Chapter Ten
A/N: Writer's block and real life got in the way of this story, but I hope to be back a little more regularly now.
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Harry Potter books doesn't belong to me!
"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked and launched herself on the younger girl.
Ginny stumbled back a few steps, but only felt relief to see her friend again. Although it had only been since this morning that they had parted, so much had happened since then that it was good to see someone familiar again who wasn't involved in all of this sudden craziness. "It's so good to see you! But how did you get my letter so fast?"
Hermione tried to hide her surprise, but she didn't realize that Ginny had actually sent her a note. She couldn't bluff her way through it that well if she didn't now what the message said.
"Of course she didn't get your letter yet. Owls don't travel that fast," Blaise said with some amusement. "I had left a message earlier for my contact to get back to me about locating Granger, since you were here. Obviously my message was passed along after all."
Ginny seemed to accept that, much to Hermione's relief. "Are you ready to go back with me? Remus wants to talk to you."
Ginny nodded. "I left my purse in the other room. But wait, what about you, Malfoy? What are you doing here?"
"I have more reason to be here than you do, Weasley," Malfoy drawled. Ginny bristled at that, but Draco continued. "But if you must know, I came here to see Zabini and met Granger at the door. It's getting to be a regular Hogwarts reunion around here or something. Here I am in Italy on holiday and end up seeing you two instead. No place is safe anymore; it's a Griffindor infestation."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Shut it, ferret. Two people are hardly an infestation."
"Well, at least Potter and Weasley aren't here. That would ruin my whole vacation. As it is, my vacation is still salvageable."
"Why didn't you say so? If that's all it takes to get rid of you, I should call them up and have them join us," Hermione retorted.
Blaise sensed that this was about to get out of hand fast, and interceded before Draco could say something thta would incite Hermione's famous temper again. That girl had a surprisingly shrill voice. "Both of you are welcome to stay and chat, but Hermione, didn't you mention that you needed to return to the Ministry?"
That sufficiently distracted her. "Oh! I forgot. We really do need to get going, Ginny." She followed Ginny as they left to retrieve Ginny's purse.
"I'll explain more later," Draco spoke lowly as soon as the girls were out of hearing distance. Just to be on the safe side, he cast a silencing charm.
Blaise nodded. "Let me know when we can set up another meeting time. I have things to discuss, too. Having Ginny here has set me back some, but I think I can get things back on track."
"As far as I know, this shouldn't affect your mission. Continue as before, but expect to hear from me later today," Draco instructed. "I'll be joining those two back at the IMM auror headquarters. If I learn anything that may alter our plans, I'll notify you."
"Can you at least tell me how much Granger knows about me? Is my cover affected?"
Draco shook his head. "Nothing as of yet. You are an innocent bystander in all of this so far. That may change once we return to auror headquarters, but I hope it won't come to that," Draco added a bit grimly.
Blaise wasn't too happy to hear that, but accepted it as fact. "So where's Pansy? Is she back at the penthouse?"
"About that, don't report anything to Parkinson for now. She came here on her own with Nott. It's probably nothing, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Blaise smiled. "If I'm lucky, she'll develop a thing for him instead and leave me alone."
Draco snorted. "Don't be so sure. Theo would be more than happy to take her on, but that won't stop her from clinging on to you, too. She still won't leave me alone and she lost romantic interest in me a long time ago." Blaise groaned good naturedly at his fate. "Of course, that could just be the Malfoy charm," Draco added and sighed. "I just can't seem to help it. It's a curse." Again Blaise groaned. Sometimes his friend's ego was just too much.
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"Hermione, it's so good to see you," Ginny whispered fervently.
"How have you been holding up?" Hermione asked sympathetically.
"I don't know. Seeing him again has brought back all of these feelings that I thought I dealt with a long time ago. We're both different people now, but I still wonder what our lives would have been like if things had worked out for us."
"Do you want to go back home?" Hermione asked, hoping Ginny would say yes. She would be a lot better protected that way.
Ginny was tempted, but finally shookher head. "No, I've made an obligation here, and I'm going to see it through."
"We'll discuss this back at the Ministry," Hermione finally said.
Ginny smiled. "I was so shocked when I saw you with Draco at the door."
"Draco Malfoy is rude, annoying and arrogant! I don't know how Blaise can stand to be his friend!" Hermione ranted.
