A/N Im sory i havnt updated for a long time. i got a terrible case of writers block and then i went back to spain for a week for half term and i came back full of ideas :) hope you like it!

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THE LETTER

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Unless you counted Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger had not yet, in the six and a half years she had been at Hogwarts, had neither a proper boyfriend nor a kiss. Any chance she had with a boy was interrupted by the return of Voldemort or confused by current situations. For the two weeks that she agreed to go out with Ron she realized why no other girl in the school took any interest in him. He was messy, clumsy, and totally un-romantic and when it came to kissing he was either snoring his head off after stuffing his face in the great hall or missed the target completely.

"Were off to Quidditch practice now," Ron said standing next to Harry all dressed up in his house colours.

Hermione looked at Harry with a weak smile on her face "I'll see you both at dinner then," she sighed then returned to the crumpled daily prophet that she had in her hands.

"Something the matter? Harry asked sounding a little concerned.

"No…" Hermione answered not looking up.

"Okay then, well catch you later." Ron said and both boys disappeared, brooms balanced on their shoulders.

That was another thing that Ron was very bad at now days. Compassion. He lacked the capacity. Ron was not the type to surprise you with flowers from the gardens or a kiss whenever he saw you. He was not the type that would especially plan time for you to spend quietly with him, nor the kind that would beat Draco Malfoy into the ground with his fist when he called her a name. The hate Hermione granger felt towards that stuck-up, selfish, Draco Malfoy was unexplainable. Perhaps Ron did know her, perhaps he was just shy. But whatever was going on inside his head he was obviously to thick not to read the daily news…

Ginny flopped onto the sofa causing Hermione to throw the paper into the air which sent pages flying everywhere from surprise and clutch her arm and yelp at the same time as Ginny pinched her hard.

"Pinch, punch, first of the month, no return!" she laughed.

"What are you playing at?" Hermione gasped frowning.

Ginny rolled her eyes "You're the one who taught me that and now you ask what it was for…did I not get the date right or something? Don't you do that on the first day of every month?"

Then it clicked and a warm apologetic smile appeared on Hermione's face "Yes, you got it right, I was just miles away and you took me by surprise,"

"Sorry." Ginny said looking at the scattered newspaper. "Anything interesting?"

Hermione leant down off the sofa onto the floor and rummaged around for the front page. She glanced at it one more time then handed it to Ginny silently.

Deatheaters Attack Muggle Girl

After much exploration and discussion it is believed that the small girl of ten (Amber Tannath) was found only a few feet from her house in a bloodied state, dead. Neighbours explain that they heard loud screams around about midnight and when they went out to collect their daily milk they described the dark mark floating above her house. The parents of the child are believed to still be alive but we have yet to trace their location… continued on page 4

"I knew her," Hermione whispered and took the paper which Ginny had handed back. "It isn't fair Gin, it's to obvious that they were looking for me, and yet they decide to take her life instead,"

"They might be after something else, considering don't you think it's a bit weird that school started two months ago and they go searching for you there…it doesn't add up, they know you're here at Hogwarts."

"They know who I'm associated with," she mumbled

"Your not still keeping in touch are you?" Ginny asked fearing her best friends reply.

"I can't not…" Hermione trailed off "But then what are they after?" Hermione said back in a low confused voice. "Because they won't rest until they get it…and if it's worth that much trouble it can't be good if they find it…"

"…I don't know…" Ginny said back matching her tone. She wasn't sure what to make of the attack but she knew what Hermione was saying made sense and she knew it made her feel scared. Not only for herself but for Harry too. "Maybe we should go down to breakfast, Dumbledore might say something…"

"Good idea," Hermione agreed as she stood up and pulled Ginny by the hand with her "Dumbledore will know what to make of it." she said and walked through the portrait hole and down the corridors until she was sat in the great hall munching on a bowl of cornflakes, anxiously watching the professor with the half moon glasses and sparkling blue eyes whom seemed to be perfectly calm.

"Maybe he hasn't seen it yet," Ginny suggested as she finished off her piece of toast.

The hall was suddenly accompanied by the fluttering and twittering of owls. Hundreds of the found their way to their owners or to whom the person the delivery belonged. "Well if he hasn't he's about to." Hermione replied still watching the headmaster until Hedwig landed elegantly on the table in front of her holding a parcel in her mouth and a letter attached to her foot. "Twice in one morning?" Hermione asked raising an eyebrow at the snowy owl. The parcel was a small box which appeared to be wrapped in brown paper and from the dark brown envelope with red stripes Hermione knew who this was from. The wax stamp that sealed it, to gave the game away.

"Who's that from?" Ron and Harry had just sat down opposite her and were piling food onto their plates, despite the fact they were covered in mud.

