Newbies (Horsefly9, Way2Lazy, MythGalatea, Blah Blah, DeLiRiOuS aka Captain obvious ): H'fly thank you very much. Lazy My deepest apologises I will attempt to make it more boring. Myth I'm sick already. Hehehe exam people have to keep giving our entire year tissues in the middle of exams... that'll show 'em for giving us exams. BB sorry you feel that way. Captain my spelling is improving... honest. thank you very much.

Oldies (Raine is Crazy, Bex Drake, Anatia, Haystack x2, Star19, ElvenRareHunter, Muggle Lover): Raine when you have stopped talking to yourself I have to tell you that apart from your name is accurate that also you have to give a little ground to Draco. This is a Harry/Lithliya chapter. Bex I'm very glad you liked it that much your comments were very helpful. Aniata Your mum is only looking out for the best. I'm glad you like my characters and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. Haystack you are fabulous darling. Ab fab. Thank you so much, am very pleased. Star thank you and good luck yourself. Holly I leave a lot of things to your own imagination. Sorry, hope you continue to like. ML it's up to your imagination. sorry about trickness and thank you very much.

Oldies 2 (Shadow, Mel62, Hotpinkflamingo, Niam, Hotaru, Magical Ferret, Irish Soda Bread) : Shady fainting is very important. I was worried about those convos though most people seemed to like them. Mel I always look forwards to your reviews. Very complimentary and I'm getting a very fat ego. Thank you for my fat ego. Flamingo I am very glad you liked it. very very glad. Good luck wiht your exams. Niam I am very sorry for the whole Neville business. I hope you join a support group too... Neville's Anonymous (NA). Hotaru thank you thank you and thank you. MF 1) better re read the chapter. All in there. 2) that you would have to read the convos making sure you know which one belongs to which. Marks might be cleared up in this one. Draco begging? I think not. SodaBread if you want to speak gangsta go ahead. I will not stop you just refer you to Ali G. Draco shows his true colours straight away in this chapter.

AN: Erm.... fantastic reviewer response. I love you guys. ::tears:: ..... no not really but was annoying sister earlier by making her guess how many i got.... 144.... aren't I dudey? Well now I've started writing the sequel. I want your opinion on the first bit of it. The link is in my bio if you wanna take a quick peek. I promise no spoilers for this story. It's just three paragraphs and notit won't spoilt this ones ending. I also want at the end of the story your favourite lines from the entire sotry... they always interesting.

AN 1: Hermione's reaction to Draco in the last chapter I did not explain well enough. I'm very sorry. She snapped. After so many times of being mistreated by him and putting up with him she'd finally had enough. Erm and Harry and Ron's reaction was due to Ginny. Ginny had probably told them that Hermione and Malfoy were dating in secret and had been for a while. What would you say if your best mate went off with a guy you hated? ........ read on!

Chapter Fourteen

Death of the Innocent

LARGEST DEATH TOLL IN ANY DAY OF THE WAR SO FAR

He Who Must Not Be Named will today be cursing the name of all things good. At precisely Midnight on Friday night magical bombs were detonated in prime Death Eater bases. These bases include the Malfoy mansion, Lufborough Estate & Darlington Heath. There were also bombs set off in the US capital of Washington and New York where it is supposed there were Death Eater supplies. In the Middle East two magical bombs in Iran and Eygpt were detonated. It is not yet known who committed the attacks (Ministry or otherwise) or what the death count is. Experts estimate that at least forty Death Eaters died and a hundred other civilians.

Magical Bombs were invented in the years after the war by magictist Friol Bean. Bean developed a way of combining the unforgivable curses and many simple disarming curses contained within a ball of magic. Known facts about the Magical Bombs are few and far between but it is thought that the attacks must have been organised by Ministry officials as only the Ministry are thought to have the Magical Bombs secret. There has been no comment from the Ministry so far today.

For those innocents who died today we mourn. For all those that will live tomorrow because of the Death Eaters we must celebrate. The estimated forty Death Eaters dead will be a severe blow to He Who Must Not Be Named. It is unknown how many serve him, but this will be a crippling loss.

