~THE HUNT IS AFOOT~

MONDAY:

Hermione woke up to a beautiful morning with the sun streaming in and illumining the whole room. It fell directly on the crystal heart she always kept on her desk reflected the light from all its facets and it created mesmerising shapes on the wall. It was a gift from Draco and she loved the crystal heart with all her real heart. She detangled herself from the red silk sheets and sat up to stretch.

Being the Head girl she had decorated her room on her own and she had chosen golden nets to be the drapes for her four poster bed.

She didn't like keeping flowers in the room as they reminded her of funerals and she liked to keep the windows open as she has a view of the garden below and loved to sit there and watch. Draco's room had a similar view but he would still come over to sit there with her.

"Draco, where are you today?" she murmured to herself. It was usually he who woke her up with his kisses.

She noticed a note lying beneath the crystal heart.

My princess,

Sorry couldn't wake you up personally. Have some Head duties to perform. You must be knowing it's Muggle's week from today and so I have thought of a surprise for you!

Dress up and get down here fast!

Me, my heart and all my love for you

Draco

XOXO

Maybe it was because Draco had never really loved a girl before her, he was always very mushy with Hermione. She pretended sometimes that she didn't get the reason Draco has to be so lovey-dovey with her but secretly she loved it that he was and she also knew that Draco saw through her façade. Draco of all people knew her inside out.

When she stepped into the Great Hall she was instantly greeted by Draco who hugged her from behind with his hands around her waist who then placed a kiss on her temple.

"Happy Muggle's week, baby!"

Hermione turned to face him and placed her arms over his shoulder

"You know right that I'm half of a muggle and such enthusiasm could be easily counted as racist"

Upon seeing how terrified Draco looked at the moment she could hold it in any longer and threw back her head and laughed.

"Draco, baby, it's alright! I am messing with you!" she gave Draco the most innocent bambi-eyes expression she could muster.

"I do believe it's your crazy muggle side, but one day I will make you suffer for all these little attacks you give me."

"Awww… Drakeypoo will hurt his Mione pie?"

Hermione was duly silenced by her grinning boyfriend kissing her to oblivion.

"I will eat you alive someday Ms. Mione pie."

"Promises promises…"

They were interrupted as Dumbledore's booming voice filled the hall.

"Good Morning students! As I had announced yesterday, we will be celebrating 'Muggle's week' from today. I am hoping we can all contribute and make it special to honour those who live a perfect life even without magic. I have given Draco here permission to celebrate it in his own special way so that next year many of you are inclined to join. You are all my children and I hope you guys will not let me down!"

Draco stepped up to the podium and took in the crowd. This better be good.

"Hello, my fellow students. I have planned out a sort of treasure hunt for today. But this one is a muggle special as we'd each represent a detective from their novels.

The house prefects have been directed already of what has to be done. I would want the rest of the prefectorial board to follow me please. I hope you all enjoy today's task! Good luck!"

Hermione felt intrigued as to what all this was really about. She loved reading books but how come Draco knew about them?

Harry and Ron joined her as she was leaving the great hall along with the rest of the heads who followed Draco.

"Are you aware of what's going to happen Hermione? You are the Head G after all." asked Harry.

"No clue at all… Draco didn't tell me anything last night."

"Well, this better be good because I am giving up on my sleep on a holiday to follow the ferret" Ron complained playfully.

"Ronald!"

Harry and Ron were not the happiest of the people when they got to know who their best friend was committed to but on Hermione's insistence both of them had given Draco a chance and had grown to like him a lot. They even hung out once in a while, had inside jokes and sometimes she had even seen admiration in the boys' eyes when they Draco determined on his Head Boy duties.

Once the prefects had assembled, Draco turned to face them.

"Hey guys! I have chits here for all of you and each of you will pick one. You will be getting a character and a team and work accordingly. The clues will lead you to your next destination and ultimately the prize!"

He looked at Hermione and spoke now.

"The ever beautiful, adorable and mind blowing genius of a Head Girl we all cherish so much will be getting her own special character."

Hermione felt blood rising to her cheeks when the girls went "Awwww…" and Ron playfully elbowed her.

Draco made everyone take a pick and in the end handed over her chit to Hermione.

NANCY DREW

I know how much you love the series and how much you admire her for her quest for truth and knowledge.

Also, I know you have a secret thing for crime fighting!

GOOD LUCK! XOX!

Hermione looked up at him in shock.

"Draco, how do you know about Nancy Drew?"

"Baby, there was a time when you had read 5 Nancy books in a day even when you had homework and prefect duty to do."

He gave her a quick kiss and again returned to the front of the class.

"Guys you all have been allotted characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple or one of the Hardy Boys, Secret 7, Famous 5 etc. Hermione your team is 'Victrinox', Harry mate yours is 'Supremoes' and I shall be the coordinator. Hermione, Parvati, Seamus, Theodore, Blaise and Victor in one team. Harry, Ron, Romilda, Pansy, Jade and Peter in the other. You are given these badges which are magically enchanted to show to the status of the other team. All the best guys!"

