Chapter 8
Hermione sighed as she triple-checked her trunk, making sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Their school shopping had been put off for a couple days after their visit to Malfoy Manor, but they had managed to get everything they had needed – from either the few shops still open in Diagon Alley or through owl-post. After that, she had gone to a muggle OB/GYN for a check-up, and had breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor had announced she and the baby were both in excellent health.
She paused in her packing as she looked once more at the picture of the ultrasound lying on the floor next to her. The baby was still only about two inches long -too small to define a gender -butithad beenthe first timeHermione hadsmiled while thinking about the mess she had gotten herself in.
She had actually been excited when she had first seen to little form growing inside her.
Shaking herself out of her daydream, she set the picture on top of her clothes and closed the lid, satisfied that nothing was missing.
With a content sigh, she sat on her bed, grabbing a small piece of metal from her nightstand as she did. A satisfied smile crept on her face as she fingered the badge that said HEAD GIRL. She had worked six long years for the opportunity to wear this badge, and now, it was hers.
At least something's going right for me, she mused.
There was a soft knock on her door a few minutes later, followed by Ron and Harry walking in.
"You ready?" the redhead asked, a goofy grin on his face.
Over the past week, the three friends had managed to patch things together. There had been a lot of yelling, crying, and things being thrown at each other's heads, but they had all gotten to the point were they could joke and laugh together as they had before her mistake. Things weren't perfect, but then again, Hermione didn't think they ever would be.
"Almost," she smiled in return. Pocketing her badge, she slid to the floor and looked under her bed. There, she saw two bright yellow eyes staring back at her. "You ready to go back to Hogwarts, Crookshanks?" she asked, reaching out for him.
The cat came without a fight, and the young witch smiled as she stood with him purring in her arms. "Now I'm ready," she said with a definitive nod.
Ron stared at the half-kneazle she held with the same distaste he had always held for it. "Of course, you can't forget that bloody menace," he muttered sarcastically, turning away and making his way down the hall, a laughing Harry following.
Things are getting better, she thought happily as she pulled out her wand and levitated her trunk out of the room.
They would be traveling to the Burrow, and from there, Mr. Weasley would be driving the three of them and Ginny to King's Cross, where they would board the Hogwarts Express.
Hermione's smile faded quickly when she thought about that.
She had forgotten about Ginny.
Ginny couldn't help but think that something wasn't quite right as she watched her brother and his friends pull their trunks out of the car. The entire ride to King's Cross had been full of the usual inside jokes and aimless chatter the three usually indulged in during the yearly trip.
No angry comments or bitter glares had been exchanged, and the three had acted like all was right with the world.
There had been a brief moment of tense silence, however, when her mother had started talking about how much she was looking forward to being a grandmother, and what a shame it was that Bill probably wouldn't be there for the birth of his first child.
She couldn't figure out why the three had suddenly gone quiet when the topic was brought up, but she hadn't missed the almost sad look that passed between the three.
A shadow suddenly loomed over her, and she spun around, only to fall down with a shriek as she saw who was behind her.
Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini stood there, staring down at her, amused.
Zabini stepped around her, while Goyle held out his hand, offering to help her up. She took it cautiously, and was amazed at the sudden weightless feeling she had as she was lifted off the ground and set on her feet.
"You alright?" he asked quietly as she brushed off her rear. She nodded mutely, her cheeks tinged red in embarrassment, and turned to see Hermione, Harry and her brother having a quiet conversation with the other Slytherin.
She knew that whatever the other boy was saying, it couldn't be a good, because Ron and Harry were getting angrier by the second, and Hermione looked severely offended.
All conversation stopped, however, when her father walked up to them, a stern look on his face. "I think it's about time you left, young man."
Only able to see his back, Ginny could only imagine the look on the mysterious Slytherin's face as he replied. "I do apologize for my rudeness, Arthur, but this conversation is absolutely none of your concern."
She watched as her father grew red in the face, both from the humiliation and anger of being spoken to in such a way by a boy a third of his age. Before he could find his voice, though, the dark-skinned boy turned toward her and the behemoth next to her. "Gregory, if you would be so considerate as to retrieve Hermione's trunk, we can be on our way," he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
Goyle grunted in acknowledgement and walked to where four trunks were sitting. He stood for a moment, looking them over, before turning to Hermione. Ginny almost cringed at the anger present in the other girl's eyes before she huffed in resignation and pointed to hers. Goyle stooped down to the one on the far right and lifted the large trunk easily, holding it with one hand on his shoulder. Turning to make his way back the way they came, his eyes caught Ginny's confused look and he paused, a smile creeping onto his normally stoic face. "Which one's yours?" he asked.
