Standard Disclaimer

A/N I hope this chapter is long enough for everyone. I'm sorry, but I don't write long chapters. I write in short bursts. So please stop telling me to write longer chapters in your reviews. I know you want more, and I'm writing as much as I can. Thank you for the reviews though. They mean so much to me.

Tail of Newt

Hermione collapsed onto the forest floor. "Go! At least one of us has to make it out of this alive!" She yelled as Draco tried to help her up.
"We're in this together. If your staying so am I." Was Draco's breathless reply.
He helped her to stand, then, looking around wand at the ready, added "I think we may have lost him though."
He was wrong.
"Did you really think I'd let you get away that easily?" Came a voice from in the shadows to the left of the pair. "Did you really think you could get out of this forest alive?"
"I won't let you kill him." Hermione planted herself in from of Draco, "You'll have to kill me too."
"Move Hermione. This doesn't involve you."
"It's alright. I'll be fine." Draco whispered in her ear.
Reluctantly, Hermione began to move back to Draco's side.
She heard the curse coming before he even raised his wand.

Hermione awoke with a start, sweating profusely. The dream had seemed so real. But it was only a dream. She would never feel that way about Draco, never put her life on the line for him. "Not that I have much of a life left anyway." She muttered to herself. The tea from Madame Pomfrey and the potion Snape had put together had relived her symptoms, but she knew the cure was only temporary. She'd know from the beginning that it was only a matter of time before she ran out a miracles. Hopefully she could last the rest of the year. She hadn't come this far to die with less than a year left of school.
Sitting up slowly Hermione noticed a note on the bed stand.

Hermione,
Professor Dumbledore and I have discussed your situation and deemed it best that you go and discuss your condition with your healer at St. Mungo's. Madame Pomfrey, though knowledgeable about your condition, is not educated on the most current cures. However once you and the healer have decided on a new course of action she would be most happy to assist if needed. I have taken the liberty of making an appointment with the healer for you. It's this Saturday after noon at 2 o'clock. You may use the fireplace in my office if you don't want anyone to see you. Please remember that all the staff members know of your condition and will make allowances for you. We all just want you to get better.
M.McGonagal

Hermione took great pleasure in tearing the note into small pieces. She knew that McGonagal was just looking out for her, trying to do what she thought was best. But really what Hermione needed was for everyone to leave her alone. She knew that the healer would didn't have any more cures. All he'd do was advise her to move into St Mungo's for observation and prepare for the end. That charm had been her last hope. She knew she wasn't getting better, but she also knew she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Draco stood next to his boiling cauldron in the cold dungeon staring off into space. He couldn't concentrate on the dreamless sleep potion he was brewing. It was all because of the damn dream. He saw to much of Hermione during the day, he really didn't want to see her in his dreams too. Maybe once the potion was done he could take some and use it to make his own dreams disappear. Assuming he could get the potion right to begin with. Two or three times already Hermione had stopped him from putting the wrong ingredients in at the wrong time.
"No no no. You have to wait until it comes to a full boil before you at the newt tail!" She snipped at him pushing his hand away from the cauldron. "Just because you're out of it today does not mean you can mess up my grade."
"Just because Snape said we have to work together does not mean that I care about your grade."
Hermione didn't have the energy to smack him. She just held out her hand. "Give me the newt tail."
"No."
Hermione put her other hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. "Give me the newt tail."
Draco ignored her.
"Fine. I'll just have to tell everyone about your---"
"Have your damn newt tail then!!!" He screamed as he threw the handful of slimy tails at her.
Hermione smiled. She may be dying, but could still get her way.
She added the newt tails as Professor Snape told the class to begin to pack up. "The potion needs to simmer overnight, so we'll see how it works tomorrow. I want a two foot parchment outlining your term project for me by the end of beginning of class. So I suggest you get together with your partner to decide on what you'll be doing before then."
Hermione and Draco glared at each other.
"Meet me in the library at four today. And don't be late." Hermione demanded as she left the dungeon running to catch up with Harry.

"You're late."
Hermione just glared at Draco as she set her books down on the table. "I'm sorry. Lost track of time." The truth was she'd had a dizzy spell on the way to the library and had needed to sit for a bit before she felt capable of anything. The last thing she needed was for Draco to see her in that condition.
"So what do you think we should do?" Hermione asked
"You're the one who's so smart. Why don't you decide on something and then I'll agree and we can call it a day and go to dinner. "
"Why aren't you taking this seriously?"
"Why are you taking it so seriously?"
"Fine. Whatever. I'll figure something out and write up the paper. You can sign your name on it tomorrow before class."
"Sounds like a plan." Draco stood quickly. He couldn't wait to get out of the library and away from Hermione. The queasy feeling in his stomach was back again. Hopefully it was nothing a good dinner couldn't fix."I'll see you tomorrow then?"
Hermione nodded. It took all the energy she had to keep from falling off the chair until after he left.