Chapter 23- History Repeating Itself

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Yay, I've finally updated. I know it has been ages but this is a really nice long chapter for you guys and it explains some things! Not all but some… right well I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: really, honestly and truly not mine. Man I wish it was though.

'-'=thoughts

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***

The next day found Hermione comfortably asleep on one of the couches in the Gryffindor common room whilst Ron watched over her in an armchair close by. Ron had removed the heavy purple dress and put it to one side, relieved that she was still wearing modern day underwear, and put her into one of her nightdresses. He had not let himself have a wink of sleep that night as he was filled with the fear that if he took his eyes off her for one second she would disappear. Harry hadn't returned to the dormitory and Ron assumed he was spending the night in the hospital wing. The day before Hermione had refused to go and talk to Dumbledore about what had happened so Ron had simply asked a house elf to relay the message that Hermione was safe and well to Harry, Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore. Ron was seething that Harry hadn't immediately appeared, determined to stay with Hermione no matter what like Ron was. Just as this thought occurred to him, another one sprung to mind. Today was the funeral of Pansy's brother. He had an overwhelming feeling that he wanted to see her off. There was no reason why, he just wanted to see her to make sure that she hadn't changed back to the old Pansy overnight. But his desire to keep Hermione safe overrode his curiosity and he settled himself more comfortably, preparing to stay no matter how long it took until Hermione was up and about. Suddenly Hermione began to twist and turn, slowly at first then faster and faster until Ron was afraid she would buck herself off the couch. He sprung to her side and put his arms around her trying to wake her up but having no success.

"DRACO!" Hermione screamed sitting bolt upright, her face pale and her palms clenched.

"It's okay, it's okay." Ron soothed, "He's fine and so are you. Everything is absolutely fine."

Hermione seemed content with this reassurance as she collapsed back down, apparently fast asleep again. Ron wiped her brow gently free of the little beads of sweat which had gathered on her forehead and smoothed down her mussed up hair. His heart swelled with love for his best friend. He would never let Draco hurt her, NEVER!

***

It wasn't long before she awakened again, this time more calmly. She rubbed her eyes and gazed blearily around.

"Ron? Harry?" she questioned.

"I'm here." Ron said jerking out of a doze and crossing over to her side.

"Where's Harry?" she asked, still dazedly.

"I don't know." Ron replied truthfully, "but I'm sure he's on his way to see you now." He had no idea as to the validity of this comment but smiled gently at Hermione to try and reassure her.

"Oh." She said quietly, "Hey Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I have had the most messed up week!"

"I know, I know." He moved to her side and she settled against him, comforted by his presence.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation." She said after some time had passed.

"That'd be good, but if you're not ready or…"

"No!" Hermione sat up, "I can't handle this by myself…" she fleetingly thought of Draco but then shook him out of her mind, "by myself." She repeated. "So where is that page?" she suddenly pulled a piece of parchment out of her bra. Ron stared at her in amazement. "A girl's best place of concealment." She laughed noting his expression. "Well this kind of explains everything so just read it and don't ask any questions, wait until you have finished and then I'll answer them the best I can, okay?" Ron nodded and unfolded the parchment, it was covered in tiny curly old-fashioned writing. He glanced up at Hermione and she nodded for him to read, he began…

