Chapter 11

Harry Potter stood in the doorway of the drawing room, a puzzled expression on his face. He wasn't sure just what it was he had seen when he walked in. When he had spoken, Hermione and Malfoy had quickly jumped apart. Draco looked frustrated, but Hermione looked just as puzzled as Harry himself was. He decided he would talk to her about it later.

"Are you both all right?" Harry asked them.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione jumped up and ran to him, hugging him tightly. Harry glanced over at Draco who had a pained expression on his face before nodding and looking away quickly.

Hermione was showering him with questions. "Where is everyone? Did my mum and dad get out okay? How is my house? Is it still standing? Did you find my wand? Please tell me you found my wand!"

"Easy Hermione." Harry said, smiling fondly at his friend. "Your mum and dad are safe in France. Tonks took Lupin to Mrs. Weasley to get checked out. I just left them there. Everyone is okay."

"And the death eaters?"

"Well, no one wanted to stick around long after Malfoy pulled his little stunt." Harry looked over at Draco, a look of reluctant admiration on his face.

Draco sighed. "I bet they didn't. Wonder which one of the bloody cowards turned me in first? My gold is on Wormtail."

I want to thank you, Malfoy," Harry said quietly. "I had run after Snape, and if you hadn't gotten Hermione out of there..."

"Snape was there?" Asked Draco incredulously.

"Yeah, for a bit anyway. By the time I had run out the back after him, he had gone. When I ran back into the house, I saw you grab Hermione and disapparate. I would have never gotten to her before Grayback."

"Grabbed me? More like ran me over!" Hermione said, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

"There wasn't a lot of time to be gentlemanly," Draco said, starting to smile a little now in spite of himself.

"All of your death eater friends saw you, you know," Harry reminded him.

That wiped the smile off of Draco's face. "I know." The Dark Mark mocked him from his forearm, still as black as pitch.

"You can stay here as long as you need to, Malfoy. No one will find you here." Hearing the same words Hermione had spoken to him earlier comforted him somehow. How ironic. Comforting words from Harry Potter. Draco looked down at his hands, unsure of what to say. Hermione broke the silence.

"So what now? When can I see Mum and Dad?"

"Soon, Hermione. We just need to let things die down a bit first," Harry assured her.

"But how long is that going to be?"

"I can't say for sure but soon, okay? Now let's go to the kitchen. I brought some stew from The Burrow."

Hermione seemed to consider what Potter said, but Draco could see she was not happy with his answer. Something about the look on her face made him uneasy. The smartest witch in their year was definitely up to something.

The stew was delicious. Hermione could not believe how hungry she was. They all had two extra helpings even though Harry had had two helpings before he left The Burrow. Hermione wondered how he never put on a pound with as much food as he could pack away. Which made her remember...

"Harry, where is Ron? I thought he would be worried." When Hermione said this, Draco looked up from his stew, waiting intently for Harry's answer.

"He is worried," Harry said. "He wanted to come with me but Mrs. Weasley made him stay there for now. With the attack and all she wants the family to stick close for a few days. He was right upset about it too." Harry noticed that Malfoy seemed to relax after he said this.

Hermione smiled. She was going to have to make a decision about Ron soon. Why was it so hard? She had wanted to be with him for years. She still wanted to be with him. Didn't she?

She looked over at Draco who had now gone back to eating, seemingly not paying attention to them. Her mind went back to the embrace they had shared, and her stomach fluttered in response. Get a grip, Hermione.

Draco chose that moment to look up at her, and she blushed furiously.

Harry drained his butterbeer and stood up from the table. "I have to get back and see if Lupin has found out anything."

"When will you be back?" Hermione asked.

"Tomorrow at the earliest. I need to see Professor McGonagal. She is helping me locate some...er...objects." Harry glanced quickly at Malfoy and then back at Hermione. She understood.

"What do we do in the meantime?"

"You stay put for now. I'll see you later, Hermione. Malfoy." Harry nodded to Draco and turned to leave.

Hermione sighed. "All right, then. I'll walk you out." She got up to go with Harry, and Draco watched them go through the door. After they left, Draco smiled to himself. Hermione Granger was so cute when she blushed.

Harry stopped Hermione just before they reached the door so they wouldn't disturb the portrait of Sirius' mother.

"Hermione, what was that I walked in on before?"

Hermione knew this would come up. "Nothing, Harry. Draco, um I mean Malfoy, was just upset and we...um... well, it wasn't what it looked like."

Harry wasn't convinced, but he decided not to push it. He gave Hermione a quick hug and then hurried out of the house and down the steps. Hermione heard a Crack! as she closed the door behind him.

Hermione walked back into the kitchen where Draco was still sitting at the table.

"So," she said, "are you coming then?"

"What?" Draco looked at her inquiringly.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm leaving."