Gilding

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Harry and Ron ran quickly to their dormitory to drop off their things before heading off to Quidditch.

"Hang on Ron, I've got a note."

"Come on Harry! The team is going to have our necks if we're late again. Not to mention McGonagall."

"I've got to meet Snape tomorrow after classes are done."

"What? Why?" Ron said finally accepting that they weren't going to be on time.

"He wants me to start work on an extra assignment. Hermione is doing it, and Malfoy." He added to stop any suspicions.

"But we've got a practice tomorrow! How long is he planning on imprisoning you in the dungeons?"

"I'm not sure mate. Probably a fair amount of time."

"Bloody bastard." Ron replied as they made their way to the Quidditch change rooms.

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Hermione removed a gilded journal with intricate red embroidery adorning it from the chest underneath her bed. She opened it slowly to preserve the spine and cringed at that sound of it cracking. She always believed you should keep books in as best condition as you could so they could last. She opened her expensive ink flask and took out her favourite quill. She dipped the plumed pen into the black liquid, moved her hand towards the first page and stopped herself just short of dotting the first spot.

Crookshanks moved to sit in her lap and Hermione moved her arms to oblige. She moved the inkbottle carefully out of his reach and stared at the blank page until finally she sighed and raised her arm again.

On the first page she wrote her name and address and that was all that she could think of. She turned the page and carefully wrote the date. "Bullocks!" She cried as she realized her mistake. She grabbed her wand quickly and removed the blunder. She again wrote the date, but from 7 years before.

Hermione had considered this over and over again. It was going to take all she had to actually go through with the rest of it. She wrote about what she had first thought of Draco, specific incidents that had influenced her opinions and eventually reached closer to the present. She had to stop and consider a moment as she thought about exactly how detailed she was willing to go with this. Draco had certainly provided very personal accounts of himself and Hermione decided that it was only fair that she do the same.

Eventually, she wrote up the Order meeting but had not mentioned anything actually to do with the Order. She only mentioned that things had recently changed her feelings for him and other details to that effect.

She wiped her quill and capped her ink, just as carefully as before but now at least she wasn't trying her best to go as slowly as possible. She patted Crookshanks gently before removing him from her lap. This did not please him whatsoever. He began to growl somewhat and make small meow-like noises.

"Oh sorry honey, but I've got to go. Mommy's hungry." She said in a babying tone and placed the journal back in to her chest and locked it carefully before casting several charms on it. She pushed it back under her bed and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner, beginning to make plans for how she going to plant the diary where Draco would find it and nobody else could get before he would.

Ron and Harry were fairly quiet throughout dinner. They were both exhausted from a hard night of Quidditch practice. The season wasn't even starting for a few months but they were determined to use all the time they had this year to train and plan.

"Have you noticed that Miss Evans never eats dinner?" Harry said quizzically.

That startled Hermione somewhat. She was usually the one to point things like that out. "She probably prefers to eat in private, where its quiet and she can work. Plus, her and Snape have been getting together for some time now. They most likely eat dinner together when they do." Hermione pointed out.

"You're right. Snape's not here either." Ron said with his mouth full. It was becoming a habit of his. At Christmas time, when his mother was around, she would soon break him of that practice.

They chatted a bit more about this and that, and finally being too tired anymore to actually carry on a conversation, Harry and Ron decided that they desperately needed to go back to their dormitories to sleep. Hermione smiled at her luck. She rushed back with them to her rooms and removed the journal quickly from its place. She scurried back down the stairs and headed swiftly to the library.

Draco was there, as she had known he would be. He often out for long periods of time in the evening of late, working, studying or just reading. She supposed it was rather boring sitting in your common room when none of your good friends were around.

She walked straight over to his table and as soon as he looked up at her she detoured to the closest aisle of the library. She had walked into the Foretelling section and gagged openly at the nonsense, which lay before her. Nonetheless, she kneeled down as planned and carefully pulled out a book she inched as far as she could towards Draco without looking like a complete fool and put the book back upon the shelf. She twisted, still kneeling and began to rise. She dropped the journal carefully and precisely, so that if Draco were paying any attention he would have noticed it fall. She rose quickly and began to rush out when she felt a warm hand grab her by the forearm.

"Hermione wait. Would you meet me tomorrow, I must discuss something with you." He hesitated a moment, as if deciding whether or not he should do this.

"Sure, where would like to meet?" Hermione said. She was completely shocked that her voice actually managed some measure of calm.

"Here, around 4:30." Hermione nodded and Draco let go of his grasp. He seemed to just realize now that he had not released her. He took one final look at her and stormed away. She glanced behind her. The journal was gone.

"He must have taken it." She said under her breath. She turned back and walked slowly back to the Gryffindor common room. She began to think about what had just happened. How could things have gone so completely upside down in her life?

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Draco had to run out of there. He wasn't sure exactly of what he had done. His actions had been done completely on impulse. He tried to convince himself that it was his instincts that had taken over in order to aid his plans. He should have been happy at his success, but he seemed to feel something itching at the back of his mind. He fingered his bag slightly and let his hands run over the journal that Hermione had left for him.

He walked absentmindedly in to his Head-Boy quarters and dropped all he was carrying in surprise. His father was sitting on his bed, with a most displeased countenance. He quickly picked up his things and placed them on his desk.

"Hello father. It is good to see you." He said turning towards him. His father rose from Draco's bed and stepped in front of him. His face was barely inches away from Draco's and Draco felt as if his father could hear his heavy breathing and quickened heartbeat.

"Do you know what those filth that they are passing for wizards these days are doing?" He whispered dangerously. Lucius paused for a moment to wait for Draco's reaction.

"No father, I don't" Draco replied innocently.

"They are holding me under investigation. I threatened half of the ministry and bribed the other but they are still going through with it. It is an outrage!" Lucius scowled.

Draco wasn't sure how to react to this. He knew Dumbledore was behind it but what could he say?

"I need you to return to the Manor this weekend and help me to...conceal some objects which the Ministry could not possibly appreciate."

"Yes father." Draco replied smoothly. He had been trained well by his father.

"Now onto more pressing matters. How are fairing with the mudblood?" He said casually.

"Very well. I am to meet with her tomorrow, privately." Lucius smiled and to Draco he was the devil incarnate. His father did not know that he had joined the Order and Draco did not feel it was necessary to mention it to him quite yet.

"When you are with Voldemort, you will truly be able to enjoy the results of your labour. I've tasted more flesh than most and you will soon be able to join me." Draco assumed that was supposed to be some sort of father-son moment, but he could not fathom the thought of what he had just said. Draco loved his mother and every time his father told him of his affairs it chipped at him, piece by piece.

"Soon." Draco said, trying to sound eager.

"I must leave now my Dragon. I have other business to take of."

"Goodbye father." Draco replied formally.

Lucius was just stepping through the portrait hole when he pause and turned to Draco, "Your mother has fallen ill, it is quite an inconvenience for me at this time. Do not disturb her when you arrive on the weekend." Lucius said and swung the portrait hole closed in haste.

Draco stood where he was for a moment longer and tried to contain his anger towards his father. He had left that point until last, as if it were the most unimportant piece of information he had to give. Draco was almost surprised he had even mentioned it. He was not looking forward to a visit to the manor but at least he could see his mother, even if it was breaking his father's order.