Authors Note: Ok, So it took longer than I said it would.. I've been horrendously busy and I apologise for EVERY single day that you had to wait for this. Its just so hard to find the time sometimes. As well as that, I struggled with this chapter.. it was hard to write and kept changing all the time. So much happens in the relationships, but nothing actually happens in the events. I'm sorry if any of you find it boring, but its really just focussing on the characters for this day.
Where we left off:
"I'm.. I'm not used to this.. not normally like this.. sneaking around in alcoves kissing boys.. That's what Lavender and Pavarti do.. not me!" she whispered suddenly horrified at herself.
"Well, I think you might have to start.." he replied quietly "I rather enjoyed it"
It was silent for a moment as Hermione felt her face blush bright red. Thank goodness for the darkness.
"Me too" she finally agreed.
Hermione hesitated as she walked towards the East wing sitting room. She could hear raised voices even from this distance, and for an instant contemplated turning around and leaving the Weasleys and Harry to have their argument.
With an exaggerated roll of her eyes she continued down the hall, the volume of the argument increasing as she drifted closer to the open door.
"Harry James Potter. You get that stick out of your ass this MINUTE" Ginny's voice demanded "You are making Everyone around you miserable and I don't care what slight you think Hermione committed against you, Its past time to grow up and face it like a man, not like a petulant irritating CHILD"
Hermione leant against the door jamb and looked in on the scene. Ginny was standing over Harry with one finger held in front of her in a perfect imitation of Molly.
"Grow up? Me Grow up?" he spat standing, proceeding to loom over her.
"Yes Harry. YOU. GROW. UP." She enunciated.
"You don't understand" he said angrily.
"I understand perfectly. You have to kill Voldemort" she said "And if you don't pull up your socks, you'll be facing him alone"
"I'll be there" said Ron indignantly.
"Maybe" replied Ginny "But he could have Hermione and myself there if he stopped making life difficult,.. The power that Voldemort knows not right?" she asked at his sullen nod she gestured exaggeratedly "Friends perhaps? Love? Or maybe Muggle and Magical cooperation? You don't know for certain what this power he knows not is do you? You don't know that you have to do it alone?"
"It says so in the prophecy" argued Harry "One cannot live while the other survives".
"It doesn't explicitly SAY that you have to kill him though" she said angrily "And you're driving me INSANE with all this 'Poor me', 'No one understands me' Crap"
"Ginny!" Cried Ron from the couch, horrified that she had pushed Harry this far. Hermione could see the rage building in Harry's eyes and unconsciously leaned back around the corner a little.
"It has to be said! He's going to go on moping around here until the minute he leaves.. and at this rate he'll be leaving alone, which is not good for him, and most definitely not good for the magical world" she turned back to Harry and glared at him "I don't understand you Harry Potter, because, not for the first time mind you, You've got everything backwards"
"I have not!" he said angrily looming over her.
"You have!" She replied "I've had enough. You are making Hermione's life hell and all she's done since we've gotten here is given us everything we need. I can't believe that you could be so selfish Harry"
"Me Selfish!" he ranted "She's the one who's been housing Draco Sodding Malfoy for all this time without telling us about it. Who had that murderer Snape wandering calmly into her living room as if he owned the place, She's the one who ruined everything at the Gallery!" he cried.
"Don't you dare try that Harry Potter" Replied Ginny angrily "You know bloody well that without the three of them, you would have died! Why do you persist in being a self righteous idiot about it all? Are you angry because they did something that you couldn't do? That you needed Hermione even though you couldn't admit it? Is it that it was Draco Malfoy that saved your life? Tell me why you keep going on about it all?"
"It has got nothing to do with any of that!" he spat angrily, eyes flashing in indignation.
"I don't believe you" retorted Ginny instantly. For a moment , glittering green eyes locked with angry Brown until the room almost crackled with the built up tension. With a tremendous sigh Harry shifted his eyes away from Ginny's and sank back into his seat.
"Its not ONLY about that then" said Harry softly.
Ginny's eyes softened noticeably as she looked down at her ex-boyfriend "Can you tell me what else it might be about?"
Harry ran his hands through his already messy black hair distractedly. He spoke unemotionally when he opened his mouth, and the lack of emotion from a young man who usually wore his heart on his sleeve chilled Hermione's blood "We planned so hard for our trip to the gallery, we kept it all so secret. How on earth did she find out? And if she can find out.. who else knew?"
"Harry.." began Ginny moving to sit on the adjoining couch, but Ron cleared his throat causing the two of them to turn to him. "Harry" began Ron, his ears burning red and an uncomfortable expression on his face "Everyone knew..."
"What do you mean everyone knew?" asked Harry suspiciously, his head snapping up to stare at his red headed best friend "Did you tell them?"
"No!" exclaimed Ron indignation colouring his fair skin "But.. But Dung did.. the order.. Professor McGonagall.. All of my family.. even the death eaters knew apparently"
"How!!" yelled Harry standing again and storming away from the siblings "How did they all know? Where are they getting their information?"
"Well.. Harry.. Its only a guess, Mind.." began Ron "But.. the order knew from Dung.. He was told to get close to you and inform them.. but the deatheaters.. I think that maybe" he gulped "they found out from ... you"
"Me! Are you telling me that you think I'd tell voldemort of the plan I'd worked so hard on?"
'Not deliberately.. No.. but.." he replied carefully.
"Not you too!" he cried "Hermione has been on about my occulmency all year"
"And maybe for good reason" responded Ginny.
This statement was met with a charged silence. Harry's head swung between the two weasley siblings in disbelief until finally his temper got the best of him. He stood angrily and stormed towards the door to his bedroom "I can't believe you two think that I am the weak link! They didn't find out from me" He said coldly eyeing both Ron and Ginny in turn. As he went to slam the door behind him, he stopped and turned back to face the Weasley's again, face an angry red and green eyes blazing wrathfully "and no matter what, It still doesn't explain what Hermione has been doing hiding Malfoy and Snape". The door slammed immediately after the last echoes of his thundered words had vanished.
Hermione heard Ginny sigh in the room and looked in to find the witch rubbing her temples "We've been over this already Harry.." she began, pleading with a solidly locked door. Hermione slipped back out of the room unseen, feeling that it might be best to leave them to it after all.
After quietly creeping away from the still ensuring argument in the sitting room, thinking that perhaps it would be best if she didn't become involved, she made her way down to breakfast alone. She entered the almost deserted room, noticing that since it was Monday, neither of her parents were there – most likely they had already eaten and left.
"Morning Hermione" said Draco spotting her as she appeared in the doorway.
"So finally I'm Hermione? " she questioned with a playful jab in his ribs.
"Well, as Genius here" he said pointing at Leigh "Pointed out, you'll probably be my adopted sister in little less than two weeks, its about time I started to use your real name"
"Is that right?" asked Hermione surprised
"That and he threatened to beat me up if I didn't start showing you some respect"
"You didn't!" exclaimed Hermione rounding on Leigh.
