A/N: Okay, I'm starting to get really miffed here! I had this chapter completed, and was about to post, but my family went and reformated the computer, so it's gone! Now I have to start all over, and I had such a good chapter! I can barely even remember all of it word for word, so it's starting with the idea, but totally different. I hope it's not as bad as I think it is! Probably not, but it's no where near as good as before . . . especially since I spent over four or five days on the first one.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Primarily Dairy (totally irrelavant . . .)

Kit stared out, squeezing Draco's hand. They had just come down with the rest of their house to find that no one had left. Almost the entire school was crowded into the cool and dry entrance hall, random students yelling out to friends, trying to make sense of it all. She spotted Hermione, running up to a stricken Terry Boot and embracing him severely. Ron and Harry were standing near to them, Ginny hanging onto Harry like a lost puppy. Kit noticed Ron glancing over at her, so she smiled, then pulled Draco over to them.

"What--are you mad!?" Draco protested, following Kit reluctantly. The others surveyed him with a slight distaste. Ginny smiled.

Kit ignored Draco, turning to Ron, "Have you heard anything?"

"Nothing at all, I think they're trying to make us go into a panic."

Draco rolled his eyes, then bit his lip to keep his comments at bay. Harry looked at him oddly, then spoke, "So, I guess that means you two are just as clueless as we are."

"Clueless wouldn't be the word I'd use . . ." Draco mumbled into Kit's ear, turning away, then spoke to the rest, "Yeah, I guess so."

"My mother's supposed to be here soon, so I'd expect her to have some news. She might not be able to tell us much, but she should know something."

Hermione looked over at Harry, then leaned in and whispered something to him urgently. He nodded, then looked at Kit, "We have to go and meet Ron and Hermione's parents. We'll see you later?"

"Definitely," Kit said, smiling. "I hope this turns out all right for us."

Draco sighed heavily then faced them, "Look, if you want, you can come to the commonroom later. If anyone gives you trouble, get me."

They looked at him, astounded, so he elaborated, "Look, I just don't want you all to hate me anymore. You won't get in trouble or anything."

"Thanks, Malfoy, that's awfully . . . genial of you. I guess we'll see you later, then." Harry gave Kit a hug, then left with Hermione.

Kit hugged Ron and Ginny, then smiled as Draco shook both of their hands. Ginny grinned and hugged him, too. Ron looked livid, but couldn't help but laugh at the look of astonishment on his face. They both left, leaving Draco standing there, still in shock.

"I'm awfully proud of you." She said, taking his hand again as they, too, went to their commonroom.

"Don't be," Draco started, "I pinched Weasley's hand raw."

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He stared after them, knowing that he had to keep order. Kit was so much like her mother it still pained him to be around her. He glanced over at Zema, her eyes still watery as she reassured a frantic parent. He adored the way she handled all of this. She was acting like the only thing that was really bothering her at this point was what he had said to her. As he thought this, her eyes flitted in his direction, making him wince.

She walked over through the crowd, her lilac robes sweeping the ground. Since everyone was clearing out of the entrance hall, they could talk alone until it was time for the meeting. He drew in a deep breath, watching as the room emptied. Only a few parents were left, but they too dispersed as she started to talk.

"I just wanted to tell you that I shouldn't have left you out of all of this. I feel terrible about it all." She touched his arm lightly, causing him to tense up.

"Don't feel that way. I shouldn't of flown off of the handle like that. You don't deserve that at all."

She stood there awkwardly, shifting on her feet. Finally, after picking at her robes for a minute or so, she sighed. "I really cared about you, Severus. I'm sorry if you think that I was just talking to you because I like the attention you were giving me. I did think of you in other ways, I was just too scared that you might not reciprocate my feelings."

"I did, I do . . . I really don't know why I yelled at you in the first place. I really care for you too, and it pained me to say those things, but you have to understand that I was so angry at you." He shook his head suddenly, he was letting her play with his emotions again. He couldn't let that happen. He had to be as stern as he normally would be. But the way she was looking at him was too much. Maybe she was being truthful.

