Author's Note: Hi there...whoa! :::as always I was pulled away from my chair and instead in my place sat the hottie of our story::: Draco: sorry 'bout that, Phoenix, but since you let Potter, Weasley & Pansy do your author's note last time, guess it's my turn this time :::gives me a conspiring wink and turns back to the monitor::: hello there! I'm taking this time to address you people who are all religiously following my adventures--alongside Potter, Weasley and of course, the love of my life, Mione :::suddenly has a funny-dreamy look in his eyes before blinking it away and focus back on what he's talking about--I remain on my corner of my room rolling my eyes at my silly leading man::: now I know you all are itching to find out who is betraying me and my one true love, well, unlike you people, Phoenix over yonder told me the entire plot and... :::yanks Draco away from my computer and gagged him with a really stinky sock belonging to my sibling::: Shut-up Malfoy & don't spill any more beans about the story! :::Draco sulks to the corner of my room and took the gag out::: Draco: I'm sorry, but blasted! The suspense is killing me! :::shakes head as I smile apologetically at him::: I know, D, I know. Anyway, uhm...just read on and thanks for all your wonderful reviews!
Disclaimer: Alas, if I owned the rights to HP then I would be a rich gal now! *lol*
Summary: Draco & Hermione were suppose to start their 7th year at Hogwarts as a couple, but due to a misunderstanding the previous year that dream soon crumbled and now they are to start their 7th year picking up the pieces of their tattered lives...
Setting: 7th Year
~*~*~*~*~
XIV. Draco's Plan
"Okay, what is this you dragged me here for?" Harry asked irately when he was dragged away from the bustling sound of the Great Hall soon after they both walked in to join the rest of the student population for dinner.
"I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, Potter." Draco began, pacing back and forth in front of Harry, his hands clasped behind his back and his forehead creased into a serious frown.
Harry raised an eyebrow as if saying 'So?' but he refused to voice out the word. Draco looked so wound-up he knew that goading him with a careless 'So?' would burst his bubble.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked instead.
Draco stopped his pacing and faced Harry. "I've concocted a plan to make sure Hermione's safe from Lucius and his evil plans. But I'll need your help, your input, what you really think in order for this plan of mine to work." he confided.
Harry was greatly intrigued. He knew Draco has been working overtime over the past few days regarding Hermione's safety. Hermione was soon getting annoyed with either him or Draco always following her, making sure she get from one place to another with either one of them at their side. They have both been worrying their heads off when Hermione's safety was concerned, and now Malfoy has thought of a plan to keep Hermione safe, now the only question remaining was...
"How?" he frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and cocking his unruly dark hair to the side as he waited patiently for Draco to elaborate on his plan.
~*~
Hermione noticed lately that Harry and Draco had been busy discussing something she knew had something to do with her, but try as she might she couldn't pry a single information out of those two. Even with Ginny's help she couldn't find any beans to spill from Harry. She tried approaching Ron and asked for his help, but lately he has been seen getting a whole damn lot sweeter with Pansy! The thought of Ron and Pansy together still sends shivers down Hermione's spine, but what could she do if those two were in love? Who would have thought that she, Hermione Louise (a/n: I don't know if she has a middle name or not, but since I'm so in to giving my characters two names, I gave Mione one) Granger, would be Draco Malfoy's girlfriend?!
Nevertheless, Ron and Pansy suddenly pairing up just doesn't seem to add up. Ron hates Pansy--and everything Slytherin for that matter--with a passion, and yet she caught those two locking lips in a dark, secluded (or so they thought) part of the school. She knew something wasn't entirely right in that particular pairing, but what was right and what was wrong these days? Two couples consisted of Gryffindor and Slytherin pairing going out, who would've thought that that day would come?
Certainly not her!
Hermione was busy getting lost in her thoughts when she was unceremoniously interrupted by a very flustered--but obviously excited--Ginny. She came bursting into her dorm room with a dopey smile plastered on her elfin like face.
"Oh Herm, you gotta come with me, quick!" she grabbed Hermione's arm and tried dragging her away from her bed.
"Where are you taking me, Gin? I have to study for an exam!" Hermione refused to budge, putting all her weight against Ginny hence the young redhead girl had a hard time pulling her.
"Harry said to call you right away and meet them at Hagrid's."
Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Them? And at Hagrid's?" she echoed.
"Yes! Draco and Harry are with Hagrid right now. They told me it's something...oh, I don't know. All I know is they just asked me to get you so now get off that bony arse of yours and let's get moving!" the petite redhead was starting to lose her patience, but no matter how hard a tantrum Ginny Weasley threw, Hermione wouldn't budge.
"Not until to tell me why they want me at Hagrid's." she insisted.
"Hermione..." Ginny whined.
"Ginny..." Hermione copied using the same tone.
The two friends glared at each other for the longest time, neither one budging nor uttering something. A few, very long, very intense minutes passed, still neither one of them moved until finally their silent warring was disrupted by Harry's irate:
"What the hell's taking you so long, Gin?!"
Both girls jumped and glared at the dark haired boy with dark round specs standing at the doorway of Hermione's dorm room.
"Didn't you learn how to knock, Harry?" Hermione snapped irately at him.
