A/N: Sorry it took so long to post again. Before I knew it, it had been over a week! I'll try to post at least once a week from now on! ^_^ Chapter 17 huh? We're getting far. Only 8 chapters left!! If you'd like to review please do so now! lol

Disclaimer: Not mine… J.K.R… story hers… twist… mine! XD!

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Chapter 17

"The Snitch"

As the sun hit the horizon it seemed that dawn brought a new light: a dim one. Since Malfoy's arrest, Draco had done all he could to prevent the ministry from forcing any more information out of him. It seems that as Lucius was reported alive, his former contacts suddenly reappeared as if from thin air. They were still able to delay the interrogations and with no indications of any accusations, it seemed that everything would be going much slower. It had been one week since that fateful day and Harry, Hermione and Ginny felt lower then ever. All they ever did was loiter in the common room unsure of what steps to take next. Everyone in the school was whispering about Ron's incarceration and Harry said drably: "He's never gotten as much attention as now… Only this isn't the way to get it,"

Hermione never felt more useless. She knew she was "brilliant" she knew that her knowledge had helped them in the past… but so far, she felt as if her brain cells had been slowly drained from her. Everything had gone so horribly wrong and she couldn't concentrate on a plan. She couldn't find another approach to the situation. What was the use of her intellect if she couldn't help one of the most important people in her life?

"But… Hermione… If Malfoy manages to be found innocent, then that leaves Ron in the clear doesn't it?" said Harry as the trio gathered in the Great Hall.

"Well… Lucius was suspected for a quite a long time but there was never any proof of being in league with the Dark Lord… Even if he gets off, Ron's charges are for assisting a suspected murderer and dark wizard might keep him in there. If Lucius can pull off not knowing anything before he was cursed it still leaves Ron wanted for helping a suspected criminal, there would have to be a separate trial and more time for him in Azkaban," answered Hermione with gloom in her voice as she played with her ring.

"This is all getting to be too much… What if Ron's going to be in Azkaban for life? Even with all the dementors destroyed... I don't want him there!" whimpered Ginny as Harry put his hand on her shoulder.

"There's still another matter," said Draco who suddenly appeared at the Gryffindor table. "Who was the one to inform the ministry in the first place? I thought it might have been Weasley but now that I thought about it he was too involved in this to risk his own neck,"

"He also would NEVER do something like that! My brother has honor! It's something that our family has in spades as much as yours has tried to ignore!" said Ginny insulted as she stood up.

She had said it quite loudly and everyone in the Great Hall turned to look at her. Her cheeks pink she sat back down and looked at the floor.

"How is your family Ginny?" asked Hermione sympathetically.

"Everyone's a mess... Bill and Charlie came home from work and Percy too... but... We haven't heard from Fred and George yet,"
"That's odd isn't it?" commented Harry.

"Yes. I don't know if I can handle all this stress. I'm sorry; I'm going back to the common room... I need a little rest," she said faintly as she rose from her chair.

"I'll come-"

"No Harry. I really need some time to just breathe and I need you all to keep thinking. There's must be something we can do to help my brother," she said and then turned to look at Draco. "You want to help us don't you?" she said softly.

"I..." he muttered.

Ginny just got up and left. It didn't really matter whether Draco's answer was what Ginny wanted to hear. She knew from that reaction that Draco had felt genuinely bad about the mix up. However, if it all came down to either choosing between his father and Ron, it seemed obvious what he'd choose. She advanced at a snail's pace. She sauntered slowly to the common room and met with the Fat Lady. Once again, she wasn't much in the mood for a conversation however she let the portrait say her peace.

"Miss Weasley. Are you alright dear?"

"Yes... I just need se rest,"

"Very well then. You'll be happy to know that there's a gentleman awaiting you in the common room. It seems he wants to help you relax as well. I say take his kindness dear and I'm sure you'll feel better,"

"Thank you," she said followed by the words: "Lion Heart"

As Ginny entered the room she saw Colin sitting in an armchair near the fire. She smiled and went to sit next to him. The boy seemed a little surprised to see her and leisurely moved back into his chair. Ever since Ron's arrest he had not talked to Ginny at all. He had tried to stay as distant from her as he could during classes and mealtimes. She simply assumed that he suspected that she and Harry had gotten together after that day so she didn't press the subject further. However, if he were the one that was waiting for her in the common room then she'd take the opportunity to ask him why he didn't seem to want to be around her.

"Hello Colin. It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Ginny, how are you?" he said in a low whisper.