Suddenly, she hugged him. It was too much. He could feel her crying into his arms. He couldn't bear it any longer, but he still held to her. Zema looked up at him, her glittering green eyes wide and innocent. He'd never been so close to her. Her heart was beating against him and it was nerve wracking. He smiled wanely then sighed in relief as she stepped back.

"I have to go and find Katherine." She said automatically.

He couldn't help it. He burst out into laughter. She glared at him, then grabbed his hand, "I guess you're volunteering to take me, then?"

He shut up quickly and walked her to the stairs.

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"I want to go now."

"Shut up, Ron."

"But, he said---"

"Shut up, Ron!"

"Harry, help me here!"

"Hermione's right; shut up, Ron."

"Not you, too, Ginny!"

Ginny glared at him from her spot on the couch, she pulled Harry closer to her. Ron scoffed, then looked back at Hermione, "Why don't you want to go?"

"It's far too late, Ron! We shouldn't be wandering the halls at this time! Especially not with the war and all."

He rolled his eyes again, "You're only saying that because your parents are here. Otherwise, you'd be out roaming the halls with Terry."

Hermione threw a pillow at him, then turned to Harry, "You agree with me, don't you? I don't think we should be out there, it's just a death trap, really."

Harry sighed, "I'll go with you Ron, and I'm sure the twins will, too."

She looked at him with astonishment. Ginny laughed slightly, "I'll come, too."

"No," Ron and Harry said in unison. Ginny gave them a enraged look.

George came over, sitting down by Ron, "Where to, l'il bruver?"

Ron grinned. He had been begging Hermione and Harry to come with him for a good two hours. It was already midnight, but he didn't care. His parents hadn't let them go back to the commonroom until nine, they kept fretting over them, checking to see if they were emotionally stable still. Hermione finally calmed his mother down after she had realized that the dementors were already closing in.

"Kit's probably waiting for us, too." Fred chipped in as he, too, sat down by Ron.

They both grinned at Hermione, trying to bully her into agreeing to come. She gave them the hardest glare she could muster, and said, "She's not waiting for me. She's waiting for Harry. Not you either, just Harry."

"Aw, c'mon! You can't really believe that!" Fred protested, "She's waiting for the people she cares about."

"Yeah, and she cares for you, too, Hermione. No matter how much you hate her."

"I do not hate her, George!" She cried indignantly, "I just don't think she wants all of us parading down there to invade the Slytherin commonroom, is all! I know I wouldn't want all of them up here."

"Ah," Fred said mysteriously, "but I think you would."

Fred nodded, adapting a dreamlike stare, "It has been your everlasting dream."

Hermione rolled her eyes again, "Look, if you all want to go, then just go already! I don't feel like listening to you complain about it all night!"

"But we'd love it more if you would come along," George said in sinisterly sweet voice.

"I'd love it more if you'd just go without me and let me get some sleep." She stood and walked to the stairs, "You had better know what you're risking."

"Don't we always?" Ron asked, grinning.

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Kit ran down the hall, clutching onto Draco's sleeve, "Why on Earth is this so important right now? Can't we just wait---"

"Shh, I'm trying to remember where it is!"

"Like an empty classroom is that hard to find." Kit scoffed, stopping, "We've been running through this castle for fifteen minutes already, Draco. Just tell me already!"

"We've got to find your friends."

"What are you talking about now, nutcase?!"

"Potter and his little fanclub," Draco said, sitting down and leaning against the wall, "They have to help us."

"With what?!" She asked again, exaspertedly. "You've been running me around for some reason and you haven't even had the decency to tell me as to why!"

He sighed, "Nina said something to me last night, about a song. I can't remember exactly, but she said you were going to use it against me. Like . . . . some sort of spell. It has something to do with your powers, but I'm not sure what she meant."

"The 'Bewitcher's Song' . . . "

He looked at her, his eyes widening, "I thought she was kidding."

She shook her head, "I'd never told anyone, how could she know?"

"She knows a lot of things about you, apparently."

"But, how'd she know I was going to use it?"

Draco stared, "What do you mean, use it? How does it work?"

Kit looked at him warily, his face illuminated by the harsh light of the torches. She could see the anxiety, and hear it within his every word. Determinedly, she stood in front of him, attempting to word her thoughts.

