One More Year

Chapter Thirty-One

The general excitement in the castle was palatable as the last Hogsmeade weekend of the year approached. There were rumours that the Weird Sisters would be there giving out autographs. That coupled with the increasingly warm weather meant that spirited students were animatedly talking and joking all over the castle and being a general disturbance to everyone else. Hermione had given up trying to study in the library, Madame Pince had been throwing out students by the dozens due to their blatant disregard of the rules, but it was having no effect. Everywhere she went, all anyone spoke about was this upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. The first and second years could be heard moaning about the unfairness of the situation throughout the halls.

Hermione was studiously reading her Charms textbook in her bedroom when Draco walked in without knocking. She glanced past him, to see that the common room was empty. "Hey Hermione, what's the plan for this weekend? Do you want to go to Hogsmeade together? Or were you planning to go with MacMillan?" he smirked.

"Draco," Hermione started looking abashed, "do you realize there are only a few more weeks left until we have to take our NEWTs? There is absolutely no way, I'm going to Hogsmeade this weekend and you shouldn't be either!"

Draco stepped a little closer, grinning at her, "it's just one day Hermione. Everyone will be there. I'm pretty sure you, of all people can afford one day off."

She sighed audibly but her serious demeanor remained, "you're right, everyone will be going, which makes it an even more perfect opportunity for us to study. There will be no one to interrupt us."

"Don't you want to see the Weird Sisters?"

"Draco, I grew up as a muggle remember! I didn't know who they were until I was well into Hogwarts. I'm not nearly as excited about them as everyone else is. Why? Did you want their autograph?"

He snickered, "no, I grew up listening to classical music in my household, so I don't particularly care if we see them or not either. I just thought it would be nice to get away for the day." Draco ran his fingers through his hair looking slightly frustrated, but he quickly turned back towards her with a mischievous grin on his face, "no interruptions. Hmmm... I can think of a few things we could do if we weren't constantly being interrupted."

"Draco-" Hermione started, but he held up his hands stopping her.

"We can study Hermione, but I just thinking that if we're staying here, doing all this hard work, that maybe there should be some type of reward system. Plus, we need to take breaks. It's a proven fact that you retain more information if you take frequent breaks from studying." Hermione couldn't fight back the grin on her face.

"Alright Malfoy, we can perhaps work out some type of reward system but only if you deserve it and really study."

"Granger, I would perform an unbreakable vow with you right now if it would prove to you how hard I would study, knowing I'd get a reward from you."

****

The Great Hall was especially loud that morning at breakfast. Hermione didn't think the students could be any louder than they had been, but it seemed like all the older students were extra boisterous awaiting the trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione had planned on getting some early morning studying done but it seemed like she couldn't find a place in Hogwarts that wasn't distracting. Even the library seemed to be attracting students who were just looking for any reason to kill time until they could leave. Hermione decided to skip breakfast and avoid having to listen to Ginny, once again try to convince her to go to Hogsmeade and just head back to her room where she could at least put up a silencing charm. As she passed the Great Hall, she caught a glimpse of Draco sitting at the Slytherin table with Blaise and Theo laughing along to some story Theo was animatedly telling. Hermione smiled to herself as she walked. It filled her with such joy to see how happy Draco seemed. It wasn't all the time, but it was so much more now than when he was worrying about his parents. She briefly considered joining them, but she wanted to study, and he looked so happy that she didn't want to disturb him.

At quarter to eleven, Hermione extracted herself from her bedroom and entered the common room with her text books. The last of the eighth years were just leaving, all wanting to be early for the festivities. She sat down in her favourite comfy chair by the fireplace and opened her potions textbook. As she made notes, she kept glancing at her watch. Draco should have been here already. Maybe he went to Hogsmeade anyways. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach. She tried to distract herself with reviewing the text but her eyes were running over the words without absorbing them and finally she shut the book. Should she go and look for him? Should she just head to Hogsmeade herself and find him there. Then what? Be angry because he didn't show up after he said he would. Her foot was tapping up and down as she fought the urge to start looking for him and to just wait there.

The door to the dormitory opened and Hermione let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Her heart lightened considerably and the knots in her stomach disappeared as she expected Draco to enter. Instead, Theo and Blaise fumbled in the room. They both stopped, abruptly staring at her. "Where's Draco?" her voice higher and more accusatory than she would have liked. She cleared her throat audibly, "sorry, have you guys seen Draco anywhere?"

Both men glanced at each other nervously. "Uh, he's not here?"

Hermione looked at them suspiciously. "No, he was supposed to meet me here, but he never showed up."

Theo looked at Blaise, eyebrows raised uncharacteristically.  "Should we wait for him?"

"I ... uh... don't think we have time." He replied while glancing at his watch. "What should we do?"

Hermione could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She reached for her wand instinctively not even understanding why. She just knew that something wasn't right. If Draco wasn't with them, where was he?