The Unity of Opposites
Chapter Nine
Details
''That was a perfect Monet, you so unholy unhangged from its perfect place Granger!'' he yelled at her and he knelt next to the painting he so much loved.
He looked at it, The Manneporte near Etretat, making sure that it was in one piece. When he stood up, she was looking at him rather impressed.
''Can we come back to your sightly Muggle obsession after I explain myself?'' she asked, crossing her arms and watching at with amusement.
''I do not have a Muggle obsession!'' he protested, looking around the mess she made once again.
At the spot he was standing there were half cut parchments. His gaze followed them all the way to his lovely desk where he could see more of them.
He looked back at her – for a woman courting with books he found it rather uncharacteristic.
He raised his brows to that thought, her excited face made him try harder to understand what just happened, and he rubbed his eyes.
He definitely started to think of a drink now, but Hermione grabbed him and placed him exactly in front of the changed wall.
''Tell me what you see.'' she said with a small gentle voice, looking at his expressionless features.
He exhaled in frustration and looked once more at the wall with the red threads travelling around the board and meeting pictures and names.
''Some kind of a connection system?'' he said, rolling his eyes to her rather challenging. She saw that immediately, but she chose not to bother.
''It is the connection system Malfoy. It is a timeline connecting people and events!'' she said to him in excitement, but he only cared to raise his shoulders in complete ignorance.
''Why is that more important than my sleep?'' he said, pointing at it, but his hand fell at once.
''Please, hear me out.'' she said to him and grabbed his arms again and placed him some steps back to see the full picture.
''Okay.'' she said and she fixed the shirt she was wearing as a nightgown. She took a big breath and started to speak.
Her fingers were pointing to the pictures and the handwritten names she had written on the parchments. The red thread was connecting everything to everyone.
It was like she had thrown up her thoughts into a paper. And it was a chaos. A pure chaos. Draco knew about chaos. He was practically one himself.
He was watching her explaining and pointing and showing and having the weirdest expressions he had ever seen her having.
To Draco that was strange. And not with the bad way. When she finished, she was out of breath and Draco desperately needed that drink.
He stood up and he made it himself. The best privilege of living alone, was that he could place his favourite firewhiskey wherever he wanted – and he did.
Poor Granger he thought and he looked at the wall once again, sitting down in the big armchair.
She was trying so hard to prove there is more than a timeline. He was starting to feel responsible for her actions, only thinking of her, when it hit him. Hard.
Everything that she was saying, every little thing that happened the past months, making its own connection to this bizarre story he put himself into.
A feeling of anger and betraying made him feel uncomfortable. Was she lying to him? Did she know what she did? He was about to explode when he thought what was happening behind his back.
''Well? Say something!'' she said to him, demanding his opinion.
His eyes were on her. This is like Hogwarts all over again, he thought and he tried to calm himself down.
He was sure that she could see the anger in his eyes. He decided to play her game and make her regret it.
''This..'' he started to talk, waving his hand in the air pointing at the wall ''.. this is madness Granger.'' he said and he looked at her confused. ''This is far more from assuming.'' he added and drank his firewhiskey.
''It's not! It's a reasonable, well established, based on evidence or proof, theory, that are all connecting!'' she sighed and looked at him desperately.
''There it is! You said it yourself Granger, theory.'' he sighed as well.
''I know that I am right Malfoy. I know that there is more than meets the eye with this one.'' she said with a small voice and eyes red from tiredness.
Draco's mind was starting to realize that he was talking to Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her time – and he was about to trick his way into confessing what she truly knows and not sharing with him.
''Let's see what you have been up to once more, shall we?'' he said to her after some time of thinking.
Maybe he would regret it, but he was sure that she knew more than she was saying. He looked at her with the corner of his eye and a hint of relief was drawn to her face.
''Okay.'' he said, rubbing his temples. This was taking forever. ''Okay.'' he sighed. Is she unbreakable or something?
''Nehone came to England with his father Theophile De Stoharier in 1928. They put their purpose of arrival under visit, but they stayed.'' he said and he made himself more comfortable in the armchair, staring at the wall.
''We know that Nehone is indeed wizard, but you assume that his father is too, because even if he was not a student at Hogwarts he did studied Herbology.''
''Exactly, that's why he was able to cure himself faster.'' she said and she watched him nodding.
