Author's Notes: Hello sorry for the delay. Special thanx to all my reviewers: padfootsknightingale, litto-kitty, bergeaud, RuByMoOn17, Mammakitten121 (thanx for understanding why it takes a while to get into the story, next chapter will come soon, I promise!), MelMalfoy (im so glad ur enjoying it, sorry about the swearing, I've cut in down but sometimes it is essential!), chisox727. Voila!

I enjoy all reviews and if you have any sugggestions, please tell me or email! Enjoy!

..~**~..

Chapter 5

"Hermione, over here," Harry and Ron cried out to her.

Hermione looked ahead towards her two best friends as they called her from the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Everyone already seemed seated and served as she quickly walked to her seat – she hadn't realised she was late.

"Gosh Hermione, you look like hell!" said Ron, between two muffin bites.

She scowled back as she sat across from him, although his comment didn't surprise her. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Malfoy's unexpected kiss all night. Her feelings were torn between pleasure and guilt. Part of her was disappointed it hadn't gone any further, whilst the other part feared the consequences. What was going to happen now? Could Malfoy possibly hate her even more?

She looked at Harry, sitting next to her, eating breakfast. It wasn't very difficult for Malfoy to get his own back. Hurting either Harry or Ron would prove easy for the new Death Eater, and she dreaded to think what he could do to her. She could no longer count on her two friends to protect her.

Harry had grown a lot during the summer, but after Dumbledore had cut down his Quidditch practices and matches, he had lost most of his strength, not to mention the last of his confidence. Ron, on the other hand, was taller and much broader. He could have made a great rugby player, if he were a Muggle. Indeed, her red-haired friend could certainly beat Malfoy any time in a Muggle fight, but strength was not all in the wizarding world. Malfoy could easily overcome Ron in a wizard duel. In the end, Hermione knew she was on her own if Malfoy ever decided to make her his next victim, and so she preferred to keep both her friends out of all her troubles.

As she helped herself to breakfast, listening to tales of Lavender's summer love for the tenth time, she noticed Ginny enter the hall with her boyfriend, a Ravenclaw Quidditch player. Hermione didn't know him very well, and wasn't sure how deep their relationship was, but Harry's pained face seemed to answer that question. He had realised his feelings for Ginny at the beginning of sixth year and had sworn only a week ago that he was over her, officially. However, it seemed to prove more difficult than that. The young Weasley had grown a gorgeous figure and as she walked towards the table with confidence, her long silky auburn hair bounced behind her, catching most of the male population's eye.

"Ginny, how are you doing?" Hermione greeted her friend, who hurriedly sat down next to Ron.

"Hermione! I've been looking for you everywhere since we left Hogsmeade! Are you alright? Malfoy didn't harm you in the end, did he? You really scared me; you didn't even come down to dinner last night!" she questioned eagerly.

Mentally kicking herself for not reassuring Ginny before, Hermione watched anxiously as Harry spat out his orange juice and Ron choked on his muffin.

"Malfoy-" Harry began.

"WHAT?" Ron spat out angrily, looking at her. "MALFOY WHAT?"

"Ron, pipe down," Ginny told him quickly, her eyes looking around anxiously in case nearby students had heard him.

"I'm fine, Ginny," Hermione answered her and then turned to the boys, trying to come up with some sort of explanation. "Yes, I ran into Malfoy in Hogsmeade yesterday. We argued but nothing happened, I'm fine."

As Ron's face became scarlet, Harry's jaw fell open in shock.

"Hermione, did he harm you? Did that son of a bitch touch you?" Ron finally exploded.

Ginny hushed him again as Hermione answered in a whisper. "No, Ronald. He's Head Boy, for God's sake. Of course he didn't harm me."

Her lie, however, sounded unconvincing even to herself.

"I'm guessing Abigail helped you out," Ginny began, gulping down her orange juice. "I bumped into her when I overheard Pansy talking about you and she said she'd take care of it."

"Well, actually she - "

"Abigail!" Ron shouted once more. "Who the hell is Abigail?"

Hermione knew she had to do something to prevent Harry and Ron from discovering that Abigail was a Slytherin, or else they would probably become angry. As Ginny started opening her mouth, Hermione kicked her discreetly under the table.

"What?" she mouthed back at Hermione. Ron looked from Ginny to Hermione and back to Ginny.

"No one in particular, Ron," Hermione stated. "She's just a sixth year, right, Gin?"

"Yeah right," she mumbled back, rubbing her leg under the table. Harry, still looking pale, seemed reassured and not too bothered about the mysterious Abigail, as long as his friend was fine, but Ron seemed less convinced.

