AN: Hey there! Here's chapter seven!

ALL FOR YOU

By Rage

Chapter Seven

****

Ever since, well, his realization, Draco kept avoiding Hermione. May it be in the Great Hall, in his subjects together with Gryffindor, in the halls or anywhere, he made sure that he was well hidden from her. However, he still had his prefect duties and Astronomy project to do with her, and those were the times when he had to be forced to see her. And there was still the researching they had to do together about the mysterious stone.

~

Hermione gasped. "Draco!" she whispered, smiling widely. "Look! I found something!"

Draco reluctantly leaned near her.

"Now, let's see here," she said, her finger tracing the words. "All the founders of Hogwarts had one favorite magical object or place—Salazar Slytherin had the Chamber of Secrets… Helga Hufflepuff had the Bellus Harp… Rowena Ravenclaw had the Hraban Eagle… and Godric Gryffindor had the Heart of Gryffindor!!" She looked up at Draco excitedly.

She continued. "Turn to page 640…" she muttered, turning the pages. "Ah! Here it is! The Heart of Gryffindor was made by Godric Gryffindor, one of Hogwarts' founders, to protect himself from dark magic. He created it also to make himself more powerful.

"Due to old tradition, every wizard and witch had his or her own special favorite magical object. He or she had to keep it hidden from other wizarding folk until he was to pass away. Gryffindor, to protect it, made it invisible to anyone's eyes except his.

"When he was on his deathbed, Gryffindor whispered to his comrades that the Heart of Gryffindor will remain unseen until a true female Gryffindor appears and comes searching for it. Until that time, it will be protected by a magical creature called the Erythros Dragon, a monster that he had created." Hermione breathed in deeply and looked at Draco.

"So you're the true FEMALE Gryffindor?" he asked, rereading the paragraph.

She turned crimson. "W-well, I don't know…"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," Draco sneered. "You don't have to be shy, you know!"

Hermione turned redder and stuck her tongue out. "Anyway, I think I know where it's hidden!" she said, closing the book.

Draco looked up at her. "Where?" he asked sharply.

Hermione was taken aback with his sudden sharpness. Draco saw this, and just to calm her down, he smiled. "Sorry," he apologized, "I'm just excited, that's all."

She nodded and grinned. "Anyway, it might be in that Hallway."

Draco looked at her weirdly. "There are hundreds of hallways here, if you didn't know."

She gave him a 'that's-so-obvious' look and said, "No. Didn't you notice that every time we got attacked by that monster, it was always in the same place?"

This girl notices everything! He thought, giving her an appraising sort of look.

"The first time was when you were on the floor, then in the classroom," she mumbled, counting the incidents with her fingers. "And finally, the one two or three days ago."

"So what you're trying to say is that the Stone's somewhere near that hall?" Draco asked.

Hermione nodded in reply. "But we still have to do something about that Erythros dragon!"

Draco groaned. "Can't we leave that for tomorrow?"

Hermione smiled and stood up. "Fine then." She squealed excitedly and gave Draco a big hug.

Draco grew rigid. Oh dear. He felt the electricity again and he was getting warmer and warmer by the second. Bloody hell, PLEASE LET GO OF ME! He thought. He patted Hermione on the back rather awkwardly.

Finally, after a few seconds (which felt like hours to Draco), Hermione pulled away. There was a slight pink tinge on her cheeks as she said, "Er… sorry!" She laughed nervously and grabbed her bag. "Don't know what got into me, that's all!"

"Er…I'll see you tomorrow again, shall I?" Draco said quietly, slinging his bag on his shoulder.

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Okay then. See you!" She waved goodbye and quickly ran out of the library.

Draco sighed heavily. What's got into ME? With that, he dragged his feet to the exit door and disappeared in the Hallway.

****

"You've got a letter."

Crabbe pointed to Draco's bed. Indeed, a small envelope with a black seal was lying on it.

Draco dropped his bag on the carpeted floor and approached his bed apprehensively. He picked it up slowly. There was no addresser's name behind it, only Mr. Draco Malfoy written with black ink. However, he already knew who sent the letter. It was from his father.