"And is there any particular reason you both look like you've been dragged through hedges backwards down a muddy field?" Ginny questioned as she took out her wand and began to clean them up.

"Long story…" Harry smiled gratefully at his girlfriend who returned the gesture.

"I can't open it." Hermione finally whispered as if talking to herself as she seemed to have gone quiet.

"Why not?" Ron protested.

Hermione looked blankly at him then stood up from the bench and walked straight out of the hall, the package and letter tightly held in her hand.

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"I don't know! How many times do I have to tell you?" Draco growled at Crabbe who seemed to be quite nicely settled on the sofa with a pile of cakes between him and Goyle. "Father said he would owl me when he has sorted it all out." he said and settled in an armchair by the fire.

"I thought it was the last one," Crabbe said

"Yeah didn't Potter dispose of the other one?" Goyle added.

"Just shut up the pair of you." Draco growled still pacing the room.

"Well I wish our lord would hurry up, if we had dark marks then we could get out of this poor excuse of a school and help look for it." pansy complained.

"For Merlin sake Pansy! Don't you see how important it is that we stay here, father said it might come here and if I does the first place it will go is Dumbledore or Potter. All we have to do is keep a good eye on them. He won't last much longer without it and this is our last chance. This is our time, time for purebloods to rule out the commoners,"

Pansy squinted her eyes and leapt up from the sofa "Of course I understand!" she yelled becoming short tempered "But it could be anywhere before it gets here, we though we found it last time and we didn't, I can only do as much as you can Draco." she said and walked towards the door when Draco got up and seized her hand from turning the door handle.

"Stay here, don't follow me," he growled and exited the common room.

Pansy glared at him then returned to the armchair.

"Muffin?" Crabbe offered her and was surprised when she snatched it off him and bit into it hard.

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It was still cold weather but the breeze that blew through Hermione's curly hair as she was knelt on her knees on the grass by the lake with the parcel in her hands, made her feel alone. Which was just what she wanted, whatever was in this box worried her and the thoughts of who it was from made her memory flood with images which she had tried very hard to forget. She had vowed to herself to have nothing to do with it, to not reply nor react. But how could she ignore it after recent events, maybe there's information… Hermione sighed and looked up, fluffy white clouds were mixed with horrible dark grey ones, and the mountains that seemed so far off in the distance gave her the feeling that things were only going to get worse from the moment she tore open the envelope. Taking one deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth she pulled the flap of the envelope from the wax and slowly unfolded the letter which was neatly placed inside.

My dearest Hermione,

I can only hope that this letter gets to you safely as well as the contents. I hope you understand that I would not contact you unless it was vitally important. I can not write too much encase this letter is interpreted, but I will find time to meet with you and discuss things. I ask you from the bottom of my heart to keep it safe, lives depend on its secrecy. No one can know of its location. No one. Know that I love you, now and forever, and I'm doing my best to sort things out. I miss you,

V.K.

Hermione folded the letter back up as tears began to prickle in her eyes, the box was still clutched in her hand. Thoughts and warnings swirled in her head, if this was who she thought it was from then she should have no reason to fear what the innocent box contained, but what if it is a trick? The box seemed to be begging for her to open it. And so Hermione complied with its wishes. The paper seemed to come off easily and it only seemed right to look around the outdoor garden before looking inside. The wind and the rustling of trees was the only sound and so carefully Hermione lifted the lid off and her eyes met with an old fashioned, rusty key with loops at the top and a number etched onto the flowery pattern. The key was recognizable to Hermione as one for Gringotts. But why had he given her this? Why was it so important? Answers were what she was best at giving, but for the first time in her life she did not have one, it was a total mystery to her. It frustrated her greatly but she understood the letter and realized that she had better do as it said. Her wand made light work of attaching a silver chain to the key and she quickly placed it over her head and hid it under her school blouse. The metal was freezing cold against her skin but rather than it becoming a discomfort Hermione found herself feel safe with it. The trees rustled again but the silence was broken when a loud crack came from one of the trees and Hermione's head snapped up, her heart beating faster and worry crawling under her skin…

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"I'm cursed," the young Slytherin mumbled to himself as he had found a quiet spot by the lake and a rather sturdy tree which he had decided to climb up and sit silently to reflect on his life. "Stuck here, with Pansy, following orders," he continued and sighed heavily before leaning his head back on the trunk. "Father can think again if he thinks I'm going to marry that…"

Father: this word meant nothing to Draco Malfoy except you do as he says or you suffer the consequences, which were most likely to be very unpleasant.