All eyes turned to her, causing her blush to return full force. "The… the one on the other end," she said, knowing it was too quiet for anyone to hear.
She was amazed, therefore, when he walked to her trunk, hefted it upon his other shoulder and walked toward her, stopping in front of her. His smile grew a little larger as she looked up at him, her cheeks burning even hotter.
"Thanks," she mumbled as Zabini walked up to them.
"Come along then, Gregory, or our garrulous Prince will throw a tantrum at our tardiness."
Goyle grunted in acknowledgement and stepped around her, the smile falling from his lips as he did.
She stared after the Slytherins in confusion before the Trio walked by her as well, Hermione stopping long enough to ask if she was coming.
Snapping out of her stupor, she nodded and followed, watching with a little awe as the large boy carried the two heavy trunks with no apparent strain.
Curiouser and curiouser, she thought, throwing a look to the disgruntled girl walking beside her, empty-handed save for the half-kneazle that lay asleep in her arms.
"… and then we went to Paris. And even though I've been there a million times it's still my favorite city of all time. You know, the city of love, with the Eiffel Tower, the –"
"You know Muggles built the Eiffel Tower, right?" Draco interrupted, hoping it would deter the raven-haired girl next to him from continuing.
Pansy paused for a moment and looked at him, confused. "Oh… Well, it's pretty, that's all that counts. Anyway, then we…"
Draco closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose as Pansy's incessant account of her summer continued. He found himself wishing for the first time in his life that Granger were there. At least it would be an intelligent conversation, he thought. Scratch that – intelligent argument would be more apt.
"Pansy," he interjected again. "Granger will be here in a few minutes and I really don't feel like listening to you two argue. So, if you would be so kind as to find another compartment to occupy, I would appreciate it."
She looked at him, the hurt clearly displayed in her eyes, but she knew she could have been dismissed in a much less polite way, so she relented without a fight. "All right, Draco, but she gives you any trouble, let me know," she said with a vicious glint in her eyes.
Draco frowned at her words. "Are you insinuating that I'm incapable of taking care of my own problems?" he asked dangerously.
The Slytherin Princess immediately looked panicked, knowing she had been caught in a dangerous situation, but was saved from answering as the door to the compartment slid open. Goyle stood there with two trunks slung over his shoulders, looking between the two sitting in the spacious Heads cabin.
"Bad time?" he asked, setting one trunk on the ground and heaving the other onto a shelf above Pansy's head.
Draco waved his hand dismissively. "Not at all, Goyle. Is she here?"
He didn't have a chance to answer, however, because at that moment a very distressed-looking Gryffindor witch practically ran into the cabin.
The blond arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Is there a problem, Granger?"
"Loo."
Draco smirked and pointed to a door to his left. The genius threw her cat at him and ran into the loo without so much as a glance at the room's other occupants. The sound of her being sick, unfortunately for all in the cabin, was quite clear through the open door. Goyle tactfully walked over to the door and shut it, giving the chestnut-haired witch some privacy.
Pansy looked at the two smirking boys, one of whom was trying to calm a very distraught cat, disgusted and bewildered. "All right, what's –"
"Umm…"
The three Slytherins turned to look at the disruption. Granger's cat meowed at the littlest Weasel.
The massive teenager in question picked the other trunk off the ground. "Be right there," he said to her before turning to Draco. "Blaise took off to spend some time with his… friend, if you're looking for him."
Draco nodded and directed his gaze upon the dark-haired girl across from him. "Pansy, I'd appreciate it if you left as well," Draco held up a hand to stop her protest. "Unless, of course, you would like to finish our discussion."
The fear returned to her eyes as she realized he hadn't forgotten about her inadvertent slight. She lowered her eyes to the cat sitting on his lap and her lip curled in a vicious sneer before walking out of the compartment. She stopped briefly to glare at the Weaselette. "The whole world's gone nutters," she muttered after a tense moment, stomping off down the hall.
