Disclaimer: Yes I am JKR and Harry Potter in mine! Mine I tell you! LOL! (If you're stupid then: joke: Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement)

H-ello! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! Means lots. I hope you review too...anywhoo for those of you who thought this was a sequel to His Hermione, I'm sorry! If you want review on that go to my bio and scroll to the bottom. You might find something pleasantly surprising! Or not...lol. Ok to the story!

'Draco, Dormiens, Nunquam, Titillandus' English Translation: 'Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon'-J.K. Rowling

Sweat beaded on her forehead. And she thought to herself for the hundreth time how much she hated this job. How demeaning it was for her. Never did she think that one day she'd be serving others as a career. She'd wanted to have founded her own foundation...done good for the world. But what good was left?

"Oi, Lady! Can I get some service over here?" a haughty young man called, "I've been waiting three minutes for a bloody Gillywater!"

She flinched but swallowed her dignity. Drawing attention to herself would only endanger her cause and possibly her life. What was she kidding? She had no life. The cause was her life.

"Sorry for the delay, sir. Here's your Gillywater," she said, quickly and slid a glass of Gillywater onto the table.

The man snarled and turned to his friend, who looked about just as crude as himself, "See, Horace, all these people they're all the same. All mudbloods. No decent pureblood would be caught dead working a job like that."

Her breath got caught in her throat. If this had been ten years ago...she would've stunned this ass to the moon. But as circumstances were now...she could only ball her red-knuckled hand into a fist. It was hardly a decade and yet everything had changed. The end of the Second War had defined the world every witch and wizard and even Muggles would live in and it was the most horrendus place. Their savior had fallen...

She didn't even bother sighing but just let herself into the back of the Hog's Head, where she could at least have some time to herself. Dirty dishes and rags scattered the old wooden counters. Ever since she'd began working here she'd never eaten here. It was completely unsanitary. She shivered to think of herself in fifth year, coming here and drinking a butterbeer without even considering what lurked past the counter.

Suddenly two hands slithered around her eyes and covered her mouth. She forced out a few quiet squeals even though no one could possibly hear. After a while she gave up and rested against the figure that had trapped her. She was guessing it was a wizard by the shape.

"Hush up, it's only me," a familiar voice shushed her. He gently pulled his hands away from her.

She spun around and glared at him, "Really! Do you always have to do that?"

He smirked, "Yes, yes I do."

She stood and smoothed her gray, waitress outfit with as much dignity as she could muster, "What're you doing here? I'm at work...if anybody saw you..."

"No one's going to see me," he sighed, "And if they did-well you know I work those memory charms better than any of you."

"Cocky as always," she grumbled, "You still didn't answer my question, why're you here?"

"Urgent business, Hermione," he said, simply.

Hermione dropped the plate she was holding. It crashed to the floor and broke into hundreds of dangerously, sharp shards. She bit her tongue. How stupid of her! She spun her head around to see if anyone was watching. It was lucky Danny wasn't in today. He would've made her pay dearly for that plate. A month's pay...she could barely live with the money she earned now.

"Don't call me that here you fool!" Hermione moaned, "If one of the Dark Lord's people should hear you..."

"None here but you and me," he replied.

"You know that could just as easily not be true," Hermione said, "Gosh..."

She knelt down and began picking up the shards gingerly. He watched her, amusement playing on this face. Oh, how she hated him to see her like this! They were equals she knew but they were still thrown on different levels of life because she was a Muggle-born and he was a Pureblood.

After a while, however, he seemed to take pity on her and said, "If you were still curious as to why I'm here I just came to inform you on the Dragon's well-being."

Hermione looked up. The Dragon was more important to her than word's could express.

"Is the Dragon alright?" Hermione asked, nervously. She knew his health had been less than good lately. Even in his deep state of a coma he tossed and turned and screamed. It was almost unbearable to listen to. Sometimes he would call her own name and she'd be agonized to tears.

"He's fine. Better than last night at least. They even say he's going to-and here he dropped his voice-awaken soon," he finished with a look of unexplainable fear on his face.

