Stormy Weather

Hermione knew she didn't have the greatest fashion sense that had ever been found in witch, wizard, or Muggle, but she was quite glad to see Draco wearing a very specific hunter green sweater when she entered the Great Hall. The little silver dragon embroidered right over his heart gave it just the perfect touch, she thought.

"That looks good on you," she told him as she came over, the cloak tucked over one arm where she knew he could see it. He glanced up briefly as she dropped a kiss on his cheek in greeting and nodded.

"And that looks good on you." Draco told her. She ran one hand across it, marvelling once again at how much softer things such as velvet were in the wizarding world, then looked at him.

"Are we going to fly today?" It would be nice to be up in the air with him, and with this around her. It would almost feel as if he had his arms around her. I really shouldn't be thinking things like this.

He shrugged lightly. "I hadn't really planned on it." She saw something in his eyes that might well have been the memory of how much fun the previous day had been, but it was gone a heartbeat later.

"All right," Hermione headed over to get her breakfast and took a seat. I haven't heard about mom lately. I wonder how she's doing. She poked a little at the food, eating a little, but her thoughts were as far from what was in front of her as they possibly could be.

She was almost certain Draco was looking at her, but it didn't really make a difference. She hadn't told anyone about her mother and what was going on with her. I wonder if I should say anything. Ron and Harry should know, at least. Maybe Draco. It was hard to make the decision.

"Something on your mind?" She jumped slightly as Draco asked the question, then shook her head quietly.

"I'm just thinking about my mom, that's all." Hermione almost flinched when she heard what he said. He's going to want to know more. I know I would. She put her fork down, hardly noticing the faint rattle her shaking hand caused putting it on the plate.

"Why didn't you go home?" Draco's cool eyes hadn't left her for a moment. She wasn't looking at him, but she could feel it anyway. His regard was almost like a weight on her, one that made her insides shiver and jump.

"I'd just be in the way." She shook her head a little, and spied him raising one eyebrow at her. It was obvious he didn't exactly believe what she'd just told him, and in retrospect, it did look a little silly. "She's in the hospital. I'm worried about her, that's all."

Draco frowned slightly. It was the first time she could remember seeing him look even mildly concerned about someone who wasn't him or related to him. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's got ovarian cancer," Hermione whispered the words as if they were the essence of Dark magic. It sounds so horrible spoken like that. I think I liked hearing Avada Kedavra better. "Muggle medicine has made some good advances. She's going to be fine...I hope."

The young Slytherin nodded briefly. "You could always try helping her. You are a witch after all."

If Hermione hadn't been so deep in her thoughts about her mother, she might have been far more shocked about the almost courteous way he said that. "I wouldn't know how to heal her. I'm scared if I mess up, I could kill her. At any rate, my parents wouldn't let me use magic to straighten my teeth, why would they let me use it on my mom?" She stared down at the half-full plate for a few moments, then stood up. "I think I'm going to take a walk."

She was almost halfway out of the Great Hall before the question came after her. "Would you like some company?" She glanced back to see Draco there, a faint smile that looked ever so slightly sardonic on his lips. It looks nice...but I wonder if he knows how to really smile.

"You have a nice smile," she told him as he came a little closer, and his lips moved apart just a little more.

"Practice."

As the two of them walked out, Hermione caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror, and quickly wiped away the tears that were trying to accumulate on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm being such a sap."

Draco just shrugged a little, not really seeming to mind, but she could tell he wasn't all that thrilled about it. He's always so elegant. So composed. Part of her wanted to get past that icy exterior, to see whatever it was that really made him tick. That would be interesting. He can't be like that all the time.

She glanced up at the sky, trying to find something at least partially intelligent to say. I feel...empty for some reason. Like there's nothing to say. "It's going to be a clear sky today." That sounded very stupid. She could almost feel him wanting to leave.

Whatever he wanted, the only thing he said was, "But a little chilly." He was still watching her too. Maybe she hadn't screwed up that badly.

