I lay underneath George, panting heavily. I couldn't believe what had just happened, I'd never known I could feel that way. My body still felt tingly.

"Wow," George breathed into my neck, where his head had fallen. I nodded my head, unable to speak. His hands were still holding me tight, and my own arms were wound tight around his neck. I took another deep breath, taking in the scent of George's hair and cologne.

Worried by my lack of response George pushed himself up, and I instantly missed the heat he radiated as a cold breeze blew across my chest.

"Hermione?" He asked tentatively, his eyes wide with worry. I smiled up at him, marveling that anything could have felt so right.

"That was…" Words failed me for the first time I could remember, so I settled for showing him how I felt. I kissed him. It was a sweet, tender, satisfying kiss that left me breathless and weak in the knees. George pushed himself off the couch and lowered himself beside me so that he was crouching on the couch beside me and his face was even with mine.

"Merlin you're beautiful." He whispered, his voice low and soft as he ran his finger along my cheek, causing me to shiver. I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes and savoring the feel of his hand.

He let out a deep sigh before standing up and moving his hand. "I've got to go shower." He said, sounding like he wanted to do anything but. "You don't go anywhere." He said, pointing a warning finger at me. I nodded my head, sitting up. He smiled tenderly at me, his eyes full of emotion before turning and jogging into his bedroom. I sat there for a moment, my mind going over a million different things as I listened to the sound of the water. I fixed my shirt as I marveled at what he had done to me. I had never felt like that before, never imagined I could.

Yet I was scared, what if he wanted to have sex next? I wasn't sure I was ready… I really enjoyed what had just happened, but I wasn't quite ready for that next step. I didn't regret doing anything with George, I just wasn't ready to give everything up yet. I love George immensely, I had no doubt of that fact, and I knew he loved me and would wait till I was ready for anything else. At least, I hoped he would. He'd been incredibly patient with me so far, lots of boys would have dumped me by now because of how slow we were moving.

I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't hear the water stop or George's door open. I was sitting on the couch with my legs tucked underneath me and my arms crossed against my chest. I felt a pair of warm, slightly damp hands grasp my shoulders and I jumped, turning around in my seat and smiling nervously when I saw George staring down at me. He smiled encouragingly and moved around the couch sitting down next to me.

We sat in awkward silence for a moment before George broke it. "Hermione," he said, rubbing the back of his neck like he did when he got nervous. "I want you to know that I really enjoyed tonight, but I don't expect anything from you. I understand things got a little carried away, I hope I haven't' made you to uncomfortable. I really love you, and I like how things are progressing between us. Please don't think I expect anything more from you, I'm happy just to be allowed to snog you."

Tears filled my eyes at his words and my heart fluttered as I looked at his eyes. "Oh George," I whispered, staring at him with utter love. How could I regret anything with him? How could I have ever been worried?

He was looking thoroughly alarmed now, so I grabbed him in a fierce hug, claiming his lips in a kiss that told him how much I loved and appreciated him.

We never did get to the birthday cake I made him. We found much better things to do with our mouths until Fred came home.

Life started again annoyingly fast. I felt closer to George than ever, and wanted to see him so much it almost hurt, but I had no chances. I had to stay at Hogwarts, and he wasn't allowed in. So it was with ill concealed eagerness that I delved back into my school work. I was extremely determined to keep myself as busy as possible so that the days would go by faster. We had our last apparition practices, and began to prepare for the final so that helped occupy me. Harry, who couldn't take the test, discovered something new though that threatened to distract me from my new formed mission of business.

Malfoy was using the room of requirements, and he was using Crabbe and Goyle under the disguise of Polyjuice potion to keep guard. This really did alarm me. What could he be doing in there? If he really had planted the locket and the poison, then who did he intend to harm this time? Was it the reason he looked so worn and haggard all the time now?

I didn't know the answer, but I knew that before the years end I would.

The first real change happened on the 21. We were sitting outside, it was sunny and warm and we'd just eaten lunch. A young girl, probably a first year, came up to us bearing a letter. I thought it was for a meeting at first, but it turned out to be very different.

Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione!
Aragog died last night. Harry and Ron, you met him and you know how special he was.
Hermione, I know you'd have liked him.
It would mean a lot to me if you'd nip down for the burial later this evening.
I'm planning on doing it round dusk, that was his favorite time of day.
I know you're not supposed to be out that late, but you can use the cloak.
Wouldn't ask, but I can't face it alone.
Hagrid

"Oh, for heaven's sake," I said out loud, not believing what I read when Harry handed it to me. Harry couldn't sneak out, it was far too dangerous! I handed the letter to Ron who read it quickly, looking aghast.

"He's mental" he said furiously. "That thing told its mates to eat Harry and me! Told them to help themselves! And now Hagrid expects us to go down there and cry over its horrible hairy body!"

"Its not just that," I said, rolling my eyes at Ron's naivety. "He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security's a million times tighter and how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught."

