A/N: Alright, Here is Chapter 21. I know I just updated last night, but my puppy is having his eye removed today, and I need something to take my mind off it. So you are getting another chapter. Also i know this chapter is a bit short, but I felt it was a good place to end it. Anyway, Happy Reading Everyone. :)
"I can hardly believe it is almost time. I never thought it would come." Blaise said, sitting in a recliner in his sitting room, sipping a firewhiskey.
"We have worked hard my young one. Soon enough, Everything will be set right. Only a couple more weeks now." Itlaus replied. Warming his hands by the fire.
"So, Do you think we will need "her" any longer? She hasn't proved of any use at all, to us yet?" Blaise asked.
"I am not sure, We should keep her alive for now, Just in case." Italus said, walking from the fire to sit in the chair opposite Blaise.
"She didn't do what she was supposed to, but somehow, I feel that once Hermione is taking care of. She could be the person that Draco falls back on for support. She is of a respectable family, and they do have a child together." Itlaus stated.
"Yes, but once Draco finds out, that, Kirsten isn't his child, and in fact mine. Will he still want Bersies?" Blaise asked, taking yet another sip of his drink.
"That I cannot say." Italus replied. "For now, She however stays alive, I don't think her work in this game is done yet."
Draco sat in his study, planning some future lessons, for his Potions class. He had been given time off due to Hermione's accident, but still didn't want to waste it all. He was just finishing up, When a knock came on his study door. Thinking it was Hermione. He smiled widely. She was still mostly shut up in her room. So her coming down to see him, was a big deal. With a bit of an over excited tone. He told her to come in. When the door flung open, Standing in the doorway however, was Blaise,not Hermione.
"Come in Blaise." Draco said, a little shocked to see him.
"Thank you. I really wanted to speak with you." Blaise spoke clearly. Almost formal like. He sat down in the chair Draco indicated for him.
"So, What do I owe the pleasure?" Draco said. Grabbing his wand and conjuring two glasses and a bottle of Gin.
"Just a friendly chat, my dear friend. Just a friendly chat." Blaise responded, taking the offered glass from Draco's hand.
"Well, Then I am glad you stopped by." Draco said, Taking a large sip from his glass.
The two talked for a couple hours, before Someone else knocked on the door. It was a soft knock, Which Blaise didn't even seem to hear, or chose to ignore it. "come in." Draco said.
Hermione entered, a small weak smile on her face. "i thought I heard someone down here. "Blaise it is so nice to see you." Hermione said, in a polite tone.
"Hermione." was all Blaise responded with.
"So what is it, That you two boys are up to?" Hermione asked, making her way over to Draco's side.
"Just a friendly chat this afternoon. My love." Draco said, placing an arm around her waist.
"Blaise, How are things at the Ministry?" Hermione asked.
"Fine, Just fine." Blaise said. He then gave a smirk. A very familiar smirk.
"My That smirk is so much like Draco's, You two really did grow up together didn't you?" Hermione asked. The same weak smile on her face.
Blaise looked down. Draco turned to Hermione and smiled. "Yes, People have been saying that about us for years." Draco finished.
"Well, I just came in to see who was here. My curiosity got the better of me. I will leave you two boy to your fun." Hermione smiled at Blaise. Who only looked away pretending he didn't see her. Hermione, left with a strange feeling about her.
She headed straight for her room. There was something nagging at her, but she couldn't seem to figure out what. Not only did Draco share that same trademark smirk, but there was something else that reassembled someone she knew. Just it wasn't Draco. She wasn't even sure what it was. She wondered why she had never noticed this on Blaise before too. Although, It had been quite a while since she had last seen Blaise up close. She sat in her room thinking. She couldn't seem to place the person Blaise reminded her of. She sat there staring out the window, for a couple of hours. Finally Draco came in.
"What are you looking at my love?" He asked.
"Oh nothing, just thinking." Hermione responded.
"What about my dear?" Draco asked. Still standing in the doorway.
"Ohh nothing really." She replied.
"Well I came up to ask you, If you wanted to join Kirsten and I for a picnic in the park?" Draco asked. A smile spread across his face.
"Well, It would be good to get out of the house. Yes, That sounds lovely. Let me just get changed." Hermione said, standing up and walking away from the window.
"Alright, I will go get Kirsten ready. Meet me in the foyer in 20 minutes." Draco said, then closed the door, leaving Hermione in their to change. She shook her head, picked out some casual track pants and a matching sweater. She decided to not think on the Blaise thing any longer. It was getting her no where but frustrated. She changed at top speed excited about the picnic. She was just about ready, When Draco re entered their room.
"Hermione." Draco said, making his way into the room.
"I am almost ready. It couldn't have been 20 minutes already." Hermione replied, not turning around to face him.
"I can't go on the picnic. I just got this owl from Dumbledore. I have to leave straight away." Draco replied. Handing her the letter.
Hermione opened the letter. It read.
Dear Draco,
I am sorry to ask you of such a huge favor, but it is of great importance. I know things have been a little hectic around home. So know I wouldn't have asked, If I could have sent anyone else. I need you in Romania straight away. I need you to leave this afternoon if at all possible. Once there I need you to check into The Henchman. A small motel just inside the city. Once arrived, Waiting for you will be a package with instructions for your mission. Be Safe, and Owl me as soon as you have received the package. Be Safe Draco.
Dumbledore.
P.S.- don't forget to burn this letter.
Hermione finished reading the letter. She knew Draco had to go. It was a mission for the Order. She knew that she couldn't even be upset. She knew all this, and yet she was still heart broken. Didn't Dumbledore know she needed him right now. Things had been so hard lately. This wasn't fair. She sat there staring up into the beautiful ice blue eyes. Cursing Dumbledore for sending him away.
