I think you'll like this chapter, I liked writing it...

Hermione and Draco had spent over an hour with Professor McGonagall, telling her the whole tale of Professor Cutting. Professor McGonagall hadn't interrupted them other than asking the occasional question. At the end she had been silent for a long while before congratulating Hermione and Draco on the way they had dealt with the situation.

"She must be a Death Eater, she has the mark," Hermione said. "She's teaching the pupils!"

Professor McGonagall had rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I understand your reaction, Miss Granger but I have to point out that there is someone else present in this room right now who also has a Dark Mark and isn't a Death Eater."

Hermione looked over at Draco and then back to her professor. "It's all too complicated and confusing. I have no idea who we can trust."

"I will be checking into Professor Cutting quite thoroughly but I will do it very discreetly. We don't want to alert her should she be on the other side. Likewise if she is on our side, she does have a very good point about the element of surprise. Leave it with me, I will investigate. I do think you are right that this is going to happen soon. If the parchments will find their way back to you as Professor Cutting says then I believe we have all the elements in place. I believe Mr Potter has been mastering the spell to temporarily remove the evil from Draco's mark. I feel very positive about it all."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione took another sip of her drink and wished she could feel as positive. She glanced over at Amber who was checking herself in her small, handbag mirror again. She smiled at her friend who really didn't need to check herself as she always looked perfect. She and Michael had become almost inseparable and Hermione was pleased for them. She took another sip of her drink and felt herself begin to relax. They had found a table in the corner so it was intimate and calm. All four of them had felt the pressure of the last few weeks and Michael and Amber had agreed enthusiastically to Draco's idea of a night out. Hermione watched the boys out the corner of her eye as they talked. The four of them had become such good friends that Hermione didn't want to think about how she would feel when they were all split up. However it happened it would be sad but she sincerely hoped that Michael and Amber stayed together and that she and Draco did. She watched Draco now as he chuckled at something Michael was saying and she knew that something had changed. She didn't know exactly when, perhaps it was a gradual thing but her feelings for him seemed to have grown and now she couldn't imagine not spending time with him. She felt a little thrill at the thought of where this was going but also an edge of caution. This was Draco Malfoy after all, could she really believe that he was feeling the same? If there were separated when the professor's positions were announced would he still be interested?

This, of course was all a very minor problem indeed compared to the one where they had to face evil, whilst Draco would most likely be in total agony and could even die. It was ironic that his survival seemed now to depend on his enemy for so many years, Harry. Hermione had the upmost faith in Harry's abilities but it was still risky with no guarantee of success. She tried to stop thinking about it, she was supposed to be relaxing.

"Stop thinking about everything," Draco's voice said, quite close to her ear.

"I'm not."

"Liar, you're supposed to be relaxing. What can I do to make you relax?" Draco's voice was low and close to her and she couldn't help but smile at his innuendo.

"You could whisk me off to some exotic island with a hot and half naked waiter serving me cocktails," Hermione said and Amber almost spat her drink out.

"Oh my god! Me too please!" she spluttered and Michael glared at her.

"What's wrong with the two hot, young men you're with right now? We can fetch cocktails for you," he said.

"Okay but you have to take your shirt off," Amber answered with a cheeky smile. Michael stared at her for a moment and then began undoing his buttons.

"What cocktail would you like?" he asked, his shirt half open now. Both the girls were staring at him open mouthed and Draco was chuckling. Hermione grinned at him, not quite believing that her normally quiet friend was actually going to do this.

"I'll have the bright yellow one we were drinking the other time we came here," Hermione said challengingly but Michael still didn't stop. He had all his buttons undone now.

"Amber?"

"Are you really going to do this?" Amber asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes. Your every wish is my command – Draco get your shirt off," Michael waved his arms at his friend who held both his hands up in a surrender position.

"Well, of all the people at this table you were actually the last one I wanted to ask me to take my shirt off," Draco said and the girls laughed.

