Chapter Seven
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Draco groaned as his face hit the cold stone floor. He had been brought to Bellatrix again and someone had carelessly dropped him. And, again, his mother wasn't there.
The workers at Malfoy manor had started asking about her but he just said that she was abroad in France, visiting relatives. He thought about his poor mother and all of the things Bellatrix could have possibly done to her.
"What is the latest in the graves?" Bellatrix asked and Draco snapped out of his thoughts of his mother.
"Nothing, it has been declared an accident. Gawain is choosing to say it could have been any grave."
"And Cowell?" Bellatrix asked. A house elf arrived at her side. The house elf was trembling as she gave
Bellatrix a goblet of what looked like wine, but Draco figured it was probably blood. Bellatrix tasted it and the
screamed.
"This is the wrong one, I said I wanted the one I received yesterday," she kicked the elf hard in the back and the little elf flew down the stairs. "Why is everyone so incompetent?" she screamed. "Especially you, Draco. I've given you weeks and you have brought me nothing!"
"I am doing everything you have asked of me; I still carry the chain with the -"
"Silence!" she shrieked. "You have brought me nothing! I've asked about Potter, and you told me nothing. I've asked about the mudblood, nothing!"
"I have no info on Granger," Draco tried.
"Well, she doesn't matter anymore, so forget that." Draco looked suspiciously at Bellatrix but didn't dare ask what she meant.
---
An hour later Draco was in the library of his condo staring into the fire, trying to figure out just what Bellatrix had meant when she said that Hermione was no longer a concern. He grabbed the bottle of whiskey from his desk and took a mouthful of it.
"Mr. Malfoy, the young girl from Hogwarts, writing that report about Aurors has arrived," his maid Sally said from the door.
"Why is she here? We were supposed to meet tomorrow in the restaurant," he said annoyed.
"Yes, but she is here. And she is out of her uniform," Sally answered and Draco realized just what she meant. He wasn't in the mood for a schoolgirl to throw herself at his feet.
"Send her away," he answered arrogantly.
"But she…."
"Away!" he yelled.
He stared back into the fire. Damn it! What was he supposed to do? He couldn't
risk his mother for Hermione Granger! What he should do was bring Hermione to Bellatrix, offer her for his mother. But he had changed sides, he was an Auror now. He thought about his mother locked up with that crazy old bat... Oh how he wanted to kill Bellatrix!
He started pacing again. Maybe it was all a trap, maybe Bellatrix wanted to test him. But still, he had a feeling that Bellatrix wasn't quite as she had been. She didn't seem quite as cunning; she seemed more deranged than before. Granted, she had always been mental, but now she seemed gone beyond reason. He figured she had survived by using a horcrux, and splitting her soul must have cost her the little sanity she had left. Was Hermione to be killed tonight? Was Cowell the one to kill her? Or was it someone else? Draco couldn't really think about that, he needed to think about his mum. She was in real danger, Bellatrix had her!
Draco sat down on one of the armchairs. He put his head in his hands. Hermione's face flashed before his eyes. "I'm fucking insane," he roared and stormed out of the room.
---
Hermione was sound a sleep in her bed in her hotel room when a hand clasped down over her face. Startled she opened her eyes and peered into a pair of silver grey eyes.
"Shh…" Draco whispered. She looked side from side, what was going on? Was she in danger? Was someone coming? "We need to get out of here, and we need to go now. But we can't use the floo, I think your room is being watched. We need to go on my broom. Do you understand?" he whispered. She nodded.
He let go of her mouth, and they watched each other quietly for a few moments. "Won't we be seen on your broom?" Hermione whispered.
"Potter left his invisibility cloak didn't he?" Draco asked. She nodded. Draco could see that she was scared, and he felt the need to comfort her. "Let's go," he hissed at her. She was still in her nightgown, but she ran after him over to the dresser where the invisibility cloak was hidden. Draco walked over to the balcony door and opened it.
"Get over here," he ordered and she ran over with the cloak in hand. She threw it over them and climbed on the broom with him.
"It will fly off us!" she said hurriedly as she was draping it around them.
