A/N errrr….hi. This is Pointed Tooth Fairy. First of all, I'd like to say that it is NOT ZVEZDANA'S FAULT that this chapter is so late. It is completely my responsibility. However, I'd just like to make it clear that I do have a life outside fanfiction, and while that doesn't make up for the lateness of this chapter, it at least explains it. I've had a hell of a lot going on, and I'm really sorry that I couldn't find time to write, but I'm finding time now. Also, this chapter is going to be a little, ok, very different from the last one, mainly because no-one dies, it's focused on Hermione, and also because I have a different writing style from Zvezdana. I'm not that good at writing depressing/gory stuff. And, like I said before, I have serious issues with writing long chapters. Anyway, HERE IT IS!

A Mincing of Words

Hermione, of course, had no knowledge of the deaths that had just occurred, so she had no reason to be afraid while she wandered towards the Gryffindor common room. She was completely unfocused, something that rarely happened to her. It was like her mind had just wandered away, leaving her completely free. It was a strange feeling to not have an overload of thoughts rushing around her brain. It was also quite unnerving that something like this had happened to someone like her. Still, it was quite understandable considering the events that took place at the ball.

Suddenly, she was jerked out of her trance when she collided with a large, soft wall, that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. She looked up, startled, and discovered that it was not a wall that she had collided with; it was Hagrid.

"Oh…Hagrid…I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She mumbled as an apology.

"Ah, that's okay, I can' understand yer mind bein' somewhere else a' the moment." Hagrid chuckled and winked. Hermione frowned absentmindedly.

"What? I'm not sure I understand you, and I really can't stay and talk." Her response simply made Hagrid laugh even more heartily, and a sly smile appeared on his face. Hermione was bemused. Since when was Hagrid sly?

"Oh, then I suppose I'ls jus' go, then. No matter, yer probably wouldn't 'a cared what Mister Malfoy had to say, anyway." Hagrid turned around to leave, but was stopped when Hermione reached out and grabbed his arm.

"What! You've talked to Draco? What did he say? Does he still want to-" She was going to continue, but she was cut of by Hagrid.

"No! We can't talk 'ere. To many people could 'ear us. Come back to my heart, an' I'll tell yer everything" Not saying anything more, Hagrid quickly started walking toward the grounds, with a joyous Hermione running to catch up.

Hermione sighed and checked her watch. She had been sitting in Hagrid's hut for what seemed like hours, and he still hadn't told her anything. He had gone on a bit about his Care of Magical Creatures class, and about how it was perfect weather for Snorluck mating (whatever that was), but he had told Hermione absolutely nothing about Draco.

Hagrid turned away from the stove with two mugs of tea in his hands and set one down in front of Hermione. He sat down across from her and took a gulp of tea before staring of into the difference. Hermione decided that this was getting ridiculous, and cleared her throat.

"So, Hagrid, what did Draco say to you" Her impatience was replaced with excitement and love as soon as Draco's name came out of her mouth. Her heart seemed to beat faster at the mere thought of him. However, she was disheartened by the faraway look that appeared in Hagrid's eyes. After all, Hagrid did have the ability to wander miles off topic.

"Ah, yeah, Mister Malfoy. I must say Hermione, he is a right handsome lad. For a while there I thought that you and Ron would… you know. But now that I think about it you and Draco seem so perfect for one another. I know that some people may think differently, but what do they know, eh?" Hermione saw this question as a chance to interpolate.

"Yeah, Hagrid…"

"I know that you two seem so diff'rent, but really, yer just so alike! See, on the outside yer polar opposites, but on the inside yer jus' a match made in heaven. It's so romantic…" Hagrid's eyes grew watery, and Hermione prayed that he wouldn't start crying.

"It's really sweet that you think that way Hagrid." Hermione said in a soothing voice. Inwardly she was screaming. Hagrid didn't notice her annoyance and just kept on rambling.

"Take Flobberworms and Blast-Ended Skrewts, for instance! While they look so diff'ren' on th' ou'side, an' they 'ave a comple'ly diff'ren' way o' life, they can' still fin' true 'appiness and love wi' each other. They can still life forever in complete bliss an' 'armony." And with that he broke into great gasping sobs. He put is head on his arm and pounded the table with his free hand.

"Oh no, Hagrid, please don't cry!" Hermione wailed desperately. She was never going to hear about Draco if Hagrid kept going on like this. "Please… don't be sad." This, apparently, was the wrong thing to say, as it only made Hagrid cry even harder.

"I'm not sad, Hermione! I'm jus' so 'appy tha' you've finally foun' love! Jus' thinking back to when yer wer in yer firs' year, so innocent and young, an' now…an' now yer goin' to get married!" Hermione stepped back, delighted. So Draco still wanted to marry her! Finally, Hagrid had told her what she so desperately had wanted to hear.

"Hagrid?" She asked tentatively. "So…does Draco still intend to go through with our plans?" Hagrid looked up and stared at her as if she had asked him is birds could fly.

"Well, why wouldn't he, yer grea' stinkin' idiot? Wha' do yer think I've been tryin' to tell yer! Have yer even been listenin' to a word I've said?" Hagrid gave Hermione a disapproving look, but even that couldn't bring her down.

"Oh, thank you Hagrid! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are a wonderful, beautiful man!" She kissed him sloppily on the cheek and started to leave. Hagrid was so stunned that he almost let her go, before he remembered what he was supposed to do.

