Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: Thank you to my beta, vixii, for helping me learn punctuation. A couple of warnings: 1) This contains smut in chapter 2 and 3. You've been warned. 2) This story is purposefully disorienting - the page breaks indicate a change in location (i.e. Scotland / America). It should make more sense as we go...

"What's going on?" Hermione joined the growing crowd forming outside the high school, standing on her toes and bobbing her head to see what the commotion was about.

"You haven't heard?" Lavender Brown turned to face her with wide eyes. The girl leaned towards Hermione conspiratorially, "Theo Nott went missing."

"Theo Nott?" Hermione frowned, trying to place the familiar name.

"He's the quiet handsome one," Lavender's eyebrows rose and fell dramatically, "you know, best friends with Draco Malfoy."

Hermione did know who she was talking about now. She could see Draco Malfoy's signature too-blonde hair (she suspected he dyed it) at the front of the crowd. Unlike Theo Nott, everyone knew Draco Malfoy - quarterback of the football team, teenage heart throb and to Hermione's agony in all of her AP classes.

"But why won't they let us in the school?" Hermione asked, looking around curiously.

"Hmm." Lavender ignored her, saddling up to Pavarti Patil and likely gossiping about something inane.

They were 20 minutes late for first period when the security guards finally let them into the building. Hermione found herself watching Draco Malfoy out of the corner of her eye, devoid of his usual pompous persona and instead sitting silent and withdrawn. She had to admit, objectively speaking, he was quite attractive with his coiffed hair, grey eyes and sharp features. Of course, in her limited interactions with the boy, he was a vain bully, thus in her mind negating any positive qualities.

The seat behind him, which Hermione now realized was where the silent Theo Nott typically dwelled in AP History, remained conspicuously empty. Her impression of Theo was silent and polite - perhaps the complete opposite of Draco Malfoy, causing her to question how the two were best friends.

Draco turned to her then, "What's your problem Granger?"

Hermione reddened only slightly at being caught staring before biting back, "Nothing Malfoy. Back off."

Mr. Binns entered the classroom, appearing completely oblivious to the morning's drama as he instructed the class to silently read their textbook on the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire. She rolled her eyes and watched Binns inevitably doze off while the rest of the students, completely ignoring his directive, murmured to one another excitedly.

"Can you all shut up?" Malfoy reprimanded. Hermione was caught off guard - typically he was all for antics and shenanigans when their instructor left them to their own devices so to speak. But in this instance, he seemed genuinely upset. She watched the boy out of the corner of her eye, wondering if perhaps somewhere deep beneath the bluster lay a teeny tiny heart. She doubted it though.

"Harry - what's going on?" Hermione scooped some porridge into her bowl, taking in the rather subdued atmosphere in the Great Hall that morning.

"I'm not sure." Harry frowned and appeared to be searching the Slytherin table for something.

"Have you guys heard?" Ron sat down in front of them, blocking Harry's view of the Slytherins. He immediately started stuffing his face with a muffin.

"What?" Harry asked.

Ron swallowed, "It's Theo Nott - he's dead!"

"What?" Hermione gasped. The last vestiges of a fading dream lingered in the back of her mind, something familiar. But before she could quite grasp it, the thought was gone.

Ron nodded excitedly, "They found him in his room this morning! Looks like he was cursed."

"I've gotta go." Harry got up abruptly, grabbing his bag and nearly running out of the hall before either of his friends could protest.

"What's up with him?" Ron asked, placing some bacon and sausage on his plate.

"Who knows?" Hermione shrugged.

Dumbledore cancelled classes that day and overall the atmosphere in the castle was quite subdued. Hermione, unable to quell her curiosity, found herself hovering outside of the dungeons, safely hidden under Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry himself had been holed up in his room all morning - his bed curtains drawn and refusing company.

She listened to the various and often ridiculous theories the Slytherins seemed to have concocted:

"I heard Tracey Davis cursed him for cheating on her." One 4th year suggested.