"No!" he exclaimed hands in front of him , either to express his innocence, or in preparation for fending off an angry witch.
"You.. You!" exclaimed Hermione turning back to Draco to see the corners of his mouth quirking into a small smile.
"Got you" he said, before bursting into uncharacteristic laughter. After a moment he righted himself and placed an innocent expression on his face, rising from his seat and turning his back, "So.. I'm just going over here for a minute.. you know.. to look out the window.. "
Hermione looked at him in confusion as he turned and walked toward the window, thinking that perhaps he had finally lost his marbles, Then sudden understanding came, as she felt herself pulled swiftly into Leigh's lap.
"Perceptive isn't he" he breathed before catching her lips in a simple good morning kiss.
"Have you threatened him with something?" Hermione queried once he'd pulled back.
"Me? Never" said Leigh with a grin, placing one last kiss on her nose before levering her out of his lap. She let his warmth go reluctantly, wishing that she could stay in his arms for just a little longer.
"Nice day" said Draco turning back from the window as he heard them shuffling away from each other.
"What do you get out of this?" asked Hermione looking at Draco suspiciously.
"Me? Nothing more than your continuing happiness dear sister" he said with a small bow, though his face was flushed just a slightly darker shade of pink than normal.
With a disbelieving look she walked purposefully up to him and stood directly in front of him, pressing a finger firmly into the middle of his chest "You are a Slytherin, you don't do ANYTHING for nothing" she stated, watching as his expression flicked to surprise and back to impassive in less than an instant.
"Then, its for me to know, and you to find out" he teased finally, looking over her shoulder making eye contact with Leigh, before sighing.
"I'm not six years old Draco, Spill" she stated, never backing down.
"Do you know how scary you are?" he asked after a moments hesitation. Hermione only nodded and prodded her finger harder into his chest.
"Alright, alright" he conceded "Leigh's helping me with something in return"
"What is he helping you with?" asked Hermione, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Its Just something, Guy stuff" he hedged.
"No. Brother Dearest" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm "You are going to tell me what it is"
"No, No I don't think I am" he said after a moment.
"The more you say that, the more I want to know" she said savagely.
"Look, Its just a deal between two guys, nothing you need to worry about" He said.
"You're involved.. I'm worried" She stated pushing her finger a little harder against his ribcage.
"Where's the trust?" asked Draco innocently
"Its alright Hermione", said Leigh from behind her as he gently removed her finger from Draco's chest, "I just said I'd do the same for him if he needed it in the future"
"Why would he need it? He won't end up in the same situation as us! Last week with Sandy, they were all over each other on the back steps! And Mum and dad never even said a word.. Mum would never put those type of rules in place unless you lived under the same roof as... " said Hermione and then her voice trailed off as she looked back at Draco's flaming face.
"Ginny.." she all but whispered "You like Ginny".
His face infused with colour again as she looked at him. She nodded to herself and said a little more firmly, when he didn't scoff and snigger "You like Ginny?"
At his almost imperceptibly nod she suddenly found she needed to sit down. With a soft sigh she sank into one of the nearby dining chairs and looked back at her soon-to-be-brother.
"But... You hate the Weasleys!" was all she could say.
"I wouldn't say 'Hate' Exactly" was his bashful answer to that.
"But all of those years of torturing them!" she exclaimed.
"I was taught to think I was better than them. I didn't particularly hate them though" he responded, his voice soft and thoughtful.
"Still.. Ginny.." said Hermione in wonder "I never thought I'd see the day that a Malfoy would like a weasley. How did it Happen?"
"What do you reckon Granger?" he almost spat "She climbed in my window and poured a love potion down my throat? I don't know how it happened! My God, She's a Weasley! She's the absolute opposite of everything I've ever been taught, and yet here I am living in a muggle home and falling for a Weasley! Someone's hexed me, I'm sure of it"
"No one's hexed you" muttered Hermione softly.
"I know. I know. Its an easy thing to blame it all on being hexed. When did I start falling apart like this?" he asked
"The moment you ran from Voldemort" she answered thoughtfully after a moment "The minute that you turned your back on your father and ran straight for a muggleborn who you'd always hated"
"Yes, well.. It still doesn't exactly excuse the fact that I'm falling for a Weasley" he said angrily, pacing from the window arrogantly.
"If you don't want to, then don't" said Hermione in surprise.
"I can't help it!" he all but yelled.
"What do you mean you can't help it?" asked Hermione in surprise.
"Its not like I can turn it off, Is it? She laughs and I smile, she smiles and I laugh, she flicks that hideous red hair that i've always loathed over her shoulder and all I want to do is catch it in my hands and feel if its really as soft as it looks. I am a SAD. PATHETIC. Excuse for a human being" he sank into a nearby chair and dropped his head in his hands.
"How can you like her and loathe her at the same time?" asked Leigh coming up behind Hermione and resting his hands on her shoulders softly massaging as she stared at her brother.
"I don't loathe her. And Thats the problem" said Draco raising his head from his hands "In two days, Only TWO days, i've gone from hating the very thought of her, to wanting to be in her presence"
"Its really not so bad mate" said Leigh, gently resting his chin on top of Hermione's head "She's attractive, firey, she's most likely got a temper to match that red hair, but on the whole you could do a lot worse" replied Leigh
"You don't understand. She's a WEASLEY" Draco replied emphasizing the last name.
"So?" asked Leigh in bewilderment.
"Malfoy's and Weasley's don't mix! Its like.. " He paused at a loss for a comparison
"Don't give me that hogwash" said Hermione angrily.
"You didn't grow up in our world! Our Families HATE each other. They have done for hundreds of years" he said in defeat.
"Romeo and Juliet" said Leigh and Hermione together, and then smiled at each other.
"Great minds" said Leigh with a smile that made Hermione's insides turn to water, she was sure she recognised that smile from their stolen moments in the semi darkness of the alcove last night.
"But you're forgetting one thing" said Leigh turning away from Hermione for a moment and speaking diplomatically, Draco raised his head and looked in surprise at Leigh and Hermione tilted her head to see the blonde boy behind her "You're no longer a Malfoy. Is it such a stretch that a Granger might like a Weasley?"
"Unfortunately Its been known to happen before" said Draco with a disgusted look in Hermione's direction, which made her go a vibrant shade of red.
Leigh looked between the two of them confused for a number of moments before he raised an eyebrow in Draco's direction, obviously deciding he wouldn't get any information out of Hermione "What do you mean?"
"Granger had a -" began Draco.
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I was you" said Hermione threateningly.
"Honey?" asked Leigh in bewilderment.
With a soft sigh and a plea to whatever higher powers might exist that this wouldn't backfire completely she looked into the brilliant blue eyes above her and said "I used to have a crush on Ron".
