Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of his friends, Ms. Rowling does.

Author's Note: Please let me know if I am out of zone, anywhere.

Hollywoodgurl: Here, had your wish. But wait, it gets better a while later. The more the wait is, the sweeter the story becomes...

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Chapter 8: Attack at Hogsmeade

Before Harry can reply, Cho spotted Hermione and smiled at her.

"Hermione! How are you?" she wished, not so happily.

"Fine! Thanks" replied Hermione a bit weak.

"I don't see anyone asking you for a date. Don't worry, you will find someone, maybe Neville or Colin can go with you" Cho added sarcastically.

Harry frowned. He didn't like it a bit.

"Actually Cho! I asked Hermione to go with me and I am going with her", replied Harry smugly.

"Oh!..Well. Let me know if you change your mind", said a visibly shocked Cho and left them. Hermione was surprised as well. 'The Harry Potter wants to go with me'

Harry silently walked towards the entrance followed by Hermione.

"Harry.are you sure about what you said?" asked Hermione hopefully.

"I wanted to ask you properly. I just couldn't see her making fun of you like that", said Harry but he misread her confused face.

"What.Oh.I am sorry Mione. I understand if you don't want to go with me", said Harry slowly. Her mind on the other hand was jolting with fun.

"Oh no! I would love to go with you", grinned Hermione. Harry beamed at her.

"Great! Let's have some fun", said Harry holding Hermione's hand. They both walked towards the common room with beautiful thoughts in their minds.

* * *

Harry and Hermione walked into the common room. Ron was waiting for him.

Hermione couldn't control her blushing.

Harry walked towards Ron who was sitting in a corner while Hermione ran into her dorm.

"Hiya! Harry. Who are you going with?" asked Ron curiously.

Harry blushed furious red before blurting out "Hermione", very slowly.

"What? Who is it? I can't hear you Harry!" mocked Ron.

Harry glared at him, but joined in the laugh.

"What about you?" asked Harry controlling his smile.

Ron looked at Lavender near by. "Who else but princess Lavender!" said Ron proudly, making Lavender blush red.

Harry nodded and left to his dorm.

* * * "Harry! Get ready quickly. The carriages would leave in five minutes." Yelled Ron.

"I am ready Ron. Hermione is not yet. Why don't you start with Lavender and we can meet in the three broomsticks?" sighed Harry.

Ron nodded and ran towards waiting Lavender.

After a few minutes, Hermione came out of her dorm. She looked breathtaking. Harry just stared at her, his mouth left ajar.

"Harry! Stop staring", blushed Hermione.

"Oh! Sorry! But you are breathtaking Hermione", complimented Harry.

"Why! Thank you. You look dashing yourself", said Hermione making Harry go red.

"You could have come out a few minutes earlier. Ron and Lavender were waiting for us", remarked Harry.

"Well! I kind of wanted to be late", said Hermione smiling.

"You are evil. You know that. Your mind works brilliant", smiled back Harry.

"Thanks hero! Let's walk to Hogsmeade" taking Harry's hand.

They had a pleasant walk towards the village. They spoke of several things ranging from Quidditch to Voldermort.

At three broomsticks, all four had butter bears.

"Harry! Why did you walk from the school?" asked Ron innocently.

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't even know why he wanted to walk all the way. Hermione on the other hand seemed to know everything. She was blushing again.

"Ron! Where is Ginny?" asked Harry trying to change the topic.

Ron fell for it much to the relief of Harry and Hermione.

"I don't know. That is weird. She didn't come to Hogsmeade either. May be she didn't find anyone." Said Ron thinking.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other shrugging. After finishing, they walked out into the village to go to Zonkos.

Suddenly, there were shouts and screams as ten death eaters apparated into the street.

"Ron! Hermione! Lavender! Run inside." Shouted Harry.

Ron and Hermione stared at Harry like he is mad.

