Chapter Seven
Running up the steps to the castle entrance proved problematic. Hermione's lungs felt like they were burning up from the inside, her feet were on fire from running again yet freezing cold from the air outside and the many puddles they sprinted through. The bottoms of their pants and shoes were soaked.
"The doors weren't closed earlier!" Draco panted from Hermione's left. He attempted to push the hulking things open but with no luck.
"Watch out, Alohamora!" Hermione pointed her wand at the middle of the doors. They would not budge, however. She tried two more times, on the last attempt they were both thrown backward through the air and landed with a loud 'thump' a good distance away.
"Well, the shield charm works like a charm!" Draco huffed and tried to regain his composure. Hermione was still laying on the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Draco made an attempt after swaying a bit to get her to her feet as well, but she could only sit up. He knelt next to her and rubbed her back as she tried to catch her breath.
"In-deed." Was all she could get out. For a moment, they sat like that. Him rubbing her back, her breath finally coming back and filling her lungs with a sharp intake; much like taking a hard pull from a cigarette. The smoke had become thicker from over their heads and the darker than it had been before. There was a fire, she knew, she just wondered if anyone was injured. She worried briefly about Harry and George and Ron. Don't think about him right now... a sting, not unlike a bees hit her heart. But, that was all that came. It was odd, truly but she didn't ponder on it long.
"We need to get back to Hogsmede. See if they can get a letter to the Headmistress. We need to let her know we are out here." Hermione nodded and exerted almost all of the strength she had to hoist herself up onto her feet.
They re-entered the Three Broomsticks and Draco told the barkeep the situation. Hermione took a seat at the table where their butter beers lay untouched. She sipped knowingly as Draco sat back down, parchment in hand.
"Marv said he'd let us use his owl to send McGonagall a message. Hopefully it will be able to get in." Marv came to their table and put another round of butter beer down as well as ink and a tattered quill. They mumbled a 'thank you' to him as he shuffled away, and then Draco began to write. His letters were beautiful; long, curled words rose from his fingertips it seemed. Hermione had no idea his penmanship was so lovely. Then again, she never really paid attention to Draco much throughout school. She had been the butt of his jokes. Seeing him now, like this, not only was it refreshing it was actually quite pleasant. She had learned so much about this man in such a short time, and she was surprised at how happy this fact made her.
The Draco she had known was no more. Now a handsome, genuine man sat in front of her. She sipped again from her beer and wondered if it was the alcohol or her thoughts that had made her go warm inside.
"That should do." He said looking up. He noticed she was staring and smiled. She finally caught herself and slipped out a quick apology. "It's alright, I'll admit I do the same to you sometimes."
"You do?" She blushed.
"Well, yes." He got up, the tips of his ears pink, and walked back to Marv who took the letter Draco had written to the back. When he came back and sat at the table, the silence was palpable.
"So," he cleared his throat,"Marv said he'd let us know if we get a reply."
"Oh good." Hermione sipped her drink again and felt her head getting fuzzy. She peered out the window and found black smoke creeping through the main street from the castle. The wind must have been carrying it.
They sat in silence for what seemed like ages. Pondering their own questions, staring out the window and trying to think up some conversation starters. Marv came to the table and plopped down a letter. Draco opened it and Hermione saw a glimpse of handwriting. It wasn't Draco's. She watched his face fall before asking what had happened.
"Are they going to let us back in?" She asked.
"Not tonight. Says the damage is too sufficient and they can't let anyone in or out until the body count is finished." Hermione found truth in his words and the realization that this war was going to be different than the last.
"Body count?" She repeated.
"Yes. She said she will have house elves fetch us when we can come back, but right now they can't free up any man power." Draco placed the parchment down on the table and took a long swig of his butter beer.
"So, what do we do now? Where do we go from here?" Hermione's glass was in her hand but it was no longer warm and comforting.
"Well, we can get a couple of room's at the Hogs Head and stay there the night. Not like we have much choice, really.." He put his empty glass down and reached for the other. "We can do that, dry up and then wander around Hogsmede for a while, if you like?" Hermione nodded in agreement.
The conversation eventually picked back up and they both finished their drinks. Draco bought a bottle of fire whiskey to take to the Inn with them.
They arrived at the Hogs Head to find Dumbledore went on vacation. He had left a woman name Desire in charge. She was a short woman with a stout shape. Her hair was curly and bright red. Her nose stuck out at an awkward angle, implying it had been broken on multiple occasions. She ignored Hermione when they first walked in and gave all of her attention to Draco.
"How can I help you today, sir?" She attempted a seductive tone which made Hermione uncomfortable in an almost angry way.
"My friend and I were looking for shelter for the night. We'd like two rooms please." Her face fell when she glanced at Hermione and her tone became more stone like.
"We only have one room open, everything else is occupied." She studied her nails, took a file out of the bush of hair on her head and began on the middle finger on her right hand.
"Well," Draco looked at Hermione. It wasn't like there was anywhere else they could stay the night! Unless they found a really cozy box outside, this was the last resort. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and Draco continued, "we will take the one room then."
"Of course you will." It was a mumble, but she shot a glare in Hermione's direction when she said it. Hermione's face heated up and she was about to reply when the woman started speaking again.
"Up the stairs, last door on the right." She handed Draco the key, and made sure to linger an extra second while doing so in hopes of touching his hand.
"Thank you." He seemed not to notice.
Hermione and Draco made their way up the stairs, their shoes slapping against the dark wood making an unnerving sound. They reached the landing and walked side by side to the last door on the right. Draco unlocked it with the key and they stepped inside.
The room was large. It's walls were dark as the wood below them and there was a sea foam green, square rug in the middle of it. An old dresser stood to the right with a mirror over it. There was a door that led to the bathroom and one king sized bed against the center wall, facing them.
"You can have the bed." Draco stated bluntly.
"And where would you sleep? The bathtub?" Hermione let out a laugh.
"Hey, I'd make it work!" He joked in return.
"That's ridiculous, Draco. The bed is big enough for both of us and if we don't want to touch, it would be easily doable." Draco's smirk came playfully to his lips at the word 'if'. But, Hermione didn't seem to notice.
"Do you want to shower first? I'll dry our clothes while you're doing so." Hermione offered and Draco graciously accepted. He stripped his shoes off in the corner of the room and pulled a towel from one of the drawers of the dresser.
"I'll leave my clothes just inside the door for you." He said as he turned the door on the bathroom. "No funny business now," he winked, "and thank you for offering to dry my clothes."Hermione gave a laugh and nodded.
In the couple minutes after she heard the shower turn on she took off her clothes and shoes. She performed a drying spell that Harry and Ron had teased her about for learning, initially. But, after the spell saved their asses in the Forrest of Dean a few times the boys let it go. Her clothes now warm and dry, she redressed and lightly opened the door to the bathroom.
She tried her hardest not to open the door too far, or to glance around too much, but curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced up.
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