"I heard it has something to do with his father - you know he's a follower of you-know-who." A 5th year Hermione believed was called Angus whispered to a friend.

"Shut up." Hermione nearly jumped as she saw Draco work his way into the common room. "You people don't know anything." Hermione frowned, the familiarity of it scratching at her brain.

It had been two days since Theo Nott had gone missing and the general consensus was that something bad had happened. Some of the kids seemed to think he had run away but Hermione didn't think so - from her limited exposure to Theo Nott, he seemed studious and responsible. His locker had become some sort of makeshift living 'shrine' for lack of a better word. Cards and flowers poured onto the floor as well wishers whispered and theorized.

"You know his dad is a mobster. I bet he was taken hostage." Her friend Ron Weasley suggested at lunch that day.

"Really Ron?" Hermione asked, torn between curiosity and the reflex to admonish her friend for gossiping.

"Oh yeah. He works for Old Man Riddle. I can't imagine it's a coincidence he went missing." Ron shrugged and started eating his sandwich.

Hermione looked around the lunchroom. Harry hadn't been to school in 3 days - claiming to be 'sick' which was completely unlike her best friend. She saw Draco Malfoy go and sit down - next to Luna Lovegood? "What's he doing?" Hermione nodded towards Malfoy.

"Weird." Ron stared at the pair blatantly. Luna was an oddball alright - she was a sophomore and typically kept to herself, mumbling strange things. She was a decent looking girl, though her rather - eclectic - taste in jewelry (i.e. radish earrings and childish candy bracelets) typically kept a 5 ft radius between her and any boys. Alternatively Malfoy was ordinarily surrounded by Vince and Greg, or as Hermione and Ron called them Dumb and Dumber, with Pansy Parkinson or whatever bimbo he was dating that week simpering after him. So to see him sitting with Luna Lovegood …

They saw they weren't the only ones whispering about the odd sighting. Pansy walked up to Malfoy and made some comment to Lovegood, presumably something offensive. Luna appeared blissfully ignorant of the attention she was receiving, simply smiling at Pansy and saying something to Malfoy. The star football player stormed off, ignoring Pansy's dramatic cooing and the curious coeds around the cafeteria.

"Well that was different." Hermione commented as she watched Malfoy slam the cafeteria doors shut in his wake, creating an unusual silence that quickly turned into excited whispering. Luna continued to look oblivious, smiling down at her notebook and taking small bites of her salad. As the bell rang and the lunchroom cleared, Hermione watched as Lovegood bounced past them, noticing a paper fall from her notebook as she passed.

Hermione grabbed the paper and was about to chase Luna to return it when she stopped in her tracks. This wasn't just some school work - this was a love note :

I wish we could be together - really together. I love you - never forget that.

-Theo

It looked like Theo Nott and Luna Lovegood were secretly involved - and judging by how he behaved at lunch, Draco Malfoy knew something about it.

"Are you stalking me?" Malfoy sneered as Hermione walked into the Hogwarts library.

She frowned, "This is the library."

"Yes," he drawled, gingerly approaching her, "but I've noticed you've become something of a shadow. Getting tired of being a good girl, are you Granger?"

Hermione blinked and inadvertently blushed, "Not quite Malfoy. Try not to be too disappointed - I'm just doing a bit of studying. You might try it now and again."

The fact of the matter was, she had been stalking him. Ever since she found out about Luna and Theo's secret relationship, she had been performing her own investigation into the death of Theo Nott. So far, she had limited information: she knew Theo and Luna had some sort of secret affair, that his father was a notorious death eater, and that the boy had apparently been cursed.

She couldn't imagine that Theo's father, or anyone for that matter, would feel the need to kill him over a school-aged relationship. But then, why was Malfoy staring daggers at Luna? He seemed to be upset with her over something and Hermione suspected it had to do with Theo Nott's untimely demise.