Clue 1:

'It may be far away and yet the distance is short.

The eyes can do wonders with it when without cannot'

The teams split from here and went to two different direction of the corridor.

Harry was scratching his head when Romilda had an idea

"It's something about distance correct? Maybe measurement? Mathematics?"

"Maths is a muggle concept Romilda. Also, we don't have any subject involving that!" argued Harry.

"No, NO! We DO! Ancient Runes has use of calculations! Let's head to the class!"

Meanwhile…

"Guys, we can't jump to conclusions alright? Lets read all of it and then make a decision."

"Hey maybe it's about eyes you know. We should head to Madame Pomfrey!"

"No Blaise, Don't just assume this. Think! Something which is far and is brought closer and it's related to eyes."

Suddenly Parvati was struck by an idea "Oh! I know what it is!"

They all raced to the Astronomy Tower and made it to the giant telescope they used to gaze at the stars.

"INGENIOUS Parvati! Of course! A telescope brings the stars closer to us!"

*'Victrinox' has cracked the first clue.

Clue 2:

'Flying with the winds of game,

Victory loss pride and shame'*

"What the F-"

"Ronald! We'll get the next one!" admonished Harry.

"Harry, Ron it's something about flying think that way" said Peter.

"Lets focus on the next clue, Flying… wait, listen dude! QUIDDITCH!"

"Shit! YES! There is victory and loss and hence pride and shame!"

Meanwhile…

"Flying could be equated with birds. Owls fly." said Seamus.

"The owlery then?"

"But Theo the second line doesn't make any sense then!" Hermione was baffled.

"See Hermione we're at a loss with this one. Why not give it a shot?"

"I don't feel it's right but sure…"

*'Supremoes' has cracked the second clue.

Final clue:

I am vast and deep, dangers endless,

I have a body but I am faceless.

This will be the deciding clue*

(Victrinox dialogues in Italics and Supremoes in bold)

"We are tied Hermione! We have to win this!"

"Harry, mate we've got to win this one!"

"It is obviously a huge structure here in Hogwarts… thinking caps on!"

"Dangerous! Think of everything dangerous we have faced in Hogwarts. Revisit the times!"

"Hermione, the great hall is vast!"

"Blaise, will you please put some real thought behind it? Is eating your meal in any way dangerous? Will you choke and die on your peas!?"screeched Hermione.

"Hey! Keep your knickers on Nancy!"

"Guys, the Forbidden Forest! It fits to everything written here! Vast, deep and dangerous!"

"But Draco will not send us there will he?"

"You are right Jade, It has to be something else… What words do deep and vast usually apply to?"

"Listen guys, there are not many places officially dangerous for students. Draco must have given this word as a major hint. It is a faceless body. Like a water body maybe?"

Hermione looked at Victor with dawning realisation and suddenly she was running.

"Damn you are right! It is infact a water body!"

"It's a sea or an ocean or a lake… SHIT! I know what it is!" Harry was shaking with excitement.

"The Great Lake!"

And now it was just the race between the two teams that would have decided their fate.

It was a long way back from the Quidditch pitch and 'Supremoes' ran as fast as they could. They took sharp turns and almost fell down on the grass but they kept on running. Just when Harry skidded to a halt near the Lake, he saw 'Victrinox' already there and Hermione holding a silver box in her hands.

Their badges flashed:

*VICTRINOX WINS!

Congratulation team!
Teams head back to me with this box now.*

"That was awesome Mione" said Harry.

"Thank you Harry and Ron stop sulking you big cry-baby!" and she punched him playfully.

Hermione was greeted with a hug when they went back to Draco. He was proud of his girl! He kissed her on the jaw and then her lips.

"Ahemmmmmmm! We would not prefer you eating our Hermione Draco!"

"Ha ha sorry Harry my man! I will not eat her just yet!"

When everyone had stopped laughing peter turned to Hermione.

"Hey Hermione! You won girl! Congratulations! You are the Head G and the winning team captain!"

As she opened the box Hermione saw a letter placed on a plush velvet cloth. Strangely, it was addressed to her. She looked up to Draco with a cocked eyebrow to which Draco shrugged and motioned for her read on.

It said:

Baby,

I had planned on making this letter magical for you. I had thought of a beautiful golden butterfly to fly out of the box with a violin piece playing in the background. The butterfly would flutter around you and sit back inside the box to transform into a ruby signifying my baby's victory. But then this is Muggle's week and nothing would as much as me writing out this letter for you and so I did!

This letter is already addressed to you as I knew my love is the smartest witch of this Century and I trust her to win this.

You are a bright and beautiful girl Hermione. I can't be more proud of you.

Yours,

Witty Drakie

XOXOX

After reading the letter she looked up at Draco and smiled at him all the while thinking how lucky she was to have a guy who so completely trusts her. Draco read this in her eyes and winked at her and made the cutest little puppy expression.

"AWWW! Draco!" and she ran to him and hugged him tight.

Nancy Drew was the first female oriented detective novel I had read. Hermione would have loved it! What is your opinion? R & R! ^_^