Authors Note: Well. Here it is. Finally. Sorry it took so long. Life has been busy. I just want to thank all of the reviewers. All of your nice comments actually keep me motivated to keep the story going. Also, I biiiiiig thank you to my friend Nicole (Hogwarts). If it wasnt for her, then this story would be lacking punctuation and correct grammer of all sorts. Enjoy.

Recap: Harry and Ron have just discovered Hermione comming out of the Slytherin common room.

Chapter 4.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. She thought about running, thought that maybe they had not noticed it was her. That idea dissipated when she saw the looks of shock on their faces.

"Hermione, what in the bloody hell were you doing in there?" Ron stuttered out as a dung bomb fell out of his hand.

"Um, I was, I was just," Hermione began, though she was lost for words. "I was just working on my project!" she exclaimed. Harry and Ron rose an eyebrow, looked at each other, and then back at Hermione.

"Hermione, it's ten in the morning, Malfoy wouldn't be up this early," Harry said.

"Yes, I am aware of what time it is," Hermione shot back.

"So you two tried to fool me did you?" A hoarse voice came from behind Ron and Harry.

They spun around and came face to face with Filtch. "Peeves isn't the one who's been throwing the dung bombs, it was you two!" Filtch said, his voice oozing with anger.

"Detention for a month! And no holiday Hogsmeade trip!" He exclaimed, pulling Harry and Ron off by the ears. Hermione sighed with relief. She was off the hook, for at least a little while. She slowly made her way back to the Gryffindor common room and went up to her dormitory. Hermione threw herself down onto her bed. She started thinking of excuses for being in the Slytherin common room. It was no use; Hermione fell into a light slumber.

Draco woke up to a short, red-haired girl shaking him.

"What is it?" Draco growled as he sat up.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted me to deliver this to you," the girl squeaked, holding out an envelope. Malfoy snatched it out of her hand and motioned for the girl to go away.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

There have been some unfortunate events that have recently taken place in your house. You need to pack immediately and make your way down to Hagrid's hut. He will be escorting you to Hogsmeade, where the Night Bus will be picking you up and delivering you to your home. In one week I will retrieve you, and bring you back to school. Now go get your things Mr. Malfoy. Time is wasting.

Sincerely Yours,

Albus Dumbledore

"What in the world is he going on about?" Draco murmured to himself. "I just got a letter from my mum the other day." Draco jumped off the couch, quickly packed his things, and was at Hagrid's hut in less than five minutes.

Hermione spent most of the weekend avoiding Harry and Ron. She thought about just telling them the truth, but that would get complicated.

But isn't it already complicated? Hermione thought to herself.

She was planning on telling Ginny, but she was always with Harry. She just hoped that they would forget.

On Monday, when Draco did not show up for transfiguration, Hermione was surprised that she felt uneasy rather than relieved. After class Hermione approached Professor Mcgonagall.

"Professor, I need to talk to you."

"What is it Ms. Granger?" Mcgonagall asked, as she looked up from her desk.

"Friday, I was going to go and work on my potion for the project. When I got to the storage room, my cauldron was empty," Hermione said.

"Oh my," Mcgonagall said nervously. "It was only a matter of time before something like this happened," She said, more to herself than the girl standing in front of her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh, never you mind," She said, waving her hand in the air, dismissing the words she has just spoken. "Now, do you have any idea who would have done such a thing?"

"No," Hermione said, clutching at her books.

"Well, you and Mr. Malfoy will just have to start over. When the time comes that the projects are due, and you need more time, I will be glad to give you an extension. I'm so sorry that this happened," Mcgonagall said, standing up. "Now if you will just excuse me, I am going to go speak with Dumbledore on the security of the potions."

"Wait, just one more thing Professor," Hermione said urgently. "Do you know where Malfoy was today?"

"Yes, I do know the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy."

"Where is he?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think it is my place to give you that information," Mcgonagall said. "But, I can tell you that he will be back in a week. Good day, Ms. Granger."

Hermione decided that the conversation with Professor Mcgonagall was mostly positive. She was happy that she would be able to receive an extension on her and Malfoy's project. But something did not feel right. Why would Malfoy leave school? Hermione thought to herself, as she walked down a deserted corridor. Another thought was just about to surface, but was exterminated when a hand reached out and pulled Hermione violently into a class an empty classroom. She let out a loud screech.

"Hermione, be quiet. It's just me," the voice whispered harshly.

"Ginny, is that you? What is your problem? Why are you whispering?" Hermione asked quickly.

"Yes it's me, Harry is my problem, and I am whispering because I don't want him to hear me." Ginny said, still gripping Hermione's arm.

Hermione looked slowly around the room. "Ginny, Harry isn't here," She said, looking at Ginny as if she were crazy.

"I know, but he is always around. The only time I am not with him is when we're in class, or when I am sleeping," Ginny whispered.

"Just tell him you want a little time to yourself once in a while," Hermione said.

"If only it was that easy!" Ginny whined.

"Ginny, calm down. It is that easy. Believe me, I know Harry," Hermione said.

"I shouldn't even be complaining. I know Harry is hanging around all the time because you and Ron are always busy. I'm his girlfriend, I shouldn't care if he is always with me!" Ginny exclaimed, abandoning her whisper. She brought her hand through her hair and sat down on a nearby chair.

"You alright now?" Hermione asked, a small smile on her lips. She sat down across from Ginny.

"Yeah," Ginny said. When Hermione did not say anything Ginny spoke. "Harry told me that you were in the Slytherin common room Saturday morning."

