A/N So the asterisks didn't show up last chapter for some reason so I just decided to label the POVS. I've also changed the summary like a million times but this is the last time I promise. The story is pretty AU from here, a lot changed because Harry didn't go with Dumbledore to visit Slughorn. Do you think we can get to 10 reviews this chapter? I know you guys are reading this, I've gotten over 1000 hits ;). Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Chapter 7

Harry

Harry had decided to pretend like nothing had happened, he'd really wanted to tell Ron but he didn't know how. Ron was completely infatuated with Pansy, he really should tell Hermione before she found out herself, Harry thought slipping down for an early breakfast. It wasn't like it changed anything. Snape was still Snape, and Harry was still Harry. Ginny and Hermione were already waiting for him when he got to the Great Hall. Ron, big surprise, was nowhere in sight.

"Morning Harry." Ginny yawned. He smiled at her,

"Morning." He sat down next to her and glanced over at Hermione. She was looking over the letter as if trying to discern some hidden meaning.

"What if Snape sees you with that?" Harry asked.

"I put a charm on it so it looks like something else." Hermione replied absentmindedly.

"Oh." Harry muttered, grabbing a bowl and filling it with cereal.

"So." It was Draco. He threw himself into the seat next to Hermione.

"What did it say?" He demanded.

"Nothing that had anything to do with you." Hermione snapped.

"Well I still wanna know." He sniffed.
"Why?" she asked, still not looking at him.

"Because I do."

"It's really none of your business."

"Who's is it then?" asked Draco. "Harry's?" He leaned over to look at Harry.

"Can I know what it says?" Harry nodded,

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone." He said, staring down at his cheerios. They swam around and he no longer felt hungry. Hermione muttered something under her breath and shoved the letter into Draco's hands. She was still muttering as he read. When he'd finished she snatched it back and shot him a rather nasty look.

"That is…" Draco seemed to be at a loss for words. Again. He just shook his head. "I wonder where he found it."

"Or who sent it." Ginny said.

"But who would have it in the first place?" Hermione said. Harry really wished they would stop talking about it, he was trying to pretend that it wasn't happening and they weren't making it easy. How was he going to face Snape in potions today? He suppressed a groan. This really sucked.

"We need to find out if he found it or if someone sent it." Hermione declared.

"But why? It's not like this changes anything." Harry said.

"Harry." snapped Hermione. "This letter could be forged for all we know. Or some secret code for something awful. Something that has to do with You-Know-Who." She glared at Draco and he turned red.

"Why are you looking at me?" he said, but he didn't deny anything. Hermione shook her head in disgust. Harry heard Hedwig's familiar flapping and looked up at her. She dropped a note next to his cereal and nibbled at a bit of toast. Harry unfolded the letter, it was from Dumbledore, he wanted to see him in his office tomorrow night. Harry had no desire to see Dumbledore especially after their rather awkward exchange a couple weeks ago at the Dursleys.

"I have to go to charms." Ginny said, standing up.

"See you later." Harry said. Hermione waved to her and Draco… was no longer at their table. Or in the Great Hall apparently.

"Where'd Malfoy go?" Harry asked, then shoved some cereal in his mouth.

"Don't know, don't care." Hermione said, she stood up too and came closer to Harry. She whispered, "There's something he's hiding." Well, yeah. But it seemed like it was going to be pretty easy to get him to talk. He'd practically begged to spill his guts to Harry a few days ago so it couldn't be anything major. He shrugged.

"Then ask him."

"I can't just ask him!" She sounded appalled. "He hates me!"

"No you hate him." Harry said quietly. Hermione smacked him on the arm.

"I don't hate him." she sighed. "It's just ugh, well." She stopped abruptly. "We're going to be late for transfiguration!" Crap she was right. Harry swallowed some final cereal and they left the Great Hall.

Draco

He still couldn't believe it. Snape was Harry's… He shivered. It seemed so weird, he couldn't even explain it. Harry certainly wasn't like Snape at all that was for sure. He'd ditched transfiguration again but he had more important things to worry about. Like how he was going to die the second Voldemort realized he wasn't going to kill Dumbledore. And how Snape was going to kill him first for not even trying. And… Granger's really sexy voice. Damn. He banged his head on the bathroom wall. He was going to die, and he was thinking about a mudblood. Of course he was. She… hated him. That made him want to cry more than all the death stuff. He really should be getting to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He'd been in the bathroom for over an hour now. But it wasn't like he was going to learn anything from their mutton headed teacher. Honestly, where had Dumbledore even found Professor Janson? It was like the idiot was learning along with them! He obviously didn't know crap about the Dark Arts. Draco decided to just stay in the bathroom for his next class. He might as well do something fun before he died. And falling asleep in a classroom certainly wasn't fun. Sitting alone in the bathroom feeling sorry for himself certainly wasn't fun either. He stood up and wandered over to the sinks. He could… go see Granger? Since when was that his idea of fun? But his feet were already carrying him out into the halls and to the DADA classroom. He had no intention of going in. He just wanted to see her. He posted himself right outside the classroom. Wait, was this considered stalking? He didn't have any time to reconsider as Hermione was coming right his way.

"Malfoy." She snapped at him.