--

FUNERAL FOR 215 DEAD IN 1st DECEMBER ATTACK

The funeral for the 215 innocent civilians killed on Friday 1st December has taken place today at Westminster Abbey. The newly elected Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, spoke of the 'great loss' and 'terrible human cost of war' in a quietly spoken speech in front of the friends and family of those who died. The Ministry have so far denied that it organised the attacks on 15 destinations (ten in England, two in America and three in the Middle East) that left 215 wizards and witches dead along with 57 now known Death Eaters. An investigation is underway.

--

OBITUARYS

John Nott and Hamlet James

John Nott, devoted son of the recently widowed Catherine Nott, died at St Mungos on Thursday 13th December. He had been moved with Hamlet Henry James to St Mungos from Hogwarts school, where he was attending as a 4th year student in Slytherin house. The boys seemed to have performed a spell that went so wrong causing them to slowly bleed to death. His father had died in the 1st December attacks less than two weeks ago. Mrs Nott was too grieved to comment.

Hamlet Henry James, son of the ex-Ministry official Michael James and Harriet James, had been looking forward to a promising career as a Beater. He was already on the reserve list for the Hogwarts Slytherin team even though he was only a 4th year. His family described him as 'Quiet, reserved but with a good heart'. Rest in Peace Johnny and Hamlet.

--

Blaise snorted and threw the paper back to Malfoy. It landed with a slap upon the table. Malfoy laughed and stretched back his arms yawning. "James was quiet alright but it had little to do with being reserved and more to do with the lack of brains to say anything." Zabini laughed. Lithliya who sat next to him checked the date on the paper.

"Well it proves that blood magic works, Draco." Lithliya commented. "Though it would help to know when they first betrayed us so we could figure out how long it takes." Both boys looked at her with abstractly bored expressions. She rolled her eyes and nibbled at her toast.

"Four days until Yule holidays. Have you decided to stay or go yet, Malfoy?" Zabini asked putting marmalade his toast. He flicked his black robes out of the jam. Lithliya flicked his arm as he elbowed her in his efforts.

"I'm staying." Malfoy said finishing off his scrambled egg. "I could just stay to gloat over Potter when Ravenclaw beat them tomorrow. Or I could gloat over how ridiculous he'll look next Wednesday."

"We'll all look stupid." Lithliya intercepted Blaise's dive for the new toast and helped herself. "The Muggles designed the clothing that way." She took a mouthful of the toast and winced. Grabbing her glass of orange juice she downed the entire glass in an instant. Blaise smirked at her. Lithliya smirked back, picked up his glass and splashed the water over his head. Malfoy laughed loudly.

"What's happening next Wednesday anyway? Apart from being the last day of school." Blaise asked drying himself on one of the 3rd years books who happened to be sitting next to him.

"It's the prefects shindig. Based on the Scarlet Pimpernel." Lithliya told Blaise winking at him. Draco smiled to himself. Blaise saw the smile and guessed Draco was thinking grand schemes of great evil involving him and Lithliya. He glowered at Malfoy who just smirked. "Stop scheming Draco for hell's sake. Last time you schemed 272 people died."

Malfoy smirked in pride. Another batch of owls arrived at that moment stopping the entire Slytherin table basking in the glow of their victory. Draco's Eagle owl landed lightly on the table, taking the scraps of egg and bacon from his plate whilst Draco removed the letter. He broke the Ravenclaw seal and scanned the contents. After thirty seconds he tucked the letter into his robe pocket. The smile on his face had faded.

It always did after he got that letter. Same Ravenclaw seal everyday. And I bet I know what it's about. Lithliya glanced over at the Gryffindor table. She wasn't there. Harry was though. She looked away hastily and gathered her books up for first lesson. Defence Against.

--

Hermione looked up at the clock. Nine o'clock. Lessons were about to start. She closed the thick book she had been reading. She gently slid across the thin chain that held it together and slid it back into place. The book A History of Dark Wizards and their Magic blended into the other books. The air in the Restricted Section was dark and dingy. It seemed to be waiting for death to happen here.

