A/N: Whoops! Heh heh... I guess I could've updated this a bit sooner, n'est-ce pas? I'm really sorry, but I had to get stuff ready for school. I'll have 40 (jeez, I'm on the 40th chapter already?!?!?!!?) up WAY sooner than 39, I promise. Please r/r you know I love you all!!

Disclaimer: Doesn't anyone get sick of seeing these?





Snape, Dumbledore, and Draco all looked up, surprised, at the sudden influx of the Gryffindors. Dumbledore saw that Ron was carrying Maya and conjured up a cot for her, and Ron put her down, as she continued shaking and babbling incoherantly.

"How did this begin, Mister Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.

"We were talking about... the Venzettis and my aunt and everything, and then she just started to get the vision. It was about two minutes ago."

Dumbledore looked pensive, "What's the longest she's ever had a vision?"

Ron's lower lip trembled a bit, "About thirty seconds... never this long."

Dumbledore looked up at Snape, then to Draco, then back to Maya. He shook his head somberly.

"We have to take Miss Jackman to the Infirmary and wait for her to come out of..."

Maya sat up suddenly and gasped, "No!" She whipped her head around and stared right at Draco. "He'll... he's going to... I can't..." she broke down sobbing into her hands.

Hermione looked at Draco, his face had turned sheet-white. Hermione took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, he did not respond.

Dumbledore spoke up after a moment of silence, "I think we should all have a discussion. I'm going to summon Sirius and Narcissa. Miss Jackman, I'm going to need you to tell us about your vision."

Maya shook her head mutely, "I can't," she whispered hoarsely.

Snape whispered somethign in ther Headmaster's ear and Dumbledore nodded.

"Miss Jackman, Professor Snape is willing to administer the Veritaserum for you, if that could make it easier for you."

Maya looked worried, and she glanced at Ron, who nodded. Maya reluctantly nodded her assent.

Snape left, and returned a few minutes later with a bottle of clear liquid. Siruis and Narcissa followed closely behind him.

"First things first," Dumbledore sighed, as he held out the Veritaserum to Maya who drank it in one gulp.

"Now, Maya, please tell us what you saw in your vision."

"It's Hogwarts. It's warm out. Breezy. There's about two hundred people around for some sort of gathering. Mrs. Malfoy is standing with Sirius, Professor Snape, Lily, Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. She's telling them a story. I'm with Ron and Ginny, we're talking to Professor Lupin. Everyone's dressed up, smiling, laughing. We hear a big thunder crack, but there's no clouds. There's the sound of screaming... it's Millicent Bulstrode, I think. Everyone runs to where they hear her voice. Voldemort's there with a group of Death Eaters, they're in masks and cloaks. He says something... I can't remember..."

She paused, and the silence hung heavy in the air.

"Go on, Miss Jackman," Dumbledore said soothingly.

"V-voldemort raises his wand and s-says Avada Kedavra... and Draco falls to the ground. That's it."

Mrs Malfoy began sobbing, and Sirius held her so she didn't fall to the ground. Ron rubbed Maya's back as the girl rocked back and forth in, what appeared to be, mental agony. Hermione and Draco stared blankly at eachother.

As she took in Draco's passivity, Hermione felt the bile rise in her throat. She made a dash to the wastepaper basket, and was sick. Harry and Ginny rushed to her side to calm her down.

After they'd all settled back into their seats, the Headmaster spoke.

"So, he's strong enough to attack Hogwarts... or atleast he will be in the near future. We must ready ourselves. Severus, you know what you must do. Narcissa, I'm going to have to ask you and Lily to stay here, I fear for your safety outside the grounds." He turned to look at Draco. "Mister Malfoy, you do understand the implications of this, don't you?"

Draco nodded, "He's going to kill me... there's nothing I can do about it."

"Draco! Do NOT say things like that, do you uderstand me?" his mother repremanded him sharply.

Draco's face remained stoic, and he turned to Maya, "Have you ever been wrong before?"

Maya, who had taken the Veritaserum antidote, looked down at her hands, with tears in her eyes.

"No."

"Well, then there we have it," Draco responded acidly. "Are we done here? I have work to catch up on."

Not waiting for a response, Draco stood and marched out of the Headmaster's office.

The others stared after him, as the door slammed shut. They looked at Dumbledore for some sort of wisdom. The old man sighed and shook his head.