"Draco!" Hermione gasped, almost dropped all the shards she'd collected.

"Look who's saying real names now," he smiled.

"Oh cram it! How dare you lie like that! Trying to raise my hopes, are you?" Hermione choked out.

"I'm serious. They say it could even be tonight," Draco responded, "But don't believe me. Go check for yourself tonight."

With that last word he left just as quickly as he came. He almost looked like a Death Eater with his black robes and hood. Then again, he'd have a good idea of how to blend in with the general crowd these-a-days. He'd been a Death Eater himself at one time. Actually he still was officially. But what most didn't know was that he was always a trusted member of Dumbledore's Army. The one group resisting the Dark Lord's wraith.

Hermione finished picking up the shards of glass and crouched to a corner to think. What if Draco was speaking the truth? What if the Dragon really was about to wake from his long slumber? What would it mean for not just the DA but the Wizarding World in general?

She made up her mind to visit the headquarters of the DA, if not to find the Dragon awake then to at least visit him.

Hermione could barely catch her breath. She'd caught the Knight bus, which wasn't a pretty ride on it's own, to London and from there she'd had to take a Muggle bus all the way to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the DA. She hated the excruciating means of travel she had to use to reach Headquarters. But the Death Eaters tracked the Floo Network and the Apparating Network. And flying would take forever in this cold weather.

The house itself hadn't changed much since the first time Hermione had saw it. The grass was pale yellow and the door's paint was still black and chipping. The grimy windows had dark curtains over them so that no one absolutely no one could see what went on inside.

The neighbourhood had remained alike too. Surprisingly after the Dark Lord had taken over, he hadn't bothered Muggles as much as could be expected. As he saw it, he didn't need them. Their ideas, their technology, wasn't approved by him and they were just some beings that would have to wait till later to be terrorized. Yet when Death Eaters saw fit, they could hunt Muggles for fun.

Hermione wrinkled her nose and hurried to the door of Headquarters. She knocked twice on the door. It opened immediately. No one from the DA feared a stranger to gain entrance into the house. It was under the Fidelius Charm and the Secret Keeper was one who wouldn't betray the cause. Or perhaps he couldn't. He never left the house. They were always guarded by members of the DA. Hermione wondered what kind of life he led always in one room. She had often tried to urge the DA to let the poor guy out of the house but alas it was to no use. They were all too afraid of being discovered and infiltrated.

She made her way down the black hall to the kitchen. Someone was bound to be there. And as she expected, five different members of the DA were present. They were huddled together and whispered urgently to one another. Hermione frowned they were all younger members of the DA. They weren't senior enough to know about the Dragon's awakening so soon.

They all looked up respectively as Hermione walked in. She smiled and greeted them casually. She recognized one of them, Dennis Creevey. Even though he was younger than her, he had been a part of the original DA and she acknowledged him more warmly for that.

"Do you know where Professor McGonagall is?" Hermione questioned afterwards.

They exchanged looks between themselves, "She's upstairs, fourth floor, in a meeting. I think they're expecting you."

Hermione nodded, grabbed a muffin from the refrigirator, and scurried upstairs. Anticipation was killing her. Thoughts, memories of the Dragon echoed through her mind. Yet as she climbed the last step to the fourth floor her mind wasn't directed at reaching the meeting. It was directed at a low moaning coming from the room farthest to the left. She paused in the hall outside of the door and listened quietly. She could hardly decifer the words through the door but caught some such as, 'Mom' and 'Ginny' and 'Ron.'

She couldn't contain herself any longer and pushed open the door. Luna Lovegood and Padma Patil on duty to watch over him and wore expressions of worry. Padma had just placed a wet cloth on his forehead and Luna was reading a book on home remedies.

"This is unbelievable! He's life-threateningly ill! We need to take him to 's!" Padma sighed.

Luna smiled, sadly, "You know we can't. If the Death Eaters caught whiff that he was alive he'd be dead faster than you could say Nargle."

Padma frowned but brightened when she noticed their new visitor, "Hermione!"