Ginny grinned and gave Hermione a sly glance. "You haven't bickered with someone so much since you and Ron began courting back in Hogwarts days."
"Ginevra Weasley, if you are implying what I think you are implying, you need your head examined! That's disgusting!" Ginny merely laughed as Hermione shuddered at the thought.
The two found Ginny's purse and headed back to the front door. Ginny paused and bit her lip, wondering how much to tell Hermione now. "Um, 'Mione, there's something going on here in Italy, and I don't know how much Blaise is involved, but there's some danger. And I don't know for sure, but I think it involves me in some way."
Hermione looked a little uneasy, which didn't help alleviate Ginny's suspicions any. "Gin, let's discuss this later when we get back to the Ministry. Then you can tell us how you came to be with Blaise instead of back at your hotel."
"Okay. I just thought I should let you know." The two were silent the rest of the way back, both lost in their own thoughts.
The good-bye between Blaise and Ginny was awkward, but over soon enough. Hermione did an admirable job of ignoring Draco, though, who couldn't let them leave without a snide comment or two. Or several. Hermione itched to say something back, but Ginny's remark about their arguments being similar to the ones she had with Ron was still fresh in her mind.
Ginny took a last look at Blaise's home before she prepared herself to apparate back with Hermione. Surprisingly, Ginny felt that she was going to miss this house and she'd only been inside of it for a brief amount of time.
They arrived back at IMM headquarters where Ginny was checked in and given a visitors badge. "Come on, the auror department is this way," Hermione directed. "I think Remus should still be talking with the department head."
"Good. There's so much I want to tell you. Do you know what Remus wants to talk to me about? Does it have anything to do with that danger I mentioned to you back at Zabini's place?" Ginny asked.
Before Hermione could respond, they arrived at the office of Eduardo Salvatore. Funnily enough, Ginny had a similar reaction as Hermione did the first time she entered his offce. "You! Draco Malfoy? What's going on? Didn't we just leave you at Blaise Zabini's place?" Ginny was floored to see him sprawled on a chair in the office looking bored and impatient.
Draco scowled. "What took you two so long? Do you just apparate slow or what?"
"Apparate slow? How can anyone even apparate slow?" Hermione couldn't help but reply.
Draco shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm sure you found a way!"
Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance. It was beginning to be a more permanent expression on her face the longer she was stuck in Draco's presence. "For your information, I had to check Ginny in before we could get in here!"
Draco frowned. "Why didn't you just aparate in at the point I showed you before? They already knew Ginny was expected here."
Hermione shook her head. "It's in the rules that everybody who visits the Ministry must be registered-"
"You're such a goody two shoes, Granger," Draco interrupted in annoyance. "You've wasted precious time-"
"Can you two argue later?" Ginny interrupted this time. "I'd really like to know what's going on some time this century!"
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Pansy paced back and form in the sitting area of Theodore Nott's room back at the hotel. Draco Malfoy could be so annoying! They were supposed to be partners in all of this! What did he think he was doing dropping her like this? Didn't he know who he was messing with?
Theo lounged on the couch watching her pace. "Do you want a drink?"
"Not right now," Pansy said absentmindedly as she continued her pacing. She needed to find out what Draco was doing and why he was treating her this way. And what was up with Granger being here?
"There's the master bedroom, and of course the guest room. You can use the guest room or perhaps share the master with me?" Theo couldn't help but offer.
Pansy paused from her pacing and gave him a look. "I"m not staying."
Theo paused in confusion. "Then would you like me to book another room for you here at the hotel?"
"Don't be stupid, I'm staying with Draco. He's just...confused."
Theodore recalled his previous encounter with Draco and Hermione in the hallway. "Are you sure about that? He and Miss Granger seemed to be pretty cosy."
"If Draco Malfoy thinks he can replace me that easily, he is sadly mistaken!" Pansy ranted, still lost in her thoughts. "What does he think he's doing? He's lucky I'm still talking to him! I need to think. Make plans."
"Well, thinking and planning is always better on a full stomach. Care to have lunch with me downstairs? If you share your dilemma with me, maybe I can be of service," he offered. If things worked out right at lunch, maybe he could convince Pansy to stay with him instead and give him a chance.
"You know, you're right. Let's go." Pansy grabbed him by the arm and led him back downstairs.
A/N: This was slightly shorter than I would have liked, but I wanted to go ahead and release this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think.