Leigh stood in surprise for a few moments, staring in surprise at Hermione before his face infused with colour and he said softly "How long ago?"
"Last semester" she whispered. Leigh's eyes had never left her own as she confessed this, but she was unable to fathom the emotions that were swirling in them.
"And when were you going to tell me that we were now sharing a house with someone you had a crush on not more than a few months ago?"
"Its not important Leigh" said Hermione softly "I don't feel anything for him any longer. And truth be told, I never felt for him what I feel for you"
"I... I.. need some time" he said softly as he spun on his heel and left the room.
"Why did you do that?" cried Hermione spinning to face her soon to be brother who looked shamefacedly back at her.
"I thought he knew! All of that Granger liking Weasley Stuff.. " he defended
"Well he didn't, Did he?" replied Hermione
"No. As it turned out" he said looking dejected. Hermione made an impatient noise in her throat and then left the dining room, completely forgetting about breakfast.
Lunch had come and gone before anyone had ventured to knock on Hermione's sitting room door. Unsure who would want to speak to her, Hermione was surprised to find Ron on the other side when she opened the door.
"Haven't seen you all day" he greeted as he shuffled in and stood awkwardly inside the door.
"I've had things on my mind" responded Hermione moving further into the room, however she stopped and looked back at Ron when he made no move to follow. He was scratching the back of his neck with one hand and looking self consciously down at the floor.
"You know, this is the first time since I arrived that you haven't had either Leigh or Malfoy with you" he said, raising his eyes slightly and staring at her with an unreadable expression.
"I'm not always with them" said Hermione in her own defence.
"Its the first time that I've seen you alone" he responded. Then Hermione noticed Ron's awkwardness and shyness. Ron had been her friend for almost 6 years, and his posture suddenly made him a stranger. He was proud and happy and outgoing around her normally, so why suddenly was he behaving like Neville when faced with Snape? With a small flutter of nervousness she realised that he was nervous. Since when had Ron been nervous about speaking with her alone?
"Ron.." She began gently, wondering how to calm his nerves, however he looked up as she said his name, and for what seemed the first time in years, he really looked at her.
"Won't Leigh be angry at me? Being in your room alone with you?" He mumbled, and she felt her face flush a little pink in embarrassment.
"Its fine" she stated waving the worry away.
"It just seems.. different... wrong" he said slowly, obviously trying to put his thoughts into words.
She stared at him in surprise for a moment before he continued "You know, Its really no surprise to me that you've found yourself a boyfriend" he said and that wistful quality was in his voice again.
"Ron, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you.." She tried to speak, but trailed off. She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to say.
"No, Don't apologize. Its not like I've made it easy for you to tell me anything in the last 2 months" he stated and she stared at him in shock. Ron was hard headed, he was stubborn, and in their entire friendship he'd never taken the blame for anything "Harry.. Harry has some problems right now.. and I needed to be there for him.. but I didn't realise that it would almost destroy our friendship to do it."
Hermione sank onto her couch in stunned silence.
"Promise me something?" he asked and Hermione looked at him in worry "I just want nothing to change between us" he finally finished "I want us to be the kind of friends we've always been, no matter who you're going out with.."
"Oh Ron! Of course we will!" she all but cried.
"It just suddenly feels different.. thats all.." he trailed off. Then shrugging his shoulders he turned to leave "Thats really all I came to say".
"Ron, Wait" said Hermione as the door clicked open. He paused and turned to her, some of his normal mannerisms returning already as the stress drained away.
"What prompted this?" asked Hermione worriedly. Ron sighed and latched the door closed again.
"I didn't want to lose you" he said "Sometimes it feels like you and Harry each have a half of me and are pulling it with all your strength. On days like today, I feel as if It might just be easier to stop fighting it and allow myself to be ripped in two"
"I've spent all morning with Harry trying to make peace with him. He's angry at you, He's angry at Malfoy and Snape, and now he's also angry at Ginny and I. He doesn't want to listen to reason, all he cares about is the world according to Harry Potter. I reckon that I needed to sort everything out with you now, so that I can properly deal with Harry"
"So your.. " She paused "You're not upset about Leigh?"
"Not really" he agreed after a moment "I wished I'd known is all"
"You know.. " She began and he looked up at her. She paused wondering whether to give into the urge to continue her sentence, or let sleeping dogs lie. He waited patiently for her, and she finally finished in a rush "If Leigh hadn't have come along.. You and I might've.."
He nodded his head before she'd even finished speaking "I know" He agreed.
"But you're not unhappy?" she asked.
"No" He answered again, though it was somewhat bittersweet "I see you with him and you're perfect for each other. We.. I liked you.. but we're not suited. Not like that"
Hermione was impressed by Ron's maturity when he said that
Hermione sat in silence for a moment contemplating everything and then gestured for Ron to come and join her on the couch "Come and Tell me what Harry said" She invited and with a shadow of his old Grin he joined her on the couch.
"Well, Gin had a go at Harry this morning.. " he began
Half an hour after Ron had left, smiling and joking as if the end of semester was only yesterday and none of the drama of the summer had ever occurred, another knock on the door sounded.
Hermione opened it with a great heave to see Ginny sanding on the opposite side of the door "Ron told me I'd find you here" She said, holding out a sandwich and coke "And that you hadn't eaten all day"
Hermione ushered Ginny in, closing the door behind her and taking the sandwich and coke to the couch settled down.
"So what brings you?" asked Hermione.
"Firstly, Do you know where Draco is? I haven't seen him all day" said Ginny, which earned a look from Hermione "I know, I know. I don't like him.. I just.. want to talk to him"
"No I haven't seen him. While you were having the row of the century with Harry upstairs, we were imitating it downstairs" She said with a roll of her eyes.
"You had a fight with Draco?"
"Not precisely" argued Hermione "More like we all had a heated discussion with each other"
"Over?"
"Of all things, Ron"
"What a coincidence, we had a 'Heated discussion' over Malfoy"
"Boys" They both said in disdain.
"So now you're not talking to each other?" Asked Ginny
"We just need some time. I'm not.. NOT talking to them.." she argued
"Ahh.. one of those" said Ginny to which Hermione nodded.
"And Harry? Is he still not talking to anyone?"
Ginny nodded "Harry refuses to even come out of his room. He's owled mum and dad three times to see when he can leave, but they keep telling him to stay put. I don't know what they've threatened him with, but he's staying put. Its not like him.. he's normally running off without ever caring what any of the adults have told him. I bet he's planning something"
"Like what?" asked Hermione intrigued.
"Thats the thing, I can't tell! And now he's even angry at Ron, its unlikely that we'll find out"
"It might be time that I had a talk to him.. without an audience" she said softly.
"I don't know that it'll get you anywhere, but feel free to try" replied Ginny.
"What else?" asked Hermione polishing off her sandwich and opening the can of coke.