"It usually is in winter." She replied, then shivered a little as she felt his hand caressing her cheek for a moment. A heartbeat later, their lips touched each other once more, a soft and deep kiss. Her hand slid up to stroke through his wintry hair, her eyes probing deeply into his, searching for anything like caring in them.

They're so chilly and gray...like ice...or clouds... A memory of something she'd heard over her last summer vacation flickered through her mind, and she hummed a little under her breath. Draco blinked slightly in confusion.

"What's that?"

That's right, he hates Muggle things. "A song called Stormy Weather." She kept an eye on his expression, and saw a definite flicker of distaste go through his eyes.

"Oh. Muggle music." There was something in his tone that clearly translated into "I wouldn't listen to this if wild apes were tearing me apart were the other option in life."

It wasn't as if she didn't already know, however. He'd made his opinion on Muggles clear since the very beginning. But that wasn't going to stop her from liking what she liked. Besides, he could use a little more exposure to things like this. "It's swing music. Fast paced, dancing, lots of tossing your partner into the air. Something tells me that I think you'd like it."

"I doubt it," Draco didn't look very enthused. All that really seemed to do was just increase her determination to get him to at least listen to some of it some time. Not at Hogwarts, of course, since the CD player her parents had gotten her was not only at their place, but it wouldn't have played here at any rate.

The two of them remained as they were for a few more moments, quietly enjoying the silence and the company. Hermione was the one who broke it. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Fly, mainly." She wasn't surprised. Skill like his could only be achieved by practice, and it was obvious he practiced a lot.

But she wanted to know more, as much more as possible. "So what do you do on summer break? It has to be more than just fly."

"Sometimes we visit relatives, or have them come to the manor. Father's been busy the last few years so we haven't really gone out that much. I've thought about learning wizard chess, but it's nothing I'm in that much of a hurry to do." He watched the clouds scurrying by, teased by the wind, then glanced at her. "What do you plan to do after Hogwarts?"

"You'd laugh." It wasn't something she'd ever told anyone, after all. She was the Head Girl, the hard working one who had spent every spare moment studying since her first day here. But it was still what she wanted.

Draco didn't seem to care, though. "So amuse me." She wasn't certain if he were serious, or if he meant that her only purpose in life was to amuse him. The way he was looking at her, he could've meant either one quite easily.

"Well, I'd really like to play professional Quidditch, at least for a while." She looked a bit ashamed. Head Girls and prefects weren't supposed to want things like that.

"Any particular team?" Draco actually looked almost interested! That had to be a miracle.

She nodded slightly, her cheeks reddening more from embarrassment than from the wind, no matter what she kept telling herself inside. "The Holyhead Harpies." They were the only all-witch Quidditch team in existence, and ever since she'd read that in Quidditch Through The Ages, she'd wanted to be one of them.

Draco looked slightly surprised, and quite possibly even...ashamed? "That's mine too. I know it's a little weird, liking the only all-witch team, but they're really good." There was something in his eyes that was very much like Ron's when he was discussing the Chudley Cannons, only not quite as intense.

Hermione grinned a little. "You just like watching all the witches playing Quidditch!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Draco teased back, shocking Hermione. Was he actually loosening up around her? That had to go down in the record books.

She leaned back a little, wrapping her arms around her legs. "I just find it amazing that more guys aren't watching them. I hope I could be a Seeker for them, but I don't know if I really have a chance."

"I could help you learn." Draco's tone was somewhat off-hand, as if he did this every day, and she had the feeling it wouldn't be good to challenge him on this. If she started pointing out that he usually hated 'Mudbloods' and everyone who wasn't like him, he'd probably withdraw the offer.

"Really?" It was the only thing she could think of to say right now. He sounded so casual about it, maybe he didn't really mean it, though. Maybe he expected her to turn it down.

He nodded slightly as he glanced her up and down. "You're not exactly built for a Seeker, but that doesn't always matter."

"What do you mean I'm not built for a Seeker?" That position had been the one that had really appealed to her more than any other. Be honest, Hermione, it's because the Seeker has one job, and you could do that practically in your sleep. Or so you keep telling yourself.

