Hermione threw her head back and laughed, her cheeks now fiery red and painful from smiling so much.

"That - " gasp "was a good one! Gosh that sure was funny. But anyway, before you try to side track me again, what exactly is your business here at Hogwarts."

"That, my little sphinx, is an excellent question"

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Draco paced back and forth in front of the stone gargoyle wracking his brain for any candy he might have missed, though knowing perfectly well he named every single one existing in the wizarding world. That only left muggle candies, and on that subject Draco was a complete failer. Though in all fairness he should have known the password because he was Head Boy, however, Draco and remembering important things...those two just didn't like each other very much.

A rustle could be heard followed by high pitched laughter down the hall, he looked but no one was there. Looking around him he strained to find the source of the noise, unconsciously backing himself up into a wall. And then, a small stream of light appeared from a door that had just opened down the hall. From it emerged two dark haunting figures garbed in flowing garments stumbling towards him and groping the walls. Their foot steps making awkward uneven clacking noises with every step the creatures with the oddly deformed heads took towards him; and he was glued to the spot.

"Lumos" he uttered as they grew near and a beam of light emitted from his wand illuminating the corridor, and the creatures. And there they were revealed.

Professors McGonagall and Trelawney fully equipped with slippers, robes, and hair curlers.

Draco simply stared open mouthed at his teachers as they stared back equally aghast. Who knew? McGonagall and Trelawney were closet best friends.

"Mr. Malfoy did you just laugh?" McGonagall asked as menacing as she could in the situation.

Though little did either professor know that Draco at that time couldn't answer due to the fact that he was so overcome with laughter he thought he might explode at any second having to deal with the task of holding it in. Because of this he simply shook his head and tried to mutter a short reply of 'no' , which to his ill luck ended up being another short boast of laughter, this one being very much more audible than the last.

"I heard him that time" Trelawney whispered

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe you just snickered at us...Mr. Malfoy, stop snickering...Mr. Malfoy I swear if you let out another snicker I'll –"

But she never got to finish that sentence, from the moment she said 'snicker' the gargoyle sprang to life and Draco had run upstairs. Bursting through the door to the headmasters office he stopped as he saw that the headmaster was not alone. Inside the office were many of the professors at Hogwarts.

"Ah, yes, Draco thank you for arriving so quickly, where's Hermione?" Dumbledore asked

"But Professor that's what I came to tell you about! I don't know, she's been gone for hours and the only thing the clock in our room will say is 'doesn't want you to know'"

"I told you!" Harry yelled from a chair in the corner, " He's done something too her now he's trying to cover it up!!

"Harry" the Headmaster said turning his attention to both Harry and Ron who both sat in the far corner of his office, " and Ron, will both of you please calm down. As I've been telling you all evening there are more important things to be dealt with at the time"

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would be so kind as take a seat and tell me anything you might know about Hermione's location."

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There was no more laughter in her face, she could do nothing but match his gaze as endless thoughts whirled through her mind.

"I know it is a great thing that I'm asking of you Hermione, but think of everything that you could accomplish."

A moments silence, and then -

" You called me Hermione...

His mouth twitched ever so slightly, yet Hermione noticed; however, whether the twitch was an almost smile or simply out of annoyance at a slip he might have made she couldn't tell."

...I never told you my name."

"There's a lot I know about you" He spoke while once again reclining in his chair.

"And that means there's a lot you're not telling me."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hermione is a clever girl, I'm sure she can handle herself"

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing from the headmaster, it kept echoing in his mind.

He slowly walked out of the room and made sure you he was down all the stairs before he sprinted out the front door.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"The moment of truth Hermione, I'm offering you something more precious than even your books can..."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Draco burst through the door and there was Hermione standing next to a dark figure, both standing in front of a green fire as though about to floo off campus. Still holding his wand he pointed it at the unknown figure, "Let her go" he said through gritted teeth.

Then to his surprise Hermione stood in front of the man and...did she have a smile on her face?

"Relax Draco; I'll be back later, once I've had some questions answered."

The fire tickled slightly as she stepped into it with Phoenix, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close in the small fire place, smirking at Draco's death glare. With one last look at Draco she turned and nodded at Phoenix and they both disappeared.