Author's note: Okay, I'm so sorry I didn't update for about 3 or 4 weeks now. I've been busy catching up with my reading of fanfiction and also the starting of school, which has overloaded me. So, yeah, I hope I haven't lost all of my reviewers. But yes, please review. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the unrecognized.

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Chapter Twenty-Three

"If she was so hysterical, how did you get anything out of her?" Ron asked.

"A calming draught. Dumbledore gave it to me when she came back because he thought she might break down soon. He suspected that something was up."

"Oh, okay."

"She looks happy," Harry commented.

"Yeah, she does. Once she comes back over here though, I know that smile will disappear. She knows that when she comes back, you'll be constantly watching her, worrying about her. She doesn't like that."

They continued to watch her.

"Draco!" she yelled. He was tickling her again. "Please… I … need to… breathe!"

"Fine, but only a minute," he stopped but held her in place with an arm on either side of her.

"Can I convince you to stop completely?"

"Maybe."

"How about," she looked to the left, delving through her mind for something that would convince him, "I… ummm," she pushed herself off the ground a little and whispered in his ear. His eyebrows rose slightly. He kissed her lips.

"Deal," he smirked, reclaiming her lips as his.

"Hermione!" Andy was standing between Blaise and Ginny, calling to her. Draco groaned and let her up. She smiled.

"Later, sweetie, later." Strolling towards Andy, she tried her best to maintain the smile Draco had given her although she could see the clearly worried faces of everyone. Pansy was there too now. Apparently, she had brought Andy.

Did Andy know now? Her eyebrows creased while she bit her lip. When she made it to the group, Andy pulled her to his level.

"Why do you look worried?" he whispered.

"It's nothing, baby. Were they talking about me?"

"Not that I know of. Am I missing something?"

She was at ease again so the smile returned. "No, baby, nothing at all."

"You're smiling."

"You make me smile."

"How cheesy of me."

She laughed, standing up. "Now, it's Valentine's Day. Why is everyone huddled into this little group? I mean, I'm cute but no reason to gather just to fawn over me."

"Yes, Hermione, that's just what we're doing."

"Jeez, get a life y'all. Don't you have girlfriends and boyfriends? Seriously, go and get back to them."

Pansy took Andy's hand and pulled Harry away. Hermione let her mouth drop open. When had they gotten together?

"Shut your mouth, honey, that doesn't flatter you." She hit Draco for the comment.

"Are you sure, Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, go away. I don't want to see you until dinner!"

Ginny laughed and Blaise walked away with her.

"And I'll be going now." Ron left.

"Looks like it's just us," Draco whispered into her ear.

"Yes, yes it is." Then, she ran. He chased her.

"Hey, you owe me!"

"Catch me if you can!"

"Oh, but I can."

She ran into her room, stopping just inside and standing against the wall next to the door. He ran in, looking around. Hermione shut the door, causing him to turn and find her. She pulled him to her by the collar of his shirt.

"Looks like I caught you."

"That's okay," he pushed her against the wall, capturing her mouth with his. Draco's tongue slid in, and she squealed in surprise.

Hermione thought about the fact that if a wall wasn't behind her and Draco holding her, she'd of melted already. His kisses were just so soft and sweet.

She pushed away from the wall, making him walk backwards. Finding her bed, she pressed him onto it. Climbing atop him, Hermione kissed his neck, making her way down and unbuttoning his shirt as she went.

He pulled her back up before she was done.

A while later, he pushed her away. "Maybe we should stop," he whispered huskily.

"Maybe, maybe not." She tried to kiss him more but he held her back.

"Seriously, if we don't stop right now, I won't stop later." He got up.

"Where are you going?"

"Just for a short walk, the cold air should do me some good."

"Maybe a cold shower," she laughed.

"Yeah, might need that in addition."

"Alright, I'm going to the library. I need to do some research."

"Then, I'll see you at dinner. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

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"Blaise, have you seen Hermione?" Draco was searching the Great Hall for her. It was at least ten minutes into dinner.

"Uhhh, yeah, she's the one walking in with her nose in the book. Hmm, how Hermione-ish."

Draco chuckled. "She must have found something good." He looked at her other hand that was balancing at least five other books very carefully against her hip. "She must have found many good things."

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"The Warrens have disappeared," Hermione read to herself in her head. She was skimming many articles, picking out this and that. "Arthur Weasley, who works at the Ministry, and his wife found a baby girl. She looks remarkably like them but they would like to know if anyone could claim her. Turn to page six for a description…. Why aren't the Daniels' mourning the loss of their children?…. Voldemort's powers are growing daily, along with his followers."

She sat herself down by Harry and put some food on her plate.

"Watchya reading?" Andy asked from across from her. She didn't hear him. Subconsciously, she put a fork of food into her mouth.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"She's lost in her world of books, Andy," Harry said.

"What's she reading anyways?" Ginny questioned.

Andy pushed himself farther down into his seat, trying to read the name on the cover. "Daily… Prophet Over… the Ages." He smiled.

"Newspapers? Why is she so interested in the Daily Prophet?"

"I don't know, Harry, ask her."

"Gin, it's easier said than done."

"I know but- dear God, get her attention, she's so captured with whatever she reading she keeps poking herself with the fork rather than getting the food into her mouth."

Andy started laughing at her.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled, catching the attention of most of the Great Hall. Hermione looked up.

"What?"

"What's so good in that book? You're… out of it."

She heard Andy laughing in the background. "I don't know. I'll tell you in a bit. Umm, I've got to go. I'll see you in the common room. I'll be ready to talk by then, I'm sure."

"Okay."

She got up and left.

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"Okay, Hermione, time to spill." Everyone had gathered around her. She looked up, surprised. When had they come in?

"Oh, okay, well, umm…" she tried gathering her thoughts. Hermione closed her eyes, conjuring walls up to close her mind off from invaders. "First, do me a favor. Close your mind off. Build walls so that no one can see anything I'm about to tell you. Until then, I won't tell you anything." She watched everyone.

"Okay, so, I think that the plan our parents had was for Ginny and I to get close to Harry and then, when we were older, search our minds so that they could find Harry's weakness. So, that they could destroy Harry. To think, they've been searching all this time. They probably know his weakness now." She looked away.

"What do you think it is?" Ginny asked, sensing that she had an idea.

Hermione stared at Ginny for many moments before her mouth would form the word.

"Us," she whispered.

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Author's note: Okay, that's the end of this chapter! Please review and tell me who you want Ron to go out with. I decided on Harry and Pansy b/c no one told me to put him with anyone else. It'll probably be Ron with Lavender. Anyways, yeah, I hope you liked it but let me know. :)

Aimez-vous,

Heather