Disclaimer: Not mine, understood?

A/N: So here's the next chapter after the very long wait -cringe- sorry about that, busy life!

Chapter Twenty-Six

She couldn't sleep.

It was one of those nights where sleep wouldn't overtake her and she was left to stare at the ceiling counting sheep. "When does counting sheep ever work?" Hermione muttered to herself as she turned onto her side.

She began to think of the conversation Blaise and Draco had shared that night. Hermione had only heard a few words here and there, just a few mutterings the wind had carried like 'Who you are', 'Help her help you' and most importantly, 'Not the people they think we are'. This was the proof she needed in order to fully believe and trust Malfoy, but alas, she was stubborn. Because Malfoy has kept her away from the Death Eaters and Blaise had said that they were not like the rest of those barbarians didn't mean she was ready to throw the past into the trash. For now, she would play along.

Nothing had truly changed. Everything that was there, had already been there. It's not that she didn't believe that they weren't the same, it's about what it changes; Nothing. So what if they were different, what the bloody hell was she supposed to do about it?

Right when all the thinking had gotten her tired and Hermione was finally asleep, it wasn't long before she woke up again. "One hour, just one bloody hour of sleep, if I'm THAT lucky!" but of course she didn't actually yell this out loud, simply hoarse venting. "Screw this!" it was probably around five in the morning and sleep was surely not coming. Quietly she opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway and made her way downstairs into the kitchen.

Making herself some hot cocoa she sat on one of the stools in the island of the kitchen that allowed her to have a clear view of outside from the bay window. Due to some mindless goons, she was there.

The Death Eaters wanted her gone, for no legitimate reason. What was their given reason? Plainly because she didn't come from magic. She came from muggles. This reason alone, was reason enough for them. To them she was steeling their magic, but she wasn't. She simply had found her own. But to them, that was not a valid reason. It was not good enough to save her skin. And she was in need of help, though she hadn't known it.

Evil had found the good side and had become her helper.

Funny how stuff like that happens. I mean, you hate someone with all that you've got and they're the one's who save you. In Hermione's case, try to, because after all, she wasn't in the clear yet. Any moment, things could go wrong and 'trying to save you' could turn into a pitiful attempt.

There was no way Malfoy could pull this off on his own. Hermione was sure he had no sound plans. As she sat and pondered, was this about saving her or about saving all those who didn't come from wizarding parents? Malfoy wanted out, sure. But did that mean that he was willing to go an extra mile and not just detain her from Death Eaters but keep everyone from their harms way? Clearly he can't take all the non-purebloods and put them in his household under some sort of Malfoy protection program. This was Malfoy after all and it would not be surprising if he was only helping her for help in return. It was the Malfoy way, care when there's something you can get in return.

"Ugh," Hermione sighed and put her empty mug in the sink.

Trudging into the living room and rubbing her eyes, Hermione noticed a black little pot above the fireplace. She froze. Then smiled slightly as she made her way over to it. Crossing her fingers she removed the lid. Half full.

"Perfect." Looking at how the sun was streaming in from the windows she decided it was almost seven. It was now or never. Taking a handful from the pot she took in a deep breath, threw the powdery substance into the fireplace and gave location. Cautiously she poked her head through the flames. Keeping her eyes tightly closed she was afraid to see something of horror, hurt for her dear friend due to the Death Eater's monstrous ways. Afraid it wasn't the place she knew. Afraid it had changed. But she was a Gryffindor. Bravery was in her blood. She opened her eyes, whatever she saw, she was ready for.

A pair of sneakers were separated half way across the room, a copy of The Daily Prophet threatened to fall off the coffee table, beside it empty wrappers of candies were strewn, a sweater lay lazily on the floor along with a forgotten sock. The living room was perfectly imperfect, just like...

"Ron!" Hermione called. "Ronald!" Merlin she hoped he would come soon, sitting on your knees while poking your head into a fireplace was not one the most comfortable of positions.

She heard a door lazily open. "'Mione?"

"Living room!" she called out.

A groggy messy haired Ron walked into the room. His eyes were half shut but upon seeing her face in his fireplace his eyes opened wide. "Bloody Merlin where have you been? I was worried sick! Leaving like that, honestly? Honestly? Am I not important enough to get a quick owl knowing that you're alright? I thought I was your best friend but sorry apparently I'm just an unimportant nobody!" Ron rambled angrily.

"Ronald shut up and listen for a bloody minute, I couldn't. I'm not even supposed to be doing this right now." the last part came out in a whisper. Gods she really hoped she couldn't be heard back at Malfoy's where the rest of her body quickly grew numb. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. The Death Eater's are after me and I needed a place to hide until it blows over or this whole thing is figured out."

"And what, you don't think I'm capable of protecting you?" he screamed.

"Ron," she sighed "It's not that I-"

"GRANGER!" Hermione stopped in mid-sentence, mouth hanging open and eyes wide. Malfoy sure did have a loud voice.