The first time she had come to read here, Hermione had been scared. But after three weeks of being deserted by her two 'best' friends she had come to appreciate the blackened silence that she could just sink into and forget that another world existed out there for her to live in. Hermione had barely spoken to anyone in Gryffindor for the last two weeks. They all took Harry and Ron's side. Ginny had obviously told them she was dating Malfoy in an effort to help her. As time had passed and the original emotions had faded to black she had realised that they were right in their treatment of her. She had deserted them for Malfoy. She done things with Malfoy that... she had not the heart to even think of let alone talk of. She felt like a traitor.

And yet she still could not bring herself to look at the white blonde hair and hate it. She was scared of it. Hermione Granger felt the world come to life when she looked at the eyes of her most hated enemy. Undoubtedly the murderer of nearly three hundred people, she had not fooled herself to believe he had not masterminded the entire operation. But she still remembered the way he had touched her, kissed her and it was not even just physical. His intelligence and laughter shown on that fateful day she had thrown him away.

In her dreams Hermione Granger had been haunted by her parents. Sleeping alone in her cold white room, no one to stop the darkness from creeping in. It came in the form of old memories distorted by time and fear. Happy memories became satirical. Even the future was darkened by her dreams. Her unborn sibling's tears haunted her nights. She awoken every morning to find her eyes red and blotched.

Hermione was too shamed in the morning to hold her head high for a good role model to younger students. The only meal she attended was dinner in which she sat by Ginny and her 6th year friends. Their conversations aggravated her more than Harry and Ron's Quidditch talks. She had been fortunate in recent days that extra Quidditch practice had kept her from the boys ignoring her in front of everyone. She visited the kitchen for a light lunch everyday, keeping a constant eye on Dobby and Winky. With the exception of schoolwork little had changed in the three weeks since her life had ended.

Hermione clicked shut the little Iron Gate to the restricted section. Jess was already on the other side waiting for her. Jess was a 7th Year Ravenclaw who had been a distant friend of Hermione's for a while. They had taken Arithmancy together for the past two years. "Morning." Jess said smiling. Hermione nodded in recognition and they started out the library.

They walked together chattering idly upon the Defence Against Dark Arts teacher's new hairstyle. Tonks, who had taken up the post was forever changing her look and it was now as normal to discuss her hair as it was the ever-changing weather. Together they reached the Hospital Wing. It was quiet, emptied in preparation for the Quidditch match tomorrow, except for the clicking of heals of Madame Pomfrey on the stone floor. "Morning." Madame Pomfrey said as she saw them. "Good to see you both again. Luna hasn't seen anyone since Wednesday. Mr Weasley has been doing extra Quidditch practice. And that fool of her father.. I mean Mr Lovegood. I know he's a respected Editor but... Really."

"What has he done?" Hermione ventured peering into Luna's now permanent cubicle. Luna was lying on the bed staring into space. Madame Pomfrey clapped, Luna shot up looking about wildly. She relaxed when she saw them.

"Wake up, Luna. You've got some guests." Madame Pomfrey announced sharply. She turned back to Hermione. "He won't let her be moved to St Mungos. Something about the Pestel Montree Infestation. I don't know. There is only so much I can do for the poor child." Madame Pomfrey walked off leaving behind a flurry of curtains. Luna's gaze on them was wobbly.

"Hello Luna." Jess said in a honeyed voice. "Here I brought you something." Jess dug in her bag and brought out a chocolate frog. She held it out to Luna. Luna looked at it for a bit before taking it.

Luna tried to bite the chocolate with the wrapper still on. Jess quickly removed it for her. Hermione sat in a chair by Luna's bed, Jess taking the one of the other side. They watched the girl eat the chocolate slowly seeming to enjoy it. "Here." Hermione added when she finished the chocolate. Hermione brought out of her own bag a parchment and an old quill. "You can draw thing with these." She placed them on the bed. Luna smiled at her and patted Hermione's shoulder, leaving her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"We'd better be going. Second lesson starts in ten minutes." Jess said quietly. Hermione nodded and blinked. Jess walked to the curtains and waved a goodbye to Luna. "I'll be seeing you later darling." She said smiling as warmly as she could.

