Disclaimer: BOOGA BOOGA I've scared you into believing I own this stuff... when I don't. Ha.

Last time on LGG:

"Do you want to go see him?" Draco asked softly, still holding her close, and Hermione shook her head.

"No... I haven't been back since the funeral. It'll make it seem too real," she whispered. "Sometimes... it almost feels like he's still here," she said, pulling back slightly and placing her hand on her midsection. "I can almost feel him..." Hermione looked up, into Draco's eyes for the first time that morning. "I have dreams. Ewan is always there, and he's never more than four or five years old... we play and talk and... sometimes he comforts me... if I've had a bad day or... something. But, almost every time... he dies at the end. Sometimes he just goes to sleep while I'm holding him, but I know he's dead... and other times," she shook her head. "There's so much blood..." Draco pulled her close again.

"That's why you like Lucius so much, isn't it?" Hermione nodded into his chest. "And that's why you don't like to sleep alone..." Again, she nodded.

"Never once has he died a crude death when you're with me," she whispered, and Draco kissed her hair again.

"If I have anything to do with it, he never will again."

~*~*~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: Electric Slide

"Okay," Hermione said and she plopped down next to Draco on the living room couch, smiling as he quickly made to hide the tabloid he'd stolen. He gave her a guilty smile and she shook her head, newly cleansed curls swaying slightly and emitting that lemony fresh fragrance. "We really have some thinking to do." Draco raised an eyebrow.

"About what?"

"Froth and Lance, silly." Hermione had been quite a wreck after their bonding session in the kitchen, but a shower and one or two more cups of coffee had done her good. Draco's face darkened slightly at the mention of the two boys, but Hermione's smile remained. Although, Draco noted, her eyes seemed to lose a certain amount of that carefree vibe when she saw his reaction. It was obvious she didn't particularly want talk about... THAT aspect of her relationship with the felons, so Draco was quick to decide not to mention it.

"Right. Ideas?" Hermione smirked slightly and held out her hand to him.

"I figured we'd just wing it," she suggested as Draco peeked into her palm. His smirk joined hers as he identified a certain black ring. He looked up to her face.

"Plan," he agreed, taking the small item and slipping it on his pinky, which made Hermione smile. She kissed him and swung her legs over one of his, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Draco," she said after a silence and he pulled an arm around her in response. "I need you to promise me something." Draco seemed not a bit surprised and buried his nose in her hair.

"Hm?"

"I..." she sighed. "I don't want to hurt them hurt them." Draco quickly stopped his nuzzling and opened his eyes.

"What?" he mumbled softly and Hermione pulled back, looking him in the eye.

"I don't want to... HURT them." That's what he'd thought she said. Draco seemed, above all, completely shocked. Then, his eyes hardened ever so slightly and he looked over her shoulder at a random spot on the mantle.

"I do." Hermione collapsed in a whine, placing a hand on his chest.

"Please... don't do anything drastic. Promise me." Draco turned his eyes back to her, melting at the seldom worn look of desperation on her face. He sighed.

"If I must... fine, I promise." Hermione said nothing, but grinned, hugging him close.

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling him bury his nose in her hair once more. As reward, she let him stay that way a few minutes before pulling back and springing up. "Come, therefore, and let us fling mud at them!"

~*~*~*~

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she stepped onto the front porch. Froth was sitting on the steps; asleep it seemed, with hands folded on his chest. A scowl crossed her face as she walked to him, digging into his ribs with the toe of her shoe to wake him. Draco stepped out of the house not long after she did, but had the same reaction... minus the toe digging. Froth promptly woke, pressing a hand to the spot Hermione had harmed and opening his eyes. When he saw her, towering above him with an annoyed look about her, he drew a sharp breath.

"Froth, what are you doing here?" she asked, sounding bored, and Froth quickly stood up.

"You said to come over if I wanted to talk..."

