A/N: I'm SOOOO sorry! Darned reality has chosen to throw lots of things my way these two weeks, and with my writer's block returning with a vengeance, I was overwhelmed. Many apologies! Anf for those who celebratethe Lunar New Year, here's a Happy Chinese New Year to all of you!

This is a chapter which is more of the introspective kind, I hope you guys don't mind :)

Chapter 8: Ruminations

For a moment, Harry wondered how it had all come down to this; allying himself with a Slytherin and putting one of his best friends under surveillance like some dangerous criminal.

We're all growing up. The thought was bittersweet. We keep things from each other now. Wistfully, he recalled the halcyon times of days long past, when all that mattered was Quidditch and keeping up in his schoolwork.

He was well aware that any semblance of childhood he might have had was long gone, that his destiny had aged him prematurely. Shaking his head self-deprecatingly, he perched himself on the window seat and gazed out the window at the still, silent grounds. So deceptively tranquil that one could almost forget that beyond the boundaries of Hogwarts, the culmination to a long, bitter war was brewing.

Ron had volunteered for 'shadow duty', as they had dubbed it, tonight, so he was the only one left in the common room at this time of the night, waiting for his friend to return.

His mind drifted back to that afternoon, when he had asked Draco to keep an eye on Hermione for them. The boy's eagerness to chip in had surprised him as much as it had Ron. His impression of him had been unpleasant thus far, and he had done nothing to remedy it, which was why he and Ron had objected so strongly when they learnt Hermione had to share quarters with him. Their consternation had only softened ever so slightly when she assured them he was quite all right, albeit a little annoying.

He remembered they had come to an agreement of sorts to put aside the centuries-old rivalry between their respective houses. Perhaps that had been the beginning of their odd friendship. Hermione did mention that he had less qualms going to her for help on homework every now and then, and in turn, he allowed her free access to his personal collection of books.

A vague sense of guilt haunted him for doubting Malfoy. After all, he had been the one to make them realise something was definitely off with Hermione, and he could see that he did care for her in his own way, so he figured he deserved some slack. After all, he wouldn't have done it if he cared nothing for Hermione.

Looking at the clock over the fireplace, he exhaled loudly and leant his head against the cool glass of the window, Quidditch Through the Ages lying open and forgotten in his lap. For the first time, the multitude of manoeuvres and strategies failed to take his mind off things.

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Hermione treaded the corridors, taking a path that had become familiar to her since she had come into her calling. The passages were deserted, as they always are at this time of the day—or night. The students were all closeted in their respective common rooms, doing homework or relaxing.

Briefly, she felt a twinge in her chest at the memories that rose unbidden, of Harry, Ron and herself sprawled in the common room, the two boys begging to borrow her homework and she telling them off for their work ethics. It was a simple tableau that she had taken for granted before she was made Head Girl, and sacrificed unknowingly when she relocated to her current quarters. She missed the laidback atmosphere and easy camaraderie of the Gryffindor Common Room with housemates everywhere. Most of the boys would be playing either wizard chess or Exploding Snap, she remembered, and the girls would be congregating in their respective cliques, gossiping and giggling over, well, girly things she had never taken much interest in.

Now, it was only Draco and herself in their common room. He wasn't a poor conversationalist, but it still could never match up to the collective presence of many people holed up in the same cosy room.

The hiss of a torch brought her back to reality. The high narrow passages always made her insignificant, especially when they were deserted. The weathered stone of the floor and walls bespoke of immeasurable years, innumerable students coming and going, of countless thunderstorms unleashing its wrath upon the castle.

Torches were placed at regular intervals along the walls, casting dancing shadows about her, hypnotic in their playful weaving and flickering.

Her footsteps were the only sound that penetrated the almost suffocating silence as she made her way down to her Watcher. Or was it?

There it was again! A nearly imperceptible noise she would have missed if not for her enhanced senses. She stopped and spun in one swift motion, eyes scanning the path behind her. There was no one.

She frowned. There were no convenient side passages or wall niches for anyone to slip into at the spur of the moment, and she hadn't heard any muttered spell, so it was technically impossible for someone to have been behind her. Oh well, maybe it was just paranoia.

Shrugging to herself, she turned back and resumed walking, trying futilely to shake the feeling of unseen eyes trained on her

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Ron let out the breath he had been holding once she stopped frowning in his general direction. Making a conscious effort to soften his footfalls this time, he followed her down the same path she had taken the last time. It should have been Harry's turn, but he had volunteered to take over.

He wanted, needed to know why Hermione was so tight-lipped over this thing, whatever it was, she had going on. Deep down, a part of him knew it was not just concern for a platonic friend that had spurred him to this, that it was definitely personal, but his conscious mind conveniently ignored this, and he crept on.

Like the previous time, she opened the door just a crack and slithered in, shutting it too fast for him to slip in after her. Scowling, he withdrew his wand. "Alohomora!"

Nothing happened. Apparently, Snape had put up wards that repelled that particular charm, and he did not know any other spells that could unlock doors without blasting them off their hinges. Huffing, he sank down to the stone floor, wincing as the chill of the masonry permeated the fabric of his jeans and raised goosebumps on his skin.

Fervently hoping that the Potions Master had overlooked the Silencing Charm, he pressed his ear to the door.

P.S.I know the pace of this story may be a tad draggy right now, but I need to get all this stuff out of the way first, so I hope you'll understand. Thanks. : )

ourlittlesecret7: Yes, I'm still trying to figure out how to put in a vampire, because unless one is stupid enough to walk right into Hogwarts, it's highly unlikely she'll run into one, isn't it?

humanoid: Yeah, I know about the waiting, but it can't be helped. Sorry :S

The rest of you guys, Angelwingzz, Kail Ceannai, bououou and the others, where have you gone? (sniff)