Stolen Innocence

Chapter Seventeen

Draco was awakened later by a small tapping on his window. He rolled over and reluctantly sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked around to find that he was alone. Hermione must have gotten up and left.

His owl continued to tap on the window, becoming more persistant. Draco let out a small sigh and then walked over to the window, opening it just enough for the owl to fly through. Draco removed the parchment from the bird's mouth and gave him an affectionate stroke.

Draco hurriedly opened the letter, eager to read what it said. He was surprised his owl had found Snape so quickly, but afterall, his father had paid for the best.

When Draco opened up the folded paper, something fell out. He picked it up and examined it.

It was a small silver necklace with a thin chain and a heart locket attatched to it. Draco thought it looked rather ugly as it was old and so obviously fake silver. He wondered why Snape would've have sent him something like that, so he read over the letter, hoping it would clear some things up.

Draco,

I can't tell you where I am, or how I am able to write to you. I can't really tell you very much at all, so you'll have to bear with me. I am still on the run, not a single person has found me so I believe I will be safe, at least for the time being. Now, as for your request for assistance with Granger's problem. I am telling you now, I do not approve of your new found interest in her, nor would your father if he knew. I don't know why you've decided to help her, and I certainly doubt I'd want to know. Just remember, you are lucky that you were even allowed back to Hogwarts, do not go messing it up for a lowly muggleborn. I must warn you, do not confide in Granger, she is friends with Potter which means trouble, especially for you. Be wary and do not let your gaurd down. Now, back to the point, enclosed in this letter is a locket. It may not look like much, but it holds very powerful and advanced magic. I have charmed it so that if Granger gets in trouble, it will pick up on her increased heart rate and inform you of her distress and location. She simply must wear it and it will work. This should solve your problem, at least for a little while. I would appreciate it if you keep me posted, reading seems to keep me sane. Stay in touch,
S.S.

Draco took another look at the locket. It may not be his taste, but he was sure Hermione would wear it. Well, it wasn't that bad but definately not something a Malfoy would wear.

Draco folded up the letter and put it in his bedside table. He then put the locket in his pocket and made his way downstairs.

When Draco got down to the common room, he found Hermione sitting on the couch reading a ridiculously thick book. She looked up and gave him a small smile as he sat down beside her.

"What you reading?" Draco asked, looking at the blank front cover.

"Defense Spells For the Advanced." She answered without tearing her eyes off the page. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Only you would read a book on how to perfect your grades." He said. Hermione closed her book and looked up at him, her finger holding her page.

"It's not for school." She told him, a slight tone of annoyance in her voice.

"Then what's it for?" Draco challenged her, raising his eyebrows.

"The war's getting worse." Hermione responded with a sigh.

"So what? It's not our problem." He said casually.

"Well not right now, but what happens when we graduate?" She asked him.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Draco told her, earning a pair of raised eyebrows from Hermione. "What? I know some of your muggle sayings."

Hermione shook her head and reopened her book. "Well, I, for one, like to be prepared for the future."

"You're impossible."

"Look who's talking." Hermione replied.

A comfortable silence fell upon the two as Hermione continued to read. Draco sat there, watching Hermione. She looked so content immersed in her book, he couldn't help but admire her. The way her eyes lit up as they swept across the page, giving them the life that Weasley had taken from them.

Draco had to admit, he was growing fond of Hermione. He no longer got the uncontrollable urge to rip out his ears when she spoke. He actually liked her voice now, the way she spoke with such perfect grammar, choosing her words so carefully. He'd never really known another person he considered to be his intelluctual equal before. It was odd how one person could change someone's whole perspective.

"Draco, stop that." Hermione said after a while, her nose still stuck in the book.

"What?" Draco asked, shaking himself of his thoughts.

"Stop staring at me, it's quite annoying." Draco felt himself slightly blush and his face grow hot.

"I wasn't staring." He told her, embarassed that she'd caught him.

"Then what do you call it?" Hermione asked, looking at him momentarily.

"Maybe I was trying to get your attention." Draco answered, a small smirk on his face. Hermione let out a long sigh and put her book down, her finger once again keeping her page.

"Well, you have it now. What's on your mind?" She asked, tapping her foot.

"I, uh, have something for you." Draco said, figuring it was probably the best time to give her the locket.

"Oh, really?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"As a matter of face, yes." He told her, reaching into his pocket to produce the necklace. He held it out so she could see it, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"Oh, Draco..." She breathed out, her eyes big. Draco gave her a smile.

"Turn around so I can put it on you." Hermione obliged, turning around and lifting her long brown hair. Draco put the necklace around her neck and did up the clasp. His fingers brushed the smooth skin of her neck, sending chills down his spine.

"Draco it's beautiful!" Hermione exclaimed with a smile on her face as she fingered the heart locket. Draco's smile turned into a smirk. He knew she'd like it.

"Happy you like it." He said.

"Wait a minute," Hermione tore her eyes away from the jewelery and fixed Draco with a questioning stare. "What is this for, exactly?"

