Ta muchly for the reviews people, I love reading them all :) In answer to a couple of them, no this isn't going to end up a Hermione/Draco fic, it's Hermione/Ron all the way! Sorry about the spelling mistakes in one of the previous chapters i get them re-read but I am one of the worst people for reading what I think should be there instead of what is actually there! Ah well never mind! Sorry, think this one is better! There's a bit of soul searching to come then the real fun starts. Hope you like, let me know. Cheers

Step ;)


Chapter 27

Hermione woke up shivering, her quilt was halfway down the bed, the result of many dreams in which Malfoy predominantly resided and where Ron was always stood just out of her reach.

She reached down and pulled the quilt up to her chin, she glanced across at her alarm clock and read half past nine. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. What had made her night's sleep worse was the fact that after every dream she had awoken up and therefore remembered each one vividly. They raced through her mind, but before she sank back into some of the horrors that awaited her she opened her eyes and got out of bed.

She felt quite awake which was surprising considering she had only had five and a half hours sleep. Yes, she had gone to bed at around three but when her eyes closed her brain was going hell for leather through every possible 'what if'.

She walked into the bathroom and started her normal morning routine. She tried not to think of the gold coin that was sat on the kitchen table where she left it last night, because every time she did, her stomach squirmed and tingles went through her body.

Twice she had to stop herself abandoning brushing her teeth and going to the kitchen to look at the coin. Five minutes isn't going to make difference Hermione, she kept telling herself. She managed to finish brushing her teeth without her resolve crumbling but she knew it wouldn't last the duration of a shower, no matter how short it was.

She wiped her face on the towel and quietly set off down the stairs so to not wake Harry or Ginny. She walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see Ginny sat at the table with her head resting on her folded arms, apparently asleep.

She walked over to Ginny and gently shook her.

'Ginny?'

Ginny stirred and opened her eyes. She looked up at Hermione and then her surroundings.

'And I came down here because I couldn't sleep!' she said sleepily, 'guess I know what to do next time.'

Hermione smiled.

'What time did you come down?'

'Think it was around six. I'd been tossing and turning since we went up. I felt bad for Harry 'cause I kept waking him up, so I came down here and had a biscuit. I think I just wanted to be here in case that changed,' she pointed to the coin a few inches in front of her.

'Has it?' Hermione asked in what she hoped was a casual voice. It wasn't.

Ginny sighed, 'It hadn't the last time I looked but then again I've been asleep for a couple of hours.'

'Oh, ok.'

Ginny turned to look at Hermione.

'You look how I feel,' she said.

Hermione walked to the opposite side of the table to Ginny and sat down on the chair.

'How's that?' she asked.

'Worried, nervous, a bit sick. You want the coin to change but you're scared of what it'll say. You don't know whether to be happy or worried about the whole thing, and possibly a bit pissed off because if this all works out we'll technically be indebted to Malfoy of all people.'

'God, I hadn't even thought about that, but the rest's exactly right. I don't think I've ever felt so much at once.'

Ginny smiled, 'Me neither, it's hard this growing up lark isn't it.'

'You could say that,' Hermione agreed quietly.

Ginny yawned and Hermione couldn't help but do the same.

'Do you want some coffee Gin?' She went to stand up but stopped when she saw the coin glow ever so slightly. Ginny had noticed the coin too and her eyes widened. Hermione took a deep breath.

'Do you want to or shall I?' she asked in a whisper.

'You do it, now it comes down to it I don't think I can.'

'Ok then,' Hermione reached across the table and looked at the edge of the coin. The message was short but direct. YES TO PLACE, NO TO TIME. 10 TONIGHT. D.M. The initials were hardly necessary but Hermione had done the same on her message hours earlier.

'Well?' Ginny asked, 'good or bad?'

'Err…good I think. He says yes to the place but he wants to meet tonight instead.'

'Oh, well…that is good then, it's quite soon, but then again rather sooner than later…Hermione?'

Hermione had sat back down and was staring at the coin. She looked at Ginny when she heard her name.

'Huh? Sorry Gin I was miles away. Yeah it is good. I suppose he'd rather we do it at night when there's the cover of dark, less likely he'll be spotted in Hogsmeade.

'That makes sense. Are you going to reply?'

'Yeah I will, I just think we should make sure Harry's ok with the time.'

'Yeah we should but I doubt he'll have a problem with it. I'll go get him.'

'We should let him sleep, we don't have to reply straight away,' Hermione said.

'We don't need to reply straight away but I know you want to, and Harry'd be annoyed if we didn't tell him now. You know what he's like.'

'Yeah I do. I'll put the kettle on and make us all some coffee. I think we might be needing it.'

As the kettle clicked off, Harry and Ginny walked into the kitchen. Hermione glanced up quickly as she poured the boiling water into the three mugs.

'Morning Harry,' she said.

'Morning H, mmm that smells good.'

He walked over to Hermione and picked up his favourite mug. It was red with a gold rim and handle and had the Gryffindor lion on it. When the drink it was holding started to get cold the lion roared telling the drinker to get a move on and drink it quickly before it got too cold. It had been a present from Ginny.

'Have you put the sugar in yet?'

'Yes Harry, all four of them.'

He smiled.

Thanks H.'

He picked up Ginny's mug and handed it too her. Hermione finished pouring the water into hers and topped it up with milk. Unlike Harry and Ginny, Hermione needed the edge taking off her coffee in the morning.