"'ang on a minute, Hermione. Blimey, if I let yer leave withou' givin' it to yer, 'ee would kill me, for sure!" He moved over to his coat and began rummaging through the pockets. Hermione stood at the half open door, hopping from foot to foot. She was about the say something when Hagrid let out a cry of triumph.

"AH HA! 'ere it is!" He pulled out a small object, and strode over to Hermione. "Best o' luck, Hermione. Draco wants yer to meet 'im tonight one 'our after curfew, two rooms down from Professor Snape's classromm." He whispered and pressed the object into her hand. "Stay safe." Hermione smiled gratefully and ran out of the door towards the school with Hagrid looking after her with wistful eyes.

As soon as Hermione entered the common room, she could tell that something was wrong. The room was noisy and crowded like always, but this sound wasn't one that she was used to. It was not the happy commotion she was used to, it was frantic and hysterical. The entire Gryffindor house was clustered in a messy circle at the center of the room, and she couldn't see what was going on. Panicking, she rushed to the middle of the crowd. When people saw her coming they made a path for her, staring at her with pity. This added to her panic, especially when she saw Ginny curled up on the floor, wailing. She could barely make out what Ginny was saying. She caught the phrases, "Murderer," "Oh, God, he's dead," and "I hope they kill him!" Hermione crouched down next to Ginny and tried to comfort her.

"Ginny, what happened, whose dead?" She asked, trying to mask the fear in her voice. She needed to be strong, she couldn't break down now, not when Ginny needed her. However, her question was only met by more sobs and gasps. "Ginny, tell me, who died?" Hermione tried again. Ginny looked up saw Hermione crouched in front of her. The sight of her friend made her cry even harder.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione, I wasn't there, I didn't see it. Oh God, I'm so sorry, I know you loved him, even though you tried to hide it, I knew it and now he's dead!" Hermione pulled back, shocked and petrified. Ginny couldn't know, could she? She couldn't possibly be talking about… Something deeper and sharper than fear froze her blood and took hold of her heart. "Ginny," she said, more severely this time, gripping her friend by the shoulders, "Ginny, tell me, who is dead?" Ginny looked at her with a mixture of pity and grief. "Ron!" was all she could mange to say before collapsing back into her hysterical state.

Hermione let her hands slip away. Ron… it wasn't Draco that was dead, it was Ron! One of her best friends in the entire world was dead, and all she could feel was relief. However, she still wasn't satisfied. She grabbed hold of Ginny once more and whispered, "how?" A vengeful, malevolent look appeared on Ginny's face, and she screamed "Malfoy, that foul, inhuman bastard!" The cold feeling returned to Hermione. She forced her self to ask which one of them did it, even though she already knew but wouldn't let herself believe it. Ginny looked at her with confusion and growing mistrust.

"It was Draco. Draco did it. Why does it even matter? Why does anything even matter anymore?" Once again, Ginny was taken over by her grief, and started to cry silently into her hands. Hermione slowly stood up and avoided the looks of pity from those around her, and mindlessly staggered to her dormitory. Relieved that no one else had followed her up, she fell on the first bed she could find.

"No." She whispered. "No, it can't be." Draco had killed one of her best friends. Draco, the man she was so in love with, was a murderer. Why, why could she not feel heartbroken? Rons death had not really sunken in, it was like it had happened to another Ron Weasley, one that she hadn't known since first year. She felt sorrow and loss that Ron was dead, of course, and she could not imagine life without him around. But why was she not gripped with the utter darkness and overwhelming grief that people were supposed to feel when they lost someone close? And why did it not seem to matter that she was going to marry the man that had killed Ron? Why didn't she hate Draco for what he had done? She felt horrible, disgusting, and sick. She chocked out silent sobs, sobs of mixed grief and confusion. She tried to clench her fists together, but stopped when she felt something hard in her left hand. She opened her hand, and stared at the slightly heavy object that lay inside. It was the gift from Draco that Hagrid had given her. It had been pushed to the back of her mind by elation and then grief. She brought it closer to her face and realized that it was a ring. Draco had given her a ring. It was a typical Malfoy ring, large and dominating, and not something that Hermione would normally wear. But that ring represented hope and love, and an escape from the confusion and loss that seemed to be surrounding her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she pressed the ring close to her chest before slipping it on her finger. The weight made her hand feel heavier than usual, and she relished that feeling. It was almost as if Draco were sitting next to her right now, holding her hand and comforting her. She glanced over at her alarm clock and saw that it was almost curfew, and she was supposed to meet Draco. Filled with a familiar and comforting sense of purpose, Hermione stood up and began to get ready. She realized that she would always love Draco. Yes, he had killed Ron. And while Hermione would bear the weight of Ron's death for the rest of her life, she loved Draco still. She knew in her heart that Draco was not a cold-blooded killer. And she would not let anything stop her from being with Draco forever. Hermione smiled slightly and wiped away her tears. She temporarily pushed Ron's death from her mind. She would not let anything, no matter how tragic, distract her from what would certainly be the most memorable, important, and joyous night of her life.

A/N: eh, I'm not that happy with this chapter. There are a couple of unanswered questions that I don't like. Oh, well. I can trust Zvezdana to yell at me and make me revise this if it's absolutely terrible. It would help a lot if you REVIEW! But I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer. AND it's the longest chapter I've ever written for fanfiction!