i don't want to tell u: Lol, yes I will, I'm glad you like it!
ravioli and chocolate: O dear…have faith! Lol, maybe everything will work out in the end. I can't give away too much though! Lol.
SpikesDreamer: Aww thanks you lol. Yeah, they are sweet aren't they!
Anigen: Thank you for reviewing! I'll try and update as much as I can for you!
Ashley: Hello again! Yeah…poor Hermione, I had to do it though, originally I hadn't meant for that to happen, but sometimes you just have to Lol.
A/N: Hello again! I went to a Josh Groban concert, and o my was it good, if you haven't listened to him, I would say it would be worth your while to do so! On with the story!
Disclaimer: I am not J.K.Rowling, and everything that you recognize in here is NOT mine :-)
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Hermione's face fell as she listened to Draco. "Come again?" she asked.
"I said," Draco exclaimed, "that you have a week before you start to die. Hermione," he continued, "if we don't find a cure quick…oh Hermione I can't even think about it." Draco grabbed her shoulders as he spoke, and Hermione saw the worry in his eyes.
Hermione began to panic and looked around quickly to see if anybody was there. "But Draco," she said, "didn't you say you found a potion already? Why don't we just go get the ingredients and start it, I'm sure it could be done w/in a week…if we rush it I mean."
Draco shook his head, "No Hermione, we can't! Father isn't going to leave until a week that means I'm going to have to leave as SOON as he's gone…and get back quick, in order to help you. Maybe we should tell Dumbledore…" he said.
"NO! We…we can't Draco! I would get expelled for sure!" Hermione's eyes widened and she grabbed his wrists. Draco shook her off, "So you would rather die than get expelled? I thought you were smarter than that!" Draco yelled. "You know what, I'm leaving, and I'm going to look up more information. Why don't you just…just go back to Weasel if you're not worried about yourself, because I sure as hell am!" With that, Draco opened the castle doors and slammed them shut, leaving Hermione behind feeling very guilty indeed.
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Sitting in the Slytherin Common Room, Hermione flipped through her spell book once again, trying to see what she missed the first time. It was all right there, telling her the dangers, the side effects, why hadn't she seen them before?
'I must have been overzealous' she thought, 'I should have taken the precautions like I normally do. I'm such a fool!' She threw her head back and screamed into the empty room.
"Hey Janeia, I thought I heard your voice!" Hermione heard a voice behind her, before she knew it; Pansy had plopped down on the couch beside her. "How are you today? It feels like you've been avoiding me Janeia!" Pansy said as she rearranged herself to sit cross-legged beside Hermione.
"Oh...erm…of course not Pansy! I've just real busy trying to fit in around here, doing homework and stuff you know" said Hermione. She shut her book quickly before Pansy could peer over and read. Pansy looked at her weird before raising an eyebrow, "homework?" she asked, "Why would you want to be like book-worm Granger?"
Hermione laughed, although she secretly wanted to punch Pansy right now. "Well you know, get the teachers to think I'm a good student, and then you can get whatever you want later. WHATEVER you want, do you understand what I mean?" Hermione smiled towards Pansy, resisting the urge to pull her hair out.
"Oh yeah, I understand completely," said Pansy, obviously not understanding. "So…have you talked to Draco lately about me? You said earlier that you would work on him for me you know" as she leaned in closer to Hermione. "Come on then, what does he say?"
Hermione looked at Pansy, and thought quickly of an answer, so that maybe she could get some piece and quiet without pug-face bugging her. "Oh, yeah about that, I tried earlier tonight, and he was in such a bad mood that he yelled at me, saying something like 'I'll do something when I'm good and ready to', he stormed out on me then" said Hermione.
Just then the door opened to the Common Room and Draco ran in, "Hermione!" he yelled before he saw Pansy sitting next to her.
"What about that filth?" Pansy asked. Draco acted tough again and sauntered over to the couch, "that's all the Weasel complains about anymore, it's getting annoying. It's like he's a full grown lament, singing his sad songs all over the place."
Hermione glared at Draco before she asked Draco what was wrong. Draco looked down and saw that his knuckles were white, from excitement.
"Oh, Janeia, I need you to come with me, it's very important, Pansy…if you don't mind, AGAIN." Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her up from the couch, running towards the entrance. He tore out of that room faster than you could say 'Quidditch' and through the halls before Hermione stopped, which was a hard task when you were attached to Draco Malfoy.