"Look guys, I'd better go," Hermione started, stuffing a couple of muffins in her pockets. "Classes start in ten minutes and I've got last minute things to do before Transfigurations. You know, Head Girl stuff, so I'll see you later, okay?"

She left the hall, ignoring the pair of cold grey eyes which were following her every move. She turned around the corner, wanting to get away as quickly as possible - her knees were weak and she felt very faint all of a sudden. Oh God, what would happen if they found out about Abigail? And what if Malfoy finds out? She didn't need any more wizards knowing about her parents' behaviour. But Hermione didn't have time to answer her questions as she suddenly collided into another student.

"Watch where you're going!" the girl hissed at Hermione, as she picked up her scattered parchments.

"Oh, I'm sorry - er - Abigail!" Hermione suddenly realised as her eyes looked up at the younger student. Speak of the devil, she thought, as she started helping her collect her stuff. "Look, about yesterday, I -"

"Save it, Granger!" Abigail snarled back, heading towards the Great Hall before coming to a halt. "And next time you're with Malfoy, try to be more careful. If you get hurt, you wouldn't want to get stuck in a Muggle hospital, would you?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed at her words. "If you're off to breakfast, you've only got five minutes."

"I don't eat breakfast," she answered coldly, turning away from the Head Girl.

Hermione sighed as she watched the Slytherin disappear down the corridor. What was she going to do about her?

..~**~..

Hermione reached Transfigurations just in time before the bell. She rapidly joined Harry and Ron, but as they walked to their usual places, Professor McGonagall stopped them.

"You three, follow me please. Professor Dumbledore would like a word with you," she announced.

Curious to know what could possibly be more important than class, Hermione followed McGonagall to the gargoyle statue. The professor uttered the password and the trio mounted the circular stone staircase up to Dumbledore's office.

As soon as the trio entered, Harry, obviously dreading bad news, ran up to Dumbledore's desk. "Professor, is it about the Order? Did somebody else get hurt?"

The old man looked pitifully down at his favourite student. His sparkling blue eyes softened as he watched Harry's face filled with worry. He stroked his snow-white beard softly, out of habit.

"No Harry. Do not fear. The members of the Order are all safe. It is another important matter that I wish to discuss. That is why you were sent to see me."

Three chairs suddenly appeared out of nowhere and Dumbledore urged the three students to sit down. Hermione looked around the office anxiously. Will Dumbledore warn them, yet again, against Voldemort and his Death Eaters?

"Professor, what did you need to discuss with us?" Ron finally asked.

Hermione noticed that Dumbledore's warm smile disappeared as he looked down at them, over his half mooned spectacles.

"As you three know, the Wizarding world is no longer safe since Voldemort's return. We have been better prepared to confront him though, as Harry announced his return to me at the end of his fourth year. Unfortunately, last year Voldemort has once again proven to me that his forces outnumbered mine and that my students are no longer safe outside of Hogwarts. However, within the castle dangers lie ahead as well. You must have noticed by now that several of your fellow students have joined Voldemort's ranks. I need to warn you against them and also advise you to stay as far as possible away from them. They are dangerous and might have been given orders to harm you. Oh and I also forbid you to venture around the school's grounds by yourself."

Looking at all three students sternly, he continued. "Do I make myself clear?"

Hermione could not believe what she had just heard. Dumbledore, Hogwarts' Headmaster, was warning them against other students and was implicitly acknowledging the rumours. Now even the teachers knew that Malfoy was a Death Eater. She cast a nervous glance at Harry and Ron, who simply nodded back to Dumbledore. Did they realise that he was talking about Malfoy?

"That is all."

Harry and Ron thanked the Professor and left his office quickly, but Hermione was still lost in her thoughts. When Harry called her name from the door she leapt out of her seat and hurried towards the door. Coming out of his office, the three walked slowly back toward Transfigurations, slightly shocked by their meeting with the Headmaster.

"Well, I think I can definitely classify Malfoy as a Death Eater now," Ron exclaimed.

"Ron, this isn't funny. Dumbledore himself is warning us against Malfoy. You guys have to be careful now, you can't provoke him like before," Hermione stated.

"Look who's talking!" Ron retorted. "Wasn't it you who got in trouble with him yesterday?"

Hermione glared back at him but didn't answer. This wasn't the time for her usual bickering with Ron. She looked at Harry, who didn't say a word, but continued to walk straight on. She had no idea what her best friend was thinking about, but his expressionless face worried her.

..~**~..

It was finally time for Potions with the Slytherins. Snape had assembled the class in pairs for the day's lesson.