"We've been down to see him by night before," Harry said quietly, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Yes, but for something like this?" I said, feeling horrified. He couldn't really be serious, could he? I love Hagrid too, but this was ridiculous! He shouldn't risk a detention just because Hargid was burying that monster. If it was Fang, I'd be there in a minute, but not for Aragog. "We've risked a lot to help Hagrid out, but after all — Aragog's dead. If it were a question of saving him —"

"— I'd want to go even less," Ron said decidedly, turning towards Harry. "You didn't meet him, Hermione. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot."

"Harry, you can't be thinking of going," I said, ignoring Ron. "It's such a pointless thing to get detention for."

Harry sighed heavily, crunching the note in his hand as he looked at me. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I s'pose Hagrid'll have to bury Aragog without us."

"Yes he will," I said feeling immensely relieved. Harry wouldn't break his word, I just had to make sure he forgot about Hagrid. I needed to change the subject. My ye caught sight of the corner of his potions book as he put the letter into his bag and I was struck with inspiration.

"Look," I said, trying to not sound like I was changing the subject. "Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests… Try and soften Slughorn up a bit then!" I made my voice as enthusiastic as possible, smiling widely and probably looking like an idiot.

"Fifty-seventh time lucky, you think?" Harry asked, glaring at the castle darkly. Okay, bad subject change.

"Lucky!" Ron exclaimed suddenly, sitting up straight and turning towards Harry gleefully. "Harry, that's it –get lucky!"

Huh?

"What'd you mean?" Harry asked, beating me to the question.

"Use your lucky potion!" Ron said, looking like it was the most obvious thing. Lucky potion?

Oh, oh! That was brilliant!

"Ron, that's — that's it!" I said, feeling winded. It was wonderfully clever. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it?"

Harry stared at both of us fearfully. "Felix Felicis?" he asked, sounding uncertain. "I dunno . . . I was sort of saving it. ..."

"What for?" Ron demanded. I agreed with him, what could he possible be saving it for? What could he be thinking, he had to get that memory!

"What on earth is more important than this memory, Harry?" I asked, not wanting to seem pushy, but needing to understand what he was thinking. Was he hoping to get Malfoy or something?

Harry grew silent, his eyes went distant and a dreamy look came across his face. We'd just lost him, and I had no idea where he went. What was I missing here?

"Harry? Are you still with us?" I asked quietly, waving my hand in front of his face. He blinked twice, looking like he was just waking from a dream.

"Wha — ? Yeah, of course," he said, pulling himself together. "Well. . . okay. If I can't get Slughorn to talk this afternoon, I'll take some Felix and have another go this evening."

"Perfect." I said, smiling happily as I grabbed my books and shoved them back in my bag. "That's settled then. Come on Ron, we have to go take our test."

The test went far smoother than I had thought it would. I passed quite well, I didn't have any trouble at all. Poor Ron barely didn't pass, he left half his eyebrow behind and the examiner had failed him. I thought that was quite cruel of the instructor, but Ron wouldn't hear anything about it. He was far too grumpy about the whole affair. To top matters off, Harry had also failed at getting the potion.

"So, Harry — you going to use the Felix Felicis or what?" Ron asked when it started to get dark. I quite agreed with him, Harry didn't seem to want to take the potion. We were going to have to make him.

"Yeah, I s'pose I'd better," Harry said, sighing miserably as he stood up from the couch. "I don't reckon I'll need all of it, not twenty-four hours' worth, it can't take all night... I'll just take a mouthful. Two or three hours should do it."

"Well, here goes," Harry said, and he raised the little took a small gulp. A small smile stole across his lips and his eyes brightened considerably.

"What does it feel like?" I asked, feeling curious at what could put such an easy smile on my friends face.

"Excellent," he said. "Really excellent. Right. . . I'm going down to Hagrid's."

"What?" Ron and I both asked, looking at each other in horror. Seeing Hagrid was not part of our plan, not at all!

"No, Harry — you've got to go and see Slughorn, remember?" I said, looking at Ron again. He shrugged his shoulders, no idea what to do.

"No," Harry said, already heading towards the door. "I'm going to Hagrid's, I've got a good feeling about going to Hagrid's."

"You've got a good feeling about burying a giant spider?" Ron asked, blinking and looking stunned.

"Yeah," Harry replied , pulling his Invisibility Cloak out of his bag. "I feel like it's the place to be tonight, you know what I mean?" Oh god, we were losing him, he wasn't going with the plan. How did he expect to get the memory at Hagrids?

"No," Ron and I said together, not hiding our alarm. Harry didn't notice it. I reached over and grabbed the potion, a new scary thought occurring to me. Could it be something other than Felix?

"This is Felix Felicis, I suppose?" I said to myself, holding it up to the light. "You haven't got another little bottle full of— I don't know —"

"Essence of Insanity?" Ron suggested, looking at Harry as though he had gone around the bend. Harry laughed at his remark, making me even more worried.

"Trust me," he said. "I know what I'm doing ... or at least" he strolled confidently to the door— "Felix does."

Oh god, he thought a potion could direct him, what had we done?