AN: I am really enjoying this. I just wish there were more reviews. HINT! Hey, good news… I've settled in at my new school, and I've made some friends... and they seem like keepers. *grin* Yay!

Disclaimer: "Um, good morning, Ms. Rowling! May Draco please come out and play?"

(Oh, and the haiku down there? Mine. The song lyrics scattered through the fic? At the end, sweeties!)

Chapter Seven: Unsent [1]

I sit and listen

To the scritch-scritch-scratch scribble

The quill's silent tongue

- Original Haiku

It stayed the same. The schedule, of course.

But there were some changes. And they were not entirely unpleasant. One was that Hermione thanked Draco for the food. And he always nodded back. That was just about it. Unless you count the short, yet insightful conversations they had every now and then, when their paths crossed around that Hellhole.

"Draco?"

"Hermione."

"What?"

A slight shrug. "You called me."

"No I di... oh, yes, I did."

"..."

"..."

"Well?"

"What do you want, Draco?"

"My Manor back. And while you're at it, maybe a nice cup of tea. Earl Grey, mind you."

"Oh shut up."

"Thank you.

~*~

dear lou we learned so much I realize we won't be able to talk for some time

and I understand that as I do you

the long distance thing was the hardest and we did as well as we could

we were together during a very tumultuous time

in our lives I will always have your back and be curious about you

about your career about your whereabouts

Hermione sat in the half-dark, scribbling out a letter by the light of a candle-stub.

Dear Harry,

It's been quite a long time since I've received a letter from you. I used to receive a letter every other day, and well... the post has been slowing down. Don't worry, I understand. I know it's expensive to have your letters Pre-Located and all, so I won't expect a reply.

But I'd love one, though.

I was just wondering how you, and Ron and Parvati are doing. Ron tells me they're doing fine, preparing for their wedding and all... I'm sorry, but I really don't think I'll be able to make it, Harry dear. My Paladin duties are confining me to this place and only this place.

I think I may be able to work out an agreement with the Ministry though, so I can make it over there for your birthday... which is something I really don't want to miss.

We're doing just fine over here. Draco hasn't gone overboard yet, and I haven't ripped out his throat either. We're on speaking terms, actually, and I'm quite surprised to find out that Draco's a pleasant young man. I personally think that his run-in with the Death Eaters mellowed out his incredibly unbearable arrogance...

Say hello to Ron for me, and to Parvati as well. Tell them I wish them the best of luck!

Love and kisses,

Hermione

--- She performed a quick Drying Spell on the ink, and walked down the hall to Draco's room, knocking twice on the closed door.

"Draco?"

"Hermione."

"Ah... are you busy?"

"Not really."

"Could you..."

The door swung open and the letter was out of her hands before Hermione could finish her sentence. She was left staring at a shut door once more, but this time, with empty hands.

She sighed, knowing that Draco would perform the tricky Pre-Locator Charm for her.

"Thank you." she called through the door, and without expecting a reply, returned to her room.

~*~

She cast a Silencing Charm on her room, on her quills, and on her sputtering candle. Though it was two in the morning, and Draco was most likely asleep, Hermione was still very private about her diary-writing.

Pausing with her quill over her red-and-gold bound diary, she listened for suspicious noises, and unwillingly called back the memory of the day Draco caught her writing in her diary.

flashback:

"And what is that, Hermione?" he insinuated, leaning against the doorframe.

Hermione frowned. "Why don't you knock?" He shrugged, an elegant lifting of the shoulders. "You didn't hear me." "Then knock twice."

Draco smirked. "Ah, the infamous cliché. Accio!" The diary flew off the desk and smoothly into his hands, much to Hermione's outrage.

"Draco! You-"

Draco glanced at it, shrugged and tossed it back to her. "Don't worry, I'm not interested in your deep, dark and sordid secrets." He turned to leave. "I've got enough of my own." As he walked off down the hallway, Hermione, wanting to have the last word, shouted out "You've got that right!"

but was only answered by a slamming of the door.

end flashback.

You keep on denying

Who you are and how you're feeling

Baby, we're not buying

Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling

Face it like a grown-up

When ya gonna own up

That ya got, got, got it bad

Hermione chuckled softly, a sound instantly suppressed by the Silencing Charm which hung over the room like a blanket.

Dear Diary,

No suspicious happenings lately, unless you count Draco winking at me over breakfast. Silly git.

Apparently, the Ministry of Magic won't let me off my Paladin duties for Harry's birthday. They don't have a replacement, and somehow, they insisted that "outside forces made it impossible for them to re-think their decision".

Maybe they mean that there has been a lot of Dark activity lately. I wouldn't know, because I can never get my hands on the Daily Prophet that the Ministry sends over every morning. Draco swallows it up, and he reads me choice articles every now and then, with rather "amusing" statements added for embellishment.

"I like everything embellished, Hermione dear." he said yesterday.

How dare he.

I haven't been receiving replies from Harry for three straight weeks, and this seems unnatural, because Ron and Parvati's wedding is coming up, and the last time I received a letter from Harry, which would be almost a month ago, he sounded quite excited about all that.

At first, I suspected Draco of foul play. He and I had made an agreement that if he sends off my letters for me, I won't spy on him in the baths, or the pool, for that matter. Why would I do such a lowdown, despicably silly, so very female deed?! Sometimes, Draco can be so strange.

Anyway, I suspected him of not keeping his part of the bargain, but everytime I've had him send off a letter, I always receive a Successful Pre-Location Letter from the Post Office... so I don't think he's being sneaky. Well, sneakier than usual.

The candle's burning low, and the Silencing Charm wearing off. I can hear Draco moving around downstairs... at three in the morning?! Must go find out what he's up to.

Love,

Hermione

*It's too cliché,

I won't say I'm in love*

~*~

Disclaimer: Title of chapter and first paragraph of song lyrics were written and performed by Alanis Morrissette. Second and last paragraph was taken from the Disney Hercules soundtrack, from the song "Won't Say I'm In Love." (I've also used it for a H/H songfic. *kaheekheekheek*)

Shameless plug time:

http://smashed.blogspot.com ~ my blog

http://www.livejournal.com/~nightwalker18 ~ my LJ. (with fragments of my literary insanity.)

Dedicated to all who reviewed. You rock!