"... Weasley with Zabini, Head Boy with Head Girl and finally Potter, being such a celebrity you can surely make the Animagi potion by yourself," Snape announced.

Laughter rang out among the Slytherins but Hermione took no notice of it. Head Boy with Head Girl? She nearly had a heart attack at the words and felt her face become bright red. How could she face Malfoy after last night? What was she going to say to him? Her legs could barely carry her as she stumbled to his desk. She sat down quietly, not daring to look him in the eye.

Placing the ingredients on the table, she realised that he was also avoiding her and she relaxed a little. Neither student was talking to each other, although they both knew what the other one was thinking. That's fine with me. I'll just do the potion in silence and then walk away as quickly as possible.

But time wasn't on her side. It passed by much too slowly for Hermione, who finally decided to break the uncomfortable silence. However, before she could utter a single word, Malfoy interrupted her.

"Don't talk to me now, Granger! Just do the potion," he growled, stirring the dark green liquid anti-clockwise.

Hermione was surprised by his words but did as she was told. She looked behind her and watched Harry prepare the difficult potion as best as he could. Poor Harry, he needed so badly a good grade at his NEWT to become an Auror, but it seemed Snape had decided against helping him improve. She turned back to her own potion, dropping in bat's wings and then stirred it three times clockwise. Snape was right after all, the potion was extremely difficult, even for seventh-years. How on earth had the Marauders succeeded in doing it? She looked up and her gaze fell on Malfoy, who added the next ingredients and then looked back at her expectantly.

"What?"

"Get the dragon leaves," he snarled in a threatening voice.

Hermione looked back at him, raising her brow.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" she muttered, in spite of herself, before walking off to the ingredients closet.

Hermione carefully took the glass jar containing the precious dragon leaves. They were quite expensive and although they were called 'leaves', they were as fragile as crystal glass. As she brought the jar back to Malfoy's desk, she noticed that he was still glaring at her.

"You think I can't hear your muttering, Mudblood?" he said dangerously.

"Stop calling me that! And here, take the damn dragon leaves!" she exclaimed in return, taking out the leaves from the jar and handing them over to him.

"I don't think so."

Confused, Hermione looked up at him. Steely silver eyes bored into her and before she knew it, Malfoy took the dragon leaves and dropped them purposely at Hermione's feet. She watched helplessly as the leaves hit the stone floor and shattered into hundreds of small shards.

"Miss Granger, have you gained some of Longbottom's stupidity or have the words 'fragile' and 'expensive' simply disappeared from your vocabulary?" Snape shouted from behind his desk.

Hermione looked up incredulously at Snape and started to protest, but she knew there was no point whatsoever. The potions master had probably seen Malfoy drop the leaves, but he would never accuse his favorite student. Malfoy was a genius for Snape and, no matter what, the Slytherin Prince would always obtain the highest grade.

She glared back at Malfoy, who simply cocked his head, amused.

Cunning git!

Snape would clearly give them the usual four-hour detention, which he himself never attended. If that were the case, then Hermione would soon have a long tête-à-tête with the Slytherin devil in an empty dungeon.

"I am profoundly sorry to impose Granger's presence on you, Draco, but both of you will be starting the potion all over again tomorrow night. I trust you to manipulate the dragon leaves with caution instead of Miss Granger. "

As soon as Snape was finished, a loud explosion was heard from the back of the class. Hermione turned around to find Harry covered top to bottom in his 'potion'.

"And yet again the famous Harry Potter is seeking for attention. Very well then. I'll be seeing you tonight for detention, Potter. Eight O'clock sharp," Snape sneered.

Hermione could feel Harry's anger grow inside of him but he did nothing. Nowadays Harry hardly ever confronted a teacher, Hermione noticed. He seemed to have simply given up sticking up for himself. She turned back to her potion as the class was being dismissed and busied herself with putting the spare ingredients away whilst thinking about tomorrow night. What was Malfoy going to do to her this time? Hadn't Dumbledore warned her, only a few hours ago, not to get into this sort of situation! And this time, no one would be there to save her.

As she continued to gather her parchment and quills she felt a familiar presence breathing down her neck.

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow night, Granger," Malfoy whispered to her.

Sensing him so close to her made Hermione shiver, but not from fear: if he whispered in her ear again she would surely faint from feeling so weak. Walking out of the classroom, she ordered her mind to forget last night's kiss once and for all, seeing how Malfoy hated her even more for it; but her body wouldn't let her.

..~**~..

Silly Hermione, falling into Malfoy's trap... So what did you think of my description of Harry and Ron? Writing about them is new for me, so I hope it was credible for you guys. Next chapter evil Pansy makes her entrance and Abby meets Harry Potter...