He opened it cautiously, and took out a folded piece of parchment. He went near the window and read it.

Draco,

I applaud you for your obedience and discovery of the stone. Moreover, I am delighted that you have fully made the Mudblood believe that you were her friend. However— Draco gulped – I wonder. Wherefore (AN: in Shakespearean language, this means 'why') did you protect her from the creature? I fully doubt that this is part of your plan to get the stone using her. If you do this again, I will make sure, regardless if whether or not you retrieve the stone that she will perish.

I expect you to get the stone in three weeks' time. Go to the West Tower of the castle at midnight, and Servir will meet you there.

Sincerely,

Lucius

Draco crumpled the letter in anger. 'I will make sure, regardless if whether or not you retrieve the stone that she will perish.' That was what his father had written. How can he do that to her? Why did he have to include her in the situation?

If Hermione were to get hurt, he would fully regret it and make his father pay.

****

"The Erythros Dragon…" Hermione murmured, flipping the pages of Magical Creatures in History. She was in the Common Room with Harry and Ron, who were playing wizard's chess.

"The what dragon?" Harry raised his eyebrow as he ordered his knight to move.

"Don't tell me you're planning to get a dragon for a pet, 'mione!" Ron exclaimed, killing Harry's Bishop with his Pawn.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm just doing some research for… fun!"

Harry and Ron didn't react to this, knowing that Hermione considered research fun.

It was already ten thirty in the evening, and less than fifteen people were in the Common Room. The trio was sitting near the fire, beside two chattering first years.

Hermione read the book silently. Only one Erythros Dragon was seen in magical history, and that was when Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, created it. It is said that this dragon had supernatural powers, just like any other dragon. However, it is rumored that it is lethal to a certain female Gryffindor who would come in the next centuries, for once she hears its cry, she can be knocked unconscious, or worse. She can be killed. Hermione gulped. Nevertheless, she continued. Its fire, called the Pruina Gelare flame, can also kill, for it does not burn… it freezes anyone who comes in contact with it.

Hermione closed the book loudly. Harry and Ron looked at her. "What's the matter?" they asked.

Hermione turned to them and smiled nervously. "N-nothing!" she stammered, standing up. "I'm getting sleepy, so I'm going up now. Good night."

She went up to the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory and disappeared.

The two boys glanced at each other and shrugged.

****

Hermione sank into her bed. She tried hard not to think about what she just read, but the creature kept popping up in her head.

Okay, okay, she thought, burying her face in her pillow. Think of happy thoughts, Hermione.

She smiled. Cute teddy bears, butterflies, good marks in tests and books started appearing in her mind. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. She closed her eyes as she imagined herself eating ice cream with Ron and Harry in summer. However, an image appeared in her head. She opened her eyes.

It was Draco.

She shook her head several times, trying to get him off her head. But many things reminded her of him. Oh, how good he smelled when she leaned in to hug him! That masculine scent… and how godly he always looked whenever he walked through the halls. Every girl's head turned to look at him until he disappeared in the mass of students. Now Hermione never admitted this to anyone, even to Ron and Harry, but she always thought about how cute and drop dead gorgeous Draco was, ever since they were in second year. Though he was an insulting, sneering, and annoying boy, he was also charming, funny and smart.

Hermione kept thinking about him, until she fell asleep.

****

Those eyes were so familiar. She found herself staring through those silver blue orbs, feeling as if she could gaze at them forever.

They were in a glade, talking happily. The boy, who looked like a sixteen-year old, put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

She blushed, but nevertheless, embraced him.

"I love you, Hermione," the boy whispered gently to her.

She smiled slightly and cupped his cheek. She looked at his eyes and whispered back, "I love you too—"

"Draco." Hermione woke up with a start, panting heavily. She hardly believed what had happened in her dream, as well as what she felt.

She couldn't believe that she meant what she had said to him in the dream. She loved Draco.

****

AN: This chapter stinks, I know. Just wanted to get it over with! Anyway, I hope you just CLICK that button below and review! Thanks!