((. A.N.: Hi, guys! *everyone gasps* I know, it's been at least a millennium since I last got a chapter up, and there's no excuse so I wont even try to make one. My advice for you; go back and review the last chapter before reading this one. You'll probably have no idea what's going on otherwise. ;D More important matters . . . I have a couple of chapters written, but I'm just posting this one for now. Sorry about the excessive amount of fluff in the chapters to come, but I just had to get that in there before everything takes a turn for the worse. So I've babbled long enough, enjoy and review!))

Disclaimer: Me not own anything. Do not sue.


Hermione woke up with a sick feeling in her stomach. It took her a moment to realize why. It's the day before the initiation, she thought with a shock. And just last night Lucius told me about it. She almost laughed at the thought of becoming a Death Eater. She almost cried too. Suddenly she wondered how on earth Lucius had convinced Voldemort to allow a muggle-born into his circle of followers. I suppose Lucius told him all about the wretched curse, and his plan for killing Harry, too! Voldemort would do anything to kill Harry, she thought bitterly.

Her stomach plummeted further, if possible, when she heard whispered words outside of her cell. The vault opened, and Draco stepped in, shutting the door quietly behind him. He turned to her, and she smiled in relief.

"Feeling better?" he said, a smile touching his lips. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Under the circumstances, I suppose I am," she laughed. Draco stalked over in the graceful way he had and sat down in front of her. He had a suspicion that it made her uncomfortable when he was standing and she was sitting.

"Today's Friday. Father's at the ministry for some last minute work," draco said casually. He didn't miss the sharp sense of relief in her eyes as he spoke. Suddenly a grin spread over his face.

"Do you realize that I have never asked you on a formal date?" he said, the grin never leaving his face.

"A formal date? What do we need formal dates for?" Hermione inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"That's just it, don't you see? Guys and girls never go on formal dates anymore, and it's quite a shame. Formal dates are half the fun, you know." Draco smiled apprehensively.

Hermione sighed, pretending to be exasperated, although Draco could tell she was quite pleased. "Oh . . . all right, then, if you insist on it . . ." she paused before saying, "go on, 'Master Malfoy.'"

Draco straightened his back and held his head high, reminding Hermione of a peacock. In his most formal tone he proceeded, "Miss Granger, would it so please you as to make my acquaintance for a horseback ride in the woods and a luncheon afterwards?" He held an arm out to her.

"I would be ever so delighted, Master Malfoy, to join you for luncheon and a ride in the woods, if it pleases you," Hermione replied, with every bit as much formality as him. She took his arm and they stood up. He made a flourishing bow to her and she laughed, wondering how she ever could've hated the boy in front of her.

Draco came out of his bow and grinned. "See? We're having more fun already!"

_** ** ** ** **_

Feeling the wind on her face was better than anything in the world. Hermione and Draco were walking to the stables, after donning riding boots and cloaks (Hermione had borrowed Narcissa's) and Hermione could not have felt better.

"I think I'd better inform you that I'm not a very good rider. I've only done it once or twice," Hermione said lightly.

Draco's eyes sparkled when he said, "Not a good rider, are you? With a couple of lessons you'll be a pro." She smiled at the confidence he had in her.

When they reached the stables, Draco immediately went to the third stall on the right and opened it cautiously. Hermione followed him inside.

Draco walked over to a purely black mare, her gorgeous brown eyes and long hair taking Hermione aback. The horse was tall and strongly built, and even Hermione could tell that it was of the finest breed.

"Ebony, my horse," Draco said, glancing quickly at Hermione. He stroked her jowl, and began running a brush through her sleek fur. Hermione saw such a look of adoration in Draco's eyes when he looked at the mare that she realized he truly did care about all the things he pretended not to. In fact, he pretended not to care so hard that eventually he even convinced himself that he didn't care.

Draco turned to her, subconsciously reaching into his pocket to feed Ebony a sugar cube. Draco looked at Hermione for a moment, as if sizing her up, before saying, "I know the perfect horse for you."

Quickly he walked her over to the next stall and opened the door, allowing her in before him. Once inside, she saw almost the exact opposite of Draco's Ebony. A creamy white mare with twinkling blue eyes looked back at her. The horse had an air of such grace and tranquility that Hermione had never seen its like, human or animal.

"She's so beautiful," Hermione breathed, ecstatic as Draco allowed her to stroke the horse.

"Snow. She is such a fine horse that even my father rides her when he thinks no one is looking," Draco said with a wry smile.

"You want me to ride her?" Hermione asked breathlessly, looking at Draco with large eyes. He nodded.

"I don't know if I can, Draco."

"Anybody can ride Snow. Anybody who has a head and two feet. She's the most gentle horse in the world."

Hermione nodded while looking at him quizzically. "I never knew you loved horses so much," she said after a moment.

Draco's eyes softened. "More than almost anything," he said carefully, giving her a mysterious smile. "Let me help you saddle Snow up."

Once the horses were outside and saddled, Hermione began feeling a bit more confident in her horsemanship. Draco showed her how to mount, and to his delight she did that perfectly. Draco mounted his own horse, and after a few unsteady fumbles on Hermione's part, they managed to take off down the trail at a slow trot.

"May I inquire as to where we're going?" Hermione asked as she listened to the gentle clippity-clop of the horses heels on the dirt path.

"I'd like to say I knew," Draco said uncharacteristically. "Well, where do you want to go?"

Hermione considered this for a moment, absently combing through her horse's hair. Draco had never seen someone so easily elegant.

"Venice," she replied suddenly, looking up. "I want to go to Venice."

Draco laughed at her indignant tone.

"....Venice, where we can ride on gondolas through wide canals, and watch the city light up at night . . . " Hermione met his eyes, her face sparkling with pleasure.

"Then Venice is it," he announced regally, as if Venice was, indeed, their destination.

Suddenly an idea bloomed in Hermione's mind.

"I'll race you there!" she said suddenly, glancing over at his shocked face.

"You've been on a horse for five minutes and you already want race, much less beat me?" Draco asked, that typical Malfoy sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"Why, yes," Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips. "I think I could beat you!"

"Not gonna happen," Draco snorted.

"At least give me a chance! Besides, I know how to gallop a horse. I told you, I've done this before," she said. Draco glanced over at her and saw the determination in her hazel-brown eyes.

"I won't go easy on you, you know," Draco lied. Hermione's face lit up.

"But you will race me! All right then, what are we waiting for? Ready, set, GO!"

Hermione took off on her horse before Draco knew what was happening. He reared his horse after her with a yell. Draco was immediately surprised at how well she handled her horse, with perfect precision and control. I won't have to go easy on her for Hermione to win this race, Draco thought with amusement. Ebony was naturally faster than Snow, however, and he was gaining on her.

Suddenly they broke out of the forest and into a clearing, still galloping at full speed. Draco was nearly even with Hermione as the wind whipped his hair back and the sun reached his eyes. Putting on a final burst of speed, he pulled ahead of her with a joyful shout.

Draco looked back, suddenly, his horse still in full gallop. Hermione's eyes met his, and for just a moment the world stopped.

Sound, speed, time.

It was all irrelevant to him for a moment. A feeling rushed through him so powerful that he wondered if he had been hit in the chest. The feeling was new to him, and it seemed unreal. Hermione knew the feeling, but for her it was also unreal. The world unfroze.

THWAP.

Draco flew off his horse with an immense amount of force. Hermione screamed as she watched his body crumple to the ground. In one moment she'd reared her horse from a dead gallop to a halt. All she could think was that there was only one outcome to hitting a tree branch on a galloping horse.

Death.

((So . . . what do you guys think? What's gonna happen? Review!))