A/N : Wow. I am thrilled to be back. This chapter was the writer's block chapter of all time. It took forever to get through it! But now I am, and I've started nine, so I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Eight

Secrets & Spies

Hermione found herself disappearing back in time. Out of the offending place she was in. Back days, weeks, and months. Away from the dance, the cold, and the people who spoiled her world.

It was March, and finally springtime. April would begin soon. Hermione left the owlry after sending Ron's brothers a birthday gift. It was the least she could do, they were practically family to her. As she descended the stops she nearly toppled over a student sitting on the stairs. They caught her on reflex. She looked up at the sixteen-year-old boy who caught her, and she laughed. As did he. He asked her if she was all right. She was. He helped her to her feet and they continued down the stairs. Ron Weasley. One of Hermione's best friends. She had known him since she was eleven going on fifteen, while he was barely coherent of the world around him. Now, at seventeen neither knew what they wanted, but both wanted to know what the other was thinking. They were silent, one looking at the other, waiting for someone to say something, anything. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they stopped and looked at one another.

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting." He shrugged.

"For what?" she smiled. He took a deep breath in. She waited for his reply, almost holing her breath herself. He fumbled with the words, frowning as he thought of what to say.

"I…uhm…I was just w…wondering…uh.." Hermione waited for him to finish. He cast a nervous eye at her, and she smiled.

"Harry's looking for you." He sighed finally. "He's found something."

"Oh," Hermione frowned slightly disappointed. It wasn't quite the reception she was hoping for, and the look on Ron's face told her that he was thinking the same thing. It felt like the two of them were always so close and at the same time light-years away. Between school, Harry, friends and the Lord of all-evil, neither could manage to think about their own feelings let alone the others and what would happen if those feelings were combined. Sometimes Hermione thought the price was just too much to pay. The last months of their sixth year were filled with many questions and few precious answers. Exam study sessions were often in collaboration with the endless library searches by dark. Luckily Hermione was able to get a pass from Dumbledore so she could pass freely through the restricted section.

"It's for Harry." She pleaded with the frail man those many months ago, "I just navigate around books better."

"I trust that Harry has been telling yourself and Mr. Weasley everything." Dumbledore said slowly, "And I also trust in you, Miss Granger, that you will tell no one." She nodded, understanding his slight warning.

"These are dangerous times we are living in. And I regret to tell you that I am afraid it will only get worse."

"I understand." She said quietly, once again looking at her headmaster. "But I can't just sit back and pretend somebody else will take care of it, because they won't." she watched Dumbledore nod solemnly before he faded away, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

The library was where all of the research went into and came out of. Hermione had been deep in research for weeks now. Even in the dead of the night, the warm temperatures of mid-may penetrated the area. Behind the restricted section there was a couch and tables with chairs, much like a common room on a smaller scare. The table was scattered with open books, loose parchment and quills. And Hermione lay sleeping in an overstuffed chair.

It had been a quiet night. Nothing that happened had been out of the ordinary up to that point. But a sudden succession of noises awoke Hermione from her sleep. First, there was a creaking, then a band, and a stifled yelp. Her books landed on the floor with a second thud as she jerked into a sitting position. She didn't waste precious time thinking before she acted. Groggy, she stumbled off the chair and made her way down the rows of books cautiously, but quickly. When she reached the exit of the restricted section a strange sight was before her.

"Malfoy?" she whispered to the dark. The head of blonde hair tilted up, a book in his hand.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," he drawled, replacing the fallen book, "The mudblood out of bed after hours. Whatever will the headmaster say?"

"You wouldn't." Hermione said fiercely.

"Wouldn't I?" he stepped to her, now towering from a foot away. "I've got nothing to hide."

"And I've got permission to be here."

"So there it is then." He backed off, "I won't tell if you don't."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Really? Why would you do that?"

"I have my reasons…"

"I thought you said you had nothing to hide…"

"Doesn't mean you want to know what I'm up to, "he smirked, "Tricky decision, isn't it? Making a deal with a Slytherin."

"Well, Hermione sighed, "you do seem suspicious, but as long as it's not an unbreakable vow, I suppose…"

"Good, it's a deal. Now, I'll go back to what I have to do, and you can do whatever it is you're doing."

"Fine." Hermione said sharply and turned back down the restricted section.

Malfoy watched her walk away with the same look in his eyes as he watched her now, sitting and staring with no concentration. He almost approached her, until Ron appeared from inside. Malfoy quickly retreated back behind a wall as Ron took Hermione from her trance and draped her forgotten cloak over the bench.

"Are you alright?" he asked taking a seat. Hermione nodded and looked up at him slightly. He was always there, just like before, to break her fall, "I'm okay now."

"Good. I swear," Ron said, "I'll punch Malfoy next time I get the chance."" He offered Hermione a hand and pulled her from her seat. She ignored his comment and started toward the door, "Come on, let's go back."

"Really though! I'll hit him if I have to."

Hermione nodded, "I know you will."

They entered the great hall again as Professor McGonnagal ushered a rush of grumbling second years out after trying to stay late. Harry approached them, "Where were you? You're missing everything."

"What just happened?" Ron asked, referring to the second years.

"Oh, Filch was going down to the kitchens and caught a bunch of second years trying to not get caught after they were supposed to leave," Harry explained.

"Serves them right." Hermione said, "The rules were clear."

"Oh, Hermione, don't be a prick." Ron said, and then immediately regretted it.

"I'm not! But these are a privilege, who know how it will look if we can't control a few twelve year olds."

"Just because you always follow every single rules and are a teacher's dream doesn't mean we all have to be the same way.

Harry rolled his eyes in the background and took Ron's shoulder, "Lets go. Don't get into this here."

"I'm going to get my cloak." Hermione said, "Which Ronald left!"