***

With the passionate love emerging between the children of the longstanding enemies the families became alarmed. Measures were taken to ensure they didn't meet or have contact with each other. Their magic abilities were stripped from them, so they were unable to perform even the simplest spell or charm, their wands were useless, and so they became squibs. Hermione was locked in her room and watched day and night by her brothers but most especially by her cousin John. He became obsessive and wouldn't let anyone see Hermione. He worked himself into an illness which overcame his body and induced fits and violent tendencies. When anyone but Hermione tried to tend to him he became aggressive and fought with super-human strength. So the days wore on. Hermione kept a vigil by her cousin's bed soothing him when he awoke and desperately trying to get in touch with her love during the other hours locked in her room. Then one day her love came to her, he had managed to climb a high wall surrounding the Granger mansion and from the top of it could see straight into Hermione's window. Their meeting lasted but for a few hours as soon he was seen. Scrambling back away from the spells being fired at him he lost his footing and hung from the edge of the wall, a long drop beneath him, one that would surely kill him. Hermione smashed a window and managed to climb out and to jump onto the wall too. She desperately tried to pull him back up but she wasn't strong enough. Her brothers soon reached her side but although she implored them to help her, to save her love, they did nothing. Eventually his grip weakened and he pulled his hand away from Hermione's, not wishing her to fall too. He fell and died instantly on the hard ground below. Hermione's one true love, the Granger's mortal enemy and the heir to the family fortune, Draco Malfoy, was dead. Ron lifted his head sharply and looked at Hermione but she avoided his eyes and simply waved her hand for him to read on. At the news of his son's death Lord Malfoy launched an attack on the Granger mansion, intent on reaching Hermione and slaying her. The Granger's were unprepared for such an assault and most of the inhabitants were slaughtered when the Malfoy's unleashed a dark spell over the mansion. Lord Malfoy blasted away the door to Hermione's room and was just in time to see John rear up with a dagger in his hand and stab Hermione through the heart. Lord Malfoy wanted to kill her himself so he cast another dark spell to keep her alive. But spells to stop death are fickle and Hermione became caught in a sort of  limbo. Neither living nor dying simply suspended in time she began to be little more then a mere shadow. Unable to live or die she stayed in her room beside John. But she couldn't calm him as she used to and no one was able to get close enough to administer medical aid or food and water. Lord Malfoy took over the Granger Mansion and ordered the door to Hermione's room sealed with magic, John and Hermione still within. It was never opened again. It is assumed John starved to death, nothing is known about Hermione's whereabouts. With the Granger legacy destroyed the few of them who were left escaped the mansion and began their lives as muggles, soon losing all of their magical abilities and unable to ever remember a time when they had been anything other then completely normal. 

***

Ron finished reading and folded the parchment up, trying to sort out the huge influx of information in his mind.

"So," he said finally, "care to explain that a little more clearly?"

Hermione proceeded to tell him all about the previous afternoon and about Jonathon/John stabbing the ghostly Hermione again.

"He set her free, I'm sure of it. She had been in limbo all that time and she was finally asking John to let her leave and join her love. So I guess this is all just a little bit of history repeating itself. We have all been playing parts in a reoccurring curse. A curse the Malfoy's and Grangers created a few centuries back. Jonathon became a future echo of John, I think you and Harry played the parts of the protective brothers and everyone else is basically the same.

 "Well that can't be right because you don't love Malfoy and you have the best grasp of magic out of everyone in the school, you haven't lost it…have you?!"

Hermione took a deep breath, "Yes alright? Ever since yesterday afternoon neither Draco nor I have been able to do any magic."

"Oh." He said quietly, "so what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But if we can keep Draco from throwing himself off a wall then I think it will be okay. The curse has already been disrupted because some people haven't played out their parts correctly. I guess I'll visit Jonathon soon and tell him what's going on. Apart from that I just want to spend the rest of my Christmas holidays here then I'll go and tell Dumbledore everything."

"Why not tell him now?" Ron asked confused as Hermione had always had a sort of blind faith in the headmaster and seemed to think he could make everything better again.

"Well I'm going to be thrown out of Hogwarts aren't I? I'd like to spend as long as possible here before I'm forced to go."

"Hermione, no! Dumbledore would never…"

"Ron it's okay. I can't be a student at a school of magic with no magic. And I don't particularly fancy the care-takers job or anything like that! Now I'm going to go and have a shower. You should go up to your dormitory and get some rest."

Ron looked at her worriedly.

"I'm fine!" she assured him, "Go on." Reluctantly he left. Hermione sighed and flopped back against the couch. Thankfully Ron had overlooked the fact that she hadn't told him her feelings about Draco. 'Not surprising,' a voice in the back of her head muttered, 'you haven't even told yourself yet.'

***

Draco straightened the collar on his best black robe and marched out of his dormitory. He followed Pansy down the stairs and out into the entrance hall. She ignored him though the click of the heels of his dragon hide boots must have given him away. Outside they both climbed into a black carriage which was waiting for them, still without speaking a word. Finally, as they pulled away from the Hogwarts castle, Draco couldn't stand the silence anymore and spoke up.