"Draco, slow down! What is this all about?" Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. Draco stopped and huffed a little from being out of breath; he turned around to Hermione and explained. "I went to Hagrid. I know you're surprised, and so was he, heck…I didn't even know it myself until I was talking face to face with him. I told him Hermione, but to your luck I suppose, Dumbledore isn't here at the moment so Hagrid couldn't tell him. Anyway," Draco said out of breath, "he found someone to help us Hermione, come on…I told him we would be right back." Once again, Draco grabbed Hermione's arms and dragged her all the way to Hagrid's hut.
Draco pounded on the door, before Hagrid opened it. "I'll be Poppy herself…'is that you Hermione?" said Hagrid as he ushered them in.
"Oh yes Hagrid, it is…oh it feels so good for somebody else to know!" Hermione ran to Hagrid and gave him a huge hug.
"Come on now Malfoy, we don' want yeh catchin' a cold" said Hagrid as he pulled Draco into his hut.
"Now Hermione, I can' help but sayin' that I'm disappointed in yeh, that yeh would lie to me like that, for a silly 'ol potion. Now look what yeh've done, you're a blonde!" Hagrid said as he gave Hermione a cup of tea. "You're just lucky that 'ol Herbert is here."
Hermione lowered her head in shame. "I'm so sorry Hagrid, I was just very desperate…I didn't mean to hurt anyone, I promise." She said as a tear ran down her face, "So who is this 'Herbert' person you mentioned?"
"Ah well…Herbert, 'tis a good man he is. An 'ol friend from Ireland, nice fella if yeh ask me" Hagrid said as he smiled at his friend, who was standing in the corner this entire time. "Come on out Herbert, its jus' Hermione and her friend Malfoy."
A tall man with black hair stepped out of the shadows, his face was young, yet his eyes looked tiresome. Hermione noted that he walked with a slight drag to his right leg, as if he was hurt or something. As he walked towards the three, he smiled at Hagrid.
"Thank you Hagrid, it's been a long while since I've seen you dear friend." Herbert said as he shook hands with Hagrid.
"Hermione now is it? I've heard an awful lot about you, smartest witch in the school I've heard from dear Hagrid. Me mam would have been proud; she too was a bright woman. I daresay that you seem to have made a mistake with your potion however. I'm here to help dear child, so do not fear anymore" said Herbert as he smiled gently at Hermione. He then turned to Draco and looked him up and down once before talking to him.
"A Malfoy are you? You wouldn't happen to be the son of Lucius Malfoy now?"
Draco glared at the man and spat back his reply. "I am NOTHING like my father, he is low, the scum of the earth. Don't you dare put me in the same category as him again." Draco then huffed off to a corner in the hut, where he crossed him arms and stared out the window.
"Fair enough boy, I did not mean to insult you. You are indeed a good man as I can tell from the fact that you would go so far to help a friend. A friend I understand is of completely opposite blood than you."
Draco turned around quickly and spoke to Herbert, "Her blood makes no difference in how I feel towards her. Blood should make no difference no matter what the situation."
Hermione smiled at Draco, she was very proud to have such a good friend.
Herbert also smiled at Draco before replying, "And you are right Mr. Malfoy. Let me make note in saying that you, are far from your father." Herbert walked over to Draco and put a hand on his shoulder, "I know how he is, and how he manipulates. Never hesitate to ask me for help from now on."
"Thank you Herbert, I have a feeling I'll be seeing more of you." Draco smiled at the man.
Hagrid cleared his throat then, "well now….we should get back to business then. Hermione is in danger; tell me Draco, what yeh had in mind?"
Draco walked towards the door of the hut and played with the curtain beside it. "I have a spell I know will help, I've read up on it. The problem is Professor Snape does not have most of the ingredients that I need for it. I know my father has some, and…I suppose this is where you come in Herbert?" Draco said as he turned back around towards the group.
"Yes it is," said Herbert, "I have been undercover for many years now, posing as a Death Eater, Voldemort knows my true identity but has not figured out Herbert for some time. I can Draco, make sure your father is out of the house, if you need to be there. I can't guarantee that he'll be gone long, but it can be long enough if you are quick. I also can get some of the ingredients that not even your father has…if it's the same potion you are thinking of." Herbert looked at Hermione squarely and nodded towards her.
"You have to promise to tell Draco at once when you aren't feeling well, we don't know how fast the potion will work, and we cannot waste a minute. As soon as you feel uneasy, you get up off your bloody chair and find him ok?" Herbert asked Hermione.
Hermione nodded in agreement and then turned to Hagrid. "Hagrid," she asked, "how long will the potion take to make? Also, no offense," she said to Herbert, "but how do we know we can trust you? You haven't even given us your real name."
