FiverDkm, CleverWitch, DarkRaven Haven, Lee (yes, but much later on), Beeker986, Sara's Shadow, DragonGirl81, luvu4ever: Thanks so much for all your positive comments and thanks so much for reviewing! Please continue to read!

SamiSue: I have to say I was undecided between Nott and Malfoy until the second last chapter. I'm so glad you enjoy this fic so much, it's one of the highlights of posting a chapter recieving your opinion of it!

Pirouette028, BeLILYtrix (:grin:), YingnYang (hmm... shopping... wonderful..), Dragon Navi (I hope this scratches your itch): uber thanks to you guys too!

AN: SO SO so sorry for shortened review responses... but FFnet's cracking down... and really I shouldn't post 'em at all... but I feel so guilty about not doing it... Well... here's the lovin'.

Chapter Ten

The Beautiful Night

Hermione walked into the dense woodland. Her mind was playing tricks on her and she thought she saw Sirius darting around the woods again. She could not decide whether to laugh or cry. A light fluttering of snow began to fall around her. It was a beautiful night where the moon shone so brightly it was possible to see. "Draco."

She saw him first this time, walking through the trees towards her. She walked to him, not knowing what to say or do. So it was a surprise to herself when she threw her arms around him. "Draco. She repeated. He was as cold as ever and stiff to her touch. But he loosened and brought his arms around her. Was this what it was like to be in love?

The unbidden, unwanted thought flashed through Hermione's mind and she felt the ecstasy which accompanied the idea. She banished the thought and drew back to look at him. "Put your hood up." He told her, his first words of their meeting. She obeyed quietly. "Did you...?"

"Yes. Yes. Have you managed to... do what you needed to?" She asked quietly. He had removed his hood and was not wearing the mask. She felt her pulse quicken, her eyes become wider, her heart feel things she had never allowed it too. He was some god. He had to be. The hair, the fine bones beneath the face sculpted within a millimetre of perfection. If ever a woman had swooned at a man it would have been at Draco Malfoy.

"My daughter?" He asked still holding her around her waist. She had snow on her face but didn't seem to have noticed.

"She's living with us. She's fine. Mercury's fine." Hermione said, the rational sensible part of her mind reminding her that this was a daughter fathered by a rapist who she was currently embracing. A rapist. She felt a shudder draw through her and she stepped away from him. His eyes narrowed somewhat at her but he seemed to understand what she was thinking. "Theodore wants to keep in touch with her."

This, Malfoy did not seem to understand. "Nott? What the hell does Nott want with my daughter?" Draco asked surprised and annoyed.

"He's been visiting her regularly for her four years. Even when he was at Hogwarts." Hermione said testing his reactions carefully by adding a slightly hint of accusation to her tone. He glared at the nearest tree.

"Nott. Always knew he was an interfering arsehole." Draco turned away from her and paced quietly up and down. "Bastard." He added through a stick deep into the blackness of the forest. "What did you say her name was?" He asked Hermione quietly.

"Mercury." This response set Malfoy off again storming and raging at the quiet forest. The snow was building up on the ground and Hermione felt her toes becoming increasingly cold.

"Mercury. Mercury Malfoy. Malfoy not Nott." He stormed round a tree and looked deep into Hermione's eyes. She did well not to scream. The pupils had dilated to take up the entire iris leaving only a rim of what looked like white, but was actually his normal eye colour round the outside. Whatever this creature was it was no wizard. "He said," He was advancing on her, "that he would name his daughter Mercury. But instead he named mine!" He was a centimetre away from her, and she saw the anger collapse in him. The rage was over. His eyes became their normal grey blue he lost the look of the white tiger about to strike. "We're here to do an information trade. Let us begin." He turned to face her square on. "The Death Eaters are going to regroup after tonight's attack on St Mungos, which I warned you of some time ago. They will regroup in the Isle of Wight's Wizard bar, The Dancing Hippogriff. It's a dark magic bar and owned by one of the Death Eaters."

Hermione nodded. Malfoy's gaze was steady and still on her. White was landing on his head making him more angelic to behold. She withheld her emotions with a steady hand. "Hermione, I would like to know where Azkaban is." She blinked slightly.

"Azkaban! I don't think..." He took one of her hands in his to implore her to tell him. "It's on an island twenty miles out of St Andrews." She told him quietly. This was the ultimate trust. If he was a fake then he would break them out, and put the Order back to square one. If he were real... what could the Order stand to lose? "Why me, Draco?" She pulled his hand and he began to turn away, but let it go as the memory of Pansy doing the same thing came to her. He stopped turning and stepped towards her.

"Hermione, there was no other choice. You are unique in giving trust. Naive, but I needed that. I could have used no one else. They would not have trusted me." She felt a little used and abused by the answer. He seemed to perceive this for he cupped her face in on of his large palms. "Hermione, if I had a choice, I still would have chosen you. You are the most intelligent, wise and kindest witch. I needed you and I wanted you. Besides, you taste the sweetest." And with that he leant forward and brushed his lips with hers.

She leant inwards to him, pressuring her lips on his even more and the gentlest of kisses turned into a passionate lover's kiss. His hands travelled down her neck and onto her back, their coldness setting of electrical sparks everywhere they touched. Her hands embraced his back and she felt the muscle under rippling beneath his shirt. Her whole tingled and brought tears to her eyes.

They broke apart. She was shaking. His eyes were mocking her and she felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "Never been kissed like that before." He said mocking her before bringing her closer to embrace again. "Look." He said quietly, leaning down to her ear. She removed herself from his solid chest and glanced around. Snow... but they weren't falling. Nor were they white.

