"No," Draco said, throwing some bottles into his bag. Hermione wrinkled her nose up as the sound of glass breaking came from within the traveling bag and soon after, a thin purple gas started to leak out. It smelt of Pepperflowers, something she recently discovered was an alergy.
"But I wanna come!" she said again, croassing her hands over her chest. He looked at her again and seemed to open his mouth to say that she could come, but shook his head and continued to put bottles in, more carefully then before.
"It will be too dangerous for you," he said, then froze at what he just said. She stood up and walked over to him, fire in her eyes. Too dangerous?!?
"I will have you know that I'm going. And that is final Mr. Malfoy," she said, then turned and stormed out of his private living quarters. He watched her leave, then turned his attention back to backing, muttering under his breath about 'slips of the tounge'.
"There is no way young lady," Hermione said, staring at the girl sitting in front of her. Pernia glared at her from her seat in front of the desk and let out a sigh. She wanted to help find Alex, but the Headmistress wouldn't let her.
"But I wanna help! I'm fully able to take care of my self," she pleaded hoping to change Hermione's mind. It almost looked like it would work for a second, but then a smile crosed her lips and she shook her head.
"I'm already in enough trouble with the Ministry without two of my students leaving school. They still haven't caught wind of Alex being gone, but when they do, my hide will be theirs. I don't want you hurt!" she replied, standing up out of her chair. Pernia's mouth dipped into a frown while she thought about what Hermione had just said.
"But..." she started, but was interupted by a book being slammed onto the desk. Hermione held a frown on her face and Pernia decided not to push it farther. Unless...
Standing up, she smiled at the Headmistress and bowed her head slightly, then turned to leave. Hermione's mouth opened slightly when this happened, but she let the girl go, moving onto her room to pack her things.
*~*
As they left the castle, Hermione looked back and sighed, shifting the bag on her back. Draco, grabbed her hand, a smile on her face and she weakly returned it. She had almost given in to letting Pernia go, but had kept a stiff upper lip until now. She had thoughts of running back to the castle and getting her, but she held her grond.
"Pernia is meeting us in Hogsmeade after she finishes packing," Draco said suddenly, making Hermione look at him.
"You told her she could come? Draco... I told her she couldn't for a reason," she sighed. He grinned at her and she couldn't help but smile back at him. Humming the song that Harry had first sund to her long ago, they walked down the path to the small town.
Hermione had wanted to appereate to the Tower, but Draco wouldn't hear of it. Too many dangers. She still wished that he would have given in. But it was alright weather, so they kept on. She just hoped it stayed alright.
*~*
As they sat in the Three Broomsticks, one of them on each side of the booth, Draco merrily called for a mug of ale. Hermione just shook her head when the waitress came and asked for a water. Perferably sparkling.
"You could live life 'Mione," Draco said, turning to face her. She shruged and twirled a lock of hair around her finger, watching the bar. A few orcs sat in the corner, pointing at things on a very large menu given to them by a terifyed looking waiter. Some hags were up on bar stools, happily chatting away with bartender. But no sign of Pernia yet.
"You know, I don't think it was..." she started, but stopped as the door to the bar swung open. The whole of the bar turned to face the door, and as she did, Hermione almost spit out the water she had just been given.
Pernia stood there, her face dirty and her hair a mess. There were tear stains running down her face, her large eyes searching the bar. When they rested on Hermione, she ran over to them, the whole bar watching her.
"We... have to get... out of here. The dragon... man was just at... the school. Looking for me. He... wants the tears. I exscaped through one... of the tunnels," she panted out, slumping into the booth next to Malfoy, gulping down the water Hermione offered her. The adults exchanged glances before both of them standing up, Malfoy holding Pernia in his arms despite her arguements.
"Hold still," he hissed to her, and she did after a few minutes. The bar had gone back to it's normal state as they rushed out the door, off toward the mountains. As they ran, Hermione looked back up the hill at the school. She caught the faintest glimpse of a figure flying off. Then her eyes caught the look of heavy smoke starting to rise and she couldn't look anymore. She just ran, and prayed that things would be all right.
*~*
After running for most of the day, and a good portion of the night, Hermione decided that they had better stop and get some rest. Draco nodded, Pernia replied by letting out a soft snore. She had been asleep for quite some time in his arms.
They were deep in the mountains by now, and they chose a fairly large cave to sleep in. While Malfoy went out to get some wood for a fire, Hermione gathered a little straw to make beds. Pernia lay on the floor, half asleep, listening to Hermione humm a song as she worked.
"Headmistress, do you think Alex is alright?" Pernia asked. Hermione spun around, startled to hear a voice from the girl she thought was asleep. Laying down the grasses, she walked over to Pernia and put her head in her lap.