She had never really seen him as serious as he was right now. "Look at me. Look at Cho Chang when she was here. Potter. All of us are small and light, because we have to be fast to catch the Snitch." Hermione had to admit he was right. Cedric had been a bit unusual in being as big as he was, but that sort of thing wasn't usual in Seekers.

But she was a woman, and there were certain things that you just didn't say to a woman. "Are you saying I'm fat?" She stood up in front of him, arms crossed over her chest as she glared down at him. He barely blinked.

"No, I'm not, I'm saying that you're tall." Draco glanced up and down her once more, an appraising look in his eyes. She no longer wondered just why he was not only one of the best players Hogwarts had seen, but the captain of his team for the last two years as well. "Actually, I could see you more as a Keeper than a Seeker. They have to be fast, too, but having a build like yours could help with that."

She blinked a little. That hadn't really occurred to her. I think I've been associating with Harry a little too much. "Oh. You're right."

"Does the position matter that much to you?" Draco asked with a slightly raised eyebrow. She shook her head quickly.

"Not, really as long as I'm playing."

He nodded slightly. "Why didn't you ever try out for Gryffindor?"

That was something she'd thought about for a while herself. "Studying always came first, really. I know I probably should have if I want to even try to be professional, but there were other things to do too."

"You'll want to make up for that before you try at the professional level," Draco told her seriously. "Pro Quidditch isn't something you go into lightly. I'm not even sure I could do it." She was positive something strange was going on. This had to be the first time in seven years that he'd ever said he wasn't certain he could do something.

She grinned suddenly as a thought passed her mind. "I wonder if I could get Ron off of the team." Her ex-boyfriend had been playing ever since his fifth year, and she knew he was good. "I doubt it, though."

"He has been playing for a few years." It would be a cold day in Hell before Draco Malfoy said that Ron Weasley was good at anything except being a complete idiot. But there were other ways to say things.

Hermione nodded quickly. "He's not the best Keeper that Gryffindor has ever had, either. That was Oliver Wood."

"Not to mention that it's only a few months until we leave anyway. I don't really think it's worth the effort."

She glanced back at him curiously. If she really had half a hope, then she had to train, and she would be going up against witches from all over the United Kingdom, and probably farther afield as well, who had spent all of their school days in training. "Would you help me train?"

There was only silence for a few moments, then he nodded quietly. "It's a deal."

"Thanks." Hermione shook his hand politely to seal the bargain. That's weird. I think someone's watching me... Instinctively she glanced up to the castle, and caught a glimpse of familiar flame red hair in one window, with a shock of dark black beside it. "Great. Now I'm being spied on."

Draco looked in the direction she had, then smirked a little and waved at them cheerily. Hermione giggled softly, then decided, If they're going to spy, I might as well give them something to spy on. She leaned forward and kissed Draco quite firmly on the lips, making certain they saw everything.

Once they pulled back, Draco eyed her with slightly more interest than he usually did. "It seems there just might be a little Slytherin in you."

"And you have the tiniest bit of Gryffindor." Hermione told him. Draco raised one eyebrow.

"There's no need to be insulting."

She flashed him a slightly annoyed look. "It wasn't an insult." The way his lips moved slightly, or at least seemed to move, quite possibly indicated that he understood that. She shook her head a bit. "Your eyes remind me of that song. Stormy Weather."

A hint of amusement touched his eyes for a brief moment, accompanied by the faintest of sounds that in someone else could've been a chuckle. But this was Draco Malfoy, and Draco Malfoy simply didn't chuckle, so it had to be some other sound.

Quiet fell between them for a few moments, with only the sounds of the Forbidden Forest and a few bangs and whistles from inside the castle that were probably Peeves to break the silence. I think this is the quietest Christmas there's been in years. Makes up for Halloween, I guess. I wonder if it's going to stay this quiet for the rest of the year, even when everyone else gets back. Hermione ran her fingers across the cloak in thought, then glanced at Draco for a moment. "What do you plan to do after Hogwarts?" After all, he knew her dreams, it was only right that he share.

