A/N: Dedicated to Paprika, who in fact insisted I write this story, mind you, I changed the theme from Romance to something more sinister (hehe)…I had to-Rated 'R'
~
Hermione sat alone at the Gryffindor table, her scrambled eggs scattered across her breakfast plate, and the crumpled letter in front of her goblet. She rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her robes, and unfolded the note again, hoping that she had read it wrong earlier.
Miss Hermione Granger,
By order of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the Council of Magical Law, you have been ordered to desist from attending classes until further progression of your trial.
Given date: 3rd, June 1998
Secretary of Ministerial Magic,
Percy Weasley
Another break of sobs echoed throughout the Great Hall, leaving the house elves that had come up from the kitchens to lower their heads and clean around Hermione-who-in a moment of drama managed to knock the surrounding platters onto the floor, their contents emptied along the marble.
"Excuse me Miss, if you could…"
The face of a stumpy elf pleaded silently with her, while others lifted Hermione's lank arms to gather the dish beneath them.
"Oh…yes of course. I'm so sorry."
Hermione lifted herself and grabbed for the letter, dodging a collection of small hands that seemed intent on disposing anything that wouldn't protest. She had just stepped into the hall when a gently prodding from behind made her turn around.
"Miss? I was told to give this to an 'Erm-io-ne? by a young man at breakfast 'tis morning, and I of course said I would, since I'm always willing to please my father. Make him proud of me I will!"
Hermione blinked and reached for the parchment, but the elf continued on.
"My father's always saying 'Make the best of what you have Rosely, make the best. Do your duty and don't ask questions'. Which comes in practice all the days. This very morning-that boy who told me to give this to you Miss-seemed a little, er, strange, but I did what I was told Miss. Yes I did!"
The house elf Rosely pressed the note into Hermione's out stretched hand, and with a crooked smile headed back to the table. Hermione, feeling a little abashed from the confrontation, blushed timidly as she rolled the paper across her fingers.
She didn't understand why a 'young man' would want to speak with her like this. Harry and Ron were the only seventh year males who actually associated themselves with her. All the others interested only in breasts and idiocy. The mystery over her private letter nearly took up the worry and the fear brought on by the Ministry's. It wasn't until she had walked the stairs back to the Common Room did the impact of what was really behind the message hit her.
Hermione stopped just outside the Fat Lady, and held the note up to the mounted candlelight. A serpent seal was noticeable from the envelop itself, and inscriptions of dark red scrawled on the quire-a distinct signature of only one boy at Hogwarts.
"Draco."
