A/N: So here's the next chapter, be sure let me know how you liked/hated it please!

… … …

Whether or not Draco was curious to see Hermione after their basketball game, just to see how things… felt, or if Hermione was curious as well, Narcissa made it impossible.

She dragged Hermione around town with her for the next few consecutive days in a row, fitting her reception dress, getting preemptive hairdo's planned, sampling about a billion different styles of cakes and showing Hermione the dinner options, all of which she only paid half attention to.

Flowers, doves, bubbles, as beautiful as they would have been at any other wedding than this one, Hermione just didn't care.

She was tired of being mentioned and inaccurately portrayed in the paper, she was tired of meeting rich snotty socialites, she was sick of choosing champagne and caviar and she was definitely sick of spending all day with Narcissa. It had been five days in a row now, and she was exhausted.

"Oh god why can't this wedding just come and be over with!" she groaned internally, "I want the Order to come and take over NOW so I can go home!"

The Daily Prophet didn't help make her feel better either. Rita Skeeter was back to her old tricks now that Hermione was forbidden from telling on her unregistered animagi by Lucius. Her headlines such as "Hermione, soon to be Malfoy: the biggest diamond you've ever seen" and "Lucius Malfoy for numerous Ministry reforms: building a better world for all" was enough to make her dry heave.

She was also unnerved. Ron said they'd contact her again. "Soon" were his words. He made it sound like they were eager to see what the whole point of the wedding was….Well, the bloody wedding was tomorrow and they hadn't contacted her yet!

Hermione only assumed that meant they'd be close by, ready to act, incase Hell did in fact unleash itself onto the Earth the very second they both said "I do" or whatever equally devastating result Voldemort was hoping for took place. So where were they now? Why didn't they want to know what she had been finding out? Just because forgery and affiliation with the Russian Magical Mafia didn't seem directly related to why Voldemort would ever want her and Draco to wed didn't mean that the Order shouldn't be interested in what she had discovered.

She climbed into her bed, it was early but she was tired, and immediately Crookshanks jumped up too, pawing at her, making his little bed next to her, joining her in trying to sleep.

Instead of being nervous about the wedding like she thought she would be she found herself quite angry. Sure, maybe her discoveries really didn't have anything to do with why Voldemort wanted them married, but Ron seemed to think sneaking fake money into Gringotts was interesting enough to say the least! She could tell from Ron's reaction that something was definitely going on and she wanted to know what they knew! Who knows how much time they had! She wanted to hand over her copies of the documents from Lucius's office, help them fill in any possible pieces of a puzzle they weren't fully revealing to her, but she also wanted them to hand over other information too.

She had found herself wondering about Harry quite often that week whilst trying to block out Narcissa. Well actually, to be perfectly honest, Draco would pop into her mind first.

But of course that was absolutely ridiculous and needed to stop immediately.

Harry is what she made herself come up with when she would desperately scan her brain for non-Draco thoughts.

It was then that her unanswered questions were beginning to take their toll on her once more. She didn't know if she wanted to stay awake with her troubling thoughts, or to drift off to sleep and let her nightmares of the past undoubtedly return…

… … …

………"The key, the key, where's the fucking key," Hermione whispered to herself, her hands shaking, random cuts along her arms, her cheek swelling up more each second.

Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and she looked frantically about the room. She tore everything out of a letter writing desk, but found nothing. All she could think of was how disappointed the Order would be with her. They trusted her with this role; they believed she could do this for them. Dumbledore said he believed the documents she was after would prove all traitors guilty in the ministry.

This would have been so much easier if Hermione had just frozen Ivan like planned, and then have Harry come in and retrieve the keys whereabouts from his mind. But Harry wasn't there. And getting those papers was crucial.

'Screw the bloody key,' thought Hermione, gripping her wand, 'and screw leaving no trace, I'll blast my way into Brusto's office….'

A group of tall looming men entered into the now destroyed room, each in dark cloaks, faces looking menacing. Their broad shoulders blocked off the exit completely. Hermione froze. Fear overcame her.