Mother: meant a woman who fussed over nothing, who thinks I'm still a helpless child who needs protecting…how am I supposed to show that I am responsible if she won't let me try? The thought lingered for a moment until the wind was having an effect on his nose and decided it best to pull his cloak tighter around him; however his mind was distracted by a certain bushy haired know-it-all walking towards the lake, looking rather pasty. He watched her open the letter and fold it back up again, he watched her sit silently watching the still water, he watched her close her eyes and take deep breaths, he watched her fiddle with something around her neck, he was watching her so carefully he found himself leaning forward to get a better view and it was then that he also found himself at the end of a branch which had just snapped and then on the ground, his vision faded before he could get up.

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The first thing that crossed Hermione's thoughts was that a dead bird was the black thing that had just dropped out of the tree, but when she got up and hurried closer to the object she became more worried as she realized it was a student. Unfortunately she was already by the victim's side with her hands under their neck and placed their head onto her lap before she realized just who it was. She hadn't meant to but considering whom she had just touched, Hermione pushed Draco off her lap at such a force that she cringed slightly when his head hit the ground, producing a loud thud. Silver eyes abruptly opened and a confused expression crossed his face as his eyebrows crumpled slightly. "What d'you want?" he moaned, clutching his head as he appeared to be seeing double.

"What do I want?" she said horrified "More like what you want? Spying on me." Hermione studied him for a second then decided to try and help him up, she had just grabbed his hand when he tore it way and began to scream "Beaver! Help! Wild animal!"

Hermione jumped and watched him toss from side to side, his blonde hair becoming a mess. "I. am .not .a .beaver" she said very clearly in deep tone. "Now you can get up or ill leave you here and you can find your own way to the hospital wing,"

Draco stopped moving and suddenly held his hand out. "Who are you anyway?"

Hermione did not take his hand straight away "Oh you know me. Perhaps better by the foul name you call me rather than Hermione." She said and grabbed his hand forcefully and tried to pull him up.

"I don't need your help Granger," he hissed suddenly gaining his vision and senses.

"Fine." she agreed and let go, causing him to thud back onto the ground. She swiftly kicked him when she knew she could inflict pain then held her head up high. "Have a nice day." she said spitefully and began to walk back up to the castle without looking back.

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"So…did you open it?" Ginny nagged Hermione as she was sat in front of the raring fire with Harry behind her pulling her against his chest and with her red headed brother who was reading the back of the chocolate fog cards. The crimson curtains were drawn shut for the night and they seemed to have the common room to themselves, the radio was on a low volume and the Gryffindor bookworm was in her usual place on the couch with her legs crossed and a book in her lap.

"I did," she replied not looking up, she could still feel the key on her chest.

"And…" Ginny pressed for more information.

"And nothing." Hermione replied in the same uninterested tone.

"C'mon Hermione we tell each other everything,"

Harry began to fiddle with her red hair, twirling it around his finger; he also caught Ron's expression towards the brown-haired female. "If there's something we should know…" Ron pressed.

"No, nothing of importance." Hermione said looking up "It was just a letter from mum and dad, wanted to know if I wanted to go to Ambers funeral," it was amazingly easy to lie through her teeth but it made her feel awful.

"Oh." Ron replied and the other two remained silent.

"I'm expecting a letter from a friend soon which might be useful information, but I can't tell you about it now." she said and looked back down at her book, signalling she didn't want to talk about it any longer.

"Did anyone see Malfoy? Harry said cleverly breaking the silence. "Came out the hospital wing with his head all bandaged up, he was holding his lower parts too, I think he was complaining of some sort of stupid beaver that attacked him." Harry chuckled and so did Ginny and Ron.

"Beaver?" Ron repeated finding it funny. "Victor Krum always reminded me of a beaver,"

It was almost to painful for her to take, her stomach felt as if a sharp knife had just been dug into it and a frightened electric shock ran through her afterwards. The key seemed to burn on her skin and tears began to form.

Ginny shot Ron a glare and instantly got up from her position with Harry and pulled Hermione into a hug as she sat on the sofa.

"I'm fine." she whispered "I'm just not quite there."

"You have to explain to me." Ginny said comfortingly. "I just hate to see you like this when it's his entire fault."

"It's not his fault." Hermione protested "He took it so that I would be safe; he did it so he could help the order."

"He still broke your heart."

Ron stood up and walked up the stairs and out of sight to the boy's dorm. Harry kissed Ginny goodnight and followed. When the boys had gone Hermione pulled out the letter and passed it to Ginny.

"What's it for?" Ginny asked after she had read it.

"Swear you won't tell anyone," Hermione pleaded "He told me to keep it t myself."

Ginny looked uncertainly at the watery eyed girl then nodded.

"It's a Gringotts key that I'm sure of, but what's inside the vault I don't know. It's obviously what the Deatheaters want. Otherwise he would not have sent it to me. Looks like the only place its safe now is Hogwarts."