"I know what you're doing." Malfoy stalked to where she was sitting. She tried to ignore him but could feel his patronizing presence inches from her.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She asked without looking up, feigning interest in an arithmancy problem.

Surprising her, he sat down, elbows on the table and leaning in to whisper, "You're investigating Theo's murder."

She grunted noncommittally, eyes narrowed at the problem in front of her.

"What do you know?" His voice was even and Hermione froze.

"What?"

"You're the swottiest person in this school," he drawled, "you and tweedle dee and tweedle dum can never mind your own business. Of course you're all over this."

"Whatever Malfoy." She blew some hair out of her face and returned her quill to her notebook as she attempted to refocus on her work.

"Listen up Granger." He pushed the papers out from under her, earning him a glare, "I know you see Theo's death as some sort of fun mystery that you can solve but he is - was - my best friend. If you know anything..." He trailed off.

Granger frowned for a moment, slightly taken aback. Malfoy's tone continued to be grating and patronizing but she suddenly found herself feeling - sympathy perhaps? And a pang of familiarity she couldn't quite grasp. It didn't sit well and she felt instinctively nauseous. "I'm sure I don't know more than you."

"Try me." He deadpanned.

Hermione huffed, looking around to confirm no one was watching, "All I know is there was something going on between Theo and Luna."

"Do you know what exactly?" He asked, leaning in closer.

Hermione reflexively scooted her chair back and handed him the note. "I assumed they were together."

He frowned at the note, "This doesn't make sense."

She snorted, "Really? Why? Because she's not some sort of swooning Slytherin princess?" Hermione wasn't blind - the Slytherins typically kept to their own, regardless of the - incestuous implications of such inter-breeding.

Malfoy glared at her, "Theo would never date Loony Lovegood."

Hermione simply rolled her eyes, "Whatever Malfoy." She was placing her books back in her bag when she felt Malfoy's hand on her arm. The action, completely un-Malfoy like, caused her to freeze. "What?"

"Look," he removed his hand, staring at it for a minute as if he were contemplating cutting it off before he let it fall to his side, "I just - I need to know what happened."

"Well, then maybe you need to start accepting you didn't know everything about Theo Nott."

"Alright." The word was friendly enough but his tone was hostile. "Where do we start?"

Hermione blinked, mentally replaying the conversation and trying to identify where exactly she agreed to form a 'we' or help him in any way.

"I'm not helping you." She scoffed.

"Well you're obviously not going to let this go. And neither will I. It makes sense to pool resources." Malfoy pointed out.

"Of course. Were you pretty much any other person in this school, I would agree with you. But you're not . You're Draco Malfoy - you've made it your mission to make me as miserable as possible since we first got here-"

"That's not true."

"Really?" Hermione deadpanned, "I seem to recall you taunting me and my best friends constantly since first year. You've called me a Mudblood so many times that I've more or less become immune to the slur. Just last week you tripped me-"

"Alright, I get the point."

"So forgive me if I find the idea of teaming up with you to solve Theo Nott's murder laughable." She made to leave and he pushed her down. "Don't touch me!"

"Sorry!" Malfoy let out. His face pinched. It had its intended effect though, Hermione stopped moving and simply gaped at the boy. "Look - please . I don't know what's going on. There's no one I can trust. I need your help."

It was strange, him saying such words as 'please' and 'sorry', to her of all people. She watched his face, perhaps waiting for him to break out into laughter and for Crabbe and Goyle to come out of the stacks and taunt her. But that didn't happen. She watched the pain in his grey eyes as they bored into hers, and she could feel her resolve break down.

"Fine." She conceded, regretting it pretty much immediately.

"Alright. So you need to talk to Lovegood." He sat down again, returning to his typical haughty demeanor.

"Oh so that's why you need my help." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"No," he seemed to be growing impatient, "look - she won't talk to me. The other Slytherins - well, I think one of them must have something to do with it - or else how could he have been cursed in his dorm? That's why I need your help - because I feel fairly confident you're not responsible for Nott's murder."

