Disclaimer:

Draco: You really have a knack at ruining my life in these stories.

JKR: Yeah. At least I keep him away from Hermione. No offense.

Hermione: None taken. I don't want to be near him anyways.

Me: The whole reason it's called fanfiction is because you can make up your own story.

Hermione and Draco: Well duh. We should know. Stop doing that.

JKR: Ready to through her off the cliff?

Me: Oh crap.

So anyways, characters, story, and anything else I'm borrowing is not mine, but JKR's.

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Author's note: Okay well hear are your review responses. And I'm having a new story out sometime this week or next week if you want to read. Thanks to:

Ihearttomfelton: I'm glad you like the DHR action. I was afraid it would be really cheesy.

cargarbinx: Thanks for liking the 'you ruined the moment' thing, which was actually written to keep myself off of writer's block.

Sacagawea: I hope this chapter suits your interest, and I'm glad to say I didn't leave anyone hanging in this chapter.

Exploded toilet bowl: Well, since you're going to kill me, I might as well update (lol).

Karana Bell: I know, mothers do that...a lot. Thanks for reading!

citcat299: The cuteness in my chapters are always there. Wait till you read this chapter.

Blandsaft: Thank you for reviewing. I really hate writing Victoria to be honest, but she helps the Draco/Hermione story in the end believe it or not.

potc-and-hp-fan: You can say you love my story however many times you want (lol).

Lauren: Of course I'm going to write more chapters! I'm glad you like my writing.

Alenor: I'm glad the cliche wasn't too cheesy for them. Well, you won't have to wait that long for Victoria...

Erin: I hope you like this chapter.

dramaqueen72: Thank you for the compliment. There will be more action soon...

Thank you to everyone else who reviewed as well.

"What, how?" I asked incredulously.

"It must've been an inside job," Blaise concluded after a long second of thought.

I nodded. "How come they didn't get caught? You spend like all your time with her."

"I was late this morning for one minute. One minute! One mi-." he collapsed to his knees before he could finish.

I rushed over to him and put my arm around him. "Blaise, listen. Don't you dare punish yourself! Think for a second. Please, no, please stop hitting the floor. Please, just…just rationalize with me. Blaise, listen… no look at me! Who could have done it?"

He had his head in his hands at this point and was about to pull out all of his beautiful hair. He was shaking like crazy. He was trying really hard not to cry, though I would never tell him that I knew he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Then all of the sudden, he focused and stopped everything he was doing.

"Where's Draco?"

"Blaise, he couldn't have done it. He was sleeping with…er, himself on my couch today. I fell asleep doing homework by the fire. Plus, I would've caught him on his way back," I said reassuringly. I wasn't about to tell him the situation we were in this morning. There was just no way. I looked around the room for help from Draco. Hey, he left. Why did he leave?

"Okay. Okay. Well, okay, there was some blonde hair left on the bed, and Victoria is brunette," he informed then lightened up a little.

"I think we have some research to do," I said grabbing my wand and heading out to get samples of the hair.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

Victoria's room looked like a cellblock with pink fluffy pillows. Everything was magic proofed with light scented jasmine. She had plush carpets, books, mirrors, an old-fashioned style vanity and dresser, and a huge canopy bed. Victoria had basically been living in luxury without the ability to get out. Dumbledore, however, had been very generous.

I looked at Blaise to see how he was holding up. He had a blank look on his face that showed that he was still in shock. Blaise really did love her. Though I was happy for him when I heard he was in love, I had never seen him actually show that he did. Sure, I knew he visited her, but I never saw what happened during those visits. Even if I had the privilege, I don't think I would've wanted to intrude. I wasn't even sure if Victoria knew how much he did love her. She was under a curse during their relationship, and afterward, I don't know what happened.

"It's still hear," Blaise whispered.

I rushed over and carefully took the sample from his hands. "We're lucky no one came in here, and Madame Pomfrey probably thought she was in the bathroom or something."