"But what about Malfoy?" Ginny frowned.

"He doesn't know I've got it, and it's going to stay that way."

"Hermione…we should tell Harry and Ron…"

"No." Hermione snapped back urgently. "No." she repeated and looked Ginny in the eyes "They never trusted him, Ron hates his guts and Harry sticks with his best friend's opinion, the wont believe this is for real, they will twist it until he's made to look like a liar, I trust him with my life gin, he's not lying"

"Tell Dumbledore?"

"Not yet." Hermione folded the letter back up "He trusts Snape, which would only be giving them a tip off, this key was sent to me and me alone it will stay."

"I still think Harr-"

"No Ginny." she said sternly "They don't need to know yet, please just keep it to yourself for a while."

Ginny sighed and nodded "fine, I wont say anything, but I think its dangerous not to."

"I will tell them…just not yet…" Hermione stood up "Thanks Gin."

Ginny smiled back "If you need any help…" she need not to Finnish the sentence as Hermione nodded gratefully and began to climb the stone steps to her dorm.

The room was clean, just as she always left it before leaving. Her desk was covered with books but it was easy to find a small space and be able to start writing a letter. She did not want to write back for she didn't know how to explain the way she felt. Her white quill was dipped in black ink and began to scratch on the parchment.

Dear Victor,

I received your letter and the parcel enclosed. You have my word I will keep it safe for whatever reason. I'm finding it hard to live without you. I hope I shall see you again soon. Stay safe and know that I love you.

Your Hermione.

It was short but it was the best she could do. Her heart ached to see him again and to have him hold her tightly, make her feel safe and loved. Even if it meant that this time she wouldn't let go. Her cloak was on her bed and when she had finished folding the letter into an envelope she pulled it on. Covered her head and face with her hood then hurried quietly down the steps and out the common room towards the owlery.

She did not have rounds until next week and the corridors were emptied except for a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff whom she knew were lurking. The letter was held close to her chest. The smell she could deal with but having to avoid stepping in owl mess made her feel rather queasy apart from the fact that her eyes seemed to still be leaking salty tears. The barn owl she chose was rather impatient and as soon as she had tied it to its leg it leapt off the stand and soared into the night sky. Hermione watched it until the bird had disappeared and even then she pulled her hood down allowing the mass of caramel curls to escape and just stood there taking in the cold night air. Her breath caught in the throat as she whimpered silently. Wrapping her arms around herself she looked up at the moon "If you can hear me, help me. Help me understand, help me, I can't get through this alone." she said in a small desperate tone "Please help me." she repeated then broke down into tears.

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The bandages came off easily but the plaster remained where he had hit his head. His godfather's office seemed to be warmer than his dorm and gave off a rotting smell. A small glass of purple liquid was handed to him and drank in one go. "That's enough for tonight, we can practise tomorrow." Severus murmured and returned back to his chair behind the oak desk. "You are becoming very good at it though."

Draco's head seemed to still be spinning slightly but he still managed to smirk "Of course, I'm a Malfoy."

"Yes," Snape agreed "And I am a teacher, therefore you can go to the owlery and send these off, then you can make your way to bed,"

Draco almost growled as he snatched the letters from his head of house and stuffed them in the pocket of his robes along with his wand.

"And don't let anyone see them," Snape added

"Yes sir." Draco replied stiffly then turned on his heel and walked out of the door.

The owls seemed to hoot softly as he attached the letters and sent them off but a whimpering noise that was coming from the other side of the barn made him stop from walking away, instead he walked further along until his eyes widened to what he was seeing. Granger was standing still crying and muttering words he didn't think she would ever say.

"I miss him so much." she said as if talking to think air. "But things are just so complicated, I can't take much more."

Draco stood rooted to the spot just listening to her.

"I can't do this." she seemed to be getting rather angry "I don't want to do this." She sobbed as she looked down at the ring that was on her finger. "Don't make me do this." she pleaded the remained silent as she wiped her tears away.

Thoughts ran through his head and for some reason he was beginning to feel sorry for her. He had no idea what she was going on about but it was obviously something bad. He had never seen a girl cry before. Except his mother when her and father had had a fight. Pansy never let her emotions out that way. Malfoy's never showed their weaknesses and he remembered the first time his father used the crucio curse on him for crying. Since he was five it was a rule not to cry. Hermione took a deep breath and pulled her hood back up, covering her curls and walked straight past Draco not noticing him in the dark and walked back to her common room never to know he was there, wondering if he should tell his father what he just witnessed or to talk to her about it next Wednesday.

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A/N Did you work it out that it was Victor? like it? REVIEWS GREATLY APPRECIATED!! X X