''He did left Wizarding England in 1951 and spent some time in Bulgaria – that's why he is connecting to Karkaroff. We know that he was an ex Death Eater.'' he said and pointed to the red thread connecting Nehone to Riddle. He sighed to that, but he continued.
''We know he has money – perhaps he eared them from the families he corrupted. We know that he is capable of murder.'' he said and looked at the names of the women he killed. They fell in silence, both of them looking at the wall.
''Are you still thinking that talking to the Parkinson's is a good idea?'' she asked him and he nodded again looking at her.
She then put a piece of parchment on the wall on top of the list of women Nehone had killed. Draco's eyes were following her moves.
''We know that he is behind the stealing of the Heather Stone.'' he said and he stood up.
He was giving her time to admit her whole role in the both cases of Nehone and the Heather's Stones. He was giving her time to include him completely to the both stories – and that could only happen if she started to talk.
But she was holding herself back. He could see it. He had enough. This show made him feel like he was trapped in some kind of parody where everyone laughed at him.
He walked towards the tall stand with the firewhiskey and he refilled his glass. The morning lights were busting inside the room.
They did spend the night talking to each other for this case, didn't they. He stood there, looking outside for a brief moment preparing himself for what was about to happen.
He hated when he was using his old self methods to distract information. He then walked to the wall and looked at the red thread connecting Nehone to the Heather Stone.
There were more to the story of the Heather Stones and Draco was sure that she knew what that was. He took a sip of his drink and he looked at her.
Her eyes were at a paper she was holding. She was looking so good wearing his own t-shirt. He shook his head to make that thought leave.
He took a piece of parchment from the floor, and grabbed the quill she had on her hands. He was feeling her eyes following him. He wrote something to the paper and posted on the wall.
''Are you kidding me?'' she yelled at him with desperation when she saw what he wrote. ''What is wrong with the two of you? We are not at school anymore! There is nothing with that case that has to do with your enmity!''
''You wish I had stuck in the same loophole of the forbidden sins and the unending drama in your precious land of Hogwarts.'' he said to her, calmly and he bet she felt bad for yelling at him.
''Anyhow, Potter has the case of the missing Heather Stone, Granger.'' he said to her and he drank his whole whiskey at once. He watched her frowned and looking at her feet.
''He has?'' she wondered not wanting to believe that was true. ''He would have told me.'' she whispered but Draco heard it.
''Why he would have told you, of all people?'' he asked her sitting back in his armchair.
''I am his friend? I could help with anything. Legally speaking.'' she told him and she turned her back to him, pretending she was fixing something in the timeline.
''You know what I think Granger?'' he said to her and she raised her shoulders. She started to feel her heart fasten its beats.
''I believe you missed some names on that board of yours.'' he said and she turned to look at him with anger. ''Why, you don't?'' he asked and she crossed her arms under her chest.
''Where is Kingsley's name in the connection with the Heather's Stones? Or your adorable younger Weasley boy, thinking himself as a King, and of course the oldest one? I believe his name is Charlie?'' he said and put his feet on the coffee table in front of him.
''What do you mean?'' she asked him not wanted to believe he knew something more than her.
''Granger, to your surprise, I am not an idiot.'' he said with a small laughter waving his glass to go and refill.
''I am an Auror, remember? I know that Weasley is helping his oldest brother with his dragons.'' he said, taking the glass in his hands, admiring it.
''And I know that, because I did arrested some ex Death Eaters trying to steal Charlie Weasley's work.'' he added and his hand unconsciously touched his nose, remembering the feeling of the breaking bone.
''I really - ''
''I know what Weasley found on the holy grounds of Spain Granger!'' he yelled at her and she took some steps back. She was starting to feel afraid.
''Malfoy you don't - ''
''I know it was him taking the last stone to the Gringotts, with the help of Kingsley of course.'' he said drinking his liquid at once. ''That's why Potter knew about the stealing earlier than anyone.''
''Malfoy!'' she yelled at him and he closed his mouth. ''I could only assume about Ron's part in the discovery – as much as Harry's too. Kingsley consulted me about a stupid contract he wanted to do with Charlie, and that was months before the escape of Nehone. I could only assume!'' she said, her voice below a whisper.
''Don't think that they are telling me everything these days either.'' she added with a hurt voice and took a big breath. She watched him covering his face with his hands.
''I thought we were in this together.'' he said after some seconds that felt like decades to her.