"I'm sorry about your brother Pansy." He said quietly. She turned to look at him for the first time that morning and Draco sucked in a surprised breath at her appearance. Her hair was dull and lifeless, her face, although prettier without the horrible make-up she usually had slapped on, was pale and tightly drawn. But it was her eyes that scared Draco the most. They were dark pits that looked so hollow and devoid of any emotion that he imagined it must be what dementor's eyes would look like.

"I didn't want you to come." She said bitterly, "and why should you? Your father killed him Draco and you are just going to turn up and pretend to be remorseful." She clenched her fists and slammed them into her lap as if stopping herself from hitting him. Draco was shocked to say the least. Pansy had never disagreed with or raised her voice to him. What was going on? Pansy lifted her head and gazed at him. "You know what?" she said in an awed voice as if something amazing had just occurred to her. "I'm tired of pretending that everyone who is not the dark lord is in the wrong. Roger was good, Draco. And not sickening Gryffindor type good, I mean he was just good without all that morality rubbish. He had his pride and he was loyal to our family but his stupid heart gave him away. The idiot should have never fallen in love!" Pansy began to sob quietly and Draco leaned back against the black leather seats and contemplated her out-burst. Things were changing. That much was obvious. He had no idea what he was going to tell his father about his current situation. He rehearsed a few attempts in his head.

'Father, so you killed Pansy's brother? Isn't that going to make the marriage you've been planning for Pansy and I just a tad tense? Oh and by the by you know that book Merged Destinies which you deliberately left on my desk as a warning? Well it kind of back fired and Granger now knows what's going on. Well it was great to chat with you why don't we meet some other time for a butter beer? No? Well I'll see you in hell then.' Probably not, how about:

'You know how I'm supposed to be luring the mudblood away from Potter and Weasley? Well things have been a bit complicated recently and I'm thinking about chucking it in. you have no idea how close they are! It would take a whole team of handsome men like me to tear Granger away from them, anyway pass this message on to the dark lord for me and hand in my resignation.' Yet again, not advisable. Of  course he could just say:

'Leave me alone! I don't want to be a pawn anymore, I've had enough!' that would probably ensure his death sometime in the near future.

"Draco?" Pansy's soft voice broke into his thoughts and he lifted his head to look at her.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"What do you think of Weasley?"

Draco looked at her in shock.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well if he found out about something that hurt one of his enemies do you think he would use it against me…I mean his enemy?" Pansy spoke quietly as if she was ashamed of something. Draco smiled to himself.

"So he knows about Roger then." he stated

"Yes." She sighed, "Dammit Draco why do you always have to be so right?"

"Comes with the Malfoy name I suppose." He grimaced. "Anyway I don't think he would. He has the whole Gryffindor thing down pat, morality and all so I reckon you're safe. Anyway there are plenty of things going on to take his mind of it."

"I suppose you are right." Pansy agreed sounding almost…mournful?

***

The funeral was as Draco expected it to be. A whole bunch of dark wizards and witches telling Pansy that Roger's death was for the best. Draco watched her grow paler and paler and eventually realised that she wouldn't be able to take much more. He assigned himself as her bodyguard and kept all those wishing to criticise her brother at his funeral away. Although she never said anything Draco could sense how grateful she was. They were just preparing to return to Hogwarts when Lucius Malfoy caught his son's arm and virtually dragged him into a side room at the Parkinson Mansion.

"Draco, what news?"

"Hello father, nice to see you too." Draco muttered sullenly looking away from the senior Malfoy.

"Don't cheek me boy. And tell me, how is your work for the dark lord progressing?"

"It isn't." Draco answered shortly trying to leave the room and return to Pansy's side. Lucius blocked his way and put his greasy face up close to Draco.

"I'm warning you Draco, the dark lord is losing patience."

"Well why doesn't he try some other muggle card game?" Draco quipped darkly still trying to move away.

His father grabbed his shoulders painfully and glared at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I want answers, NOW!"

Draco's face reddened and he jerked himself out of his father's grasp.

"Don't touch me again. EVER!" he growled stalking past him and towards the open door.

"Draco!" his father hissed "If you're even thinking about forsaking the dark side don't think for a moment that I would hesitate to kill you."

"The thought never even crossed my mind. Look, father, do you remember when Voldemort promised me that this would be my last assignment and that you would leave me alone once I had accomplished it?"