"What was that?" Ron asked as his eyes turned into slits of suspicion.

"What was what?"

"I SWEAR TO BLOODY MERLIN!"

"That. Wait, was that... Malfoy?"

"What no, don't be absurd." Hermione fake laughed and felt her leg being pulled and she pulled back.

"GET BACK IN HERE!" Malfoy yelled as he continued to tug.

"That is him! Hermione what-" worry showed in his face for her. He didn't know what Malfoy was capable of doing or what he would do or what the dickens he was doing there, all that he knew was that this was not right.

"Everything's fine, no need to worry, honestly, don't worry." were her last words as she was finally pulled through.

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!" was the last thing Hermione heard Ron say before she was pulled back against a hard body. Hermione looked up as Malfoy grabbed her by the shoulders "Hi." she said sheepishly.

"What do you think you were bloody doing?"

"What?" she played innocent.

"What were you doing?" he asked again.

"When?"

"Right now!"

"Huh?"

Malfoy closed his eyes and heavily breathed in, lips pursed tight he ran his hands through his hair in attempt to not strangle the girl before him. "Granger," he growled.

"So how did you sleep? Well I hope," Hermione smiled.

"Well lets see, I got woken up due to the alarms I put in case you ever wanted to floo out so I dunno, you tell me."

"Pity. Well, goodnight." Hermione made an attempt to get off the floor but was forcefully pulled back down.

"You still haven't answered my question Granger, what were you doing?" Malfoy spoke, faces dangerously close. Hermione had never been so close to him before. She could see every speckle of gray that sprinkled his eyes, the stubble on his face that waited to be shaved, the messy hair that none the less looked perfect, the soft pink pale lips. She blinked and came out of her trance.

"What do you think I was doing?" she said stubbornly.

"I ask the questions around here."

"Oh really, who died and made you king?" she scoffed.

"Voldemort." he smirked.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"Obviously." he scoffed. "Tell me, now."

"Can't a girl try to talk to a friend without being bombarded! Bloody Merlin Malfoy, you're acting like I don't get it." she stood up.

Draco got up along with her, "You don't get it."

"Don't leave because Death Eaters are after me. What's not to get?"

"Talking to anyone in the situation you are in, is detrimental. If anyone knows you're here, you might as well be good as dead."

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Well Ron wouldn't of known I was with you if you hadn't opened up your big mouth and yelled."

Draco sighed exasperatedly and ran his hands over his face. "Great the Weasel knows," Hermione didn't know if this was a question or a statement. Dropping his hands from his face he glared at her and growled, "Fix it."

"What do you expect me to do?" she yelled incredulously and began to speak with sarcasm, "'No Ron, that wasn't Malfoy, that was just someone who sounds like him', yeah that will work."

"He's dense, try it."

After a back and forth argument Hermione begrudgingly popped her head back in the fireplace in order to ''fix things'', in the end, Ron was still clueless and in the belief that she had kicked Malfoy's arse, not literally of course, and that she was okay mean while Malfoy was... well, Malfoy.

"There, I fixed it." Hermione said, getting up off the floor and dusting off her knees.

"You wouldn't have to fix it if you hadn't-"

DING DONG!

"What now!" Malfoy yelled. "Granger go upst-" but was interrupted by the voice at the door.

"It's Blaise, open up!"

"What the bloody hell does he want?" Malfoy mumbled under his breath as he made quick strides towards the door.

Draco threw open the door, "What!"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. Here I brought food," Blaise said shoving a box into Draco's arms and walking past him. "Ah, Granger, good morning." he nodded when he walked into the living room and saw her.

"Morning." she said, unsure whether to be mean or nice to the man before her.

"What do you want Blaise?" Draco said following Blaise into the room.

"You need my help old pal."

"I don't need your blasted help." he scolded and shoved the box back at Blaise.

"Come off it, you have no idea what you're doing."

"I do too!"

"Oh yeah? What's your big plan then?" Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"I... I don't need to tell you-"

"That you have nothing? I know. You're in deep shit, hey, we all are, it's okay, lets talk about it," Blaise said as gently as he put his hand on Draco's shoulder and spoke to him as he would to someone fragile.

Draco scowled and shrugged Blaise's hand off. "I don't need to talk anyone, especially you, about anything."

"Fine, I guess it will be just me and Granger talking. Come on Hermione, I brought breakfast." he said addressing her and then motioning for her to follow him into the kitchen.

Hermione looked back at Malfoy and shrugged but followed anyways.

Draco sighed heavily and let his shoulders slump. He looked at the ground and then back up to the door that led to the kitchen. Yeah, so maybe he didn't have any plans at the moment but surely one would of hit him sooner or later. He was the type of person who liked to be in control of situations and make all the plans and usually those plans involved help from no one but, perhaps, this was bigger than him and a little help... wasn't so bad.