Hermione's eyes flashed at that - she had no idea Nott had been cursed in Slytherin tower. "So you suspect one of your roommates?"

"Keep up," he rolled his eyes, "but yes - they are my prime suspects. Though technically it could be anyone in Slytherin."

She ignored the jab, "Do you know any details about the curse?"

Malfoy shrugged, "They won't release anything - just saying he was 'cursed in his sleep'."

"Hmm." Hermione frowned.

"What?"

"It's just - I think you need to consider that not all curses require proximity. It could be any number of curses." Hermione pointed out.

"Regardless, I'm finding trust a hard commodity these days." He informed her. She considered then the love note she had acquired and his reaction - perhaps he really was having some sort of crisis. This was likely a case of the devil you know - at the very least, they both knew where they stood with the other. Very low.

"I'll talk to Luna." Hermione told him

"Good." It was as close to a thank you as she expected.

"Luna," Hermione started, "may I sit here?"

"Oh, of course!" Luna smiled in her sing-song way, "It's always nice to have visitors."

Hermione sat at the odd girl's table. After Malfoy had cornered her in AP Bio the day before, she found herself reluctantly partnering with him on finding his wayward best friend. Of course, Malfoy somehow thought one of their schoolmates had done something to Nott, which was preposterous. But still, curiosity got the better of her so here she was, interrogating the poor Sophomore.

"Thank you Luna."

They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, Hermione gathering up her courage to speak, "So - I found something of yours the other day." She slid the paper to Luna.

"Oh," Luna said ethereally, smiling down at the note, "I appreciate you returning this to me."

"So you and Nott were dating?" Hermione asked.

Luna blinked a few times, "I don't know if I quite feel comfortable talking about this." Her voice was soft but the words themselves were somehow hard.

"Sorry - I don't mean to pry - it was just - surprising." Hermione mumbled awkwardly.

"I'm sure it would have been." Luna chuckled at something that likely only existed in her own head. Thankfully, the bell rang not long after and Hermione made her escape.

"Why were you sitting with Loony?" Ron asked her, peering around at the aforementioned girl.

"Hmm?" Hermione mumbled.

"I saw you at lunch with Luna Lovegood." Ron frowned.

"Oh - I just, feel bad for her - you know? Everyone's so mean to her - I thought I'd be friendly." She shrugged.

"And how did that go?"

"Eh." Hermione brushed it off.

"You heard from Harry?" Ron asked a bit more seriously.

She looked at him, "No - I thought he was still sick?"

"I went over to his place." Ron visibly shivered. They typically did everything in their power to avoid going to Harry's given the Dursleys were quite - awful.

"And?"

"No one was home." Ron shrugged.

"That's - odd." Hermione frowned. She was suddenly hit with a vision of Harry locking himself in his room. "Huh."

"What is it?" He asked.

"Oh, I've just been having the oddest dreams lately." She shook her head as if to wave him off. She wasn't sure but she believed she was having a recurring dream where she was a witch that studied in a castle in Scotland .

"Ugh, tell me about it" Ron shivered, "I've been having these dreams lately where I show up to football practice naked. It's horrible."

Hermione laughed, "Don't ever change Ron Weasley."

"That's all?" Malfoy asked, incredulous.

"She seemed a bit offended that I even asked her. Granted Luna Lovegood a bit offended is quite delightful but still…" Hermione shrugged. It was three days before she and Malfoy were able to reconvene in the library.

"So what?"

"I dunno - it's hard for me to believe that something was going on with them." She started and put up her hand when Malfoy gave her an incredulous look, " Not because of who they are, but because she seems to be unaffected by his death."

"You have a point." Malfoy frowned, "But then what's up with the note? And don't forget - I saw them arguing the day before he was cursed."

"Maybe he was seeing someone else and she knew about it?" Hermione shrugged, "I don't know. But I struggle to imagine Luna Lovegood has anything to do with his death."

