~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter 7: The Unpredictability of Stupidity ~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron was still laughing at Harry's antics, when they walked back from the deli.  Apparently, bar food did nothing to appease Ron, and he had to practically drag Harry with him by convincing him that Hermione wasn't going anywhere in the next fifteen minutes (he had promised Harry that they would take the food to go). 

It was at the alleyway between the hotel and the building next to it that Harry suddenly stopped.  The hair on his neck rose.  He was being watched.  He was sure of it as he peered into the alley.

"What is it?" Ron whispered.

Harry pointed to a large dumpster halfway down the alley.  They approached it cautiously and slowly, pausing at the corner.  Harry's hand reached inside his robes, ready to draw.  He gave one final nod to Ron, then jumped around the corner.

"Expelliarmus!" Three voices shouted at once.

Harry had quickly ducked before shouting, the spell missed him, but he hit the other person straight in the chest.  The man's wand flew out if his hand and into Ron's waiting hands.  Harry shoved the man up against the wall.

"Malfoy?  What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing.  I know you were in my office today, Jameson.  And I know you took the file."

"What are you talking about?" Harry let go of Malfoy.

"Oh, don't play dumb with me.  Is it a coincidence that you take Granger's file and now you're following her here?  I'm in charge of her capture, so it's my business to know where she is.  What's your excuse for the obsession, Jameson?"

"Funny that you're in charge of her capture.  You took her last night and didn't bring her in.  I saw you."

 "Stay out of things that are of no concern to you." Malfoy stepped dangerously toward Harry.  "And stay away from her!" He pointed his finger in Harry's face.

"Hermione is our concern!" Ron said angrily as he raised his wand at Malfoy stepping towards him.

Malfoy scoffed.  "Since when was Hermione your concern, Weasley?  You abandoned your little mudblood a long time ago."

With that, Harry shoved Malfoy against the dumpster.  Malfoy fought back as the debris that was piling on top of the dumpster cascaded down on them.  Harry had him pinned, when an arm seemed to drop out of nowhere, its hand touching Malfoy's shoulder.

"What the fuck?!" Malfoy exclaimed as both men jumped back.

Harry walked back to the dumpster and started sifting through the debris with his wand.  Empty cartons, broken boxes, yuck! old food, a head. 

"Holy shit!" Harry yelled backing away from the dumpster, "There's a body in there!"

Malfoy walked up to the body and looked at the face.  Lenny Davison, member of the Underground, Malfoy thought to himself.  He backed away from the body.

"Do you know who he is?" Harry had seen the look of recognition on Malfoy's face.

Malfoy suddenly looked up.  "Where's Hermione?"

Harry and Ron took off for the front of the hotel with Malfoy following right behind them. 

"Crap I think we just missed her!  That's the car she came in." Ron pointed.

Suddenly the car screeched out of its parking space and veered onto the street, narrowly missing another car.  Malfoy took off running.

"Come on, let's go!" Harry told Ron as they followed Malfoy.

"What do you think you're doing?" Malfoy asked them he got to the car he borrowed from the Ministry.

"We're coming with you and that's not up for discussion." Harry said as he opened the door climbed into the seat riding shotgun.  Ron climbed into the back.  Malfoy let out a frustrated sound as he started the car then swerved onto the street.

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Hermione couldn't believe her stupidity as she stared at the three Death Eaters.  Two in the front, one in back with her.  She reached for her wand insider her dress, but the Death Eater sitting next to her grabbed her wrist making her drop her wand.  Her other hand punched her attacker in the face.  Blood dribbled from a cut in his lip.  He wiped it away and looked at her.

"You're going to pay for that, dearie." he said menacingly as he threw down his wand and lunged for her.

She struggled against him, making it difficult for him to subdue her.  She wriggled, kicked, punched, scratched, spit.  Whatever it took to make this task hard.  He swung his fist at her but missed as she moved out of the way.  Instead he punched the window, cracking it.  Hermione took off one of her heels, while he was distracted, and aimed for the driver.  But she was knocked back by the passenger in the front seat.

"We've got company." the driver said as he looked into his rearview mirror. 

Another black car was speeding up to catch up with them and suddenly it hit them from behind.  Everyone was jolted in the car.  The driver regained control of the car and yelled at the Death Eater next to him.

"Do something!"

