Enchantress of the Day and Night

Kneazle

D/C: All characters belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastics, etc. K.A. Applegate's EverWorld, Fern Gully: the Last Rainforest and Enchantress of the Stars by Sylvia Louise Engdahl and mostly my odd dreams take some ideas, also from "Disney's Atlantis", Sweep by Cate Tiernan, and Circle of Magic by Tamora Pierce. Most information that is for the covens is based on Wicca, Sweep, The Dragon's Tapestry, The Prism Moon and The Taker's Key by Martine Bates, Circle of Three by Isobel Bird, and most clan information is from Sweep, Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane, and Daughters of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. I made up all history and locations. Information I use can be found at the following:

http://www.bibliomania.com/bibliomania-static/index.html, www.wiccan.com and http://www.feri.com/frand/Wicca4.html

A/N: please note that this story is an AU and therefore, some characters MAY act out of character. They act according to their surroundings, or to the role they play, or to their history. ^_^. This story is also mostly MIXED COUPLES, but I promise that it will end up H/Hr, for sure.

Summary: AU – In a world where witches and warlocks battle over slavery rights, where no sex is seen as an equal, a precious few gather to change the races' views before the war between the two escalate into something that could be the beginning – or end – of an era. Previously titled "Of Witches and Warlocks".

Genres: fantasy, romance, action/adventure, and drama

**~**

Chapter Three

            Hermione turned, ready to snap at the coven that they were completely harmless, but she never had the chance. Even as she opened her mouth to speak, the bushes parted and warlocks and witches appeared.

            "What the?" she sputtered, looking on in fear. Harry grabbed her upper arm, where her arm bracelet was.

            "Come on," he whispered, "We have to get out of here!"

            "My coven!" she wailed quietly, "I can't leave them!"

            Harry spun her on her heel, forcing her to look into his emerald eyes, "you cannot help them. Do you know whom they work for? No? I do; a terrifying warlock by the name of Tom Riddle – he also goes by Voldemort. They do not care about others, they just kill. Now, move!" he instructed, pulling Hermione close to himself before using his magick to increase his strength.

            He grabbed onto a vine that hung above them, and with Hermione clinging to his back he climbed up it. Hermione, still clinging tightly to Harry, glanced back down at her coven.

            The fire was roaring, blazing, licking the tops of the trees. It had begun to spread, just like the scrying had shown: the Talamancaian woods were burning. Hermione cried out without meaning to, watching as these rogues kill and bond her coven. She whimpered and buried her head against Harry's strong back.

            Harry himself had felt Hermione's head against his back and heard her whimper; again, he felt the fluttering in the bottom of his stomach.

            Honestly, Potter, he thought, can't you keep your mind on your task and not a girl for once? Don't let your hormones get away with you!

            He gritted his teeth and hoisted them both up on a sturdy branch, before slowly making his way from tree to tree. The voices, shouts and screams slowly got quieter, and by that time, Hermione had lifted her head from Harry's back and looked around.

            "Where are we?" she asked, glancing at their surroundings. "I don't remember this area."

            "How would you remember the Talamancaian Woods if you've never been here before?" asked Harry, sliding down a trunk to the mossy floor. He waited for Hermione and caught her.

            "I have been here before," she stated, leaving the rest of the explanation hanging in the air. Instead, she turned her back on him and began to look around. "Where are the others?"

            As soon as she had said it, the leaves above her parted and Ron, with Ginny on his back, dropped to his knees before her. "We're here," he said as he stood.

            Around them, Seamus and Dean also fell, where they brushed themselves off. The forest was unusually quiet and dark, so both warlocks whispered their location.

            Ginny stepped forward and hugged Hermione. "I'm sorry," she said, "that you couldn't go back and help them."

            At this, Hermione took a deep breath, shut her eyes tightly and tilted her head back. She took a heaving, shuddering sigh and lowered her head. "So am I," she whispered.

            Harry felt sorry for the girl; only seventeen and she had to be a coven leader, just a coven leader for a day, before her coven was slaughtered. "Come on," said Harry, turning, looking over his shoulder as he spoke, "we should get going. Those Death Eaters will come this way sooner or later and I'd rather be gone when they do."

            "That's what they were?" he heard Ginny whisper, "Death Eaters?"

            He turned around, only to be punched in the face.

            "Harry!" he heard four people call his name as he stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

            "Get up, Potter," drawled a voice. "Afraid to fight little ol' me?"