"Your mum told me to help you make up the invite list for your party" She said brandishing a ballpoint pen and a notepad theatrically.
"Do we have to?" whined Hermione.
"I think it'll be fun" said Ginny with a broad grin putting pen to paper "First off, Lavender, Pavarti and Padma of course"
An hour later Ginny vanished with a full list tucked into her notepad. Hermione had been astounded at how many friends she had to invite to the party on Saturday, although she was a bit worried about how her muggle friends would react to her magical ones.
Hermione put away her book at half past six with a heavy sigh. Her parents would comment on it if she missed dinner.
As she entered the dinning room she saw Leigh and Draco sitting quietly next to each other. They weren't talking, which was strange.
Hermione approached Leigh first and knelt down next to him.
"I'm sorry" she whispered.
"I am too" He agreed quietly "I just wish someone had've told me"
"Its in the past" said Hermione "I even spoke to Ron today, and he wants to get to know you"
"Really?" he questioned.
"Really" She agreed.
Using her untamed bushy hair as a shield, she leant in and placed her lips against his in a quick stolen kiss.
Draco made a choking sound next to them.
"Don't think I don't know what you're doing" He said disgustedly.
"So?" queried Hermione.
"Just get your hands off each other" he grumped at them.
After Dinner a subdued group of Teenagers (minus Harry who still wasn't leaving his room) made their way up to Hermione's sitting room. Draco and Leigh were quietly discussing an article from the evening paper which they had found, relating to the most recent victim.
The girls and Ron settled onto the couch comfortably, while the boys drifted over to the window newspaper article in hand. The quiet murmuring from the end of the room had been going on for a few minutes when Ginny broke into their conversation, pointing at their research wall "I've been trying to work it out myself, but I don't get it. If it's not too much trouble, Can you explain all of this to Ron and I?"
Hermione watched with Amusement as Draco all but puffed his chest out in pride as he strode over to the wall and began gesturing and explaining.
"Have you heard of the spate of deaths being caused by muggles 'falling' off of buildings?" asked Draco as Ginny and Ron rose and joined him at the wall. Hermione listened in with half an ear as Leigh joined her on the couch, sitting long ways and then pulling her against him and casually swinging an arm around her middle. She burrowed in against his chest, snuggling in close to his warmth.
"You know, I really am sorry I didn't tell you" said Hermione softly.
"Shh" he whispered into her hair "Its fine"
"I missed you today" she murmured.
"I missed you too" he responded quietly.
"Maybe after the others have gone to bed.. we could talk for awhile?" she asked.
She felt his chest vibrate against her back as he laughed "Talk?" he asked.
"Yes. Talk" She agreed, then with a little smile "Among other things".
"These other things you speak of.." he trailed off.
"Don't get your hopes up mister" she said with a grin, lazily entwining her fingers with his across her stomach. He lifted her curly hair away from her neck and kissed it softly as she sat against him, sending tingles straight to her stomach.
"Oy" came Draco's voice breaking into their little world.
"What?" asked Leigh lifting his head to his friend.
"Ron wants more information on the pattern" he responded inclining his head in Ron's direction "Care to help?"
With a grumble Leigh climbed off the couch and headed over to the wall and Ron, who gave him a sympathetic shrug and said "Its really not that important. Didn't want him to disturb you"
"No matter. Draco takes great delight in disturbing us" said Leigh with a sigh and began to gesture to each of the buildings on the map.
Draco went back to explaining something to Ginny, which involved pointing to each of the photos tacked to the wall, Ginny gasped as she came across the Harry lookalike "Does he know about this?".
"Who knows" was Draco's unconcerned response before he continued "We believe death eaters are behind it" He pointed out the photos around the board as he spoke "There's been 9 victims so far, all off 12 or 13 storey buildings, all in a relative circle around the Central district of London. Its taken us over a week to work out the pattern and determine what the aim of the exercise is"
Ginny moved a little closer and fingered one of the photos "What is the aim?" she asked worriedly.
Draco took a deep breath "As far as we can tell, they are targeting high ranking muggle government officials. We don't know who the next two targets might be, though we think we've worked out at least where they'll be"
"and at what time" piped up Leigh from nearby with Ron.
"And at what time" Agreed Draco.
"So that means you can stop it?" asked Ginny. Draco shook his head sadly and looked at Leigh.
"We're fairly sure about our pattern, but not 100, so we've worked out that, if the next death occurs here" he pointed at the map "Then we know where the last one will be"
"So why don't you stake out that next one?" asked Ginny.
"We want to catch the mastermind, not the messengers, so we thought we'd probably have to wait to only go to the palace" he grimaced "But we're going to talk to the order and see if they can help. They have more man power than us, and may be able to view the 4th location without letting the deatheaters know they are there"
"You didn't tell me about the Order last night" said Hermione from the couch, interrupting Draco's narrative.
"I thought of it this afternoon. Best way to do it really. They have the manpower and the surveillance experience and equipment that we don't have"
"What are you going to do about the last victim?" asked Gin, running her fingers over the blank square over the palace where a photo would have existed if the deed had already been done.
"We have to speak to the Queen and get her cooperation. We believe she, or someone close to her, is the last target" said Draco offhandedly.
"The Queen? Are you nuts?" asked Ginny in surprise.
"Yes.. " replied Leigh with an insincere smile.
"Actually, I've come up with a better idea" said Hermione piping up. She'd been thinking about this for ages last night and had finally come up with a solution "We could send Tonks in, then we don't need Polyjuice"
"What do you mean?" asked Leigh.
"Well Tonks can change into anyone right? So just get her to morph into whoever so she can get past the gates, then in to see the Queen. She'd be better wouldn't she?"
The boys stared at her for a second and then at each other "Why didn't we think of that?" they both asked at the same time.
"You're a genius Honey" Said Leigh with a bright smile. Hermione suddenly felt warmth flow through her at the praise, and there was something else... a feeling of worth suddenly flooded her. She felt her cheeks grow pink, but a happy smile bloomed on her face.
The boys excitedly moved back to the map and started plotting, Ron and Ginny eagerly pointing to pictures and photos and lines on the map as well. The main problem appeared to be getting Tonks to stop by for a chat. Hermione knew a way for that to occur.. but it meant that they had to work with Harry.
After 10 minutes of discussion, the boys and Ginny came to the same conclusion and slumped into their seats.
"Well, I guess we have to do it that way then" said Draco morosely "It means we'll have to explain everything to him as well"
"I know. And I don't want to tell him" agreed Leigh with a huff.
"And I wouldn't bet on him being in a good mood" said Ginny from the couch "Ron and I had a 'chat' to him this morning about his behaviour so far. I don't think he took it very well"
"Merlin, Ginny! What did you do that for?" asked Draco in exasperation.
"How was I supposed to know he'd suddenly be crucial to a plan I knew nothing about?" asked Ginny in her own defence "And did you just call me Ginny?".