In the silvery moonlight, little figures danced together. They let off light, like small lightbulbs as they circled around the pair. They were singing too. A soft lullaby of the sweet melody. Hermione reached out almost in a trance to touch the nearest pair. They were two little men, but with great wings which reflect all the colours of the rainbow. They were dressed like male ballerinas in tights and broad shouldered tops. They bowed to her before continuing twirling, jumping and dancing, dancing, dancing. They held the greatest elegance and sweetest symphonies as they twirled together.

"Snow Faeries." A voice whispered in her ear. "They come out of hibernation to find young lovers in winter, to keep them warm and to ignite love. But what am I telling the know-it-all for?" He said his smile wide. To wipe it off she reached up and kissed him. He laughed through her kiss before reciprocating it. "A dance, milady?" He asked holding her hand with the gallantry of the most honourable knight and gentlest dove.

To their voices the couple began to dance. Under the full moon beaming down on them they began to sway and love. Light laughter lifted the vocals and they danced. And when Hermione thought she would cry with the beauty of it all they stopped. They faeries came closer carrying a snowdrop flower which they gave to Draco. Hermione's eyes glistened as she looked at the beautiful dress, faces and ethereal glow of these creatures. "And I'm sure I don't need to tell you the meaning of Snow Faeries giving me this flower." Draco quietly said placing the white flower in her hair. Only then did she recollect that her hood had fallen down. She had been so distracted. Now what was this about the flower?

She smiled up at him and they shared a last kiss as the faeries spiralled up towards the tree tops then disappeared into the night still dancing as they did. "Draco, I... thank you." She was not going to cry. She was not going to cry. She was not going to cry.

He wiped away a tear and kissed her softly. "I know. I will see you soon." She smiled a smile of pure happiness as she looked up at him. And he vanished. There was no crack of apparating. Just the sweet sliding into darkness. It took her a minute to gather herself before she in turn left, savouring the night in her mind. It would take the best wizards best memory charm to even dent that memory.

--

Another Death Eater Murdered

A grisly gruesome murderer is ripping through the dark order. The now known to be Death Eater Terrence Moonkite is presumed to be the first killed in November. Then the brutal killings of several Death Eaters, most of whom remain unidentified due to horrendous mutilation, though one is known to be Peter Pettrigrew, right hand agent to You-Know-Who. Then quickly followed the murder of Marzipan Hepene and two nights ago the catastrophic murder of Gregory Goyle. Goyle was residing in his family home up until he was attacked leaving only his wand to identify him.

Last night the Ministry of Magic released a statement informing the gathered press that these murdered had all been linked and were being investigated for their inhumanity. The spokesman, a Mildred Tongue, released the information that 'the spell being used to kill and mutilate the 'victims' is the same throughout all the previously stated cases, though it has yet to be identified. Needless to say it is the blackest of all magic.'

The group presumed to be committing these acts has been praised and denounced by different sources though no clue is given to their identity, however a brave reporter from the Daily Prophet called them 'Dark Assassins' and until they give a name otherwise they shall be referred to henceforth as such.

--

Hermione sighed. Yet again the Prophet was jumping to conclusions and getting it wrong. She was on her bed at home, watching Mercury playing with her wand, trying to make a tea cup fly. She had just come back from Bill's giving him the information Draco had given her the night before... She presumed most of the Death Eaters would have been to injured to move after failed attack on St Mungos, Bill had certainly thought so.

Their meeting had been brief merely informing him of the information before leaving once again for home. Harry had been practising in the front room when she came home. The concentration in his face looked enough to pull the world apart. Hermione had left him to it and went to help Ron, who was grudgingly teaching Mercury Wizard Chess. But he had 'forgotten' to teach her half the rules and Mercury had flown into a vicious rage attacking Ron who had become very scared. Hermione had dragged the child off and taken her up to her room.

Neither boy had seemed to have noticed her absence the night before. And for that she was...

Mercury screamed. There was a dark figure standing at her door. The empty stupid face of the Death Eater mask stared at Hermione. This was impossible! She bounded infront of Mercury screaming out defence charms then curses, then charms. The Death Eater backed away from the ferocity of Hermione's spells but then she saw another Death Eater coming to aid her attacker. She felt a powerful curse brush past her ear and she ducked and jumped out of the way, before screaming back a powerful curse which struck the foremost Death Eater on the arm. He screamed in agony.

"Crucio" She heard come from one of the nameless faces. She jumped again wildly fighting, fighting, fighting. She had forgotten all but the need to survive. She felt her valour fail her as the killing curse was shouted. It missed but her nerve was almost in shreds. Then she saw a body on the floor. With white blonde hair. She screamed with rage cursing the bastards. She cursed them, jumping over to the body and picking it up, cursing and screaming words which made little sense. She was the lioness, before death, showing no mercy. "Avada Kedavra!" She yelled at the nearest Death Eater. The spell missed, as she always meant it too, but it was close enough to cause them to fall back from the narrow doorway they were firing spells from.

She clutched her cub to her as she worked her way over to the desk and window, screaming as she did. Then she did a very unHermione thing. She picked up the cub, climbed onto the desk. And Hermione Granger jumped through the glass window. They fell twenty foot, her and the immobile body she carried. She could not, in mid air, move the child so to take the brunt of the blow herself. But she did anyway.

She felt no pain as she impacted, but sharp crack on the stones which bordered their garden. Nothing Just the copper taste of blood, the sweet smell of flowers and the touch of eternal darkness.

--