"Yes of course." Lucius said shortly.

"Well you were lying." Draco said simply, "So I've decided to quit now and not be involved with any of you anymore. That's it, I'm through. I extricate myself from our family and from any dark activities you or anyone else ever has or ever will commit. I'm not a coward. I won't run around in a mask attacking defenceless muggles, it is weak and childish. The dark lord is just a lost little boy suffering from the lack of a father figure as a child." Draco watched his father warily to see his response.

"Foolish words. I could kill you now, you know." Lucius threatened.

"No you couldn't!" Draco laughed, "In plain view of everyone you escorted me into an empty room, it would look just a little suspicious if you came out and announced that I was dead. Father you have committed a serious blunder. Besides which," his tone became more menacing, "I was bereft of a father figure too." he gave a mirthless smile and continued: "Leave me and Hogwarts alone and I will never tell anyone about Voldemort and his supporters. Threaten me again and I will be forced to inform Dumbledore of all I know! Goodbye father, I hope we never have the misfortune of meeting again." Draco pushed past his now denounced father and set off in search of Pansy.

***

"What did you say to your father?" Pansy asked once they were settled in the same carriage they had arrived in and on their way back to Hogwarts.

"I have removed myself from the dark circle." Draco said simply then he waited for Pansy's shocked and maybe even angry reply but it didn't come. Instead she said so quietly he wasn't sure he had actually heard it:

"So I have I."

"What?!" he asked leaning forward, "do you understand what you've done Pansy? Banished from all your friends and family, everything you've ever known, do you properly, truly realise what an effect this is going to have on your life?!"

"Yes Draco." She snapped, "Anyway, I still have enough standing in Slytherin not to lose all my friends!" she gave him a side-ways smirk, his spirits rose.

"Perhaps not all of them." He answered letting a natural grin spread across his face.

Suddenly Draco felt a prickle of magic in the air around him a sense of danger washed over him.

"Draco." Pansy said uneasily, looking around for the source of the sudden friction.

"I know, I feel it too." he replied leaning over and opening the carriage door so it swung back against the outside. "Come here." He instructed reaching for the shivering girl. He wrapped his arms around her tightly encasing her head in his hands. "Hold on tight to me." He instructed, "We're going to jump." She gave a squeak of fright but didn't object or pull away from him. "Right on the count of three, one, two…" he took a deep breath and braced himself "…three!" he leapt from the speeding carriage and rolled trying to cushion Pansy from the impact whilst still getting as far away as possible from the foreboding feeling of dark magic. As soon as they had stopped rolling he urged Pansy up and they began to run, dark forest surrounding them on all sides and the ground rocky and uneven beneath them. Suddenly a humongous BOOM sounded from behind them and they both whirled around to see their carriage explode in a hiss of green flames. The dark mark formed above the wreckage and Draco spat on the ground in disgust.

"Your own son, father? Your own flesh and blood? The Malfoy heir dammit!"
Pansy began to cry softly and Draco awkwardly patted her on the back before forcing her into a sort of jog.

"Draco? Draco stop, wait a moment!" they had been walking for about 10 minutes and Draco had been miles away thoughts chasing each other around his head. 'His father had tried to kill him and Pansy, would they be safe at Hogwarts? How were they going to get to Hogwarts? What were the two of them going to do without their families and kicked out of the dark circle?' Pansy tugged harder on his arm. "Draccy, pay attention!" she snapped, he looked at her in annoyance.

"I thought we had quit the whole Draccy thing!" he said angrily.

"I never said that." She replied smugly, "Anyway look I have a portkey to get us back to Hogwarts."

"A what? Why didn't you say so before?"

"Well I tried but you weren't paying attention. Don't think because you saved my life you can boss me around, if it wasn't for you we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Shut up Pansy and just give me the portkey." He growled berating himself for ever thinking she was not all that bad.

"No! I want you to tell me what's going on!" she sulked sitting down on a rock and giving him a look which plainly said 'I'm not moving!'

"Look, we don't have time for this now!" he hissed ever wary of another attack.

"Don't be stupid, we've been walking for ages, these are boots for attending funerals in, not walking!" she pouted showing him her soft black knee high boots.