'So what does the epitome of evil have to say for himself then?'

Hermione tutted at Harry's comment.

'He's hardly the epitome of evil Harry!'

'I know, I'm only joking,' Hermione knew he wasn't, 'what does Malfoy have to say?'

'He said yes to the place but no to the time.'

Harry frowned as he drank his coffee.

'Why not?' he asked after swallowing his mouthful.

'He didn't say why, he just said ten tonight.'

'Tonight? Wow, he is keen isn't he?'

'Seems so,' Ginny replied.

'Is that alright with you Harry?' Hermione asked.

'Erm…yeah I suppose…yeah it's fine.'

'Good. I'll change the coin then.' She picked it up and transfigured the words so they read FINE. I'LL ARRIVE, HARRY WILL FOLLOW. H.G.

'Well that's that. Now we just wait 'til tonight,' Hermione said determined to sound calm and rational, she paused before she continued. 'Err, Ginny, I know you might want to tell your mum and dad what's going on but I don't think we should mention it to anyone. For one thing it would put your dad in an awkward situation, he would be obliged to tell the Ministry what's going on and I don't want to do that to him. Plus I think the less people that know about this the better. If Malfoy thought anyone in authority knew about this then we'd never see him again.' She looked at Ginny nervously, not wanting to have annoyed her.

'Don't worry, I'd had the same thought, I don't know how they'd take it anyway. I'm not going to tell them, but if this all works out and we manage to wake him up then you can tell mum, dad and all five – well four, we'll not count Percy – all four of my brothers the whole story!'

Hermione smiled, 'Of course I will Gin, I can't think of anything more frightening but hey! What the hell!'

Ginny and Harry laughed.

'So what are you two planning on doing today.'

'Well we didn't have any plans did we Gin?' Ginny shook her head as she drank her coffee, 'but apparently I have plans around tenish, can't quite remember what they are but I'm sure it'll come to me.' Ginny tutted loudly, 'What about you H?'

'Nothing really. I'll go and see Ron at some point, but apart from that nothing.'

'Well I can see this day is going to be brimming with excitement!' Ginny said sarcastically.

Harry smiled as he finished off his coffee depriving the lion of a reason for roaring today.

'Well I don't think any of us are going to be able to do anything that requires a huge amount of concentration, so why don't we all go and see Ron before lunch, and then go to Diagon Alley for something to eat, and then we can go back to mine and get a game of Quidditch going with any of my brothers who have gone home because they can't be arsed making their own dinner. Fred and George said they'd be there this afternoon, it's the one Saturday they let themselves off a month.

'That sounds like a plan,' Harry said nodding in agreement.

'What do you think H?'

Hermione smiled, 'Yeah that sounds good, I just hope that an even number of your brothers are there so I don't have to embarrass myself on a broomstick and can enjoy the role of enthusiastic spectator!'

Ginny laughed, 'You're not that bad Hermione!' she said.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ginny and Harry snorted a laugh, trying hastily to pull it off as a cough.

'HEY!' Hermione exclaimed.

'What? You were about to contradict her!'

'I know I was but that doesn't mean you can!'

'That is so unfair!' he replied.

'I know,' she said smiling. Harry scowled at Hermione but couldn't hide the smile creeping onto his face.

'Does anyone mind if I go and have a shower?' asked Ginny.

'No, go ahead,' Hermione replied.

'How come you let Ginny have one without telling her not to steal all the hot water?' Harry asked, confusion filling his face.

'Because I pressed the hot water button on the heating…panel…thing,' she waved her hand in the vague direction of the wall behind Harry, 'so there will be plenty for all three of us as long as we're relatively quick.'

'Oh, ok, I'll not take it personally.'

'Good.'

'The what?' Ginny asked confused by Hermione's last comment.

'That thing on the wall up there,' she nodded at the wall space above Harry's head.

'Oh so that's what that thing's for, I always wondered. It's quite cool what muggles come up with isn't it?'

'Careful Gin, you'll start sounding like your dad soon,' Harry said.

'Oh ha ha,' she replied as she stood to leave the room, 'I'll be ten minutes.'

She left the kitchen and a couple of minutes later Hermione and Harry heard the water running.

'You having breakfast?' Harry asked Hermione.

'No, I'm not hungry.'

Harry turned to the cupboard and started making his breakfast. Hermione stayed sat down twirling the coin between her fingers, staring at a scratch on the table. She was brought from her thoughts by Harry putting a bowl of cereal and a spoon in front of her. He sat opposite her and started to eat his.

'Harry, do you understand the concept of not being hungry?'

'Yes thanks.'

'Then why have you made me breakfast?'

'Because you need to eat something.'

'But I'm-'

'I'm not letting you leave this room until you've eaten it. And anyway you should feel privileged, I don't let just anybody eat my cereal!'

Hermione looked down and saw the cereal turning the milk chocolate flavoured and the random pink, yellow and blue sugar filled pieces floating on top.

'You know this has got to be the most unhealthy cereal in the world.'

'I know, it's great isn't it!'

Hermione laughed and picked up her spoon.

'Well I suppose I can't let all this chocolate and sugar go to waste now, can I?'

'Nope you can't. Now start eating!'

'Yes sir, Saviour Boy!'

Harry grinned.

'You know, I think that's starting to grow on me.'

Hermione swallowed her mouthful of cereal.

'Oh well we can't have that now can we? I'll have to think of something else instead!'