A/N: sorry it took so long...i did not forget...i had finals and i had one spectacular block...so i finally got some inspiration... so please review and let me know what you think...and yes i know its short...but it is better than nothing :)

It had been a month since school started, and nothing had changed. Well nothing had changed between Hermione and Draco that is. He still dropped hints to watch her back when they were alone, and every now and then in class or when they shared rounds he would give her that "all too knowing look" of his that she now hated more than anything. Even with all this Hermione was still keeping up with all her homework, keeping on top of Harry and Ron about theirs, and she still found moments to sneak off to the edge of the forest to smoke a cigarette. She had cut back on her smoking, with everything she had to do there just was not enough time, she right now their she was hiding behind a tree taking a drag on the cigarette, thinking about everything she had to do. She ran the list through her mind; she had to work through a potion and figure out all it's ingredients, ancient runes project, and a defense against the dark arts essay all in two days, lord only knew how much homework she would get tomorrow.

She had just brought the cigarette to her mouth for another drag when she heard a twig snap on the ground a few feet behind her, she instantly threw the cigarette in the other direction and tried to look like she was just relaxing in the quietness of the forest. She poked her head around the tree and her face instantly lost all expression, Draco Malfoy stood leaning against a tree with that all to knowing smirk plastered on his face.

"Oh, it's only you" she said expressionless, and turned away from him, bent over and picked up the remainder of her still lit cigarette. "What do you want?" she asked looking away form him and into the forest.

"Oh nothing really, except the headmaster sent me to find you and to tell you that he needs to speak to you right away" he smirked as he said this, he heart instantly dropped, as did the cigarette in her hand. She instantly drew out her wand and strode towards him with it pointed out in front of her,

"What did you do?!" she asked with a scowl, she once again held the wand at hs neck, but she was supremely more pissed off now than she was in their third year. He held his hands up like people did when they were being arrested, and he tried to look all innocent.

'What are you talking about?" he asked then continued, "I didn't do anything!, I swear!" he said exasperating the 'swear' making himself sound more believable, but she knew better.

"Just couldn't keep your mouth shut could you?" she asked with menacing eyes as she pushed the tip of her want further into the skin that wrapped around his neck

"Stop, that hurts!" he pleaded, 'wait, did I just beg the mud-blood' he thought for a split second, Hermione was thinking the same thing, 'Did he just beg me?' She was distracted long enough by that thought for the grip on her wand to loosen slightly and Draco was able to slip from the small space between her wand and the tree.

"I swear, if I find out you instigated this there will be hell to pay!!" she screamed at him as she strode away from the edge of the forest, furious, placing her wand back in her robes, which were billowing around her as she disappeared in the distance. Draco just stood there wondering why she thought it was his fault, did she honestly think he would give up this amount of power he held over Granger right now just to get her in trouble with the Headmaster, oh no, he would hold on to this information for as long as he could and use it to his advantage every time he could. He leaned back against the tree once again smirking, but his smile then turned into a curious thought, 'What was Granger being called in for anyway?' he asked himself before taking another second to decide to follow her. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an invisibility cloak, it was the only thing he found useful in the things his father left to him when he died, and swung it around his neck and took off across the lawn towards Granger.

Hermione crossed the lawn with such determination that the ground beneath her feet sunk a little each time her feet would hit the ground. Her eyes were pursed, as were her lips. She was pissed off at Malfoy and he was going to pay. As she reached the large oak front doors she thought for a split second that she felt someone watching her, she left her hand on the door handle and turned her body half way around and searched the darkness, but saw nothing and after a minute she shook it off and walked in to the castle.

She arrived at the entrance to the headmaster's office and realized that Malfoy had not handed her nay kind of note with the password on it as so many others did to Harry when Dumbledore wanted to see him. Right as she was about to knock or call up to him as politely as she could the phoenix began to twirl as if it was waiting for her or Dumbledore knew she was here. The movement started her at first and she jumped slightly back and thought she felt something brush up against her left foot, but as she looked around and saw nothing she once again brushed it off and started up the staircase.

When she arrived at the door to his office she knocked lightly and listened quietly for an answer, it only took a second before she heard Dumbledore softly utter "enter" from the other side of the door, she gripped the handle and slowly pushed, cautiously entering. She closed the door behind her and began to take off her cloak and sat down on a chair in front of his desk,

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore, what is it that I can do for you?" she asked trying to sound innocent as she sat down. When she looked up at him she realized for the first time since she walked in that his face was solemn and he looked like he was going to be sick, he removed his spectacles and wiped them off on his robes, replaced them and looked at Hermione with a frown,

"I'm so sorry Hermione, I have some very bad news….."