"I need to know for sure. I want to know if you truly love me, if Ron, or even George, truly loves me . . . It's the only way I know how. You have to understand that!"

He looked up at her, and smiled, "I guess I do, but I just want to know, what exactly is it that you're planning on doing?"

"It's really quite simple." Kit shrugged, "I just feel a song in my heart, and I sing. The words are supposed to move whomever is just infatuated with me to pass out. If they truly love me, they will be able to hear it and not faint. The song is personal to the Bewitcher herself, and it can never be sung again. If I choose to sing it now, I'll have to be with them, or suffer the fate of being lusted . . . not loved."

Draco brought his hand up to hers, pulling her down beside him, "I think it's a good decision, but it seems like such a big consequence. Never can it be sung again? Never at all?"

"I know, but it's something I have to do." She grinned at him once more, "How exactly were you planning on having my friends help you, or us? Were they going to make Nina say she was lying? Or were you just fact-checking?"

"It was more of an irrational, on-the-spot sort of thing. I just wanted to know it all right away, and I was acting stupid. Well, do you think that she's going to do anything drastic?"

She shook her head somberly, "I don't know for sure, it is Nina we're talking about." She sighed, "I think we ought to head back, Harry could be there waiting for me. And you know what the rest of our 'loving' house would do if they showed up without is there to protect them."

"Worse than pinching someone's hand raw, I know that much."

She stood, letting Draco follow as they walked down the pale corridor. In her mind she knew that she could end up losing more than she would gain with the song, but she had to know for sure.

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As midnight waned near, Harry and Ron sped through the coridors, Ginny and the twins following close behind, trying not to attract attention. Ginny stopped suddenly, causing the twins to run into her, knocking her to the ground.

"Damnit, Gin! What the hell did you do that for?!" George asked, picking himself up as Fred pulled up a stunned Ginny.

She looked at Harry, her eyes wide with fear "Did you see them too?"

"I think so . . . " He walked to her, taking her hand and looking behind her, "Why are they here . . . now?"

"Patrolling."

Harry jumped, then spun around, "Zema?"

Rendered speechless, Ginny turned pale white. Still clinging to Harry, she let out a tiny noise of shock. George grinned, "Just like a mouse . . . "

Ron stepped forward, more relieved than scared, "What do you mean, 'patrolling'?"

She smirked, "Well, why do you think I'm out here, standing guard? We're waiting for the attack."

Ron looked out the window, and nearly leapt back with shock.

Swooping over the courtyard, barely visible against the deep velvety blackness of the night were at least fifty flying witches and wizards. They were circling over the school, some flying around watching the grounds ahead.

"But," Harry stammered, "it's seems odd that they are all out in the open, shouldn't they be hiding?"

"Wizards don't have that much of a need for guerilla warfare, especially not against dementors. It's slightly foolish to hide against something that doesn't really 'see' persay."

Zema smiled, her face revealing a pallor, which made her look young and vulnerable. Her hair was pulled up, under a thick black hooded cape. Her arms were clad in a dark black armor, snapped with thick black bands.

"What armor do you need?" Harry asked, slightly confused.

"Well, we use Dark Adamantine, which is really perfect against a dementor. It's magical properties give us the ability to mask our feelings. It's kind of like a barrier against them."

Ron looked at her patronizingly, obviously eager to end the conversation as soon as possible, "Well, I think we'd better get going. It's getting late, and I don't want to get caught out of the dorms."

"You won't have to worry too much of that, most of the faculty is in the Great Hall," Zema sighed, "It's a conference, with the parents."

"Alright then, I guess we'll see you later, Miss Potter." Ron said, smiling.

"Yes, you shall indeed."

With that, She turned and walked through the window to the courtyard.

"Let's go then, I don't want to be any later then we already are." Harry prodded, running down the corridor. Ginny and the twins followed close behind.

Ron shook his head, and sighed to himself, "You just don't know how badly this is, do you . . ."

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The next morning Kit awoke, the Slytherin commonroom looking so odd and disjointed. Ron and Harry lay sprawled on the floor, the twins curled up in two different chairs. Ginny had taken the couch, and she and Draco were on a small assortment of pillows. Kit stared at the wall, the commonroom surrounding her in a sort of stupor. With Pansy gone, it seemed as if Nina had no one to patronize.