"Fine!" Draco threw up his arms in submission and sat down beside her. For the next half hour or so Draco told her everything he knew about the curse that had inflicted him and Hermione and what had happened between himself and his father just a short time ago. When he had finished Pansy let out a long breath and regarded him seriously.

"Got yourself into a fine old mess this time, haven't you?"

"Well it isn't my fault!" he snapped back, his temper rising. "It hasn't exactly been much fun for me!"

"Whatever, Draccy. Admit it, you have become much more involved then you meant to. It's lucky really that our families are already trying to kill us because if they found out that you had fallen in love with a mudblood, well they would kill you!"

Draco looked at her and she stared seriously back. Then at the same time they both began laughing loudly, almost hysterically. Draco was aware that their reactions were simply the shock from their near miss earlier on wearing off but he didn't care, he just wanted to laugh and laugh. And so that is what they did. Their laughter ringing around the clearing and sending birds fluttering from the trees surrounding them, squawking in protest of the ruckus. Eventually their chuckles subsided and Pansy glanced down at her wizard watch and gave a cry. She reached up and pulled the large black bow from her hair and held it out for Draco to hold.

"I organised this portkey yesterday." She explained as they stood waiting for the familiar tug at their navels. "I thought if the funeral got too much for me to handle I could just grab onto this and leave. Oh here we go!" and the next second they found themselves landing with a jolt on the Hogwarts lawns. Pansy smoothed her hair and threw the bow away. "Ugly thing." She muttered then she turned to Draco. "Now you have to go and find that Granger girl. Comfort her or whatever because if you really like her the longer you wait the longer she will be a Gryffindor and therefore useless to you and anyone else."

"You don't change Pansy." Said Draco almost fondly.

"Someone has to keep things normal round here!" she exclaimed then she gave him a swift wink, "Go get her." She smirked sauntering off and into the castle.

***

Hermione smoothed down her favourite beige trousers and snuggled deeply into one of Ron's 'Weasley sweaters' which she had borrowed during the particularly cold winter they had had the previous year and never given back. She liked to wear it when she felt sad or ill as the familiar smell of Ron and the softness of the wool always made her feel better. She had had enough of lounging around on the couches in the common room so she decided to go and visit Hagrid, glad that he rarely ventured into the castle and wouldn't know anything of the strange happenings of recent days. However she was only just out of the castle when she saw Draco hurrying towards her from across the lawns. She instantly spun on her heel and hurried up the steps back into Hogwarts. It seemed, however, that Draco had put on a burst of speed as he caught up with her before she had gone more then a few paces.

"Wait!" He grabbed at her arm and spun her around so she was facing him. "You're kidding yourself if you think the whole thing is just going to go away Hermione!"

"So what if I am?" Hermione snapped trying to break free and get back inside "Leave me alone I just want to be left alone."

"NO! We are going to talk about this now!" Draco roared grabbing her wrists and leading her back down the steps and over to one of the stone walls that surrounded the castle. "Sit!" he ordered and she obediently sank down, looking balefully up at him.

"Why are you suddenly doing this?" she snapped "before you were the one avoiding me!"

"Do you know where I went this morning?" he asked avoiding the question. Hermione shook her head still gazing up at him.

"I went to the funeral of Pansy's brother."

Hermione gave a little gasp. She didn't like Pansy but that didn't mean she was so heartless as to not feel sympathy for her loss. "Is…is she okay?" she asked tentatively.

"No, of course she isn't!" he exploded looking at her incredulously, "you don't have any idea what she's going through."

Hermione bit her lip and looked down, thoroughly chastised. Draco shook his head and silently berated himself. He knelt down before her and gently took her chin between his fingers forcing her to look at him.

"Hermione, I know things look pretty bad now but…"

"Bad? Bad doesn't even cut it Malfoy!" she spat trying to shake her head away from his clutches but he determinedly hung on. "This is the end of everything for me. You have the family fortune to fall back on but I have nothing. No muggle college or university is going to accept my years at a magical school! Think about it, my future is ruined!"

"Despite what you might think we're in the same boat and I'll look out for you."

"You're not enough." Hermione said bitterly. Draco dropped her chin and stood back up.

"Well if I'm not good enough for you Miss Hermione Granger," he said sarcastically, "who is? Ronald Weasley?"