"It was nothing," Hermione said.

"Of course it was something, Hermione. Now what were you doing in there?"

"I'm serious! It was nothing. Malfoy and I were working on our project and I fell asleep. It was really late so he just brought me to his bed and he slept on the couch. I ran out right when I woke up and it just happened that Harry and Ron were right there," Hermione said, feeling a bit guilty for not telling Ginny the whole truth. "So, if you could, please explain that to your brother and Harry."

Even though Ginny felt that there was more to the situation, she silently nodded her head.

"Er, I have to go… um, see Harry," Ginny said as she pointed awkwardly at the door.

"I thought you just said you have had enough of him," Hermione replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Actually, I am starting to miss him. I'm going to go," Ginny said and walked out of the room.

"She's gone mad," Hermione murmured to herself as Ginny left.

It was two weeks before Christmas break and the day Draco was supposed to return to school. Hermione had gotten the Augury potion back to its beginning stage. But it was still not as good as before. Every day it was looking more and more like they would need the extension. This alone disheartened Hermione. She had never turned in an assignment late in her life.

Dawn was breaking as Hermione sat on the school grounds looking out at the frozen lake. She awoke early and found Ginny and Harry sleeping entangled on the couch. Hermione had a feeling that their infatuation with each other was moving at a rapid and unhealthy pace. Ron had not been attending classes. But the week before, on one of the rare occasions he did attend he ended up setting Pansy's hair on fire. It took Professor Mcgonagall at least ten minutes to put out all of the flames. By that time Pansy's hair was several inches shorter and Ron's nose was out of place. If professor Snape had not walked in at that very moment, then Pansy and Ron would have spent several nights in the hospital wing. Hermione had herself thinking that a few nights in the hospital wing was better than a few weeks of detention with Snape.

Hermione got up and walked to the library. When she opened the door the lights were dim and no one was around. She made her way to the back and sunk into a chair. She closed her eyes and must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Draco was sitting across from her.

"Do you always choose the library over your bed?" Draco asked as he sat back looking at Hermione.

She sat up quickly and asked, "When did you get here?"

"Hello to you too."

"Sorry, you just startled me," She said apologetically as she rubbed her eyes. "Where have you been?"

"I had to go home and take care of some things," Draco stated. Hermione heard the suppressed anger in his voice and decided not to press. She looked up at him. His face was no longer smooth. The rough lines declared that he had not slept in a number of days. She saw a mixture of anger and sadness in his eyes. She had to restrain the urge to touch his face. Draco took her hand that lay idly on the table and ran his thumb over her wrist. He could feel her pulse jump. To break the silence Hermione spoke.

"We got an extension on our project."

"Indeed we did." Draco said nodding his head.

"Draco, do you know who poured our potion out?" Hermione asked quietly, glancing at the thumb that still grazed her wrist.

"I have my suspicions." Draco said, his voice hardening.

"Who? Why?"

"Don't worry about it. They will pay," Draco said.

Hermione stood up suddenly, breaking the contact between them. "I can't help but worry about it! It's my project too! I want to know who did it!" She demanded. He got up and walked towards her.

"No," She began, and backed away. "I just want to know who did it."

Draco moved quickly and captured her face in his hands. "It's not time to worry about it yet," He whispered. She felt his breath upon her lips, and then the fierce tug of longing in the pit of her stomach as he moved closer. "I can think of better things to do than worry," he said, only a whisper away from her mouth. She was incapable of thinking about anything but him as he nipped at her bottom lip with his teeth and eased the pain with his tongue.

"Draco," Hermione began hesitantly, but he cut her off.

"Hermione, please don't fight me this time."

Something in his voice, that quiet hint of need, had her relaxing against him. So she yielded, and allowed herself a moment of sweet, mindless pleasure as his mouth came down on hers. The desperation of his lips took her by surprise and had her body pulsing within seconds. Her arms instinctively wound around his neck as he pulled her closer. So close that not even a whisper of wind would fit between them. So close that Draco could feel her heart unsteadily beat against his chest. Her head tilted back, demanding he take more. She was intoxicating him. It was an intoxication that he had never experienced with alcohol. He was afraid that if he let go, that he would never experience it again. Once Hermione felt a hand creeping up the back of her shirt a wave of panic shot through her.

"Enough," she managed against his mouth and tried to pull away. She was not quite steady, and had to put a hand down on the table beside her to keep herself upright.

"A truce," Draco said.

"What?" Hermione asked confused.

"Let's call a truce."

Hermione smiled and looked up at him. "Now what fun would that be?" Before he could answer she continued. "Tell you what, lets go get breakfast. Since it's still early, we can have it in the kitchens. But no truce."

Hermione sat at a table in the Hogwarts kitchen across from Draco. There were house elves scattered all around. Some cleaning. Some preparing the breakfast that would be served to the school in a matter of hours, and some just wandering aimlessly around. Hermione was picking unconsciously at her food and thinking of just the right way to press Draco why he had not been at school for the past week.

"Are you not hungry?" Draco asked as he watched her pick at her food.

"Oh, um. Yeah, I'm just distracted," she replied without looking up.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Why haven't you been in school?" Hermione blurted out. She slowly looked up. That was not how she was planning on asking him.

He calmly looked back at her, trying to hide the flash of anger he felt when she asked him. He knew it would come up eventually. There would be nothing to lose if he told her now.

"Voldemort," he began. "Voldemort killed my parents."