Hey guys, I know…well…you'll never believe it…and I know things ALWAYS happen to my story, but I swear this is the truth- I saved this story onto a floppy disk, and was adding to it. I had about another FOUR chapters after this one and then guess what? The floppy disk shut down and now will not open! Can you bloody believe it! Okay, so now, I have to rewrite ALL of that! Can you believe it! Well, of course, this lot hopefully will pass, but I'll most likely prefer what I wrote to begin with.

"You cannot be serious." Harry said, sitting back in his chair and staring at Dumbledore with doubt and disbelief in his green eyes. "You want to…well…hypnotise Hermione?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Harry, it may be the only way to save her."

Ron was grinning. "Sounds good to me! So when do we wave the watch?"

Dumbledore smiled at Ron and shook his head. "No, Mr. Weasley, there will be no 'watch waving'. It is a simple spell that will allow me to see what Miss. Granger sees and maybe I can plant a thought into her head to go somewhere where we can get her out safely."

"You're basing a lot of this on guess work." Harry said folding his arms across his chest.

"Harry, think about it. This could be the best opportunity- we could spy on Voldermort, and get Hermione back. We'd certainly have an edge on Voldermort- and he wouldn't be the wiser." Lupin said scratching his chin.

"Are you saying you want to use Hermione?" Harry asked staring at lupin.

"No Harry, I want to win this war and I want to get Hermione back safely." Lupin answered gently.

"Look, it sounds to me like this has a loop hole- Voldermort. I'm positive he would have thought about this sort of thing- he would have placed charms and spells on Hermione to make it impossible." Harry said turning back to Dumbledore.

"It would not harm miss Granger I promise you." Dumbledore said watching Harry carefully.

"No! I will not let you use her as bait and a tool to get to Voldermort. She's in this because of me- I will not use that to my advantage. I want Hermione out in once piece."

"Harry, you are not the only one who wants Hermione back safely!" lupin said sighing.

"Well it looks like it from where I'm sitting!"

"Do you have another idea Harry?" Dumbledore asked looking strained and about one hundred years older.

Harry sighed heavily. "No…just cant we think of something else?"

"Harry, there is nothing else. This is the only thing we can do without running straight into a trap or worse." Said lupin.

Ron was silent, only watching Harry.

Harry was silent a minute, and lupin thought they'd won the argument. But when Harry spoke again, he was facing Dumbledore, and looking him straight in the eye.

"What happens if someone within Hogwarts is cursed? And someone outside the castle tries to make use of the spell?"

Everyone was stunned- what did this have to do with anything? Ron was frowning, as was lupin, but Dumbledore was thinking.

"Well Harry, the person could be put in great pain." He answered truthfully.

"You told me once that Hogwarts is surrounded with magical charms and spells. It is one of the most protected buildings in Britain- or so Hermione said. And so, knowing what we know about the Malfoys, and all the enemies they've surely made and gathered, wouldn't it make sense to guard their home? Wouldn't it make sense to Voldermort to put more charms on it to protect Hermione- to make sure we couldn't apperate or do anything of the sort to get her out? How do we know he hasn't? he could have! Which would mean that we'd cause more pain and grief to Hermione than what was necessary?"

Dumbledore sighed. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened his eyes again, he rested his head on his hands and looked at Harry. "Alright fine Harry. You win. Send a reply to Hermione. Tell her we're doing nothing and that we've just given up- tell her whatever you want. I give up."

Harry, Ron and lupin looked at Dumbledore stunned. Harry just stood up and marched out, Ron following close behind him.

"Are…are you okay Harry?" he asked carefully as they descended the stairs.

"No I'm not!" Harry snapped turning around. "Are you okay Ron?"

"Well…no…" Ron said getting uncomfortable under the stare Harry was giving him. "But there was no need to be rude."

"Excuse me?" asked Harry.

"You heard me Harry." Said Ron, nervously. He took a deep breath and unloaded. "They're only trying to help Harry. Every plan that they've come up with you've dismissed. They care about Hermione just as much as you and I do. You're acting like you're the only one who wants Hermione back, healthy and safe. You're not Harry. We all want Hermione back. You and I both know that if anyone can get Hermione back, it's Dumbledore. He was only trying to help and you spat it back in his face. He just didn't deserve it Harry." Ron sighed. "I miss Hermione too you know. You're not the only one going through this. And you're not the only one who cares for her. Just don't be a fool and write to Hermione saying something stupid."

Ron looked sadly at Harry and walked off, slightly proud of his little speech, and yet slightly guilty. He knew that he was maybe a bit rude, but he was just so sick of Harry's attitude. Harry had been acting like he was the only one wanting Hermione back, and was getting fired up if anyone tried to comfort him or help. He was snapping at people, wouldn't pay attention in class at all and was probably just losing it.

Harry only gapped at Ron. Then he stormed after him, seeing him sit down beside Ginny at the Gryffindor table. Harry mumbled to himself as he walked over and sat on Ginny's other side.

Neither boys said anything as they ate their dinner. Harry continued to glance at Dumbledore, but the old man wasn't looking in his direction. Ron was glancing at Harry, then staring at his food.

"Hey Harry, have you seen Malfoy since the beginning of term?" Ginny asked taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

At this, both boys looked at the slytherin table and scanned it for the familiar blond hair. But neither spotted it.

"No I haven't." Harry answered frowning. He had seen Malfoy with Hermione before, but he didn't think Malfoy would be dumb enough to draw attention to his absence and stay away from school.

"Me neither." Ginny answered shaking her head, puzzled. "You…you don't think he's…with Hermione do you?"

Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "Its…possible" Harry said.