"I haven't really decided yet." Draco shrugged lightly and Hermione's eyes widened slightly.

"The Head Boy hasn't decided?" She clearly recalled how Percy Weasley had known what he wanted almost since the moment they had first met. Draco didn't seem all that bothered by his lack of plans, however. He probably knows, and just doesn't want to say anything. We haven't exactly been talking to each other that long, after all. She glanced at the sun for a moment, then looked back at him. "I'm going to go wash up. It's almost lunch time."

He nodded briefly and she headed inside, feeling his eyes on her the whole way. Just before she passed the door, she glanced behind her, and wasn't surprised to see Draco still watching her. She flushed slightly, her lips trembling with the memory of the kiss, then hurried up to Gryffindor Tower. She passed Ron and Harry on the way, giving them a brief wave, then raced on, eager to get to the warm blaze she knew was waiting there.

"It's freezing out there!" The cold hadn't seemed all that bad when she was with Draco, but now the effects of it seemed almost to be piling up at once. She knew that was scientifically impossible, but this was Hogwarts after all.

She'd virtually expected Ron and Harry to follow her, so when she heard Harry reminding Ron that she was right, it was winter, she was not only not surprised at that, she was half way expecting what her ex said afterwards. "So she shouldn't go out!"

"I can do what I want." She leaned a little closer to the fire, not even bothering to look up at them. "I had fun. But then, you saw that, didn't you?"

Ron shuddered in memory at what he'd seen. "You really like him?" Hermione rolled her eyes, but nodded for her answer. Draco had been almost unfailingly polite and nice to her ever since they'd started this little deal.

I know he just wants his parents off of his back, but he's still being polite. It was more than she'd ever had from him before.

Ron fidgeted a little more, his curiosity eating him alive. "What were you talking about out there?" She had to wonder if this would get him to doing his homework more, so he could spy on them without having to ask her things like this.

"Quidditch." She wasn't at all surprised to see him light up like a Christmas tree at the mention of the word. "I'm kind of hungry. Excuse me while I change for lunch." She knew how that sounded, but after walking in the cold and a light layer of snow, and a few kisses from Draco, she really wanted to have a shower before going out in public again. Maybe a nice cold one.

Hermione pushed her food around on her plate, not looking at the others surrounding her at the Gryffindor table. She could hear the sounds of chewing, swallowing, and conversation, but none of it really seemed to affect her.

I think the Slytherins are looking at me. She could feel the eyes on her still, only this time it wasn't Draco. It was virtually every Slytherin female in sixth and seventh year. A couple of the others were also eying her, but it was those two years that seemed to be doing it the most. Are they...giggling? That was not exactly an endearing sound.

"Hermione?" She jumped slightly at Harry's quiet question. "You look upset about something. Is there anything you'd want to talk about?"

She shook her head quickly. "Not upset, just thinking." Her fingers rattled across the letter that had been dropped on her plate that morning. Mom's not doing so good. She pushed her plate away and stood up. "I'm not hungry. Excuse me."

As she hurried away, the female complement of Slytherin House's upper years hurried after her. If they want to argue with me about being with Draco, I'm going to be really ticked!

They caught up with her after she was sitting in the courtyard, gathering about in a sort of half-circle. One of them stepped forward. Hermione knew she should recall their name, but it just escaped her at the moment. She looked whoever it was in the eye. "Yes?"

"Is Draco really a good kisser?" The girl asked. Hermione looked at her for a moment, then the name clicked in her mind. Millicent Bulstrode, the girl she'd tried to take on the appearance of in their second year.

She grinned a bit at the question, however. "Good? I wouldn't put it that way." She hesitated just long enough for them to start looking disappointed. I'd say he's better than good."

The various girls squealed happily, some of them muttering about how she was so lucky to be dating him in the first place. Hermione tried to find a polite way to get out of it, then saw Professor McGonagall coming towards her. "Hello, Professor." The girls split apart to give her Head of House access to her.