He looked at her disbelieving, and he stood up. She was feeling small against him. She felt her heart breaking at his sight. He was hurt. Truly hurt.
She knew that she betrayed his trust not talking to him about it earlier. But how could she know that he would find it out? She was making fun of herself, he was a Malfoy – he could find out everything.
''We are.'' she said to him, she was feeling her eyes watering for some reason.
Why was his trust so important to her anyway. That was Malfoy, she was getting upset about. She felt a hot tear running down her cheek.
''No. You are.'' he said, pointing her, the glass with firewhiskey still on his hand. He let his hand fall to his side.
''You proved me that you are still that little Gryffindor girl, running behind her best friend's footsteps trying to help them with a mess that could harm her for good.''
''It's not like that.'' her voice was soft and she took some steps towards him, but he walked towards the door, trying to avoid her.
''Why does it feel like that though?'' he spoke and stormed out.
She heard the door of his room opening and closing. She knelt, trying to catch her breath, and progress what had just happened.
She was feeling her cheeks wetter and wetter as the time past, blaming herself for not talking to him earlier.
Draco was laying in his king size bed, still wearing his trousers and shirt. He noticed that it was the first time in his life he did that.
It felt like rebellion against his parents' raising. It felt nice. His hands were on top of his stomach. The glass he had before, was on his nightstand. He could smell the liquid in the room – especially coming from his mouth.
His eyes wide opened, blinking once or twice slowly. His heart was beating slowly too, calmly even, but he was feeling the hole inside of him, growing.
How could he be that stupid? He thought that they were partners in this. He thought that perhaps she had a bit of trust in him. He opened his house to her and she kept him in the dark for so long.
He was feeling hurt. He thought that she could see that he was different from the boy she used to know in her teen years. He thought that she wasn't the girl he used to know in his teen years.
He raised his left hand. The white long sleeve was covering his thick muscular arm. He took his cufflinks off and left it to the empty side of the bed.
He raised his sleeve and looked at the fade dark mark on his arm. That mark he so much wanted when he was younger, and so much hated now that he grew up.
It was long gone now, the black colour had lost its radiates. It was something that made his life difficult after the war – but it was something that did teach him much.
Like the fact, he wasn't the only pureblood who got punished by their parents – or the fact that he did have a lot more to learn for the world he was living – and that world was not the Wizarding.
But all of that came after the fact that Granger was still seeing him like that young fullish boy he used to be. Like one of the people she would never trust. That was in her. An untrusted person.
That thought made him hurt even more, if that was possible. He fixed his sleeve, not wanting to see his failure anymore and placed his hands as they were before.
He exhaled loudly and looked at the roof again. He thought that when she agreed to his assistant she could see how much he changed.
And why should I care for her opinion, she has on me? He thought and he closed his eyes in absolute defeat.
He was feeling his chest rising and falling quickly. He tightened his jaw, knowing what was coming and not wanted to leave his guards down.
He relaxed himself completely. He looked at the window and the sun had started to shine. He stood up and he ran to the showers. Perhaps a walk, and a visit to his office could cheer him up.
''I heard your partner gone for good.'' Steele said to Harry looking at him with a smirk on his face.
Harry's face was buried in his hands from the moment he walked to his office that morning. He sighed and looked at the man in front of him.
Steele's eyes fell to Harry's desk and a piece of parchment on top of it, with a very familiar handwriting. Steele's brows frowned and Harry rushed to cover it with another parchment.
''I heard your partner abandoned you.'' he said with his own smirk and he looked his face, falling. Yes, he liked it when he was playing that game of his.
''At least I know where to find him.'' he said and he put aside some of Harry's photo and sat on top of the desk looking down on him.
''Is there anything that I can do for you Steele?'' he said and he put the photos on the other side of the desk.
''No, I was feeling bored in my office and thought to bother you with my undeniable charm.''
''I am not in the mood Steele.''
''That's the first time somebody ever said that to me!'' he said, feeling offended and putting his hand to his chest. He looked at him impressed, and took one of the photos he had.
''Steele, I am warning you.'' he said, standing up and looking at his colleague, eye to eye. Harry took back the photo and put it down.
''Fine Potter.'' he said and he put his hand to his inside pocket, taking a piece of parchment out. He gave it to him and he looked at it confused.
''What is that Steele?''
