AN: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate all you reviewers who have intelligent things to contribute to my self-conscience, not just "your fanfic sucks"... On a happier note: I'm sorry that I killed off Charlie, but I needed something to make this fic darker, but don't worry, plenty of happiness later on! But, (just a warning,) I plan on killing another character, not anytime soon though, no need to worry about it now. OK, so that wasn't really a "happier note" lol… but w/e.

Back to the Story…

Chapter 13: Men in Black

Hermione watched helplessly for the next few days as Ginny sunk into her shell, a place that must have been dusty and deserted. Ginny's anti-social behavior really concerned all of Gryffindors and the Prefects, who relied on Ginny for a lot of the social atmosphere. The Prefect tower seemed depressingly dour after the news of Charlie Weasley's death, and Ginny would speak to no one, not even Harry.

Even worse than Ginny, was Ron. He disappeared almost immediately after the dance, and Daria was the last person to see him. She had told the others (being Hermione, Draco, and Harry) that he was going to be with his mother and father to clean out Charlie's apartment, and he had made no effort (owl ect.) to try and reach his friends. Ginny had enthusiastically declined to go with her family, and so she stayed at Hogwarts, locked in her Prefect room. No one had really made a conscience effort to reach Ginny; everyone thought it would be best to leave her alone so she could handle her grief in her own way. But after three days, and no sign of Ginny; Hermione and Daria thought they should see her.

"Ginny?" Daria gently cooed from the other side of Ginny door.

"Go away please," Ginny yelled through the door. She wasn't angry, but she was undoubtedly upset.

Daria wiped some sleep out from under her eyes and tried to open Ginny's door. It was locked. She sighed and gave Hermione a pleading look.

"Please Ginny, don't you want to talk?" Hermione attempted.

"No! I want you to leave me alone."

Hermione groaned inwardly and went with plan "B". She pulled her wand out of her pocket and opened the locked door.

"I said I didn't want anyone in here," Ginny said with a heated voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

"I know," Hermione began, "but we brought you some acid pops, and chocolate frogs, and every flavored beans…"

Ginny's head slowly emerged from under her bed. She looked over-tired with dark circles under her eyes, and her skin looked dull and discolored. "Well… I guess you can stay for a little while," she said in a quiet voice.

Hermione and Daria approached the bed, making sure the sweets were visible to Ginny. "Ginny what are you doing under the bed?" Hermione said trying not to sound insensitive.

Ginny looked up at Hermione with a blank expression. "Do you want to see it?"

Daria frowned at Ginny, assuming that she had gone a little crazy. "See what exactly?"

Ginny made a grunting sound of annoyance and disappeared under the bed again. Hermione and Daria waited for a few moments as they heard some commotion from under Ginny's bed, and then they heard Ginny say, "Are you guys coming?" in (surprise!) a slightly upbeat voice.

The two girls exchanged puzzled looks, and then got on their knees to look under the bed. They saw nothing, not even Ginny. "Ginny?" Daria said, expecting to get a response from the bed. Hermione and Daria got no response.

Hermione got on her stomach and crawled all the way under the bed, using her elbows like she saw in war movies. "Ginny?" she shouted. Daria was right behind her now. "Well," Hermione said in a confused voice, "I guess we're going mad because I don't see- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Hermione and Daria felt like they floor had been pulled out from underneath them, and they were falling through space. It was only a few moments before both Hermione and Daria landed in two soft beanbag chairs, and they took a moment to realize they had fallen through the floor from under Ginny's bed.

Hermione now believed anything was possible.

"Sorry if that scared you guys," Ginny said.

Hermione and Daria were startled to see Ginny sitting on a comfortable-looking navy blue couch. Hermione and Daria studied the room some more. The room itself was rectangular with beige walls and wood shelving along them. On the shelves were multiple pictures of Charlie; from the ages of 3, to before he died. The wall that the couch was facing was a huge movie screen. It covered the entire wall, but nothing was presently playing on it. The high ceiling made Hermione feel very vulnerable for some reason. The room had no windows… and no door. The room was a very comfortable temperature, but Ginny had blankets all over the couch she was on. She was wrapped in a huge mocha colored fleece blanket, and only her disheveled and dull red hair, and gaunt saddened face were exposed.

