Here we go people read and let me know you think. I love all reviews.

Sorry for the huge gap but it really could not have been helped.

Read on…

Damn she was getting good. Or maybe it was that he was letting down his mental barriers against her. It was hard to tell which, in fact it might be a case of both. Either way he was going to have to watch just how far she gets inside his head and how much he says. From now on all his thoughts could well be shared with her. Like the skirts comment. A stupid comment that he should never have thought, but he had. And dammit she knew it had been about her. I might have been the mental image she had gotten from him. The image of her fine behind swaying as she walked, her decent length skirt flapping softly against her legs.

He shook his head and stared into the fire in front of him. If he was lucky then she might not be good enough with her 'gift' to know that they can share mental images yet. He could always keep his fingers crossed and hope for the best while preparing for the worst.

At that thought his mind went back to pondering the jittery feeling in his gut. The feeling that had not left him for the better part of the morning and now at lunch time had him stilling alone instead of eating. Food was so far from his mind at the moment. He looked around the empty common room. Little did the people that lived in these rooms know that he did not follow their 'Dark Lord.' No, he knew the man was a fake. He talked about the purity of the blood and yet he himself was part muggle. Even as a child he had not wished to follow the strange man. Now as an older and more world wise man he knew that he had made a good choice. Keeping his 'gift' from his father was the best thing he could have ever done.

He wasn't sure who had it worse, himself or Granger. At least he had known about his 'gift' and had not been thrown into water that went way over her head. But then again, he had known about his 'gift' but had never told another living soul about it until the first night at Hogwarts, when he told Dumbledore all. He would never forget the relief of being able to share every little detail. Then having Snape help him understand and master his powers. Now it was his turn to help Granger. Don't get him wrong. He still despised the little wench. She was a Gryffindor, she was friends with the boy-who-lived-to-make-his-life-hell, she was the smartest witch of her time, or so people kept saying. Even the hard to please Snape had let slip to him once that he thought the bushy haired pain the ass would go for.

If she was so smart why had she not gone to speak to Dumbledore yet? Why had she not told him what she had seen? Twice now she had seen something that had scared her so much that even he had wanted to run and hide.

But who was he to complain about her lack of contact with the headmaster. He should have gone to seem him too. She had not gone to see him but that had not stopped Draco from going. Even now, as he sits here pondering what this troubling feeling in his gut was, he should be telling the headmaster about it, giving the much older man a warning that something bad was going to happen.

Did she feel it? She had been up last night, told him she could not sleep. Could she not sleep for the same reason he could not? Was the dark cloud taunting her too? Before he could stop himself he asked her.

Why could you not sleep last night?

He sat and waited for a reply. He knew she could talk to him now. He had planned to teach her slowly, had even come up with some cutting remarks for her when she didn't get it first time. But once again she ruined his plans and learnt to do it without him. He waited so long that he thought she might be ignoring him.

I think there might be something wrong.

He frowned into the tower. Her reply was short and straight to the point. He tried to slip into her mind but she had it blocked. Something else she seemed to learn without him.

Do you have to try to get into my head? Can you not just talk with out taking a look?

She growled at him making him chuckle. It was good thing that no one was about in the common room as he might have gotten himself some funny looks.

But that way is more fun. What do you mean 'there might be something wrong?'

I don't really know. I just have this feeling that there is something not right. Do you not feel it?

Yes I feel it.

Bloody doom.

What!

Okay now he was getting a little confused.

Sorry. Nothing. I think we should go and speak to the headmaster. Maybe he will know what it is.

Now she wants to go to the headmaster, took you long enough.

Shut up Malfoy. You have no idea what you are talking about.

I know. I know a lot more than you think.

And to that he got no answer. Not that he really expected one. He stood stretching his hands over his head and worked the kinks out of his shoulders. Walking over to the fire place he took out a small bag from his pocket. Opening it he took out a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire.

"Headmasters office."

A house elf appeared in the fire place.

"I is told to tell everyone the headmaster is busy. He tells me to say that he is expecting some persons."

Draco snorted.

"I am Draco Malfoy. I demand to speak to the headmaster right now."

The elf just blinded his big eyes then said.

"He is wanting to sees you."

Draco snorted again, that man knows everything.

