Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling has full ownership of all characters below...(oh dear but I don't think her Draco has as much conscience as mine...)

A/N: No reviews for the last chapter! ( but never mind I'm late in updating so I apologise terribly for the delay. I like this chapter though, it has quite a bit of action and you can tell the D/H thing is beginning! (rubs hands gleefully) For now, enjoy!

Before eight o'clock, Hermione was so jittery that her hands were trembling terribly and her eyes were shifting uneasily. She couldn't even keep the least bit still during dinner, and was attracting a lot of attention. Lavender looked at her enquiringly, but Hermione shook her head quickly. Lavender looked a bit skeptical, but decided not to ask further, turning back to Parvati who was happily cooing about the last Divination lesson she had with Firenze.

"Hermione?"

She jerked, staring at Harry with rather frightened-looking eyes.

"Hermione, don't be so conspicuous. Calm down."

"How do you expect me to calm down?" She whispered fiercely. Almost at once, there were a few turned heads, but Harry glared at them so angrily that they turned back hurriedly.

"Well," he looked back at Hermione, eyebrows furrowed together. "I know you're scared, I know you're eager to save Ron, and Malfoy for that matter…" Harry scowled when he mentioned his nemesis' name. "…but whatever it is, you've got to calm down. I can't have a jittery Hermione with me 'cos she's going to lose all her rationality!"

Harry's words made sense, but gave no comfort to Hermione, who tried to calm her fidgety fingers. But it obviously did not work, for she dropped her spoon almost immediately. The Gryffindors were too busy eating and clanging glasses together merrily to hear that, but Harry could see the misery etched on Hermione's face. He couldn't help thinking back to the days when he, Hermione, and Ron were laughing together at this very table, tucking into the feast, listening to Ron's whines about his mother's latest gift while he and Hermione laughed till their sides ache looking at Ron's woebegone face…

…that had turned pale and cold in the hospital wing…

---

The clock showed 7.50.

Hermione crept up the tower stealthily, though her fingers were still trembling. Harry followed behind, but at a distance. He knew the person Draco Malfoy had called out to was Hermione, and Hermione alone, because he only wanted to see her. As disturbing as it seemed, Harry felt that there was a possibility that his bushy-haired friend could have caused the smug Slytherin prince to have opened his heart a bit more…

"Harry?"

The whisper was filled with so much pain, misery, and most of all, fear.

"Hermione, I'll be behind you."

"Harry…Harry if what you told me Professor Nell told you…was true…"

Harry looked at his friend, the tears in her eyes glistening like diamonds.

"If what he said was true…then it means that…"

"Yes, Hermione. It means that Voldemort is getting more scheming…he's getting into the walls of Hogwarts with that Callidus Auceps person, and now Malfoy."

"It means…"

"That Hogwarts is not safe."

"That you are not safe…" whispered Hermione, her fingers tightening around the railings.

"Hermione?" Harry looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "Are you trying to tell me…"

"Harry, I don't want you here."

Harry stepped back. "What?"

"Voldemort is here to meet Malfoy. He will know you're here…he'll try to get you." Hermione bit her lip hard till she felt the blood flow onto her tongue. "He'll show you no mercy."

"Hermione, this is not the first time I'm meeting him!" Harry lost his patience. "I am NOT having you up there alone attempting to save Malfoy! I'm the only person Voldemort fears! And I'm the only person who has fought him and survived! Please! You're not going there alone to DIE!"

He said the last word so vehemently that Hermione shivered. Instantly, both of them were reminded of the tragic death of Cedric Diggory in the fourth year.

Harry turned white as he said it, then he looked down at his shoes instead.

Without a word, Hermione began ascending the staircase again. Harry looked up, then followed quietly.

---

The school clock chimed.

Eight o'clock.

Harry took the carefully folded Invisible Cloak from his robe and shook it out, before covering Hermione and himself with it. Huddling under the invisibility, they crept up to the topmost step and pushed against the door tentatively. The usually-locked door moved open with a slight creak.

From the gap between the door and the wall, Hermione could see a clear silhouette against the particularly-bright moon that had sailed over the trees to cast its light upon the tower. She didn't even have to see him; she could sense from the aura he was giving off – who he was.

"Wormtail…" the voice hissed deeply.

"Wormtail is here?" Harry whispered, but Hermione put a hand on his shoulder.

