell McGonagall first and follow her choice, and then see wether we tell them or not. Besdies, I don't want Harry retelling all these stories about the Death Eaters over and over again to the whole school."

Harry gave her a look of thanks and walked aside Ginny to the Great Hall, the rest of us following the two of them.

Inside the Great Hall, a few students were sitting around and eating Breakfast, talking with their friends (it was no question what they were talking about) or just racing through their homework. We all sat down on Gryffindor table and took a bit of the toasted crumpets, pumpkin juice, eggs and apples. I immediately felt a great relief rush through my body as I satisfied my hunger.

"What do you guys want to do today?" Ron asked out of nowhere. "We've all got our homework finished, and there's not really anything we have to deal with today. Well, unless of course you count all the endless questions, but it's a Saturday."

Ginny twirled her fork in her eggs and took a bite out of green apple before flipping some of her hair over her shoulder. I knew that she was trying to get over the fact that Rosmerta died; she was doing quite well, but she wasn't in the best mood ever. Her fingers tapped on the hard, wooden surface of the table before I could tell an idea sparked in her mind once more.

"Harry," she called to him, as Harry instantly stopped drinking his Pumpkin Juice. "When's the last time we've spent some time together?"

"...I dunno," said Harry, looking a little guilty. He took another quick swig of Pumpkin Juice before resuming. "What are your plans for today?"

"Well, I don't really mind, what do you say for a walk by the lake?" Ginny suggested, spreading butter over her toasted crumpets. "The clouds will be clearing up soon."

Everyone turned to look at Harry as if they were waiting him to say something. Harry shrugged his shoulders again and grinned at Ginny.

"Sure. Why not?"

"Come on," Ginny rose up from her seat and took Harry by his hand. Harry stood up quickly and Ginny took him away in a flash. He waved a quick goodbye and before we knew it, he was gone. Oh, those two...

"What about you, Hermione?" Ron asked, and I felt a bit of shock. I knew he would ask. And I know what he was expecting for the answer.

"Well," I started casually. "I was actually hoping that all of us would be spending some quality time together, but Harry and Ginny left, and I don't know what plans you have in mind yet, so I was growing interest to spending some time with Draco. I want to make sure he's all right and I'm highly leaning toward the conclusion that he wants to talk to me as well."

I was expecting yet another annoying wave of jealousy to be fired at me, but Ron just stopped drinking his Pumpkin Juice and looked at me with an odd expression.

"All right, then," he arose, Neville trembling and following him shortly. "I'll catch you later. We'll just go hand with Seamus or something."

"Bye," I was now the only one left of us sitting at the table, and once I drank a little bit more juice, I sped out of the Great Hall and towards the courtyard, my spirits rising high.

Ginny was, indeed correct. The light grey clouds had cleared away and the sky was a blindingly bright but beautiful blue, and the sun was shining from up above. More students filled Hogwarts now that time had passed and although most of them still had sleep crawling upon their faces, some of them shot glances of wonder or curiosity as I passed by. The talk about the 'Missing' signs from before must have still not faded away.

I walked around the grass and up to a tree, where I found Draco leaning on the other side of.

"Hermione," he said hurriedly, approaching me.

Without any further waiting, I jumped up and embraced him once more, and I could feel his long slender fingers on my back as he returned the hug gratefully. After the both of us pulled away, he brushed some of my bangs out of my face and tucked them behind my ear.

"You sleep all right?" he queried.

"I could've done with better, but I've been up longer than that," I said, not wanting him to worry. Then the question that I was burning to ask him finally let itself out easily. "Um...do you have any other plans for today?"

Draco took a while to think over his schedule but it was only shortly after that he smirked.

"Not particularly, no," he said, raising his shoulders a bit. "I got my wand back, by the way. What about yours?"

"Yes, all of ours were waiting in the Common Room, minus Ginny's, of course. I still wonder how they got there, I reckon the Death Eaters took them away with them."

"Last night when I was walking back to the Slytherin Common Room, I ran into Filch again. He said they were kept in a storage room in the Astronomy Tower, he doesn't know how they got there, and that's that."