The Death Eater rolled down the window and made to climb out when they were hit again, this time on the side.  The cracked window in the back shattered as Hermione and her Death Eater struggled in the back.  The one in front climbed half out the window again and fired wand blasts at the other car.  He ducked back inside as the wand blasts were returned back at them.  The driving Death Eater swerved and hit the other car as it pulled up beside them again.  The Death Eater who was struggling with Hermione had finally managed to bind her wrists behind her, the legs however, where another story as she kicked him in the face.  The other car pulled right up beside them as the passenger Death Eater was caught by surprise when an auror reached in and yanked him out of his seat.  The driving Death Eater swerved the car again, but the other car had dropped behind before it could get hit.  Hermione continued to struggle, when she heard a familiar voice call her name.  She struggled to the broken window.

"Ron!  Ron, help me please!" she cried out for him.

He reached out for her, but quickly ducked back as a wand blast hit where he was just seconds before.

"Ron!  Ron! No!" she yelled as the Death Eater yanked her back in. 

A loud thud was heard on the roof of the car.

"What the …?  Someone's on top of the car!" the driver shouted bewildered.

"Well, lose him!" the other Death Eater shouted.

The driver turned sharply onto a nearby street losing the pursuing vehicle but the sounds on the roof affirmed that someone was still up there.  He turned sharply again.  This time, no sound.  The Death Eater laughed as he continued to drive.  The Death Eater in back had finally managed to bind her ankles and was now muffling her with a cloth stuffed in her mouth and securing it with another cloth wrapped around and tied to the back of her head.  Hermione let out a small whimper.

"Alohomora!" someone shouted as the driver's door opened and a man swung into the car through the passenger window, knocking the driver out of the car, and taking his place.  He then quickly turned around and stunned the already stunned Death Eater who was with Hermione. 

Harry quickly pulled the car over in a deserted street, climbed into the back seat and dumped the stunned Death Eater out of the car.  He then waved his wand and Hermione's binds disappeared.  Hermione yanked the cloth down her face and spit the cloth out of her mouth.  She started to cough, gasping for breath.  Harry rubbed her back.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he examined her wrists and ankles, the rope marks slowly fading.

"Yes." she breathed and smiled. "We meet again newbie."

Harry's hands ran over her legs and arms checking for any injuries.  At least he was trying to concentrate on that and not the fact that his hands were running over her gorgeous body.  As soon as his hands touched her skin, Hermione felt a jolt of electricity course through her.  Something about his touch triggered something in the back of her mind.

"You know, I don't even know you're name." she said as she struggled to undo the knot behind her head in the cloth that now hung around her neck.

Harry stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"Here, let me help you with that." he offered as he reached his arms around her and undid the knot.

He stopped suddenly and closed his eyes as he took in her scent, a mixture of lavender and a tiny hint of something else sweet.  He felt the cloth slide from his hands as Hermione reached up and removed it, then he felt her other hand softly caress his cheek then move to the back of his head moving his head down to look at her.  But he wouldn't dare open his eyes, he couldn't.  He felt her bring her face closer to his.  He was overwhelmed by her presence and his willpower was quickly fading.

Hermione had no idea why, but she was overcome with a strong desire for this man.  Maybe it was because he had just saved her life.  No, she had felt this attraction the moment she laid eyes on him.  She knew him.  She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if she knew this man somehow, but she couldn't quite place him.  She brought her face closer to his, hoping that he would respond in some way.  The man's breathing became a little more erratic as he swallowed nervously, but he still kept his eyes closed.

Harry didn't know how long he could hold out.  He wanted her so badly, every part of him ached for her.  She stopped moving closer.  They stayed that way for what seemed eternity before she slowly began to pull away.  Harry's eyes flew open and they locked with hers for a second.  Hermione let out a small gasp before his lips fell on hers in a light and tender kiss.  But it wasn't enough as the kiss quickly grew more intense, Hermione parted her lips for to let Harry's tongue in.  He couldn't get enough of her, she tasted wonderful, better than he remembered.  They were pressing their lips together, bruising them, clinging onto one another as if their lives depended on it. 

(A/N:  *This* is supposed to represent flashes of memory, Hermione is having.)

Hermione slowly lowered herself onto the seat, pulling her rescuer on top of her.  It was the look in his eyes, just before they kissed, that triggered a flash of memory. *A look of desire fell across his face.* It was in the hungry and primal way they were kissing each other.  *He kissed her passionately as if to possess her very being.* His hand slowly slid up the side of her thigh, leaving behind a trail of fire and want in her skin.  His hand stopped at the bunched dress at her hips, then moved over and top of the dress, and rested on the side of her waist.  *He practically yanked her shirt off her shoulders before he attacked her neck with kisses and gentle sucking.* His hand tentatively moved from her side slowly up to her breast, gently kneading it.  Hermione let out small moan.  *He set her down amongst the cushions.* She felt his hardness through his pants, rubbing against the inside of her thigh before he adjusted himself above her and pressed himself against her moist center.  She heard him groan.  *He entered her ever so slowly as they gazed into one another's eyes.* Oh my God.  This stranger is…  He is…

"Michael!"