"Yeah?" he asked, and his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"Yes?"

"I need you to get Professor's Snape signature for something in the restricted section." Of course she only wanted to talk to him to discuss business.

"Why can't you do it?" he asked.

"Because then he'll become suspicious. I'm sure you can make up something." She walked past him and into the classroom, then turned back to him.

"Aren't you going to come in, Draco?" She said very loudly so the professor could hear.

He shouldn't be surprised, he thought, not at all. He dragged himself to his seat and shot daggers at Granger once he sat down. She ignored him and turned her attention to the professor. Weaselbee rushed in and threw himself in the seat next to Harry. His cheeks were flushed, Draco noticed. A moment later Pansy came in, cheeks equally flushed. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. He should be upset, tecniqually they were still dating but… Granger. And he was going to die soon so it wasn't like it mattered.

Hermione

Okay. She and Draco had kissed last year and after she'd obliviated him. It had been before the ministry and Umbridge and all that. It was probably illegal for her to obliviate him but she couldn't have him remembering something like that!

Flashback

After the meeting for Dumbledore's Army around Christmas Hermione had spotted Draco on her way out with Ron. She'd had to drag him away from Harry and Cho, honestly Harry's love life wasn't some reality tv show for their enjoyment. Draco had been practically sprinting out of some classroom and Hermione had decided to follow him. She'd shooed Ron away, telling him that she needed to go get something she had left at the library. She knew Draco was up to something, he had to be. Draco had gone into the bathroom and Hermione peeked her head in watching silently hoping he didn't see her. He was crying, she was stunned. She'd always thought of Malfoy as someone without feelings. Some cold impenetrable stone person. Before she knew it she was in front of him, shaking his shoulders gently.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly. He looked at her in shock,

"Gr-Granger?" his voice shook. Hermione nodded, he looked like a wreck. His eyes were red and his nose was dripping. She resisted the urge to wipe it with a tissue.

"It's my father. He says the Dark Lord is back." Hermione already knew that. But why would Draco's father have just told him now?

"He wants me to join." His voice cracked.

"Oh Draco." she whispered. She didn't know whether to be horrified or sympathetic. He obviously didn't want to join, but it wasn't like he had a choice. She wasn't particularly good at comforting people, but she couldn't just let him sit here. Alone. She wrapped her arms around him and breathed in his scent. He smelled good, much better than Ron anyway.

"I don't want to." His voice shook. "He'll kill me." She watched his lips form the words. He was beautiful, how had she never noticed? She pushed some of the hair from his eyes gently. His gray eyes gazed up at her and suddenly they were kissing. And then she obliviated him and ran away as fast as she could. She and Draco could not be together.

Hermione jolted out of the memory and turned her attention to Professor Janson. Or pretended to. It wasn't like they were learning anything new. Harry was scribbling on a piece of parchment, and Ron was sleeping. He'd probably been up all night with his lover. She shivered. She didn't really care who Ron dated. But it was a little worrisome that he felt the need to skulk around. After DADA they headed to the Great Hall, Ron came with them this time. She wondered if they should tell him about Snape being Harry's dad and all that. Knowing Ron he'd be horrified just like Harry. Ron didn't stay for long however, after shoving some shepherds pie in his mouth he claimed he had to go "do homework." That was the biggest lie Hermione had ever heard but she had more important things to do. Ginny joined them soon after.

"I think we have to run some tests on the letter as soon as we have access to a book in the restricted section." Hermione said.

"What book?" asked Harry. "And who would sign it? Everyone would be suspicious."

"Draco's going to get Professor Snape's signature." she said. At the mention of Professor Snape Harry stiffened.

"Did you tell him what book?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry with worried eyes.

"Oh. No, I suppose I didn't." Hermione muttered. Great now she had to talk to him again.

"I wonder if Snape knows the letter is missing." Harry said, piling food on his plate.

"Uhm, probably. But he won't suspect us." Hermione said. "He'd never expect Ginny to rummage through his desk." Ginny grinned and Harry let out a laugh. Someone threw themselves next to Hermione and she jumped in shock.

"What do you want Draco?" she snapped.

"You didn't even tell me what book to request." he looked annoyed. "Hermione." She rolled her eyes, doing her best to look annoyed.

"Uncovering the Past." she said. Draco wrote it down on a scrap of paper. He got up after a moment and left to join the Slytherin table.

"Uncovering the past." Harry muttered. "Sounds like a novel." Hermione snorted.

"And how would you know?" asked Ginny. Harry blushed a little.

"Books that aren't for homework are fine. Some are rather excellent actually." Ginny laughed and Harry cracked a smile.

Harry

He realized he liked watching her smile, Ginny. The way her face lit up, he was so close to her he could see the freckles on her nose. He wanted to kiss each one. Was she still dating Dean? He certainly hoped not.

"Harry!" It was Hermione, he stopped daydreaming and asked,

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow we're going to need to meet in Myrtle's bathroom to look over the book and the letter. After class." she said.

He nodded, but that was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Oh, wait. I have to go to Dumbledore's office tomorrow." He didn't really want to do that either but it wasn't like he had a choice.

"Fine then we'll just do it the day after." Hermione said. Ginny nodded and Harry wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He didn't have to wonder for long.