''That friend of yours, working in the Law Department, the cute one - ''
''Hermione Granger?'' he said, looking disgusted at the man in front of him. Why he was calling his friend cute?
''Yes. I heard she is a specialist in the contract issue.'' he said whispering and he took the parchment back.
''What are you talking about Steele?''
''Come on Potter, do not play dumb to me.'' he said still whispering. ''I would like you to arrange a meeting with her.'' Harry's brows frowned. What was he talking about? What kind of contract was that? And what she had to do with it?
''No, she is out of town.'' he answered at once and he tried to look calm.
''Is she now?'' he asked and Harry nodded. Steele narrowed his eyes. ''Do you know where out of town she is?''
''Why do you care Steele? What kind of case do you have anyway?'' he asked him and he looked at the man sitting on top of his desk. He took him a while to start talking. Harry guessed that he was fighting with his self to trust him or not.
''I had a case with Malfoy some months ago, some ex Death Eaters were trying to own the trade market between dragons. Malfoy and I found them rather easily. But then, when I thought the case was over, I found this.'' he said pointing at the contract. ''It is a contract of ownership – between the Death Eaters and the Gringotts.''
''And where did you find this?''
''At the Law Department?'' he said like it was something completely normal.
''They just gave it to you?''
''Potter, Potter, Potter.'' he said and he put his hand to his shoulder. ''When you open an investigation, they are obliged to give you whatever you want.'' he said winking him. Harry's eyes shined. Why haven't I thought about it?
''You are a genius.'' he said and he smiled to him. He grabbed Steele hand and tossed it in the air.
He was smiling very, very awkwardly thinking of the things he might find in the Law Department. Perhaps the ownership of the Heather's Stones vault could opened him some other doors. He was about to leave when Steele threw him a paper ball to his back.
''Where is your Granger again?''
''Italy!'' he said enthusiastically, not actually thinking with whom he was sharing that information.
On Steele's face shown a very weird smirk. He waited until Potter left the room and found the letter Potter tried to hide from him earlier.
His eyes scanned the paper. He knew he recognized that handwriting everywhere. He laughed a little and ran to the Floo Network.
Harry was at the urge of exploding. He was feeling his sweat on his forehead. The ticking of the only watch in the room he was in, was echoing in his ears.
He was feeling the earth under his feet betraying him and a feeling of fall took him over - he didn't know what to think at that moment – or what to say.
The woman in front of him was talking, he was sure about it – but his mind had already stuck.
What was happening behind his back, was the only think that he was cared to find. Perhaps the woman noticed the blank face of his when she decided to leave him alone.
What was going on between Ron, his childhood friend, Kingsley, a man who had his back from the first moment he met him, and perhaps Hermione, the girl who fixed his glasses at their first ride to Hogwarts and saved his life more than he could count?
As Steele promised, they did give him the contract of the ownership of the vault at Gringotts, that was holding the Heather's Stones – and the name behind the ownership made Harry's stomach at the edge of throwing up.
Kingsley's name and signature on the bottom of the contract. Ron's name as a witness. Hermione's name as the present Law Enforcer.
Did she know what they had hidden in there? Did she know in what great danger she had put herself into? Harry's mind was trying to think a reasonable purpose to Ron's agreement to her assistant.
If he could find the contract, anyone could have found it as well. And anyone could have the power to run after her and demand to know what she had to do with the Heather's Stones.
Hermione's eyes opened wide. The feel of her beloved blanket on her body was the first she noticed. She didn't remember taking it with her.
She blinked fast, trying to understand where she was. Her mind started to work fast again, when she saw the mess she had made the night before.
On top of her chest, she had still some small pieces of red thread. At once her heart felt heavy.
She uncovered herself, feeling the cold of the room in her bare legs. She placed the blanket on her shoulders and she covered herself completely in it, putting her legs on top of the armchair she had fallen asleep.
She stood there for a while, admiring the work she had done for them. Them. She thought and she exhaled loudly.
He was right. She was holding herself back, not wanting to complete trust him – not wanting to hurt again. Was that making her selfish? She sure did feel like it.
She ran her fingers through her hair and looked at his office, she so unthoughtful destroyed. That wasn't suppose to happen. She wasn't supposed to behave like that to him. He was right being upset.
She knew that they shared the same amount of curiosity and love for giving attention to details and connect events and people – she should have expected that he would find out that something was off in that case – and he did, faster than she wanted to.