"No, actually, I said why DIDN'T you come over if you wanted to talk... as in, before you put yourself in the courthouse? I never implied that I wanted to or even would talk once you did wise up... as a matter of fact; I specifically said I wouldn't. So, if you don't mind?" Hermione said, waving a hand and shooing him away. With a frown, Froth moved to the side, allowing her to descend the steps. Draco, on the other hand, simply stood rooted in his spot. Now that he knew exactly what she didn't want to talk to Froth about... he didn't know what to feel. He wasn't mad at Froth... no, he was mad at Lance. Froth didn't do anything but sleep with his own girlfriend, and care about her enough to check up on her... Lance... Lance was the bastard with the nerve to lay a finger on Hermione... not to mention kill his own nephew. "Draco, are you coming?" Hermione called from down the path to the sidewalk and Draco made quick to come to her. Against his will, he whispered a 'sorry' to Froth as he passed. The boy looked so damn depressed...

"Hermione, no, wait! Please, listen to me!" Froth called, trailing Draco as the blonde made his way to his girlfriend. Hermione laughed, taking Draco's hand.

"Right... because we have the 'listen when I ask you to' agreement..." Froth sighed in exasperation.

"Look, I know I was a bit of a bastard before... and I doubt I've changed much, but..." Hermione interrupted him.

"Not exactly winning words here," she said, but he ignored it.

"You have to think of this from my perspective..." Hermione shook her head and turned, beginning in the opposite direction, pulling Draco along for the ride. "Hermione, please!" She didn't stop. Froth sighed, deciding to take out his last resort. "Hermione... I know. I know what he did to you." This was a little more effective. Hermione stopped dead again, but didn't turn around. "I'm sorry... I am; if I had known, I never would have..." Froth tried to explain, but Hermione shook her head violently, and Draco felt her grip tighten on his hand.

"You would have known if you'd just listened to me," she said softly and Froth nodded, keeping his distance.

"I know. I was assumptive and stupid. Please... at least consider making level ground... Look, Hermione... I'm not asking to pick up where we left off... I just don't want you to be so distant anymore... we used to be friends." Hermione's lips tightened in a scowl.

"A lot has happened since then, Froth. Good day to you," she stated professionally and started again down the street. Draco looked back, walking with her and holding her hand. Froth seemed to give up, sulking across the street with total disregard for the traffic. They were quite far away from home before Hermione spoke. "Draco, I'm so sorry..." She said, slowing their pace almost to a stop. Draco looked confused.

"What? Why?" She looked away.

"Every time I talk to them... I barely acknowledge your presence... you don't deserve that." Draco smiled and shook his head, letting go of her hand only to swiftly place his on her back.

"That's stupid, Hermione... I'm not a part of that feud, and I shouldn't be," he told her, but Hermione shook her head, moving close and draping her arms around him.

"But you are, Draco. I've made you a part of this... and, moreover, I need advice."

"Do you really want to know what I think?" She nodded. "I think you should forgive him."

"What? Forgive them? Just like that... after what they did?" Hermione asked, surprised, and Draco tightened an arm around her.

"No, Mya, not THEM... HIM. Just Froth. Lance I want you to hate forever; he doesn't deserve the slightest leeway toward forgiveness... but Froth, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't do anything."

"He didn't believe me. He didn't even give me a chance to explain..."

"Yes, that is true, but you WERE cheating on him... with his brother. I don't want to upset you, but if I found out you were with... oh, say Osric behind my back, I doubt I'd have enough sense to listen to much either. Yes, what Lance did was horrible... but what you did was too, if not to the same degree," Draco explained and Hermione sighed. She closed her eyes.

"Okay... that's justified... but... I just don't know."

"It's just a suggestion, but I'd at least call truce in your position. As much as I don't particularly like the guy, he does sound sincere in apology." Hermione nodded.

"You're right... I know..." she said, continuing their walk. Nothing more was said until Draco suddenly stopped in his tracks. Startled, Hermione looked curiously up at him, then followed his eyes down the street. She felt her own gaze harden. "Lance..." Less than a block away, a dusty brunette boy was leaning on the wall, talking to a very pretty redheaded woman. As the Hogwarts prefects watched, the woman slapped him hard across the face and stormed away. A smirk grew on Draco's face and Hermione laughed.

"Come here... oh, I have the most perfect idea..." Draco said, pulling Hermione behind the shelter of a near by tree; their favorite place to hide from their favorite muggles.

"Wait... what are you going to do?" Draco shook his head.

"I didn't say I was going to do anything... I said I had an idea. In order for me to work with my creativity, I'll need permission... otherwise, I just might be breaking a promise." Hermione narrowed her eyes curiously.

