A/N: WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER MOVIE, FANDOM. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them! I'm so excited! Without further ado, the new chapter...
He slumped into his seat, looking more lost and broken than she'd ever seen him before. She rested her hand on his arm, trying to convey that everything wasn't gone. She was still there and she'd do whatever she possibly could to make everything all right again. Hermione didn't know how much more of this she could take before she was tempted to leave Hogwarts and hunt Narcissa herself.
The rest of Sunday dragged on painstakingly. They started out in the library, settled down at their usual table, but Hermione suggested they move when it became obvious that Draco wouldn't be able to sit still.
He paced, flipped his books back and forth, and tapped his wand against the surface of the desk. He looked angry and restless, prowling around like a cat. He didn't say anything, just let out an occasional sigh or exasperated growl.
Hermione wasn't any better at focusing. Her chair faced away from the entrance to the library, so every few seconds she felt compelled to turn around to make sure the Aurors hadn't returned with more news. It killed her to just sit and wait around. They were surrounded by books but none of them held the answers that either of them wanted.
It was noon when they went to lunch. They both scanned the rafters, checking for late owls, but there weren't any. There also wasn't anything in the Daily Prophet about the attacks or Narcissa. And the only word on Death Eaters in the daily gossip was whether or not they were done attacking.
After lunch, Hermione and Draco retreated to the Room. It formed itself into a large circular room with desks along the walls and a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.
Draco gave it a strange look. "What is that supposed to be for?"
"Stress release," Hermione answered. "It's for hitting."
Draco gave it an experimental whack but seemed less than impressed. "Is this a common thing with Muggles?"
"Not really." Hermione shrugged as she sat down at the desk. The Room was quieter and more private, but it also came with the added anxiety that something would happen and they wouldn't know because no one would be able to find them here. Draco paced in circles, pausing only to give the punching bag an occasional hit, to the point where she started to wonder if he would wear a groove in the carpet.
"Why do you think it took them so long to tell me that my mum was missing?" Draco asked, yanking Hermione out of her thoughts. She'd been half working on her Charms reading and half thinking about Ron and Ginny in St. Mungo's, wondering if she'd be there too if she hadn't taken up with Draco.
"They probably wanted to be sure she was missing and not just out of contact. We may be magical but it still takes some time to find someone." Hermione kept her tone balanced and even, hoping it would calm Draco down a little.
"But Ron was attacked on Thursday," Draco replied, his voice analytical. It was strange to hear him this matter-of-fact after the emotional rollercoaster that had been the weekend so far. "And today's Sunday. My mum has been missing for four days and they didn't even let her son know." He was practically growling by the end of this outburst.
"She's going to be fine," Hermione reiterated for what felt like the millionth time. "They'll find her and she'll be okay." She was determined not to let her frustration show, even though the constant tension in the room was wearing her sleep-deprived mind thin.
At that moment, the door opened.
Hermione froze, her eyes moving slowly across the room. She hadn't realized it was even possible for anyone to find them there, been certain that the Room would keep them both hidden. Standing there was the last person she would have expected to see on the threshold of the Room of Requirement.
"Mr. Malfoy. Ms. Granger," Headmistress McGonagall said, looking not in the least bit surprised to see them both there. "I'd like to see you both in my office. Password is Colin."
She didn't wait for either of them to respond before she let the door snap shut again. Hermione and Draco didn't move. "Have I completely lost my mind or did McGonagall just find us in here?" Draco asked.
Hermione's mouth hung open. "I think she did."
"Should we?"
"Probably."
It was several more seconds before they were able to gather up their wits and leave the Room. Hermione left her stuff behind, trusting the Room to keep it safe in her absence.
It wasn't long before they stood outside the familiar gargoyles flanking McGonagall's office. Hermione's voice shook a little as she said, "Colin" and the wall split apart. The door on the other side stood wide open. She could hear McGonagall's voice and a second voice that stirred in her mind but she couldn't quite place…
"Mum," Draco gasped. He moved so fast past her and into the office that Hermione could feel the burst of wind. Hermione's feet remained stuck to the floor for a few seconds before she managed to push herself forwards and into the office.
McGonagall sat behind her desk, her eyebrows scrunched together a little and a soft smile on her face. In front of her was Narcissa with her arms wrapped around her son.
Narcissa looked battered and bruised, but otherwise unharmed. Her normally elegant, tamed hair was matted with leaves stuck here and there, and her robes were in shambles. Hermione felt awkward and out of place, watching the reunion. Like she should have been back at the Room, working on her homework, instead of intruding here.