"It's kinda nice to see some people though…" Ginny muttered.

Hermione blinked in complete amazement. "Ginny… have you been down here all this time?"

Ginny nodded slowly.

"Well…" Daria started. "How- how do you- like… eat and get food. And how do you use a bathroom?

Ginny smiled briefly, and exposed white teeth. Confirming Hermione's hope that Ginny had used a bathroom to brush her teeth, and go the bathroom. "This is my special room," she said, as if she solved everything. "It works a little bit like the room of requirements… but it always looks like this. But I can "wish" for certain things to appear if I need them," she elaborated, "like food and water… and a bathroom," Ginny was smiling at her two friends. "So where's that candy?"

Hermione half-smiled at her friend, relieved that she hadn't slipped away from the world. "Here," Hermione said as she tossed the bag of sweets. "So do you want to talk?"

Ginny paused in the middle of ripping a chocolate frogs' head off and shrugged. "I guess," she said getting quiet again.

Hermione and Daria realized she really didn't want to talk, and they'd just have to be there when she did.

"So..." Daria said trying to change the subject, "what have you been watching on that screen?"

"Yeah… how did you even get something like that?" Hermione inquired.

Ginny half-smiled at her two friends. "My dad… something he found in Muggle America."

Hermione and Daria looked at the huge screen again and wondered what on earth Ginny could have been watching for the past three days.

"Wanna see it?" Ginny said in a little-kid type of voice.

Both Hermione and Daria nodded ardently.

Ginny grinned and stared at the screen intensely for a few moments with nothing appearing on the screen. Hermione and Daria looked at each-other with expressions that said they both thought they had walked into a nut-house.

Then, without warning, the lights dimmed and surround sound boomed through the isolated room. And there on the screen was Bill, Charlie, Ron, Fred, George, Percy, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; and a very little Ginny in Charlie's arms.

To Hermione it was like watching a car accident; she didn't want to watch, but she couldn't turn her eyes away. She watched the young Ginny smiled into the camera, freckles splashed over her face. The Weasley's had been at the beach, and Hermione was amazed how little the Weasley's changed. Bill's hair was getting long, the twins were running around and jumping off of rocks, Mr. Weasley was trying to catch Fred and George, Percy was sitting on the blanket, examining his coloring book for an empty page, Charlie was playing with figurine dragons in the sand with Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley was fussing over the sun block she was trying to put on Ron's ears and shoulders.

Daria watched the film roll, wondering if this was recorded from one of the Weasley's memories, or and actual camera. Daria spared a glance at the sixteen year old Ginny sitting in the room with her. Ginny's eyes were fixed to screen, a saddened glaze running over them.

"Ron, sit still!" Mrs. Weasley said to a twitchy Ron.

Hermione and Daria both jumped at the booming voice. It was definitely surround-sound, but Hermione could not find a single speaker in the room.

"Mom, that's enough," Ron said in an annoyed voice. Hermione almost laughed because it was so high-pitched.

"Oh fine," Mrs. Weasley reluctantly let go of Ron. "Tell Charlie to bring Ginevra here."

Hermione watched a toddler Ron sprint over to Charlie and Ginny. "Mom wants Gin-ee-va," he stuttered uncertainly.

Charlie squinted in the sun at his little brother. "No," he said, "it's Gin-eh-vra…"

Ron nodded and tried again. "Gin-eh-vrahhhh."

"Gin-eh-vra," Charlie said more slowly.

"Gin-ee-"

"No, it's Gin- EH-vra."

"Gin-ee-"

"EH," Charlie said clearly.

"EE?"

"EH."

"Gin-nee?"

"Gin-eh-vra…"

"Ginny?"

Percy had been watching Charlie and Ron the entire time. "Charlie, it's no use trying to teach him."

Ron's face and ears went crimson.

"Let him call her what he wants," Percy finished.

Hermione couldn't help but scowl at Percy's attitude on screen. How can such a little boy have such an attitude? Hermione spared a glance at Ginny, who seemed entranced by the home video. "Ok Ginny," Hermione started, interrupting the movie, "you need to see Harry and maybe Laven-"

"Shhhhhhhhhh!" Ginny shushed her. "I hate when people talk during a film… it's very rude."