Harry raised an eyebrow, a hand on the door handle as he looked from his best friend's kid sister then to his other best friend seated on her bed. "Malfoy and I have been waiting for you two to show up at Hagrid's for nearly half an hour! What's the hold up?" he demanded.
"Hermione won't move until I tell her why she's being summoned to Hagrid's." Ginny answered for them.
"And why do you have to have a reason to go to Hagrid's, hm?" Harry questioned, looking pointedly at Hermione.
"Well it's a school night--"
"It's a freaking Friday night, Hermione!" Harry cut-in.
"--and I have assignments to do." Hermione continued as though Harry didn't speak.
"Screw assignments and projects right now. We need to get to Hagrid's right away." he insisted.
"Why?" she demanded.
"You'll see, now MOVE!"
~*~
"I really don't understand why we have to meet at Hagrid's..." Hermione's voice soon trailed off as soon as they neared Hagrid's cottage. She couldn't help her jaw from falling on the grassy ground when she saw Draco down on one knee, an small dark jewelry box--opened of course--in his hand. "What-is-going-on?" she asked softly as she stopped right in front of Draco.
Smiling he looked up at her with those steel gray eyes of his which suddenly filled with too much love and popped the question.
"Will you marry me, Hermione Louise Granger?"
~*~*~*~*~
to be continued...
A/N: tun-dun-dun-dun....hehehehe, well there ya have it, folks! Sorry for a few days' delay. Been busy at work and lately haven't been feeling well. I am usually at my best writing this fic in the afternoon, but since I work afternoons I can't seem to find the time to write. But today I called in sick at work (because I haven't been feeling well since Sunday :-/) and decided to fill in my free time with another chapter :::looks over my shoulder at Draco who didn't leave my side the whole time::: There, are you happy now that I added another cliffy for our wonderful readers to read? Draco: :::pouting::: Hmmm...fair enough...hehehe, now the question is, did Hermione say yes or did she turn me down??? :::I raise an eyebrow and turn back to face my monitor::: Well I think that's what you people will have to find out next time, hehehehe
Slytherin's Angel: having a hard time figuring out who is the secret informer, aren't you? well soon enough everybody will know who that scheming double agent is! *lol*
Rebecca: I'm glad you're back. And I did my author's note that way because...well, out of sheer boredom I suppose, but I'm glad you thought it was hilarious *smiles*
Elfin Warrior Maiden: sure I'll read your story and help you out...I'd love to ^_^
Candycane: I checked out a couple of the stuff you posted up & liked one of your poems. keep it up and just keep on guessing who that secret informer is....hehehehe
tom felton's babe: I am NOT going to include Voldemort here. The main villain in this fic is Draco's dad, Lucius, and it will remain so until the end of this fic! hehehehe and as for Draco telling Hermione the truth...he'll eventually have to come clean to her...
Quistis88: "Cowgary" is like 3 to 4 hours drive from here so you ain't really that far south if you're near there, right? and yeah, protective guys are sweet, but OVER-PROTECTIVE guys are annoying! *lol*
Starrynights13: hehehe, well it could be Pansy, it could be Ron, it could be Harry, it could be Crabbe, it could be Goyle, it could be Ginny, it could be Colin, it could be Seamus, it could be Neville, it could be Dean...it could be anybody from school that is informing Lucius of his son's activities, hehehehe ;p
Loki: I'm glad I make you happy 'coz I update so often, even though sometimes the updates are days apart! *lol* and sometimes the updates are like hours apart depending on how many chapters I have typed up and how "inspired" I am to continue on writing the fic. as for them coming out, I think they "hinted" to the rest of the school that they are together, but they haven't confirmed anything verbally to anybody yet--with the exception of Harry and Ginny of course
hyper_shark: they could be or one of them could be the informer...
super rookie: yeah, we ALL love this bad boy hence why we often want to read stories about him! *lol* and for everything there is a reason (I dunno where I heard that phrase from before) and all will soon be revealed/elaborated/explained
Queen Li: thanks! and I have yet to read the rest of your fic! I think I only got to reading like up to the 4th or 5th chapter then I had to stop...drats! I forgot to review, but your fic's really good, I can't wait to finish reading it, hehehehe
Nysa: like what I said to super rookie, for everything there is a reason and all will soon be revealed/elaborated/explained hehehehe ;p
Hannah4Daniel: I'm sorry if I didn't mention your name in the previous chappie, but now I'm mentioning your name. BTW, thanks for reading/reviewing my other fic. I am kinda stumped on my other fics right now because I am working on this one right now
Brookie: *lol* I take it that you think Pansy's a filthy b**ch? hehehehe, well, you'll see and no, I don't think Ron's under the Imperius Curse....and btw, I think I lost the sheet where I wrote down your email addy so alas, I don't have it :-( but if you give it to me again for sure I'll send you updates on when I upload the next chapter(s)
nessa-girl: *lol* squeeze the info outta me? hmm...well I wanna keep you peeps in suspense a bit more. seems like the pool is leaning towards either Ron or Pansy being the spy...
DrAcO & HeRmIoNe: thanks for leaving your mark!
maxzoid: well seems like you don't have to wait too long for the next chapter! *lol* 'coz here it is!
Draco's one and only: hahaha, well I won't tell you who it is now even though you already took a guess...you'll just have to find out like the rest of the peeps who that slimey bastard is! and as for the Hermione getting preggy plotline...still underworks dear