A/N: Hello, I got quite few reviews for my last chapter, and no hate mail! Not bad for my first attempt at writing sex. Anyway, I'm afraid it's another 'in-between' chapter, but the next one will be very exciting (I hope!)
DemonofDoom: I'm sorry I didn't mean you like cliffhangers, but I do (me, the author, Wacko the Sane), I wasn't saying anything against you.
PinkAphid: well I definitely know what you think lol
Witchintraining: do I want to know? Probably not and if I did, a/n + reviews are not the place to have this conversation!
Natsuyori: evil Ron:D

Rash Decisions

"Miss Granger? You wish to tell me something?" Hermione was standing outside Dumbledore's office, looking in from the open doorway, she nodded, "Well, you'd better come in then,"

He signalled to a chair in front of his desk and offered her a wine gum from a large gold bowl on the desk. She politely refused, remembering too well an event in which her Muggle friends had dared her to put as many in her mouth as she could. Never again, she had vowed, would she eat wine gums. She sat down, suddenly very aware of the hundreds of faces staring down at her from the walls.

"So what is it you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore leant forward, pressing his fingertips together, peering at her with his sparkling blue eyes over the half-moon glasses. She found it quite intimidating and had to look at the bowl of wine gums rather than Dumbledore to stay calm.

"It's about Sev… I mean Professor Snape. Sir, I think I know where he is, and the others."

"I assure you Miss Granger, that we are doing are our very best, we don't need you to help with this kind of work; it's too dangerous."

"Yes, I know, but I've found some things out, and I've spoken to him." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly but his expression remained the same, he gestured to her to continue. "I…we think that they are in a disused part of the London underground, near Fenchurch Street Station, Dolohov's got this kind of 'store' where he puts them all, dead and alive, it sounds like the dead are piled into the channel where the tracks are and the alive lie on the platform waiting for their turn. Severus said they'd killed Diggle."

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a second, Hermione knew he and Diggle had been good friends, his death would have come as a shock to him. Not unlike Alastor Moody's. Dumbledore blinked several times and spoke to her, "Thank you Miss Granger, it seems you have been very well informed here, but perhaps you should have come to me earlier though."

"Harry and Ron, Sir, they didn't want to. I don't think they trusted you after you couldn't protect their families. It was Severus; a few days ago, he said I had to tell you. I think he was genuinely scared." She looked down, "I'm sorry Professor, I know I should have come sooner,"

"It's alright now, you've told me and I can follow up a few things, you've done a lot more work than the Order has for the past few weeks. Perhaps I should consider employing you." He smiled at her, "Now Hermione I think this is quite enough worrying on your part, we can deal with the rest, thank you."

"Sir? So you mean we can't do anything? The Order's going to do it all?"

"I think you have had quite enough adventures, and besides this is far too dangerous."

"Harry's defeated Voldemort five times; we've done so much; this wouldn't be too hard."

Dumbledore rose out of his chair and suddenly began stern, "I'm not letting you take rash decisions again; you have taken enough fatal risks recently. You are not to go anywhere, do you understand? I can't have three under-age wizards sneaking off to London to put other people's lives in jeopardy – again."

He sat down and sighed, "I'm sorry Hermione, I just can't let you, promise me you won't go after them; you are not the only person who cares about these people. We have professional, fully-trained adults working on it."

"But they couldn't work out what we found could they?" she muttered,

"Thank you Miss Granger, now is there anything else you would like to tell me?"

Hermione head began to spin, conflicting emotions spiralling everywhere; Harry and Ron's faces, Severus stranded, starving to death, their baby, that little life growing inside her, "No, Professor, there isn't anything. Goodbye,"

"Goodbye Hermione, and remember what I said."

She walked out of his office and went down the spiral staircase. She got off at the bottom and shrieked suddenly, she pummelled her fists on the walls of the corridor. If Dumbledore wasn't going to let them do anything then he had another thought coming. It only strengthened her desire to rescue them.


"Bloody bastard!" Ron exclaimed after Hermione had told them what happened, "we did all his research and now we're not allowed to do anything?"

"Well, I suppose he doesn't want anyone to get hurt again, but we did come up with all the information, they ought to allow us to do something." Harry weighed up the situation,

"I don't know about you but we need to do something and soon," they nodded in answer to Hermione, Ginny came out from behind a chair.

"Sorry guys, I just wanted to know what was going on; you've been leaving me out a lot recently."

"I wonder why?" muttered Ron,

"Shut up Ron," Hermione poked him, "so, when? How?"

Harry thought silently for a few minutes, "How much longer will they last?"

"A few weeks at the most," whispered Hermione,

"This weekend? How does that sound?" Harry looked at them all,

"OK," Hermione answered defiantly,

"I'll do it," Ginny nodded, all eyes turned upon Ron.

"Alright, this just better work."

"That settles it," said Harry, "we just need a plan of action now, oh and we need to find out exactly were we're going."

"This weekend? We're going to bring them back," smiled Hermione, absentmindedly looking down at her belly. Then she could decide; with him.

A/N: Well, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the next action-packed instalment (I'm away until the 21st, you'll get it then). Just leave you to imagine what's going to happen next. Screws tightening, hope you enjoyed it. :D