"I'm - I'm fine. I just have a lot to deal with right now,"

"Yes... I know. Have you gotten word from Ron at all?"

"He wrote to us a few days ago. He said it's not that bad. With no dementors he says it's like a dirtier, darker zoo. The only things that he's annoyed with are the other prisoners,"

"Other... Did... Did he mention any names?"

"No. Not really. Why would he?"

"Nevermind... I-I had no idea you were involved in all this Ginny,"

"Well... I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone. It was all a big secret,"

"And a side from you and your brother... wasn't HE involved in all this? The minister found him there didn't he?"

"Harry? Well..." Ginny suddenly stopped talking.

***

In the Great Hall Harry, Hermione and Draco continued to ponder about the snitch. Draco was still standing and, naturally, refused to sit at the Gryffindor table even after they had insisted he did. At that point, they were re-organizing everything that happened to them that night to piece together the puzzle and Harry was getting sick of hearing it over and over.

"Ok... Here we go again...Ginny, Draco and I went to see Snape. We got the potion, went to the Willow, took a straight course and Draco told us about the letter he got. We got to the Victorian and Draco gave it to Malfoy. The minister officials and hit-wizards came... the interrogation happened... they went to look for Ron. Sirius said something about a letter being sent to them about ME being involved and then we took Malfoy to the station. We went to the common room and Ginny went in first. I stayed outside cause I met up with Hermione," said Harry like this was a useless method of solving the mystery.

"Right... For me, they had come... and took Ron. Two of them grabbed him and dragged him away. I-"

"Was crying,"

"Draco shut up! I'm telling this all right?" she said angered.

"Ok-ok... I was just saying that if you were crying then..."

"SO I was taken by two other wizards and brought back to the castle where I met up with Harry. He told me what happened and we went in the common room together. We found Ginny crying and saw her run up the stairs..."

There was a pause as Hermione lowered her eyes.

"She still refused to tell me why! I could knock it out of Colin. He was there that night but if it was important I'm sure she wouldn't hide it from us," said Harry.

"You really love her don't you Harry?" said Hermione with the first true smile in the last week.

"I trust her. That's what love is isn't it? Trust," added Harry.

Draco finally sat down and held his head up with his fist. "Trust" he thought. "Who can you trust when you can't even trust your own father?" They all sat in silence for a while until Harry decided to point out suspects.

"What if it was Snape?" said Harry.

"No. I doubt it. He wouldn't dare... he's not like that," answered Draco.

"Draco why do you have such high esteem for him? Sure he's helped us but he still has a shifty character and that's something very difficult to change,"

"He's not the type that would resolved to anything to get what he wants! He would never push on something like that!

"But he was one of the only people that knew about this early enough to have warned the ministry,"

"Listen Potter, You weren't there when Crabbe and Goyle were killed. You didn't see him try to stop the orders from the Dark Lord... You didn't see when all the tension between him and -"

"OH NO!" shouted Hermione.

The two boys looked at her in complete shock.

"Oh! How stupid of us! Of course! It all fits! Hurry! We need to get to the common room RIGHT NOW and tell Ginny!" said Hermione as she rose from her seat. The boys followed her quickly without question.

"Hermione! What's going on?" asked Harry as he speeded up to catch her.

"Don't you see? Who was there on the day we returned? Who was the only one waiting in the common room?"

"Colin,"

"Exactly. He was there the day we returned-"

"And also right before I left with Ginny..."
"Yes and you said it didn't you? Colin has a shifty character when it concerns you and who else can follows us around everywhere we go? When we ever discussed Malfoy it was in the common room and Ron was being very ignorant about keeping his voice low. He blurted out things sometimes without thinking like: "You take on too much responsibility Harry!" And Colin has a reason to be vengeful about what happened to him-"

"HE started it! He never should have laid one hand on Ginny!"

"Well, whatever the case who else would put YOUR name on the letter and he DID say that there are better ways to take care of things! I don't think he meant sending a peace offering. Besides-AHHH!" yelled Hermione suddenly.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"A RAT!"

"Oh the castle's just filled with them this term remember? Ignore it Hermione,"

"But..."

"Come on Granger! Don't let a silly rodent get in the way of catching a REAL one," said Malfoy now shoving Hermione ahead.

"Ok..." she said shankingly as they headed towards the common room.

As they approached Draco made a sudden halt.

"What are you waiting for? "Lion Heart" " said Hermione as the portrait swung open.

"I can't go in there!" said Draco.

"Sure you can! Now come on!" she said gabbing his arm.

