This will be the last chapter I post before the holidays. I'm on a staycation next week, so hopefully the writer's block I usually experience at home won't hit. Enjoy your holidays, be safe, eat a lot, and have fun!


Chapter 7
The sun shone brightly overhead as Draco walked along the beach. His nose and cheeks were red from the heat, and sand took up permanent residence inside his shoes. Gray eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, scanned the beach for a familiar face. All around, people sunbathed and children built sandcastles while others splashed around in the surf. Ahead, he spotted a tall man with olive skin and dark hair. He attempted to run to meet up with his friend, but the sand slowed him down.

"Anything?" Draco asked when the two men met.

"Nothing, mate," he replied.

Draco cursed under his breath and turned to look behind him, hoping to find what he was looking for. "We'll never find them, Blaise," he muttered.

"Are you ever planning to tell me who it is we're looking for?" Blaise inquired, using his hand as a visor to shield his eyes from the sun.

Shaking his head, Draco began walking. "Not yet."

Hermione awoke suddenly. Pushing back the blankets, she climbed out of bed and exited her room. Quickly, she walked down the hall and took the stairs to the first floor. Narcissa was seated at the table for breakfast when she entered the dining room. Hermione took a seat across from the Malfoy matriarch who read the paper while stirring her tea.

"Do you believe in premonitions?" Hermione asked.

Setting aside the paper, Narcissa put her spoon on the saucer and furrowed her brows. "Premonitions of what?" she wondered.

Before continuing, she glanced towards the door to make sure they would not be interrupted. "These dreams I've been having about Draco," she replied. "Do you think they could be premonitions?"

Narcissa did little to hide her shock. She had thought Hermione to be logical; not the type to believe in folly like Divination. "You honestly believe that dream you had about him trying to abscond with the baby in the middle of the night could come true?" she inquired.

The young witch shook her head. "Not after that night," she replied. "I don't think he would hurt the baby. But there've been other dreams. The dreams on the beach, for instance." She told Narcissa about the latest dream that featured Blaise Zabini.

"But you don't know where they are or what they're looking for," Narcissa pointed out.

"Not what. Who," she stated with a smile as breakfast appeared before her.

A deep voice rumbled from the doorway. "And just who might my son be searching for on a sandy beach?" Lucius inquired, joining the women.

Hermione looked down at her eggs as a blush warmed her cheeks. "I don't exactly know," she replied.

"Perhaps your parents," Narcissa suggested. Both Hermione and Lucius glanced at her dubiously. "You mentioned them being in Australia. In your dream, that's where Draco could have been."

"You mean to say you dreamt about him? You don't actually know where he is?" Lucius questioned, and in his distraction poured more salt than necessary on his eggs.

The look Narcissa wore told her husband to keep quiet, and so he did. With her attention returning to Hermione, a smile lit her face as a thought occurred. "I know someone who could give us a little more insight into these dreams of yours," she shared. "She'll be here for tea this afternoon, if you'll join me."

As much as she wanted to say no to tea, Hermione found herself halfheartedly agreeing to meet with Narcissa's friend. It was unclear how many knew of her situation, but soon far more would know. Perhaps starting small (and finding a solution to her dreams) would bode well. "Around noon?" she asked, pushing away her plate as he appetite seemed to disappeared. Though the beautiful witch across from her frowned as she glanced at the half eaten breakfast, she nodded.

Two hours later, Hermione was seated across from Narcissa and the newly arrived Pansy Parkinson. She had come in her mother's place when a last minute emergency arose. The smug, pug-faced girl with long, dark hair had yet to look her way; opting instead to focus solely on the Malfoy matriarch. It wasn't until Narcissa excused herself that the two young women spoke.

"Whose is it?" Pansy asked, setting the fine china aside. "My guess would be Potter or Weasley, but that wouldn't explain why you're staying here. You're not Lucius Malfoy's mistress, are you?"

Hermione, mid sip, choked on her tea, which led to a coughing fit. Her face was warm and tears dampened the corners of her eyes. "You're joking, right?" she asked when she could once again speak.

Pansy quirked an eyebrow in an attempt to make her thoughts seem more mysterious. "It's Draco's, isn't it," she said, her voice giving away no emotion. A small nod was all the confirmation Hermione gave. "I'm sure I'll regret asking this, but how did that even happen?"

A small smile cracked on the pregnant witch's face. "Well, Pansy, when a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Come off it," Pansy interrupted. "We both know you don't love Draco. So, I mean...there have been rumors about why Draco left. Theo and I were talking just the other day, and he said that his father mentioned that Vole...You Know Who made him do it. If it's true then...well, I'm sorry, Granger. For the both of you."

Taken aback by her apology, Hermione managed only a weak nod. "So, um, about the dreams," she said, taking a sip of tea, "is it you who knows about them, or your mum?"

"She knows more, but I've picked up a few things about it over the years," Pansy replied proudly, seemingly happy to have a change of subject. "It's believed that the dreams of the magical can be more than just a simple dream. Demigods, witches, wizards have all been known to divine through their dreams. Sometimes we can communicate with others, other times we can see someone else's present, and sometimes we get glimpses of the future. Mrs. Malfoy mentioned to my mother that you've been dreaming about Draco."

Hermione nodded and gave her abridged versions of the last few dreams she had had. "Narcissa believes he's looking for my parents," she finished. "That perhaps if he finds them he'll redeem himself."

"They could just be dreams," the other girl insisted, now worried about Draco after hearing Hermione's recap of the red eyed dream.

"But you don't believe they are," Hermione retorted, leaning forward. "You've known Draco longer and better than I do. Would he ever do something like this? Going to Australia to find my parents, I mean."

Pansy shook her head and shifted in her seat. "No, he wouldn't," she replied. "Draco's not what anyone would classify as selfless."

"Then maybe it's all just a dream," Hermione said dejectedly. "He has been on my mind a lot lately. It's only a few more months until the baby is here."

She glanced nervously at her former enemy, but Pansy attempted to smile. "Yes, all just a dream," she said unconvincingly.