            Harry brought a hand to his nose, and felt it tenderly. "Draco Malfoy," he sneered as he stood slowly up, straightening to his full height. Hermione stepped back, cowering in fear as she felt the magick radiating off Harry in waves.

            Draco Malfoy, the tall, medium built blond man mock-bowed. " 'Tis I," he drawled. Hermione suspected that was how he always spoke. "Now, why don't you just give up nice and easy and we'll call it a draw?"

            "Never," hissed Harry, lunging at Draco. Not suspecting this, Draco was caught off guard. Both young men went tumbling to the ground, backwards, and down a small hill.

            Hermione ran forward and stopped at the edge of the hill, pushing away a branch. She saw Harry pining Draco down in a small grassy field, but Draco kicked Harry off himself.

            "Punch him in the bloody gut, Harry!" a voice beside her ear rocked Hermione. She blinked and turned to see Ron, shouting and waving his arms. Rolling her eyes, Hermione thought, men.

            In the middle of that field, both young men were slugging it out, punching each other where they could. Draco took a chance to run backwards, then forwards towards Harry, only to send a flying kick to Harry's jaw. Harry's head whipped back, and he fell. As Draco was to deliver a final blow, Hermione stepped in.

            She raised both her hands, there at the top of the hill, and concentrated on Draco. A strong gust of air came sweeping down on him, lifting him up and away, over to the other end of the field where the beginnings of a lake stood.

            He wiggled about; trying to get out of the gust of air Hermione was holding him in. "Bloody hell!" he shouted, "You're not going to drop me in here, are you?"

            Hermione said nothing but took her hands away, replacing them to her side. The gust of air disappeared and Draco fell into the crystal clear water. Ron whopped, hugged Hermione and began to slide down the steep hill. Hermione, Dean, Ginny and Seamus followed soon after, all running to Harry's side. Ron slid at the last moment and fell beside Harry.

            "Great work, mate! You got 'im good," he laughed, patting his friend's back. Harry was flat on stomach, groaning.

            "Ron, please stop," he managed to mumble out. Ron stopped abruptly, thought he continued laughing.

            Hermione knelt at his side. "Where did he get you the most?"

            "Ughhhh." Was her response. Rolling her eyes, she tried again.

            "Okay, let's try this. Ron'll turn you over, you'll point to where it hurts and I'll fix it, okay?" she asked. Harry nodded into the grass.

            Seamus turned and said, "uh… Malfoy is trying to get out of the water."

            Ron looked up, muttered, "slimy git," he stood. He took Dean and Seamus by an arm, telling them to watch over Draco and if he made any movement to whack him over his head with their staffs. Ginny followed wordlessly, unsure of where she was supposed to be.

            Hermione rolled Harry over, who groaned with pain. "Whoa, calm down," she said, soothingly. "Right. First off, where does it hurt the most?"

            Harry's hand rose and he point at his chest, his eyes tightly closed. Hermione placed her hands over his chest where he indicated and felt the blue glow come off her hands. As soon as it disappeared and was soaked in through his shirt, she asked, "where else?"

            He pointed at his forehead, where blood had dried from a cut. Hermione placed her right hand over it, and again once the blue glow seeped into his skin, she moved away.

            "Where else?"

            Harry pointed to his nose, his eyes still shut tightly. "Broken," he mumbled. Both of them could hear Ron in the background, shouting something at Draco who was shouting something back about not knowing how to swim. Hermione chuckled but went back to her work.

            She nodded, and placed her left hand, this time, over the bridge of his nose. She pinched it lightly and the blue glow arrived again. She whispered, "where else?"

            This time, Harry pointed at his lips, which were slightly parted.

            "You're kidding me," she said, hunched on her heels. Harry shook his head, and pointed to the cut that was on the side of his bottom lip.

            Sighing, she placed one finger over the cut and concentrated in that area. She concentrated on the softness of his lips, the sensual curve, how kissable they looked… she shook her head, blocking it of such thoughts. She hard hardly realized that his cut was healed, but her finger still rested on his lips.

            Harry was watching her with curiosity. What was she going to do now? She stood shock-still, so he took the first move. He sat up, bringing his head closer to hers. In turn, her eyes fluttered closed, and she moved her head closer to his. They were mere inches apart, both heads tilted, anticipating what was about to happen.

            "Oy! Harry! You healed yet?" came the voice of Ron. Harry swore mentally and opened his eyes.