Daria raised one eyebrow at Ginny, hoping that her good friend was kidding. "Gin, you can't be serious-"

"Did I stutter?" Ginny said in a very annoyed voice. "I said I don't like talking during a movie."

"Ginny-" Hermione tried again, with a stern voice.

"Shush!"

Hermione eyed Ginny with no sympathy. "Don't you shush me!"

Ginny glared at Hermione. "If you don't like it then why don't you just leave!"

Hermione screamed to herself. Ginny obviously was going a little crazy. She shouldn't have been left to watch home videos for the past three days. "I can't leave you here," Hermione said gently, "Even though I kinda want to," she joked.

Ginny shut the movie off and had the lights come on. Ginny stared at Hermione and Daria with sad eyes, and then without warning she burst into tears. "I miss him so much," she sputtered between her sobs. "I new I should have gone to see him more… it's just like, we're part of a big family, so it's hard to get to know everyone they way best friends can. It was easy for me and Ron… the age gap isn't that big… and Fred and George have always been inseparable." Ginny paused to blow her nose on a blanket. "But… Charlie and Bill were gone before I could even appreciate them… and it blows."

Hermione and Daria looked at Ginny sympathetically. Neither could empathize, because both were an only child; but they moved from their beanbags to Ginny's comfy couch.

"Everyone in your family knows how much you love them," Daria assured her. "Ron tells me all the time how much he cares about you… and how much he knows you care about him," she added. Daria gave a quick glance to Hermione for some help.

"And," Hermione said quickly, "I'm sure no one in your family would want you to hide in a secret room…"

Ginny looked hesitant. "Maybe Percy would… prick."

"No he wouldn't," Hermione said. "Percy may be a prick… but he wouldn't want you to shut yourself away." Hermione stopped to look at Ginny's face. Her eyes were brimming with tears and she was biting her lip to keep it from quivering. "And I know Charlie wouldn't want you to be like this," Hermione said as a quiet after-thought.

Ginny nearly started crying again. "I know," she choked.

"Ginny," Daria started in a compassionate voice, "how did Charlie die?"

Ginny wiped the tears off of her face and blew her nose again. "Well… He got into an accident, I think."

"You think?" Hermione asked, mystified. "It's uncertain? How is that possible?"

Ginny wiped her left eye as a new tear started to leave a trail down her face. "Well, he was working with the dragons… and I guess Charlie's best friend was a witness, and he told the ministry that two men in black cloaks went up to Charlie and the got in a row… and the last thing his friend remembered was hearing Charlie scream."

"Where was his friend to be watching this?" Daria asked.

Ginny was no longer crying, but seemed to be very interested in her own story. "Well," Ginny started, "The dragons Charlie was working with that day were in a pit, so Charlie was feeding them and he was on a cliff basically. From how it was described to me, Charlie's friend, Sam, was on a different part of the grounds. They said he watched everything from about two stories up."

"They?"

"The doctors," Ginny clarified. "Charlie "fell" into the pit… and he was in bad shape."

Hermione was reminded of Bill's mishap with a werewolf.

"They didn't eat him… but there was no hope when they got him to the hospital. He wouldn't have even made it out of the pit if people hadn't heard him screaming."

Hermione was having an out-of-body experience. There was no way that was an accident. Two men in black cloaks approaching a Weasley- that was tending to dragons… which he did everyday, and this particular day he happened to slip and fall?

Yeah… suuuuuuure.

"Sam was found shortly after Charlie was and they went to the hospital together. Sam needed serious medical attention; he hit his head badly when he "fainted". I just can't believe this," Ginny said exasperated.

"There's no way that was an accident. That's total BS," Daria said voicing Hermione's own thoughts. "I mean, that was Charlie's job. He was a professional; there is no way he just fell."

Ginny nodded. "I guess the Ministry is investigating, but I don't think they will want to bring attention to the fact there might be some Death Eaters making a plan for "World Domination" or something."

Hermione nodded. She was afraid to even think that was what those two men were up to. Death Eaters.

That's all Hermione needed.

"You know what I want?" Hermione said seriously.

"No, what?" Ginny said.

Hermione turned and looked at her two friends. "I want one year of school, just one, where I don't have to help save the world."