Draco watched with narrowed eyes as the redhead gave Goyle an exasperated look. The behemoth just chuckled, causing her cheeks to gain a reddish tinge, and then waved at her to lead the way.
I'll have to keep my eyes on them, he thought with a hint of aggravation. He couldn't have Goyle getting involved with a girl, especially the Weaselette, when there was so much at stake.
After a moment, he relaxed and started running his hand through the fur of the creature in his lap. "Well, that was entertaining," the blond smirked. The damnably likable cat just curled up against him and purred in agreement.
Harry sat down with a sigh after hefting his trunk onto the shelf above the seat. They had parted ways with Ginny, Hermione and the two Slytherins shortly after they had boarded the train, with promises from all the Gryffindors to meet up shortly.
He didn't understand Malfoy's insistence in sending Goyle and Zabini to escort Hermione to the Head's cabin. It was as if he was trying to advertise the fact that he and Hermione had been involved. Closing his eyes, he thought about all the confused and suspicious stares the group had gotten once they had reached Platform 9 ¾. None of them could seem to make sense of the Golden Trio suddenly being in the company of Goyle and Zabini, children of known and suspected Death Eaters, respectively.
After several minutes of Harry and Ron sitting in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, the compartment door slid open with a bang, startling both.
Standing there was Luna Lovegood, a strange witch with limp, dirty blonde hair and a penchant for believing the unbelievable. She smiled dreamily as she strolled into the cabin, her trunk behind her, a dreamy smile on her face. "Hello Harry. Hello Ronald," she greeted them, pulling her trunk between the seats before sitting down across from the redhead. Without another word, she pulled out a copy of the Quibbler, propped her feet upon her trunk, and was once more lost her in her own little world.
The two boys looked at each other, confused at first, then, gradually, they began laughing.
This is how Ginny found them when she entered a few moments later, Goyle trailing behind her.
"Did I miss something?" she asked tentatively as she stepped in and took the seat beside Luna.
Ron looked at his sister, still laughing, and shook his head. "It's nothing, Gin."
From the door, Goyle cleared his throat, causing Ginny to jump. "Oh, um… Up here, I guess," she said awkwardly, waving to the cargo rack above her. The large boy nodded and hefted the trunk to the shelf, the ease of the action apparent in his movements. After he was done, he walked out without another glance.
The youngest Weasley stood and looked out the door in the direction he had left. "See you later!" Ginny called, obviously upset by his abrupt departure.
Harry dimly heard the goliath grunt in response. He was too busy getting an eyeful of Ginny's backside.
As she sat back down, and Harry shook himself from his admiration, he noticed that Luna was looking at the other girl with a knowing smile. "He's half-troll, you know," she said matter-of-factly.
"He is not!" the redheaded girl laughed. The smile remained on her face as her eyes darted to the door and back. "I'd say a quarter."
Harry laughed in response, and turned to Ron to continue the joke with him, but stopped when he saw the other boy glowering darkly at his sister. "Hey, what's wrong, mate?"
The elder Weasley shook his head and shifted his gaze to the window.
Harry sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back. He could understand how Ron felt. First, Hermione had… been intimate with Malfoy, and now Ginny seemed to be showing interest in the blond snake's bodyguard.
Things were just changing too quickly for either of them to keep up. He almost wished Voldemort would attack the train to get his mind off everything.
At least then I would know what to do, he thought bitterly as he heard the whistle blow and the train begin to pull out.
"Ugh."
"Feeling better, Granger?" Draco smirked at the brown-haired witch that plopped down on the seat across from him.
"Do you always have to be a git?" she snapped.
Draco's eyes widened marginally. "Why, yes. Yes, I do," he smiled indulgently.
"Oh, just be quiet," she moaned, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples in agitation. After a moment, she opened one eye and glared at the cat coiled up in his lap. "Come here, Crookshanks," she cooed, opening her other eye and holding her hands out in invitation.
Crookshanks lifted his head and looked at Granger lazily. After a stretch and a yawn, he curled back into Draco's lap with a purr.
She crossed her arms with a huff and looked at her half-kneazle irritably. "Traitor," she pouted.
There were a few moments of silence, in which Draco felt the train lurch forward, signaling the start of the long trek to Hogwarts.
