AN: I know this is short, but there was a good bit to pack into this. Reviews are always appreciated!
Disclaimer: I own most of the annoying characters in this chapter, but I still don't own the world or the familiar characters we all know and love.
Two days, five speeches, and many, many cups of tea later, and Hermione was still not accustomed to the time difference between here and home. She was draped across the bed, smiling up into the hand-sized compact that Draco had given her just before she'd departed for the airport. Not the vain sort, it would have been odd to see Hermione Granger gazing into a mirror had it been her reflection looking back at her. As it was, it was not her reflection, but her boyfriend's face, "Come on, Malfoy, you've got to give me a hint. You know I don't like surprises."
Draco snickered, pursing his lips at her, "I know you don't, but thats half the fun, isn't it? I hope you'll like this one. You just have to be patient." Little did she know that he and Ginny were waiting at the ministry for the green light to floo overseas. It took a bit longer to process requests like this, and a special sort of fireplace so that the occupants wouldn't get sick thanks to the long distance. Still, they were so close, "What time is it there?"
"It is only three o'clock in the afternoon," Hermione groaned, letting her head flop down on the bed, "I'm so bloody tired, Dra, and I still have another speech to give in an hour."
"How are those going?" Draco asked curiously, crossing a long leg over the other in attempts to get comfortable.
"Pretty well, actually," Hermione admitted, a proud light gleaming in her eyes, "And there hasn't been any sign of the terrorist group. I think I'm making a difference, Draco-"
"A lot bigger difference than Spew!" Ron chimed in from across the room, looking up from his chess match to grin in her direction. He dodged the pillow she tossed at him.
"S.P.E.W," Hermione snapped, indigent, "Not 'spew'." She glanced toward the door as Harry came back, two boxes of Pizza in his arms. Her stomach gave a rumble and she sat up, grinning, "Alright, Malfoy, I'm going to eat, I'll call you back, alright?"
Draco chuckled, knowing that Ginny had let Harry in on the plan, "Alright. I love you, Granger. Enjoy your food." And the line disconnected as Hermione moved toward Harry, taking a slice of pizza before she plopped down next to Ron. She saw the way he was watching her and sighed, rolling her eyes and setting the pizza down.
"Out with it."
Ron blinked, shaking his head and holding his hands up defensively, "I didn't say anything, 'Mione. I don't know what-"
"I can smell your brain working, Ronald," Hermione told her, exasperated, "You've wanted to say something for a long time now, and you're one of my best friends, so I suggest you say it now before it becomes a bloody problem."
Ron's face flushed deep red to the tip of his ears. Hermione was cursing, which meant he was in trouble, "I've just never understood you and Malfoy's...relationship. That's all…"
Harry, tactfully, remained silent as he ate his pizza, moving to go through some paperwork. Hermione sighed again, "What do you mean?"
"Just..I know he was there when you- during the last war, and I know he helped us. Hell, after the bloody camping trip Harry and I went on with him, I can't even hate him anymore, but he was terrible to you in school. He still walks around with his nose in the air like he's better than everyone else, and you two bicker-"
"You and I bicker all the time, Ron," Hermione pointed out, before realizing with a wince that it didn't help her situation. Smoothing down her pajama pants, Hermione chewed lightly on her lip, "During the last war, he saved my life, yes. He saved countless peoples lives, but there is more to it than that, Ron. We...understand each other. I was the first person, I think, to see him as Draco, and not just another Malfoy, and he was the one to bring me out of something I didn't think I could possibly come out of. Yes, he's still arrogant in public, but I don't know if you realize how much people have thrown at him. He's hated on both sides. The remaining Death Eaters see him as a traitor, and most of our side really have no clue what all he did for us. I love him, Ron, for being him, and that's about as simple as I can make it." She shrugged, watching her friend's face, half expecting him to be angry.
He didn't seem angry; just thoughtful. Nodding ever so slightly, he took a bite of his pizza. Satisfied that he wouldn't bring it up again any time soon, Hermione reached for her own slice again.
And then the world shook.
Literally the entire hotel quaked under them. Hermione fell off of the bed as Ron was tossed farther against the head board, Harry joining Hermione on the floor.
"What the-" Harry started before his eyes widened and his wand was out, "Bombs. We're being bo-" Before he could finish the sentiment, the second one went off, and the world was filled with fire.
"Its about damn time!" Ginny scowled, brushing herself off as she stepped out of the large fire place at the capital building in Washington DC. Draco followed her out, looking a bit green. The red-haired woman turned to him, making sure he was still behind her.
Draco's nose was scrunched up, "I've always hated the floo." He grumbled to himself, glancing around, "I didn't expect it to be quite so noisy. I shouldn't be surprised...Americans." Sure enough, the sound of shouting and alarms and stressful chatter consumed the hall they'd entered.