Herbert nodded an understanding, "Ah you see missy, I haven't told you my real name BECAUSE you can trust me."
Hermione then understood that by not revealing his true self, he was in fact saving them from the wrath of Voldemort. "I'm sorry I doubted," Hermione said. Herbert shook his head at her, "there is no need to be sorry. In a time like this, it is very intelligent to doubt anybody, you will be a saving grace sooner or later, and I have a feeling of it."
Hagrid walked to the door and peered out the window, "Yeh two better be going back, it's getting' late…Herbert will be back tomorrow with ingredients for the potion. Get goin' now, yeh hear….I don' want yeh gettin' in trouble."
"Alright, bye Hagrid, and goodbye Herbert…thanks for helping us." Draco said as he took Hermione's hand to help her out of her chair. He noticed that he had her hand and quickly took it away before turning to the door and leaving.
"Goodbye Herbert, thank you so much…and Hagrid, I don't know what I would do without you," said Hermione as she gave him a hug.
With another glance at the two sturdy men, Draco and Hermione left Hagrid's and walked briskly to the castle.
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A couple days later, Hermione had finally found her 'groove' so to speak as Janeia. Pansy had gotten a clue and for the most part left Janeia alone, though, she was always there to find out more on Draco.
Hermione had spent some more time with Ron, much to her enjoyment, and they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Ron still talked to 'Janeia' about Hermione, which always made her feel better.
Such a conversation was going on that day by the rosebushes.
"And so I KNEW that he was going to fake…so I went the other way, and I blocked the shot. We ended up winning the cup, you should have been there Janeia, it was brilliant!" Ron said as he laughed, remembering his fifth year. "Hermione wasn't there though, nor Harry," he said as his mood changed, "I really wanted them to be there." Ron sighed.
"What's wrong Ron?" asked Hermione.
Ron looked at her before turning the other way, "I still miss her, Janeia…but…" He stopped and looked at his hands, "Never mind," he said, "it was stupid, and I should be getting back…"
"No Ron, please…tell me" Hermione pleaded with him.
Ron closed his eyes and sighed, when he opened his eyes again, he wasn't happy at all. "I love her Janeia…it's just that….after spending time with you, I've fallen for your personality…it's so much like hers that it's scary…and I'm sorry…but I'm going to have to quit talking to you. It's too much for me, and it's not fair to Hermione or you" said Ron. He got up and started walking away from Hermione when she jumped up and grabbed his arm; she spun him around and held his face. She smiled, with a tear in her eye before she pulled his face towards hers and kissed him. "It's me stupid" she whispered into his ear.
Ron backed up a step or two, "What do you mean?" he asked, clearly confused and scared.
"You asked me out during the dance Ron, after we had a fight about Harry kissing me, its' me…a potion went wrong and…oh Ron!" cried Hermione.
Ron took her shoulders and looked at her in the eyes, "Hermione?" he asked. "Is it really you?" Hermione nodded and wiped a tear from her face, "Yes Ron…Draco's been a real friend by helping me, and I don't know what I would have done without him. He's supposed to meet me in a couple minutes anyway, to go to Hagrid's hut…we're making a potion to help me get back. It's me Ron…I was different…."She began to cry harder and Ron kissed her forehead and asked what was wrong.
"I'm just so happy," Hermione said. Ron was confused, as he very well should be, "What do you mean?" he asked, "you're crying…but you're happy?" He looked at her with raised eyebrows and wiped away another tear that found her cheek.
"I'm happy Ron because," she sniffed, "although I was different, you fell in love with me all over again. You weren't just going for my looks, and the fact that you were willing to give up happiness, just for me…while I wasn't here…o Ron, I love you!"
Ron smiled and put a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I love you too Hermione." With that, he tilted her chin up to his face and kissed her softly. "Never leave me like that again, do you promise me? I was going out of my mind without you." Ron kissed her again, he held her like he was never going to let go.
"Oh Ron, I…" Hermione stopped, he held her stomach and winced in pain, her eyes started to fog over and she felt dizzy.
"Hermione, what's wrong? Are you ok? HERMIONE!" yelled Ron as Hermione dropped to the ground and closed her eyes.
Ron looked at her scared and then saw Draco in the distance walking towards them. "Draco, come help! Please, Hermione's fainted!"
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A/N: I hope you liked that chapter! I loved writing it, and I've just fallen in love with Herbert's character. Thank you Phillyactress! Reviews are wonderful!