"I thought I told you to resign your post as Head Girl," he said finally, causing her to look up in shock.
"And you actually expected me to do so?" she asked, outraged at his presumptuousness.
Narrowing his eyes, he sneered at her in response.
Silence once more settled over the two, only to be broken a few moments later by the door sliding open, revealing a nervous fifth year.
"Hi," she smiled shyly.
Draco snorted in amusement. "Are you going to stand there all day?" he sneered.
"Be nice, Malfoy. Hello, I'm Hermione Granger and this is Draco Malfoy," she smiled warmly at the new arrival. "Come in and take a seat, and we'll get started when everyone arrives," she said as she stood up and took the seat next to Draco.
As they waited for the rest of the prefects to arrive, Draco and Granger went through the lists that had been sent with their letters and made priorities for the meeting.
After about fifteen minutes, Draco looked up and made a quick count of those present. "We're still one short," he told Granger, who was writing down some notes on Merlin-knows-what.
She pulled out the list for roll and looked up at the prefects. "Anyone know who's missing?" she asked.
Draco took a quick survey of the shaking heads. They all looked a little too nervous. They're probably intimidated by me, he thought smugly, not letting his annoyed face slip.
Just as his counterpart was about to open her mouth to begin calling names, the door opened with a slam, causing all the prefects to jump. Draco faced the last addition and nearly growled in disdain.
"Sorry I'm late. I got caught up talking with Ginny and Harry, and then Colin needed help finding –"
"Shut up and sit down, Creevey. We're late enough as it is without your inane babble."
"Malfoy! Be nice!" Granger snapped.
Dennis Creevey quietly took the last seat available, smiling gratefully at Hermione as he did.
Draco lip curled at the younger boy as Granger began calling names.
"All right, just raise your hand when I call your name. Gryffindors Dennis Creevey and Bryn Kennedy?" Both fifth year prefects had brown hair, but their heights were vastly different. Creevey was only about five feet tall while the girl was nearing six. Draco didn't really know much about either of them, except that this Creevey was Colin's little brother. And Colin Creevey... well, he was welcome in Slytherin, by default, if nothing else.
"Gryffindors Thomas McPherson and Jenna Alexander?" These two were obviously acquaintances of the Weaselette, if not friends. Well, for that matter Draco didn't know if the red-head actually had any friends beside Granger and – he shuddered to think – Loony.
It had long ago been deemed redundant to have seventh-year prefects from the same house the Head Boy and Girl came from, so Granger moved directly to the next house.
"Hufflepuffs James Weston and Alyson Norrington?" The Weston boy had blonde hair and clouded gray eyes. Draco knew him slightly through his twin brother, who was in Slytherin, but didn't know much beside the fact he was in Hufflepuff.
The Norrington girl must have deemed Loony's sense of style a good idea and had dyed her hair purple. Draco saw bright happy faces staring out from under her eyelids, automatically bringing a sneer of disgust to his lips.
"Hufflepuffs Kyle Jones and Rhiannon –"
"Ryan."
Granger looked up in surprise at the interruption from the Spanish girl. Draco merely shifted his sneer from one girl to the next.
"I wasn't aware I cared what you would like to be called," Draco began to rant before receiving a sharp elbow in the gut.
Turning, he glared viciously at Granger, absolutely furious at being interrupted in front of all the prefects. Realizing she had just made a very large mistake, she hid her face behind the parchment containing the names.
"Because the name on this piece of parchment is the name you will go by," he finished, still glowering at Granger.
The chestnut-haired witch coughed and sat up, trying to regain some of her composure. The other Slytherins in the cabin began to chuckle, but were quickly cut off when Draco's glare turned on them.
"Hufflepuffs Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott?" Granger called out after it was clear they had regained control in the room.
Macmillan might have put on a no-nonsense face, but he was nothing more than a sniveling little ferret that could be easily manipulated by the youngest of Slytherins. He was very bright and, coincidentally, very good at doing other people's homework.
Draco knew little of the girl, however. Not that he really cared.
"Ravenclaws Caleb Spirington and Kaylee Smythe?" Draco had met Caleb before. Actually, he had tutored Draco through Astronomy last year. Very intelligent and very discreet, he had been the ideal tutor for a Slytherin Prince. About five and a half feet tall, with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair, half-moon glasses and sharp, clean dress, he was just remarkable enough to be noticed, and just plain enough to be forgotten soon after.