The very moment they had gone through the threshold there was a sound of a slap and Colin was left holding his cheek. Ginny was looking at him rather cross yet had tears flowing down her cheek. She was huffing like she had just run a mile. Harry sprinted over to her to ask her if she was all right but she didn't need the comfort. Her nerves were ice and right now she decided that enough was enough. She remembered the day that Ron had been taken away and the way she and Harry had been escorted by Sirius to the common room after they had brought Lucius to the Hogsmeade train station. She remembered crying on Colin's shoulder. She remembered him telling her that she would be okay. "Even if HE's not with you... you'll always have me," It was only at that moment that she realized that the "HE" that Colin had spoke of was not Ron but Harry. He never meant it to sound like he'd be there for her as a brother figure but as a replacement for Harry.

Even Draco was thrown aback by Ginny's act. Harry had grabbed Ginny's arm now and decided to take up to her room. He knew she didn't want to be there any longer. He gave Creevly a disgusted look and they disappeared up the stairs until their reached the girls' staircase. Hermione decided to take charge up to that point.

"Colin... come with us!" she said as she crabbed Colin by the collar.

Everyone in the common room was completely stirred. First to see Ginny act the way she did, second to see Draco enter and third by the way Hermione, who suddenly seemed to have Hagrid's strength, was dragging out Creevly. The boy sheepishly looked at Draco and Hermione and lowered his head yet he gave a deep sigh as if he knew this was going to eventually happen. With what seemed like seconds the three were out of the common room and up a flight of stairs. Hermione looked about and saw the door to the transfiguration classroom open. With the same mammoth strength, she dragged Colin as Draco closed the door.

"Sit," ordered Hermione as she flung Colin on a chair.

Draco was keeping watch like a deadly guard dog. His eyes were reduced to thin slits and the moment Colin made a move the Slytherin would gladly pounce. Colin's position was more than dangerous as he had in a single turn upset Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ginny in many different and personal ways.

"Were you the one to inform the ministry about Lucius?" said Hermione very seriously. There was no point in going around the question.

"Why do you think I was the one? I never sent any letters!"

"Oh? And how did you know there was a letter Creevly?" said Draco as he jerked his head towards the boy who began to shake.

"Just tell us if you did it or not," said Hermione suddenly.

"I didn't... I mean,"

"He's lying! He's just trying to save his skin,"

"Fine! I did it! All right? I did it! And it was supposed to work! How was I supposed to know that the curse backfired! How was I supposed to know that Ron was involved? All I ever heard him say was that Potter was responsible for it! That he carried the burden! I thought he was spending more time with Malfoy then Ron was! I mean with a curse like that-"

"What? You... you identified the curse?" said Hermione speechless.

"I... Anyways... so you've got me! Now what are you going to do? You can't take me to the ministry for doing the right thing can you?" said Colin now rising. "It doesn't matter anyways. Potter will have his up comings. He has always had everything and soon he will have nothing. Fate will do with him as it pleases and the memory of a monster can be just as deadly as it being right in front of you,"

Draco had enough of the very sound of Colin's voice and was ready to make the boy pay until Hermione, who saw Draco's hand clench into a fist, stood before him. As she blocked Draco from even seeing Colin she surprisingly said:

"You're absolutely right Colin,"

"What?" said Draco surprised.

"He's right... all this is too messy to deal with. And let me tell you something... Jealousy has never led anyone anywhere. If you think Harry will get what he deserves then remember that you will too. One way or the other... Let's go we have no business here," she said.

"WHAT? HERMIONE aren't you angry? Aren't you outraged? He sent your boyfriend to Azkaban! And my father-"

"There's no point. We have to concentrate on other things now. Have you learnt Snape's potion yet?"

Draco was completely shocked. He couldn't say a word.

"I didn't think so. Come on. Lets leave this rat with all the others in this place. I'm starting to get chills," she said as she left the room.

Still in a state of numbness Draco walked out of the room and followed Hermione closely down the stairs without a word. It was only when they were far away from the room that she spoke.

"There's more going on then we know and Colin's involved. We have to monitor him from now on. If he thinks we're completely against him then he'll be too fidgety even if we're a hundred feet away,"

"That's why-"

"Of Course! Do you have any idea how angry I was?"

"Well-"

"So we obviously have more chances to do so but I want you to keep a close watch on him too,"

"I could-"

"Yes during breaks is good. Okay... I'll inform the others and see to Ginny... wait a moment..."

"What?" said Draco who was finally able to finish a sentence.

"Did you call me by my first name back there?"

From that point on, Draco thought it best not to speak for the rest of the day.