Chapter 7 - Desperation

"Malfoy. Can we talk?" an even voice pierced through the air, surprising Ginny and Draco. Without turning, he knew who it was.

Draco barely turned. "Whatever," he said coldly.

Ginny gave Hermione a look. "Not now," she said. "He's drun-"

"I'm not," Draco cut in. "Talk, Granger."

Hermione stepped forward to look him in the eye. "Alone," she said pointedly.

Draco glanced at Ginny and the redhead stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Hermione helped herself to a chair and sat directly in front of him. "My mother is missing."

Draco raised his eyebrow but did not offer an explanation. "And...?"

"She's at the Manor. Kidnapped." Hermione paused to look at the ceiling. "I wonder if..."

"If...?" he prompted guardedly.

"I wonder if you could get her back, please-" Hermione noticed the skeptical look upon his face. "-You're the only other person who knows his way around the Manor besides your parents. Please, Draco."

He was momentarily stunned by her desperation. "Your mother is not my problem," Draco replied at last.

He thought he saw a tear run down the cheek of his ex-fiancée.

"Please, Draco..." she pleaded. "She's the only family I have left."

Draco said nothing. He felt a little guilty for murdering Hermione's stepsister.

"Draco..."

"Why don't you look for Potter?" he suggested inconsiderately.

"He doesn't know the Manor like you do. You know that."

Draco shrugged. "I'll-I'll think about it."

Hermione stood up and hung her head. "Thanks. I'll come back tomorrow."

"Wait."

She stopped halfway towards the direction of the exit.

"Where are you staying?" When she did not answer, Draco figured it out. "Why don't you stay here?" he asked.

Hermione hesitated in answering. "I-I don't think it's a good idea," she stammered.

"It is." Draco observed her back. Her shoulders relaxed, which was a good sign.

"It's your home too," he murmured.

It was freakishly early the next day when Hermione Granger decided to wake Draco up. She bounced on the bed several times until he yelled and got all moody. She beamed, looking as though she was proud of herself. Pulling Draco out of the house, she hailed a taxi and they rode in silence to Harry's house.

Or so she thinks.

"Wait," Draco said suddenly. "Stop here. Now."

The taxi halted abruptly and the wheels screeched unpleasantly.

"Wha-" she started and this time, she was the one being pulled. Hermione yanked her hand back and stared at the name of the place. "Why did you bring me to a clothing store?" she asked, bewildered. "Aren't we going to look for Harry?"

"You are wearing the same clothes," he pointed out. Draco dragged her into the store. "You lost your backpack, didn't you? Can't let you wear the same things everyday."

Thus, a few minutes later, Hermione found herself in a fitting room, trying on the clothes Draco passed her. Once in a while, Draco would call her to step out to show him how she looked.

"Let me see you in that skirt," he called out.

She stepped out and saw Draco's eyes widen. "I-it suits y-you," he stuttered.

Hermione was wearing a red halter top and a black skirt that fell around her ankles with about three inches of red satin at the bottom. A red and silver chain hung loosely around her waist and a cross dangled on the chain. She checked herself out critically. "You think so?"

He nodded so hard she thought his head was about to come off. She fought back a smile and went over to the cashier to pay for her clothes. Draco stopped her.

"I'll, uh, let me pay."

Hermione watched as the blonde she was once attached to pass the cashier his credit card.

Finally, they left for Harry's house.

Harry stared at the couple in front of him. Both of them returned his stares. The fact that Draco wasn't holding Hermione's hand or draping his arm casually around her shoulder told him that they had not made up. However that was not what he was shocked about.

"You want me to return to the Manor with Malfoy?" he asked in disbelief. "Again?"

Draco smirked. "That hurts, Potter baby," he mocked in sarcasm. "I thought you loved me."

The other two pretended that he had not spoken. "Harry, please," Hermione begged. "My mother's life is at stake. She's the only family I have left."

Harry noticed the pain that flashed on Draco's face. Harry sympathized him. For once, he was not at all envied of the blonde. When he heard that they were engaged, he had to admit he was jealous. Not anymore. Harry sure would not want his fiancée to break up with him. Though he did not have one currently. The world is cruel.

"I don't know..." Harry trailed off. Ugh. He had wanted to bring Ginny out for a candlelight dinner. Now he had to change the reservations. For some... life he had to save. Three cheers for The Boy Who Lived.

"It really means a lot to me, Harry..."

Harry sighed at last. "Do you have a plan?"

Three people sat around the round table, each doing their own things. Harry was reading Daily Prophet, Draco was nodding off and Hermione was chewing her nails nervously. All three of them looked up when a tapping on the window was heard.

Snape's letter had arrived.

Harry hurried to let Hedwig enter the room. The snowy owl flew in gracefully and landed on the table. Hermione practically pried the parchment out of her claws, much to the annoyance of Hedwig who screeched. The three of them gathered around the parchment, with Hermione reading out loud.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,
I have gotten the potion recipe you have requested for. It is beyond me why you would want this recipe. However, I do not wish to know the reason.
I would be sending you the ingredients in a while.
Professor S. Snape

][ A u t h o r 's N o t e ][

In the next chapter... What potion is it? Will Draco and Harry succeed in finding Pulcheria? What happens to Hermione when someone casts oblivate on her?

* The other time I failed my essay. This time, I got one of the highest! :D

** SARS is hitting Singapore. School is cancelled for 1 and a half weeks here! Guess I'll be spending loads of time here.