"Hold on to it really tight, we only need to wear it until we are a bit away from the hotel," he answered as he kicked off from the window.
---
They were flying somewhere high over the British country side. Hermione was holding on tight, still slightly scared of flying. The night was pitch-black and she had no idea how far up they were. Draco had still not spoken, and she had no idea what was going on. She thought about Harry, wondering if he was in danger as well. She was so cold. It was summer, but they weren't exactly in the Bahamas - this was Britain after all. She clung tighter to Draco.
"Draco, please where are we going? When will you tell me what is going on?" He didn't answer her. She kept quiet for a while longer. She was an Auror now, she didn't want to complain. It wasn't until her arms started to feel numb that she felt she needed to say something. But still, Draco was speeding across the night sky so fast; she knew they were running from something. She didn't want to complain or make demands. She leaned her head against his back. Draco felt her hold tightening and he focused hard on looking ahead.
After a while he said, "So you've forgiven me then?" She didn't answer him. "About the chocolates, I mean?" Still no answer. "Hermione?" he asked and tried to turn around.
"Sorry, I'm just a very tired," she slurred. Draco felt her grip loosening and he quickly grabbed her arm. He couldn't let go of the broom with his other hand but he felt her letting go. He cursed himself. He was such a fool. She was just in a small nightgown; the invisibility cloak provided no heat and she was becoming far too cold. And knowing what a stubborn fool she was, she wouldn't complain. He started to descend quickly and he held on to her arm tightly. He was very aware of the fact that he might have to hold her whole weight in one hand before they touched ground. Luckily, that wasn't needed. They soon grounded on a field somewhere near Colchester. Hermione fell off the broom and on to the ground.
"Granger, why didn't you say that you were this cold!" he cursed. She was turning rather white and he didn't know what to do. In a few moments he had decided. He placed his jacket on the ground and placed her on top of it. He needed to find somewhere to get her warm. He jumped on his broom and sped off. He flew erratically, still trying to keep track of where he had left her.
He soon saw a house that looked empty. Even if it wasn't, by now he didn't care. He hurried back to the field and scooted Hermione up on the broom. She really did feel cold. What had he done? He had rushed her out of her room on a hunch that Bellatrix wanted her dead. True, he knew for a fact that Bellatrix hated Hermione, possibly as much as she had hated Tonks… whom she had killed. He had witnessed Bellatrix torture Hermione, but he quickly pulled the memory out of his mind, and he was sure that if Bellatrix wanted anyone's blood it would be Hermione's. At least for her own pleasure, for Voldemort's memory, she would surely want Harry's. Hermione suddenly moaned in his arms.
"Draco," she whispered.
"You're fine!" he reassured. "You just need a hot bath." They touched ground on the balcony of
the house. Draco kicked the balcony door open. It was indeed empty. He put Hermione down on the bed in the room. It was
a small racecar bed, obviously belonging to a child. He ran around the top floor, looking for the bathroom and as he
found it he turned the taps on. The water poured into the tub and he ran back after Hermione. He picked her up in his
arms and walked back into the bathroom. For a moment he debated taking her nightgown off to put her in the bathtub.
She'd kill me, he decided and placed her in the water with her nightgown still on. He jinxed her so she
couldn't slip under the surface and then left her alone.
He went down to the kitchen and started making something to eat. He didn't dare to turn on the lights, he was too afraid someone would see them. He made tuna melt sandwiches in the oven. He took them, along with hot tea, upstairs and waited in the bedroom for Hermione to exit the bathroom. He had only been there for a few moments when she came out. She was in the owner's bathrobe, which was far too big for her.
She looked uncertain but at the sight of the hot tea she walked hurriedly towards him. She sat down on the bed next to him.
"Draco, you have to tell me what is happening," she said and sipped the hot liquid.
"I received an anonymous tip that you were in danger. I know nothing about it."
Hermione went quiet for a moment, she seemed to be thinking about it.
"Thanks," she finally said. He looked into her brown eyes and saw sincerity in them.
His face seemed to want to give her a smile, but he forced against it.
"Yeah, whatever," he mumbled and took a bite out of his sandwich.
"Does Harry know?" she asked and he his frown became sincere.