"What?" asked Draco caught off guard "Don't be daft"
"Well, we still need to talk to Potter" said Leigh into the ensuring silence .
"He can communicate with the order where the rest of us can't because of that bloody owl of his" said Draco, his face still tinged pink.
"I guess I could talk to him" volunteered Hermione.
"No offence, but you're not his favourite person right now either" argued Draco.
"I know that. But then neither are any of you" replied Hermione "And it really did all start with the two of us"
Hermione made her way along the hallways to the East wing where Harry and the Weasley's had their rooms. Before she was really ready for it, she came face to face with Harry's solidly locked bedroom door. She knocked nervously on the door in front of her, and waited. After a few moments with no response she tried again, this time a little louder.
"Go away" came Harry's surly response.
"Harry. Its me" Hermione said quietly "I think we need to talk"
There was no sound from the other side of the door. Hermione sighed heavily and tried again "Harry. Let me in" she said, keeping her anger out of her voice.
Suddenly the door opened, allowing her a view of the room behind it. The room was dark, all of the lights were off.. the curtains were closed, not letting even the smallest trace of moonlight in. From the dim light entering from the sitting room Hermione could make out Harry laying face down on his bed, his wand aimed haphazardly at the door.
"Shut the door behind you" he bit out. With a worried look at the relative safety of the sitting room, she shut his bedroom door, leaving the two of them in complete darkness. Hermione couldn't see her hand in front of her face in the utter dark, so rather than stumble around the room trying to find something to sit on, she sank onto the floor and lent back against the door.
"well?" came his voice from the darkness.
"I think we need to have this out Harry" she said smoothing her clothing with her hands in the darkness, more a nervous habit than a worry about the fact her skirt wasn't sitting correctly.
"Have what out exactly? " he asked, there was a shuffling from the bed as if he'd turned his head to look at her.
"I think we need to discuss Everything thats been going on. Openly and Honestly. Without the others" She added as an afterthought.
"OK" he said after a pause. Then there was silence. Hermione sat for a moment seeing if he would say anything more, then with a deep breath she launched into the discussion herself.
"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you anything about what was going on with me" She blurted "But you were leaving me out and that really hurt. Really really hurt. My best friend couldn't trust me any more.. after everything we'd been through together, suddenly he'd cut me out. I didn't feel like you wanted to know, or that you wanted me to know anything"
There was silence.
"Harry, please talk to me" she pleaded in a whisper.
"I don't know what to Say, Hermione" He said after a moment "Sorry just isn't going to cut it this time"
"And yet you expect me to forgive you?" she asked after a moment of stunned silence.
"Leaving you out – For your own safety – Hardly exists in the same league as what you've done" he replied coldly.
"What I've done?" she queried
"Malfoy. And snape. The gallery" He said
"You were so angry with me all the time and wouldn't talk to me properly or tell me anything, so I just.. I thought it'd be easier if I didn't bring any of it up" she said softly
He sat in silence. So she continued "We went to the gallery to protect you Harry, not ruin your plans. We were worried about you. We got word that the Deatheaters knew you would be there. We wanted to clear out as many jinxes and hexes as we could before you got there.. Sometimes you jump in feet first without thinking you know.. and without me there to slow you down.. who knows what might have happened"
"Did it not occur to you that you were taking a Malfoy into this rescue mission with you?" he spat angrily.
"Well.." said Hermione gathering her thoughts "He'd ceased to be Malfoy by then.."
"But HE could have lured you into a death Eater trap! It could have been HIM who told the death eaters when I would be there!"
"He wouldn't do that" responded Hermione in shock at the accusations Harry was throwing at Draco.
"Why Not? He's Malfoy. He killed Dumbledore" spat Harry
"No he ddn't" said Hermione automatically.
"He as good as did. I don't care who fired the final curse" he responded angrily.
"You don't understand what his life has been like Harry" said Hermione trying to stay calm in teh face of his anger.
"And I don't bloody want to know. He's a Death Eater and a git. Thats the end of the story"
"No its not" said Hermione "Did you know he cursed his own father at the Gallery?"
Silence met this statement and Hermione rose onto her knees and crawled over to the bed.
"Do you trust me enough to .. show you?" she asked hesitantly.
"Show me?" he asked, questions evident in his voice.
"I've never used Legilemency before, but I've read all about it, and I've seen it done a few times" she whispered, suddenly unsure.
"Hermione" He said, his voice suddenly sounding slightly like the old Harry "After all we've been through you have to ask me if I trust you enough?"
"Well, its been kind of hard to tell this summer, with you not trusting me with your secrets" she replied.
"Its not that I didn't TRUST you" He argued "Its that you were safer not knowing. I didn't tell you, for your own good"
"It still felt like you didn't trust me enough to tell me" she argued
"Well, it wasn't" He responded. After a pause he said into the silence "Go Ahead"
Hermione nodded and pointed her wand at Harry, aiming for the place in the darkness where his eyes should be.
"Legilmens" She whispered and felt the peculiar sensation of suddenly having her presence inside Harry's mind. She gently slid inwards a little searching for his consciousness. Once she felt Harry's presence next to her, she bought her memories to the surface as her books said she should and pushed them outward.
As if on a movie screen, she watched the string of events that Harry was seeing.
The hall of Antiquities came into view quickly, the shattered display cases, the broken ntional treasures, being crushed under foot. There was the sound of voices hurling hexes and curses and the sharp cries of those that had been hit by something. In the image the memory Hermione jumped as a bright red line formed across her upper arm, she Looked up in the direction that the spell must have come from, she locked eyes with a angryLuciusMalfoy
She felt herself and Harry sink into the memory completely, and suddenly the memory seemed to be real, she could feel everything she felt at the time, and he mind winced as the gash in her arm registered.
The look lucius sent her was pure violence and Hermione stopped abruptly, caught like a deer in headlights.
"Keep moving" yelled Pavarti at Hermione, ducking another spell and sending another wide area shield out. Hermione marvelled at her, she must be exhausted by now and still she was able to keep creating those magnificent shields. With a small shake, Hermione stepped forward and continued towards the relative safety of the display case, sending stunners and expelliarmus spells towards Lucius the entire way, to keep him from having time to attack her again. After what felt like hours of shielding each other and alternating casting spells, Hermione and Pavarti arrived at the Display case and ducked down out of the line of fire. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hermione asked Leigh where Draco was.
"He was here a moment ago, then he said there was something that he had to do" said Leigh in worry.
"Oh no" whispered Vicky looking around the side of the display case. The other three joined her and Hermione felt her heart fall to her stomach. Draco was standing not four feet from his father, wand at the ready and a look of death in his eyes.
"I knew you were here somewhere" snarled Lucius
"Just like I knew you'd be involved in this somehow" agreed Draco.
