A/N: Hi everyone. I'm so so so sorry that I didn't update sooner but I got tied up in my school work, then I got really sick and the story continues. But I'm gonna stop my blabbering and let you read what I've got.

Disclaimers: If I owned Harry Potter, Draco would have ended up with Hermione. He didn't, did he? Enough said.

HERMIONE'S POV

I was nervous. I didn't know why but I just was. Draco and I had patrolled once before, but that was before I even got to know him. As in a day or two before he even approached me. And any other time we were supposed to patrol, we ended up with "more important duties" like telling off the male first years that try to peep in on the girls. As a result, the patrolling was left to the prefects and the Heads went to bed on time.

Knowing this, I tried to calm myself down without success. I was able to convince myself that things would be OK with Draco and we would work it out if they weren't but I just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

Just as I shake my head to clear my thoughts, Draco walks through the portrait hole.

"Hey Hermione. I just need to go shower and change out of my Quidditch robes then we can go. Be ready; we don't want to be late as Heads." He smiles warmly at me before rushing off to the bathroom.

I take a deep breath and summon my Gryffindor courage before I find my shoes.

Draco saunters down the stairs towel drying his hair about fifteen minutes later.

"Alright let's go. I'm ready to get this over with." I say.

Draco narrows his eyes at me in pure suspicion. "What's wrong? Usually you'd be more delighted to put misbehaving children in detention and deduct house points."

Sighing, I avoid his questioning stare as I answer him. "Well, I-I'm nervous and for some reason, I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"Wait, so lemme get this straight. You don't want to give misbehaving children detentions and a deduction of house points?"

"Did you miss the part when I said that I was nervous?"

"No, I chose to ignore it. C'mon Hermione. Nothing's gonna happen. I promise."

Sighing, I walk over to the door and open it with Draco behind me.

As soon as we make it to Professor McGonagall's office, she gives us a map of the corridors that we are supposed to patrol and sends us out of her office.

"Let's start here and work our way up. I think it's easier that way."

"Whatever floats you boat. I'm just ready to get back to the dorms."

"We haven't even started and what does 'float your boat' mean?"

"It's Muggle saying, Draco. Don't freak out."

Grabbing my wrist, Draco pulls me down the hallway toward the stairs. "God, you're such a drama queen."

~OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo~

After what seemed like hours, we made it to the last hallway that we had to patrol. I was tired and ready for bed. Nothing had happened and just like Draco had promised. We caught a few first years acting stupid but otherwise, everything was really uneventful. So by the time we made it to the last room we had to check, we were both rather surprised at what we found.

"Ron? What are you doing here this late, past curfew?"

He turned around so fast that it looked like he gave himself whiplash. His eyes widened with surprise and he started taking a step back towards the table he was previously working at. Slowly, he started pushing something behind him. The expression on his face resembled that of a deer caught in headlights or something and the feeling I had earlier that something bad was going to happen returned.

"Uh, I guess I lost track of time. I was just trying to um…"

Fingering my wand in my pocket, I took a hesitant step forward. "Ron, go stand by the door. Now."

Frowning, he leaves his spot at the table giving Draco and I a full view of what he was previously working on.

"What the hell is in the oversized pot, Weasley?"

I look up from the cauldron and turn to Draco who has his wand out pointing directly at Ron.

"I-It's… Hermione, tell him to put his wand away!"

"No, Ronald. I'm actually curious as to what you were doing also."

His eyes widen in what looks like surprise. "So, are you gonna take his side over me? Your best friend?"

I frown and look over at Draco. Just as I'm about to say something, I'm hit with a spell.

"Hermione!" My vision has gone blurry and I see Draco reach for me before everything goes black.

~OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo~

DRACO'S POV

"Hermione!" I pull my hand away from under Weasel's face and run to Hermione, catching her before she hits the ground. I check her pulse. Her heart is sill beating and she's still breathing, but barely. Gingerly, I pull her closer to me and hold her as if my touch will be a remedy to her.

"Well, isn't this sweet?"

"Pansy! Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Guess the cat's out of the bag huh, Drakie. You know Draco, if you just dump her now, nothing will happen and we'll just leave."

"How can you say that? You know how I feel about her. And you're working with him? Why?"

"Shut up! Ron has been the only one to understand and listen to me. Neither you nor anyone else cared. Ron just happened to be in the same predicament so we started to converse and now here we are."

Out of instinct, I pull Hermione tighter to my chest. When Pansy gasps, I know something is wrong.

"You gave her the locket? You've never given that to anyone!"

I look down at Hermione's chest and notice the small golden chain has made an appearance through her robes.

"So what if I did. I told you, you know how I feel about her."

With my words, Pansy falls to her knees. Her next words are barely audible.

"You've claimed her then? There is already an 'H' on the front of that locket right?"

"Don't look so sad, Pansy." I turn around to Freckles. Oh, I had almost completely forgotten that he was here.

"No, Ron. It's a lost cause. There is nothing more that we can do. The only way we can succeed is if she doesn't claim him either. And I don't know if she has or not. We should just give up now."

"What are you talking about? We'll figure it out. Let's get out of here. We can think of something, do more research!"

With every word, Weasley's voice becomes more and more desperate.

"OK." Is all Pansy says and together, they walk out, the cauldron completely forgotten.

Floating the cauldron and grabbing Hermione, I apparate to the Headmaster's office.

Once I say the password and the gargoyles jump aside, I hurry up the stairs and knock on the heavy door.

"Come in."

I push open the door and address the headmaster.

"Professor Dumbledore, I need help. We were patrolling and then we found Ron using a cauldron and then Pansy came out and hit Hermione with a spell and-"

"Whoa, slow down Mr. Malfoy. Start from the beginning and tell me everything that has happened."

I take a deep breath and start from the time in the common room, when Hermione was telling me that she had a bad feeling, to now sitting here in the headmaster's office.

"It seems that Hermione has good intuition. May I see what is in the cauldron?"

"Yes, of course Professor." I hand the cauldron over and watch as a mixture of emotions play across his face.

"What is it, Professor?"

"That, Mr. Malfoy is not something you need to worry about." He says smiling at me. "I need you to take Ms. Granger back to your shared common room and put her to bed. She should be conscious soon. But I need to speak with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Parkinson as soon as possible. You may leave now. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

"You welcome, goodbye Professor."

Once I make it back to the common room, I follow Dumbledore's instructions precisely and end up in my bed with an unconscious Hermione lying next to me. Slowly, I drift off into my sleep, thinking about what was in the cauldron.

A/N: Well that's chapter five. I really am sorry about not posting in such a long time but I was really busy. I swear it won't happen again. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I'd love a review. Thanks to everyone that reviewed my previous chapter. It really makes my day reading comments and seeing what I can do to improve my story. Oh and I'm really sorry about any mistakes that you might find. I wanted to get this up and running for you all… Do you wanna know what's in the cauldron? Send me a PM or review about what you think and I might get the next chapter up faster.

~torye