She said to herself that she would clean this mess up. She stood up, folded her blanket and walked outside of the study room.
The morning light was making the hall of his loft turned a pure shade of light gold. The Muggle art on the two walls, making her remember that he was a different man than the one she knew in her younger age.
The door to his room was slightly closed. She cowardly walked towards it, and she knocked saying his name. She opened it, seeing his bed being perfectly straight.
The scent of his cologne was telling her that he was gone not too long ago. She admitted that she would probably have done the same if her pride had been hurt too.
Her eyes saw the guest room's door opened wide. Her steps were steady but small and careful. She looked inside and her eyes widen.
The room she had picked two days ago was decorating the guest room. All of it. Even the red with a gold blanket set she said she wanted so he could laugh, were there, on top of the bed. He did keep his promise.
She left the room, with a feeling of surprise in her heart. She could smell the pancakes from the kitchen, and the fresh coffee.
She was feeling quilty, behaving like that to him the night before. She was stupid. She was on top of Merlin's hat stupid. Her feet led her there in no rush.
''So you are the infamous Granger.'' the man said and he looked at her, standing there in cold feet.
Hermione's eyes stuck to his. She had never seen him before, but the robes he was wearing, meant he was an Auror.
She thought she knew all of them, but then again, no one can be sure with them. She was looking at him, taking in every new information about that man.
He was as tall as Malfoy, with light brown hair and eyes. He was older than her. Perhaps around his late thirties.
''I am, and you are?'' she said with her eyes narrowing.
He was leaning to the kitchen counter, in his hand a mug with the coffee she smelled before. Did he do it? She watched him smelling the pancakes and pushing the plate away from him.
She remembered that her wand was on the coffee table in the study room. She cursed and tried to think of a way to get it fast.
''Impressed, of course!'' he said and he smiled, raising as a toast his mug to her. ''The world has it, you are in Italy.''
''I would not think that the world care much about my whereabouts.'' she said and she took some steps back seeing that the bottle of the firewhiskey was next to the grand piano.
I will hit him with that, if I had to. She tried to comfort herself. He laughed a bit with what she said, and it took her off guard.
''I know I don't.'' he said and he walked to her way, making her heart's beat raising.
She stepped aside, afraid of what he might do, but he took the bottle of the firewhiskey and he put some of it in his coffee.
''Muggle's habits.'' he confessed to her and she raised her brows.
Suddenly her heartbeat fell back to normal. She watched him, walking to the sofa, sitting down, fixing his long robes and putting his feet on the table in front of him.
Malfoy knows muggles? Muggles that have the convenience to bust into his house and have coffee? And drink his favourite firewhiskey? In what parallel universe did she woke up to?
''Where's his highness?'' he said and he broke her thoughts.
She shook her head and looked at him being comfortable on the sofa and staring out at the big window.
''I.. I just woke up.'' she informed him, not wanted him to know that she didn't have the slightest idea of where he was. ''Who are you?'' she asked, crossing her arms under her chest.
''Steele. His partner.'' he said like it was something well known to everybody, and shown his Auror badge.
''And you are a Muggle?'' she asked him, still progressing the idea of Malfoy, the boy making fun of her blood, most of the part of her school career, was working with a Muggle.
''You seeing me owning a loft or something?''
''And she will never see.'' Draco spoke to them, making Hermione jumped at her place.
His eyes landed on her first. He looked at her head to toe, not liking the fact that she was dressed like that in front of his partner.
She took the message too - she had to change her outfit. Steele's eyes followed her until she was gone.
Draco walked to the kitchen and put himself a cup of coffee too. He was feeling his head ready to explode, but he blamed the lack of sleep.
It was time for lunch and the only thing that was on his mind was his bed. But to his surprise, he had to deal with the man that he was always in the mood to cheer him up.
He threw on top of the kitchen's table a folder that he got from Enterprise and he looked at him waiting for his mind to stop feeling numb.
''Rough night?'' he asked when he walked to the kitchen to talk to him. Draco looked at him with his famous gaze.
''That won't work with me.'' Steele said with a laugh and he pulled a chair and sat. Draco sat still, slightly leaning to the kitchen counter.
''What can I do for you Steele?'' he asked him when he saw her walking to the kitchen as well.
Their eyes followed her, watching her taking a mug and making herself a tea. They patiently waited her to leave, but she sat there, on the kitchen table, opposite to the man she just met.