"Bellatrix said we'd probably find you here," said the infamous Brusto Karkaroff himself………

… … …

"You wanted to see me?" said Draco dully, standing in the door way of his Father's dim den. It was very late, and Draco really didn't want to deal with his father just then. He was at his wits end trying to figure out what the bloody hell was up with him constantly thinking about lying on top of Hermione (not to mention her damned question!) and with the wedding the next day he really didn't have the energy to put up with anything else.

Lucius looked up from some paperwork, his eyes fierce. An evil smile spread thinly across his face.

"Big day tomorrow…" he said.

"Really?" drawled Draco, "I wasn't aware."

"My, my, aren't you funny," said Lucius firmly, "Perhaps I should turn you loose and see how far you make it in the world as a comedian."

Draco looked down at his feet.

"Speaking of everything I've given you…" Lucius sneered. He pulled out a six foot long package wrapped in shiny green gift wrapping from behind the table on the floor.

Draco eyed it.

"Go head," said Lucius "Open it."

Draco ripped off the paper. His eyes read the name on the box. "No way…" he huffed under his breath, prying the box open, just to make sure it was true. A Firebolt 3000.

"These aren't due out till next year," Draco managed to say, holding it lightly in his palms like it was a priceless and fragile diamond. It floated a few centimeters above his hands, power was emanating from it.

"I know," said Lucius, smiling smugly.

Draco was used to being spoiled. Possessions had definitely replaced quality time and loving affection when he was young, but this, this, was a lot, even from Lucius.

He watched his son stare hypnotically at the broom. "Don't look so surprised," he said, "It makes us look bad."

Draco looked up at his father in confusion. "What?" he asked.

"Our lifestyle, as luxurious as it already is, is about to take another step up," he said matter-of-factly, "We're better than other people Draco, and they know it. They'll all be watching us, so please, look the part."

Draco noticed the black velvet sack full of galleons on Lucius's table for the first time since entering the room.

"That's only the beginning," whispered Lucius, watching Draco notice the grand sack of money.

"Where'd it come from? Why is it here?" asked Draco, bewildered.

"I told you the Dark Lord would bless us for what we're doing..."

'"We"!' scoffed Draco angrily in his mind, if only Lucius comprehended what this crazy marrying Hermione thing had been doing to him!

"Can you believe not killing that filthy mudblood is finally paying off? It's all going according to plan, Draco, and we couldn't be more pleased. This money will buy those in the ministry too afraid to step up and support blood-purifying some balls. And if it won't pay for their allegiance then it will pay for their funerals."

Draco looked at him, unable to hide his shock.

"It's time we start doing something, really doing something, about all these mudbloods and muggle-lovers," said Lucius firmly.

A horrible feeling gathered in the pit of Draco's stomach. He didn't understand what it meant but what could he do? He swallowed hard, gave a weak nod and then forced a malicious smirk.

His father took it as a modest understanding. "Excellent…" he said, "You may go."

'Go?' thought Draco, very, very disappointed, 'But you didn't say where all that money CAME from, and I can't ask again…' And was Lucius really planning to use this new found wealth to manipulate the Ministry? But how would he ever get away with that? He sighed and turned to go, for some reason sensing his feeling of dread might leave him if he put some distance between himself and Lucius.

"Oh and by the way," Lucius called after him, "Marvelous news, a very dear friend of mine just owled me saying he can make it to the wedding. I can't wait for you to finally meet Brusto in person, so please, practice your expression for next time someone gives you something like a Firebolt 3000, and try not to look so surprised."

Draco closed the door behind him. Suddenly he shivered. Something big was coming, Draco could sense it. There was an excitement concealed in Lucius that he was dying to let out. Was he really capable of starting an official and massive movement of impure-blood cleansing? But how? And would he actually go through with it? Even worse, would he expect Draco to help?

Would Draco help?

… … …

………Ginny was in a hurry now, she wasn't supposed to make any unexpected stops. She should be back by now; they had the rest of the next mission to plan. What if they noticed she had been gone so long? What if they were worrying about her? She looked back to the dodgy tavern.