To Hermione's delight Ginny smiled and laughed out loud. Unfortunately, Hermione wasn't kidding.

ASDFGHJKLASDFFGHJKLASDFGHJKLASDFGH

"Where were you?"

"Oh, I was making out with some really hot Raveclaw sixth year. Sorry if you were waiting for me."

"Ha ha ha," Draco said mockingly. "Seriously, Hermione."

"Well Mr. Nosy, I was having a long talk with Ginny-"

"Is she ok?"

"Ummm, at first I thought she was as sane as Bertha Mason, but now I think she'll be fine."

"Who's Bertha Mason?"

"Huh? Oh- Never mind."

Hermione looked around her Heads Tower and flopped onto one of the couches, thinking about the cloaked figures.

Draco shrugged and no longer cared. "You know, I think we have a meeting with Dumbledore in a half-hour."

"We do?"

"Yup… he says he is planning some sort of trip or something?"

Hermione would have been excited about this news, but her thoughts were on two men in black cloaks. "That's nice."

Draco smirked at Hermione, knowing that she wasn't paying attention to a word. "Yea… and I think he said I can burn down Hogwarts and he wants you to turn yourself into a mermaid."

"That sounds like a good plan."

Draco laughed. "Hermione? Do you have any idea what I just said?

"Huh? I'm sorry Draco, what were you saying?"

Draco smiled and kissed Hermione. "Do I have your attention now?"

"Only if you do that again."

Draco scrunched up his face. "Hmm… ok." He kissed her again.

"Ok… my attention is all yours."

"Good," Draco said with finality. "I was saying that Dumbledore is planning a trip for Hogwarts."

"Oh. I don't remember you saying that."

"Well you wouldn't, since you were content in Hermione-World."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Draco. Well I am a little distracted with the Death Eater images floating in my head!

"Oh, that's real mature 'Mione."

"Yeah, 'cuz you're sooo much more mature than I am," Hermione laughed.

Draco put his hand over his chest. "Ouch," he said, "Are you calling me immature?"

"Nope, not at all."

Draco glared at Hermione derisively. "Fine… nevermind then."

Hermione stared at Draco. "Never mind what?"

"I said never mind. If you think I'm immature I won't even bother," Draco said airily.

Hermione's curiosity was getting the best of her again. "Draco," she cooed and ran her hands up and down his chest, "you're very mature."

Draco's heart began to beat faster and faster. "Real- really?"

"Oh yea…" Hermione said. "And you're handsome, and intelligent, and funny, and- did I already mention how fantastic you are at quidditch?"

"Nope, you left that one out."

"Well, you're also great at that-"

"Anything else?"

Hermione laughed at Draco. "Hmm…" she pondered. "You have really gorgeous friends…?"

Draco's blood froze and he stuttered as he spoke. "W-W-What?"

"Haha, only kidding!" Hermione said laying her head onto Draco's chest. "You're much better-looking than Blaise."

I better be. Draco thought vainly. "Well in that case, I guess I'll tell you."

Hermione lifted her head so she could properly hear. "OoO… tell me!"

"Well," Draco cleared his throat nervously, "you- you know that I really c- care about you and all…"

"Yeah…"

"So… I was thinking- ahem- that maybe- maybe you'd like to be my actual girlfriend… if you wanted to that is."

Hermione smiled uncontrollably. "Of course I want to be your girlfriend."

"Oh," Draco said awkwardly. "Well… good then." Then Draco quickly got off the couch and went into his room.

Hermione narrowed her eyebrows as she watched Draco. What in the world is he doing?

Draco reappeared a moment later and smiled at Hermione. "I think we should go see Dumbledore now."

"Yeah," Hermione sighed. "What were you doing?" she said, unable to contain her curiosity.

Draco's cheeks became tinted with a blush. "Well… I had to write Blaise a letter."

Hermione smiled. "Why would you need to write Blaise a letter? Couldn't you just tell him whatever you needed to tell him at dinner?"

"I could've… but he-um- wanted to know what your answer was ASAP."

Hermione bit her bottom lip. "Oh."

"Uh… yeah…." Draco said uncomfortably.

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Hermione felt really awkward as she arrived at their headmaster's office. "Umm, do you know the password?" she asked Draco shyly.