"Yes. I'm sure he made his way there. And I'm sure he is wishing you were there right now," Hermione whispered, running her fingers through the girls long, red hair. After a few minutes, Pernia started to lightly snore again, and Hermione lay her back down, getting back to work.
"It's starting to storm. Pretty bad, too," Malfoy said, coming back to camp. His arms were loaded with sticks and logs and a quick spell set it ablaze quickly. The two of them sat there, watching the flames dance over the wood, until Hermione broke the silence.
"How do you think Alex is. Pernia sounded worried about him while you were gone," she said, laying her head on his shoulder. He didn't say anything, jsut kept his attention on the fire. When he spoke, she felt like crying.
"She loves him Hermione. And I love you. If you were gone, I wouldn't know what to do," he said. She felt tears building in her eyes, but didn't do anything when she felt them run down her face and onto the dirt floor. He noticed however.
Taking her head in his hands, he kissed her. When he pulled away, his eyes were glistening, like he was going to cry too. Hermione knew that she was safe with him, but a fear still rested in her heart. But there was nothing she could do at the moment, so she rested her head back on his shoulder.
It was awhile before either of them fell asleep that night.
When she awoke in the morning, Hermione was pleased to see that Pernia was up and about, adding more wood to the fire. She smiled at Hermione, then nodded her head to Draco, who was slumpped into a pile in the corner, his thumb in his mouth. Laughing, Hermione got up and walked to the edge of the cave.
It was a bright and sunny morning, the trees around the cave dripping with the last remains of last night's storm. The mountains were a wonderful sight and Hermione wished she could sit there forever and gaze at them, but she knew they had to be going before the Dragon Man found them.
Walking over to the pile that was Draco Malfoy, she got onto her knees and kissed his forehead lightly. His eyes sprung open and he looked up at her, a smile on his face.
"Come on. We have to be going," she said, then got to her feet and walked over to Pernia. The girl was now sweeping the floor with the bough of a pine tree, her red hair pulled into a braid which swung as she went along.
Pulling the Tears out of her pocket, Hermione put them together, holding them firmly. The map appered, showing not Hogwarts at the begginging, but the cave. It paused there before rushing on, past the mountains and over some woods before the tower came into veiw. They were close.
"Are we all ready?" Draco asked from behind her. Turning to face him, she laughed to herself as he stretched out his arms, his eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them, they shone a bright purple. She loved his eyes.
*~*
"But I wanna come!" she said again, croassing her hands over her chest. He looked at her again and seemed to open his mouth to say that she could come, but shook his head and continued to put bottles in, more carefully then before.
"It will be too dangerous for you," he said, then froze at what he just said. She stood up and walked over to him, fire in her eyes. Too dangerous?!?
"I will have you know that I'm going. And that is final Mr. Malfoy," she said, then turned and stormed out of his private living quarters. He watched her leave, then turned his attention back to backing, muttering under his breath about 'slips of the tounge'.
"There is no way young lady," Hermione said, staring at the girl sitting in front of her. Pernia glared at her from her seat in front of the desk and let out a sigh. She wanted to help find Alex, but the Headmistress wouldn't let her.
"But I wanna help! I'm fully able to take care of my self," she pleaded hoping to change Hermione's mind. It almost looked like it would work for a second, but then a smile crosed her lips and she shook her head.
"I'm already in enough trouble with the Ministry without two of my students leaving school. They still haven't caught wind of Alex being gone, but when they do, my hide will be theirs. I don't want you hurt!" she replied, standing up out of her chair. Pernia's mouth dipped into a frown while she thought about what Hermione had just said.
"But..." she started, but was interupted by a book being slammed onto the desk. Hermione held a frown on her face and Pernia decided not to push it farther. Unless...
Standing up, she smiled at the Headmistress and bowed her head slightly, then turned to leave. Hermione's mouth opened slightly when this happened, but she let the girl go, moving onto her room to pack her things.
*~*
As they left the castle, Hermione looked back and sighed, shifting the bag on her back. Draco, grabbed her hand, a smile on her face and she weakly returned it. She had almost given in to letting Pernia go, but had kept a stiff upper lip until now. She had thoughts of running back to the castle and getting her, but she held her grond.
"Pernia is meeting us in Hogsmeade after she finishes packing," Draco said suddenly, making Hermione look at him.
"You told her she could come? Draco... I told her she couldn't for a reason," she sighed. He grinned at her and she couldn't help but smile back at him. Humming the song that Harry had first sund to her long ago, they walked down the path to the small town.