"Now what are you on about?" Hermione asked wearily, "Blimey Draco you seem to have some sort of sick fixation on my friends. They couldn't give two hoots about you and I suggest you adopt the same manner!"

There was silence for a few long minutes and then Draco spoke:

"It's like you said, Hermione, this thing is bigger then both of us. We can't escape it, we can only learn to live with it…as best we can."

Hermione took a deep breath.

"Yes I suppose you're right."

"And anyway," Draco knelt down in front of her again and wrapped his arms around her waist, taking her completely by surprise, "the best thing about having no magic is that that little stunt you played protecting you from my, how should I say?, advances has no effect." He leaned forward so his breath tickled her cheek, "pretty lucky wouldn't you say?!"

"Draco." Hermione said warningly, "Don't you dare …"

She was cut off as his lips seared against hers. She moaned slightly in protest but the sound was lost into his mouth as he continued to gently caress her lips. Hermione ignored all the logical voices telling her that she had promised herself to never let Draco Malfoy have this effect on her again and surrendered herself totally to him. Draco felt the tension leave her body and took the opportunity to slowly stand, bringing her up with him. Although he longed to touch her as he had on Christmas Day he knew he would be pushing his luck so Draco kept his hands tightly encircling her waist and let his lips convey his passion. Hermione laid her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes drinking in the sweetness of his kiss like it was butterbeer. They continued like this, their kisses soft but full of need for one another, until a shout came ringing across the grounds and they pulled apart in surprise. Hermione who had become so used to Ron shouting whenever he saw Draco and herself together looked around for him but he wasn't there instead it was Harry marching up the grounds towards them looking positively grey and with Cho hurrying along behind him. They didn't seem to notice Hermione and Draco at all.

"Harry, please, just once more, please try!" she wailed but Harry didn't even look back at her. "Cedric would have tried, Cedric would have done anything for me!" she suddenly shouted waving her arms in a desperate attempt to get his notice. It worked. Harry spun around and faced her, his emerald eyes flashing and a red flush suddenly staining his ashen face.

"No he wouldn't have!" he shouted back, "You know why Cho? Because he didn't have the skills I have! And because he is DEAD! Yes, that's right Cho, DEAD! It doesn't matter how many times you try and convince yourself he is coming back or that I can do anything about it, it doesn't change the fact that he is DEAD! I am not doing this anymore, can't you see how it is destroying you? Always love him Cho but move on because he is not coming back and neither you nor I can change that." Harry finished his speech and he rubbed his face with his shaking hands trying to calm himself down. Cho sank to the ground and begin emitting heart-wrenching sobs, beating her fists into the earth and shaking her head. Harry walked over and knelt beside her. With another wail she threw herself into his arms and he encircled her in the tight cocoon of his arms and held on tight whispering things into her hair that Draco and Hermione couldn't hear. They turned away, both feeling that they were trespassing on things that were nothing to do with them, and began walking back up towards the castle.

"What was that all about?" Draco asked finally.

"You know what?" Hermione looked up at him in bewilderment. "I have no idea!"

***

~*~

I finally got this chapter up! This is undoubtedly the hardest chapter I have ever written and I know it is all over the place, I've tried to have it make sense but I don't know! I've seen the 2nd Harry Potter movie twice in three days (not quite as obsessive as it sounds, I went with different groups of friends!) and I love the little Hermione/Ron scene at the end. Makes me feel all giddy inside! Right anyway my thankyous are as follows:

Nene Kenobi: Well this chapter should, hopefully, set some things straight. It is dreadfully sad isn't it? Whenever he was in shot I thought to myself that the movies just wouldn't be the same anymore! I'm glad you liked that last chapter and that you saw it fit to review. Thankyou!

Vixen: Thankyou so much for saying it was cool and wishing me luck in my exams. I have no idea how I did….eeek stress! Thanks for being such a faithful reviewer.

Akira Gown: Well blimey! I think it is safe to say that you went above and beyond the call of duty where reviewing is concerned! Thankyou so much for so many reviews! Take a deep breath and let's start from the beginning shall we…? 1) Yes insults aren't usually very nice. I think Ron and Harry would have died if Hermione suddenly became seductive in the first chapter! I try to keep Draco in character but really, in a story like this it is nigh impossible!