            "Yeah," he shouted back, standing. Hermione's eyes were also open, but her face was unreadable. Harry turned and extended a hand to her. "Let's go see what he wants."

            Hermione nodded and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Together, they walked to where Ron was waving to them from. Neither spoke, nor looked back to see the dark shape that was watching them.

**-**

            "What have you seen, Lavender?" asked the old man. He had a long white beard, twinkling blue eyes and crescent-shaped moon glasses. He wore the traditional Talamancaian clothing that a Priest would – after all, he was the Holy Man, the Priest himself.

            "You wouldn't believe it," the young woman said, sitting down on a chair. She swung a piece of loose blonde hair over her shoulder and flashed a grin.

            "Try me," Albus Dumbledore said patiently. Lavender's blue eyes searched Dumbledore's face, but she nodded.

            "Okay. It was Harry Potter and his three men," she began, checking her nails, "with the company of Ron Weasley's little sister and the Wycliffe coven leader Hermione Granger."

            Albus straightened up in his seat and leaned forward, resting his head in his hands, his eyes still on Lavender. "Really," he said, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. "And they are where…?"

            "Talamancaian Woods," responded Lavender, smirking. "I'd have thought that would've known, Dumbledore."

            Albus laughed. "Miss Brown, some things still escape me," his face turned pensive, though and he asked, "and the other Wycliffes?"

            Lavender paused, before glancing at the ground, "dead."

            "She and Ginny are the only ones left?"

            "Unfortunately. Such an old coven, gone… like that," Lavender snapped her fingers. Albus' twinkling eyes seemed to have dulled.

            "I know. Perhaps… is she?" Albus Dumbledore left the question hanging.

            "Is she what? The Enchantress?" she asked, smiling softly. "There's no doubt about it. Everything that was said in the prophecy about her has come true…"

            Albus nodded. "Thank you, Lavender. I'm sure that Neville and Fred and George are ready for your departure, taking you back to the Mystical Lands."

            "I have some other business to do here, actually, Albus," said Lavender, standing. She collected her green cloak and slipped it on, clasping it tightly at the base of her neck. She lifted the hood and let it cover her flowing blonde curls.

            "Oh?" Albus raised an eyebrow. "Anything I should know, my Seer?"

            Lavender turned, smiling slightly before passing through the door, "No. And I'm not only your Seer, Dumbledore. I just work for whomever pays me more."

            With that, she was gone. Dumbledore stood where he was, at his desk, and nodded. "What a silly girl," he thought.

**-**

            "Ah! Bloody hell, help me Weasley!" shouted Draco Malfoy, trashing about in the water. "I can't bloody swim!"

            Ron, who was standing at the edge of the water, leaning against his staff, laughed. "But Malfoy, you're always saying that it's important for a warlock to be able to do everything, perfectly like you… I thought that included swimming."

            "Ron," hissed Ginny, "you're so mean!"

            "Little sis," said Ron, turning, "I am not. I am merely teasing this slimy bit of filth. He deserved it after everything he's said about me – and our Weasley family."

            Ginny rolled her eyes and began to walk to the water.

            "Ginny!" called three voices, beckoning her to come back to them. She ignored them, continuing forward. She waddled into the water, her light red satin pants ruined. Draco Malfoy watched in disbelief, still trashing, as Ginny came closer.

            Water splashed into her face and she said, "Would you stop moving? You're not going to sink."

            "Yes I am! Yes I am!" shouted Draco, but he complied.

            "Lie on your back and spread eagle," she instructed, coming closer. Though she was only a bit taller than Hermione's own five foot four, she had to begin to tread in the water sooner than she thought.

            She swam gracefully to where Draco Malfoy looked like a dead man, on his back, hardly breathing. His face was pale and his eyes darted from side to side, nervous and scared.

            "Firstly, calm down. You aren't going to drown," she soothed.

            "How do I know? You're a Weasley, just like your brother, and he wants me dead," stuttered Draco, losing all his composure.

            "Ron doesn't want you dead," Ginny sighed. "He just wants you to stop teasing and making fun of him."

            Draco mumbled something Ginny couldn't catch.

            "Excuse me?"

            "Nothing," he said louder. Ginny nodded, and grabbed hold of his foot. She began to pull him towards shore, but he jerked and concaved his stomach.

            "Straighten up!" Ginny shouted back at him, "You'll sink if you don't!"