"Dobby's the only one who knows about this room besides Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey. No other house elf could be trusted with this information," he said in his blank manor again.

I didn't ask how he knew Dobby and started to examine the hair.

It was a weird kind of orange type of blonde hair. It definitely wasn't a color found in nature.

"It's a piece of highlighted or colored blonde hair. It looks like something that, no, Parvati would never dye her hair this color blonde. 'It's platinum or nothing' she always said. Actually, it reminds me of that pug-faced bi-."

Crash.

I snapped my head around.

Blaise had just thrown a vase across the room.

"Argh! I should've known that evil whore would've done something like this! Where is she? I'll cut her with this glass if it's the last thing I do!"

"Blaise NO! I said it reminded me of her. I didn't say it was her. We need a potion to find that out," I said trying to calm him down.

"I know that. I have a secret stash of potion ingredients that has everything we need."

I looked at him scandalized.

"What? It's my just in case box."

I nodded my head. "Okay, to the girls bathroom."

"Excuse me, the what?"

"Oh don't worry. Moaning Myrtle will think you're cute," I said leaving the room with a horror stricken Blaise behind me.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So where is HARRY POTTER! Not that this Slytherin doesn't deserve my time for being… considerate, but where is HARRY POTTER!" yelled Myrtle as she paced around the bathroom. Well, she was floating, so… you get what I mean right?

Anyways, this had been going on for fifteen minutes straight. I've always known she had thing for Harry, but it was always slightly disturbing to me. And along with everyone who was trying to kill Harry at the moment, having a ghost like him was just one more nightmare to face. Harry was grateful, however, that Myrtle rarely came out of the bathroom to see him undressed.

"I honestly don't know," I answered while adding the fig. "You could go find Ron and ask."

"You mean the red haired boy whose childish way of teasing has ruined my remaining self esteem? ARRRRGH!" she screamed while flushing herself down the toilet.

I wonder where she went, though I have a slight suspicion where. The Slytherin bathrooms were quite the place to barf after eating too many cupcakes.

"Pass me the acid," I commanded.

Blaise promptly handed a small bottle to me. "Shouldn't the acid like, oh I don't know, eat our sample away?"

"That's the point. The fig is the revealing property," I explained.

"Did Snape teach us this?"

"Well, he's supposed to, but the 'Golden Trio' needed to use it for a couple of…adventures."

"Right," Blaise said nodding his head. "Well, the next time you have an adventure, I'm coming along. Then, I'll finally get to know what's what in the gossip that's being passed around."

I smiled and looked at the potion. It needed to simmer for about 5 minutes before I added the hair, so the acid can dilute slightly. Blaise was looking at it as well, anticipating the 5 minutes to be over. He himself had simmered down from psychotic killer to just plain violent.

"Pass the hair," I finally ordered as Blaise was practically about to fidget himself into St. Mungos.

Here was the moment of truth. The potion started getting awfully bubbly, and Blaise had the mad scientist maniacal gleam in his eye that just screamed insane. Then again, he did lose someone, so this is basically… oh my gosh!

"I was right!" I yelled in shocked horror. An image of Pansy Parkinson was there knocking Victoria out with a nice simple spell.

"That's it. I'm going to find the glass I left in that room and use it to kill her," Blaise said getting up.

"Wait," I said making him sit down again. "There could be more."

Pansy was talking to herself, and then took Victoria off the bed and dragged her halfway across the floor before remembering she was a witch.

"That pug-nosed bitch," Blaise and I said in unison.

I wanted to watch more, but the image evaporated, and we used all of our evidence.

Blaise was still staring at the potion as if he was expecting it to start simmering again. "How are we going to show someone what we've found?"

"Easily," I said while taking my wand out of my pocket. I then placed in above the potion, and a cloud of mist promptly made itself gather in my wand. Blaise watched in amazement and did the same. "All you have to do is say enervate for it to come out."

Blaise looked up at me. "Thank you, Hermione."

"You're welcome. Now how are we going to get into Parkinson's mind, ask where Victoria is, and then proceed to kill her from the inside?" I asked.