She couldn't understand it herself, but things had changed so much. She could see herself losing everything each time she tried to imagine what would happen when her decision finally came, and she had to sing the song. Maybe, Kit thought wistfully, it wouldn't have to come to that. If she just followed her instincts and chose the one she expected to love her, than it could all end.

Then again, she could end up like her mother, and she knew where that could get them.

Surveying Ron, she saw how different the three of them were. George was outgoing, witty and fresh. He knew everything, yet he let it on only half the time. His heart was light, his mind sharp and goofy at the same time. He was in tune with everything around him, yet still grounded. More importantly, he was a great friend and confidant. She trusted him with her entire being, but she wasn't quite sure how it would all work out in the end with him either.

Ron was the ditz. He knew how to make her smile, how to keep her cheerful when she needed it most. He understood where she came from most of the time and never underestimated her in things that mattered to her the most. He was genuine and unafraid, of his feeling for the most part, and he was so good-natured and not stuck on himself. He knew how to let his head work for him, even if he worked against it half the time too.

Draco, on the other hand, was so confident and deep. He was brooding, but not as overbearingly as Blaise. His mind was always in its place, and for the most part he was charming. Nothing she had seen him do had ever made her think of him as a complete evil or opposition. He was genuine in his regrets and thoughts, and hopefully in his love. Maybe she wasn't too sure about all of this anymore.

Then again, they all had bad sides, but none any worse than the latter. Arrogance, insecurity, audacity, these were all too common in their age. She could look past all of the bad and see the person she cared for in each of them. George wasn't at all disadvantaged, simply put . . . the more she thought about it, the more she could see it. And that was just another worry for now.

Kit looked at Draco, his sleeping form so innocently evil. He was slowly breathing, his hair disheveled and unkempt. He had been asleep since they had gotten back, and Kit couldn't help but watch him. She wasn't quite as sure anymore, but she knew she had made the right decision. It was as if she had already seen everything succeed and she knew it would be alright. Brushing some of Draco's platinum hair out of his eyes, she sighed and laid against him.

Nina turned slightly, looking over at them, "He's such a little child."

Kit cocked her head in confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"He just doesn't understand what you're doing. Using him seems so easy, doesn't it?"

"What the hell are you babbling about?" Kit spat, sitting up, "What use do I have of exploiting him?"

Nina tossed her long black hair over her shoulder, her deep eyes boring through Kit like a drill. She had a similar evil to Blaise, and Kit knew that wasn't any good for either of them. At least they had something in common. She rolled her eyes, "I'm not stupid! He's just a simple little rich boy to you, isn't he?"

"Not at all! How dare you?!"

"Well, I dare to do a lot of things lately, and you seem to try also. Maybe you do care for him, but you're acting awfully coy to be so loving."

"Don't," Kit started, "I don't need your little psychoanalysis. It's pointless to even think big thoughts when your tiny little bimbo of a mind cannot handle rationalization to begin with."

"So angry so early," Draco yawned, putting his arms back around her. "What time is it?"

"About eight in the morning, maybe earlier." Kit sat up, and smiled down at him, "I'm so proud of you. You handled yourself very well last night. I think this may be some kind of step forward."

He grinned, "Well, I can't always be a jerk, now can I? Besides, they weren't being any more antagonistic than usual. I guess my improvement was inevitable eitherways."

Nina yawned, running her fingers through her hair, "I still cannot believe you let them all stay."

"What was I supposed to do? Let them all go and end up sleeping in the middle of a hallway because they passed out. I don't even think little Weasley was up longer than fifteen minutes." Draco looked over at them, "She's kind of arrogant, kicking us out of the couch."

They turned to see Ron sitting up, his eyes bleary, "God these floors are uncomfortable."

"Better than hard granite, my fiend." Draco sighed, "Marble's supposed to be softer than other stone."

"It's still stone." He looked over at Harry, who was twitching slightly, smiling in his sleep. "Doesn't seem to bother him much."

Kit stood up, pulling her hair back as she bent over and nudged Harry with her foot. "Wake up you miserable lump."

He looked up morosely, "I didn't think Slytherin issued wake up calls."