"I'm not doing it alone. It was Hermione's request and I'm sure it's not me she wants to see shirtless," Michael slipped his shirt off and Hermione giggled nervously. Draco seemed to think for a long few minutes and then to Hermione's utter surprise he began undoing his buttons. Both girls were giggling uncontrollably now. Draco undid his last button and slipped his shirt off, grinning at Michael across the table. The people on the next table were glancing over, obviously wondering what was going on. The boys stood and walked away, over towards the bar and both girls rolled around laughing. The barmaids face was an absolute picture as she took in the two, very attractive and half naked men standing ordering drinks but she served them anyway. Plenty of people were staring and Hermione really didn't blame them because she would have been doing exactly the same being confronted with half naked men in a totally unsuitable place. Both Draco and Michael had good physiques and plenty of women were staring unashamedly at them. What amused Hermione and Amber even further was that it was Draco who looked slightly less comfortable and Michael who was obviously enjoying all the attention. They returned with the drinks and took their seats, several pairs of eyes still following them. Michael placed Hermione's drink in front of her.

"There you go, madam. As you requested..."

"Thank you," Hermione took a sip, still chuckling. "Very nice."

"I know I am but what about the drink?" Draco asked, giving Amber her drink.

"Aren't you going to get dressed now?" Amber asked, looking round.

"Why, is all the male flesh on show tempting you too much?" Michael asked and Amber hit him, still laughing. The boys put their shirts back on and Hermione looked at Draco out of the corner of her eye. He was really enjoying himself and so was she.

"Thanks for thinking of this, Draco," she said. "This is the most relaxed I've felt for weeks."

"Good."

"So are we going back to our rooms and getting really drunk?" Amber asked, unashamedly and she shrugged when they all looked at her. "What? We're allowed to do it but not allowed to say it?"

"She has a point," Draco said.

"I do stupid things when I'm drunk," Hermione said.

"Only when you're drunk?" Michael teased her.

"Actually, you have a point," Hermione agreed, looking pointedly at Draco. "I do really stupid things when I'm not drunk as well!"

"What are you saying?" Draco asked, indignantly.

"So, now we're all a bit more relaxed..." Michael began but Amber interrupted him.

"You mean now we're half drunk," she said and they laughed.

"Yeh, I think it's time you two confessed all. I mean have you got it together yet?" Michael eyed Draco and Hermione across the table.

"You can't ask them that!" Amber protested but she leaned towards them eagerly as well.

"No you can't!" Hermione said.

"Oh come on! You know everything about Amber and me! We're obviously totally besotted with each other..." Amber interrupted him again with a loud kiss on the cheek and he grinned at her. "and at it like rabbits every night..."

"Michael!" Amber and Hermione said in outraged unison and Draco burst out laughing.

"What I'm trying to say is we don't even know if you're an item?" Michael leaned closer. "So are you an item?"

Hermione glared at him, really not wanting to have this conversation right now. She had no idea how to answer that because she didn't know herself. Draco didn't help when he turned to look at her before speaking.

"Yes, Hermione, are we an item?" Hermione turned her glare to him and he smirked at her.

"Of course they are!" Amber answered on Hermione's behalf. "Even if it's just unofficially." Draco and Hermione both looked at her and she continued, trying to justify herself. "I mean you're obviously besotted..." she aimed this at Draco who stared at her speechless. "What? You are! You're reputation precedes you and I know you wouldn't normally be this nice to one woman for this long."

Michael was chuckling quietly to himself, finding this whole conversation highly amusing. Hermione had her head lowered, feeling outwardly embarrassed yet secretly thrilled that Amber's words may be true. Michael joined in again, smirking.

"Anyway let's get to the point. Have you or haven't you had sex?"

The other three of them stared at one another for a moment and then they all burst out laughing, even Hermione. Then Draco stopped and lowered his voice.

"Yes, of course we have," he said and Hermione stared at him open mouthed. He gave her a wink before continuing. "Do you want to know what position?"

The total and utter look of shock on Michael's face more than made up for Draco saying more than he should of and Hermione found herself in fits of hysterics along with the other three.

More fun next...I am going to have to start begging for reviews because I'm definately not getting as many as before. Hope you're all still liking the story. It's coming to an end so please keep reading. x