"I'm all right," Narcissa murmured to Draco, her eyes closed. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that they would tell you—"
Draco tugged a little out of her grip, just enough to stare into her eyes. "You're sorry that they told me that you were missing? I thought you might be dead."
"I was…" Narcissa's eyes fixed on Hermione for the first time, widening into a surprised expression. "You're the Granger girl." It wasn't a question. Her voice held an edge of defensiveness but lacked in malice. She tugged Draco a little closer subconsciously.
Hermione didn't know how to respond. Standing in front of her was the woman whose sister had tortured her without mercy in her own home. Even as she stood there, thankful that Narcissa was still alive for Draco's sake that same memory gnawed at the back of her mind.
"Mother," Draco scolded slightly. "This is Hermione Granger," he continued, speaking like they were just meeting for a Sunday lunch. "My girlfriend."
Hermione and Narcissa stared back at each other, their eyes wide with uncertainty. It wasn't until Headmistress McGonagall stepped between them, her hands laden with a tea tray, that they finally looked away.
"Tea?" McGonagall offered. Hermione took a cup to have something to do with her hands. Once they were all served, they gathered in a circle of chairs. Draco sat between Narcissa and Hermione, with McGonagall on her other side.
"I can't tell you everything, obviously," Narcissa began, staring into her cup. "I trust you, all of you, but there's a lot I don't know. We were tracking a group of Death Eaters; there were only supposed to be three or four of them. I had four Aurors with me, including Ron Weasley."
Hermione suppressed a shiver as she bit back questions.
"We found their meeting place and set up an attack. Most of them fled, but a few stayed to fight. I got hit with some kind of curse, something like the Confundus Charm. I remember stumbling back outside and just wandering. It wasn't until sometime early this morning that I came to my senses."
"Do you remember who cursed you?" Draco asked, his hands wrapped around the arms of his chair in a death grip.
Narcissa shook her head, smiling at her son, and replied, "I don't." Although Hermione got the feeling that she would have said that even if she did.
"What happens now?"
Narcissa fixed her eyes on her son, her gaze a strange mixture of emotions. She looked intense and distraught and anxious and reassuring all at once. "Now I go back to the Ministry and we keep working to stop them." She hesitated. "Come home with me, Draco."
Hermione felt like her insides were freezing. She didn't want to see Draco go, but she wasn't about to come between him and his mother. She looked to Draco, but he seemed to be in a state of shock. His eyes widened and he flinched away from the table. "What?"
"Come with me to the Ministry. Help end this."
"I…" His face betrayed the pained war going on inside his head. He reached across the table with one hand for his mother's, while glancing back with longing eyes at Hermione. "I need some time to think about it."
Narcissa nodded, like she'd expected as much. "I have a few days before I have to go out of contact again. Let me know."
Draco nodded back at her. "I will."
"I should be getting back to the Ministry," Narcissa said, getting back to her feet. Draco followed her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug so tight than Hermione didn't think either of them would be able to go anywhere.
Finally Narcissa stepped away and held her son at arm's length. Hermione turned to look at McGonagall only to find that she'd disappeared. Draco glanced her way and she jerked her head towards the door in a way that she hoped told him that she'd meet him later.
Hermione tried not to run as she got to her feet and left Narcissa and her son alone together. The Room welcomed her back with open walls and she settled into the couch to wait.
What were they saying to each other? Was Narcissa trying to convince Draco to go with her? He wouldn't change his mind about thinking it over and leave without saying goodbye, would he? Did Narcissa really want Draco to join her for his help, or was she trying to separate the two of them in the only way she could?What would she do if he did leave? They wouldn't be able to write at all or talk or see each other. She never got used to her loved ones being in danger and the idea of not knowing what was happening or even if he was alive was terrifying.
It was fifteen minutes before Draco finally opened the door and stepped into the Room. His face was ashen and his hands clutched at his robes.
Hermione waited for him to come to her. He did, sitting down on the couch and cuddling close.
"I'm glad your mum's okay," Hermione murmured.
"Me too." He hugged her a little closer. "I haven't decided if I'm going to go with her yet. But I promise that I will tell you first what I choose."
"Okay." There was so much more she wanted to say, Please don't leave me. Please don't leave without me. The idea of him leaving after everything they'd been through stung with rejection."I'll understand…if you…"
Draco cut her off with a hard kiss. "Thank you."
For some time, nothing more was said. They kissed, sometimes soft as velvet and other times hard and bruising like it would never be enough, but mostly they just stretched out on the couch and relished in each other's company. Hermione savored every moment, a deep grinding fear inside of her afraid that this might be their last chance.