Author's note: Hello everyone, This update is the promised chapter dedicated to LONE BUTTERFLY and SLIGHTLY PYCHO PRINCESS. Also this goes out to AteMaita and GauscheStar. They know who they are! Right, Also I got a reveiw asking about the queer title I used, well to shed some lighton the situation, the title has something to do with the plot and let me tell you now, I'm only on the intro, I might cut this story into two part because of how long and intricate it is. It focuses on Hermione and Draco now, but you'll see some others soon. I'm telling the story of SEVEN people in Hogwarts who bring down Voldemort, and as of now, only FIVE of the SEVEN are in place. So stay tuned. :D

Chapter 25 - On The Train Home

As usual, the day that the Hogwarts express left for King's Cross station was rainy, or rather stormy as rainy was a bit of an understatement.

Hermione Granger-Malfoy sat in the far side of the cabin she shared with Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny. The rest of them were playing a particularly loud game of five-way exploding snap, she on the other hand just sat in her seat keeping herself amused by alternating between looking out the window and watching the torrents of precipitation collide with the window pane and reading her copy of: "Kingdom Animalia, Your Guide to Magical Animals, Animagi and Zoological Spells". (By: I.C. Lyons)

"Hermione!"

"'Mione?"

SNAP. The book on her lap suddenly snapped shut slamming Hermione back into awareness.

"Oi! Granger what about that sad, moist landscape is so sodding fascinating?" Demanded one of the twins, Hermione was not quite sure whether it was Fred or George as she was not looking at them.

"Hmm?" she asked intelligently as she tried to decipher which of the twins was speaking to her.

The Weasley twin-George, she decided-rolled his eyes.

"You're staring so hard I'dve thought this was your last trip on the Express not ours." He said.

Fred and George had just graduated.

They had also, of course, pulled a horrendously and hilariously bold prank at the farewell feast.

Everything had gone quietly at first. In fact, several suspicious glances were sent to the Gryffindor table from all the other houses.

The rumor mill has been turning tirelessly, apparently the Weasleys were told to have planned something so huge that if they had not just graduated, they'd be expelled for sure.

And of course no one was going to miss something like that for the world. So for once the Great Hall was filled, every student from every house flatly refusing to leave until they saw for themselves what the infamous Weasley twins had planned for their last hurrah.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as patient as twins were.

The evening dragged on until soon the other houses began filling out, soon the great hall was quiet, filled only by most of the Gryffindors, all the Hufflepuffs (they were a patient bunch) and several Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

And that's was when it happened.

The enchanted ceiling clouded over and began to rain, soaking everyone still present in the hall-the students and every single one of the teachers-in butterbeer. There were shouts of utter delight and some of mild complaint. Everyone but Fred and George Weasley, both of whom simply sat in their seats with identical smiles of triumph on their faces.

The reaction to the butterbeer was pretty explosive but it was nothing compared to the immense roar of laughter that washed though the hall as one by one, the students looked to professor Snape.

at first, the potions professor had no idea what the students were laughing at and then he realized that he was being followed by his very own little rain cloud and it was slowly turning his hair bright pink.

"You taught us how to brew un-fading dye potion so well, professor we thought we'd show you how much we'd learned!" one of the twins yelled out. Many were surprised at their audacity, but everyone knew that Snape had been extra hard on the twins over the years and there was nothing he could do about them now, they were leaving Hogwarts forever the next morning. Besides, it was a consensus amongst the non-Slytherin students that it was time the sour Potions Master got what was coming to him.

For a second, Snape looked as if he wanted very much to yell, but instead he surprised everyone in the hall by pressing his lips together in a firm line. Everyone guess he was repeating the mantra: "They'll be gone next year, they'll be gone next year" over and over in his head

"Pity you displayed none of this level of skill in my class." He said in monotone as always.

"Well, Professor, with all due respect we have always been rather fond of transfiguration." the other twin yelled.

The goblet of pumpkin juice that Snape had just picked up suddenly transformed into a large swirled lollipop and a bonnet (that the twins had conjured over his head) landed on his head bounced off it and landed on the table, right in front of Minerva Mc Gonagall who looked unsure if she should be screaming at the twins of laughing with the rest of the teachers.

At this point he got up from the table so abruptly he nearly knocked over his chair and began striding purposefully to the Gryffindor table.

The Weasley's were out of there faster than Peeves could think of an insult. Luckily for them, all the marks had been approved and they were free. They had nothing to fear of Snape's wrath except for Snape himself, and since even Dumbledore was laughing, there wasn't much that Snape could do for them.

"Hermione?"

Hermione snapped out of the hilarious memory. Ginny had just addressed her.

"Yes, Gin?"

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Going through the OWLs in your head again?" she asked. "Honestly we've been talking to you for about ten minutes and you've got this completely glazed look in your eye again and when ever we call your attention you're all fine for a bit and then you're back in your own world. So, are you going through your OWLs again?"

