Not had an A/N at the beginning of a chapter for a while, but I have a feeling I'll need to remind you about something which is completely my fault... In chapter 30 Ron, Harry and Abigail got Hermione a dog to replace Crookshanks because I sadly killed the cat off. The dog, Lupo, makes a comeback in this chapter. If you've forgotten what he looks like (as I had) the description is in Chapter30 somewhere (that's quite a long chapter. I think it's about quarter of the way through).

Also and MOST IMPORTANTLY - I keep changing my mind about what I'm doing in the next chapter so this is a bonus one. Light fluff is about to ensue :D

Saturday 14th September 1996

After Dinner
Girl's Sixth Year Dorm
Gryffindor Tower
Hogwarts
Scotland

I stayed with Sev for most of the day and only went back to Gryffindor Tower after dinner. During dinner Ginny, Hermione and I had discussed dancing with our dates, for the other two sounding like it wasn't he first time and they still weren't bored of doing so. I had smiled at them and really was happy for him, but was jealous underneath all of that. It wasn't only unfair that I couldn't have gone with who I really wanted to, but I couldn't talk about dancing with him either.

Fortunately Hermione wasn't stupid and said that she needed help with astronomy homework but wanted to do it in the dorm where we'd be able to spread papers out on the floor. I agreed knowing that she didn't want to do homework at all since we didn't actually have any astronomy homework for once. Still, I put a load of charts down on the floor just in case someone did come up here and sat on the floor with my class book close to hand along with a quill and ink. Hermione did the same and then Lynx and Lupo joined us.

"I haven't seen you in a while," I said fondly and scratched Hermione's dog's ears. He was still as majestic as when Harry, Ron and I bought him as a gift from Diagon Alley what felt like a year ago but was in reality only back in July or August.

"He's been checking out the castle a lot," Hermione replied as Lupo put his head in her lap looking for attention. "Making sure he knows where all the passages are and things."

Lynx, seemingly jealous of the situation, moved from her position by the fire with her sleeping cubs to rest her head in my lap. I scratched behind her ears and she purred in content.

"He always nudges me when he gets back and he lets me legilimens him at the weekend if he's learned something useful about what Draco's up to," Hermione continued.

"What is he up to?" I asked because I hadn't seen much of him since coming back to the castle.

"Trying to plan how to not kill Dumbledore. He's still thinking about it. I spoke to Severus and he thinks that doing it this way instead of using you as a messenger will be safer for you."

"Oh did you?" I asked in a resentful tone. "And just when was he going to mention it to me?"

"Monday. He wanted to give you the weekend off as well."

I nodded supposing I could deal with that. I changed the subject. "How's Ron doing with occlumency?"

"Well. He's not progressing as quickly as Harry did, but he'll be there soon. In a few weeks." She looked more relieved than I felt and for good reason. She was now officially going out with Ron and she was lying to him. I hated lying to him and he was just a friend, I wondered how much worse it would be for Hermione.

"When are you teaching him?" I asked realising that I'd never seen them practice.

"I'm not, Harry is. They do it in their frees."

"Oh."

"Anyway," she said changing the subject. "How was dancing with Draco?"

I smiled and relived the dance for a happy moment. "It was really nice," I said.

" 'Nice'?" she asked almost offended.

"Well, yeah, Hermione. He is my best, oldest friend," I shrugged wondering where she was going with this. When I found out a second later I really wished she hadn't elaborated.

"Best friend enough to be more than that?" she asked with a glint in her eyes.

"Wha – I – No!" I spluttered because it was a ridiculous suggestion. He was, well, Draco. He was brother material not… Not boyfriend material!

"You sure?" she asked in shock.

Even Lupo was looking at me like I was stupid.

"What do you mean 'you sure'? Of course I'm sure!" I said a little shrilly. "What makes you think otherwise?"

"Well…" she began a little uncertain now, "You acted –"

"Normally!" I told her firmly. I may have still been a little shrill. "And I can't love Draco. If I do we'll both do something stupid!"

"I suppose," she began not sorry at all. "But you can't deny that he's very good looking."

"Hermione!" I gasped in a pantomime voice so that I could capitalise on the change of subject, "You have a boyfriend!"

Hope you liked this bonus stuff. The idea of Abigail and Draco is one I'm having some serious thoughts about mostly because I can't decide if it's going to happen or not. I mean, it would be nice if it happens because it's all happy, but I'm not sure if it's the right thing for the story. If you want to give me your thoughts I'm happy to hear them, but the decision I make will be what I feel is best for the story now necessarily what makes you guys happy. The decision may also be a long time down the line due to events that I have already decided on still needing to be written. Other than that I'd be happy for you to leave a review anyway :D

Next time... Things get dark and take a turn for the worst.

J.K. Rowling owns all

Shameless self plug - I have a new (much shorter) HP fic up called My Dear Miss Heart. It ignores Snape's death. After the war Snape is forced to adopt a young girl called Lucy Heart and the story looks at a few snipits of their life together of the first few days of the adoption and a few days around Christmas. Teh Golden Trio, Weasleys and Malfoys all make an appearance too, as well as McGonagall and some pigmypuffs. The proper summary is worded waaaaaay better than that. Feel free to check it out!