A/N: If you didn't just come off of reading six, you may want to back track and refresh your memory, the beginning deals with the like second after Draco's final comment. Three for my betas, you guys rule!

Disclaimer: There once was a story, three small children set off on a magical adventure. One of the children, a boy, had a secret past that plagued him. He was, Harry Potter. Harry Potter was born in the mind of a young writer, and grew into the boy who lived. Many children were born after Harry Potter, in the minds of other young readers. These children were very similar to the boy who lived, and that's called plagiarism. A notice was sent out to the many young writers, it said...write a witty disclaimer and no one will give a rat's ass that you stole the brain child of a lazy ass bitch who is constantly losing fans for her lies. All is well in the land of Harry Potter.





CHAPTER SEVEN: A Dark Premonition.

Draco decided to change to a lighter subject. He was too happy to worry about Hermione's friends; there would be time for that later. Beaming, he asked her,

"I'm starved, if I shower, would you join me for breakfast?" She smiled; also glad for the change of subject.

"Of course," Draco glowed. He kissed her firmly on the lips, then sprang up and headed for the bathroom.

A quarter of an hour later, he emerged from the bathroom, clad in baggy jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt, hair gleaming.

"Ready?" he asked Hermione, who still sat in her chair. She stood, and gave an unexpected reply.

"Yep." Draco looked confused; she was still dressed in her terrycloth bathrobe. He was about to say something when Hermione retrieved her wand from her very large pocket. He knew now what she was doing. Hermione pointed the wand to herself and muttered a series of spells under her breath. Instantly, she was dressed in black boot-cut jeans, Dockers, and a red silk princess cut shirt with bell sleeves. Her make up was done, what little she wore, and her hair was dried and clipped casually behind her head. Draco looked unaltered by her transformation, but then smirked. He walked to her, and Hermione knew he was thinking up another of his smartass remarks.

"You know," he said, holding out his arm, "at some point in that spell, you have to be naked." Hermione's jaw dropped a little, but then she smiled. She punched him playfully in the arm, and he smiled. "What?" he asked innocently. Hermione rolled her eyes and they made their way to the kitchen. Hermione didn't mind a little of the old Draco Malfoy shining through occasionally, as long as the sun wasn't up all night.

* * * * * * * * * *

Hermione lifted her head from her book and looked straight ahead of her.

"I'll write to them." Hermione said suddenly. Draco looked at her, startled. They were in the common room, sitting on a small couch together, and reading. A fire blazed heartily and cool moonlight flooded through the only window.

"What?" Draco asked her, confused.

"Harry and Ron," she looked at him, "I'll write to them." She paused, turning away again, "tomorrow." Draco looked back to his book.

"Whatever you want to do Hermione, they're your friends." Hermione jerked her head toward him, causing him to look back at her. She looked furious. Draco looked confused for a moment, and then he realized his mistake. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear..." Her sneer disappeared.

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm acting this way; I think I'm nervous about telling them. I know they are going to overreact, but I don't know what to expect from them." Draco said nothing. Hermione looked emotionless and confused....and he was worried about her. Not Potter and Weasley, he didn't care what they thought, and he admired Hermione for standing up to them. He could tell she had always worked her ass off for their approval, and hoped she didn't feel the same way toward him.

Draco realized that he seemed to always have at least a slight about of worry for her, and that worried him even more. He was not used to this feeling, and it made him uneasy. He cared more about Hermione than anyone or anything else he had ever known. He was getting attached to her, maybe already was, and that was something Malfoys did not do.

Suddenly, Draco was angry with himself for such thought. He didn't care what "Malfoys did and did not do". As far as he was concerned, he was not that kind of Malfoy, and he was planning on changing the definition of the word.

* * * * * * * * * *

Hermione had remained silent. She was worried about what Ron and Harry would think, and that made her mad. **Why do I care so much what they think...I don't belong to them! ** She told herself she was mad at them, but gave up. They hadn't really done anything wrong, except try to protect her. She decided to wait for their reply to her letter about Draco before officially becoming mad at them. She snapped her head up, and Draco noticed. She had almost forgotten he was there, and a sudden awareness of his presence overwhelmed her. She was in no way mad at him, and his closeness was comforting.