He nodded reluctantly, "Well, an Auror has been asking some odd questions around the common room."

"Really?" Hermione's eyes went wide. This was unusual - typically, Dumbledore insisted on handling anything unsavory entirely in house so to speak, rather than let the MInistry ever suggest something was off at the school. "Why? Did Theo's father insist?" But as she said it she realized that didn't make sense at all.

Malfoy shrugged, "No one is sure - it's a bit odd."

They fell into an oddly companionable silence where Hermione and Malfoy each individually considered this new information. "Alright," Hermione said finally, "so we suspect he was in some sort of relationship, and for whatever reason the Aurors are involved. There is one more thing we should probably discuss."

"What?" Draco frowned.

"Theo's dad."

"What about him?" He narrowed his eyes.

"He's a Death Eater, isn't he?" Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"What of it?"

"I mean - could that have something to do with Theo's death?"

"How could it?" Malfoy pointed out, which Hermione had to admit was a good point. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why Theo's father being a Death Eater would cause Theo to fall prey to a curse.

"Oh," she realized suddenly, "what if perhaps Theo's dad were the target but the curse accidentally hit Theo? Perhaps detecting genetic similarities or something."

Malfoy looked at her oddly, "Hmm?"

"It's science - like if someone tried to curse Theo's dad using his blood and somehow the curse found Theo." Hermione tried to explain.

"Bio." Malfoy mumbled under his breath.

Hermione frowned, "Sorry?"

"Nothing," Draco shook his head, "just had weird deja vu or something."

"I'll see if I can look into the Auror." Hermione told him, "In the meantime, maybe you can see what the other Slytherins are saying about it?"

Malfoy nodded, though he looked somewhat distracted.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked and then immediately wondered why she would do such a thing.

"Didn't know you cared, Granger?" He smirked.

"I don't. It was just a reflex. Like gas."

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Malfoy?" Hermione whispered to the boy. Malfoy had dragged her into his red Porsche and insisted they follow the FBI agent who was asking all sorts of odd questions around school. "This car isn't exactly inconspicuous."

"Why are you whispering?" He was in his football jersey and wearing a pair of Raybans, looking right at home driving the opulent Stingray.

"Sorry - I'm not used to skipping school and following federal agents ." Suddenly the car turned and Malfoy abruptly parked on a side street, ducking down. Hermione imitated him on impulse. "What's happening?"

Malfoy peeked his head up and sat upright, "He went into that building." He pointed to a building on their right.

"So?"

"So, we wait here. And see who else comes in and out." Malfoy shrugged.

"You want to just - sit here? And stake out this building? We'll miss all our classes!"

"Oh, little miss priss, worried about missing one lousy day of classes?" He taunted her.

"Yes," she looked right at him, unashamed, "I'm sorry that I take my studies seriously and don't think that it's a valuable use of time to just sit here and hope to learn something."

"Look Granger," he rolled his eyes, "there's no good reason for an FBI agent to be asking questions."

"Theo's father-"

"Yes, Theo's father is perhaps not the most savory character." Malfoy looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You know," she smirked, "they say the same things about your father."

"My father owns a very successful car dealership." Malfoy sat just a little haughtier. Hermione institutionally rolled her eyes - it was well known in their town that Malfoy Motors was the home to an assortment of shady dealings. Though many in the community turned a blind eye in exchange for great deals on automobiles.

"Hmm." Hermione gave a patronizing nod and turned to stare at the building.

"Besides Granger," Malfoy changed the subject, "I'm sure you have already done all of your reading and assignments for the entire year."

"That's not the point!" She turned back to him.

"Hmm?" He raised a single eyebrow, "Then what is the point of school?"

"You're insufferable!"

"Takes one to know one." He mocked her.

"Aren't you going to be benched tonight if you miss school?" She pointed out.

