Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Glad you're still interested in the story. And the action will be picking up very soon ::hint hint:: ^_~

To lala: What do you mean by not ruin it with Lucius? I have the whole story planned out so I don't know what you mean.

Just another quick note, for this story I am making Blaise Zabini a guy. I don't think I wrote him in before. Anyway, I do NOT  want any complaints about that. Some think it's a girl, some a guy. I don't care either way, but for this story and for my purposes he has to be a guy. No flames about it. I don't tolerate that.

            After awhile they had finished sitting around and studying for a bit and got up to go to lunch.

            "Why don't you eat with us?"

            "I can't do that. It's not allowed."

            "Oh. I wish you could. What about at Christmas? I know its pretty early, but would you like to eat with us? Or at least me?"

            "You're staying here this year?"

            "Yeah. My parent's are going away and invited me, but I didn't feel like going."

            "Where are they going?"

            "I think they said Ireland. Why? I have no idea. They just want to go. They want me too, but I'd rather stay here."

            "Oh. You should go. It sounds like fun."

            "Nah. I have a reason to stay here now." She winked at him and he blushed a bit as they reached the Great Hall. They went in, a few others already there. Draco quickly squeezed her hand before she sat to join her friends and he went to sit with the other Slytherins. As he sat Pansy slid away from him and turned her back. He felt very fortunate.

            "So how's the studying going Hermione?" Hermione shrugged and looked at Ginny.

            "It's not going anywhere really. I just can't seem to concentrate. My head hurts a little again."

            "You should go see Madame Pomfrey again." Ron said, worried. She shrugged again.

            "Yeah, if it gets a little worse. But Draco gets them too, and he hasn't complained yet."

            "Maybe he's just hiding it."

            "Nah, I'm sure he would have asked me about it." Stariss happened to walk by and stopped.

            "You're head hurts again too?" Her eyes went wide as Hermione looked at her.

            "Does yours?"

            "Just a little. It's not as bad as it was before. Toby and Filia are complaining about their heads too."

            "But Tobias didn't have one before. Just Filia, remember?"

            "Yeah, I know. There are some others. Tristan Wolfwood was in the hospital wing this morning because of a headache too.

            "Who's he?"

            "Fifth year in Ravenclaw. There are a few from Hufflepuff too." Hermione frowned.

            "Anyone from Slytherin?"

            "Besides Draco? Not that I've heard of."

            "That's odd. If this is really a sickness they would have caught it too."

            "You think it's a spell or something?"

            "Well isn't it obvious?" Ron snapped. Stariss looked hurt. She put her head down and walked to the end of the table. Ginny turned on him and punched his arm.

            "That wasn't very nice! Watch what you say! She's in our house!" Ron shrugged and went back to eating.

            "I think I'm going to the hospital wing." Hermione said, standing up. "I want to get that potion before this gets worse." She left the table and started walking slowly to the door when she felt a sudden piercing pain in the back of her neck. She froze, unable to move, and felt a heat rise rapidly to her face, feeling like she was exploding into flames. She gasped for breath and felt the world around her tilt. She turned her head and saw Dean Thomas looking pale, his eyes rolling up into the back of his head.

            Seamus Finnigan sat next to Dean Thomas and shouted as his friend fell backwards out off the bench, just barely catching his head before it hit the ground. "HOLY SHITE!" He screamed, tugging him back up. Hermione felt the ground rush up to catch her and she collapsed.

            All around the Great Hall random students fell out of their seats. Draco Malfoy felt his face begin to burn and he groaned as a sharp bolt of pain raced through his body. He froze and collapsed, landing on Blaise Zabini who looked at him curiously.

            "What the- you alright?" He asked, pushing him back up. Draco didn't answer. Pansy looked over at him and gasped, standing up and leaning across the table. She smacked his face lightly.

            "Draco! Wake up!"

            Stariss had just sat down when the pain raced through her body as well. She collapsed against a person next to her, who stood up, holding her.

            The same things happened to Solange, Filia, Tobias, Tristan, and Justin Finch-Fletchley. A few screams echoed throughout the hall and everything went silent. All the Professors stood up.

            "Get them to their dorms now! Don't let them leave!" Dumbledore commanded the house leaders. Even the ghosts took action, helping calm the students and herding them out of the hall.

            Dumbledore swooped down to the students who had suddenly passed out and gave directions to those nearest to them. Ron picked Hermione up off the floor and followed Dumbledore to the hospital with. Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle followed with Draco, Justin being helped up by Hannah Abbott and a seventh year they didn't know. Filia and Tobias were helped by Cho Chang and a few of her friends. Harry had taken Stariss followed by Ginny.

            After a few minutes of frantic walking they reached the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey was called out. She came, almost fainting from the sight of so many students. She took control.

            "Let's move! Put them in an empty bed! No it doesn't matter if the girls are near the boys! Get out of my way!" She ran around to each student, hand against their foreheads. When they were settled she pushed their helpers out, Dumbledore commanding them to go back to the dorms.

            Harry, Ron, and Ginny stood waiting until Dumbledore turned to them. "Why are you standing there? Go back to Gryffindor."

            "But-"

            "Go!" Dumbledore shouted. Ginny cowered and turn, running out the door with Harry and Ron right on her heels. As they ran they passed Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape who were headed towards the Hospital wing.

            "What's happening" Ron asked Harry.

            "How should I know? But I do know that someone is causing this." As they ran up the stairs they passed Sir Nick who floated down the steps. The windows shattered then and the students started sprinting down the corridor, eager to get to the safety of their rooms.

            "The windows just exploded! What's going on?" Ginny squealed as they were let into the common room.

            "The storm is nasty out there." Seamus Finnigan said, still breathing heavily from running back to the dorms. "Not natural, I'll tell ya that." Lavender moved to the window and peered out for a second before stepping back.

            "I don't like this one bit." Harry said frowning, briefly touching his scar.

            "Do you think-"

            "It seems that way." He answered Ron before he could even finish.

            Outside the storm did indeed rage on, and a lone figure laughed evilly, his hood drawn around his face. "Oh what to do, what to do. Should I go collect my son now, or drive them all crazy longer? Decisions, decisions." Lucius Malfoy laughed again, pointing the wand at the sky as a giant bolt of lightning came down striking near the school. He could almost hear the delicious screams of fright from the students. He lowered the wand again, allowing the rain to subside a bit, the thunder just low rumbles.

Hope you liked this chapter. If it seems confusing or stupid I'm sorry. No flames!! ::hides as tomatoes are thrown at her:: You'll understand in a bit why that's happening!! I swear! All shall be revealed!!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Love you guys!! ::hugs around::