"What?" he asked her, sounding like a small child. She turned to him. She loved him, and she had a feeling Draco knew. She had told him, of course, but it wasn't until that moment that she was sure he believed her. She hoped he wouldn't be hurt by her next statement, but knew it was a question that needed answering.

"Draco, what are we doing?" He was confused, but she said nothing more. Draco didn't understand her question, but knew she was on the verge of anger, and didn't want to push it with a sarcastic answer.

"I love you," he said, knowing he had to say something. She looked at him, and a smile broke across her face.

"That was really corny, Draco." He looked embarrassed for a second, then spoke, hoping he was going on the right track.

"Yes, but I meant it." She smiled again.

"I know, and I love you back." She paused and turned her self away from him on the small couch, placing her head on his chest. "But, what I meant was, where is this going? There was that one kiss, and the world turned upside down. A week ago I wasn't even sure if you considered me a friend, and now we're suddenly acting as if we've been married for years...not that I'm complaining, just stating the obvious. I mean, the first thing you said to me after we, well...had that talk, was what about Harry and Ron...screw Harry and Ron. They don't own me, who cares what they think?"

Draco was a little confused. **What exactly is she trying to say? Is this going too fast for her? Is she mad at me for bringing up the remaining members of the dream team? **

"I thought you cared, Hermione. I only brought them up because I thought it would matter to you, and besides...you said you weren't angry with me about that."

"I'm not angry, Draco, just...trying to get this out. I'm trying to vent a little, in a semi-positive, non-aggressive way."

"I see, please continue." She was a little surprised at this, but agreed.

"Thanks." She paused, then took a deep breath and let out a sigh of frustration, "They just make me so mad! All they ever do is lecture me about everything. That's why I'm glad they couldn't come here, it was like a break from reality." She sighed, a little depressed. She then continued, a little more calmly. "I know they mean well, but I'm just sick of them! I always feel like I need to impress them...like if I have a life outside of what they want, I'm letting them down. I think I'm afraid of confronting them about this, and that's why I want to write to them and not wait....then I think that if I do wait, they'll be mad that I didn't tell them sooner, and that makes me want to wait. THEN I think that I know it will make them mad, and that's why I want to tell them as soon as possible." She closed her eyes and paused. Draco saw his chance to reassure her.

"I know how that is, Hermione....believe me."

"I know you do Draco, and I'm sorry. In a selfish way I'm glad you know how I feel, it makes it less isolating. I don't feel that way around you, I can be myself and you like me anyway....but they're my friends, I shouldn't have to feel that way around them." Draco saw another opening, and was ready with a smartass comment.

"Exactly, Hermione. You should only have to feel that way around your parents." She smiled, but the humor was lost to her. Draco sighed, he was trying here. "Look, why don't you tell them that? I'm sure they'll understand, and if they don't....I don't think they're worth all of this self turmoil." He hoped he was on the right rail with this... he was trying to be supportive, but he knew she wanted advice too. He waited for her reaction, and sighed in relief as she spoke. That could have backfired very easily.

"I think you're right, but I don't know if I can. I do care about them." He ventured another statement, and it had passed through his lips before it had passed through his brain.

"But do they care about you?" **Oh, shit. ** Draco thought, **why the hell did I say that? That was way out of line...she's gonna slap me any minute now, I can feel it...**

Hermione was startled by the question, and looked at him. He was serious. She frowned, he was also right. She sighed.

"I don't know......I think they do, but I also think they take me for granted." Draco was surprised at her calmness. He had really expected her to slap him and storm out the door. He said nothing for a moment and the two sat together for a while, silently. Draco decided it best to let Hermione make the next move, this was her conversation, and waited. Finally, she stirred. Hermione sat up and spun around to face him. She smiled at him, and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks," she whispered. He smiled. Hermione stood from the common room couch, grabbed her book, and proceeded to her room. Draco watched her leave, wishing she wouldn't.

He watched the door close behind her, then Draco turned back to the fire. **Why do her so-called friends have to be such assholes? ** He remembered every terrible thing he had said to her, starting with their encounter in Diagon Alley the week before first year. Draco played the memory in his head.

She had walked up to him, and began to ask him a question. Draco turned to her, noticing her muggle clothes and bewildered looking parents, a way away, talking to another couple. He interrupted her, swore at her, and pushed her down.