Blaise's mouth dropped. "How about you let the evil Slytherin do the ghastly thinking. We don't want our pretty little Gryffindor to become tainted."

"Too late for that."

Blaise smiled.

"Anyways, I was thinking Draco could help us."

Blaise gaped at me again. "Look, I know you two are into the buddy system and everything, but he wouldn't. He's the type of loyal Gryffindors are to each other. He wouldn't rat Pansy out."

"Yeah, but he's friends with you and me. He has to say something. And if not, we use manipulation."

Blaise gaped at me some more. "That's it. You're a Slytherin for life."

I rolled my eyes. "Listen, what we need out of Draco might take a while to get. It might even take a whole day. You're just going to have to be patient and not end up in Azkaban, ok?"

"Fine," he said getting up. "Just hurry."

"I will," I said reassuringly.

Now, back to the workroom for some time alone with Draco, which I was incredibly exited about for some reason. I was also kinf od nervous. I hadn't thought about the kiss all morning, but now that my mind is free to think about it, I couldn't wait to get another one.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I started thinking on my way up to the workroom. Pansy couldn't have taken Victoria out of the school without getting caught by someone. And from what I know, she doesn't and couldn't know any or few secret passageways. Someone had to come and take Victoria from her. Who could it be?

"Lucius and Mother are coming to visit Draco and I today. I have no doubt that we will be discussing my future, and Draco better be happy he's in it," I heard Pansy say before she practically knocked me into next month. "Granger, I hope you and the floor are getting al-a-."

"Along?"

"Yes that's it."

"Well, it's great actually, but you and the floor would make a much better couple. You practically deserve it," I retorted while getting up and walking off before she could use any means of violence.

I could practically see her scoffing in the background.

I hope Lucius and- oh no.

They're coming for Victoria.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

All my thoughts had to be put on hold by the time I arrived in the workroom. Draco had a bizarre habit of exiting when people were in here and then coming back when they were gone. He'd gotten in an even more bizarre habit by always expecting me to come back sometime or another. Maybe I was the one who had become predictable. But nevertheless, he was there. Reading. On my couch.

"What are you reading?"

"Your diary."

"You know, I'd be absolutely mortified if I actually had a diary," I retorted.

You could practically feel the smirk I knew he was giving me.

"So, why did you leave?"

"I figured you needed some alone time to console a heartbroken and slightly enraged friend."

"Slightly?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Like you said, I didn't stay to see the drama unfold. I stayed away out of respect for Blaise and my feelings of discomfort around emotional people," he replied.

"Right, sure," I said eyebrow still raised. "So, do you know who-?"

"And you know what?"

I sighed inwardly. "What?"

"You ruined another moment!"

"We weren't even conversing. I just made a declaration about how hungry I was," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but we were about to start conversing again. I had a whole speech planned!" he said with his arms flailing above his head. By this time, he had made his way to stand right in front of me, and he was getting closer. There was something about the way he did that that made me anticipate him.

"You had a speech? You mean you actually put some thought into what you were going to say to me?" I asked incredulously. Gosh he was so amusing.

"Yes!"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "Okay, Draco, tell me about your speech."

"Well, I forgot it now. You should've sent Blaise back out of our workroom if you wanted to-."

"Excuse me, but Blaise was in a whole lot of pain."

"Yes, which was why I didn't bitch about it."

"You're bitching about it now!"

"That's only because you brought it up."

"Yes but you implied- oh never mind. Can you at least remember your speech?" I asked exasperated.

"No."

"Then what are we fighting about?"

"The fact that you made me forget my speech."

"ARRRRRRRRRRGH!"

"Nice war cry."

I glared at him. I then softened it a good bit. I couldn't be annoyed with him long. He was so weird like that. No, I was weird like that. And why am I arguing with myself. I'd been doing that a lot since the first time he kissed me.

Around this point in time, Draco was now incredibly close to me and was smelling really good. Really, really, really good. I even wanted to tell him how good he smelled. I've wanted to many times, but kept my mouth shut about-oh my gosh.