"The Dark lord will be immensely pleased with me when I present him with you. He was sorely disappointed when you vanished" said Lucius, almost conversationally.
"I'm sure" replied Draco. Apart from the wands that were restlessly flipping backwards and forwards in both men's hands, and the spells flying about them, they could have been having a leisurely conversation in a park.
"So, tell me, How long did you last before you ran to the Mudblood?" asked Lucius
"What makes you think I ran to the Mudblood?" replied Draco, ducking elegantly as a purple spell whistled past his ear.
"She was wearing the Malfoy Family crest!" exclaimed Lucius, suddenly losing his poise.
"So?" asked Draco indifferently.
"I never thought you'd sink as low as falling for a mudblood" he snarled.
"Who says I fell for her?" asked Draco
"She was wearing the crest!" he exclaimed again.
"So?"
"Did you give it to her?"
"Maybe, Maybe not" replied draco with a shrug.
Lucius sighed and looked at his son quizzically "If you didn't run to her, where did you go?"
"To someone I trust" said Draco scathingly "Someone who I knew wouldn't let me down like you did"
"Who!" bellowed Lucius "You have no one such as that in your life! You're a Malfoy! We trust no one!"
"Was" said Draco and when Lucius looked at Draco in confusion he clarified "I was a Malfoy. And you WERE my father. Not any longer"
Then without even changing his stance or his even unemotional tone of voice, he lifted his wand and said clearly "Stupify"
LuciusMalfoy slumped to the ground unconscious for the second time that day. Tying the unconscious man up again, he vanished back under the invisibility cloak and proceeded back to where the four teenagers were awaiting him anxiously.
"You idiot!" exclaimed Hermione when he slid down to sit on the floor beside them all.
"Hermione! Language!" said Draco tiredly with a small smile on his face.
"Why?" she asked angrily.
"It had to be done" he replied simply "It had to be done for me to be free of him. I'm no longer a Malfoy. I'm no longer LuciusMalfoy's son. From now on, I'm just Draco".
As the memory started to move onto their escape to Hogwarts, Hermione finished the spell and sat back from the bed, looking expectantly into the dark.
"You wear his crest?" asked Harry after a second.
"Yes" Said Hermione, self consciously in response.
"Does your boyfriend know?" he asked
"Yes" said Hermione self consciously
"Does he know what it means?"
"I don't think so" said Hermione after a moment, realising that Leigh would have been absent when they spoke about it with Arthur and McGonagall at Hogwarts.
"How can you wear a Malfoy Crest Hermione?" he said suddenly in exasperation.
"Its not like he's in love with me or anything" said Hermione in explanation "He explained it all to me at Hogwarts. The crest signifies holding the Family line in your hands, which is why its traditionally given to a bride, she holds the future of the Grooms family line in her hands"
She waited as harry made a noise of understanding and then continued "But Draco gave it to me, as he is the last of his line, and his life is in my hands, he believes that I should be the keeper of his Family crest"
"How is his life in your hands?" asked Harry skeptically.
"He arrived here about 2 months ago, alone, with no money and nowhere to go" she explained "It must have taken him a lot to come to me of all people. He had no one else to turn to, no one else that would take him in. He believes that I saved his life, and by not revealing his whereabouts to his father, I continue to save his life"
"Couldn't you have handed him over to the order?" asked Harry.
"The order know he's here harry" said Hermione softly "They left him in our care rather than taking him in to custody. He has proved to be more beneficial being here to help protect and guard myself and my family than if he'd been locked up at headquarters"
"The Order know!?" he exploded.
"Yes. Well Arthur Weasley, McGongall and Tonks at least" she said.
"How could they not have told me!" he yelled.
"I asked them not to" said Hermione timidly.
"Why?" he asked threateningly.
"I knew you wouldn't react well. I wanted to be the one to tell you" she said. He sighed at that.
"I still don't trust him" Said Harry, suddenly sounding Hollow.
"I don't blame you" she agreed "It took me a little while to completely trust him too, but he's saved my life, twice, maybe three times, and he's saved yours too. If nothing else he at least deserves some civility"
"I'll think about it" agreed Harry.
"Why didn't you tell me about the Gallery?" asked Hermione into the darkness. She thought for a moment that Harry wasn't going to answer her when he didn't speak straight away, but after a significant pause he started to speak in a low regretful tone.
"I honestly thought it was for the best" he stated "You're home with your family, you were supposed to be safe. I'm getting sick of burying the people that i care most about, First Sirius and then Dumbledore. The last thing I wanted to do was take you from a safe environment and put you in danger. You were supposed to be safe"
"I'm never Safe Harry" She said derisively "I'm muggleborn. They'll hunt me down no matter where i am and kill me"
"But.. You're safe here" he said in response
"No I'm not" she said "I had no wards, no order protection, nothing. Any random death eater could have wandered into my house and killed my entire family. Draco found me easily enough didn't he?"
"But.. " He said and then stopped silent. After a moment he sighed "I thought that you were safe at home.. Like I was"
"Harry, I don't have those types of protections" She said quietly.
"I didn't think about it really" He stated after a moment "I just assumed.." he trailed off.
"And I didn't know you had such an active social life" He finished after a moment "I thought that you spent all of your time inside reading"
"I sometimes do" she agreed
"I just didn't think about it" He said after a moment "I thought you would be safe in the muggle world. All of the secrecy was for your safety. The last thing I wanted to do was put you in danger. I thought I was keeping you safe by not pinpointing your location, and not including you. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you"
"But Ron..?" she trailed off.
"Ron's different.. He's like.. He's like a puppy, I couldn't leave him behind if I tried. He would have just followed me into whatever I was doing blindly and perhaps put himself in more danger than if I had him with me in the first place. As it turns out, you do just that as well when you get left out"
"I'm sorry. But it did save your life" She argued.
"I know" He agreed and sighed.
"Will you accept my apologies? I obviously didn't think everything through, but i thought I was doing what was best" he said quietly.
"I'll accept your apologies if you accept mine" she responded "I also thought I was doing what was best"
After a brief pause he agreed in a soft tone "Deal".
"I have more questions though" He said after a moment. She sighed and he took that as permission to continue "Why was Dudley here?"
Hermione pondered how to answer his question before speaking. She felt like she'd made some headway with Harry, and now he was asking her a loaded question that could completely destroy it all.
"Did you ever meet his Girlfriend, Patricia?" asked Hermione.
"Dudley has a girlfriend?" he asked in astonishment.
"Yes, Pat. She's absolutely lovely" replied Hermione.
"Well I'll be.. " Said Harry in surprise.
"Yes, Well. Pat and Dudley did their Debut at the same Debutant Ball that Leigh, Draco and I went to last Saturday. Pat had the dressing table next to me so it was only natural that we'd talk to each other. She's really a wonderful person and I feel like she's become a good friend in the short time we've known each other"
Hermione stopped herself from continuing before she bought up the fact that Pat was transferring to St. James. She was sure that the mention of her muggle school wouldn't go over well in their new found truce.