Hermione shook her head, that OWLs excuse really was wearing thin anyway.

Ginny scowled.

"Well, what is it then?" she asked. "What's on your mind?"

For a second Hermione harbored a wry smile.

Hmm, I'm six months into a pregnancy that was neither planned nor wanted with my-OUR nemesis turned MY husband Draco Malfoy, and I'm now going to have to home and face my parents and blatantly lie to them about everything I'm going through. Along with the fact that I have to hide all of this for THEIR protection and for the protection of my unborn child, that, Ginny, is that is on my mind.

But Hermione couldn't very well say that, so instead she said:

"Nothing really. Just looking forward to summer holiday." she said. Well, she was technically, except for the whole lying to her parents part.

"Aren't we all?" Harry cut in unknowingly saving Hermione from yet another long line of questioning that she was not in the mood for. He grinned for a moment and then grimaced as he remembered the grim reality of his holiday. "Except maybe the first two weeks. Professor Dumbledore says I've got stay with Dursley's for a while, but I'm sure I can convince them to let me come to the Burrow at least a month before school starts."

That statement simultaneously brightened each of the Weasley's faces and got Ginny of her 'interrogation' of Hermione track. The Weasley boys saw Harry as yet another brother but Ginny, however, was grinning for an entirely different reason.

She was going to be only real girl in contact with Harry for a whole summer, and this summer she was intent on using her wiles on him.

"How about you Hermione?" the red headed girl asked, knowing that she would love for her best friend to be there for girl talk and stuff. "How long until you can come and visit with us?"

Hermione smiled weakly.

"I'm not sure." she said.

That prompted a protest from everyone in the room. It was clear to Hermione that she was very important to them and they could not stand to have a whole summer without her. They really were her best friends. That sentiment brought a smile to her face and tears to her eyes.

Wait…

Tears?

Damn you, pregnancy hormones!

"Aw, C'mon, Hermione!" one of the twins whined. "It won't be the same with out you there."

Hermione could feel the tears prickle at the back of her eyes and blotches rise to her cheeks.

DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!

The other twin nodded adamantly.

"Yeah, what are we going to do with only our mother to glare at us disapprovingly." he said. "She's never going to be able to keep us all in check."

Hermione tried to cover for her rapidly watery eyes by shoving them both playfully and swishing her hair around to hide them. She had never been more grateful for the big bush that called itself her hair.

"Calm down, everyone." Ron piped up for the first time, everyone turned to him, giving Hermione enough time to discretely wipe away the tears in her eyes. "If Hermione doesn't want to come then she doesn't want to come." he hesitated before hopefully adding, "but, hey if she thinks she's too good for the likes of us-"

His comment took enough time to let Hermione square her shoulders and regain her composure. She grinned as wide as she could hoping her face was not as blotchy as it felt.

His comment was jibe and she knew it. Ron was trying to mend the friendship. Subtly for once. God, it was anough to bring more tears to her eyes. She was just so glad that they were finally going to be able to mend their friendship, she had felt so out of sync when they were not speaking to each other. Like she had lost a piece of her-

DAMN PREGNANCY HORMONES! Damn them all to hell! They were going to catch her crying she knew it!

"You shut it, Ronald Weasley." she said bossily trying not to sob and feeling completely uncomfortable. "Stop putting words in my mouth."

"He's right, 'Mione!" one of the twins cut in seeing that she had been more normal and responsive towards that retort that she had been in a while, he froze, however when he got a good look at her face. "Hermione, have you been crying?"

The brunette blushed-making her face even blotchier and she looked down. She inwardly curse why she had to be a blotchy awkward crier and not one of those other glamorous criers who had two perfect pearly tears drop down their faces and that was it! A moment later, she curse her hormones again for making her mood-swing-y.

Ron, Ginny and Harry exchanged uncomfortable looks. They had recognized the extension of friendship that Ron had offered, as if he was trying to put everything behind them, but they did not expect Hermione's reaction to be so strong. Fred and George just traded questioning looks.

Ginny reached out to touch her friend on the shoulder, but pulled back when her friend's head snapped back up.

"Whoa!" Ron yelped.

Hermione was a little to far gone to hear Ron's cry, however because at the precise she smelled the lunch trolley and her tummy rumbled and everything else faded into the background. Her face un-splotched and the tears disappeared. Now she was just hungry. Dammit, eating for two made sure that she was always, always hungry and her heightened sense of smell was not helping.

Everyone stared at her; obviously they had heard the tummy-growl. They were so shocked at Hermione's abrupt change of mood that they immediately forgot to comfort her.

"Whoa, Hermione, have you eaten in the last week?" demanded George.

She had the grace to look a little sheepish.

"Yeah," she said. "But the trolley is coming and I'm ravenous."

Ron perked up immediately, as he always did at the mention of food.

The situation of Hermione's former tears was completely bypassed now.

"Yes!" he cried. "And I saved up a few sickles to buy some chocolate frogs too!"