"We've received a message from your family, Miss Granger. Things aren't looking very well, I'm sorry."

Hermione stared for a moment, not able to believe what she'd just heard. Professor McGonagall reached out to pat her on the shoulder, only to have the brown-haired girl twist and run away, heading blindingly away from them all. The Transfiguration teacher shook her head a little, then shot a look at the Slytherins, asking with just a stern look what they were doing there.

Millicent ignored the rest of her friends and hurried away to where she knew Draco was. "Draco! Something's wrong with your new girlfriend. She just ran off crying after talking to Professor McGonagall."

"Do you know which way she went?" Draco wondered. His fellow Slytherin nodded quickly, motioning in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. He headed that way without so much as a word to her.

Millicent rolled her eyes a little, then went on to the next person she knew she'd need to talk to in order to find out everything that was going on: Harry Potter.

"All right, Potter," she cornered him just as he and the other Gryffindors were getting ready to leave the table. "What's going on with the Mudblood?" It was obvious just from the look in his eyes that he had no idea what she was talking about. "Draco just went after her, but she was bawling over something McGonagall said about her family."

"Which way did they go?" Both Potter and Weasley looked a little upset by what she'd said. There were days when she would've liked that. Today just so happened to be one of them.

"She went into the Forbidden Forest." Bulstrode grinned just a bit. "Draco's going to take care of her, though. You should probably let them have some time alone." It didn't really bother her all that much that their putative leader was dating the kind of creature they'd mocked for most of their lives. Draco knew what he was doing, and the Mudblood obviously had pretty good taste.

"What?" One of those other Gryffindors, Thomas she thought, looked a little confused. Oh, this was too rich! She'd been convinced they told each other everything, including their shoe size, whether they needed to know or not!

"She didn't tell them, did she?" Millicent glanced over at the other two members of the Terribly Tawdry Trio, and was met with a shake of the head from scarred-boy. "Well, it seems that our Draco and your Hermione started dating over Christmas break."

The sound of shocked Gryffindors was wonderful. She decided to try for it more often.

"It seems like she's been keeping other stuff from us too." Potter didn't look all that thrilled about it, either.

One of the other Gryffinmorons looked highly confused. "I thought you three were inseparable! You can't move without tripping over all three of you half the time!"

"I wish I knew." Potter fidgeted a little. "The first thing we saw when we got back was them kissing."

What do you know, I decide to surprise them more often, and I get my chance right away. Bulstrode grinned a little, a sight that didn't really endear her to most of her audience. "They were French kissing too." Part of being a Slytherin, and a gossipmonger, was knowing exactly when to make the very best exit. "I've got to go. I was just wondering what was up with her." With a swish of her robe she slipped away. Still don't see what Draco sees in her, but I guess he knows best. Wonder if I should try for one of them...no, I don't think I could take the sappiness.

Back at the Gryffindor table, Ron looked at his best friend. "Should we go after them?" He knew what Bulstrode had said, but he wasn't taking the word of a Slytherin over Harry's.

"Not right now." Harry shook his head. If they had to they could use his Invisibility Cloak, but something inside said that this was something that they had to stay out of for now. I can't believe I'm trusting one of my best friends to Draco Malfoy. Maybe I've lost my mind...or maybe I'm just growing up. At that moment, he couldn't really see a difference.

Dean Thomas shook his head a little. "I can't believe she's going out with a Slytherin." Ron muttered his agreement from across the table and took a very deep swig of pumpkin juice before heading away. His fellow Gryffindor watched him go, worry in his eyes. The entire Tower had witnessed their breakup before Christmas. Whatever was going on, Ron Weasley definitely didn't like it. "It's almost as if she's turned her back on us."

Draco found her in a few minutes, since she hadn't gone all that far. She was seated by a pond, tears falling softly as she stared into the deep waters. As he called her name, she looked up, revealing a face that was red and blotchy from tears and stress she'd done her best to hide until now. "How did you find me?"

