Unless You Tell Them to Everyone

When the sorting was over and they had begun to eat, Draco came to the Gryffindor table to join Hermione and the others.

They chatted amiably, the conversation being light and more about the beginning of the year than anything else.

"I'm going to head out, I'm feeling pretty tired. I'll be in the Room of Requirement if you need me Hermione, and I'll see you all tomorrow," Draco said suddenly, about twenty minutes in to their dinner. He gave Hermione a peck on the cheek, and then hurried out of the Great Hall before anyone had a chance to say anything.

"What was that all about? Did we do something wrong?" Ron asked, between bites of chicken.

"No, don't worry. He's been like that for a few days now... I'll go up later and see what's wrong, but I've missed you guys so much I need to stay down here with you for now!"

Ron and Harry grinned, then Ron launched in to a tale about how Harry tried his hardest to pull the Wronski Feint while playing quidditch with them, but ended up failing miserably and landing in a face plant. Soon, the three of them and all of the surrounding students were roaring with laughter, and Hermione was happier then she had been in a long time.

She had her best friends, and amazing boyfriend, and she was back at the school that she loved.

There was always Voldemort... but hey. Hermione just didn't want to think about him at the moment.

After dinner was over, Hermione bid a cheerful good-bye to her friends, then started to head up to Draco, but was stopped by Professor Dumbledore. "Good evening, Ms. Granger. I trust your summer went well?"

Hermione nodded, then waited for Dumbledore to go on. "I was hoping to see you and Mr. Abraxas in my office as soon as possible, please. I would like to speak with the two of you." They had decided to have Draco's grandfather's name as his last name, so he was now Draco Abraxas.

"Yes, that sounds fine, Professor. I was just going to get him... we should be there in about ten minutes, if that's alright?"

"Yes, that sounds perfect. See you soon."

Hermione raced up to the Room of Requirement, and arrived, out of breath, only to walk in to a room that she hadn't seen for a while.

She had stepped in to the Room of Hidden Things, and she couldn't fathom why Draco had conjured up that room in particular.

"Draco?" she called out tentatively. "Are you in here?"

"Back here!" A muffled voice called out, and Hermione tried her best to trace the sound. When she finally came upon a dusty Draco, she laughed at the bewildered expression on his face. "How did you find me so fast? It took me ages to get here, and I still don't know how to get back!"

"Oh, it's easy. Come on, follow me. Professor Dumbledore wants to see us in his office."

"Alright, let's go."

"What were you doing in here, anyway? I was expecting to see our room."

Draco tapped his chin confusedly for a few moments. "I don't know, Hermione. I came up here, intending to just take a rest but... Something deep inside told me to conjure this place up."

Hermione frowned. "Well, okay... Let's just get going then, shall we?"

Draco nodded quickly. His lie was easy enough. Hermione wouldn't know that it was really the letter that told him to go in there...