2) Sorry to disappoint, no fight! Of course Draco ticks them off, thus the point of the story! Thankyou so much for saying you loved it.

3) modest little blush I try. Yay, you love it still. I have always liked the idea of Ron as a keeper because Harry has to be seeker and the other positions are shared and since poor Ron is always trying to get the limelight I think it fitting. I just think I fancy Draco with messed up hair better then slicked back. Even though it is extremely out of character…go with it! Interesting idea Draco and Malfoy are two different people…I think you have sown the first seeds towards a plot!

4) Pretty short story if it was then called "and then there were none". The End! Why were you scared of the book? Oh dear if you love Cho get ready for some chapters you are going to hate as she isn't exactly portrayed in a particularly good light!

5) Eek, sorry, but there is plenty of him in later chapters…please don't hurt me!

6) Sweet and touching? Well shucks thankyou very much. Don't tell me that you don't like cliffies because I love to write them!

7) Don't you just love all that protective stuff, I think it is way sweet. And yes I'm sure fire was well and truly there!

8) yes I gave up on the teaser idea because truth be told I usually have no idea what is going to happen in the next chapter! Yep Malfoy is pretty evil, I like the Mind Invader…hasn't shown up in a while though! Still glad that you love it!

9) You are now on my update list nice touch with the yoda speech! Malfoy is a mean boy, poor Hermione and as for Ron? Well he usually gets over things!

10) Well it has romantic aspects in it! It is exactly like that kind of story because I find that straight out and out romance doesn't work too well with a character like Draco.

11) Yes he is a very bad boy and who knows what's up with Harry he just sort of prances around in the background!

12) Man he began to melt in chapter 11 and he is still going. He takes a while doesn't he? I'm glad you liked the Italian phrases, I am enchanted by different languages.

13) Yes I go a little overboard with dramatic last lines, don't I?! still loving it, well you obviously have a strong stomach!

14) Yep with everything going on I nearly forgot about the date too! wait and see what happens…just wait and see.

15) Well she said she had to tie her shoe lace but her Mary janes were buckled therefore she had no laces to tie! Hermione out of confusion? I think not!

16) Slimy Slytherin Gits are prone to jumping to conclusions, idiots the lot of them!

17) Don't feel bad for Draco, he's okay. Making up the presents was quite a bit of fun. And yes I kind of used the Quidditch players to show how pretty she was.

18) I thought you liked Draco? Never mind, that was such a fun chapter to write, I have been itching to let Ron hit him for so long!

19) Hey don't worry it doesn't last for long! Yes so it took Hermione a pretty long time to finally blow her top but come on the wait was worth it…wasn't it?

20) Geez what a panicky review reminded me of Mrs Weasley "beds empty, car gone, no note, you could have died, you could have been seen" and so on and so forth!

21) Confusion reigns is probably the best way to describe the entire story! Not so much a premonition of the future as the past!

22) Yeah my story is kind of all over the place, go with it or you will get left behind and be even more confused! Ron is like the wisest person in my story, I love him.

23) Okay so it was more then 3 weeks and I feel simply awful! Well thankyou for all 23 reviews! I think this is the longest thankyou I have ever written and I'm exhausted! Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou a thousand times thankyou!

Alina: A goody story?! Yay! I'm so happy you are still alive and even though you had to wait for ages for this one to be updated it is finally here and it is so very, very long, for me that is! Thankyou so much for reviewing!

Purple People Eater: Blimey the size of your review nearly bowled me straight over! Weird in a strange and good way? Thankyou that is very kind….I think! Sooner then this year…thinks for some time…okay! Will they be on speaking terms…we'll just have to wait and see, after all Ron is pretty mad and Harry is…well who knows what Harry is up to! (The answer to that question is of course me but never mind…I'm not telling, yet!) Absolutely agree on the sugar thing, I just ate a piece of shortbread which was encrusted with sugar and now I am full of silly energy! Woah! Really sorry didn't mean to ask too many questions (didn't ask any questions at all but I suppose that is beside the point, right?) That's right, blame it all on the sugar! I have updated…though not soon, please don't attack! I'm really, really sorry! Thankyou for your review, I don't think anyone has ever reviewed one of my thankyous and then reviewed the story, interesting idea! Thanks again!

