As expected, Voldemort kept his daughter away from school for most of the day, before eventually, finally, deciding that she should get back. He had of course put a dummy in her place, a physical illusion that spent the entire day asleep. But all the same, he knew that should Dumbledore or even Madame Pomfrey check on the ailing Head Girl, the illusion was not keep them at bay for long.

So it was at four in the afternoon, Voldemort summoned Snape and sent Amelie back to Hogwarts in his company. They apparated back, and walked up the road to the castle in silence. At the hidden side door, Amelie turned to him.

"I wont forget Jula." She said softly. Then Amelie turned and went inside without waiting for his answer. He paused, then nodded in appreciation and followed her into the castle.

The first thing they had to do of course was report to Dumbledore. But even before that, the most pressing thing on Amelie's mind was getting rid of the shoes. She paused in the hallway, leaning against the wall to pull her shoes off.

"Amelie, come on! The students are going to get out of lessons any second now." Snape snapped.

"I need to take my shoes off. They're killing me." Amelie shot back, ignoring his tone.

"So why the hell did you wear them?"

"Because they made the desired impact." Amelie answered with a shrug, straightening with the two scarlet shoes in her hand, standing barefoot in the hall. "Let's go."

They made their way swiftly through the halls, and only met two students just before they went into Dumbledore's office.

Unsurprisingly, the students they met were Harry and Ron.

Were they ever in the right place at the right time?

"Professor!" Harry called. Amelie turned to look at them, and they halted. "Sorry, I didn't know you were-"

"Hello boys." Amelie said softly.

"Amelie." Ron said flatly.

"Hi Ron." She said drily. "How are you?" Snape spoke the password, and the gargoyle sprung away from the doorway.

"Come on Amelie." Snape said brusquely, glancing over his shoulder at her as he stepped through the doorway. Amelie shrugged, waved at Harry and Ron, and followed him inside. The gargoyle jumped back over the entrance, and then they were on their way to Dumbledore's office.

&

Three hours later, Amelie made her way quietly through the halls on bare feet, her shoes still in her hand. All the students were at dinner now, so the halls were empty, and no one saw the strange girl moving assuredly through the halls.

In the Heads Suite, Amelie made her way quickly to her room, stripped, removed her makeup, pulled a t-shirt on over her underwear, and went straight to bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

So, being asleep, she didn't see Draco run into the common room and through into her room, and stand breathless in the doorway, trying to catch his breath as he watched the form of the sleeping woman in front of him. She didn't hear him kick off his shoes, and she didn't feel him slide into bed next to her. Though when she woke with a start in the middle of the night, she recognised his voice when he soothed her, his touch when he stroked her hair and the feel of him kissing her gently until she fell asleep again in his arms.

In the morning, Amelie woke and found herself spooned against Draco. She could see out the window and the dim grey light told her it was early morning, and this time she was pretty sure Draco was asleep. Not that it really mattered anyway.

Amelie unlocked the 'box' Hermione had been in for the last thirty-six hours, and the peaceful quiet in her head was broken instantly.

What the hell is going on? Are you alright? Hermione demanded.

I'm fine, love. I went to Voldemort's, learned all his dastardly plans and came back and promptly told Dumbledore everything. I'm currently lying in your bed with your lover behind me. You want control?

Please. Amelie gave it over greatfully. She was tired, and tightly wound.

I'm going back to sleep.

Tell me what happened. Hermione insisted.

Here. Watch the whole ruddy performance. Amelie said grumpily.

Suddenly Hermione had access to all the memories from Amelie's sojourn into enemy territory. She was quite abruptly scared of what she could see.

You don't have to look if you don't want to. Amelie said with a yawn. Good morning. And after a few seconds of silence, Hermione was sure she was asleep.

Hermione began to tentatively watch the memories, almost like she'd watch a movie at the cinema. What she saw and heard terrified her, and now she knew why Amelie had rather forcefully locked her in the mental 'box'. Amelie had trodden rather dangerous territory often during the last day and two nights, and any distractions from Hermione could have been fatal. Especially if, as Draco said, they got a look on their collective face when they were arguing internally.

"Hermione?" Draco murmured in her ear. Hermione pulled herself away from the dark memories and looked at him over her shoulder, and then she shifted so she was facing him.

"Hey." She replied. He smiled in relief.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his hand taking hers.

"I'm fine. Amelie made sure I stayed out of trouble." Hermione said. Draco nodded.

"She said she stuck you in a box to keep you out of the mess."

"Literally. How are you?"

"I've been worried, but I'm okay now." Draco smiled, smoothing a strand of hair away from Hermione's face and kissing her forehead. Hermione raised her head slightly so their lips met, and he smiled against her mouth. "I'm perfect now." Hermione laughed, then groaned as his hands wandered across her stomach. Then a thought struck her.

"Draco? It's half eight on a Friday morning."