Hermione rested her hand on Luna's shoulder and patted. "Goodbye. For now." Hermione whispered. She turned to leave. Luna hadn't loosened her grip on Hermione's shoulder. In fact she'd tightened it. "Luna. I have to go." Hermione could not bear to turn back to the broken girl.

Hermione felt her shoulder be shaken. She turned to face her fears. Luna was sitting, her hair hanging forwards, her head tilted. "They're coming back. They're coming back. For you. Hermione. They're coming back for you." Hermione felt her face drain of colour. She heard Madame Pomfrey's high heeled steps coming towards them. She heard Luna's voice rising. "They're coming for you! Hermione, no, Hermione."

"Ms Granger you'd better go. Luna, Luna, calm down." Hermione stumbled back as Luna released her. Luna's gaze was unfocused. Hermione fell backwards over the chair she had previously sat on. She hurried to her feet and ran out the Hospital Wing. She ran right into tall boy who grasped her just as she was about to fall. She looked up. Ron's confused eyes stared down at her. She hiccuped a sob and righted herself.

The door swung open, Jess coming out. She was carrying Hermione's bag as well as her own. She glared at Ron before putting an arm around Hermione and guiding her down the corridor. Ron remained watching them until they turned out of sight. Ron then passed into the Hospital Wing.

--

Harry came in just in time to avoid the dusk. He had been flying out for the last time before the Ravenclaw match, but the 1st years had come out for their lesson and he'd had to retreat back inside. He'd managed to get a quick look at the Gryffindors but none of them looked particularly promising. One girl had managed to do a little skill work and might turn out to be a good chaser but nothing spectacular. One boy might have made a seeker if he hadn't fallen off twice.

Harry felt his scar twinge. He absently ran a hand through his hair. His scar had been burning a lot since... since the 1st December attacks. He hadn't slept for two nights afterwards. Voldemort had been incensed. On the face of things that was a positive but in reality his lack of sleep had affected his ability to see the snitch and his focus in class. He'd managed to snap at Ron and cause a rift between them, which he had regretted almost immediately after. Ron's constant obsession about Luna was getting to Harry.

"Stressed?" Harry looked up sharply. The elegant blonde head girl stood in front of him. He felt the familiar rise of feeling towards her but quelled it immediately. She hadn't spoken to him except for head's business on the banquet and various other menial things. She hadn't properly looked at him since the Hogsmeade weekend. Malfoy must have talked to her.

Malfoy was a problem. He'd always been a prat. A minor annoyance who never really did anything. But Harry would not be at all surprised if the 1st December attack had been organised by him. Two hundred civilians dead all for revenge. It made Harry sick to think of it. It was also a show of power. Malfoy was far more powerful than anyone had anticipated and far better at organising. Remus had said as much in his recent letter.

"Sorry what?" Harry had suddenly realised that he had not only not answered the question but also not remembered it. Lithliya just smiled at him. He felt like he was a cute puppy to be adored. He shifted but did not want to leave; she'd only just started talking to him again.

"Hermione." He looked up. She wanted to talk about Hermione? Why was it anyone he liked always wanted to talk about other people? He blinked. "Do you know she's stressed? No of course you didn't. You have been far to preoccupied with ignoring her over a petty thing to be worried about a her." Lithliya advanced on him. She looked angry. Harry unconsciously stepped back.

"Well she's fine. She's always stressed. And she shouldn't have gone off and dated Malfoy and behind our backs. He's shown he's bloody evil enough." Harry threw in the last bit trying to gage a reaction from it. Lithliya's face portrayed nothing but anger.

"But she normally eats three meals a day, no? And she normally doesn't cry herself to sleep at night? Wake up Harry. She's wasting away. Didn't Ron tell you?" Lithliya had backed him into a wall. Only then did he realise he'd been backing away from her.

Harry tried to recall what Ron might have told him to do with Hermione. Lunchtime. Ron had said that Hermione had visited Luna, and Luna had gone into a screaming fit shouting about some people getting Hermione. "Well Luna's not speaking sense is she?" Lithliya snorted. "I'll talk to her okay. I guess I've been a prat."

"Weasley style." Lithliya told him glowering. Harry nodded downcast. He had been intimidated by a fifteen year old girl, half his height. "She's got no one at the moment."