"Oh, you're worried you won't get to see me running down the football field tonight, hmm?" He raised his eyebrows in a way that, were he looking at anyone else, Hermione would have described as 'flirtatious', but which she found distinctly 'repulsive'

"My apologies if I gave you the wrong idea, but I'd rather join a nunnery than consider you in any kind of - way." She smiled sweetly.

"Oh, do I make you uncomfortable Granger?" He scooted closer to her, breathing into her neck. She was half tempted to storm out of the car but with no cash for a cab or coins for a payphone, she found herself stuck.

"Yes," she confirmed, her back now against the door and her hand sneaking into her bag and hovering over a strategically placed bottle of pepper spray.

He laughed suddenly and returned to his seat, allowing Hermione to exhale. "I'm just fucking with you Granger. You've seen the girls I date, right?" He smirked, but she had stopped listening.

"Holy shit Malfoy." She had her eyes peeled out the window.

"What?"

"You don't know who that is?" Hermione was nodding her head towards the sidewalk.

"No." He was once more in her personal bubble, though this time to get a better look out her window. "Who is it?"

"It's Amelia Bones - she's our Congresswoman." Hermione told him and he shrugged.

"I guess she looks a little familiar."

"Shit - I think they saw us." She immediately panicked and was about to duck down when Malfoy turned her to face him and kissed her . "What the hell?" She mumbled into his mouth.

"Go with it," he whispered, firmly holding the back of her head, "no one likes to look at PDA." So she let him kiss her. It was innocent at first and she remained perfectly still, waiting for it to stop. But suddenly he was moving his mouth and she found herself inadvertently responding, her mouth pressing into his accordingly.

What am I doing? she questioned as she pushed her mouth towards his, wrapping her right hand around his neck to pull herself closer. She felt his tongue on her lips and opened her mouth as if on impulse. The thought hit her suddenly, Draco Malfoy's tongue is in your mouth, and as abruptly as it started she pulled away, her breath inadvertently short and her face flushed.

He gave her an odd look that shifted into his signature smirk. "Looks like they're gone."

She shook herself, trying not to dwell on the fact that she kissed Draco Malfoy. "It's quite odd - that a member of Congress would be speaking with the FBI agent looking into Theo, right?" Hermione asked him, thoughtfully.

He blinked, "I mean, I don't know - they both work for the Federal Government, right?"

She narrowed her eyes, "It's odd. Trust me."

"Whatever Granger." And like that, any tension that remained from their impromptu kiss was gone.

"What's with you today?" Malfoy frowned at her.

"What?" Hermione jumped in surprise to find him sitting next to her at her favorite table in the Hogwarts library.

He laughed, "Shit. I've been sitting here for 5 minutes and you've just been brooding ."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "And why do you care?"

"Well, you're my partner in crime, aren't you?" He took a bite of an apple and Hermione found herself staring at his lips momentarily, watching the juices drip down to his robes.

She shook herself. After their - snog for the greater good - she found herself occasionally thinking that Draco Malfoy was indeed a good kisser. Though, given his reputation at school, this shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise.

"It's nothing that concerns you." She slid her chair just slightly further away from him, abruptly opening her potions book and attempting to immerse herself in a chapter on the theory behind clockwise vs. counterclockwise stirring.

"See," he scooted even closer, his face right next to her ear, "now I absolutely must know what is going on."

"What are you doing?" She turned abruptly, arms crossed.

He smirked, "I just discovered a new way to rile you up. Had to give it a go."

She blinked - was he really - flirting with her to piss her off? It seemed odd but then again Malfoy was a bit off himself. "Perhaps we shouldn't work together if you're going to be a dick."

"Oh, I hit a nerve did I?" He snarled. It seemed no matter what she said or did he was going to somehow manage to turn it against her.

Two can play that game she thought. She turned her chair around so that she was straddling it, her elbows on the back of the chair and her face inches from Malfoy, "Is this what you want?" She whispered at him with an innocent smile. They sat there, faces inches apart and she could see his breaths grow shorter and feel its warmth against her nose.