Arwen: Interesting is good. I strive to be interesting…not sure if I am succeeding but never mind. Thanks for always reviewing and hope to hear from you soon! Thankyou!

Felicity: Yep confused seems to be the general consensus from all my reviewers. Ron loves Hermione but….only as a friend. But Draco doesn't know that now does he? Thankyou for reviewing for confirmation!

Aki: hehe well you had to wait longer then three weeks…and before you fly at my neck I am really, really sorry! I am so proud I have just got a car and it is the sweetest little thing…not to mention RED CARS GO FASTER!!! Hmm yes sorry about that. Hey don't complain surely a sleeping spell is a lot less painful then a tranquiliser dart! Yes cookies are good, so very, very yummy!

Kuri: I am in the process of reading your story because this is the first time I have read my reviews for the last chapter (stupid exams) so I didn't know about it. I must say it is really rather good. I am only about three quarters through the second chapter but I can tell it is going to be a hit. I especially liked the part where Hotaru said: "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." it fitted so well, congrats to the both of you! I went on a major shop a little while ago because I am going away in a couple of days to South Australia (a lovely warm state where I used to live!) for a few weeks. Yes this means that you'll have to wait again but come on, this loooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggg chapter has to make up for it…right?! Go away? That isn't a very nice thing to say to your friend! Hyper lunatics are so much fun to watch, let her have the cookies I say! I'm so very happy that you loved the previous chapter. It wasn't much but this chapter should make up for it. I hope I did well too but I have no idea, I think I went okay in about half of them! Thankyou for reviewing.

Rayne: that's right you stand up to them…of course you are allowed. Well at least you give Kuri some warning of your evil intentions! I didn't realise magic doesn't work against magical beings…doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose because if you magic a non magic being they can't stand up for themselves…therefore you are picking on them. Meanie! Just kidding, ignore me…too much shortbread can be dangerous. Thankyou for adding your energetic presence to the review!

Yume: Over-board? While shopping? Surely not! I hope you had fun anyway and got lots of cool stuff. Thankyou for being part of the review and for guessing correctly!

Sera: Running out of money is the worst part of going shopping…however look on the bright side, it gives you a sense of achievement! Thankyou for being part of the review also.

Tragedy: Take her out? I thought she was your friend! Well thankyou for adding your bit to the review and I hope you enjoyed your cookies!

Gohansfollower: Awesome? Why thankyou very much. I think well-written is going a bit far but I do try! Yay Draco/Hermione forever. It's nice to think I am keeping someone on the edge of my seat with my story. Thankyou so much for reviewing with such positive comments!

Moon revenge: Thankyou so much for the advice…just one thing what is clusy? Sorry if that is a stupid question. I've twisted you into my superb plot? Well sheesh thanks very much. Those sorts of comments really make me feel good. I will keep writing what with encouragement like yours how could I not?!

Sugar Babe: Thankyou for saying my chapters are cool. I didn't continue very soon I'm sorry to say but I'm back not…finally! Thankyou so much for saying you are intrigued…cool!

Stephanie: yay, you liked the previous chapter and I really thought it was a bit stupid. I captured your attention? Well blimey, that's cool! Thankyou so much for writing such a kind review!

MagicGoddess: I will certainly keep writing…even though through my long absence it may not seem that way! Awesome and kool?! Well that is very kind of you to say. Thankyou for your review, much appreciated.

Vermore: Eek so sorry it took me so long to update this. Well here is a nice big fix for you, thankyou for your review.

Talleariana Masgaurade: I don't know about great but thankyou for saying that anyway. Of course I remember Love Your Story, she reviewed soon after you. Thankyou very much for reviewing. (Love your pen name by the way)

Darcel: hey that you think my story is great is enough in a review for me! They make me so very happy! No need to apologise, thankyou for taking the time to review!

LoveYourStory (to be known hereafter as Chloe!): I will certainly keep my chapters coming…after I get back from my trip anyway! Good luck with your story, let me know when you post it, okay? I love to read people's story's! Okay so it is Chloe from now on? I'll remember that. Thankyou for letting me know and for so kindly reviewing.

Well that is it! I'm really, really tired now! I am going away on Saturday and won't be back until just before Christmas meaning there won't be another chapter for a while. Sorry but you know how it is!

Enjoy yourselves

Jess/Star123