Ginny elbowed him playfully.

"There you are Ron, thinking with your stomach again." she said. It was then that she realized something. Ron had always been the one to first tell when the lunch trolley was coming. With out fail for the last eight trips on the train she had been on he was always the first to mention it and now, Hermione had just beat him to it. "Wait a tick," she said, addressing her female friend. "How did you know that?"

Everyone turned from Ginny, and looked back at Hermione.

"Hey, yeah! 'Mione, usually its ickle Ronnikins that goes crazy at the first mention of candy." George perked up.

Before Hermione could think of something, the othertwin jumped in unable to resist teasing his youngest brother.

"You have a cold, Ron?" asked Fred, turning to his brother. "Because Mum'll kill us if she thinks were neglecting you."

Ron shook his head.

"Not that I know off." he said gruffly, obviously resenting that his older brothers teased him as a mama's boy regardless of the fact that it was the truth. "And mum would not."

George laughed.

"Would too." he said triumphantly. "She wuvs you most kaws yow da youngest!"

Hermione was glad that the conversation veered away from her, but she did not have much time to dwell on it as the trolley in question had just stopped outside their compartment, she pulled out her money and bought everything she possibly could and then proceeded to polish it off at an alarming rate. All of this before anyone else had even begun to purchase anything else.

The Weasley's and Harry all stared at her in utter disbelief.

"Where is she putting all of that?" demanded Fred in wonderment as he paid the lady and she moved on.

Under one hell of a glamour spell, Hermione thought wryly.

They managed to finish their food without much of anything else happening, except a few slaps as Hermione tried to seal everyone else's foodstuffs as soon as she finished hers.

After they ate, Ron and Harry settled into a game of wizard's chess, the twins were talking quietly about something and Ginny was fast asleep her head lolled onto Ron's shoulder.

This was so nice, just sitting here with her best friends in the world without any cares except to fill the gaping expanse of the summer before them, a summer filled with so many possibi-

Bloody hell.

Hermione felt herself sinking back into her emotional, sentimental reverie and she slipped out of the compartment before she did anymore damage. She knew that she would not be followed. As much as she loved her friends, she really didn't need them seeing her simper like a prissy little girl... again. So she stepped out into the corridor and just her luck, her darling husband was out in the corridor stretching his legs as well.

"Need time to think?" Draco Malfoy asked, for once his tone was not hostile just unreadable, bordering on congenial.

Hermione sighed, she was so glad she was not crying. A Strange sort of calm had just passed through her and she knew better than to question it. She was just grateful she wasn't tearing up again. That was the last thing she needed Draco to see-even if he had seen it all before.

"How did you know?" she asked, instead.

He shrugged.

"I had the same idea."

Hermione nodded.

"So I can see." She said with a sigh.

They both stood next to each other just leaning on the hallway wall and watching as the scenery rushed passed them. It was quiet and neither really felt like saying anything for a while. Both were content to just forget everything else for a while. Because even if they really didn't love each other or anything, when they were together, they didn't have to be burdened with keeping an enormous secret that could end both their lives.

The silence between them, for some reason was not awkward but comfortable. They didn't want to talk to each other and they didn't need to. They could just kick back and relax for a bit.

Hermione didn't have to worry about unexplained occurrences that had to do with pregnancy and Draco, well, Draco was just glad to be away from his shadows (his idiot pet bulldogs: Crabbe and Goyle.)

"Listen," he said after a while. She glanced at him surprised that he had broken the silence, surprised that he was still talking to her and not mocking her or arguing as usual. "I was rather hoping I would run into you." he said quietly, and then off her look he added. "I wanted to tell you that if you need anything" he paused when he realized just how that strange that offer sounded coming from him, he quickly finished: "of that nature. Then feel free to utilize the mirror I gave you. It should have no problem with the long distances."

Hermione nodded.

"I will." She said, she chanced a small smile and wasn't quite sure why she did.

Draco was surprised at her smile and wished she hadn't. It suddenly put him in a strange position. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he smile back? Smirk? Head for the hills?

No.

He should answer, and do try to answer something dry and scathing and will ruin the moment with your incendiary wit.

"Good." he said.

DAMN! That wasn't it at all!

Hermione realized how strange she was being smiling and him and abruptly stopped doing so.

He minimally relaxed, but neither of them knew what to do.

There was a long pause. Neither was really sure what to say or if they should say anything at all. They were two enemies forced into an unnatural partnership. That they got. They were in this problem together but that didn't mean that they suddenly, out of nowhere, liked each other. That they got.

But for a second it had felt more then that, and that they didn't get.

And it was weird.

They both decided that the flee response was much better then the fight response in this case. It was Draco, who had tried to teach himself long ago how to handle and manipulate each and every situation, who was the first to break the silence.

"Well, good bye."

"Bye."

They stared at each other for a few moments, and then both of them turned around and walked off in opposite directions, both breathing identical sighs of relief.