He froze, blinking and appeared lost for words.

"Mind your own business Malfoy." And she was back to her school work, internally cheering at her victory.

"Fine," his face turned serious suddenly, "I guess that's the last time I try to be nice."

She threw her quill down and dramatically turned to him, "How was any of this you trying to be nice?"

"Psh," he looked taken aback, "I asked what was with you?"

Hermione glared at him - willing him to go away.

"You know if you just tell me, I'll leave you alone." He promised.

"I don't believe you."

"I swear on my Porsche." He smirked which turned into a frown.

"What did you say Malfoy?" She was suddenly alert.

"I'm not sure." He looked concerned and tried to shake it off.

"You said you swear on your Porsche - do you know what that is?" She scooted next to him, whispering.

He looked thoughtful, "I've been having these - odd dreams."

"You're not - perchance - an American Muggle asshole in them who drives a Porsche?" Hermione asked.

"No," he scoffed, "I'm an epic American Muggle who drives a Porsche." Then he frowned, "Wait - how did you know that?"

"I've been having dreams where I'm an American Muggle and we're trying to find a missing Theo Nott. They were vague at first but recently they've become more vivid." Hermione explained, frowning.

"That's-"

"Not normal." She agreed.

"I don't get it. Why would we both be having the same dream?" He brushed his fingers through his hair, something Hermione was beginning to suspect was a nervous habit.

"Do you think it could have something to do with Theo's death, or the curse?" Hermione suggested.

He looked uncertain, "I mean, in my dream he's just missing - I guess, mayb-."

"SHHH." Hermione suddenly dragged him under the table and covered his mouth with her hand.

"What?" He whispered at her but she simply pointed to where Auror Shacklebolt and Wizengamot member Amelia Bones were walking towards the table, apparently deep in conversation.

"You still haven't uncovered who did this, Kinglsey?" They heard Bones ask.

"Evidence indicates that it was some sort of familial curse - I'm trying to figure out what could have happened to trigger it but so far I haven't been able to find anything concrete." Kingsley shook his head.

"I told him he'd be safe if he talked to us! What happened?" Amelia frowned.

"Look, we still have his testimony-"

"Without him we'll be hard pressed to go to trial. The Death Eaters will continue to gain resources."

Hermione and Malfoy stared at each other, barely noticing when the odd pair's footsteps had faded to nothing. Slowly, they came out of their hiding place.

"Theo was an-"

"Informant." Hermione finished, looking equally dumbfounded.

"And it was a familial curse!" Draco whispered.

"What does that mean?" She frowned.

"Hmm? Oh - it can mean any number of things. Sometimes a family will curse it's own blood in order to keep the family pure or sometimes a family's blood will be cursed. So I'm assuming he took some action or did something that caused him to be cursed." He explained.

She scoffed, "That's barbaric."

He shrugged, "I mean, it's not ideal . It's why before getting married most families will do extensive curse testing to ensure that the marriage won't accidentally trigger something."

"You purebloods can be quite odd."

"Yes, cause Muggle traditions like pep rallies make so much sense." He drawled.

She started chuckling but it soon turned into a full on belly laugh. "What?" He demanded.

"I'm just," she had to stop talking because she was laughing so hard she had grabbed her stomach and was now holding back tears, "just - oh my gosh."

"I swear to god Granger-"

"Sorry," Hermione started to get a hold of herself, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I'm just thinking about you playing football and all."

His anger faded into a smirk, "Oh, thinking about me playing football are you?"

She frowned, "Are we back to this?"

"Are you going to continue trying to avoid telling me why you've been so odd?" He rebutted.

She narrowed her eyes but relented, "Harry's been sick for a week. I'm worried about him."

He blinked, "That's it? Potter's sick and you're worried about him?" She nodded. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"Because," she pointed out, "it's none of your business."