"Bulstrode told me you were out here," Draco came over to sit beside her, offering a handkerchief. As she wiped her face, he sat beside her, not objecting when she leaned in closer.

"I have a feeling that I won't have her much longer." The Muggleborn witch murmured quietly. Tears slipped down her cheeks faster and faster, and the thought she was in the arms of someone she'd only really begun talking to a few days earlier didn't even cross her mind. He was warm and he was comforting and that was all she wanted right now. As her tears slowly dried up, she looked up at him. "Thank you."

He said nothing, only held her closer, letting her relax into him. I don't know why I'm doing this. This is supposed to just be a sham. He refused to think the rest of it; that he was just supposed to be using her to keep his parents from bothering him any more, and she was supposed to be using him to get back at the Weasel.

Long quiet moments passed, and Hermione's weight shifted slightly, weighing down on him a little more. Draco glanced down at her and almost seemed to smile. She fell asleep. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be so close to losing his mother. It wasn't something he even wanted to think about.

I'd better get inside. He was one of the best students in his year, but even he walked a little warily in the Forbidden Forest. He gathered Hermione into his arms and carried her back to the castle, making sure not to jar her too badly. She's cold. He hoped she wasn't going to get sick. His faux girlfriend should be above getting sick.

The first person he saw when he got back to the castle was McGonagall, who didn't appear to be batting an eye over the Slytherin Head Boy holding the Gryffindor Head Girl in his arms. As a matter of fact, the only thing she said was, "Take her to the hospital wing, Mr. Malfoy."

Once Hermione was comfortably tucked away in a bed, the Transfiguration teacher looked at him. "She's going to be visiting her family tomorrow." She handed him a scroll. "Please give this to Professor Snape when you get to class. It'll tell him where she is and why you are very late." Both of them knew it was just a formality. Draco could've come into class wearing a pink tutu and a feather bonnet and Snape would not only not have taken off points, he might well have given them for being creative with one's dress.

Draco wasn't quite certain just how long he'd been watching the sleeping Hermione, until Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Mr. Malfoy, if you don't go, you will miss your class." He nodded slightly, then slipped out of the hospital wing as quietly as he could, not wanting to disturb her. I'll come back later.

Once the door was closed, McGonagall glanced at the school mediwitch. "Is it arranged to help her mother?"

"Everything's ready." Madame Pomfrey agreed. She glanced over at the sleeping Hermione, then back at McGonagall, stifling a yawn. "It took me until almost dawn, but I sent the remedy off with the morning owls."

The professor nodded. "I'm glad her parents agreed to our help to getting her mother's heart stronger so they can do the surgery." The thought of what might have happened if they hadn't was not worth contemplating. She leaned over to cover Hermione up a little, then placed a note beside her. That would tell her star student just what she needed to know when she woke up. "Let her rest here for a while, then send her to pack. I've got the fourth year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws to deal with now, and there's no telling what they'll get up to if I don't show up."

Madame Pomfrey chuckled a little as the teacher left, then carefully pulled the curtains around Hermione's bed. The poor girl needed to rest. So much stress, it wasn't good for her.

When Draco walked into class, almost twenty minutes late, Snape simply held his hand out for the parchment, then indicated for him to take his seat. "Today we're going to be working on the Verus Amo Potion." His dark gaze swept over the class. "What is the purpose of the Verus Amo potion?"

Students shifted this way and that, and Draco was certain several eyes were watching where Hermione usually sat, since she would normally have had her hand up, eager to answer. At last Draco himself decided to put an end to this and raised his hand. "Mr. Malfoy."

"Supposedly when one looks into the Verus Amo mixture, the face of one's true love is revealed." Draco himself didn't believe in such things. He made his own choices, he didn't let some mix of who knew what decide who he was going to love.

"Very good. Now, get to work." Snape sneered at them all. "And if any of you happen to see your current lust object in the cauldron, please refrain from any displays of public affection."