"How did you know she cries herself to sleep at night?" Harry asked curiously, shifting his weight awkwardly. He wished he could speak about something else. Something which he wasn't guilty of.

Lithliya didn't answer him. Instead she changed the subject. "It wasn't that big. The attack. Draco's revenge." She was gazing out the window to the 1st years colliding mid-air and Madame Hooch's screaming protestations. "The papers say fifty Death Eaters dead like it is a crippling amount for him to lose. Years ago, when he first came back it might have been. But now. More and more wizards and witches are joining him. Those that are too scared of what happened last time to wish to face it again. Draco was disappointed. Chance had it that there was a meeting that night so many of them left their posts with a few staying back to guard. Draco wanted them all dead."

Harry scanned her face to see if she were telling the truth. She seemed to sense this and turned to look at him. Her face was blank, devoid of emotion, but the hairs on her arms were standing up. She looked like an angel. "Malfoy was wrong. 200 innocent people died." Harry spat out his reply. "THAT WAS HIS FAULT!"

"There is no such thing as an innocent person Harry." Lithliya answered steadily.

"HE KILLED THEM! AND YOU JUST LET HIM?"

"I knew little about it. Draco and Zabini organised it all, like they did with Zabini's family. I would not have done anything even if I did know." Her cold unfeeling voice chilled him to the bone. Speaking of life and death as if they mattered little. It reminded Harry of Voldemort and he hated her for it. The vague outline of the scar from the Death Eaters attack on the Slytherin dormitories was still to be seen down the centre of her forehead.

"Why? For you blessed Draco? Saviour of Slytherin? He'll get sent to Azkaban as soon as this war is over!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing back to him through the various corridors.

"Yes, for Draco. For every war there must be casualties. What if Draco had managed to knock out a hundred and fifty Death Eaters? Wouldn't that be worth the loss? One hundred and fifty of the most powerful dark wizards in the world? All gone in one sweep? No, I would not betray Draco and I'd die even if I did." Her voice had risen, he had breached her walls.

"Do you think I would just abandon you to him if you had told me? That I wouldn't help you?" Harry asked wildly unaware of everything but her. "And he didn't kill one hundred and fifty did he? Fifty. Just fifty!"

"You could not save me from betrayal, whatever else you may save the world from Harry Potter. You remember Nott and James? They died because they betrayed Slytherin. Anyone who betrays Slytherin will bleed to death." She held up her palm where a faint line of a scar could be seen. Harry took her hand and looked closely at it. "See? Do you see?"

Harry nodded numbly dropping the hand gently. He found his hand that had been holding her hand gently rubbing her shoulder in a reassuring gesture quite alien to him. She did not seem to have noticed so he hastily removed it. She looked up then. She smiled, a small and delicate smile that seemed to spell hope to Harry. She stepped closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

Solace. It had seemed so much like a familiar gesture to him that it surprised him to think he had never done it before. Her head was resting on his collarbone, her nose just touching his skin through the fabric of his shirt. His arm was around her back holding her closely and his other hand was playing idly with her hair. He could not help himself but smile.

He felt her warmth depart from his chest and looked down into two blue eyes. He felt the smile burn his lips. She was smiling back now and standing on tiptoe. He leant down eagerly. Too eagerly. Their noses bumped. Lithliya dissolved into a little laughter. He felt like a fool and was about to raise his head when she darted forward for a kill.

With what little experience Harry had with kissing this was quite a feet. Usually the kisses were wet and uncoordinated. However, minus the bumpy start, the kiss was gentle and sweet. She tasted vaguely of honey and sweet things. She was also a little demon with her tongue. Harry found after sometime that they were playing cat and mouse with tongues, himself being the slow and ungainly cat, Lithliya the teasingly tortuous mouse.

They broke apart after a while, both needing to catch breath. He was happy that she lay her head on his chest and wrapped his arms around her, encircling her with his cloak. Harry Potter could not get any happier. He knew it. It was James and Lily. Harry and Lithliya. He knew.

--

Oh dear. What comes up.... has to come down..... the end is near...... So review!