"I'm sorry, but we're going to have to ask you to step away from the fire place," a Security Wizard ordered, coming toward them, "We've got people to send through. We are also asking that anyone coming through at this point in time remain in the building until you've been cleared to go."
Puzzled, the two Brits exchanged glances, "Our arrival was expected. The Minister of Magic himse-"
The security guard cut Draco off with a hand, "Expected or not, the building is on high alert, as are most places in the building where Witches and Wizards are expected to arrive."
"What's happening?" Ginny asked, stepping toward him, completely serious now, "Why are Witches and Wizards causing a high alert?" This wasn't at all how she intended to meet her husband, brother, and friend.
"It isn't the Witches and Wizards that are causing it. We simply want to offer protection," Came the strained reply, "There's been another bombing."
Draco's heart lurched and, for once, he didn't pull away as Ginny snatched his hand, "Where? Was anyone hurt?" It wasn't their people. It couldn't be their people. They'd just spoken to them not even half an hour before.
"The hotel down the street. It happened not even ten minutes ago, so we don't know anything- OI! You can't go there!" The guard shouted as the blonde and the red-head bolted toward the doors, slipping past the guards. They couldn't go there? Just watch them.
"Weasley, you don't think-?" Draco dared to ask as they moved out into the crisp fall air. His gaze moved toward the black smoke that was billowing toward them, caught on the wind. It was obvious where it was coming from, and Ginny did not even spare a breath to answer him. Instead, she took off again, holding his hand tight enough to cut off circulation. Ambulances and fire trucks zoomed past them.
"Hey! You can't get any closer!" A woman came jogging toward them, her face smeared with black, "We don't know if there are any more bombs and you'll get in the way of the rescue team."
Draco had his wand out, but Ginny shoved it down, looking at the woman, "We believe that our family was in the hotel," she explained, out of breath. She said the name of the hotel, and the woman nodded grimly toward her, confirming their fears, "Are there people still in there?"
"There isn't much of a 'there', honestly. The bastards pretty much blasted it to smithereens." A voice crackled out of her walkie-talkie, and she brought it to her ear, stepping away to respond for a moment before turning back to them, "We think we've gotten nearly everyone out. Only about five people haven't been confirmed dead or taken to the Emergency room. I'm not allowed to give you much information, but," her eyes flicked around. Most people had moved farther down, so she had a bit of leeway, "I have a list, and if you tell me what room number your family was in, I can tell you if they've been found or not."
Draco's eyes were glued to the billowing flames, wide and afraid. She couldn't have been in there. He wouldn't believe it. Dragging his gaze back to the woman, he choked out the room number, watching her speak into the walkie-talkie again. Turning back to them, she grimaced, pointing to an ambulance that was whirling past, "We've got one person from that room being transported to the E.R. Don't know which one, but you're best bet is to follow that vehicle."
"Thank you," Ginny told the woman sincerely, checking her badge and tucking the name into the back of her mind, "Come on, Draco." Still holding his hand, she dragged him toward the road, which had been shut down to everything except for medical and police officers. The world was a blur as they ran, both hoping against hope that it would be a specific person in that ambulance.
It took them nearly an hour to fight through the crowd of worried family members and grieving friends. "Hermione Granger," Draco snapped at the frazzled looking woman behind the counter at the same moment Ginny was shouting, "Harry Potter! Ron Weasely!"
The woman, whose name tag read 'Hannah', glared at them, "If you want something from me, you are going to have to be a bit more specific than shouting names at me!"
Draco sneered, panicked and afraid, "Obviously," he drawled, "We are looking for Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasely." His fingers strummed against the counter. He hated hospitals and this one was no different. The sound of alarms and beeping set him on edge, and this woman wasn't moving fast enough.
The woman huffed, angry, "I'll need to see some registration. The patient you're asking about is apparently very important at this point in time-"
"The fucking minister of magic sent us here," Draco snarled, shoving credentials under her nose, "Is that proof enough or do I need to-" Ginny shoved him to get him to shut up, brown eyes glaring at the woman.
"Just give us a room number," Ginny ordered, flashing her own credentials.
Cowed, Hannah flipped through pages again, "Fourth Floor, room 409." The same room they'd been in at the hotel. Draco didn't have time to dwell on the irony before he was moving through the halls, Ginny at his heals.
"Draco...there's only one of them here," She hissed, "One of us should make sure that we're informed when the others are found."
The blonde only nodded, climbing up the stairs two at a time. He ignored the annoyed huff from behind him. She would wait, and he knew it. Both of them wanted to know which of their loved ones were there now.
Draco didn't hesitate as he shoved the door open, unable to conceal the disappointment when his eyes landed on a patch of bright red hair against the white sheets.
"Ron."