"Dunno," he answered. They were quiet again. Hermione looked at Draco a moment, wondering if her mission with Cowell had been terminated or if he had found out about the mission and tried to kill her himself.
"But who..?" she started but Draco silenced her.
"I don't know anything, Granger." They soon went to sleep, Hermione in the racecar bed and Draco on the floor next to her. Hermione stared at the ceiling, plastic stars were glued to it and she thought about the enchanted ceiling back at Hogwarts. She heard Draco breathing next to her.
"Thank you, Draco. Thank you for saving me."
"Yeah, no problem," he answered after a few moments.
It took a long while for Hermione to fall asleep but when she finally did, she dreamt only of Death Eaters…of them murdering Harry, Draco, and herself.
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Hermione woke before Draco did. She walked downstairs into the muggle living room. It reminded her of her parent's home and made her feel more relaxed. She began comparing it to the Burrow, though. She imagined that every single piece of furniture in the Burrow had its own history. Not in this house though, every single piece of furniture was practical, comfortable and affordable - very Ikea.
She turned on the television and watched the Telletubbies while she ate some cereal straight out of the box. After a few minutes, she turned on the news and saw a burning house. She read the text strip at the bottom: "Neighborhood evacuated after a fire started in the house… believed to be arson, casualties yet to be reported."
Her parent's house! She stood still for a second as she saw the flames caress every inch of the house. She saw the rose bush her mother treasured so, burning. The old car her father kept outside the house, to be renovated in the future, was burning brightly.
She dropped the box of serial and ran upstairs. She yanked Draco by the collar of his shirt. He opened his eyes and for a moment was very annoyed, but as he saw that her face was streaked with tears he said nothing.
"We have to go," she screamed. He hastily got up off of the floor. He was already dressed and he hurried for his broom. Hermione ran into the bathroom and quickly exited out of it in her nightgown from the night before. He reached for the broom.
"No, we need to apparate!" she cried.
"That's too dangerous," he started but she held up her hand.
"It's my parents!" she gave him the address and before he could answer he she had disappeared.
---
With a pop, Hermione was standing on the street where she had grown up. She quickly glanced around. There were people everywhere, but no one she knew. She started running towards her house. It was on fire, and the flames were high in the sky. She felt like she was running forever, she was hardly aware of Draco running behind her. She watched the flames caress the sides of her house. She remembered painting that house with her father, he had paid her one pound a day to help him. It was a ridiculous price to pay, but she was ten and it made her feel like she was useful. She saw the paint melt on the walls and her stomach turned. As she moved closer to the house, though, she recognized that the fire was enchanted - it would never extinguish. She felt that at any moment, she was going to vomit. She couldn't live without her parents and she didn't want to be the reason for their deaths. Someone slammed into her and pulled her to the side. It could have been Voldemort himself, she wouldn't have noticed. She was just struggling to get free.
"Mum, Dad!" she screamed and fought again.
"Hermione!" it was Harry's voice. He was holding her so tight; she had no way of getting loose. She looked into his emerald eyes and for a fraction of a second she calmed down. But reality hit her.
"Let me go!" she screamed.
"They're alive," he whispered in her ear and she stopped fighting.
He put his arm around her and steered her around, they started walking and Hermione turned to look once more as her childhood home burning. She saw Draco walking behind them. They turned behind a corner and Harry pulled her into a hug.
"They're alive," he whispered again. "They're fine." Hermione looked at him and started sobbing loudly. He pulled close to his shoulder.
"How…how can they be?" she cried. Harry turned and looked at Draco. He was the only one near them, and Harry wished he would he disappear.
"I put surveillance on them the minute I found out you were an Auror," he simply said. Hermione pulled back and looked at him.
"Harry," she finally said and stared him right in the eye.
For a moment she looked as though she were going to scold him, but her face softened and she fell back into his arms and suddenly started crying again, she cried hard into his shoulder and he started patting her hair. Harry couldn't let it go, he had been right. Hermione and her family were in danger. Someone knew Hermione was back in England and didn't like it. But for now she was safe, she was there with him, he had her in his arms and nothing could touch her.
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