            At once, Draco went back into a spread eagle, and Ginny towed him to where Seamus, Dean and Ron stood, watching. Ron had his staff grasped tightly in his hands, aware that if Draco made a move on his sister he'd beat him.

            Once Ginny could touch the pebbly floor, she stopped pulling Draco. "What? We're there already?" he asked.

            Ginny turned and crossed her arms. "I can stand. You're taller than I am, so you can stand easily here."

            Draco looked around, back at her and complied; concaving his stomach his feet sank, but he kept his head above the water. The second his feet touched the ground he stood straight, unaided. He didn't need anyone's help from now on. Ginny made a move to take his arm and guide him towards Ron, but he jerked his arm from her grasp and sneered.

            "Get away from me Weasley," he drawled, "I don't need your help."

            Ginny, angered and hurt, glared at him. "Okay then." She said, bringing a hand up, she placed it on his chest. A wave of water swelled from the shore towards them. The second the water hit the two, Draco was sent flying backwards, into deeper water, while Ginny was able to stay afloat.

            Draco reached the surface, gasping for air. "Help! Help!" he began shouting. Ginny turned and walked out of the water, bending to squeeze out the water from her hair.

            "Ginny! Help me!" shouted Draco. She flicked her hand up in a rude gesture, and straightened. She glared at him.

            "I thought you don't need my help, Malfoy," she said with such coldness it shocked Ron. "Get out yourself."

            Dean and Seamus started laughing, and Ron unbuckled his cloak, wrapping it around Ginny's shoulders. A cold, night breeze ruffled her hair and she shivered.

            "Come on," said Ron, placing a brotherly arm around Ginny's shoulders, "Let's go make camp for tonight. Seamus, Dean? Get him out of there." Ron turned to speak to his sister, only to see her staring at Hermione and Harry, in the distance.

            They could only see their silhouettes in the darkness, but it was enough to know they were close to kissing. At the odd expression on Ginny's face, Ron shouted, "Oy! Harry! Are you healed yet?"

            Ginny's head turned to look up at him, and he smiled down at his baby sister. After all, it was only a couple hours ago that he had met her, and he wanted to make up for the lost sixteen years they could've shared as a family.

            Ron turned, and with his free hand (As his staff was placed in its holster on his back) waved. Harry waved back and shouted, "Yeah!" he turned and said something to Hermione, offering her a gentlemanly hand, which she accepted.

            They then walked, a little a part from each other, towards the group. Behind Ron, Dean and Seamus were clutching a wet Draco Malfoy, who was gasping for air and kneeling on the ground.

            When Harry saw Draco, he winced. "What should we do with him?"

            "I don't know, but we should make a fire. Both he and Ginny will freeze to death soon if we don't get one roaring," said Dean.

            "If we do, the Death Eaters might see it and come and investigate," sighed Ron.

            "I can perform a simple heating charm on something the two could wear," piped up Hermione. "Like, Ginny's wearing your cloak. If I charm it, then the cloak can warm her up like it were a fire. Draco could wear something else."

            Ron nodded and let Hermione take his cloak in her hands. The blue light that showed her magick flew through the fibers of the cloak, warming it. Ginny stopped shuddering, and smiled gratefully at her friend.

            "Thanks," she said, her teeth still chattering. Hermione smiled and did the same to Dean's cloak, which they wrapped Draco in. Harry then checked to make sure they had all their staffs before saying, "okay then. Let's move out."

            "Where to?" asked Hermione, falling into step beside Harry. He looked around.

            "Well, this is Morria Lake. On the other side, we'll be south of Talamanca and the mountain line your coven came from. We can head then towards Talamanca."

            Hermione lowered her head. "Back to Talamanca," she whispered. Harry nodded; unaware of the double meaning it held. She shrugged and smiled unsurely up at him.

            "Lead the way."

**-**

            Night had melted into day by the time the group of seven reached the Talamancaian clan settlement. Harry, Dean, Seamus and Ron were ecstatic to be home, Hermione remained indifferent, Ginny was scared and Draco was unreadable.

            Harry laughed, clapped Ron on the back, and together they pushed past the low-hanging branches that obscured Talamanca from their view. The second Hermione stepped through, she gasped.

            The trunks that the Talamancaians used for houses were brunt, pots and pans scattering the ground and the horses were dead. The Talamancaian clan did not exist any more.

            "Oh, Father," whispered Dean, gulping. Together, he and Seamus dashed through the houses, checking each other. They found a few dead bodies, but looked up when they saw Harry walk towards his home.