As the students got to work, Draco felt just a little deprived. He could hear a couple of the Gryffindors sniggering about the fact he was the only one there who didn't have a partner. I'm going to have to remember to hex them when I get a chance. This is Snape's fault. If he hadn't decided we had to team up with Gryffindors and 'learn to get along or else' this year... Hermione had been the one assigned to be his partner, which hadn't bothered him as much as he'd thought it would.

The potion didn't take all that long to put together, at least for him. He was almost certain one of the 'oh nooos' he was hearing was because of Longbottom melting his usual cauldron.

"Whoa..." That was the Weasel. What was he seeing in there? It looked as if he'd find out, since Potter couldn't keep his mouth shut, as always.

"What is it?"

Draco could just see Weasley shaking his head out of the corner of one eye. "I don't believe it." Potter seemed to be trying to get a better look, and the Slytherin rolled his eyes mentally. Everyone knew that only the maker of any given potion could see what was shown inside of it. To anyone else, it was simply a shimmering shade of gold. "It's...Hermione!"

What?? Draco's eyes flicked to his own potion, and widened briefly. This can't be right. I know I didn't screw it up, so he must have. Not that I'm surprised.

"Guess this means they probably aren't going to last." That was Potter again. Draco hissed under his breath; he'd said it before, and he'd say it again: no concoction of leaves, bug parts, and water was going to tell Draco Malfoy who he was going to fall in love with.

"I guess." Draco could tell that Weasley seemed just a little happy by that, and his lips twisted into a very devilish smirk. I'm going to have fun with him, I think. A lot of fun. "So who are you seeing, Malfoy?" It seemed that the redhead had been bothered by something. Draco let his smirk get wider and looked up at him.

"I'll just...let you guess." As the class ended, Draco gathered his things, then glanced over to the Dud Duo. Hermione would probably want them to know, and he doubted they'd had a chance to talk to her yet, since they'd obviously come straight to class. "Hermione is going home tomorrow."

He headed for the door and wasn't surprised to hear Ron behind him wondering, "She is??"

"Are you deaf?" The blond Slytherin looked over his shoulder before heading on to his next class. Oh, yes, he was going to have fun!

Ron glanced at Harry quickly, and there was no doubt of what they were going to do. In almost perfect time they hurried out of the classroom, discussing the various places that Hermione might be. A quick check of Gryffindor Tower proved she wasn't there, but on the way back down they came across a piece of luck in the form of Professor McGonagall.

"Professor!" Harry called out as she started to turn a corner. The tall witch looked back at him with one carefully raised eyebrow. "Where is Hermione??"

"In the hospital wing." The professor told them. "She might be awake by now, if you want to talk to her. But don't be too late for your next class." The look she gave them clearly spelled out what she'd make certain happened if they were, and they would be lucky if they got detention for it. Very lucky.

Hermione smiled gently at Madame Pomfrey as the mediwitch came in and checked her over. "How are you feeling?" The concerned older woman asked as she took her pulse.

"Better, thank you." Hermione glanced at the note beside her once more. "Thank you for helping my mom, too."

The nurse smiled at her. "It was my pleasure." Both of them looked up as Harry and Ron ran into the Hospital Wing, then stopped in their tracks, staring at their female friend.

"What is it?" Hermione wasn't all that happy with them still right now. Things were a little better, but they weren't really who she wanted to see.

Ron looked at her with concern. "What's wrong?" She looked at him a bit sharply.

"Nothing. Just a little exhausted, that's all. I'm fine." She started to get up, brushing aside Ron's attempts to help and flutter about her. "I have some things that need to be done before tomorrow."

"Need any help?" Ron offered. Hermione shook her head quietly, but firmly.

"No, I'm just packing. My mother is going to have surgery, and I want to be there for her. I'll be back by this weekend." She didn't like spending that much time away from her studies, but this was even more important. She barely heard Harry's wish of good luck as she waved farewell to Madame Pomfrey and headed to Gryffindor Tower. She had a lot to do, and not nearly enough time to do it all in.