Draco sighed, she was only going to ask a question, dammit...why was he always so cold?

Draco played back every terrible thing he had done to Hermione between the Diagon Alley incident and just the other day in Dumbledore's office. Although he had only mentally betrayed her, he regretted it more than anything else. Every memory was like a pinprick in his spine, and Draco could imagine it was ten times worse for her.

**If I had only known she already had it so bad I would never have....oh, who am I kidding? Of course I would have. Why was I such an ignorant ass? It's no wonder Crabbe and Goyle were my only 'friends', and that too was Lucius' doing. This is his fault, all of it...why did he have to make my life a living hell? Make me cold and cynical? **

Sighing, Draco grabbed his books and made his way to his room, much as Hermione had done about a half an hour ago. He lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. Despite the fact that it was only nine, he fell asleep...still clad in his robes.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was about three hours after falling asleep that Draco woke. He woke with a start, but had no idea why, and had a strange feeling in his stomach. **Is it a premonition? ** He asked himself, and remembered that he had often gotten them when his father was alive, always when someone he knew well was about to be hurt. The person was typically his mother, and almost always by his father. He hadn't felt this feeling since his father's death, but he was almost certain there was something wrong. ** Hermione... **

He leaped out of bed, practically falling over the various items strewn about the floor. He opened the door to the common room and peered out. His eyes eagerly scanned the room, but he saw nothing, no one was there nor in the open bathroom. His thoughts settled on the safety of Hermione, he had to check on her. Draco took the needed steps away from his own room and found himself in front of her door.

His hand immediately graced her doorknob and turned. ** Locked, perfect. **

Draco was about to give up; how could he check on her with the door locked? At least that meant no one could get in. Draco couldn't allow himself to give up, he had to see her. He tired to think of another way into the room, and briefly thought of the balcony door.

Draco literally slapped himself in the forehead. The window... ** Hermione leaves the bed drapes open! ** From the balcony, he wouldn't even need to enter her room, which he was glad for. He loved her, and didn't want to violate her privacy unless absolutely necessary. Without further hesitation, he took a quiet run through his room and out onto the balcony, eyes fixed on Hermione's window, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

Draco hadn't noticed how incredibly cold it was outside at this time of night in November, or the icy cold ledge, despite the wearing off warming charm.

A thin frost had covered her window, shielding her bed from his view. Draco wiped away the cool white perspiration and peered into the window. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.

Hermione's bed was empty.





A/N: I know it's short, but it just seemed right to stop it there, HAHA!!!!

PRF:

Beth - I certainly do! Haha and I love the corny of a love story just as much!

Silverdragon- You know I love them, haha....

MysticMoon - Of COURSE there's conflict. If there wasn't conflict, no one would read the story!! I don't know what I'm doing with the feather, it just kinda popped out of my head, and I'm thinking of a way to work it into the actual story somehow....I dunno, his dad DID have a lot of money, maybe he paid his way into Head Boy....but I don't think that's how I want it. He's just really smart and doesn't tell anyone. Yeah, that's better.

Avi - Yes Hermione does cry a lot, but as you can see, there was a reason for her infernal waterworks. Haha, and...Yes there is more of an edge coming soon, unless you count this as being one....haha.

ChaoticSlytherin-Haha, this is true. OOC = Love. Haha.... yes, there WAS a reason for her crying, see? I'm not all mushy for no reason.... ;o) I love corny too; it's the way I am I suppose. Ron's gonna be pissed off, but I'm thinking he'll come around. Or something will happen that explains it. Harry will be more understanding. Ron rules though, he's the token kid with the funny lines. There's the protagonist (Harry) the antagonist (Draco/Voldemort) the female element (Hermione) and the token kid with the funny lines. Haha, I'm talking general HP, not my fic.

Anonymous - Thanx, but put in some sort of name next time! I wanna thank you semi-personally!

Guardian Angel Demon - I know...Draco is HOTT! I want Tom Felton tied to my bedpost, RIGHT NOW! Haha, I'm creating an ideal yet unattainable guy in my head, and I'm never going to find him...I'm setting myself up for failure....oh no! Anyway, you think something is missing? I didn't get that vibe, but if you think of something to make it better, I'm open for suggestions! Haha.... I 3 Tom Felton.

Shoroni - Thanx.