"Oh," Draco said, suddenly realizing the need for a password. "Dumbledore gave me this." He handed Hermione a slip of paper with the words Hershey Kiss scribbled in black ink.

"Hershey Kiss," Hermione said. Expectedly, Dumbledore's room became accessible. "Ok, here we go."

Hermione and Draco entered Dumbledore's office and sat in front of his desk, waiting for Dumbledore to put down his copy of The Prophet. "Uh- Sir?" Hermione tried quietly.

Their professor glanced up. "Oh- I'm very sorry. I was caught up in an interesting article."

"Really," Hermione said intrigued. "What's it about Sir?"

Dumbledore smiled, removed his glasses and cleaned them as he spoke. "Well, apparently I am responsible for the Neo-Death-Eaters that have been coming out in the last few months."

Hermione gaped at her Headmaster. "What? How could that be your fault?"

Dumbledore smiled at Hermione's concern. "Well," Dumbledore said, putting his glasses on again, "I have 'created chaos in the wizarding community; first by initiating Voldemort's return, then by resisting my arrest last year, and this summer: because' I 'spoke on Harry's behalf before the war.' Quite a piece of writing I must say," Dumbledore said nonchalantly.

Draco was looking at a very vexed Hermione. "There's no way people can believe that," Draco said confidently.

"I agree," Dumbledore said. "I don't think they will either… I found the article was rather amusing though." Dumbledore smiled at his two head students. "Now, I believe I had some information that I needed to share with you."

Hermione and Draco both nodded enthusiastically.

"Right then. Well, I have arranged a trip, as I have already informed Draco," Dumbledore motioned towards him, "and I wanted to formally announce it the school in two days."

"Sir, where are we going?"

Dumbledore narrowed his eyebrows at Hermione. "I never said anything about the school taking a trip-"

"But-"

"-What I did say though, was that I arranged a trip. But it is not for the students."

Hermione and Draco glanced at each other confusedly. "Then… who's it for?"

Dumbledore smiled. "It's for your parents."

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Hermione flopped onto her bed, completely exhausted. Draco laid next to her and kissed her forehead. "It's been a long day."

"You have no idea," Hermione muttered. "I can't believe Dumbldore is arranging for our parents to take a weekend visit to Hogwarts."

"I know," Draco said thinking back to the meeting. "It'll be weird seeing my mom… I haven't really talked to her since school started."

"Same here," Hermione said reminiscing. "It's going to be weird, my mom knows nothing about magic… and hopefully Dumbledore didn't send my father an invitation. I don't want him in my life anymore," Hermione said bitterly.

Draco sat up next to Hermione. "So, what happened with your dad, if you don't mind me asking?"

Hermione stared into Draco's deep eyes. She knew he genuinely cared about her, and Hermione longed for someone to care. "Well, over the summer… he became a complete asshole," Hermione said bluntly. "He became abusive toward my mom… and he cheated on her with a total stranger. They actually got married a couple days ago. He got her pregnant." Hermione was staring hard at the blanket to keep from crying in front of Draco. "He just… left me. He left me to pick my mom off the floor the night he left."

Draco's heart ached for his new girlfriend. He knew what it was like to see someone you thought loved you just walk out of your life. Draco knew what type of person was capable of that. "I'm sorry baby," Draco cooed softly into Hremione's ear. Tears started to run down Hermione's face, and he embraced her. "He doesn't deserve to be a part of your life, Hermione. You're too amazing for him; far too good to be his daughter. You're too good for me as well."

"That's not true… you're amazing Draco."

Draco smiled at Hermione's sincerity.

"I just wish my dad could go back in time and fix his mistakes."

Draco kissed Hermione's forehead again. "I know baby."

"It's so strange though," Hermione said with a curious tone, "after listening to Ginny today… I fell like having our parents come is a great idea. I want to spend time with someone I know loves me."

Draco thought about this. He had completely forgotten about the death of Charlie Weasley. "How did he die anyway?"

Hermione's mind raced through her day. The men in black cloaks. "He was murdered by Death Eaters, we just need to prove it."

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An: so… I hope ya liked it, and I hope every1's summer is going good… mine's going great ;-) lol

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo, Jackie