"Well," Draco racked his brain for an answer. He knew he couldn't tell her that it was charmed, she wouldn't accept it. He had to think of another reason. "It's nothing, really. Just something I had laying around. I can't wear it, so I just felt like getting rid of it."

"Oh well I'm flattered to be your means of disposing your rejected jewelry." Hermione told him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. However, she did not remove the locket from around her neck. She then opened her book back up and continued reading.

"Well," Draco said after a few minutes, not keen on getting those thoughts back in his head. "This is terribly amusing watching you read, but I'm famished. I think I'll head down to breakfast."

"You mean lunch?" Hermione corrected Draco as he stood.

"Lunch?" He asked, momentarily confused.

"Obviously you haven't looked at a clock in a while. It's well near lunch by now." She told him.

"Fine, I think I'll go catch some lunch then," He said. "You coming?"

"No, I'm not hungry." Hermione answered, causing Draco to roll his eyes.

"You'll be fine, nothing's going to happen in the Great Hall." Draco told her.

"I know, I said I'm not hungry." Hermione insisted.

"You didn't even go down to breakfast, did you?" Draco asked.

"No." She answered, bowing her head slightly.

"Well then, you have no say in the matter. You're going to come and eat lunch, even if I have to forcefully drag you there." He told her. Hermione snorted.

"Yeah, like you'd-" Hermione let out a shriek as Draco grabbed her and threw her over his shoulders.

"Put me down!" She shouted, kicking him lightly as she laughed.

"You left me no choice. I'm not going to let you starve yourself because you're afraid of that prat Weasley." Draco said, walking towards the door.

"Okay, I'll go, just put me down!" Hermione said.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked, a smile playing at his lips.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now put me down!"

"Alright." Draco said, running over to the couch. He grabbed her legs and threw her back down on the couch, emmitting another shriek from Hermione.

"I didn't mean throw me!" She shouted. "I could've broken my neck!" Draco laughed.

"But you didn't, now did you?"

"Well, no, but that's not the point." She told him while smoothing down her messy hair.

"Then don't worry about it. I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Draco told her truthfully.

"Yeah, right." Hermione replied, rolling her eyes.

"Watch it you." Draco warned her playfully.

"What you going to do about it?" She challenged him, raising her eyebrows.

"Do you want to find out?" He asked, slowly coming closer.

"No!" Hermione shouted, jumping out of his way with a laugh.

"Then come on, let's go. I'm starving." Draco whined.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She sighed. Draco held open the door for her, watching her walk out into the corridor.

He couldn't help but smile. She laughed, he'd actually gotten her to laugh. And what a beautiful sound it had been. Draco made a note to get her to do so more often as he followed Hermione out the door to the Great Hall.

To Be Continued...

There you go, hopefully this one's a little longer. I know I tend to make the chapters pretty short so I'm trying to work on it. This one would be longer, but I'm getting kicked off the computer now && I wanted to post this tonight. Oh, && I've edited this story for the spacing since another person complained about it in my earlier chapter, so there you go, now stop complaining! Anywayss, thnxx goes out to:

-Mrs Gallagher, happy you liked it. Youu must be so excited about this baby, I'm so happy for you, I love babies. Just don't forget your story though.

-angelnomiko, here's your update.

-catysmom, happy to hear youu liked it.

-pickles87, it's not so much that Harry would side with Ron, but it would pretty much destroy his longest (&& first) friendship with him, && Hermione doesn't want to do that. Plus, she hates people thinking she's weak, && admitting what Ron did would make everyone think she is when she's not. && thnxx for the other idea, but it's really complicated, I doubt I'd be able to write it. Perhaps youu should think about writing a story, youu seem to have some really good ideas.

-alice, awe, that's too bad. Give it time, I'm sure youu'll think of something, I once stopped writing for three months because I had major writer's block.

-Morte DeVin, I did finish it, couldn't you tell by the fact that the chapter ended? It was just a cliffie, that's all.

-lixxle, well, I had done that for nearly the whole story as someone had pointed out my spacing problem earlier. But, just to make youu happy, I went through the story && fixed all the spacing, so youu better review again && tell me how much youu love this story ^-^

-Tjay Motou, happy youu liked it. I figured out what was off, oringinally when I planned out this story, I'd meant for Hermione to run somewhere else, but I forgot about that idea && wrote her going to the Room of Requirement. Could that be it? && as for the characterization, all I do is picture what I'm writing in my head, && I can hear their voices (well, the actors voices, reallyy) so I write what I think they would say. I don't know if that really makes sense, hopefully it does.

-Miss Dee, since I know youu read the last chapter I figured I'd thank youu as well for being such a faithful reader. Hope this makes your day a little better.

Well, I don't really have time to write anything else. If I get a lot of reviews again, I'll be sure to update this weekend the latest. That's IF I get a lot of reviews, so youu know what to do.

Much Love...

XXX

Xx-.k.a.y.y.-xX