"So it was really through Pat?" asked Harry in surprise.
"Yes, Dudley isn't so bad though Harry" Said Hermione.
"I'll believe that when I see it" he huffed.
"I could.. show you that too.. " She hesitated.
"You have memories of Dudley being something other than a jerk?" he asked in surprise.
"I have a few" she agreed in response, with a small laugh in her voice.
"I have to see this" agreed Harry. With a quiet Legilimens she was in his mind again and she bought up the memories she wanted him to see.
The big room where the Debutante ball was held swam into view. The round white clothed table where she had sat with her family came into focus and then she heard Leigh's voice inside her mind as the picture became clear.
"Whats wrong?" asked Leigh when she tensed at the look she was receiving.
"That man over there" she said indicating with her eyes who she was looking at "Thats Harry's uncle. He hates magic and anything to do with magic and he's been watching me. I hope he doesn't cause a scene"
As if on cue, he stood up and walked around the perimeter of the dance floor, pushing roughly passed chairs and not apologizing to anyone he had upset along the way.
"I think I should go outside, We don't want too many people to hear what he's going to say" she said urgently and got up to leave, Leigh closely behind her. Her parents called to see what was up, but she just waved over her shoulder.
She entered the foyer and turned around to find Draco entering directly behind her.
"What is it?" he asked, his eyes travelling towards the doors leading outside.
"Harry's Uncle, Vernon Dursley. He hates magic of all kinds, and everything associated with it" she explained and then braced herself as the door to the foyer burst inward and bounced off the wall behind it.
"You! What are you doing here!" he burst into the foyer, Face almost purple and eyes bulging from their sockets. He looked like nothing more than an enraged bull.
"I'm doing my Debut" said Hermione defiantly. The two boys had flanked her now, and stood staring down at the short angry man from their relatively tall height of six feet.
"You've no right!" he yelled "To come and pollute my Son's Debut with you vileness"
"Vileness?" chortld Draco "I wish to contest just who is Vile in this discussion"
"Shut UP!" screamed Vernon at Draco "And just who are you?"
"Draco Granger" said Draco "and I'm a wizard and take offense at being called vile". He pulled his wand from somewhere under his suit and held it loosely in one hand.
"Put that away, You can't use it here" said Vernon waving a hand in dismissal at the wand.
"Who says?" asked Draco raising the wand and pointing it at the angry man.
"Your ministry" said Vernon in disdain.
"They won't care" said Draco, bluffing.
Vernon began to panic "But But you can't DO magic! Thatthat.,. Ministry won't let you! They'll EXPEL you from your freak school" he stuttered.
"Well since I'm of age, AND not going back to the school, I doubt they'll do anything of the sort" replied Draco. Vernon's face took on a desperate expression and the sweat began to pour of him just a little bit faster.
"Just Just Leave! And I won't call the authorities to deal with you" he sputtered.
"You'd do that to Dudley?" asked Hermione "Embarrass him in front of all of his friends, in front of his Girlfriend?"
"Yes! To get rid of you I would!" he spluttered.
"Dad?" asked a tentative voice as Dudley entered the foyer "Whats the problem?"
"The problem is, Dudders, that these three here, are FREAKS like Harry" he explained, trying to sound rational, but at the same time relying on Dudleys ingrained tendancy to agree with everything he said.
"No they're not" said Dudley softly, coming to stand next to his dad. Patricia was right beside him with a look of complete trust on her face.
"They're Patricia's friends. They're my friends" he turned to the three of them and gave a half shrug as if to say 'well, what can you do? It happened somewhere along the way'.
"But! But! They're freaks!" argued Vernon, still bright purple in the face, with a look of utter disbelief directed at his son.
"They're nice people. I.. I..Like them. Draco and Leigh have been telling me all about the stuff they've been doing in the magical world. Leigh's a muggle, just like meand they don't give him a pig tail or anything like that.. And Pat likes Hermione Dadthey're just like us really.." Draco and leigh had exchanged a confused look when Dudley mentioned the Pig Tail, Hermione however had to supress an urge to chuckle.
"Nonsense!" burst out Vernon "They should all be sent tototo Siberia.. where they can stop polluting good Christian Society"
"You think we don't believe in God?" asked Hermione in surprise.
" Well, Harry doesn't" said Dudley in explanation.
"Thats probably for all the times he prayed for food and never received it" bit back Hermione, to which Dudley looked a little sorry.
"My Grandma is Catholic, My mum is Catholic, and while I don't attend Church regularly, I go to Christmas and easter Mass when I can. Does that mean that I do not believe in God?" she asked scathingly.
Vernon began to puff up in front of them, ready for an argument, however Dudley put a hand on his Father's shoulder and spoke to him "Dad, This isn't benefitting anyone. Lets just return inside and enjoy the rest of the night".
Vernon looked ready to explode. Dudley quickly gestured for Hermione and her friends to re-enter the ballroom
When the memory finished she withdrew gently from Harry.
"I.. I " stuttered Harry for a moment "I never would have guessed"
"It came as a surprise to me as well" Agreed Hermione "I think Pat is good for him though. They got engaged last weekend you know"
"Really? Dudley engaged?" asked Harry in wonder.
"They are invited to my party on Saturday. You might find an opportunity to talk to him.." She trailed off.
"I might at that.. " he said dubiously.
"One more question" he said after a pause.
She sighed and agreed.
"Snape" he spat.
"He was here" she agreed reluctantly "He only stayed the one night. We haven't been hiding him, and we haven't seen him since"
"Why?" he asked, some of his anger back in his voice.
"I can't tell you why we let him stay, we promised we wouldn't" She said "But suffice it to say that Voldemort no longer trusts him"
"Oh" said Harry in surprise "Then he WAS working for the order all along"
"Yes" She agreed
"But.. Dumbledore.." He said and his voice choked on the name.
"Harry.. " she began and then she reached up and slid her hand over his back "You have to believe what everyone has been telling you. Snape performed that Killing curse on Dumbledore's orders"
"Why!?" asked Harry "Why did Dumbledore order his own death?"
"I haven't heard everything Harry, But it sounds like the injury to his right hand was killing him slowly. He wouldn't have lasted the rest of the year. I've read about injuries similar to that in some of my books.. They're hard to slowdown and impossible to cure."
"But why?" asked Harry.. His voice almost pleading "Why Snape? Why not tell us?"
"The Order found out two days later. Dumbledore left a pensieve for McGonagall in case everything turned out as it did. It included memories of Dumbledore ordering Snape to perform the curse and of Snape reporting Draco's mission to him"
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" asked Harry, sounding deflated.
"People tried Harry" She said consolingly "You were so upset by how things turned out that you weren't listening to reason. Everyone has been trying to get you to believe this for months"
"I still.." He hesitated and then went silent.