            Hermione stood with Ginny and Draco, in the middle of the community. She watched Harry enter his house, and exit a few minutes later. He had pulled out some things and was hastily stuffing his pockets and had hiding what he got by the time he reached Hermione.

            Dean and Seamus came back to where they stood and shook their heads. "For everyone we found, they were dead."

            "Who's missing?" asked Ron, swinging his head, looking around.

            "Well, all your brothers, your dad, Albus…" Seamus trailed off, letting the names hang in the air. Ron gulped, swallowing a lump in his throat. He was about to turn away, when a voice jovially called out, "RON!"

            Ron turned; his sapphire eyes wet with unshed tears. Bouncing out of the forest were a group of redheads, and a few others. A man with a long white beard caught Hermione's attention.

            Ron let out a laugh, and was swept up in a large bear hug that two identical twins were giving him. One with an earring and one with a few cuts along his face also joined, and soon one dignified one with glasses was also hugging Ron.

            He broke away, looked over at Ginny, and brought her towards the group. A man with thinning red hair looked at her with interest.

            "Guys," began Ron, "this is Ginny… our little sister."

            The shocked silence didn't last long. The two twins, introduced as Fred and George, grabbed Ginny and drew her in. Instantly, the whole Weasley family was hugging, laughing and crying (on Ginny, Ron and their father's part). Hermione watch happily from afar, standing off to the side.

            "Ah, family reunions," said the old man with the beard.

            Hermione nodded. "Yeah, they're really sweet."

            "Are you Hermione Granger?" he asked, turning to her. Hermione nodded. "Ah, I see," he said, nodding. "You look like your mother."

            Hermione's intake of breath made the old man chuckle. "Do you think that I do not remember you or your mother, Hermione? You look very alike."

            Hermione groaned. "Great. So, whatever happened to my father?"

            The old man's eyes twinkled. "He's hiding out in the forest with the others. You'll be with him soon enough… Enchantress."

            Hermione's eyes darted around and she shushed the man. "Old man, do you want me to be killed? Watch what you say around here."

            He nodded, and made a zipping motion with his hand over his mouth. "My lips are sealed."

            Hermione nodded, letting out a sigh, and nodded. Draco was looking curiously at her, but she held her gaze and looked forward. Harry sighed in relief when he spotted this old man. Striding up to the two of them, he stopped short of the man and bowed.

            "My Priest," he bowed. Hermione was shocked. The man she was standing beside was the Priest? The Priest to all warlocks and he knew she was the Enchantress? Paling, she began to rock from side to side, the pit of her stomach rising. Seconds later, she hit the dirt, unconscious.

**-**

In the future of today,

A bloodied war between two

Races of magick may

There is the high Priest

One with memories of old and new

But a young girl at least

Is the Enchantress

During the long Days and Nights

She is to gain the power and intelligence

To help her win the bloodied fight

She alone has the vehemence

But try as she might

Not alone will the Enchantress win

Armed with beauty and grace of her mother,

She has been brought up to understand the balance

Though she has her heart settle on another,

One Priest's Knight will give his life for her valance

He protects her and repays her kindness

A trademark of the Enchantress

Enchantress of the Day and Night

Battle evil, slay the danger

That is she, who will win the fight

Fall in love with a stranger

But a life half-lived, is a life lived in fear

And an Enchantress is never afraid

Enchantress of the Day and Night

She alone will be able to control the two races

For she has the strength and might

Never forgetting loved one's face

For this young witch is no slave, for she is the

Enchantress of the Day and Night

**-**

            When Hermione awoke, the prophecy/song was still echoing in her head. Every time she woke up, now, did she have some sort of vision or the echo of the prophecy endorsed in her head.

            She looked around, seeing she was outside and very dark. Middle of the night, she confirmed, looking at the stars twinkling above her. She was wrapped in a warm blanket, and the warmth of the fire against her face made her realize how close it was to her. Was anyone watching over her?

            She sat up, the blanket slipping to her waist. She spotted Ginny with her brothers, talking avidly. Hermione smiled softly, for she was an only child and therefore independence she was gifted with. She had no one to attach herself to.

            Not true! A voice shouted in her mind. You like that Priest's Knight Oliver Wood enough and why is it that every time you look into Harry's eyes do you feel like drowning in them? Why is it that you always want to kiss him?