"Draco..."

"I just want to electrocute him, Hermione. Not enough to kill him... just enough to scare him a bit. I dare say he hurt you a might bit more than that..." Hermione looked unsure. "It won't be bad... he probably won't even get burned. Please? Wouldn't you like to watch him squirm?" She made a face.

"You're so sardonic..."

"You used to be too," Draco said, sounding sad, as if he missed the old days. "The view from the cliff was so pretty... yet you had to move inland."

"Okay, okay... enough with the guilt trip. I'm sorry if I'm too happy and insecure for you, I'll try harder next time to be totally miserable," she said, crossing her arms and looking away. Draco smirked.

"I was only kidding, love." Hermione was startled beyond words for about three seconds, then she insecurely nodded.

"I know you were," she said, but it was obvious she had believed him. Right now however, even if he HAD been sharing his feelings, she wouldn't have been angry. He'd called her 'love' again... and Celia was nowhere to be seen. "Alright... go ahead. But promise you won't seriously hurt him?" Draco grinned and kissed her softly.

"I promise... now where is the git?" he said, craning his neck to look around. Draco spotted Lance a little closer than he had been before, and on the other side of the street. He grinned and lifted his hand. "Perfect." Draco only had to wait about a minute before Lance conveniently walked under an electrical wire. With a flick of a wrist, the wire snapped at the other end, swinging back and lashing the brunette, causing his body to wither and convulse as he stood. Draco was grinning like mad, but Hermione kept her eyes closed and her face pressed firmly into his chest. She could hear Lance making strangled noises even from thirty yards away.

"Stop," she whispered to Draco, who didn't hear her. He'd been having too much fun with his puppet. "Draco, really... that's enough," she said again, raising her voice only slightly and Draco's satisfied smile fell, then he turned the snake like wire away from his new arch enemy and pulled his arms around Hermione, holding her close.

"Are you okay?" Hermione smiled.

"Yep," she said, her voice a slightly higher tone than normal. Draco kissed her hair softly, muttering apologies. Hermione laughed. "No you're not," she said. She turned around to view the scene, watching a panting and stiff Lance slowly and shakily lift himself from the ground. He looked absolutely terrified. She smiled and turned back to Draco, who still looked a tad regretful. "I actually feel a little better now," she said and kissed his lips. Draco smiled, reassured.

"Thought you might."

~*~*~*~

"What do you see?" Draco whispered as he stood on the ground below a window of the Maurice domicile: home of Froth and Lance. Hermione, whom he was holding around the thighs to support her, sighed.

"Nothing. They're not in there," she said and Draco let her slowly down, holding her close the whole way. Hermione kissed him quickly in thank you and he smiled. "Next window?" she suggested and he nodded, following her to a round parlor window, the top of which was stained glass.

"Do you think it's safe to be doing this in broad daylight?" Hermione shook her head.

"But there's this little charm called 'Obliviate' which makes it safe," she said, smirking, and Draco smiled; there's the Hermione he remembered. Total disregard for the rules. She gasped slightly as she peeked in. "Look, I see them!"

"Them?" he asked. They'd been expecting to only find one, whom they would torment until the other came running, but this was a stroke of luck.

"Yes... they're playing cards. Look," she suggested, lowering her voice and moving over for him to see. Froth and Lance were indeed playing cards; Lance wearing shorts and a tank top, displaying skin that seemed to be severely sunburned, but none worse for the wear. The pain in his face when he moved was what made Hermione smile. She looked about the room; shelves and shelves of books and trinkets, a TV, lamps, furniture... "This is the most perfect room... think of all the possibilities..." Draco noticed a glass of water on the coffee table and a potted plant on the floor. He smirked.

"Oh yes... may I?" Hermione nodded.

"Be my guest."

"Thank you, my dear," he said, and lifted his hand. Before their eyes, the glass silently tipped over, spilling a generous amount of water into the pot. Hermione looked confused, until she saw the dirt stirring... then, at Draco's command, a large ball of perfectly concocted mud lifted from the pot. He held it there a second for her to see, but continued quickly, letting the ball fly directly into Lance's face. Hermione spun her head to him, smirking even when she saw the look of sheer hatred and loathing that crossed his face as he watched the brunette behind the glass sputter. She shook her head.