"I needed to ask you something," I whispered and trying to keep the conversation going. I had to be hear for Blaise not him.

"Does it require you to whisper?" he whispered back.

"You're whispering now!"

"Only to mock you."

"Whatever," I said stepping back. I shouldn't have done that. "Do you have information on Victoria?"

"Blaise's Victoria?"

"How many other Victoria's do you know?"

"Well there's that one Victoria in Slytherin. And there's another one in-."

"This is serious," I said pushing him playfully. Then, the realization of everything that had happened the past school year had dawned on me. I've just remembered that I always thought about it, and I've always chastised myself about it, but I never really put it to good use. The kiss he gave me had just fueled the thinking to a climax.

"Okay, no."

"Yes you do."

"If you asked me a question, and I answered no, that usually means no."

"Yes, but I just caught you in a lie."

"Really, how?" he asked.

"I happen to know that your father is coming today along with Pansy's mother."

"And?"

"Are you going to knock me out?"

"I wouldn't do that."

I gave him a look. He looked…cute. And yes, I liked him. I don't know how I came up with it, but I liked him. And I'm pretty sure him kissing me had fueled the thought process. But I had to put it on pause.

"Depends on what you tell me."

"Well, I can't tell you then."

I hope what I'm saying is sparking curiosity. It's a good thing I kept a conversation going, or I might have said something completely horrible after a long akward silence.

He took a couple of steps forward, grabbed my hands, and looked me in the eye. "I'm not going to harm you."

That did the trick. There was no doubt left as I let go of his hands and pulled out my wand.

"I thought you put up a no violence zone," he said backing away.

"I'm not going to jinx you. I'm going to show you something," I explained.

I made my over to the couch, and he followed suit.

"Enervate."

The scene replayed in front of Draco just like it had for Blaise and me.

When it was done, Draco looked at me. "I knew that would happen."

"You what?!" I asked halfheartedly mad at him.

"Pansy had been planning it ever since Victoria got put into that room."

"Who was advising her?"

"What do you mean who was advising her?"

"She doesn't come up with plans like that on her own."

"She was getting help from Father."

"And you knew?!"

"Well, you weren't supposed to know that I knew."

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes!"

He sighed and hesitated. "I…I honestly don't know."

I wanted to ask him what he meant, because if I didn't, it would nag at me for the rest of the day. But I wasn't talking to him just to talk at the moment. I was talking to him because of Blaise.

"Do you know where she is?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"No."

"Why not?" I asked practically whining.

"Because, aside from the Dark Lord's inner circle and Pansy, I'm the only one who knows about the plan just in case something goes wrong. Can you imagine the suspicion?"

"Can you imagine the suspicion of them getting clues that you are hanging out with me?" I shot back.

"The only time we're together is when we're here," he said voice raising slightly.

I sat back and thought. He would get in trouble. And if Blaise and I found her, Blaise would most likely be hunted down. Well, more so than he is now. Plus, someone would have to tip Blaise off. Pansy wouldn't do it, so Draco definitely would be the one suspected of doing it.

"Okay," I said calming myself down. "You sure you can't tell me?"

"No," he answered simply.

"That's fine," I said getting up.

Draco watched me with mild amusement as I started pacing the floor. Pansy really had to plan this out. She probably followed Blaise to find Victoria. Plus, this is sort of like what happened to Mr. Crouch in fourth year. Pansy would have to have Victoria somewhere close to her, and she would also have to have Victoria somewhere where she wouldn't get caught. The only place I can think of is the Slytherin common room. And my best bet of where would be in Pansy's room. I'm pretty sure any of her other roommates wouldn't mind a barely alive body of a girl who's about to be taken to her doom in their dorm for a couple of hours.

The smartest thing to do was to tell Dumbledore. It would take away the suspicion, and I'm sure Dumbledore would come up with a brilliant white lie about how the staff found out. Plus, I have evidence that provides them with probable cause to enter Pansy's dorm and expel her ass out of school. Maybe the other girls in Pansy's dorm would get in trouble for not objecting.

