CHAPTER 26

6th September, Saturday

It was the evening time and Hermione was with Ron and Harry in the Gryffindor common room. Staying here kept her away from the lonely room she currently resided in and the people who were just too nosy. Ever since Draco and Blaise had gone on their mission people had been pestering Hermione, Ginny, Ron and Harry about their whereabouts. Obviously the Slytherins had been less nosy and kept to themselves. But Theo had told Hermione that every Slytherin thought the reason Hermione didn't go with Draco was because Draco's mother was against their marriage. The reason cited for their absence had been Narcissa's ill health. So as her daughter-in-law, it should have been Hermione accompanying Draco and not Blaise. And the Slytherins had ensured that the rumour of trouble in paradise had spread.

"Do you know when they will be back?" Ron asked Hermione, referring to Draco and Blaise's arrival.

"Professor McGonagall told me they should be back tomorrow morning if all goes well." Hermione answered.

"What do you think they are doing?" Harry enquired. It was a fact that the mission was driving these three up the wall as for the first time these three were not in the middle of the action.

Hermione leaned in and whispered, "McGonagall told me who all went on this mission but" she paused as Seamus and Dean passed by them, smiling at the trio, " did not give me any sort of answer. She said it was best we didn't know."

"Well who all did go?" Harry asked, in a pitch as low as Hermione's.

"Apart from those two, Dumbledore, Kingsley, Mr Weasley and Bill went. Even Padfoot was sent on this mission."

"Padfoot was allowed to go. But how?" Ron asked. Though at the end of fifth year it was proven that Sirius was in fact innocent, the society was not very kind to him and so he always stayed at the Order headquarters, rarely stepping out. And he was almost never sent on missions. Especially those which included spying for his presence was always noticed.

"I don't know. But obviously this is a very secretive mission. Did Padfoot write to you Harry?" Hermione asked.

"No, he didn't. Not since we returned back to school. Which is really weird but I suppose he was just busy." Harry answered, slightly unsure of his own reasoning.

"Maybe I could ask Fred ad George what they know about it. I'm sure they would know something." Ron suggested.

"Even if you write the letter now, their reply won't come till Monday or Tuesday. And they would be back by tomorrow so we can ask Blaise and Draco." Hermione answered back.

"But we can't be sure those two would tell us something, right?" Harry asked.

"Okay, well Ron you write to the twins and see what you can find and once Draco and Blaise are back, Harry you write to Padfoot and see what you can find. And if it all doesn't work, I'm sure Ginny can get something out of Blaise." Hermione said.

"It's getting late. C'mon let's head down for dinner. I'll write the letter on coming back." Ron said and the three Gryffindors made their way to the Great Hall.

Hermione got ready to sleep and as she made her way to the bed she remembered what Draco had said to her. Sleep with my pillow, miss me. She unconsciously smiled at that. Really he was such a dramatic person. She lay down on the bed and only when her head touched the pillow did she realise that it was Draco's side of the bed. As the pillow cover were washed on the weekends only, Draco's scent still lingered. She remembered the first time she had smelled this scent.

It was back in fifth year. It was the train ride. Since she and Ron had been made Prefects they were required to meet the other Prefects in the Prefects compartment. As soon as she had entered said compartment, she had seen Draco, a shiny green batch pinned on his robes. She and Ron had made their way inside the compartment and had actually stood right opposite Draco. The compartment was pretty small with a lack of seating. All the Prefects were cramped together in that small space and so there was little space to move about. And suddenly the train jerked, resulting in Hermione falling straight ahead into the chest of the blond. They had stayed that way for just a few negligible seconds after which Draco had immediately told her, very rudely too, to move away from him. However in those few seconds that she remained attached to him, she had surely smelled his cologne and really it was hard not to seeing as she was pressed against him. It had been slightly musky and she assumed it was certainly some expensive cologne he had.

The second time Hermione had smelled that scent was in sixth year when after the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, she had gone looking for Ron and Harry. On her way she had bumped into the blond who, from the looks of it, was heading back to the castle. It had obviously been surprising when he had actually caught her before she had fallen on her arse. But he had said nothing following that and just left. And really Hermione had almost forgotten about that incident until now.

It seemed it would the third time and now Hermione felt extremely silly for keeping count of such a thing. She decided that it was best to just go to sleep and that's exactly what she did.

7th September, Sunday

Something was definitely wrong. Draco and Blaise were suppose to be back by the morning breakfast. But there was still no sign of the boys and then at breakfast on receiving an owl, Professor McGonagall had rushed straight out of the hall. Hermione had shared a quick glance with Harry and Ron, who had also seen that particular event and turned back to her food. It wouldn't help to lose her cool and imagine the worst.

But it was lunch time and so far Professor McGonagall had not made an appearance. Neither had Draco and Blaise returned to the castle. As the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way out of the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall called, "Ms Malfoy, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley come with me please." and turned the other way obviously expecting them to follow. She turned a right, then another and then stopped at the door of the infirmary. As they entered the infirmary, fear set in the hearts of the three teens on seeing an unmoving Draco Malfoy lying on one of the beds and Bill lying on another, wrapped in bandages but awake.