"Oh."

"What about you, are you busy?"

"No, I'm free. What about you, are you sure you don't have anything else to do?"

"Yes."

"No homework? No anything?"

"...Well, I do have some homework, but I don't think it would be that necessary to complete it today."

He seemed to detect the familiar you-should-finish-it look on my face, and tried to sort it all out without saying anything. I just looked at there, smiling at him, testing to see wether he knew a way to finish his homework and spend some time with me. Draco crossed his arms and as with all of his thinking, he began speaking once more.

"Tell you what, after we hang for a while, I'll finish it before I go to bed," Draco pointed out, sounding as casual as ever. "That tickle your fancy?"

I nodded excitedly and placed my hands in my pockets, blushing a bit for I knew some people around us were watching. And I can't believe I looked at my feet when he wasn't talking, I should have been used to this ages ago by now!

"Where's Potter and all them?"

"They set off a while ago."

"Where do you want to go, Hermione?"

"...Well, um, I don't know...any particular place you want to be at?"

"I don't want to choose a place you wouldn't want to be at, wouldn't I?"

"Draco, I really don't mind where we -"

"Come on. Just tell me."

He took my hand in his and we started walking a couple of feet away from the tree. I know that from just looking in his pale gray eyes, he was reading my mind. He knew exactly where I wanted to be at, and we had the perfect oppurtunity. Draco chuckled as he waited for me to speak up and tell him where I desired to be located.

"Well," I stated. "There is one place..."

Narration

Yet again Hermione experienced the excitement bubbling up inside her as the same, flashing light appeared before them and the boundaries of Hogwarts Grounds melted away. Before, this was where Draco had wanted them to be, and it was now Hermione's turn. She took her time to breathe in the familiar scent and feel the familiar wind, as she removed her shoes to allow her feet to sink into the sand once more.

"The ocean," she said. "I've missed this place."

It was in fact the very same place Draco had taken her previously, and she approached the shore, just in front of where the waves could reach. Draco followed her and the both of them sat down aside each other, the ocean's surface glistening with the light of the sun as the big blue seemed to be stretching out for miles and miles. Hermione ran her fingers through the sand and watch the tiny grains slide through her fingers, escaping.

"I knew this was the place for you," Draco said, laughing in between. "I've recognized that look on your face."

Hermione laughed a little, yawned and let her body collapse on the sand, her face facing the blue sky. She inhaled the salty ocean air and then shot straight back up, eager to converse something over with Draco.

"Do you remember how we used to act towards each other?" she asked very suddenly. A grin was still dominant on her face as she tried to remember all their past quarrels and rows. As much as she loved the way they were in the present, she did miss their childish prattling a little. "We were so busy plotting things against each other, weren't we?"

"Plotting things?" Draco asked, perplexed. "Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe it's just me. But all the names we used to call each other, it seems very far away now," Hermione tittered, not exactly knowing why she was bringing this up now out of all moments they had the time to discuss something like this.

"Filthy little Mudblood," Draco said jokingly.

"Twitchy little ferret," Hermione shot back as the both of them laughed.

"I've used that name too frequently ever since our second year, haven't I?" he thought, sulking backwards and rolling up his sleevesa little. "I should've thought of something new every once in a while, using the same old insult grew rather boring."

A silence hovered over them for a while as they listened to the calming noises of the ocean's shore, a few seagulls calling out beyond them, and the slow reappearance of clouds in the sky as they drifted over their smooth blue surface. Hermione sat up not too long after and made her way to the wet sand, her toes feeling the ticklish sensation as the water crept under and around her feet.

Hermione's laughing tore the silence apart, and Draco snapped out of his sleepy trance and shot straight up to see her swaying in the wind.

Remaining where he was, sitting on the golden sand, Draco decided to just watch her as she walked along the rugged shore, laughing her heart out. She wa fascinated with every move she made, and every move the ocean made following her own. The wind grew stronger and the waves increased in size and strength, as Hermione ran away from the rush of water, giggling as she made her way up to him.

