Chapter eight

Breakfast was a slightly awkward affair the next morning. Ginny had woken up at seven and found herself to be the only person awake in the house. She had just begun to cook when Harry stumbled down stairs. He looked as if he hadn't had much sleep. About ten minutes after Harry came down and just as Ginny was placing the dishes of eggs on the table both Ron and Sara came bouncing down the stairs with smiles plastered on their faces. Ron sat down next to Harry with Sara on his other side. They were nearly done eating when Hermione came down looking as if she hadn't slept a wink the entire night before.

Harry smirked knowingly as she sat down beside him. He snuck into her room around eleven the night before and they had spent about an hour snogging on her bed.

He remembered how he had walked in to see her wearing a sexy night dress; she told him she was on her way in to see him.

"You look amazing." He said sweetly before leaning in to kiss her.

Kissing Harry while laying down was a much more intimate experience than just sitting on a bed, Hermione thought vaguely. The full length of his body was pressed against her side, leaking body heat into her. The scent of Harry, mixed with the taste of his lips and all the warmth he was giving her made Hermione's head spin. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, trying to absorb his essence with her entire body. Hermione rolled to the side and hitched one leg up around his hips. Harry's hand came up to caress her thigh, causing a low groan in her throat. Draco's face burned in her mind, and with a sigh, Hermione lowered her leg, pulling it away from Harry's body. He seemed content enough to lie there kissing, so for a while, she kissed him back, thinking of the blond-haired boy she had come to care for.

It was getting late and she said he should be getting back to his room. He left but not without a kiss good night.

Harry was looking around the table and noticed that the only one who looked as if she had gotten enough sleep was Ginny.

Again he noticed the slightly sickening smiles on Ron's and Sara's faces.

Harry lifted his fork backed with eggs and bacon to his mouth.

He only had enough time to chew and pick up his cup of juice before he heard what caused him to have about five minute choking fit.

"We had sex last night!" the statement was 'whispered' by Ron.

And by whispered we mean that he spoke quietly in Harry's direction, but not quietly enough that both Ginny and Hermione didn't hear.

Ginny noticed that Sara was humiliated, because the previously smiling girl looked as if she were going to cry and ran upstairs.

Ginny stood and ran after Sara but not without giving her brother a slap on the back of the head.

He was trying to give Harry his version of the Heimlich maneuver, regardless of the fact that Harry was breathing fine enough to tell Ron that he was ok. Harry looked up to see Hermione giving Ron a death stare before following the two girls' upstairs.

Hermione walked into to the room she used to share with Ginny. It took her about a second to analyze the situation. Sara clearly was unaware of Ron's stupidity prior to this situation.

Ginny was sitting on her bed trying to console the girl and looked up to Hermione with a help me look and she spoke the words "Ronald is a moron."

Hermione couldn't help but flash back to some of the stupid things he had done during their brief stint of dating last year. Such as giving her chocolate he had stolen from Fred and George's room. The chocolate was charmed to turn you into the animal you would become if you became an animagus; she was a fox for 8 hours.

"I second that notion, Ron is a moron. But he meant no harm." She finished in a soothing voice. She came over to the girl and sat down beside her.

"Why would he say that in front of everybody?" she asked holding back tears.

"In Ron's mind no one but Harry was going to hear what he said. Was it your first time?" Hermione asked as if she were talking to a close friend not someone she had just met a couple weeks ago.

She nodded, clearly a little nervous.

"Did you use the contraceptive charm?" She asked knowing the answer by looking at the girls face.

"Oh Merlin, How could I be so stupid? I have got to go look it up I hope it's not too late." As she stood up Ginny grabbed on to her shoulder and sat her back down.

"Relax ill teach it to you, and it is not to late you have up to twenty four hours to do the spell but I recommend doing it before hand. My mother taught me last term during Christmas break, when I was with Harry." Ginny finished lamely.

Ginny went through the motions of teaching the girl the spell. Hermione couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for not telling Ginny about her and Harry sneaking about.

Sara was clearly torn between emotions, grateful and embarrassed. She was talking about her love life with her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend and little sister. She didn't know which one was worse.