Maybe- Ow! Who the heck was stupid enough to not know how to go around someone?

I looked up to see Draco holding my shoulders. "You've been pacing for fifteen minutes."

"I know that," I said slipping away from his grip a bit reluctantly and towards the entrance. Before I left, I turned back around to face him. "Are you feeling particularly homicidal at the moment?"

"No. Should I be?"

"Listen, I love Blaise, so I'm going to help him out. I know this is kind of foiling your plans and everything, but I'm doing it anyways."

"Well, as long as nothing is traced back to me," he said looking somber for a quick moment before he replaced his expression with a passive one.

I looked at him surprised. "You're a good friend… to Blaise," I added quickly. "Oh, and can I listen in your dorm when they get Pansy?"

"That's to much of a risk," he said hesitantly.

"Well, I'm not actually going to be in your dorm," I said mischievously before leaving.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I had just finished showing Dumbledore what I had found out. He had a fire in his eyes that was only reserved for when Harry was put into a near death experience.

"Well, Miss Granger, I suggest you go back to your dorm. Tell Mr. Zambini Victoria will be found and to not visit-."

"But Professor, he didn't know it would result like this. Don't take her away from him!" I interrupted and then looked horrified when I realized I did.

"To not visit her except for the time I allow him to."

I smiled. "Thank you professor."

He smiled back. "The staff will be searching for her shortly."

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

When I got back to the workroom, I whispered the password to Draco's entrance and headed down the stairs. He was ready at the bottom with the extendable ear I hated to admit I carried. It had proven its worth in the past however, especially when we really needed it.

I looked at Draco. " Did you extend it to her room?"

"Of course."

"Great. I'll be out of your way once this is done."

He nodded and closed the door. I sat on the stairs outside of his room and waited. I could here some rustling and giggling going on. I hope she didn't bring a guy with her. Wait, she couldn't have, unless Salazar had a different philosophy than Godric and decided to let anyone enter anyone's dorm. Anyways, after a few minutes of listening, I heard Pansy talking about how stupid Blaise was for dating Victoria.

"She's to ugly for him. He's too gorgeous. Too bad he's not going to be in this world long enough for me to have him," Pansy said as the other girls in her dorm laughed.

She really was a cruel girl.

Just then, I heard someone open her door.

"Professor McGonagall?" asked the girls in unison.

"Stay in that corner over their ladies," Professor McGonagall commanded in her sternest voice.

I heard the shuffling of feet.

"Is there something wrong Professor?"

"That's what I would like to know," I heard Dumbledore say in his calm voice.

You could here some more feet shuffling after that.

In fact, there would be another fifteen minutes of feet shuffling, drawer opening, and exclamations like 'Those are my private things' before you could here McGonagall ask in her deadly calm voice, "Where did you girls get an invisibility cloak? And why do you have an unconscious girl in the closet?"

"Decoration. Ow Millicent."

"To Dumbledore's office now!" commanded McGonagall.

"Where is she?" a shrill voice asked. Madame Pomfrey must've just walked in. After a brief pause Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, "Oh dear. Get her to my hospital. She needs a massive amount of Potions and rest."

"Can you please take her Minerva?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes sir."

"I shall search this room a little longer. After you bring her to the hospital wing, write a letter to her mother and Mr. Malfoy's father."

"Yes sir."

I pulled the extendable ear out of the room. Blaise would be ecstatic! I had to tell him.

I opened the door to Draco's room. "Thanks for letting me list- Draco? Draco, where are you."

I immediately felt someone grab me from behind and lead me into the closet. Oh no, he was going to kill me! He was going to kill me and make it look like an accident.

Once we were inside, he grabbed me by the waist, and I closed my eyes and prepped myself for hitting him below the belt.

"Why do you look like you just swallowed something incredibly bad tasting?" he asked playfully.

