Liang Hwei-Thanks again! Boys. I know. Honestly, this is unexpected, it just came out about Ginny. Dunno why. Hehe.

Neutralgal- I like AF fics, but i think I'll stick to HP. Though I might write an AF fic next. Who knows?

A few days had passed. Nearly all of Draco's time had been spent thinking of Hermione. Note taking was in vain. Draco just sat there, his head in the clouds. A very un-Malfoy thing to do. Lucius would have abandoned Draco if he ever found out. If. So people, keep our mouths shut.

"Five points from Slytherin." Came Professor McGonagall's crisp voice.

Draco snapped out of his romantic daydreams. Some Slytherins were glaring at him, two were not sure if to laugh or not and several others were laughing. Draco Malfoy dreaming in class. What a joke! They stopped when Draco glared back at them. This was going to be a long day.

Hermione woke up, not to the beep of her alarm clock, but to an owl tapping at her window. It looked as if it tapping a long time and was anxious to fly away. It had a letter attached to its leg. Hermione opened the window and it flew in. The owl hooted shrilly, flying wildly about the room.

Hermione calmed it down. She had a way with animals. Soon enough the owl stopped hooting so much and stuck out its leg for Hermione to untie the letter from it which she did. The owl hooted one last time before flying away. Hermione rubbed her eyes. Last night, and for quite a few of them, she had been staying up until about three, before falling asleep. Hermione found out that after three, the dreams were less vivid, like more of seen through a thick mist. She knew she had bags under her eyes. Sighing (she had been doing a lot of this these days), Hermione opened the letter.

Dear Hermione,

I'm afraid to tell you this, but you have to come home immediately. I fear your father is at his last hours. He didn't want me to tell you. I have written to Dumbledore and he has agreed to create a portkey? to send you home. Go to his office tomorrow morning and he'll have it ready.

Love

Mother

Hermione knew this would be coming, but not this soon. She walked out to her balcony and looked at the sky. The sky was beautiful, the sun risen and cloudless. Rare on autumn days like this. It was hard to imagine her father would be up there...

The day had finally ended. Hermione and Draco had survived it quite well. Hermione better then Draco, who had lost a fair number of points from Slytherin. A Slytherin first-year not knowing who he was came up to him and had said, "You're Head Boy. And you are supposed to earn points for Slytherin, not lose points." Draco scowled at the unknowing first-year but didn't threaten or hex him. Being young had its pluses.

A brown haired boy in another part of Hogwarts smiled devilishly. Finally, he could prove to the Dark Lord that he was as worthy as Draco Malfoy, by bringing the mudblood to him. She was useful, if she ever joined the Dark side. Unfortunately, she was a mudblood. But there were other uses for her. Capturing her would be an asset to the Dark Lord in getting Harry Potter. The boy rolled up his left sleave. A skull with a snake protruding through it had been burnt onto his skin two weeks ago, along with the once loyal Draco Malfoy.

After dinner, Draco was in a better mood as he walked to the Slytherin Dungeons to get a book to read. As he was walking, a fellow Slytherin ran into him on purpose. The Slytherin looked back. It was Blaise Zambini, a quiet seventh-year. Draco let it pass and continued on his way. He got to his room and grabbed a book and started reading. Half an hour passed, forty-five...

"Shit!" Draco jumped up and dashed out. He was late for prefect rounds. Strangely, Hermione, who was never late for anything, wasn't there. Draco waited. Then he left a note for Hermione saying he had started first and went on his rounds.

Hermione walked the prefect meeting room. Tonight she had rounds with Draco, but her mind was too preoccupied to worry about such trivial matters. Hermione was so deep in her thoughts, she didn't see someone walking right to her until the last moment.

"Oh my goodness!" she gasped and swerved left.

"Granger," It was Blaise Zambini. Hermione didn't know him too well, just that he was a Slytherin.

"Sorry. I was bu-" Hermione started but was cut off.

"Petrificus Totalus!" exclaimed Blaise.

Hermione fell on the stone floor. She looked up and glared angrily at the Slytherin.

Blaise levitating Hermione's ridged form into a small, dusty classroom and left Hermione there. That was when fear surged through Hermione's veins.

Sorry for the long update!