Hermoine raced up the stairs to the owlery. She only had minutes to spare before she was missed. She went to the nearest owl and quickly tied the note to it and took it to the window. "Oliver Wood," she whispered to it and let it go. She watched it fly until it was a tiny speck on the horizon and sighed. It had been three months since the night of the raid when she'd become a spy. Three months and she'd been sending him everything she heard, every rumour, everything of importance. Three months and she hadn't stopped thinking of him. The kiss had wrecked her. She had to work very hard to keep her happiness from Malfoy. Oliver was her link to sanity, her joy every time she found a note hidden in the straw of the owlery.

"Sending an owl?"

She jumped. "No," she replied, spinning around to face Malfoy. "Who would I send an owl to?"

He shrugged lazily. "That's what I'd like to know." He came towards her. "Who would you be sending an owl to?" he purred, looking her up and down. "Who indeed."

She backed up against a nest.

His hands came up to rest on either side of her, blocking her in. "You're very beautiful when you're scared," he remarked with a smirk. He bent his head towards her.

She brought her hands up. "I thought you hated mudbloods. I thought you despised us." She pushed against him to no avail.

"I do," he replied before he kissed her.

Hermione woke with a start. Another violent nightmare, but this time about Oliver. She looked over at Draco snoring softly beside her. She couldn't stop him when he swept her off to his room. Halfway there she'd come up with a plan. She could spy on Malfoy much easier if she had access to his room. Namely now. She slid from the bed and pulled her clothes on, feeling very dirty. She'd have to create a sleeping draught to give him so he would fall asleep. She didn't not care to repeat tonight.

She moved to his desk, pulling open the top drawer. She rummaged through parchments and scrolls for a long time, until daylight crept in through the windows, copying and replacing them where she'd found them. She crept from his room and ran quickly up to the owlery. Tying the package to an owl, she let him out, whispering Oliver's name to him. Then she ran back to her own room.

For the next few days, she avoided Malfoy, as hard as it was, while trying to find the ingredients to make a sleeping draught. She knew that it would not be long before he called her to his chambers again. She was right. The next day, as she was coming down from the owlery, Oliver's letter clutched in her hand, Mrs. Hollow yelled from the bottom of the stairs as she came up,

"Mr. Malfoy commands your presence in his chambers. Bring this along." She shoved a tray into Hermione's arms and walked away.

She turned and made her way to Malfoy's chambers, stopping off quickly at her own to pick up the vial of makeshift sleeping draught, which she hoped would work.

When she arrived, he was sitting at his desk, scribbling furiously. He barely looked at her. After a few minutes, he finished, giving the letter to a servant, who rushed by her, closing the door behind him and leaving Hermione alone with Malfoy.

He waved her in. "Come here. I'm famished."

She started forward, wishing she'd been able to catch a glance at the letter. Then, with a start that rattled the tray, she realized that Oliver's letter was still in her hand under the tray. She put down the tray then slipped her hands behind her back.

He stood up, picking up two goblets, and came towards her. She backed up until her knees hit the bed and she sat down quickly.

He sat down beside her, handing her a goblet and kissing her. She pulled out the vial, slipping the letter from Oliver into her pocket. As he started to kiss her neck, she slipped the draught into his glass.

"Draco," she said, pushing him back a bit. "Let's drink to the cause."

He smiled. "You're finally thinking straight, my dear." He picked up his goblet and drank all of it in one gulp.

She sipped her drink, hiding a smile in it.

"Now where were we?" he said, with a smirk and moved towards her. He kissed her, hard and insistent. He pushed her down onto the bed and started undoing the buttons of her shirt. At the third button, he fell to the bed on his side and started snoring softly.

She sighed. Thank god. Stripping him down to his boxers, she placed him into the bed, then went quickly over to the desk. Pulling the wand from her boot, she waved it over the parchment. Writing started appearing and she grabbed the parchment, running up to the owlery to send it to Oliver. Then she went back to her room and to sleep.

