Disclaimer: Owning Harry Potter is a great dream of mine but it will never come true.

A/N: Here you go.

The next morning at breakfast ever teacher was on the edge of their seats, because Minerva was going to make an announcement to the whole school about what had happened to Dumbledore, though she was going to give the teachers the news of his recovery in private.

Hermione looked around the Great Hall in dismay; weary of the outcome of telling the students, but she trusted McGonagall. Hermione's thoughts drifted back to the night before and everything that had taken place. A smile crept across her face as she thought of what had happened after she beat the hell out of her brother, well almost. She looked to her left to see Draco talking to Travis. But her thoughts were soon thrown back to the students as McGonagall walked into the Great Hall.

"Please be quiet." she commanded of the students. There was a bit of murmuring and then the Great Hall became quiet. "Now I'm sure most of you have noticed that Dumbledore is not here at the moment." There was once again an outburst of whispers but once Minerva held up her hand it stopped. "I would appreciate it if you would stay quiet." she paused. "Thank you. Now as I was saying. Dumbledore has fallen ill, he will not be back for sometime, in which, until that time I will be Headmaster."

"What about the snakes?" a third year Hufflepuff called.

"Ah… yes. One had accidentally traipsed into Hogwarts and the other was merely Ms. Chantry's brother in animagus form protecting his sister." she gestured to Travis. "There is nothing to worry about at all. So please do not go making assumptions about there being something bad at Hogwarts, everything has been taken care of." She turned slightly and nodded to Draco and Hermione, who immediately rose and followed her out.

"What is it, Professor?" Hermione asked as the Great Hall door shut behind her.

She sighed. "The snake that bite Albus, the one you caught, we have not figured out away to kill it." she paused.

"Yes?" Draco asked hastily.

"We need your help."

"Mine, or his?"

"Both. We know Ms. Chantry that you were the one who helped Harry the most and you, Mr. Malfoy, you were one of his servants. So I was just hoping that maybe you could come up with something."

"We'll try ma'am." Hermione answered.

Draco wrapped his arm around her. "Have you heard anything from St. Mungos, yet?"

Minerva sighed again. "Yes. He's doing a bit better, but not much. They said Harry's staying there with him, night and day."

Hermione smiled. "That's Harry for you, always thinking of others before he thinks of himself."

McGonagall laughed slightly. "There will be a meeting in Dumbledore's office in an hour. Would you mind telling the staff."

"Sure." Hermione turned to go back into the Great Hall but couldn't go any further due to Draco's hand still around her waist.

"Is Travis still allowed here?"

"Draco!" Hermione shrieked.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, he is. As long as Hermione wants him here, he is allowed."

"So you're not at all worried about him being a snake animagus?"

"A little. But he says he is here for a good cause so I must believe him." she paused. "If what he says is true then he could be the only one to save Hermione from this new evil."

"What about me?" Draco said standing up for himself. "What about me? I can protect her. I've helped her more than anyone so far."

"Draco, calm down." Hermione said from beside him.

He looked at her. "But she's saying I'm not good enough to protect you." he turned his attention back to McGonagall. "How could you say that, he was in Azkaban for four years? Just because I was on Voldemort's side does not mean that I am not capable of protecting Hermione."

"I never said you weren't. I'm just saying. Travis seems to know more about what is after her, so I'm just trying to think of Hermione's well being. But I am not saying that you can't protect her. Protect her with all your heart." she turned around and left.

Hermione slapped his arm. "You had no right to yell at her like that."

"Sorry. I just feel like I should be the one to protect you. I am your boyfriend, remember?"

"Yes of course I remember." she smiled. "I mean seriously, how could I forget. Especially after last night."

He leaned forward and kissed her. "Good point."

"Do you think anyone heard us?" she blushed.

"I don't know. But what's more important. Do you think if Travis found out that he'd kill me?"

"If Travis found out about what?" Travis asked coming from the Great Hall.