"Hello Padma, Luna," Hermione greeted, "I just came to see how he was."

"He was getting better but now he's burning up again," Padma explained, "I don't know how much more of this we can nuture at home. We need serious medication."

Hermione drew in her breath sharply. She went to sit at the egde of his bed and felt her lower lip tremble. The Dragon was wearing a frown and he was breaking out in sweat. She placed two fingers on his neck and felt the undeniable heat that was emitted from there. It was frightening to think they were going to lose him. The tale Draco had threaded about The Dragon awakening was a lie.

She resisted from sitting there forever. The meeting, although not about what she'd wanted, was still important. Since she had trekked all the way here she might as well get caught up with the latest information.

"I've got to go..." Hermiome murmured, "Tell me if anything else arises."

Padma and Luna nodded. And didn't waste time in setting back to work treating the Dragon. When you thought about it, the caretakers of the Dragon had the most important job. Without the Dragon there was no purpose for the DA to go on. They all knew the Prophecy and all knew what it meant. No one but the Dragon could ever defeat the Dark Lord.

Hermione closed the door behind her as she left the Dragon's chamber and walked down the hall to the Meeting Chamber. As she opened the door she discovered the twenty or so top members of the DA all seated in a meeting. It surprised her. Usually not everyone could attend a meeting. To see them all there was mind-blowing.

"And we know that now the Dark Lord has England, France and Germany, he'll be moving onto Bulgaria next," Bill Weasley said drawing out a map on the table.

They all looked up as Hermione entered and Bill stopped talking. She blushed and realized how unprofessional she must seem arriving late.

"Sorry, I'm late," Hermione apologized, taking a seat beside Mrs. Weasley.

"It's alright Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said, "We were just speaking out what possible countries the Dark Lord is planning to invade."

"Oh I see," Hermione said, resonably and fell silent. Bill continued to talk for another twenty minutes and Hermione could not help but to be disappointed. She'd almost fooled herself to believe the Dragon would be awake.

"That's all," Bill said, finally.

"Thank Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said and stood up herself. She shuffled a few papers and coughed. Something was obviously bothering her.

"As you all well know...everybody has recently taken to talking of the Dragon. Worrying about his health. Wondering if he can overcome his current illness and some have even claimed that the Dragon will awaken," Professor McGonagall continued.

Hermione caught Draco's eye and he smirked at her. How dare he? He'd been wrong! The Dragon wasn't anymore awake then he had been a week ago.

"And I am here to say that this story...was true at one time," Professor McGonagall clarified, "But we've lost all hope of this as of recently. We fear for his life now."

A few gasps escaped the mouths of the DA. Hermione stiffened. Hearing those words come from Professor McGonagall's mouth only confirmed what she had been dreading.

"Professor, how are you sure?" Hermione implored, timidly.

"Miss Granger for the last time, I am no longer your Professor and you have no need calling me by the same," Professor McGonagall said, sharply.

Hermione blushed. She couldn't help herself. Professor McGonagall would always be a Professor in her opinion. She always taught Hermione something new. She was what Hermione wanted to be one day if she could muster the strength.

"Yes...," Hermione said, quietly.

Just then they were interrupted by a swift opening of the door. Padma stood there with a look of shock playing on her face. She barely caught her breath before speaking.

"Padma, whatever is the matter?" Mrs. Weasley questioned, standing and looking scared of her answer.

"It's-deep breaths-the Dragon," Padma got out.

By now everyone was on their feet. If anything should've happened to him...perhaps he had died already? Tears stung Hermione's eyes. She'd just lost her other best mate. As if one leaving her wasn't enough.

"What is it?" Professor McGonagall demanded, "Say it girl."

Her voice vibrated with urgency and her nostrils were flared. She, like the late Albus Dumbledore, had a certain glory of stance. The glory of a leader than few could manage to get.

"The Dragon has risen," Padma said, swiftly, "Harry Potter has returned."

Author's Note: I know this was rather more about Hermione than Harry but he was asleep! And this was a good introduction to the setting and general situation. Next chapter is totally in Harry's POV so read it!

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