She woke to the crunch of glass, feeling very cold. She opened her eyes to see the curtains blowing in the wind of the broken window. Her heartbeat sped up. Someone was in her room. She sat up, pulling the covers to her chest. "H-hello? Who's there?" For a single, panicked moment, she thought it was Malfoy. That the sleeping draught hadn't worked and he knew she was spying on him. A familiar shape moved into the moonlight and she caught the flash of teeth as he grinned at her.

"Oliver! What are you doing here?" she whispered furiously. "It isn't safe!"

"I had to see you." He came towards the bed, pulling off his boots and sliding in beside her. "I was worried about you."

She moved a bit closer and he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him comfortably, resting his chin on the top of her head, his hand rubbing comfortingly up and down her arm.

She could feel his heart beating against her ear, strong and reassuring.

They sat that way for awhile, just revelling in being with each other.

Finally, he sighed. "You won't have to be here much longer. We're getting you out of here soon…"

She pulled away. "What? No, there's more information that I can get!"

"You're not. I'm taking you away."

She pulled herself out of his arms. "No. We still have to fight him."

"We will. Just not like this. Not around him." He reached out to reassure her.

She shrugged his hand off. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to!" he exploded quietly. "Because I can't handle it when you're here and I can't take care of you! Because I love you!"

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it with a snap. "You what?"

"I love you," he repeated quietly, then leaned in to kiss her.

She kissed back, allowing him to slide an arm around her to pull her closer.

His hand slid up the back of her shirt, feeling the smooth skin of her back.

She reached out, rather timidly, took the edge of his sweater, and slid it off his torso. She ran her hands over his hard muscles. He groaned and took her hands, kissing her again.

She woke up, feeling him moving from beside her. "Oliver."

"It'll be light soon. I have to get out of here before then." He leaned in and kissed her. "I love you. I'm going to get you out of here. We have all the information we need."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to kiss him again. "I don't want you to go."

He kissed her on the forehead, holding her close. "I know. I don't want to leave you here but I have to. If you need me, I'll be in Dover." He kissed her one last time and left, looking back one more time before disappearing out the window.

Hermione sighed, snuggling back under the covers. She smiled dreamily, thinking of Oliver as she fell asleep.

Malfoy  frowned, watching Hermione fall asleep. She had guts, he had to admit. Lots of guts. He'd seen her give him the sleeping draught, muttered the counter-curse, and pretended to fall asleep. When she left his room, he'd dressed and followed her. And now as he was watching her sleep, a rage built inside him. How dare she love him and not me! he screamed silently. He wanted to kill Wood. He would kill Wood. Then she would have no choice but to love him.

He turned and left the room. When he got to his study, he touched the wall with his wand. Crabbe's face came into view.

"Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Wood is in Dover. Find him," Malfoy snapped, cutting the link off before Crabbe could reply. He leaned back in his chair. The resistance was growing stronger, thanks to his information, via Granger, but not anymore. Here was his chance to get one of the top members. He would not fail.

He tapped the top of his desk, and a servant's face appeared. "Get me Granger."

She was brought to him moments later, thrown into a heap before him.

"Granger," he said silkily, beckoning her forward. He waved to the servant. "Get out."

Hermione got up and moved forward hesitantly.

He got up and circled the desk towards her.

She licked her lips nervously. "You called for me?"

He nodded, putting a sincere look on his face. "Where did you go Hermione? I woke up and you were gone."

She gulped. "I went back to my room. I thought you wouldn't want anyone to know that… I was there…with you." She faltered at the end.

"Did you?"

"Yes."

He grabbed her by the arm and threw her across the room, pulling out his wand. "Crucio!"

She hit the ground, rolling and screaming in pain.

"Thought you could trick me?" he screamed at her. "You were with him! You were spying on me and sending them your secrets!"

He stopped and she raised herself unsteadily.

"Had enough?" he asked.

"That all?" she replied shakily.

His eyes flashed and he threw up his wand. "Crucio!"

She brought up her own wand. "Expelliarmus!"

He flew backwards and hit the bookshelf behind his desk and she turned and ran. As she came past the servant, he yelled,

"Hey! You! Stop!"

She looked back. He was running after her. When she turned back, something came at her and hit her in the face. The world faded into darkness.