Hermione jumped. "Oh for Merlin's sake Travis you scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry, sis. But what were you talking about?"

"Nothing." Draco put in, too fast might I add. "We were just rambling is all."

Travis stepped forward with a not so happy look on his face. "I'm so sure, Draco. Knowing you it's probably something bad. And considering you don't want me to know, it must be really bad and it must have something to do with Hermione." he raised his eyebrow at his last comment.

Hermione pushed him away playfully. "Come off it, Travis, we were just playing around. Anyways we need to tell the staff that there will be a meeting in an hour." she walked off leaving Travis and Draco behind. (A/N: She seems to do that a lot.)

"You know I will find out, don't you?" Travis sneered.

Draco smirked. "Like you always do."

"So why don't you just tell me?"

"It's not just up to me it's up to Hermione as well."

"I was right it does have to do with Herm."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah so what. I really should be off now. I'll see you later." he walked off in the same direction as Hermione.

Hermione sat back down at her set next to Professor Flitwick after she had told them all of the meeting. She watched as Draco came back in with his trademark Malfoy smirk written across his face and Travis right behind him wearing a sneer. She gulped hoping Draco hadn't told him anything. As he got to her and bent down next to her ear.

"Don't worry I didn't say a word." he whispered.

She let out a held breath she didn't even know she was holding and finished her breakfast. Afterwards all the teachers preceded to Dumbledore's office. Once they had all arrived and took their seats McGonagall stood up.

"Now, the good news is, Dumbledore hasn't gotten worse, but he's improving slowly. The bad news is, we don't know how to get read of the snake."

"Ma'am?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Why not send the snake to St. Mungos and see if they can make an anti-venom to help Dumbledore?" Hermione suggested.

"Good idea, Chantry, besides that if we send the snake there then we have no way of finding out it's weaknesses our self." Snap replied.

Minerva nodded. "Severus is right, Hermione. We need the snake here to research it."

Hermione slouched in her seat. "Ok then."

Draco took her hand and leaned closer. "I thought it was a brilliant idea." he whispered.

She smiled slightly, then an idea came to her. "Well since we can't send it, why not milk it."

"Milk it?" Draco said.

She sighed. "It's a term used on the Discovery Channel. It means to remove the venom." Draco mouthed an "o". "Anyways, that way we could just send the venom to St. Mungos and we could keep the snake."

The whole room nodded and waited for Minerva's word.

She took a seat at the desk. "Does anyone know how to do that?"

"I do." Hermione said. "I've watched enough Discovery Channel back home."

"I do." Snape added.

"I do." Hagrid finished.

McGonagall smiled. "Ok. Who is going to do it?"

"I will." they all said at once.

There were a few laughs and then Hagrid stepped forward. "Let me professor. I can do it."

"Fine Hagrid you do it. But don't injure the snake in the process."

"Yes ma'am."

"Snape take Hagrid down to the snake and stay there incase anything happens."

Snape nodded curtly and walked out with Hagrid right behind him.

"There is one more thing." Minerva paused. "Hermione I know that Travis is your brother, but do you think that he is safe to have here?"

"Yes ma'am, I do. He saved my life what else could be asked for."

"Yes I know. But he was in Azkaban and that could mean some things."

Hermione didn't like where this was leading. "What's that supposed to mean, ma'am?"

"Nothing, my dear, just that we should keep an eye on him." she looked at everyone in the room. "All of us." she added.

"Fine." Hermione huffed.

"That is all for now. You may leave." McGonagall stood to dismiss them.

Everyone left for their own classroom or bedroom, or wherever they wanted, it was a Sunday of course. Hermione and Draco walked back to the Great Hall where Travis was still sitting.

"So what's going on?" he asked as they walked up to him.

Hermione sat beside him. "Not much. Just that every teacher and staff member in this school is watching you like a cat watches a mouse."

He chuckled. "That's reasonable."