He spoke gravely, "We WILL win this... we will."

"What about Draco, sir?" Ginny asked meekly.

Dumbledore looked at Ginny, then up to Hermione, "Hope springs eternal, I suppose."

Still reeling from the shock, all of the students left Dumbledore's office. Harry and Ron held their arms protectively around Hermione's shoulders. She said nothing as they led her back to her room.

When they reached the door, she whispered the password, smiled sadly at her friends as a gesture of gratitude, and walked inside, not knowing what to expect.

Draco was sitting at his desk, poring over his Potions textbook. He didn't even look up when she walked in.

"Draco..." Hermione began.

"Just stop now, Hermione. Don't even start. You know how I feel about people pitying me. It's not like I wasn't going to die someday. So, maybe it's a bit sooner than I'd thought, but it's out of my hands."

"You don't even CARE?" Hermione asked, her voice trembling.

Draco shrugged, "Guess not."

"Well, if you're going to leave me here by myself in a few months, you might as well start now!" Hermione dashed into her room, sobbing.

Draco watched after her, and heavily got to his feet. He took hesitant steps towards her door. He turned the handle, and let himself in to find her, curled up in the fetal position on her bed, shaking with hysterics.

He sat down on the bed, and ran his hands through her hair, she turned her tear-stained face to him.

"What would you have me do?" he asked her. She saw the desperation hidden under the string façade.

Hermione grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace. Draco felt the frustrated lump rising in his throat, and coughed in order to keep himself in control. Hermione held him even tighter.

"It'll be alright," she whispered to him.

Draco managed a smile, "Of course it will, Mione. And I'll always be with you no matter what."



After the students had left, Dumbledore, Sirius, Snape, and Narcissa sat down.

"I have to call the members of the Order here," Dumbledore said gravely. Sirius and Snape nodded their begrudged assent, and Dumbledore strode over to the fire.

Tossing some powder in, he called, "The Order of the Phoenix."

After a few minutes, people began Apparating into the room, utilizing the special charm bestowed upon each of them that allowed ubniversal Apparating rights.

Bill and Charlie Weasley greeted their father and sat down. Arabella Figg sat next to Snape, Mundungus Fletcher next to him. Professors McGonagall, Lupin, Flitwick, Sprout, and Sinistra walked in, looking worried. Mad-Eye Moody also Apparated in, far more subdued than his usual temperment allowed. Madame Rosmerta was the last to arrive. The group settled down silently, staring at the Headmaster.

"Maya Jackman, the 7th year girl, who is an unformed Seer, saw, today, a vision of Voldemort's attack on Hogwarts. There wasn't much detail; there are lots of people around, the weather is nice. They hear a noise, then Millicent Bulstrode screams, she rushed over, and sees Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Voldemort performs the Avada Kedavra on Draco Malfoy, and that is the extent of her vision."

"You know nothing of this, correct, Severus?" Madame Rosmerta asked. Snape shook his head in response.

"Please pardon my question, but why hasn't he made an attempt on Draco yet?" McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore paused in consideration for a moment, "Draco is currently seeing Hermione Granger who, as you all know, is of Muggle parentage. I believe that's the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. He knows that Hermione is a very powerful witch, he wants to keep any future alliances against him to a minimum."

"How could he possibly know about it? None of the Slytherins know!" Sirius said.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and glanced at the Weasleys hesitantly, "Maria Venzetti was at the conference with them. I can only assume she reported back to her father."

Mr. Weasley paled, Bill and Charlie looked furious.

"If I EVER see that rat-bastard son of a bitch." Charlie said.

"Charles Andrew Weasley, you watch your mouth right now," his father barked at him

Charlie shut right up. An angry Arthur Weasley was a rare and honestly quite frightening sight.

"So," Moody said finally, "What shall we do?"

A/N: I know I usually do a lot of thanks, and thank individuals and stuff, but I've got lots of reading to do, and I want to post this. But I am ETERNALLY SO GRATEFUL for reviews. I read evey single one. If you don't believe me, ask Squin. She'kk tell you that I'm obsessed, which I AM. I love getting reviews more than anything. Your feedback means so much to me, and I'm so happy that so many people like this story.

Eternal, undying thanks to my Squinny who is just, in all honesty, the greatest person ever.

Ooh, and go read my fic "Hot Stuff" it's too damn cute!! (ha, I love the shameless self-plug)