Chapter 23-At Hogsmeade

A/N Thank you cho ChaNG, my FIFTIETH reviewer! But, cho, even if Harry was meant to be in Gryffindor doesn't make him the heir of Gryffindor. And I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but honestly I need something big for the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do own the plot, but the characters and setting belong to J. K. Rowling.

The boys avoided "Moody 'Mione" the rest of the week, and then life went back to normal, well, as normal as life can be at a school where witchcraft and wizardry is taught. The Prefect and Head meeting was postponed a week, to the next Sunday because Hermione was slightly on the weird side and no one wanted to upset her accidentally. At the meeting the regular things were planned, Hogsmeade weekends, ball themes, and the jobs for who would be setting up what. Draco and Hermione got the job of figuring out themes for the balls and writing the things that people would need for the winter ball, then sending out the notes. This was settled quickly for the winter ball as well known fictional characters, muggle or non-muggle. Hermione and Draco would be going as Beauty and the Beast, after the Beast's transformation. They had plenty of time to come up with the theme for the summer ball, so they decided to take their time. The first Hogsmeade weekend was planned for the fifteenth of October, and then all the others around that. Hermione went to sleep that night wondering how she and Draco were going to get out (this is just an estimate, we'll just assume that there are about 40 people in each year) 1,400 invitations for the upcoming ball. Of course, this was only like the second weekend in September, but if you let things wait, eventually you would lose track of time. Monday morning dawned bright and clear, and Hermione woke up decidedly happy, not nearly like the last week, but still rather upbeat. Hermione went, took a shower, woke up Draco with the threat of missing breakfast, and then went down to breakfast with a tired Draco and a perky Little Dragon on her heels. Breakfast was as it usually was, Draco, Harry and Ron talking about quidditch, Hermione on the end, talking silently with Little Dragon as they ate. They received the day's schedules; double potions with the Slytherins, then Care of Magical Creatures class, with the Slytherins again. Hermione sat through the rest of breakfast, then walked hand in hand with Draco to Potions where Snape greeted them. They were to be working in pairs on a dreamless sleep potion. Hermione and Draco were the smartest in the class, and pairing up made them done ridiculously fast, so Hermione partnered with Ron and Draco partnered with Harry. The pair of pairs (heehe) were done only fifteen minutes after the regular potions class would have finished (if this is hard for you to understand. This is double potions; a regular potions class would be done say after an hour. They were done fifteen minutes after this hour). Snape checked their potions for the right thickness, temperature, and color. Everything was perfect. Snape sneered at them, "I have an errand to run, but as you can see, I am busy. You four are to go into Hogsmeade and get me the things on this list," He pulled a list from his pocket. "You must be back in an hour. Ask Hagrid to get you all a mode of transportation. I will write you passes to for if you meet any teachers," He pulled out his wand and summoned parchment and a self-inking quill. He quickly wrote out a pass and handed them some galleons before they rushed out the door. Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ron, and even Little Dragon were glad to get out of potions. Secretly Draco had always hated Snape, but he was the head of his house, so he always pretended that he liked him. They sauntered across the grounds, happy to be out in the sunlight instead of the cold, dank dungeons. Hagrid set up a team of thestrals and a carriage for them and they piled in, not willing to waste any time. They got the items within the first ten minutes and then spent another ten minutes wandering around Hogsmeade, reminiscing. They passed by the Shrieking Shack and stopped a moment, thinking back to their third year, when Harry had thrown some mud at Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco. Little Dragon growled at nothing, but no one noticed. They all laughed at their memory, not paying attention to Little Dragon, but their laughter was cut short when from apparently no where an arm came out and grabbed Draco, shoving him under what must have been an Invisibility Cloak as they could no longer see him. They heard the sharp *crack* of someone disapparating and then the three were alone. Harry and Ron turned to Hermione, who said, in a slightly panicky voice, "I'll meet you both at Hogwarts and disapparated with another crack. They turned on their heels and sprinted to the carriage, ingredients forgotten, but still held in tightly clenched hands. Hermione had apparated to the edge of Hogwarts grounds. An absolute good would have helped, but in this situation, wouldn't have worked. The adrenaline was pumping through Hermione's veins as she ran as fast as a broomstick could fly to the castle in the distance.

A/N sorry that this is a cliffhanger.