Disclaimer: I own nothing but the unrecognized.

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Chapter 24

"Us?" Ginny asked. "As in, you and me?"

"Yes, Ginny. It's plausible. I've been friends with Harry now for seven years and you've been his friend for at least six. He's gotten immensely close to us. The thing is though, we're girls. Easily frightened by definition, whether truly or not. If something happened to us, Harry and Ron would both come running, destroying themselves and every chance we've got of winning this war. It's… It's positively ingenious," Hermione smiled slightly. She appeared to have lost some of her logical thought, or at least her friends hoped so for the fact that she was indeed smiling.

"Well, that's true. I wouldn't have even thought of that," Ginny whispered.

Hermione's smile grew wider. As silence enveloped the group, she broke it. She began to laugh, almost to the point of hysteria. Everyone stared at her. They hadn't a clue as to why she was laughing. No one knew, and everyone was afraid to ask. Had she finally lost it? Could Hermione Granger snap? No, not her, not the unbreakable Hermione. They prayed that she could not be broken because without her, they would get nowhere.

Finally, someone asked. It was Ron. He asked in a feeble, but definitely audible voice. "Hermione… why are you… laughing?"

She stopped, as slowly and easily as the laugh came, it had gone. She stood up and walked to behind the couch where she could pace back and fourth. So, she paced back and fourth.

"It's just hilarious! I mean, they've been controlling our lives since before we were born. Our friends were decided for us TWICE! Our families were decided for us. Our lives were DECIDED for us! It's just amazing. It was right under my nose. They know everything and we can't stop them… and… and… it's just… WOW!" she said, flipping between normal tones and yelling. She was breathing deeply, unable to regain her breath, maybe her sanity.

Draco was suddenly behind her. He was reaching out for her when she fell into his arms. "Hermione!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm just… so tired."

"Have you even slept lately?"

She smiled, "No, not really."

"Well, I think we should go let you sleep. And I mean, you actually sleep. Not sleep and then get up thirty minutes later."

"But, we need to plan… and we need to-"

"Hermione," Harry said sternly. "Go get some sleep."

Draco picked her up bridal style and carried her to her room. Ginny with held an "Aww."

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Draco laid Hermione in her bed.

"Now, I'm going to sit here," he said, pulling a chair beside the bed and sitting down, "and watch you sleep. I want you asleep for at least an hour. No less but more is beneficiary."

"No…"

"Yes, you sleep."

"No, I meant, lay with me… please," her voice was absolutely pleading with him. In desire and almost pity, he took off his shoes and climbed into bed with her. She immediately got as close as possible to him, curling herself right up underneath his chin. She sighed happily and was soon asleep.

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"Draco… Hermione… wake up." Ginny said, giggling quietly at how adorable the couple looked. "Draco… Hermione…" she poked them both gently, then more harshly. Hermione groaned.

"Stop…" she begged.

"No, wake up."

Hermione let one eye open, then the other. She whispered into Draco's ear, coaxing him into waking up.

"What time is it?" she asked once he was awake.

"7:30"

"In the evening?"

"No, silly, the morning."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, and classes start in an hour, you best get to moving."

"An hour… An HOUR?" Hermione hopped up. She gathered a fresh uniform and ran into her bathroom, quickly turning the shower on.

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It was after lunch in Transfiguration that Hermione remembered that they, her friends, might have thought of a plan. She had been absent-mindedly tapping her quill like a regular muggle pen against her desk to a beat that you could not hear. Bits and peaces from the conversation of the night before flailed through her mind as she tried to decide what to do. What was there to do? That was the million-dollar question. Now, if only she knew the answer.

As she thought, what they could do came to her mind. She smiled at the plan. It was an evil smile, and it would come in handy in the plan just as much as she and Ginny would.

"Class dismissed," McGonagall said from her desk. "Don't forget to practice what you learned today."

Hermione remained, tapping the feather end of her quill against her desk, having already lost herself in a plan that developed further and further as she remained in that one place. Time had frozen in her head.

"Miss Granger, the class was dismissed."

Hermione heard her professor speaking and turned her head, watching McGonagall's lips move and only absorbing the words a minute after she'd said them. She looked around the room, mouthing an "Oh," and stood.

"Goodbye, Professor."

"I'll see you soon, Miss Granger, I'm sure."

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Author's Note: I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever but here is chapter 24. I stalled at the end to purposefully leave you hanging. Sorry. :) I'll try to do better with my updating but I'm not promising. You may leave me angry messages but please, do review. I love my reviewers.

3 Heather