'Omg, Hermes, we thought that you'd been kidnapped' Pansy sniffled, hugging Hermione tightly with an overexaggerated sniff.

'No, Pansy,' Blaise chuckled 'We didn't. You did' Pansy simply scowled at him.

'Who told you I was here?' Hermione interrupted their more than regular lover's spat.

'It was Draco' Theo replied, frowning, 'though I'm not sure why he was here in the first place'

Hermione hummed distractedly, a smile creeping onto her face. So Draco hadn't told his friends about their evening encounter?

'Did you see him come in?' Blaise asked.

'No' Hermione replied a bit too quickly before explaining 'I had a lie in this morning' She didn't know why she didn't want to tell her friends about Draco's harried appearance in the hospital wing that morning, but she simply felt like it had to stay between her and Draco. A couple's secret, but more like a couple of friends that a romantic couple. She didn't even like the boy, anyway.

'You? A lie in?' Theo frowned. Hermione was saved an answer by the appearance of Draco.

'Draco!' she called, latching onto the change of topic. He was holding the daily newspaper and looked panicked 'Did something happen?'

He didn't answer, only sat at the edge of the bed and placed the newspaper on Hermione's lap with the headline facing up.

Hermione's mouth went dry.

Prophecy Girl Disappears by Rita Skeeter

Hermione Granger, the well-known author of many school textbooks, has recently disappeared without a trace, during the summer holidays.

Questions were asked about her when she failed to show up on the 1st of September at the Beaxbatons Academy in France where she has studied for the past six years. We have come to know that, before the girl vanished, an unknown prophecy was made consisting of the girl. It predicted that hardship awaits the girl by the hands of a vindictive group of ex-Death Eaters. It is advising the magical community to check up on their ex-Death Eaters. For more information, go to page 3...

'She really has done it this time' Pansy shook her head.

'Wow, mate. You really are obsessed' Blaise laughed, ignoring Pansy's comment and earning himself a half-hearted hit on the head.

'Oh shut. Up. A girl has been abducted' Pansy scolded.

'Look here' Theo said 'It says that former Death Eaters are suspected'

They all looked at each other nervously.

Draco cleared his throat and stood up. 'We should speak to Dumbledore'

'No!' Hermione almost shouted. The three of them looked questioningly at her.

'I mean...I don't think so' she said with less conviction 'We don't even know whether he knows much about this or not. He's probably digging into this matter right now and anyway, look at the journalist. Rita Skeeter wrote this. It's probably only partially true'

'She's got a point there, mate' Theo nodded 'There isn't any point troubling him now'

'But...' Draco started, thinking of something to say.

'Come on, mate' Blaise encouraged.

'All right, but one more of these accusations and I'm off' Draco said sternly.

'Agreed and we'll accompany you willingly' Blaise clapped him on the back.

'Anyway, we best be going. We've still got lessons'

'All right' Hermione smiled 'Don't forget to get me my homework'

'I don't get you, Hermes' Pansy laughed as she left the Hospital Wing 'If I got a day in the Hospital Wing, I would take a break from work'

The moment they were gone, Hermione took a deep breath and sighed. She didn't like lying to her friends, but she couldn't tell them. Maybe she should talk to Dumbledore about the matter. He could advise her appropriately. Not now, though. She meant what she said about Dumbledore being busy.

After lessons that day, Hermione was just getting a check-up with Madam Pomfrey when Ginny came to greet her.

'Hey, the whole school is buzzing about you not being in lessons. What happened?' she asked when the matron had left Hermione's bedside to go see to a boy who was breathing fire.

'Sprained my ankle with a trip jinx spell' Hermione replied.

'Who?' Ginny asked.

'What, who?' Hermione asked, frowning slightly with confusion.

'Who did it?' Ginny asked.

'Oh, Draco' Hermione replied, as off-handedly as she could make it.

'Okay, you're not telling me something here' Ginny smiled mischievously.

'Maybe. Well, you see' Hermione stuttered before telling her friend the whole story.

'O. M. G.' Ginny emphasised, a massive smile on her face.

'What?' Hermione asked, not getting the point.

'Draco Malfoy likes you, Hermione' Ginny said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'What?' Hermione shouted in a whisper (A/N: I hope you get what I mean here).