"I know Harry. You blame yourself. But its not your fault. None of it has been your fault. Voldemort is the cause of ALL of this. Its him that we need to concentrate on. Fighting between ourselves is only helping his cause, not out own".
"I know" agreed Harry.
There was silence for a few minutes before Harry spoke again "Thankyou Hermione".
With a wave of Relief Hermione smiled and felt her heart life "If you want, You can call me Honey, everyone else does"
"Honey?" he asked "I've never heard ANYONE else call you honey?"
"Its a mugle nickname" she said in response.
"Why didn't you tell us? We've been struggling with Hermione for 6 years!"
"I know. And I appreciate your efforts" she said with a laugh.
"You witch!" he said after a moment with a laugh of his own.
"So we're alright?" She asked after a second.
"Yeah, We're alright" he agreed.
"Good. Because there are some people in my sitting room who really need your help" she said with an impish grin.
"My help? What on earth will I be able to help with?" he asked in surprise.
"Well, you are the only one here with an owl after all" she said with a smile.
"I see" he said after a moment "So you only want me for my owl?"
"Just get up you dolt" She said Laughing "I'll give you 2 minutes to change and then I'm dragging you back downstairs – dressed or not.."
"Get out!" he cried as she began to count backwards from two minutes.
5 minutes later Hermione and Harry appeared in the door to the sitting room. Ginny, Draco and Leigh were sitting around a circular table near the window writing notes on a piece of paper when they came in. Ron was staring at the pictures on the wall and running his fingers over the one that looked like Harry constantly.
"Honey!" said Leigh in surprise when he caught sight of them in the doorway.
"See" she said to Harry who hesitated before moving into the room with her.
"Harry and I have had a chat" She announced "We've both been idiots and we're sorry"
Harry nodded a second later and then looked to where Ron was standing, and with a nod in Harry's direction the two were friends again. Hermione wished it had've been that easy for her.
"I'm sorry for this morning" said Harry a moment later to Ginny and then he turned to Draco "And for yesterday morning"
"You were a right git" said Draco sourly.
"Yes. I was" agreed Harry quietly.
The silence in the room was deafening.
"Say that again" said Draco after a moment.
"Don't push it Granger" said Harry, for the first time dropping the Malfoy last name in favour of the one Draco kept reminding him to use.
"Eh, harry Mate" Said Ron breaking into the increasingly tense silence "Come look at what they've been working on!"
Harry looking in surprise at the wall covered in diagrams and his eyes went wide. "What on earth is this?" he queried joining Ron at the wall. Draco and Leigh stood proudly from the table and began their explanation again.
15 minutes later Harry looked bright eyed at the boys opposite him "And how can I help with all of this?" he asked.
"Your owl?" said Draco as if Harry was a dimwit.
"Ahh" said Harry remembering his conversation with Hermione "Sure. Go ahead and use her"
Leigh and Draco left the room at a dead run, heading, she presumed, for Harry's room and the snowy owl which would begin their plan, leaving only Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys in the room.
"So, Everything's ok?" asked Ron worriedly.
"Everythings ok Ron" Agreed Hermione.
"Sure?" he queried Harry.
"Sure" Harry agreed "Though I still don't like Malf-Granger.. do I really have to call him that?"
"He's not so bad" defended Ginny and Ron nodded in thought.
"You know, tonight he hasn't called me Weasel once.." he said after a moment "Or any of the normal names.. just .. Weasley.. which isn't so bad"
"I'm going to be his bloody sister and he still calls me Granger!" exclaimed Hermione to shocked looks from her friends.
"Hermione! Language!" said Ginny which caused all of them to burst out laughing.
"I'm really sorry guys.. " began Harry again "I.. "
"Dumbledore's death has been hard on us all Harry.. you just reacted to it differently than the res t of us" Said Ginny.
"I can't hide behind that" Said Harry with a sigh "I really thought I was doing the right thing.. "
"Its alright Harry" said Hermione after a second, giving her best friend a hug. A moment later Ron and Ginny joined them.
"I'm glad you're back Harry" whispered Ginny as they stood holding each other.
Hermione paused outside her sitting room door and looked both directions down the hallway. There was no one in sight, and only faint noises coming from her parents room upstairs, which indicated that they were getting ready for bed.
With a mischeivious grin and the all too familiar flutter of her heart she always felt when she set out to deliberately break the rules, she slipped along the silent hallways until she arrived in the west wing where Draco and Leigh were staying.
Congratulating herself on getting this far without being spotted, she stumbled over a coffee table and landed in a giggling heap on the floor of the sitting room. Simulataneously two bedroom doors opened and two heads poked out with worried expressions. After a moment the blond head vanished back inside with a quick 'I don't want to know'.
Leigh came out of his room in his pyjama bottoms and pulled her to her feet, silencing her laughter with his hand and helped her into his room.
"This feels so naughty" Said Hermione as soon as the door closed.
"Thats because it is!" exclaimed Leigh "I didn't expect you to come here"
"Well you didn't tell me where else to meet you" She stated bluntly.
"No, I guess we never did get a chance to discuss that" said Leigh, sitting on the end of his bed and putting a t-shirt back on.
"What difference does it make anyway? We were going to break the rule, who cares if its here or somewhere else?" she asked.
"I imagine your parents will" he said with a roll of his eyes.
"Oh shut up already" She said climbing onto his bed and moving over next to him "Its not like we're going to sleep together or anything"
He blushed bright red at that and Hermione felt her own face suffuse with embarrassment. She hadn't meant it like That
"You know what I mean" she said in irritation.
"this doesn't feel right" he said after a moment.
"Why's that?" she asked feeling self conscious suddenly at the change in the atmosphere. She couldn't help by agree with Leigh that her comment had suddenly made this feel very wrong indeed.
"I think you should head back to your room" he said after a moment.
She shook her head as an idea occurred to her "No. I said we'd talk.. so lets just talk.. we'll go out into the sitting room.. "
After a moment he nodded and they returned to the sitting room. Leigh reclined against the end of the couch and Hermione climbed onto his lap, leaning against his lovely warm chest, snuggling in and inhaling the scent that seemed to be uniquely him.
"So what do you want to talk about" he asked after a moment.
"Well.." she thought for a moment and then sighed, when she came up with nothing "You know, I could use another explanation on that Organic Chemistry we did at the Summer school.. since I'm coming to school with you now.. I really should take every opportunity I can get to catch up with everyone else"
At his familiar chuckle, and with his arms tightening around her waist, Hermione felt like after the horrendous day she'd had, that everything had turned out exactly as it was supposed to.
Authors Note (2): I won't make any promises about when the next chapter will be out.. I can never seem to keep them.. so lets just say I'll make an effort to do it as soon as possible. In the meantime, I love reviews.. especially those ones that ask questions or give me ideas... So.. please put your ideas and thoughts into words for me..