            She growled softly, sighing, but stood. She placed the blanket far enough away from the fire so it wouldn't catch on fire, before walking around the camp. Warlocks of all ages huddled in groups. She was ignored mostly, but when she did pass a group, they would go silent and stare at her until she walked away. She wanted to scare them, or at least tell them their prejudices against her were unjust.

            "You're awake."

            The voice startled her, and she abruptly stopped. Looking to her right, Harry sat, sharpening a pocketknife with a rock, on a low branch. She nodded, "yes I am."

            He said nothing but continued staring at her, sharpening his rock. Finally loosing her patience she was about to speak when the old man, or Priest, as she had learnt walked up to the two of them.

            "Harry, Hermione," he nodded. Harry jumped off the branch with cat-like grace and stopped before the Priest.

            "Dumbledore," he nodded in return. Hermione bowed, in respect for an elder and from a witch to a Priest. Dumbledore chuckled.

            "Please, you're making me feel so old," he told Hermione. She smiled back at him, feeling comfortable around him. Besides, he had a secret about her and she didn't want him saying anything.

            He turned back to Harry and went on gravely, "Draco is a spy for us. He has told us a great deal of information on the Death Eaters and their leader, Tom Riddle."

            Hermione found she listening in, wondering just what was going on.

            "… It's very well that he plans on attacking all the clans and groups in the Talamancaian Woods. It's best if you and the others leave this place immediately."

            "Leave? How? And where to?" protested Harry. "He'll find us wherever we go, and he has spies on every continent!"
            "Yes, but if you find Castle Lorien the Priests and Priestess' will protect you," argued Dumbledore.

            "Why would we need to go there unless one of us he is after?" sighed Harry, running a hand through his hair. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

            "Exactly," he said softly. Harry's head shot up, and his eyes took in everyone who traveled with them.

            "Who?" he finally asked, pulling his eyes from Hermione.

            "I cannot say," Dumbledore replied. Hermione let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "But you must leave tomorrow, at daybreak. I can provide griffins to take you across the Ocean of Ino to the Mystical Land. You will be safe there, Harry."

            "I will stay and fight," he said. Hermione decided to join the conversation.

            "Harry, it's for the best. That is where all magick came from, we'll be much stronger there," soothed Hermione. "It's only logical we go there."

            "And how will we find Castle Lorien? That place is impossible to find unless one of the Gods and Goddesses, like the Priest or Enchantress," he sighed.

            Hermione bit her tongue. Great, she was now considered a Goddess. "Harry, we'll find a way. But for now, it's best we go there. There are many places we could hide."

            Dumbledore nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Though, I'd hate to say it now, it is only you, Ron Weasley and Hermione who are going, Harry."

            "What?" he sputtered. Harry's emerald eyes were ablaze. "What about Ginny? She just met her youngest brother, and now she has to be ripped away from him? And what of Draco? He could just as well be a spy for Tom Riddle."

            "Perhaps," said Dumbledore slowly and evenly, "but would a spy chain himself to the trunk over there to prove his worth?"

            Hermione and Harry let their eyes roam the campsite until they found Draco, chained and sleeping against a trunk. Hermione sighed softly and Harry gritted his teeth.

            "Against my best judgment, let him go. He has proven himself worthy," Harry said, turning his head away.

            Hermione smiled reassuringly at him. "Do not worry. Tomorrow, at dawn, we will travel to the Mystical Land, and there we will be safe." For now…

            Harry nodded back, and walked away. Dumbledore followed him, but turned back once and winked at her. Hermione said nothing and did nothing to give away that she had seen the wink. After all, what was it suppose to mean?

**-**

An: okay-dokey. There shouldn't be any spelling mistakes (unless you're American and then there are some words that are spelt differently for us Canadians). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. In case you haven't noticed, I have placed up a preface to the whole story. It's so that people know what is going on in the world and where they are, history and such.

Stoneheart: what else can I say but Ohmygod, Iloveyousomuch!! I love your reviews and you're so kind. Thank you so much for all your help so far – without your reviews and critiques (at times… ^_~) I doubt I'd be this far. And no fear – RS will be back sometime soon, at least I hope so. With most of my catch-up projects aside and only one test this week, I'll be back to check RS out… then maybe we'll see where that story goes… but a sequel to "Patroness"! Now, that's something to look forward to!

Baz: Hahah, your name always reminds be of Baz Lurhman (spelling??), the director of Moulin Rogue, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo+ Juliet, etc… Anyway, other ships? **Nods** uh huh… just wait… they'll pop up soon enough.