All day, all night… stuck in Grimmauld Place with all the comings and goings. Her brothers pranking, her mum fretting, her "best friends" hooking up behind her back. She needed time to herself, to be out of that bloody house. She needed to brood over a nice foamy mug of butterbeer.

The butterbeer in the tavern, which Ginny had never been to before, wasn't nearly as good as Honeydukes, but it did the trick sure enough.

Besides, everyone knows you don't go to taverns like that for the drinks, but for the conversation. And boy did Ginny let it all out.

A strange looking man next to her asked how she was, and had she told him…

Ginny scoffed as she looked back now, he probably had no idea what she had been venting on and on about… with how the whole 'important mission could be thrown because of their secret romantic feelings for each other'… that their 'selfish sloppiness could put everyone in danger'. It all must have been childish nonsense or work related gibberish to him.

"…And now, back at the house," Ginny had said, "Harry is arguing with Remus about… well, about what he's allowed to do and whatnot and it's been going ALL BLOODY DAY, I mean I just couldn't take it anymore, I had to get out of there, you know?"

"This boy you speak of, you liked him once, didn't you?" said the peculiar man.

"It was just a crush," said Ginny, looking into her glass, "He never showed any signs of ever officially wanting to be with me."

"But that girl, your friend, she should've known better no?"

"Well I thought so…" said Ginny

"Listen to me little girl," said the man, "These people are not your friends."

"What?" said Ginny, surprised by this man's bluntness. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable, but the man went on.

"They are selfish, reckless and don't care about your feelings."

Ginny didn't know what to say. Yeah she had been a bit upset with them, but she had never directly thought they didn't care about her. Now that the idea was in her mind once and for all she realized its absurdity.

Of course they cared about her! She knew that no matter what. And she cared about them. They didn't mean to hurt her, this man, this stranger in the tavern … He was wrong.

"Besides," he went on, "you said so yourself, they're endangering the Order."

Ginny froze. She hadn't mentioned anything about the Order had she? Her heart began to flutter, "What did you say?"

"The others," he said. "They're endangering the others."

"Oh," said Ginny, "Yeah I suppose. I, uh… really better get going…"

"OK deary," said the man, who seemed more like a stranger than ever to her now, "Just remember, you're always welcome here."

"Thanks," said Ginny, already half way out the door.

The man smiled.

Ginny looked back at the tavern, thinking now that going there felt wrong, that she made a mistake. She probably wouldn't mention it to anyone.

In the meantime she needed to talk to Hermione………

… … …

………"I've just finished speaking with Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore to Lupin, the two alone in the dark kitchen, lit only by a small fire. It must have been near four in the morning.

Lupin just looked at Dumbledore, completely exhausted and looking rather troubled.

"I believe he is necessary if things are to work," said Dumbledore. "We need him to protect our undercover agent, since begrudgingly we all feel Hermione is best for the part… and we also need him…well, because of the obvious mind reading talents he's developed with Snape ever since…" Albus trailed off, Lupin however, understood, "…well, he's needed because of his obvious talents." Dumbledore concluded.

Lupin merely looked down, "If you say so Albus." He paused for a minute, "I'm sorry; I just didn't know what to do… I mean can you blame the kid? I'd want to go after her too, but it's just its not the right time, I was afraid he was planning to rebel."

"Oh I understand completely Remus," said Dumbledore, "No one blames you, in fact I'm sure Harry would've gone his own way if we hadn't dissected the situation like we have. Now I believe he understands. He has given me his word. I believe we can trust him to follow only our instructions."

"Well if you trust him to be in this mission then that's good enough for me. I just- I just needed to make sure," answered Lupin. "Perhaps I'll apologize to him in the morning for doubting his loyalty."

"Oh I wouldn't beat yourself up too bad Remus," said Dumbledore softly, "You had every reason to be concerned after the way he reacted. I'm thankful you handled it as nicely as you did."

"I'm just glad you're back in town for a good while now Albus," said Lupin with a sullen chuckle, "I'm getting too old to handle such youthful wizards here all by myself… Merlin, I miss Sirius… he knew how to handle them. Hell, he was practically one of them."………