"What's the matter, Draco? Why are you just sitting there."

He cocked his head to the side, wondering.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine here."

"Oh, and I forgot to ask," Hermione bent down and sat next to him once more, exactly where she had last time. "Do you think it'll be the right thing if we tell McGonagall or a teacher about last night's incidents? I do think they have a right to know, but I'm going to ask you first for your father's sake."

"My father shouldn't deserve such mercy any longer," Draco said calmly, still polite enough to keep Hermione in a steady mood. "After what he's done, I think we should tell them. I don't know if they're going to catch him, but I have to do something about it.

"Don't be silly, you can't do it all on your own," Hermione insisted, her chin resting on one of his shoulders. "We're here to help you, Harry, Ron and I. I know for a fact they're still not as fond of you as I am, but it couldn't hurt, right?"

"Listen, Hermione. I know it's very nice of you to volunteer to help, but I just can't risk the chances of your death if we encounter the Death Eaters again. Who knows, it might be our last meeting with them, it might not, but I have to do something about my father's doings. I can't keep allowing him to bring you into this to lure me into a situation, it's simply unforigvable."

"Yes, yes, I know how you feel, Draco...but wether you think you're risking my life or not, I'm still all right, aren't I? Sure, I might not be able to do something about your father, I'll leave that to you, but just consider thinking about letting me accompany you."

"That's fine."

Hermione leaned away from Draco and she sighed.

"...Well, we'll have plenty of time to discuss that later. Let's go back to Hogwarts and meet up with everyone, perhaps tell McGonagall or something."

Draco nodded, helping her up, as he pulled his wand out of his pockets and they Apprated back to the boundaries of Hogwarts Grounds once more.

Arriving back at the school and back into the Great Hall, they were surprised to see it packed with students that seemed like they had just woken up. Some of their faces were still drowsy as most would prefer to wake up late, hence the feeling of laziness that stuck to them afterwards. Hermione stood on her tiptoes to look over the crowd of boys and girls. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny all seemed to be present on the table of the Great Hall.

"I'll catch with you later," Draco said, patting her on the shoulder. "I haven't eaten yet."

"Okay, goodbye!"

Draco made his way to the side opposite of wherehe usually satfor it wasn't as crowded on the Slytherin Table there.Makingherway towards the Gryffindors, Ginny stepped out of her seat to talk to Demelza on the other end.

"Hi Hermione," Harry greeted. "How'd it go for you?"

"Good,"she replied, taking my seat. "What happened between you and Ginny?"

"...She talked to me about various things, and after that we just sat by the lake for a while. Nothing big."

"Yeah, right," Ron grumbled. "They even started snogging after that!"

"How would you know, Ron?"Hermione questioned, still recalling the insane jealousy that was sheltered inside him for many years now.

"Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean ran into us shortly," Harry laughed it off, blushing a little. "But other than that, today's going by okay."

Hermione reached for a cup of Pumpkin Juice and she once again drummed her fingers on the wooden surface, thinking over things. When would be the right time for McGonagall to know?

Ginny, arriving back from her quick conversation with Demelza, sat next to Harry and turned to face Hermione.

"Where have you been, Hermione?" she questioned, desperate to know.

Hermione's heart was racing, she knew that Ginny was one of the only people she told about the series of Death Eater encounters, but she completely skipped the chapter when Draco had taken her to the ocean for the first time. She didn't know if it was the best descision to keep it a secret to someone as close a friend as Ginny.

"I'll tell you later, Ginny," Hermione said suspiciously. She could see Ron's face redden.

Ginny laughed, catching Hermione's clue. "Okay, that's fine."

"...When are we going to tell McGonagall? I thought we were goingto tell her today...?"

"Oh, yes, we were just about to," Harry implied. "She's still in the Transfigurationclassroom, we were just waiting for you to come back. What about...erm...Malfoy?Is he coming?"