"Hermione, I don't have to go. I can stay." Draco said, cupping her face in his hands.
"You have to go. You know that, I know that." Hermione replied. Tars filling her eyes.
"I love you Hermione. I will be back as soon as I can." Draco then leaned in and kissed her deeply on the lips. He explored her mouth for a moment, before breaking the kiss. He then grabbed a small trunk and began packing some clothes and other few items he figured he might need on his trip. Hermione retreated back to the window to stare out. Looking out onto the afternoon sky.
About o minutes later, Draco closed his trunk. He looked over and noticed Hermione hadn't moved at all. He was worried about leaving her. He didn't want to. She was still heart broken from the loss of their child. She needed him, and he had to leave. He then got an idea. He knew just what to do. With that he left the room in a hasty fashion. Hermione barely noticed the door shut. She was in her own world. She felt so alone. She knew it wasn't Draco's fault. She knew he had to go, but She also knew she needed him. They had just lost their child. How could Dumbledore need Draco more than her? She thought.
A few minutes later, Draco returned with a small smile on his face. He gathered up his trunk and made his way to the window. He placed an arm about her.
"Hermione, I love you, I will be back as soon as I can. I will Owl you everyday." Draco said, kissing the side of her head.
"I love you too Draco, I will miss you so much." She then turned into him and hugged him tightly.
"One more thing, I sent Gwen an Owl, She should be here within the hour. I told her that I was going, and that you could use some company in this huge drafty house." Draco, then leaned in and kissed her again. "I love you and I will miss you." He said.
"I love you too, be back soon." Hermione said. She was thankful Draco had invited Gwen. That way she wasn't alone. She just wished it was Draco staying with her and not Gwen was all.
Draco let go of Hermione after a few moments, and retreated from the room. He made his way down the hall to where Kirsten was happily playing with her toys. He entered her room, and said his goodbye's to his daughter. Before heading out of the house, making his way tot he street. He turned and looked up into the window, that Hermione peered through. He gave her a loving smile. Then he was gone.
Hermione stood there watching the spot he had been in for a couple minutes, before she heard someone enter her house and make a fuss through the fireplace. She smiled. She knew it must be Gwen. She made her way ton Kirsten's room, and gathered the child up. She then made her way to the sitting room. To find Gwen still cleaning the soot of her robes. She placed Kirsten in the play pen, and made her way over to Gwen.
"Gwen, thanks for staying with me." Hermione stated.
"I am not doing it for you, I hate my small flat. I love your house. So staying here as for me." Gwen replied, a smile on her face.
Hermione giggled. She helped Gwen gather up her trunks. And helped her carrying them upstairs. They made small talk all the while. Hermione completely forgetting about the odd feeling she got about Blaise.
Blaise had just returned home and was a bit nervous. He paced around a bit, waiting for Italus to return. He didn't like when Italus left the house. It made him nervous that they would get caught, When they had come so far. He paced around some more waiting for his mentor to return. He paced around and around. Not being able to concentrate on anything. Finally after what seemed to be hours. Italus came through the front door.
"I hate it when you leave. What if someone sees you." Blaise said, while the older man removed his traveling cloak.
"I won't get caught. I have been getting around in secret for years now, My dear boy." The man said, as he entered the room.
"I saw Draco today. He hasn't even noticed Bersies is missing. Everyone simply thinks she has taken off again." Blaise replied.
"Good, Then everything is going according to plan." Itlaus replied.
"I had the unfortunate pleasure of having to be pleasant with Hermione though." Blaise said.
"Well, Only a bit longer my dear boy. Soon she will be gone. Then once Draco knows the truth about everything. He will once again be faithful to the Dark Arts. Stupid Mudblood thinking she could truly change what Draco really is." Itlaus said.
"What if Italus, He doesn't come back?" Blaise asked.
"He will Blaise, He will. He changed for her, Once she is gone. He will have no other option." Italus replied.
"I hope you are right, I really do." Blaise said.
"I will do whatever it takes to bring my nephew back to the dark side. Whatever it takes, and at the very least, that wrenched mudblood, who ruined him in the first place. She will be gone." Italus repleid.
"He could have been great had it not been for her." Blaise said.
"He can still be great Blaise. He still can be great."
Hermione lay in her bed that night. Thinking about the days events. It had been a long day, and she felt alone in the over sized bed. She then began to remember about Blaise, and something that seemed to truly bother her about him. She shook her head gently and decided it was her, and nothing more. She fell asleep rather fast. Still feeling alone. Her sleep was restless and filled with nightmares like it had been every night. Finally she relented and took the dreamless sleep potion that Ernie had given her. She took a huge mouthful and swallowed it down, Then she fell into a dreamless, but still restless sleep.
Draco, was just writing Dumbledore back. He had received his instructions, and was going to set out tomorrow. The hotel that Dumbledore had him stay in was nice. The room was a single double bed. With dark green bedding. The walls were a sea foam green, and the carpet a soft beige. There was w window opposite the door, that led out onto a balcony. To the busy streets below. There was a small writing desk to the right across from the bed. Here Draco was now sitting writing his reply. He finished the letter and sent it off with the Owl he had rented for this trip. He couldn't bring his own Owl, for someone might recognize it and know he was here. This mission was to be discreet. He thought about writing Hermione, but knew she would be in bed already, So he simply took out a book and did some reading. Before bed. Tomorrow was to be a long day of searching, hopefully he would come up with some answers for Dumbledore quickly so he could return home to his beloved.
A/N: I just want to clear one thing up. I know that Hermione wasn't the one who changed him, but remember. When Draco first switched sides no one knew. Also, People found out about Hermione and Draco, before he had told anyone of his change of heart. So, People just assume that Hermione was the one who made him change. Even though that isn't the case. ...