Hermione had wanted to appereate to the Tower, but Draco wouldn't hear of it. Too many dangers. She still wished that he would have given in. But it was alright weather, so they kept on. She just hoped it stayed alright.
*~*
As they sat in the Three Broomsticks, one of them on each side of the booth, Draco merrily called for a mug of ale. Hermione just shook her head when the waitress came and asked for a water. Perferably sparkling.
"You could live life 'Mione," Draco said, turning to face her. She shruged and twirled a lock of hair around her finger, watching the bar. A few orcs sat in the corner, pointing at things on a very large menu given to them by a terifyed looking waiter. Some hags were up on bar stools, happily chatting away with bartender. But no sign of Pernia yet.
"You know, I don't think it was..." she started, but stopped as the door to the bar swung open. The whole of the bar turned to face the door, and as she did, Hermione almost spit out the water she had just been given.
Pernia stood there, her face dirty and her hair a mess. There were tear stains running down her face, her large eyes searching the bar. When they rested on Hermione, she ran over to them, the whole bar watching her.
"We... have to get... out of here. The dragon... man was just at... the school. Looking for me. He... wants the tears. I exscaped through one... of the tunnels," she panted out, slumping into the booth next to Malfoy, gulping down the water Hermione offered her. The adults exchanged glances before both of them standing up, Malfoy holding Pernia in his arms despite her arguements.
"Hold still," he hissed to her, and she did after a few minutes. The bar had gone back to it's normal state as they rushed out the door, off toward the mountains. As they ran, Hermione looked back up the hill at the school. She caught the faintest glimpse of a figure flying off. Then her eyes caught the look of heavy smoke starting to rise and she couldn't look anymore. She just ran, and prayed that things would be all right.
*~*
After running for most of the day, and a good portion of the night, Hermione decided that they had better stop and get some rest. Draco nodded, Pernia replied by letting out a soft snore. She had been asleep for quite some time in his arms.
They were deep in the mountains by now, and they chose a fairly large cave to sleep in. While Malfoy went out to get some wood for a fire, Hermione gathered a little straw to make beds. Pernia lay on the floor, half asleep, listening to Hermione humm a song as she worked.
"Headmistress, do you think Alex is alright?" Pernia asked. Hermione spun around, startled to hear a voice from the girl she thought was asleep. Laying down the grasses, she walked over to Pernia and put her head in her lap.
"Yes. I'm sure he made his way there. And I'm sure he is wishing you were there right now," Hermione whispered, running her fingers through the girls long, red hair. After a few minutes, Pernia started to lightly snore again, and Hermione lay her back down, getting back to work.
"It's starting to storm. Pretty bad, too," Malfoy said, coming back to camp. His arms were loaded with sticks and logs and a quick spell set it ablaze quickly. The two of them sat there, watching the flames dance over the wood, until Hermione broke the silence.
"How do you think Alex is. Pernia sounded worried about him while you were gone," she said, laying her head on his shoulder. He didn't say anything, jsut kept his attention on the fire. When he spoke, she felt like crying.
"She loves him Hermione. And I love you. If you were gone, I wouldn't know what to do," he said. She felt tears building in her eyes, but didn't do anything when she felt them run down her face and onto the dirt floor. He noticed however.
Taking her head in his hands, he kissed her. When he pulled away, his eyes were glistening, like he was going to cry too. Hermione knew that she was safe with him, but a fear still rested in her heart. But there was nothing she could do at the moment, so she rested her head back on his shoulder.
It was awhile before either of them fell asleep that night.
When she awoke in the morning, Hermione was pleased to see that Pernia was up and about, adding more wood to the fire. She smiled at Hermione, then nodded her head to Draco, who was slumpped into a pile in the corner, his thumb in his mouth. Laughing, Hermione got up and walked to the edge of the cave.
It was a bright and sunny morning, the trees around the cave dripping with the last remains of last night's storm. The mountains were a wonderful sight and Hermione wished she could sit there forever and gaze at them, but she knew they had to be going before the Dragon Man found them.
Walking over to the pile that was Draco Malfoy, she got onto her knees and kissed his forehead lightly. His eyes sprung open and he looked up at her, a smile on his face.
"Come on. We have to be going," she said, then got to her feet and walked over to Pernia. The girl was now sweeping the floor with the bough of a pine tree, her red hair pulled into a braid which swung as she went along.
Pulling the Tears out of her pocket, Hermione put them together, holding them firmly. The map appered, showing not Hogwarts at the begginging, but the cave. It paused there before rushing on, past the mountains and over some woods before the tower came into veiw. They were close.
"Are we all ready?" Draco asked from behind her. Turning to face him, she laughed to herself as he stretched out his arms, his eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them, they shone a bright purple. She loved his eyes.
*~*