The Smythe girl, on the other hand, could very well have been related to Loony with the way she was dressed. Bright tye-dyed shirt and pink and blue flannel pants with green and yellow bunnies on it, and wild black hair gave her a 'just out of bed' look. Her drooping eyelids and wide yawn gave credence to that idea.
"Ravenclaws Micah Pitranski and Willamina Smit?"
Both looked like they should have been the other. Pitranski had long hair pulled into a ponytail and was fairly short, around Creevey's height. Very much a pretty boy, Draco had seen him on a few occasions, and only by a comment from Pansy on his abilities in bed knew his correct gender.
Smit was, well… not Draco's type, to say the least. Slightly shorter than Goyle, she had short blonde hair – short being an understatement. It was cut to the point of being very masculine and was spiked in all directions. Draco quickly continued his scrutiny on the next individual.
"Ravenclaws Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil?"
Goldstein was altogether unassuming and unremarkable. Definitely one of those kids that received a prefect badge solely on grades and the fact he never broke any rules. Draco couldn't help but think how boring his life must be.
And Patil… well, Draco wasn't a fan of either of the twins.
"Slytherins Alex Weston and Heather Knowles?" The second of the Weston twins, Alex had dull black hair and bright blue eyes that pierced you with their intensity. His very presence made most people squirm. He was Draco's protégé, the next in line for the head of Slytherin, and someone who demanded respect with his very presence, even at fifteen.
Knowles could have very well been a female version of Draco. With crimson hair and a very pale complexion, made more evident by the all-black wardrobe she insisted on wearing, she was a dangerous kind of beauty. The one you had to be brave to ask to join you for an evening, because if you weren't, you might not survive it. She had a vicious demeanor, a sharp wit and a quick mind. She was Pansy's successor.
Both Slytherin prefects looked to Draco for confirmation on whether or not to respond. At his slight nod, they both raised their hands.
Draco caught Granger rolling her eyes and shaking her head from out of the corner of his eye and smirked. I'll have to explain to her about the Slytherin hierarchy.
"Slytherins Ike Chauncy and Jennifer Palmer?"
Chauncy, like the other Slytherins waited for Draco's nod before responding. A sinister-looking boy with dirty black hair that hung in front of his eyes and an altogether imposing build, he was extremely dangerous individual with little to no brains. He reminded Draco of Crabbe, but the thought caused him to quickly move on to the next object of scrutiny.
Palmer was an oddity, and was despised in Slytherin because of it. She was a mudblood, the first to be sorted into the House in nearly 70 years. And if it weren't for the change in times, Draco felt she would have ended up much the same way the last did – dead. But Palmer took absolutely nothing from anyone, not even Snape. She was powerful and intelligent, and quick to her wand. She learned quickly that she would need to be, or she would be walked on every step of the way. She reminded Draco of Granger in many ways, except she had the temper of a Weasel.
Most Slytherins tended to leave her alone nowadays, too many having been the brunt of that temper. Only the very brave – or, in Draco's case – the very influential, dared rile her.
With everyone present, the meeting progressed with Granger running through all the minute details of their jobs – patrolling hallways, dishing out punishments to those deserving, setting a high standard for younger students to follow, so on, so forth.
Draco found himself nodding off several times, but was awakened every time by a sharp elbow in the gut from Granger.
"… and now that the war is a very real menace to Hogwarts, we need to make sure the students feel safe. Please inform Malfoy, myself or any of the professors of any and all Death Eaters or Death Eater sympathizers you know of."
The blond sat up and regarded each of the prefects in turn, studying them all for sign of hesitation or fear. Several of the girls blushed hotly under his gaze. Draco contained the smirk he felt coming on; he knew this was a critical moment. Both he and Granger agreed that he should say something at this point, to alleviate any suspicions they would have on him.
"While Voldemort," everyone else in the cabin shuddered, even the Slytherins, "is attempting to rise to power, the security of the school is paramount. Hogwarts has been entrusted with these students for safekeeping – even though it is one of the largest targets. We, as authority figures, need to protect those given into our care. No one is to be a hero, but you are all expected to perform your duties. In doing so, you will help protect all the children within the walls of Hogwarts. If you ever have any questions about your duties, or about what you should take into your hands and what you should let fall to myself and Granger, never hesitate to ask.