Kit shook her head, turning to see Fred and George smiling at her. "What are you two looking at?"

"Little hostess Kittie! How corking!" George snickered, "We ought to head back to our own house, eh? I think we may have worn out our welcome."

"No problem," Draco said, then stopped, "I didn't say anything. No . . . nothing at all . . ."

Nina rolled her eyes and glared over at Ginny, who was watching everyone quietly, "What a little mouse."

"What a little priss," she countered, yawning. Her red hair seemed so bright and noticeable against the deep green of the couch. Ginny looked to Harry, "I think we should go now. It seems we've worn out our welcome."

"Always." Nina smirked, "Door is that way, watch out for detours!"

"Bye Kit, I'll see you later then?" Ron asked cautiously as he stood. His hair was as disheveled as Draco's, yet it gave him more of a child-like appearence than it did for Draco. He still looked good with it . . .

Kit hugged him, smiling, "I'll come by later. Mum wants to come by here soon though, so I'll be awhile."

She kissed him on the cheek and let go, "Be careful on your way back, Snape may be on the prowl."

"I'll take that into accord," Ron breathed, slightly embarrassed. He nodded and followed the rest of them out.

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"I can't believe it." Hermione said at breakfast, her demeanor much more calm now that she had gotten sleep. Her dark brown hair was pulled up gracefully into a curly bun, her bangs swooped to the side covering one of her eyes lightly. She was wearing a dipped t-shirt, dark blue, and baggy cargo pants. Ron had never seen her look so refreshed and awake. It was a big change, and it made her look so old and sophisticated.

He shrugged, "It really wasn't that bad. Malfoy was pretty civil, but that Nina girl wouldn't shut her mouth. I thought Kit was about to punch her in the nose when she told Ginny to quit being a baby. If she hadn't of gotten her quiet, I think Ginny might've jumped her anyway."

Ginny blushed. She, too, seemed a lot calmer. Her hair was braided in two plaits, her scarlet t-shirt matched her white skirt and set her hair on fire. She looked a lot happier than she had in awhile, and he noticed her clinging slightly to Harry. Maybe she had finally told him yes. Hopefully . . .

Harry was grinning too, and he looked at Ron, "She is overbearing, and the way she and Zabini were all over each other almost made me hurl. I think they over did it a bit, don't you?"

Ron just laughed. He looked over at the Slytherin table and noticed how empty it looked. He also noticed something slightly different about the line-up . . .

"Harry! Nina's not there, neither is Kit."

He looked over at the table and had the same reaction and thought. They both just nodded to each other and ran.

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Hermione looked out across the grounds. She felt out in the open here. Ron and Harry had left so quickly she didn't even have time to follow. Ginny had run off to find the twins and left her all alone, so she too fled. Maybe Ron was overreacting. She had no clue what had happened last night with them, but she knew Kit must've said something. She could see it in his eyes, and she could feel something ominous inside of her.

Suddenly, she shrieked. She felt something zoom over her, and it made her jump. Nothing was there when she looked around her, but she felt cold all of a sudden. The wind slowed, and the breeze left. She watched in horror as the sky darkened, clouds hovering darkly over the grounds. Hermione grasped her talisman, the one that had calmed her before and thanked God that she had remember her wand.

Another swoop left her on edge and she knew the worst had begun. Looking over the castle she saw the last thing she would have ever wanted to see in the present situation. High overhead were thousands upon thousands of dementors, ominous in every aspect of the word. Backing up slowly, she grasped her wand at her side, trying to clear her head and trying to think rationally. She had to get back inside. Yet, she was so far from the castle.

In a haze, she ran for it, and saw, to her horror, the dementors scattering. Screaming at the top of her voice, Hermione rushed into the trees, swerving around Hagrid's hut and onto the trail leading to the entrance hall. She had barely made it in when they started swooping down.

Gasping, she ran to the Great Hall and burst through the door.

"DEMENTORS!" She shrieked, everyone looking at her, "Please, my friends, they're outside. HELP!"
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A/N: Alright then, you can guess what's happening next then! Sorry for such the long delay again. I should've put up a notice. Well, it's here now, and I'll be done with the next one ASAP! I promise this time!