After about twenty minutes Sara said then she wanted to talk to Ron. Hermione went down stairs to send Ron up to see her.

At the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces as they sent him upstairs to Sara, Ron stood from the table and looked as if he were walking to his death bed.

As soon as he left Harry started laughing and so did Hermione. After a few minutes he suggested they try and get some training in while everyone was occupied.

They made their way to the library stopping by Ron's room to try to listen in; unfortunately they seemed to have set a silencing charm. They passed Ginny's room and saw the door closed.

They headed into the library and straight to the door before they entered Hermione leaned in and kissed him.

While kissing her he reached up and pulled the book. She froze. She didn't want Draco seeing. She knew he knew about her and Harry, but she didn't want him to get upset.

She pulled away by the time the wall was finished shimmering. He winked at her and stepped in she followed a step or too behind him.

She saw Draco she smiled. He was wearing black pants and no t-shirt, and Hermione had to remind herselfthat she had to stay neutral. She couldn't afford to hurt either of the boys.

Draco was using the room as Harry and Hermione had when they trained. He was firing curses at a dummy that was firing curses back.

He was throwing up full body shields like it was his job. He was dodging and rolling out of the way. Harry was looking at him wishing he could fight like that. Hermione however was thinking along completely different lines.

She was remembering the night before; she had planned on going to visit him around eleven but was swooped up by Harry. Not that she minded, but she did want to see Draco. She crept through the hall ways on her way into the library. She went in and climbed into bed with him. He smiled and opened one eye, then the other. He took a second to look at her.

"You.. look.. absolutely… ravishing..." he said kissing her in her forehead, left cheek, right cheek and nose before settling on her lips.

She looked at him and watched him set fire to the dummy much the same way he had done before. Then a couch appeared behind him he plopped down. Harry walked around the couch to stand in front of him.

Draco opened his eyes and looked up at him.

"Not exactly the person I'd like standing over me…" he muttered with a slight smirk as a water bottle appeared in his hand.

"I need to talk to you." Harry spoke with an even business like tone, trying not to let his past hatred of the boy into his voice.

"I was thinking the same thing Potter."

They both stood and looked at Hermione as if telling her it was ok and to stay back.

They walked into a room off to the side.

They went in to see a dining Room like table with two chairs. They each took a seat.

"I would like to talk about you joining our side of the war." Harry said as a cup of tea appeared in front of him.

"You have got to be kidding Potter. Join, you?" Draco was trying to sound as if he objected to the idea.

"I am not happy about it either, but each of us will get benefits out of the arrangement. You will be helping me train, teaching me dark magic and defensive magic as well as all the elemental spells." Harry finished.

Draco was impressed Harry seemed to have a plan in mind here, he would play along.

"And, what's in it for me?" Draco said putting his hands behind his head and leaning back.

Draco saw harry smirk and pull out a piece of paper, and laid it on the table.

Dear Mr. Potter,

You are being summoned by the Wizengamot to testify agents one Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy was arrested yesterday after a routine raid on Malfoy Manner. You are scheduled to appear before the court lawyer and review the case on the First of August. You will then be notified of the charges against the accused.

Sincerely

Minister Of Magic,

Rufus Scrimgeour

Draco couldn't breath. His father had been arrested. His thoughts were cut short by Harry's voice

"I have also received a letter that pending investigation all the funds in the Malfoy vaults have been frozen. When you do agree to help, you will be paid for your services. In addition the courts will be told by Dumbledore that you were not a loyal follower of Voldemort. That you have been helping our side for the past year, this will clear your name any you should receive any money that is not divvied out between the families of the people your father murdered." Harry finished strongly.

"Do we have an agreement?"

Draco still could not speak so he nodded.

"This is a legal binding contract drawn up by Dumbledore. It clearly states that you will not be permitted or able to speak a word of any plans or operations that you may overhear to anyone outside the order."

He handed a quill to Draco who took it and signed without a word. When he left Hermione seemed to be in a deep conversation with Sirius' portrait. She yelled that she would come down to lunch when she was finished discussing the N.E.W.T. exams.

Harry left and she turned to see that Sirius was gone and Draco was entering the room.