She noticed that she was feeling more comfortable in the loose t-shirt of his, rather her dark, slightly skinny jeans she was wearing with a white loose sweater.
She looked at Draco, and his eyes were about to bury her to the ground. He was still mad and she could feel it in her bones.
But she was there and she wouldn't leave. He took the message and he narrowed his eyes. She mimicked him perfectly, and if he wasn't that mad at her he might even smile a little.
''Well, Potter said you are in Italy.'' he said with a smirk.
''You talked to Harry?''
''You talked to Potter?'' they spoke together at once and looked at each other.
''Your stupid pureblood calligraphic handwriting is hard to forget.'' he said looking at his partner. ''So when I saw the letter today on Potter's desk, I knew you were up to something.'' he winked at him.
''That's the case you cleared the bench for?'' he asked him pointing Hermione with his head.
''That is the reason you came up here? To brag?'' Draco asked, not having the patience to deal with whatever that was.
''Actually, I am here for her.'' he said and he took the contract he previously, shown to Harry out of his pocket.
He extended his hand to give it to her, but when she was about to take it, he took it back looking her rather suspicious.
''If I will trust you with that I want you to be honest.'' he said and they heard an ironic laughter from Draco. She looked at him dangerously.
''Do you have something to say Malfoy?'' she asked ready to stand up and punch him in the face. Again.
''I have a lot to say, Granger!'' he said and looked at her in the eyes. She noticed that they were a little red something that meant he did not sleep at all.
''Lovebirds! First me, then you. Okay?'' at once Hermione stood up and her little hand grabbed the paper. She opened it and her eyes widen.
''Where did you find this?'' she asked him and her heart started to beat fast. She let her body fall back to the chair.
''Law Department.'' he said and he looked at her with boredom. ''Do they not teach you anything? When an Auror opens an investigation, everything is in his use.''
''What is that?'' Draco asked his partner, taking the paper from her hands.
''Apparently, nowadays there is this thing called The Contract Vow.'' he said and he took a sip from his coffee. ''The two parts are obligated to the law enforcer who is present to abide by their vow – which means their part in their business.''
Hermione's breath was coming in and out fast. She was feeling her feet cold. He will understand it now. He will see through her. She was done.
She will have to leave his loft, move to a safe house and forget about being involved with the Nehone case again. She cowardly looked at him. When her eyes met his, she looked back at the table. He knew.
''The one that you have found is fake.'' Hermione said, her voice broke at the end.
She gently took the contract from Draco and placed it on the table. She pointed at the stamp on the top and in the middle of the parchment.
''Every Law Department has its own stamp. That doesn't belong to any Law Department in the world.'' she said and she tried to catch her breath. ''It's fake.''
''Why is that contract such a big of a deal, Granger?'' Draco asked, clearly wanting to understand why his partner lost his colour all of a sudden.
But Hermione's jaw fell open, thinking that he wanted to punish her for what she did yesterday. He is got to be joking! she thought looking at the paper in front of her. Does he honestly want to hear her say it?
''It's illegal. It reinstates the authenticity of the Unbreakable Vow.'' she said with a small voice and a breath she didn't know she was holding came out.
''Is the name of the Law Enforcer, true, at least?'' Steele asked after some time of silence.
''I doubt that.'' she confessed to him, and continued looking at the table.
By the time Draco's partner left the loft, she was feeling her cheeks burning. In her mind she had already made a list of the things she would do, before he could kick her out.
Yes, she will leave him, not wanted to think what safe house Kingsley would have to find for her. She was sure that he was hating her more than before, especially after his partner's visit.
They stayed in the kitchen for a short moment, her looking at her hands on top of the table, and feeling his eyes burning her, by the look he was giving her.
When she had gathered her Gryffindor courage to talk to him, he announced that he would be in his room. She simply nodded her head and watched him walking away from her.
So much from the brightest witch of her my age. she thought and she buried her head in her hands.
Hermione packed her things in a small leather bag that Malfoy brought on St. Mungo's the day she woke up.
She thanked the magic as each one of her belongings had transferred into the guest room. She looked at the loose t-shirt of his, the one she was wearing as a nightgown, on top of the bed she had chosen.
She took it in her hands and smell it. The fabric against her skin was soft. There was a hint of her own scent, but there was the cologne he's usually wearing too.
