Chapter Ten

Reunion

Hermione stumbled out of the hearth into a large under-decorated bedroom. The full bed with tucked in auburn sheets, and sparkling clean windows didn't help in making the room feel lived-in, but she was nonetheless self-conscious in shaking the grime out of her hair, and clothes.

"This is my room," Blaise explained setting the suitcase down. "Yours is much nicer, I promise."

"Mine," she asked dubiously. She had a room?

"Of course, I wasn't going to let you sleep on the floor. And you can go anywhere in the house you like. My mum doesn't exactly live here..."

Compared to how he said that she could go anywhere within the confinements of the house it was as if he was trying to show Draco up, and among that she felt the tension roll off of him when he mentioned his mom. Hermione didn't push the subject - she changed it. "So, where is my room?"

He smiled, and led her through the door, and across the narrow hallway through another. The inside stole her breath. The walls were painted a bright sky blue, the rest white such as the simple wardrobe, the desk, and chair, and the bed with sheets matching the walls.

"I know you like the color blue. It was the color of your dress at the Yule Ball."

She raised her brows surprised, "you remember that?"

He nodded. "You were the most gorgeous girl there. Every guy remembers you."

Her cheeks burned red, and she turned to run a hand over one of the four bedposts until he brought her attention back. "Do you want to know where the library is?"

"There's a library," she exclaimed. "Please!" It would be something to distract her mind from Draco. A whole new library to discover, she couldn't wait.

In small measures Harry, and Ron moved closer to Malfoy Manor. They attempted to plan a way to break in, but without Hermione they weren't very good at it. They came to the conclusion that they worked best when they jumped in. Sink, or swim.

Ron was impatient, and it drove Harry to near insanity even if he understood it. Every day that passed contained a higher chance of her being dead - if she already wasn't, a thought he banished frequently. She had to be alive. He didn't have a logical explanation behind it, he just knew she had to be. She was Hermione.

Time ticked by slowly until they were as close to the Manor as they could get. From the flap in their tent he could see the high iron gates, a concrete path leading to the five story mansion. They would wait late into the night before they broke in. Ron would look for Hermione in the cellar while Harry searched upstairs for Malfoy.

It had been decided unanimously that if Hermione was... They would kill him without question. Ron insisted that he'd be the one, but Harry wasn't going to hesitate. Ron loved Hermione, but so did he. It was only a matter of who saw the ferret first, because alive, or dead, they would avenge her.

When night fell the sky in its deepest of black, they set out. Momentarily they let their eyes adjust to the dark before moving on. They wouldn't cast Lumos, and give themselves away. Not a light in the Manor appeared to be on, but that didn't mean someone wasn't watching.

Up the winding path they made it to the front doors. They were carved in snakes typically, even the brass handle was a snake curled into a horseshoe shape. 'Alhormora,' didn't work against what he'd suspect was a dark spell of some sort at the Manor, but he tried anyhow, and found that there was no dark spell. It opened freely, the softly lit lounge welcoming them.

Harry traded a furtive glance with Ron before they walked in. It was too easy. Something was wrong. He could feel it, a chill in the air.

A slim shadow figure rose from the sofa, a pointed face sneered at them. "About time," he drawled.

Watching Potter, and Weasley's face change from surprise, to hatred, to hatred that was deadly was greet fun. Weasley swung to aim at Draco, the incantation yelled, but Potter lashed out, and the wand directed at a pure gold vase a good few feet from him. It exploded, but Draco didn't blink. His mother would faint, but that was beside the point. He'd replace it.

"Harry what d'you think -"

"Wait, Ron! Something doesn't feel right here..."

Draco smirked. "Very good, Potter. I suppose you can't spot what's missing? Or who that is."

Weasley paled. "You-son-of-a-"

"Ron!"

"She's alive," Draco sniggered. "But she's not here." He waved at the leather chairs across from the sofa he had been sitting. "Sit, and I'll explain." When they didn't move he added, "it's not a trap."

Slowly, and carefully they took seats, and Draco held out his wand to Potter, an action he never thought he'd do in his wildest dreams, he literally grimaced as if in physical pain. Potter took it apprehensively. He still looked to be in shock.

"Where is Hermione," Weasley demanded.

"No need to be hostile. I'm unarmed." He lounged back on the sofa at ease with his two enemies. Weasley proved he wouldn't hesitate to hurt him, but Potter wouldn't allow it. He was smart enough to realize that if he was dead they might not find Hermione. "First off, your friend is safe. Safer than she's ever been. Now, let me tell you what's happened since you left her, and then I'll take you to her."

The library was massive. Heavy steel bookcases were lined in twenty-five rows categorized, and in alphabetical order. Hermione fingered the titles taking some out, and flipping through them, jumping from row to row. She didn't know where to begin until she spotted Blaise at the doorway paying close attention to her mounting excitement. She ran to him hugging around his neck.

"This is fantastic!"

"And you haven't seen the rest of the house," he laughed.

"It can't be better than this."

"Maybe," he mumbled.

They stiffened in each other's embrace having the same thought. It would be better if Draco was there. If they didn't possibly see him for the last time.

"Let me show you the other rooms," he offered taking her out to the hallway.

Halfway down they froze. A burst of crackling fire could be heard in the room ahead. Draco had said that he would close the connection making it a common fireplace. If someone was coming through then that meant something prevented Draco. An attack.

They broke into a run, Blaise purposefully in front of her, and he stayed so skidding inside of the lounge. He held out his arm to prevent her from going past him, but she could see at least part of the lounge. There was a velvet tan sofa, a glass coffee table, and -

"Harry! Ron!" Hermione pushed Blaise's protective stance in front of her aside, and tackled her best friends. They stumbled backwards but held her just as tightly.

"Hermione," they both breathed.

Ron touched her arm, shoulder, cheek, and hair as though he could hardly believe she was real. Harry wavered.

"What's your biggest fear," he asked.

"Flying."

Harry beamed.

"What's the only assignment did I do for you two?"

"Astronomy," they both answered.

She squeezed them again. She was with them finally. It felt too good to be true, but reality did show her that they were thinner, dirtier, smellier, and scruffier. She didn't mind. They were with her. "Tell me everything!

Harry, and Ron looked over her head to Blaise who had come to stand behind her. "It's okay," she assured. "It really is."

Blaise could have hexed them for showing up earlier than anticipated. He was looking forward to having Hermione to himself. The house would've held a few good memories then, but no, Draco had to send them right over. He had always been a sore loser.

"It's all right, Hermione. I'll leave you to get reacquainted." He kissed her cheek enjoying the horrified expressions on Potter, and Weasley's face.

He was just inside the hallway when he heard them exclaim, "Zabini?!" If only they knew about Draco, but if he knew his best mate (and he did) he knew he gave up his wand, and tenaciously avoided the subject of him in Hermione's life as more than a host. Luckily for Bliase he would have the pleasure of their terror, because there was no avoiding his place with her.