I opened my eyes slowly and quickly realized that his grip on my waist wasn't a grip at all. He was holding me sort of…gently. "I thought you were about to kill me."

"Kill you now? No, I'm no that stupid."

I glared at him.

"I wouldn't kill you now or for the rest of the time we're in Hogwarts," he said moving himself closer to my body.

"What about ever?" I asked in a serious tone.

"I…can't guarantee that," he replied hesitantly.

I knew he couldn't.

"I needed to talk to you," he whispered.

I smiled and I'm sure he could tell, since his closet was dimly lit "Does it require you to whisper," I whispered back.

"Yes," he replied with a smirk.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" I asked with my smile getting bigger. I was on top of the world right now, and I'm not afraid to admit it. It was a strange moment. The reason why I felt so comfortable and warm and amused with him just clicked when he kept on holding me the way he did.

Then, I did something on impulse again. I kissed him. We didn't agree on kissing each other, and he didn't make the first move. I kissed him, and you could practically feel how surprised he was by the way he tensed up. I smiled and deepened the kiss. It was slow and tender, and his hands were kept a good length above my waist. My hands where around his neck as I pushed him towards me to the point where there was no space between us. He moaned as I did so, and wrapped his arms around me tighter.

I didn't want it to end, but it had to if we wanted to live past our next birthday. People need to breath.

"Now, what do you need to talk to me about?" I repeated.

"I-."

"Yeah."

"I think I remember my speech and-."

"And?"

"Well, I know I sort of manipulated you into a bet, and screwed you over a couple of times, but in all honesty Granger, I like you. Not as just a friend either mind you. And I just wanted to let you know so we wouldn't have to pretend like nothing ever happened, and I'm sure you could tell that I wanted to really strangle Blaise from time to time, and I really shouldn't be talking about anything revolving around Blaise's killing. And-."

"You're rambling," I said smiling. Blaise really had Draco down when he's like that.

"Right. And I know we can't truly be together and all that shit, because of the situation and all, but since I have it off my chest, I feel much better about myself and the rest of human kind. So there, I like you."

"Well, I like you too."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"We're clear on that, right?"

"Right."

"So how are we going to work this out?"

"Are we even going out?"

"Yes."

"You never asked me."

"I did too!"

"No, you just said you liked me."

"Oh. Well we're going out."

"You can't do that. You're not allowed to skip a step!"

"Yes I can."

"Okay, do you care who I am?"

"Not anymore. It doesn't really bother me. Surely you noticed a change?"

"Well-."

"Well what?"

"Well no actually. Why are you all the sudden accepting your feelings anyways?"

"As loyal as I am to my father and everything, I want something in my life that isn't planned out for me. Plus, you've become very appealing this year."

"Shallow."

"Physically and mentally…so are we going out?"

"You still haven't asked me!"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Okay, will you go out with me?"

"Once more with feeling!"

"Hermione!"

"Okay, fine, yes, Draco, I will go out with you."

"About time."

"You should've asked me before."

"Would you have said yes?"

"No."

"Well there you go."

Pause.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you want to tell Blaise or should I?"

"Can I at least enjoy my new and demented relationship for like five seconds?"

"I'll be back in like thirty minutes. An hour at the most."

"You better be," he said pushing me out of his closet and his room.

I turned around kissed him. I knew I had to come back and talk to him some more. We had to set some guidelines or else the relationship would fall apart. Plus I had to thank the twins for the extendable ear.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Author's note: Finally, they're together! Didn't get much time to edit.I hope you enjoyed, and I hope it wasn't too fast moving. But the last chapters since the time he held up her hair while she was vomiting had been leading up to it, and maybe a little before that if you were paying attention. I tried to make them liking each other as subtle as possible, and Hermione had to be confused about it throughout the story…until now. Plus, no one knew what Draco was thinking since this story is from Hermione's point of view. Also, I didn't want another kiss to go on the let's just forget about it path. Anyways, hope you liked it, and review please. I have a ne story coming out this week or next week if you want to read.