'I seriously am obvious' Ginny said 'But if you don't want to accept it...'

'It isn't that I didn't consider the idea' Hermione conceded 'but the fact that he can't and he shouldn't'

'Why?' Ginny asked, thoroughly concerned 'Did something happen?'

'I'm lying to them, Ginny' Hermione almost teared up 'I'm lying to them. They welcome me here and be the best friends I could have and I return their favours by lying to them. It's foul. I'm foul'

'Oh, Hermione' Ginny sighed 'You're not foul.' Hermione simply shook her head 'Okay, here's an idea. Why don't you go to Dumbledore and see what he says about this?'

'I thought about that' Hermione nodded 'but I'll see him later. Did you see the Daily Prophet this morning?'

'Yep, I wondered whether you did?' Ginny asked. 'What did your friends think about it?'

'They're worried, is all I can say' Hermione replied, looking grave.

'Don't worry about it, though. We can't do anything to change others views and can only let them do what they want to do' Ginny reassured.

Hermione smiled at Ginny 'I have never had a better friend than you, Ginny Weasley' Before Ginny could say another word, Hermione reached over and hugged her.

Parvati and Lavender were entering the hospital wing in a bid to find any gossip about the new, cute Slytherin boy's injury when they saw something that made them grin devilishly at each other and scamper out of the vicinity before their two newest victims could notice their presence.

The moment Hermione entered the Great Hall, she noticed that something was wrong. The Gryffindors were glaring hatefully at her, which was normal, but what made her heart race was the absence of a certain Weasley. A snarled voice brought her attention to the Slytherin table.

'Looking for your better-half?' a seventh-year Slytherin Hermione had never talked to snarled at her. Hermione didn't reply, not sure what to say, but continued her way down the table until she saw her friends. They didn't look up as she approached, but she put that down as they not knowing that she was there.

'Hey' she greeted as she sat down in an empty space next to Pansy. No one looked up. 'Good day?'

'I don't think you could call our day 'good'' Blaise snarled. Hermione looked taken aback.

'Okay, what happened?' she asked, cutting to the point.

'I think you should tell us' Draco said coldly, leaving his food to look up at her. Hermione felt an unusual jab at her heart at that.

'Tell you guys what?' Hermione asked.

'Don't play dumb. What is going on between you and Weaslette?' Pansy asked.

'Me and Ginny?' Hermione asked.

'Oh my god. You're calling her by her first name.' Theo clapped his hand to his forehead. 'You seriously are smitten'

'Because we're friends' Hermione explained, catching onto what they were thinking 'Ginny is a family friend'

'What?' Draco asked, disbelievingly.

'You never told us?' Pansy accused.

'You never asked' Hermione shrugged.

'So you aren't a couple?' Theo asked.

'We're not' Hermione replied truthfully. 'I've hardly been here a week. Do you really believe I've had enough time to formulate a secret relationship with one from another house?'

'No, actually' Blaise laughed 'Although it isn't completely out of this world'

'How did this idea come about anyway?' Hermione asked.

'The Gossip Queens' Pansy said, looking like she'd swallowed a lemon.

'Who?' Hermione asked.

'Two Gryffindors who scurry about Hogwarts, looking for Gossip' Pansy explained.

'Apparently, they saw you and her hugging' Draco said, smirking.

'Very tightly' Blaise added.

'Oh, shut up' Hermione scowled 'We're friends and that was a friendly hug'

'So the hug was real?' Theo asked, sourly.

'I told you that we're friends' Hermione reiterated 'Do you want me to spell it out for you? F-R-I-E-N-D-S. We're just friends.'

'Well done' Blaise clapped her on the back, sniggering 'You know how to spell'

'Blaise' Pansy scolded.

'Pansy' Blaise mocked.

'Shut up' Pansy snapped.

'Shut up' Blaise mocked. Pansy fumed.

'Blaise Zabini, you will stop mocking me this minute!' Pansy almost screamed, but lowered her voice to keep their house points intact.

'Blaise Zabini!' he mocked but didn't continue for fear of Pansy's wrath. Draco and Hermione shared a knowing look.

The two were made for each other.

A/N: A much longer chapter than previously. I hope you like it. About the last line, can you guess which couple I am talking about. Review with your guess. Please...