"We are here to help you determine the lines you are to work within and abide by at all costs. We have to be careful of how we tread around the other students. We cannot show fear, no matter how terrified we may be. We must stand strong and together. House rivalries must be put aside and we must work together."
Too simply led, too easily fooled, Draco thought bitterly as he watched the faces turn from fearful to proud that they had been selected for this task.
Granger took a deep breath before broaching the subject that would cause the most debate, and one that Draco was wholly in disagreement with. "And also, on the topic of House rivalries, there will be no Quidditch this year." She paused as she waited for the complaints to subside before continuing. "There will be no Quidditch because it has been deemed too dangerous to have all the students in such a confined area out in the open. If Death Eaters were to attack, the panic alone would cause several injuries to students, not to mention if they had us surrounded, those who tried to flee would be..." At the somber and shocked looks on the faces of the prefects, Granger stopped for a moment and set her hand over her eyes, unable to voice one of her worst fears. Draco saw tears glistening in her eyes behind the hand.
"You have to realize," Draco continued for her. "We know how much you don't want to face this reality. But the fact remains, the war will be there whether or not you wish to acknowledge it. People will die. People close to you. Maybe even you. This war is already knocking on our doorstep. It's not a matter of if it will happen; it's a matter of when.
"To help prepare you, all of you will be participating in weekly classes with the DA club. To find out more about the meeting times, you'll need to speak with Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor, as he is currently in charge of the group. This is mandatory for you," he finished with a stern, sweeping gaze.
"You are dismissed," Granger said after it was clear Draco was done. "Remember to patrol the hallways every now and then, and, if you can, just stop by and speak with Neville for a moment. He should be somewhere near the middle of the train." She stood to shake their hands as they departed. Draco simply nodded at each of them in turn. Crookshanks just glared.
After the last of the students departed from the cabin, Hermione collapsed into the seat across from Malfoy. "I hope I never have to do that again," she muttered, laying down on the seat and draping an arm across her forehead.
"Oh, please, Granger. You're being dramatic," Malfoy smirked.
She narrowed her eyes at him, but couldn't stop the grin that forced its way onto her face.
After a few moments, her smile faded and she sat up, looking at him earnestly. "Did you mean what you told them?" she asked quietly, looking into his eyes.
Sighing, he leaned his head against the back of the seat. "I was just telling them what they needed to hear, Granger. Whether I meant what I said or not isn't the issue. That they believed I meant it is."
Hermione studied him for a few more moments before she responded. "You're right. But I need to know if you believe what you said."
"Why?"
"Peace of mind."
Malfoy sat forward and began petting Crookshanks, who had not left his lap, as he thought of an answer. "No, I don't think I do believe it. I've seen the worst that humanity has to offer. I've seen people tortured and killed, all in the name of a higher purpose. Merlin, Granger, I've killed in the name of that higher purpose."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat at the admission. It was the first time he had spoken of his activities as a Death Eater.
His expression grew forlorn as he turned his gaze to the window. "I think I regret that… but I don't really know anymore."
A depressing sort of silence settled over them.
"Granger, let me pose you a philosophical question," he said after a moment, still staring out the window. "If you came upon a child drowning in a lake, would you jump in and attempt to save it?"
She nodded without hesitation. "Of course, only the most heartless people would let someone die without trying to help them."
His face remained impassive as he turned to her, and she grew a little nervous.
"What if you knew that child would grow up to be the Dark Lord?" he continued, his voice as cold and biting as ice. "You knew that if you let that child drown, thousands would continue living?"
She opened her mouth to answer, but she realized what he was really asking, and no words came out. Would she save a single life and doom others to their deaths, or let that life perish, so that others could live?
What was the value of a life to her?
Author's Note
Well, here's another one for you greedy little devils. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 9 might take a little longer in getting done, because I'm having a little trouble writing it. But, I'll push through it, and it should be done sometime this week.
Also, if you could pop in and check out my non-Repercussions one-shots, I'd appreciate it. Just Waiting has been edited, removing some major grammatical mistakes that were bugging me, and Glimpses of the End has also undergone the smae treatment, as well as being fleshed out a little more.
As always, thank you for reading,
Damien J. Frost