At the sound of someone calling out, Hermione's train of thought and cloud of memories crashed as her rescuer scrambled off of her and out of the car.  She, too, was a bit shocked at her actions.  Her face flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." her rescuer said, his face, too, was flushed.

"No.  I'm sorry.  I don't know what came over me."

She straightened her dress and began the search for her wand in the car, desperately avoiding his gaze.

"Michael!" a voice called out again.

Harry looked down at Hermione as she searched for her wand.  He had to tell her.

"Hermione…" he began, but was cut off.  The car Malfoy and Ron were in pulled up as Ron jumped out of the car.

"There you are.  We've been looking all over for you." Ron said.  "Hermione are you okay?"

She had finally found her wand.

"Yes, I'm fine.  Thank you.  How did you know I was in trouble?"

Malfoy pushed Ron and Harry aside.  "They were following you."  He said as he brought a blanket over to Hermione.

"Following me?" she took the blanket from Malfoy.

Malfoy turned to look at Harry.  "I think you'd better take us to Krum, Jameson.  I'll call some aurors here to take care of these guys."  He motioned to the stunned Death Eater on the ground, one further up the street and the one in the car.

"Fine." said Harry as he walked to the driver's side of the Mercedes.

Ron made a motion to get into the car with Hermione, but Malfoy threw his arm out.

"I don't think so Weasel." he snarled softly then climbed into the back with Hermione.

Ron and Harry shared a glare for Malfoy before they both got into the front.

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The ride to the flat was quiet and uneventful.  Harry kept a watchful eye on the back seat through the rearview mirror.  Hermione, wrapped in a blanket, seemed to be in deep thought as she stared out the window, not speaking.  Malfoy kept giving Harry and Ron scowling looks before throwing a look to Hermione that was unreadable.  Ron wasn't too happy either, as he was clenching his jaw shut, struggling against whatever it was he wanted to say. 

When they arrived, the tattered group was led to the flat by Ron, who unlocked the door and let everyone in. 

"Viktor?  Are you still here?" Harry spoke aloud. 

Viktor emerged from the hallway.  "Vat are you doing back—"

He was cut off by the sight of a battered Hermione.  He walked towards her.

"Herm-me-oh-nee?"

"Viktor!" she cried out and ran to him, still clinging to the blanket, wrapping her arms around him.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched a pained expression flicker briefly over Jameson's face before becoming neutral again.  It suddenly dawned on him.  How her knew her name, the stolen file, the expression on his face.  A nasty grin spread lightly on Malfoy's face.  His attention was brought back to Krum and Granger.

"Vat happened?" Krum asked.

"She was almost kidnapped by Death Eaters.  Almost, but it was close." Harry explained.

"Michael, here, rescued me (Krum raised an eyebrow at Harry who looked away).  All three of you did" Hermione smiled at them.

Krum, noticing the absence of much space between Hermione and him, became very awkward as he stepped away from her and looked at Harry.  The expression on Harry's face was unreadable, but a bit stony and forced.

"Ve haff got to get back to the house." Krum said.

"The car's downstairs." Malfoy spoke up.  "Jameson's got the keys."

Harry held out the keys to Viktor.  "Where are you going?"

"Can you both be here tonight at nine?" Krum asked Ron and Harry as he took the keys.

Harry and Ron both nodded.  Viktor smiled as Hermione led them to the door and opened it.  She looked back one more time at Harry throwing him a flirty look and a smile, then turned back around.  Harry's eyes zoomed in on Viktor's hand placed on the small of Hermione's back, guiding her out the door. 

"Hmph." was the sound that broke Harry's stare.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked testily.

Malfoy walked to the door to follow Granger and Krum, who were well on their way to the car, a malicious smirk on his face. 

"See you around.  Potter."

And with that, he slammed the door.

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Thanks to all who reviewed, especially FayeValentine00, harrynmione and Kyra2.

We'll find out what's going on with Hermione and Draco and Krum.  And in chapter 8 or 9, we'll finally get Harry's point of view of the events that happened the night he left.

Hang in there with me!