"Don't even think about it Harry. We are not leaving you", replied Hermione adamantly.

Harry didn't have time to react. He shouted, "stupefy" at one of them, stunning him and yelled "petrificus totalus" one another.

Hermione meanwhile disarmed one and Ron did for another. Lavender was having her fun by throwing "rictasempra" curse at a death eater.

Suddenly one of the death eaters hit Ron with "expelliarmus" disarming him and binding him with ropes. Harry turned to Ron and removed the ropes. Hermione and Lavender were dueling with other two. Hermione had to help Lavender as well.

Sneaking from behind, one of the death eaters, shouted "Morsus Manus" at Lavender making her cry out in pain clutching her legs and she let go of her wand. Hermione was furious. She immediately yelled spells at a very quick rate.

"Inversio"

"Reversio"

"Caligo"

"Morsus corpus"

making the death eater howl in pain and daze and finally become unconscious.

Meanwhile, Harry summoned air guardian to throw one off his feat, while Ron disarmed another. Hermione spelled "Reducto" making a huge blast and rendering the rest of the death eaters unconscious.

Soon, aurors popped everywhere and arrested all the death eaters.

"Mr. Potter! Are you and your friends alright?" enquired the leader.

"We are all fine" nodded everyone.

Hermione helped Lavender and Ron towards a carriage and hopped into another with Harry. On their way back, Harry pulled a package from his cloak.

"Hermione! Here..." and handed his gift to her.

"Oh Harry! You don't have to", said a surprised Hermione and opened the package to find "Hogwarts: Secrets Revealed" book. Her face lit up bright. Opening the cover, she found that the book belonged to Lily Potter. Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you Harry! That is so nice of you" and hugged him.

"Anything for you Mione" whispered Harry wishing her embrace to last longer. Hermione wished Harry wouldn't end it either and sat there holding him tight. After a few minutes and only after arriving at the school, they reluctantly separated and walked back, holding hands together.

* * *

Draco and Ginny walked hand-in-hand around the village. They both used Velius potion to hide their identities. Infact, they passed Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lavender a couple of times. By the time they came to three broomsticks, they saw aurors all over the place capturing death eaters.

They both started walking back to school so that they wouldn't attract much attention. After walking for sometime, Ginny seemed to remember something and her face paled.

"Draco! I heard from my father that there had been another induction into you-know-who's ranks. Is it true?" asked Ginny.

Draco understood what she meant.

"Gin! I swear it's not me. In fact, that night I was in Slytherin common room." Replied Draco assuring Ginny.

Ginny nodded. After a pause, she asked again.

"Draco! What happened during holidays? Why were you so upset and silent when the term started?" asked Ginny.

Draco looked intently into Ginny's face and decided to open up.

"Gin! After my fourth year, my mother explained me a lot of things about my father, You-know-who, James and Lily potter and others. It made me realize that I have been wrong all along. But my father would kill me if I change. So I had to put up the mask of "evil Draco" during last term. But during summer..." Stopped Draco.

Ginny held his hand and pressed, assuring him. He took a breath and continued.

"My father killed my mother", he couldn't continue. Ginny immediately held him and hugged him.

Draco broke up and started crying. Even Ginny didn't see him in tears anytime during their friendship.

"The one person who loved me is no more. She left me Ginny and all because of my evil father..." bellowed Draco. Ginny hugged him close and hushed him.

"That's not true Draco. She is in your heart and that is what is important. As for loving you, I am here. Never forget that", smiled Ginny.

"Oh! Ginny! What would I do without you?" hugged Draco.

"Like I would ever let you alone.." whispered Ginny into his ear.

Draco smiled to her through tears and whispered, "I love you Gin, always!" and Ginny happily replied, "and I love you Draco, forever!".

Their lips locked fiercely.

A cloaked figure watched them in disgust from behind a bush.

"Just wait for a few more days. All will be resolved in time dear", smirked the figure and walked towards Hogwarts.