"That's not my fault!"

Hermione turned away and left very quickly in the same direction in which she entered. She was hit by the same frigid cold from earlier.

"Twenty questions." A voice called from a shadowed corner of the courtyard.

"Go away." Hermione hissed, picking up the cloak. Malfoy stepped into the light, "Just twenty simple questions."

"No. Leave me alone." She threw her cloak over her shoulders and started again to the door. Quick steps proved useful and Malfoy halted her halfway.

"What?" she asked.

"No, no. I ask the questions here."

Hermione crossed her arms, "I'm not answering your pathetic questions."

"Fine." Malfoy nodded. "So, how about that charms test. Did you really fail?"

"Of course not!" Hermione said instinctively. Malfoy smirked. "That's not fair." She said, surrendering.

"Have you seen who you're talking to?"

Hermione nodded, "Of course."

"So, you still glad you came with Weasley?"

"Yes." Hermione said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because of that row you just had, and because of Potter."

"What about him? Harry and I are just friends, always have been."

"Well," Malfoy began, "That's not what I hear."

"What exactly do you hear?" Hermione asked, pulling her cloak closer and following Malfoy as he began to walk at a slow pace.

"I hear you're hopelessly in love. And that…you tend to want what you can't have. Is that true?"

Hermione struggled to answer, "Doesn't everyone?" At one point or another?" she asked quietly.

Malfoy shook his head, "That's now what I asked. I asked if at this moment, you want something so badly, even though you can't have it."

"Yes." She didn't skip a beat with her answer. "But it's not only that I can't have it, it's that I'm not even supposed to want it." She leaned against a nearby wall and glanced down at her hands, "You're all out of questions?"

Malfoy shook his head again, "How far have you gone?"

"You mean…"

"Yeah, with a guy." He smirked.

"I'm not telling you that! God, you're rude!"

"Alright, relax Granger." His face became neutral and he leaned perpendicular to Hermione. The students in the great hall started a loud countdown. Fifteen…fourteen…thirteen…. Malfoy looked down at Hermione.

"Are you scared?"

Eight…seven…six….

Hermione looked up and met his eye bravely.

"Very."

Three…two….

"You should be." Malfoy came close just like before, nobody could see her heart jump from her chest. He dipped his head lower and caught her eye again.

Hermione lifted a shaky hand to his shoulder and pushed him back, "Happy New Year." She turned slowly and walked across the courtyard back into the great hall. She saw a sight that would make anyone's heart dance with joy. Everyone was smiling, laughing. And the tiny lights floated into the center of the room and formed a large '1998'. Her friends waved her over and she forced a smile on her face as she approached them and Ginny handed her a glass before being pulled away to her sixth year friends. Hermione, Ron and Harry all raised their classes filled with a fizzing beverage.

"Happy New Year. Lets make it interesting."

Hermione shook her head, "Let's all start over." She looked pointedly at Ron as their glasses clinked. Her head pounded as she drained her drink in moments.

"Jeeze, Hermione. Are you all right?" Harry asked her.

"Hmm? Oh, sure. Why?" she asked, setting the empty glass on a nearby table. Harry shrugged, "Never mind."

The crowd thinned considerably after midnight as the third and fourth years left for their dorms.

"Hermione!" Neville approached the group, "There's some fifth years down the hall. Thought they could get away with sneaking in fire whiskey…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Thanks Neville. I'll take care of it." She turned to leave when Ron stopped her.

"What? I made a deal with them!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have. You're lucky I'm not kicking you out too." Hermione said, and walked toward the corridors.

"Can you believe that?" Ron grumbled as she walked away.

"I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Harry said, taking a sip of his drink.

"I thought I did." Ron said glumly and sank into a nearby chair. "I don't know. Maybe it's the atmosphere. Girls at these things. You remember the Yule ball? It's the same thing." He sighed. "And she worst part is, she's taking it out on me! I really wanted that fire whiskey too."

"Ron, just don't even try. You're dug yourself a hole here, it's not worth it." Harry said.

"You're certainly optimistic."

"I'm just not blinded by love."
Ron laughed, "Thank God neither am I."

Harry stared at him and put down his drink. "No, you're just plain blind." He then turned and walked away.

The great hall once again filtered out as time wore on. Tired students made their way to their dorms, while the older students stayed behind to enjoy every last minute of freedom they could manage.

"We'll have to make it shorter next time." Hermione said as she cleaned up a few misplaced chairs after everyone had gone. "People got tired early.

"Sure. Makes sense." Hermione looked up to see Malfoy by her side, also clearing away decorations.

"You sure are hard to get rid of." She told him.

"You've been trying?"

"Yes-no. I mean…not really-"

"I'm thrilled you can explain yourself so well."

Hermione sighed sharply. "Just go. Anywhere…anywhere but here."

"I don't want to."

"Have you always gotten what you want?" she said turning to him.

Malfoy nodded, "Pretty much. Being a Malfoy does have it's blessings."

"And it's curses?"

"Those too." He laughed quietly. "No matter how much I get, there is always something I want more-"

"A heart?" Hermione offered sarcastically.

Malfoy ignored her, "more than anything else combined."

"And what's that?" she asked with her own smirk .

"Well I can't tell you that. Can I? No. You'll have to find that one out on your own."

"What…" she glanced around.

"I'll give you a hint." He leaned over to whisper in her ear, "you wont find it in one of your schoolbooks."

He pulled back and she nodded. Both continued cleaning as if nothing was wrong. When in reality, far away from the worlds in their own heads, nothing was making sense.

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A/N: some of it is a little different writing style for me, and I have to say, Jess gave me help on the stairs part with Ron and Hermione. I really like this chapter, so tell me your thoughts! R&R as usual, please!