It was a strange thing that this two were matching to her senses. She didn't want to leave that t-shirt behind. With a sudden move she packed it too.
Still dressed with the jeans and her own sweater, she put her sneakers on, a pair she mostly use when she was running house errands.
She closed the door to the guest room and she walked into the study room, remembering the promise she gave to herself to clean the mess she made the night before.
When she opened the door, she saw his owl next to the window. The bird noticed her and flew into the living room with the package it was caring.
She took a big breath, as the bird left, flying above her head. It was a big eagle owl, the one she used to see in Hogwarts, bringing him sweets and letters from his parents.
At the thought of sweets her stomach complained. She had to eat in a long time. She looked at her watch and it was past dinner time.
She had to eat for a whole day. She left the bag at the side of the door and went to the kitchen to grab a pancake to eat.
At her way back to the study room, she saw that his door was still closed. With careful steps she walked to the door and placed her ear to the wooden surface.
She stayed there for a while, chewing the bite she had already taken. When she convinced herself that he was indeed too quiet to be awake, she walked back to the study room.
She stood in front of the handmade board she made as she was finishing her pancake. She wiped her fingers and took some steps back admiring it.
She did a great job no matter what happened. She started to clean the floor first, not wanted to ruin the masterpiece creation of her mind. She noticed that there were a lot of red threads which was driving her crazy.
She performed a lot of spells she had learned from Mrs Weasley and she was happy with the floor when she finished.
She put her hair into a messy bun, not wanted them in her face. She fixed the books in the shelves, liking the fact he used the alphabetic order to place them in the first place.
She put the parchments back to its place, and the silver quill next to its ink. She thought that if there was a silver coloured ink he would probably use it.
She smiled at that. She fixed the chair behind his desk, and the armchair she slept, as well as the coffee table in front of it. At last she cleaned the painting he had on the wall, the one she had hanged down.
''What in Merlin's word do you think you are doing?'' he asked and she jumped a little. Twice that day. At once she felt her heartbeat, making its presence.
''What in Merlin's word do you think I am doing?'' she asked him and she stepped on her toes to reach the top red thread.
His hand reached hers first and held it in its place. She was feeling his touch like it was something new to her body, something pure.
''What's that bag doing at the door?'' he asked her, being chin to nose as she raised her head to see him. She was trying to find something in his eyes – something reasonable to hold on to.
''I thought you wanted me to leave.'' she finally said not taking her eyes off his.
''When did I exactly express that desire to you?'' he frowned, looking at her, their hands still touching. She was wishing to not lose her balance as she was still on her toes.
''The whole day. First you left, leaving me alone in that great loft of yours, wondering where you might be, and then, when you came you weren't even looking at me.'' she said her voice small and soft.
''So, every time that my eyes dare to look somewhere else than you, would mean your cue to leave?'' he asked his brows still frowned.
''Well, if you put it that way - ''
''Granger.'' he said and he looked at her with the most gentle eyes, she had ever seen in her life. ''Next time you and I have a bit of a dispute that ends up with me leaving, know that I only seek time to process.''
''And what should I do at that time of processing?'' she asked him feeling her feet betraying her.
She lost her balance, but he held her to her place and took her hand to his, like a true gentleman he learned to be.
''Wait. You should wait.'' he said and he kissed her hand gently, not taking his eyes off her.
She blushed in seconds. She could even feel the heat of her cheeks reaching levels that never reached before. He smiled to her and walked back to the door, taking the bag she packed into the guest room.
Hermione stood there in her spot, her right hand holding the left like it was something sacred. She could only hear him walking up and down the hall of his loft.
She liked the fact that he wasn't there to see her like that. And she liked the fact that he opened up to her. That was the first time he said something regarding his own personality to her.
''Honesty is something that I seek in my life Granger.'' he said the moment he walked in the room and gave her the warm tea he made for her.
''Do not keep me in the dark. I spent much time there, claw my way to where I am today. Do not put me back.'' he said with the same gentle voice as he did before.
He made her heart break into thousands of pieces, which he put them back together.
''Shall we start from the beginning then?'' He sat on the chair and he applauded once revealing the plate with the warm pancakes coming in the room.
She looked at him, sitting comfortable in the armchair she spent the night having a smirk on his face. He was indeed a changed man, but still a mystery to her.
''Okay.'' she said smiling to him.
Perhaps that as the beginning of a new partnership.