It seemed like breakfast lasted for ages. But it was finally over after an hour. After she had helped Molly with the dishes, Hermione raced upstairs. In the safety of her locked bedroom, she magically checked the letter for any jinxes, curses, or any other sort of dark magic. She found none, and opened it. It was blank.

She grew furious for a moment (Malfoy had made a fool of her!), then realised that it must be another charm. "Aperio," she said, and the inky black letters slowly appeared before her. It was a brief letter, but Hermione's hungry eyes read it through at least four times before she could believe it.

Granger,

I know you may have a coronary when you read this, but hear me out. I want to help you badly. It may sound strange and extremely foreign to your ears. I was a proud coward, however that may be, back in school, but now I've seen and experienced things I never want to speak of again, and I want it over with. You seem to be the only hope in giving me a chance. I know the others may have too much of a grudge against me. I have hope in you Granger, and I hope you have the same hope in me. Hope that I am what I am saying I am. I swear I tell the truth.

For the information: you-know-who is going to try and ambush the Muggle village where Snape grew up. Honestly, there's no real sinister plan behind it. He just wants to destroy some Muggles, that's all. He's planning on the 22nd; one week exactly. For the time? I honestly don't have a clue. Perhaps in the morning, but most likely in the afternoon. He seems to like attacking when it's the hottest time of day.

Forgive me.

It was unsigned, and Hermione's thoughts drifted to the memory where he had said his fancy for her had begun.

She had found him during her nightly patrol as a Prefect. Ron had gone to the other side of the castle, and she had ventured outside. It was January, and it was blisteringly cold and snowy. Malfoy was out there only in his summer robes.

"Without a coat on and outside?" she had reprimanded him. "Honestly! Are you daft? You'll catch a cold! Hypothermia! Pneumonia!"

"I'm not Scarhead or Weaselbee, Granger. Leave me the heck alone," he had replied coldly.

"Fine then. Die for all I care. I'm going to report you!"

"For being alone?"

"No, for being outside after curfew, obviously."

"Oh, look at me, I'm shivering with fear."

"Probably shivering from the cold. It's parky out here, Malfoy, and you're freezing to death." Her voice had softened then, as if being rational would change his mind.

"Thank you for pointing that out. If I look up will you tell me there are stars up there too?" he snapped.

"Shut up. Go inside!"

"No."

"I'm going to report you!"

"Go ahead!"

"I can take off as many points as I want from you."

"Then do it. I don't bloody care."

"What? How can you not care if your house wins?"

"This stupid competition is just that; stupid."

"You articulate so well, Malfoy."

"Just as you do through your stupid teeth."

"You're the stupid one! They're normal now."

"Good for you, now stop talking to me."

"Malfoy, I'm warning you."

"Go inside, go report me, whatever. Just leave me alone!"

"Fine!"

She flounced back into the castle steaming, sure to report Draco bloody Malfoy.

Hermione wasn't quite sure why he'd begun to fancy her then. Maybe because he had analyzed her words until he realised that, in some weird, twisted way, she had admitted that she cared for his well-being. She knew what Ron would've done if he'd found Malfoy outside. He wouldn't have even tried convincing him to go inside. Probably would've just disappeared at once to get Filch or something.

She had to share the important information with Harry though. Hermione stood up and folded the parchment into her pocket. There was no way she was going to show this to him. There was too much in it to explain, and they didn't have that kind of time to waste.

Hermione rushed to Harry's door and nearly knocked it down. Harry opened it quickly, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Goodness, Hermione, is a Death eater on your tail or something?"

"No Harry," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "But I've got information!"

"From where?"

Hermione sighed. "I was out at the Hog's Head and these two heavily cloaked figures were discussing You-Know-Who's plans, and I was able to eavesdrop." Well, it wasn't totally a lie. She and Malfoy had been the two cloaked figures.

"But how do you know it's true?"

Hermione cleared her throat, giving her a second to think up a believable story. "They were calling each other by their surnames. One of them was Malfoy, for sure. Sounded like the father. I'm not quite sure about the other, but it must've been another Death eater."

The look on Harry's face was priceless. "Brilliant, 'mione!" he exclaimed, embracing her. "What is it?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "They're going to attack Snape's hometown. I couldn't get exactly why, but they're going to attack in seven days exactly."

Harry frowned. "Spinner's End. But why? That doesn't give us too much time to prepare."

"But it gives us seven whole days to be able to prepare, Harry! We have a bit of an advantage now."

"That's true.

"We'll have to get everybody ready to fight."

Harry agreed, and Hermione used the golden Galleon she had enchanted and handed out to the Order to alert them of a meeting. In around ten minutes, everyone had assembled into the living room of the Burrow. It was very crowded.

Harry stood on a coffee table in front of everyone and enchanted his voice to be a bit louder so everyone could hear. Hermione and Ron stood at his sides; two of his greatest supporters.

"Sorry to disturb you all, but I feel I have to get this piece of news to you as soon as possible. Hermione brought news of an attack at Spinner's End that's going to happen in seven days. For those of you who don't know the place, it's a small Muggle suburb."

Everyone broke out into whispers. Arthur Weasley cleared his throat. "How can you be sure?"

Harry looked down at Hermione for support, and she nodded at him and stood with him on the table.

"I was there just giving Aberforth our weekly grocery list when I overheard two heavily masked people talking. One was Lucius Malfoy for certain, and I don't know who the other was."

"But how can you be so sure it was them?" Hannah Abbot piped up.

"The unnamed person called the other cloaked person, 'Malfoy', and his voice was too mature to be Draco Malfoy. And there's only one wizarding family with the famous Malfoy name."

Everyone began to whisper again, and Hermione squeezed Harry's arm before stepping down.

"Anyway, I think seven days gives us enough time to prepare for the attack. At least we know its coming and where it's going to be. Arthur, the professors, and I will begin to draw out the plans for our defense. We'll have to begin by getting the Muggles in that area to evacuate."

"How will we do that?"

"That's a part of the plan we have to make. I don't know what time the Dark Lord is going to attack, so we'll have to be there from morning to night, waiting. That's all I have to say for now."

He hopped down from the table and Hermione and Ron went to him.

"We're going to win this one," Ron said confidently. "We'll have the upper hand."

"Don't be so sure, Ron," Hermione said disapprovingly. "We still don't know enough to give us the upper hand."

"At least we have seven days to prepare!" Ron retorted, and grinned as he walked away.

Hermione rolled his eyes. "What a narcissist," she said. "Anyway, that was a good speech you gave, Harry. I'm glad everyone's aware of it now. You should begin the planning."

"You and Ron have to be with me, of course," he said. "How can I plan without my two best mates by my side?"

Hermione smiled. "Of course we'll be with you, Harry. How about Ginny?"

Harry sighed and pushed his glasses up. "You know we don't have time for romance now, 'mione," he said. "I wish we did, but with all this planning—"

"I know how hard it is for you, Harry," she said, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I asked."

He shrugged. "It's alright. Well, better start planning now, eh?"

"That's the spirit!"

"Now where'd Ron go?"

"Probably going to get a snack. You know he's got a bottomless pit where his stomach ought to be." Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry smiled at her.

"You two are a great couple."

Hermione laughed. "Right." But her eyes were shining all the same. All of a sudden, her thoughts meandered to Draco Malfoy, and his words began to play into her head.

I've had eyes for you. I fancied you and I…I still do.

Hermione shook her head and followed after Harry to the kitchen. Now was not the time for such silly fancies.

A.N. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review! Reviews always make my day!