"So what? We'll skip. It's only transfiguration." Hermione weighed up the chances of getting bollocked if she didn't go. They were very good, but she was quickly convinced by Draco that transfiguration was totally unnecessary. At least compared to what he was currently doing to her, which was very necessary.

&

They managed to make it to lunch, sitting at their respective house tables. As soon as Hermione sat down, the Gryffindor table exploded in noise.

"Are you alright Hermione? Draco said you were sick!" Ginny said immediately, although the look on her face very clearly said she knew Hermione hadnt been sick.

"I'm feeling a bit better now." Hermione admitted. "I spent most of yesterday asleep."

"Since when have you been back on first name terms with that git?" Seamus asked Ginny distastefully. Seeing as he was Ginny's latest conquest, he was entitled to ask.

"Since he took the effort to tell me Hermione wasn't feeling very well. Don't worry, love." Ginny turned and kissed him, and everyone turned away from them with a sigh. Ginny-randomguy snogging sessions were getting pretty regular, much to Ron's disgust.

Hermione smiled, glad to see Ginny wasn't suffering overmuch over Blaise, although Blaise seemed to be suffering somewhat. He had been completely healed from the pheonix flame, thanks to Fawkes, and had a memory charm put on him. As far as he knew, he had gotten in a fight with a random Gryffindor and gotten knocked out. So now he was still annoyed that Hermione had dumped him and still mildly obsessed with Ginny. Okay, very obsessed with Ginny. And she wasn't buying, much to his disgust.

"So you made it to lunch?" Ron asked snidely. "Breakfast a little early for you?"

"Don't be mean, Ron. She's been sick!" Lavender exclaimed, smacking his shoulder. He looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What would you know about it, Lavvy?"

"More than you, Ron Weasley!" she shot back. Ron sent Hermione a look, and Hermione shrugged with a sharp glance to Lavender. Lavender subsided, rubbing her arms.

"You know, I'm not very hungry after all, and I need to get the transfiguration notes. I'll talk to you guys later." Hermione excused herself and headed out the hall. Draco joined her seconds afterwards.

"You alright?"

"Fine, thanks. Lavvy was being odd, but other than that, things are pretty much normal." Hermione said dryly.

"Hermione? Amelie!" Hermione and Draco spun, and saw Lavender running up the hall towards them.

Time to practise your acting skills, m'love.

Lavender!?!?!?

Not every Slytherin is a deatheater, not every Gryffindor is against the dark lord.

"I didn't even realise, my lady, I'm so sorry-" Lavender began with a little bow. Hermione grabbed her wrist and Draco's and dragged them into an empty classroom.

"Are you completely insane?" Hermione demanded coldly. "Why don't you run up to Dumbledore and tell him I'm here!"

"What do you mean?" Lavender asked, anxious and confused.

"First you practically tell Ron that something odd's up with me, and then you yell my name to anyone who was within hearing distance of the hall!" Lavender looked downcast at Hermione's harsh words.

Good. Keep going.

"But, I heard you went to the deatheater meeting, and I thought…I thought…"

"You didn't think at all, Brown." Draco snapped. "From now on, keep your damned mouth shut!"

Lavender nodded emphatically. "Definitely. I wont say another word to anyone about anything."

"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione snapped. Lavender looked really confused.

"But…you said…he said…"

"You are renowned as the school's gossip." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "if you suddenly shut up, people are going to know something is up. So keep gossiping, just remember that if you say a word about me and my presence here, I will kill you." Lavender nodded quickly.

"I understand." She said eagerly. "No mention of you. Got it."

"Get out Lavender." Hermione said tiredly, gesturing to the door. "And remember. Not a freakin word." Lavender shook her head and scurried out.

Draco and Hermione stood in silence for a moment, watching as the door slowly swung shut behind the girl. Hermione went and sat down on the teachers desk. Draco kept watching the door.

"You know, she reminds me of a gerbil." He said presently. Hermione groaned and hung her head in her hands. "What's up?"

"Lavender Brown!" Hermione groaned again. "She was meant to be annoying and harmless. Now she's annoying, harmless, and a turncoat!"

"Not everyone can be Godric Gryffindor incarnate." Draco said comfortingly.

"Oh, shut up Rowena." Hermione said, but she smiled as she said it.

"We have potions next, don't we?" Draco asked, looking around the empty classroom.

"Oh dear god. Potions." Hermione's head dropped again.

"Calm down, you'll be fine." Draco said reasonably, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

"That is really distracting." Hermione complained.

"Really?" Draco asked with a smirk, as he flipped her hand over and kissed the skin on the inside of her wrist.

"Really really. We have to go." Hermione jumped off the desk, and headed for the door, dragging Draco behind her. Draco shrugged.

Pro's: she wasn't in a morbid mood anymore. Cons: he was only just getting started.

Girls.

What could you do with them?

&