A/N: OMG, I am so terribly sorry. I got a major case of writers block, and had no idea what to write, and just the other day, it just came to me. So here the next chapter is. I hope you all like it.

Just to let everyone know, Millicent Bulstrode lost her parents and Lucius allowed her to stay with them, but because Pansy was always around, Millicent could never make a move. Also, Millicent isn't such a slut as Pansy, and she just lets things go without putting up a fight. I just wanted to clear that up.

Reviewers: It's been such a long time that I'd like to say thank you to everyone. I promise to have personal thank you's in the next chapter.

Chapter Eight

Tap tap tap.

The sound of and owl tapping on the window awoke Hermione the next morning. Grunting, Hermione drug herself out of bed and opened the window, allowing the tawny brown owl in. It landed on her desk, where there were Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans scattered all over. It helped itself to a few while Hermione took off the Daily Prophet attached to its leg. She stuck some bronze knuts into the small pouch attached to its other leg. Once it was satisfied, it leapt into the air, and with a few great sweeps of its wings, it was gone.

Hermione walked into the kitchen and threw the paper on the kitchen table. With a flick of her wand, the kitchen utensils jumped to life and began making her breakfast, and, slowly, she trudged to the bathroom to take a shower.

Just as they had told her the night before, Harry and Ron arrived at her house just as she finished getting dressed.

"Help your selves to some breakfast!" she hollered as she came out of her room, seeing that they had already started tucking in. "I see you already have," she said, smiling as she shook her head.

"Wheditchedthomeupfowyu," Ron said, blowing bits of food out of his mouth.

"Thank you Ron," she said, flicking her wand at the crumbs and making them disappear.

"Did you see the front cover of the Daily Prophet? Word of the capture of five death eaters has already spread to all wizarding homes throughout London," Harry told her. Hermione looked down at the picture of the five death eaters each being lead in by death eaters, glares on all their faces, yelling for their master to save them.

"And it's all because of that damn Clarisé Skeeter wench. How she gets her stories, I'll never know. She's probably and unregistered animagus," Ron said with an evil look in his eyes.

"Probably, but we have more important things to think about right now," Hermione replied. She stared at her plate, as if she didn't know what to do with it.

" 'Mione, what's wrong?" asked Ron, his mouth no longer filled with food.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you," Harry asked as Hermione sighed.

"I just wish we didn't always have to be apart. I wish we didn't have to hide our feelings for each other," she replied, wiping a stray tear from her eye. She prayed neither Harry or Ron saw it. She looked up at them, but it didn't seem to faze either one of them.

"You two will get your day some day, and when that day comes, well…" Harry couldn't finish his sentence. He didn't really know what to say.

Hermione smiled at her two friends. She had known them since her first year at Hogwarts, and compared to any other people she had met before her Hogwarts days, they were a million times better.

Hermione pushed back her chair and stood up. "What are we sitting around here for? We've got a job to do!" Harry and Ron followed suit, and all three marched out the door, Ron brushing crumbs from the front of his robes.

0O0O0O0O0O0

"Oh Draco, however did you manage to get away?" asked Millicent Bulstrode, another Hogwarts student turned death eater. Now that Pansy is gone, she thought to herself, I can have him. He won't be able to keep his hands off me!

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," he replied, getting slightly agitated.

Millicent frowned. "What, do you not think I'm as hot as Pansy?" Her lip quivered and tears threatened to cascade down her face.

"Wh…Merlin, not again! Lets get two things straight. One, I never liked Pansy, and Two, I don't like you, and I never will, so get over it!" Draco shouted, and turning around, he began to leave the room, his robes billowing behind him, when Millicent said something else that took him by surprise.

"There's another girl, isn't there?" she asked, a smirk appearing on her face when she saw his back tense up. He slowly turned around, his eyes glaring knives at her.

"Why do you care who I'm seeing?" he asked, not taking his glare off her.

"No reason. I just wanted to say how lucky she is. She must be a pretty wonderful woman to have ensnared you." She smiled, and actually looked as if she was happy for him.

He turned on his heel, not daring to look back at her, and went up to his room.

"Sweeping up the stairs as fast as his feet could carry him without running, he made his way to his rooms. He quickly pulled off his robes and threw them in the corner of the room. He took off his soiled shirt and headed into the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, he saw his bloody face. He pulled out a vial that Dumbledore had given him the night before, for he had forgotten to take it when he got home that night. He pulled off the cork and drank deeply. Within seconds, all the cuts and bruises disappeared, leaving his face flawless once more. Draco went back into his room and went straight to his closet. He pulled out a clean white shirt and a clean pair of black slacks. He quickly dressed, and after he fastened on his cloak, he headed towards his fathers study.

Come in," Lucius hollered when Draco knocked on the door. Draco entered and shut the door behind him. "I see you got your face taken care of. There's not a scratch left."

"You know me," Draco replied. "I have to keep up my perfect image for the ladies."

"Speaking of ladies, I lost one of my best death eaters last night, not to mention four others. What exactly happened?" Lucius asked.

"It was horrible," Draco began.

"Oh was it," said a bone-chilling hiss.

"My lord," Draco said, falling to one knee and looking at the floor.

"Get up, young one," Voldemort hissed, "and tell me what happened."

"Well, we were at the house, and Pansy was going up to the door, and…" He made his eyes start watering. "And three aurors jumped out and took us all by surprise. They attacked Avery first to get rid of our power. Everyone else lost all sense of what was going on around us, except me. Everyone else was stunned within seconds. I was lucky enough to escape with a few minor scratches." Draco's specialty was lying, and on a few occasions, he had even lied to the Dark Lord without suspicion. There was only one person who he had never lied to, Hermione.

"We have heard enough. Do you have any idea who these aurors are?" asked Voldemort.

Draco glanced uncomfortably at Lucius, and Voldemort seemed to get the hint.

"Lucius, would you kindly step out for a moment?" he asked.

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius bowed himself out of the room.

"What is it you wish to tell me?" Voldemort questioned.

"It was the Golden Trio."

"How do you know?" Voldemort was on the edge of his seat.

"She's the reason I'm here."

"Who, the Granger girl?" he asked.

Draco nodded.

"So I guess you've ruled out destroying her." Voldemort chuckled.

"Why would I ever want to destroy her?" Draco grimaced at the thought of her being gone.

"You love her, don't you boy?"

"Yes, my Lord. Very much so."

Lord Voldemort smiled. "I have taking a shining to you, boy, and I know exactly how to solve your problem."

0O0O0O0O0O0

"What a day!" Hermione exclaimed after a hard day of questioning the captured death eaters.

"They didn't even spill anything. They must be really loyal to you-know-who," Ron commented.

"Well, I've got to get home," Hermione told them. "I've got stuff to take care of."

"Bye, 'Mione!" Harry shouted.

"See you tomorrow!" Ron called.

Hermione disapperated home.

"Great," she said as she got into her kitchen. "I have to do the dishes and the laundry, not to mention cleaning out the fridge," she murmured, for she knew she had some science projects growing.

All of a sudden, a pair of strong arms grabbed her from behind, and a cold hand covered her mouth, muffling one of her screams.

"I'd be quiet if I were you. We wouldn't want Voldemort to hear us, would we?" The arms let go of her, and Hermione slowly turned around.

"Merlin! Draco, don't scare me like that!" she said into the kiss they shared. Draco pulled away.

"Hermione, I have something to ask you."

0O0O0O0O0

A/N: Well, how'd you like it? I thought it was okay, considering I didn't really know what to write. Well, you know the drill. Please review!