Itdidn't take Hermione long to answer his question, for she arose from her seat and made her way to the opposite side of the Slytherin Table, where Draco was deep in conversation with Theodore Nott. Some of the Slytherins, such sa Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass, turned to look at her, but Draco quickly stood up and followed her back to the Gryffindor Table. A few Gryffindors looked around for the answer on why Draco was accompanying them, but Draco refused to sit down.

"So, should we make our way to the Transfiguration classroom now?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville followed them out the Great Hall. Their lot got a few stares in the corridors as everyone thought them to be an unlikely bunch of students walking together.

Once standing in front of the Transfiguration classroom door, Hermione pulled it open quietly, not wanting to disturb their teacher.

"Professor McGonagall?" she called out.

Professor McGonagall was jotting a few sentences down on her spare bit of parchment when she rose her head to look at them, her glasses residing in between both of her cat-like eyes. Her face was firm and it seemed she was expecting their arrival.

"What is it, Miss Granger?" She folded her piece of parchment in half and closed her ink bottle, laying her quill next to the pile of papers to grade.

"Well, I was - we - were wondering," all the students stepped in and gathered around her desk, looking troubled. "If you were present at the time the Death Eaters were located inside the castle?"

Ginny twitched a little.

"Argus had told me about it," McGonagall replied with a deep voice. "But I'm sorry, Miss Granger, I was in the classroom most of the night finishing some grades, and I don't recall hearing any sounds from below."

"...But the other teachers," Harry piped up. "Didn't they suspect anything? What about Flitwick? The Death Eaters passed his classroom when we were running from there."

"Filius left after dinner yesterday for the weekend, I suppose he will be returning tomorrow," she took off her reading glasses to look at them firmly with her eyes. "I will ask around the castle once I am finished with grading."

"...Professor," Neville spoke out feebly. "What are we going to do - about the Death Eaters? And Professor Snape? He hasn't been here in a while."

"I'm afraid there is nothing we can do about Severus," she replied idly. "The Ministry and the school has lost contact with him, I am afraid he has left the school."

"Left the school? But what will happen to Potions class?" Hermione asked, worried.

"We'll see what we can do about it," McGonagall groaned idly. "And as for the Death Eaters, the Ministryand - the Order - are still on the search for them. We've asked Narcissa Malfoy a few questions, and several other people the live within the area, but it hasn't been much of a help."

"You've talked to my mother?" Draco sneered. "What did she say?"

"She's been wondering what you and your father have been up to," Professor McGonagall said flatly. "Now, she well knows that you do not remain faithul to the Dark Lord, but with your father - she's quite worried about your safety."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Neville, and Ginny looked around at each other with puzzled emotion and wonder. No one seemed to have anything else to ask, so they waited for none other than Hermione to talk next.

"That's all we needed, Professor," Hermione said in word of thanks. "Sorry we troubled you."

"I appreciate it, Miss Granger. I assure you, if I discover any further information about this event, I'll let you lot now. Off you go then."

They all made their way out of the Transfiguration classroom and all out into the courtyard again. As much as Hermione and Draco were worried about the situations at hand, they agreed to let it all out of their hands and spend this temporary relief in the best way possible with one another.

"I told you I would get you out of this, at least for now," Draco whispered in her ear when no one laid eyes on them. "But just watch. I'm not going to cheat."

So...hmm...fluff! Yeah, I thought it would be nice to fit some more lovin' in there, there has been a lot of drama and action lately. There's another chapter done and finished. Although all those author notes might change your mind on how the story will go, please, please don't leave me, lol. XD I write fanfiction to see if people will like my writing and it makes me very, very happy to see you guys waiting for me to get off my butt with another update. This IS my very first DracoHermione fic, after all.

Anyway, please review and I do hope to get 200+ reviews soon, and if I'm lucky, maybe before my next update. Who knows? Thanks for reading my annoying author's notes and my story this far and I'll catch you guys soon!

(And guess what? Next chapter, we're going to lay off all the crisis for a while and have some fun. I'll bring you Valentine's Day! Sound good? Yes? No?)