"I didn't mean that literally, you know."

"Shh... look, it's ingenious," Draco suggested, nodding, and Hermione turned back to the scene. Lance, after wiping the mess from his face, slapped Froth across his cheek. Hermione looked grim. "Hey," Draco said before she could accuse. "That was his reaction, not mine."

"I didn't say anything, did I? My turn," she said and lifted her hand. With a flutter of her fingers, dozens of books and trinkets lifted from their spots, shaking themselves of dust before flying in circles around the room. Lance ducked under the table with a scream that began of fear, but ended with pain. Froth, on the other hand, was watching in awe, the shock taking his mind off the fear. He watched as his most useless and lifeless possessions gracefully flew about the room, as if dancing. At the notice that this stunt seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever, Hermione twitched her finger, causing one particularly large book to knock the back of his head. Froth was thrown forward onto the flimsy card table, which then collapsed on Lance who, again, screamed a multipurpose scream. Draco smirked.

"Don't hurt them?"

"If you can, I can..." Hermione answered, her eyes alive with the thrill of revenge.

"Well," Draco said, shifting his feet and leaning a bit closer to her. "If you're going to do it, at least do it right." Hermione lifted an eyebrow.

"You could do better, I suppose?" Draco shrugged.

"I'd only suggest a few minor changes." Hermione turned her hand, welcoming him to show his stuff. Draco smirked. "Thank you. First, I would suggest you go all out," he said and flicked his hand a few more times. Instantly, everything in the room was abnormally moving. The TV flicked itself on and off, the chairs floated in mid air, shelves rattled, clocks chimed. "Then," he continued. "I would suggest you inflict the maximum amount of minor pain you could muster," he said, and immediately set all Hermione's previously flying objects on the boys, letting the books and trinkets beat them to a bloody pulp.

"I'm impressed," she said as the boys ran screaming from the room. Draco grinned and waved his hand, placing everything in the room exactly how it had been, which included fixing the table. "Come, or they'll run to the next county," Hermione said quickly, taking his hand and running toward the front yard. Somehow, they got there first; just in time to see the two battered boys run out the door, screaming loud enough to turn Ewan in his sleep. "Good afternoon, boys. Something wrong?" Both boys stopped, falling to the ground at yet another fright added to their unstable minds. Lance was still carrying the flowerpot, holding it close as a small child would a teddy bear. Hermione smirked as they stood and brushed themselves off.

"You did this, didn't you?" he accused, and Hermione did her best to look innocent. She even looked to Draco for help, and he too looked clueless. A frequent look on him, it seemed.

"Whatever could you mean?"

"You did. You filthy little..."

"Well!" Hermione interrupted before Lance could set Draco off. "If this is the way I'm treated when I come to have a chat, I suppose it won't happen again. Good day, Lance. Oh, and I'm sorry Froth, but Lance seems to be kicking me out. I suppose we won't be talking after all," Hermione said, then turned to her boyfriend. "Let's go, Draco." She took his hand and led him across the green-less lawn, moist from midnight rain. She was fully intent on leaving, but something... or rather, someone, stopped her. Lance came after them with his pot. As he caught up, he promptly dumped it over Hermione's head. Her mouth dropped open and she turned around, eye twitching slightly as she tried to hold in a glare. Lance regarded her like trash as he threw the pot to the side.

"Bitch," he finished, not caring that Draco seemed livid. However, Draco's feelings at that particular moment had no effect on the following events, as Hermione promptly tackled Lance... blatantly kicking his ass right in a large mud bath in his front yard. Draco stood there, frozen in shock, until Froth came bounding toward them.

"Fucking ass... how dare he insult her... after everything else he's done..." Draco would have helped, but she seemed to be doing just fine. In fact, Hermione was more than fine. She was having what one might call the time of her life letting out her frustration on something a tad larger than a common house hornet. Froth, on the other hand, was angry. He glared at Draco, fists clenched.

"Don't call my brother an ass!" he warned before reenacting Hermione's move and jumping Draco, sending him flying into the mud. Keeping his promise, Draco didn't fight back; he simply tried to get to his girlfriend. When she noticed the scene going on beside her, Hermione was stunned enough to let her guard down, allowing Lance to flip rolls and press her into the ground. It wasn't until she let out a small, strangled scream of pain that Draco gave up on his promise and fought off the offender. He managed to kick Froth away for long enough to grab Hermione's hand. In a moment, they were gone.