"More like probable." Ron mumbled.

Nothing else was said as they finished their meals. Harry got up and left, without saying anything. Ginny looked at him then back at Ron. "What's up with him?"

Ron sighed before retelling Ginny about what he had said to Harry.

When he was done, Ginny was silent before saying. "Oh."

Ron slumped his shoulders.

"Don't worry Ron." Ginny said, petting his back. "I'm sure Harry will come around."

Ron nodded. "I sure hope so. Sorry Ginny. I'm going to go for a walk. I'll cya later."

Ginny smiled and watched as her brother left the hall and walked outside into the brisk night.

Draco was right. Within five minutes, they were sliding off his broom on the balcony. Hermione was very glad, and sat on her bed, her legs slightly shaky. Draco balanced the broom up against his wall and turned to face Hermione.

"See now, that was so difficult was it?" he asked smirking at her.

Hermione scowled. "It was worse then difficult."

"Oh come off it. I got you back in one piece didn't i?"

"Don't act as though you're a hero." Hermione said, huffing.

Malfoy smirked again. "Oh but you love the hero act. Isn't that why you're friends with potter?"

Hermione turned to retort when someone burst through his bedroom doors. "Draco!" lucius barked. "Come with me now!"

Lucius turned on his heal and marched out the room, waiting impatiently on the other side of the door. Draco turned to Hermione and hissed "Lets continue this argument later shall we?"

And with that he followed his father out of the room, completely bewildered as to why his father came bursting in on him. Then again, his father never really cared much for manners.

Lucius walked briskly through the manor until he came to his study. He sat behind his large oak wooden desk, and watched Draco with icy eyes. "Come in boy!"
Draco sat in front of his fathers desk and looked politely curious.

"Draco, tomorrow morning, you will not be playing Quidditch with your friends. Instead you are to be taking the mudblood to Voldermort's home- alone."

"Alone?" Draco repeated looking at his father incredulously.

"Did you not hear me? Yes alone. Now, it is vital that she survives this journey to the Dark Lord's lair. Don't be mistaken Draco, the journey is both highly dangerous and highly taxing of your wits. It is imperative that the mudblood survives. You are in charge of her health and safety. She had better arrive in exactly the same condition that she leaves…minus a few scratches and things…those are okay. But she must be breathing. Do you understand?"

Draco just nodded. Great. So his father valued Hermione's life over his? Now doesn't that make you feel loved and special?

"Draco, the journey to Voldermort's home is designed to test you. No muggle has ever gotten within coo-wee of his home before. The swamp kills them. It is dangerous but I am confident you should come through in once piece. That is of course; assuming those fools at Hogwarts have actually taught you anything all these years. It will be by no means easy. If you cannot survive the trip to his home, then you are not welcome there. So, basically Draco- you had better survive, along with the mudblood or I shall be forced to punish you."

"But…I don't even know which way to go…" Draco said quietly, then wished he could retract that as his father's eyes blazed.

"Stop making excuses you stupid boy. Simply head west from the manor. Now go. I want to see you gone by the morning." With that, lucius lent back in his chair, and watched coldly at Draco as he left the study.

Draco walked back to his room slowly. How could his father place all this pressure on him? Surely, if Voldermort really wanted to speak to Granger, he could send someone- death Eater- to come and get her. It would, after all be much quicker. Unless of course, this was some sort of test for him. To see if he could handle pressure, or would he crack under it? Draco never really liked tests….of any kind. Now, more then ever, he was wishing he had payed closer attention in classes, thinking now that he may have missed something of importance when dealing with family pressure and ties and how to fight your way through some treacherous swamp with Granger. His mind took a deep breath after running through that quickly.

As he approached his door, he was content in telling Granger, and hoping that she could find a way out of this.

But when he turned the door handle, he saw that she was asleep. Grinning evilly, Draco crossed the room and poked her in the back of the neck. Hermione stirred but didn't wake. "Grrrranger" Malfoy drawled. Nothing. "Grrrrraaaaangerrrrrr" he drawled louder. He sat on her bed. Hermione stirred again, but still didn't wake up. He was about to start bouncing when he thought of something.

Draco stood up, lent over her, so he was right next to her ear and whispered "Hermione!" really quickly.

Hermione sat bolt up right, almost waking Malfoy in the face.

"What the bloody hell are you doing ferret?" she screeched, trying to calm down.

"I just thought you'd like to know," he said innocently and lazily as he walked backwards over to his bed so he was facing her. "Tomorrow morning, you and I are setting off for a journey to go to Voldermort's home. Sleep tight." With that he ran and ducked as Hermione hurled a pillow at him. Then smirking he went into the bathroom to change.

Hermione laid back down, now very edgy and uncomfortable. She had found it difficult to fall asleep before, not knowing when she was going to see Voldermort, but now that she knew, and the fact that it was less then 12 hours away, the task of falling asleep was going to be impossible.

She tossed and turned, knotted herself up in the blankets, and then eventually kicked them off. Hermione heard Malfoy come back in. He too tossed and turned for a few minutes, restlessly trying to sleep, until his breathing was even and calm. But Hermione was still awake. She watched through the open curtains, as the moon lit the balcony up.

Then she tried counting sheep, but soon her brain kicked in and pointed out that no farmer would have 69, 485 sheep jumping over a cheap wooden fence one by one. Eventually, Hermione pulled the blankets back up and fell into a light, and uneasy sleep.

Phew! I know it seems like my stories always have something wrong with them! Argh. I am sooo pissed (can I say that?) about the disk. I'm going to keep writing today and try to get the story back where it was.

Now, R&R if you forgive me…please? beggs

Ill up date soon with next chap.

AJ