"Y…yess, Massterr?" the slurry, sly voice of Peter Pettigrew was evident.

"What the…WHY are they…" and Hermione gripped Harry's shoulder harder. He said no more, but he could feel his insides burning. Hermione, on the other hand, was searching desperately for Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy! Where are you? Oh…

Hermione had not intended to project her thoughtspeak, but it seemed that she had.

What the HELL! Mudblood, what are you DOING here?

Oh my gosh, thought Hermione, in fright.

"Draco?"

"Y…yes my Lord."

"Is something distracting you?"

Hermione gulped.

"No, my Lord. I…I just have a bit of a headache."

The silhouette shifted slightly. "You have done well, Draco."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"Go..g-go on yourr kneeesss before the D-d-dark Lorrd you ffo-ool! Ss…"

"Wormtail, I did not ask for your opinion." The Dark Lord's voice was icy.

"Y…yes my Lord, I…"

"Silence!"

And the silhouette swung around. Hermione pushed the door open a little more. The moonlight was so glaring that the open area was so much brighter than the lighting within the tower itself, thus she knew she could not be noticed that easily.

"So, Draco, you have completed your first task."

"Yes, my Lord."

The coldness of his tone chilled his own heart.

"A job well done. Are you ready for your second?"

Draco's heart nearly stopped. "S-second?"

"Of course. A faithful minion does not just stop at one…" Voldemort's tone was somewhat bitter. "Unless he is a pathetic, worthless creature!"

Those insults were uttered with such vehemence that Hermione and Harry had no doubt who Voldemort was referring to, especially since Professor Nell had revealed to Harry about the purpose of Callidus Auceps. However, Draco did not understand, for neither his father or the Dark Lord had told him about the handyman.

"My Lord, I…"

"Silence! You bear my mark, and you will obey. I will give you your second task. "

"Y...yes, my Lord."

"Although the Weasley boy has been dealt with, his family still poses a threat."

"How so, my Lord?"

Voldemort sneered. "Do not be a fool, Malfoy. You have three days. "

Draco couldn't help expressing bewilderment.

"Three days to get rid of the other Weasley. You know who is close to…Potter!" And he snarled the name with utmost disgust.

Hermione gasped. Draco almost stopped breathing. Peter Pettigrew winced. And worse of all, Harry slipped and tumbled a few steps.

"Harry!" gasped Hermione, forgetting herself and running after her friend, who was lying a few steps away.

"Who is there?" the Dark Lord's voice reverberated.

"RUN!" Harry grabbed Hermione's hand, heaved himself up, and both of them began to run down the steps for their lives, almost missing a few steps in their flurry. The tower door swung open with a thud, and Draco Malfoy sped down the winding staircase toits base. In a flash, he stood in the middle of the corridor.Then he looked left and right, suspicion in every crease on his forehead.

Not a soul in sight.

Then he made his way up slowly again.

Mudblood, count yourself lucky.

Draco, you mustn't!

I don't need you being nice to me. I don't need your pathetic sucking up. I know you're trying to stop me. Don't you dare, Granger, or I swear you'll be sorry! The Dark Lord doesn't stop here. You've seen me do it, you've seen me dare to do it. You weren't even supposed to be here - damn your filthy mind for reading mine!

Draco came back down from the tower in a few minutes. Hermione and Harry held their breath as he walked past them unflinchingly. After he disappeared around the bend, Harry whipped off the Invisible Cloak, looking extremely white.

"Ginny…" Harry's true feelings were showing at the worst possible time, the name slipping out of his mouth coupled with short breaths.

"Harry, don't, please…" Hermione begged, clutching his hand. Her mind was still whirling with what Draco had said...and her heart ached to hear those words.

I know you didn't do it. I know you didn't.

I don't need your bloody charity! First, it's the Weasel. Next you can guess, smart-aleck, that it's his stupid sister. He's getting every inch closer to Potter! And next it would be…

Hermione sensed the hesitation as she helped the white-faced Harry along the corridor. What?

Never you mind! Whatever it is, just stay out of my affairs or I swear I'll…

YOUR affairs! You're killing off people around ME, the people I love the most, the people I care for the most, the people I…

Oh yeah? Do you think I care?

If you don't, then why stop me?

Draco Malfoy stopped walking hurriedly to the Slytherin common-room as Hermione's voice echoed in his head.

Then why stop me?

Her voice came floating back into his head, sad and painful.

You do care…don't you?