~*~*~*~

Hermione kept her eyes closed, curled in a ball and grinding her teeth in preparation for more pain. It wasn't until the voice of what could very well have been an angel brought her back to reality that she noticed the overbearing weight that was Lance had liberated itself from her.

"Hermione? Oh, god... are you alright?" Hermione didn't dare open her eyes; she was afraid of reliving that night the summer before last... when she'd woken happy and expecting, but fallen asleep broken and hopeless. She knew the feel of this carpet well... she'd lain here for hours that day... it was none other than the entry room of her own home. So much pain had been absorbed into these floorboards... "Please... Hermione, come on baby... wake up... say something," the angel spoke again, and Hermione was assured it wasn't the night she thought it was. With her one last bit of courage, she fluttered open her eyes. The angel sighed in relief. In seconds, Hermione felt kisses on her forehead and breath across her skin. She shifted slightly, attempting to roll toward the sweet voice, but a firm and loving hand held her still. "No, don't. Don't move..." the angel pleaded, but Hermione persistently turned her head, blinking as his beautiful face came into focus. She smiled warmly.

"Draco..." He looked ecstatic.

"Hermione... are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere? Oh, I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have let you get yourself into that..." Hermione knotted her eyebrows.

"What? I'm fine, Draco... what happened?" she asked, again attempting to move, but he held her still.

"You don't remember? He hit you that hard?" Draco asked, his voice awed until the prospect cleared, gaining him a scowl. "I'll kill him... this time, I will," he vowed, and Hermione looked ever more confused. His words ran through her mind a few more times before she realized what he was talking about. In seconds she started laughing. Hysterically. Draco momentarily forgot his anger and traded it for more concern. "Hermione? You shouldn't laugh, Mya... you'll hurt yourself more..." Hermione, of course, didn't stop. In fact, she brushed off his hand and sat up beside him, still laughing. Draco looked positively horrified, which only proved to be more humorous. She embraced him, shaking with laughter as he held her close. "Hermione?" Hermione tried as best she could to calm herself.

"Did you see their faces?" she asked. "That was amazing... it was perfect."

"But..." Draco said, pulling back slightly and running his hands down her arms. "He hurt you..." Hermione grinned and shook her head.

"Nah; it takes a bit more than that to hurt me. Unless, of course, you add cold water and kleptomaniac potions masters..." Draco smiled a little, glad that, in the very least, she was okay. At his tiny display of ease, Hermione grinned and leaned forward, crushing their lips together. As it got deeper, she found herself falling back into that comfortable atmosphere she hadn't bathed in since before they'd left the manor. However, she quickly pulled away, as if startled. "How did we get back here?" Draco looked as startled as Hermione seemed to be, but grinned at her question.

"I apparated."

"You WHAT?"

"I'm sorry, I panicked..." he said, trying to explain, but Hermione had other plans.

"No... it's brilliant. They'll be so confused... you're a genius," she said and kissed him softly again. "But," she said as she once again pulled away. "If you can apparate, why can't we just use that to get back to the manor? No flying necessary." Draco shook his head slowly, a sad smile on his face.

"No... Mum doesn't want me to. She won't know about this one because it was only down the street, but... if we did so all the way back, she'd know... and she's slightly upset right now as it is. She's noticed Lucius' flirty personality as well. I don't want to make her angrier." Hermione nodded.

"Okay, okay... neither do I. I suppose I have no choice but to fly with you, then."

"Do you not trust me?" he asked, mocking offence, and Hermione smiled.

"No. I don't trust me," she said, then a sly smile crossed her face. "Come with me," she said, standing and dashing toward the entrance to the staircase. With a groan, Draco got up and followed her.

~*~

A/N: So, mission complete! Ding! Now what's gonna happen? :: I warn you, it's racy:: HAHA! MUD!

PRF:

Darkmarkgrl: Lol, I hoped it would be a surprise. I'm glad you liked it, and yes, lance is an ass.

Befuzzled: Thanx. I know :o( poor baby

Krissy: indeed it was depressing... so sad...