Hermione was dragging her feet. She really didn't want to go and see the much older wizard. The feeling of betrayal was still way to strong. But Malfoy would not have let her rest until she went to see him. Already she could sense that he was at the headmaster's office.

The fun at breakfast had not lasted. The novelty had worn off her 'gift'. Instead it had become some what of a pain. In muggle studies she had brushed hands with a Ravenclaw and had felt a powerful jealousy. She had no idea that they were mad at her for being smarter than them. They were the house known for the brains and she had taken that away from them. And they pretty much hated her for it. She had walked into a Slytherin and had felt disgust aimed at herself. All in all she was feeling a little down. Now to add to it she was going to go to the man that had kept a part of herself secret.

She got to the corridor that his office was on and walked to ward the statue, staring at the ground she didn't look up until she reached it. Finally lifting her head she cried out and jumped back.

A house elf's lifeless body hung from the statue. Blood poured from his slit throat and dripped to the floor. Huge eyes, unblinking started at her, looking but not seeing. Drip…drip…drip. An old tea towel wrapped around its unmoving shoulders liked a cape. Drip…drip…drip. Telling herself it was just another stupid vision she closed her eyes and prayed it would go away. Put opening them again it was still there. Drip…drip…drip. Looking down at her feet her shoes were covered in blood.

Draco!

She screamed inside her head and his. Not caring that it might make him deaf or give him a killer headache. She needed him. She never thought of Harry or Ron, she thought only of Malfoy.

The statue before her moved, the stairs coming into view and then a blond haired guy came rushing out to take her into his arms.

"What is it?" he asked, lifting her head off of his shoulder to look down into her eyes. "What's the matter?"

Looking over his shoulder she saw the headmaster and Snape. Malfoy tipped her head back to look at him.

"Let me in Granger." He paused, she kept her mind blocked, fear helping her. "Hermione…let me in, I want to help." He said it so softly…how could she stop him.

Tears poured down her eyes while he slipped into her mind and saw what she had. His whole body went tense. He wrapped his arms around her and turned to face the older wizards, not letting go of her.

"Headmaster I think you should close the passage to your door."

Both wizards looked at him strangely but Dumbledore closed the passage. Slowly the statue came back into sight, the house elf still hung lifeless from the statue. For a moment there was silence. Then Hermione gripped onto Malfoy tighter. He was here, he was real, which meant that the dead elf was real too, which meant that it was not just a vision.

"I hoped…" she choked on her words. "I hoped…"

Malfoy's arms held her closer still. He knew what she had hoped.

"What miss Granger?" Snape asked in a softer tone for him.

This was silly, how was she meant to help when she sobbed all over the head boy. Pulling away she straightened, Malfoy kept a hand under her elbow as if he was not sure if she would be able to hold herself up. She welcomed the touch.

"I had hoped that it was just another vision."

"Another vision?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes sir, I have had two of them. But they were of people. They had had there…throats…slit like that too." She coked half way through the sentence but managed to go on.

"You have had others like this and had not thought to tell anybody. Do you have any idea how-?" Snape started.

Malfoy opened his mouth to say something but the headmaster cut them both off.

"I am sure it is not easy to see such things and then relive them. But lets move on from that." he looked at Hermione. "I need to know who you saw in this vision dear."

Hermione looked at Snape not sure she could tell him she had seen him dead. But then he was a Death eater cum spy, he will have faced his death many times. What would be different about this time?

"Professor McGonagall and…" she paused.

Malfoy squeezed her elbow.

"And Professor Snape…sir."

After Hermione's words there was another silence. Not being strong enough to stop herself her eyes drifted to the poor house elf. It would most likely not have seen it coming, who could do such a thing? Who could take a life let alone in such a way as this?

"Mr Malfoy we need to call upon your gift to see the past. Would you please tell us what you can about what has happened here?" The headmaster said.

Hermione gasped softly. She thought she had the worst 'gift' but now she can see she was wrong. She could see a dead house elf before her, but Malfoy would have to see how its life being taken.

Malfoy let go of her elbow and stood a little straighter.

Close your mind. You will not want to see or feel this.

"Yes, sir." He said to the headmaster.

Moving forward he touched the elf's small lifeless hand.

So you have read it now tell me what you think…please…pretty please with sugar and a cherry on the top!

Thanks!

HC