Athene Saile: I was hoping you wouldn't expect it :oD Thanx

Ashleigh: Indeed it does; as I've said ;o) I know, though, baby killer! What an ass! Of course, we don't REALLY know he was trying to kill it... he might have just been mad at HER... but nah, cause he's an ass

Silver Dragon Goddess: Hey! And yes, you are better, that's why you don't need recognation ;o) I just put her in cause she reviewed them all even though she started reading like a week ago... lol

MoshiMoshiQueen: Thanx. I know, so sad... poor wittle baby...

Nikki: What's gtoing to happen? We've got revenge to play out! Hello!

Little Witch: Yeah, I know... I know... everyone's saying that...

Seraph: I don't know who Ewan McGreggor is... :oP Yep, yep... thanx

Dragonfly: I know... isn't it terrible?

Gooey Gooey Coca Beans: I know, it's so sad for her... why would he be appauled by her? She had two boyfriends... just because they were at the same time, doesn't mean anything ;o)

Harmonic Sakke: You got a new penname! Spiff! Ohayo miss Sakke. Yes, she is brave... but all Lance really did was slap her around; he didn't really kill the baby, but he was the reason for its death... you know? I know (shocking!) I would have fallen over or something! Lol. I know, I don't tell anyone anything ever... except... no wait, that wasn't me... :oD

Spider Fairyz: I know :o( so sad... he's a jerk

Smudged: Lol, thank you. That's the first review that didn't say something like "oh, how sad" lol.

Japanese Goth: I know, stinkx to be her!

Princess: Thanx! And lance is an ass! And I know (about Draco) I sometimes think he might be too understanding... :o/

BelleThePhilosophersCookie: Thanx. Go you on exams. Sorry about your computer

Arwen Undomiel: Yeah, when you get Betas, you can't expect to update often. I don't have one, and I do okay... I do it on my OWN time. Have you finished the book yet? I have. :oD You'd have albino children, you animal! Think of the children! (Lol, this one time I was talking to my mom and shes like, you can date a black guy but never marry one, and I'm like why and she's like, cause your kids would be mixed and I was like.... and she's like they would never fit in... think of the children! And I'm like, sfu, I'll marry whoever the f I want to! Lol)

Punk Rock Princess: Thanx! I liked it! :oD

Crazy*Baby: They're not going to the cemetery; she doesn't want closure. Coincidentally my great grandfather died this Wednesday, and if I could have done it without looking disrespectful, I wouldn't have gone to the funeral (which was today :*o( ) Closure is bad.

Starry Skies: Not serious? Lol. I know! We need to start a company to mass produce my Dracos... GOOOOD money in that... :oD

Mage Kitty: Lol hole EE shit!

Ezmerelda: That was the point; to explain things. Who really bought that whole "I can't sleep alone" thing? Lol.

Crystalline Lily: Don't worry... I don't speak German either ;o) And yes, I feel bad for them all... so shocking... so sad...

CrackHead: Lol, tacky...right... ;o)

Lilybean: First term? It's two weeks into the school year! Lol; I'm not going through the whole thing... it's about revenge, now what we did in seventh year

Chrissy: Speechless is good too ;o)

Erilyn Rose: Lol, thanx, and I'm trying!

b.b: I know, I found a lot of consistencies in my stories and the 5th book... I think JK's been reading my stuff; lol

Softish: I do update! I'm sorry, but it takes a bit longer for me to write a ten page chapter than for thirty people to write a paragraph review! Lol.

KissyFit: Thanx! I'm glad you liked it

Kagie-chan: Yeah... at the very end when he sort of pledges himself... that's happy

LadyLoca231: thanx! Hehe

Jade-snake: Thanx, and I'm glad it shocked ya!

Angel: De Nuwsies fan: there are only 28 posted (now 29, not 30) I had updating difficulties at one point. I apologize.

Damia-Queen of the Gypsies: I don't know if you read Falling In Love When You're Ten, but the third chapter(story) is called Barefoot is beautiful, and the girl's name is Priah... if I thought of Damia when I was writing it I would have used that! Lol. I'm not changing it now though cause I like Priah, but... I wanted her to have a nickname. Priah's is Pia... but your's would be Dia... I dunno which I like better :oD