A/N my friend has put me into the mood to write. Bree thank you for being so impatient with me, you help a lot. And yes your ideas are good. Thank you guys so much for reviewing all of you help me!!! And for those who stuck by me from beginning thank you lots!!!! Ok now on with the thing you're here to read...the disclaimer! Ok, just kidding, here's the disclaimer and story.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter's world and people. The town belongs to...uh, my town. My characters and I are based on real people. Yes, there is a guy like Billy running around. Duck and Cover!!!
Hermione walked into the apartment and felt her jaw drop. This wasn't her apartment, it couldn't be. There were rose petals under her feet and candles lit the table set for two. Soft music was playing from somewhere. 'I'm in the wrong room.' She thought.
Just as she turned to leave, Draco came running out of the kitchen. His cheeks were red and he was slightly out of breath. "Wait Hermione don't go! Please, I just want to make it up to you. Let me apologize please."
His eyes were pleading with hers, their silver lost in her chocolate colored brown ones. She felt her heart give way and looked down. Then, she looked up and sighed deeply. "Alright, but only because it looks like you worked really hard on all of this."
"Rosie's ideas, I called her yesterday after seeing her at the tennis courts." Draco looked down and blushed as he spoke. He looked rather uncomfortable so Hermione stepped past him to the table. He watched her and said in a very flustered tone. "Oh, uh you sit here and I will uh, go get the food and stuff and be right back."
He ran into the kitchen. Minutes later a pleasant smell wafted in to Hermione sitting at the table. She turned and saw Draco carrying out a platter piled high with delicious foods. There was chicken, turkey, pies, and many more of her favorites from Hogwarts. "Oh, Draco, did you cook all this?"
Draco blushed and sat down. Together they ate and talked about memories, pleasant or not, and future plans. Draco was awful quiet and Hermione frowned at this. "Draco, what's wrong? Usually you talk more than this, you seem really quiet."
Draco looked at her, wondering how to tell her. He had realized something while sitting across from her that night. He had sat in silence observing her carefully, as if he thought he was never going to see her again. He watched her eyes light up as she laughed and sparkle in the soft candlelight. He watched her lips curve up naturally and sometimes curved down with what seemed like effort. Her hair hung in graceful curls that swayed as she turned her head to him. One piece had drifted into her eyes. Without a word, he reached up and put it back into place.
She smiled a little, a blush creeping into her cheeks. He had made her feel so strange just by touching her hair. A sharp tingle had gone up her spine, making her shiver. "Draco, what's wrong?"
"Hermione, I have something to tell you but I don't know how to say-"
BANG!
He was interrupted as the door was flung open and batty old Mrs. Filch stormed in, Nora on her heels. She turned her buggy eyes on the two teenagers and all the color left her face. "Oh, my dears, you must leave now! Do you have anywhere to go? Come on, no time to just sit there, you're in danger!"
Hermione went pale and said in a shaky voice, "Why, what's wrong? What's going on?"
"No time, no time! All I can say is there are people after you. The death eaters have learned of your whereabouts and they're on their way right now. We have to move quickly! Where will you go?"
"I know where. We'll go to my friends' house."
Draco turned to her. "Alex? Hermione are you sure? I mean, what if we get her in trouble? We could seriously endanger her here."
"Glad to see you care." Hermione said quickly. "I've already gone through this with her. She told me to go to her house if something's wrong."
"Ok, ok, I shall go with the two of you to make sure you arrive safely. Now come on! Quickly now!"
They ran out the door and into the dark night. The moon was gone behind a curtain of clouds. Their only light came from the streetlights overhead. They took off running towards the tennis courts and down around the lake. Finally after exiting the cemetery, they were there and out of breath. Hermione knocked and the door was answered by Alex's mom.
"Is Alex home Mrs. Brookes?"
"I'm afraid she isn't Hermione. She's down at Rosie's being mad at me for who knows what reason. Should I call her?" She sounded worried as she glanced from face to face, her eyes landing on Mrs. Filch clutching Nora who was eating tuna from inside her coat pocket.
"Please call her Mrs. Brookes, we need to see her." Hermione said breathlessly. The woman disappeared, throwing nervous glances over her shoulder. Minutes later, she returned.
"She says to go to Rosie's house, she's expecting you." She said her eyes once again lingering on Mrs. Filch and their dirty sweat-stained faces. Hermione was sure all three of them had wild looking eyes, full of fear and shadows.
They turned from the house without another word and started to run. Draco called out loudly from in front and grabbed Hermione close to him, stopping in the road. "This is so pointless! Hermione, I need you to remember what Rosie's house looks like ok?"
Hermione nodded breathlessly, mumbling as best she could, "What are you going to do?"
"What we should have done. Now close your eyes and hold that picture." He held on to Mrs. Filch's robe and watched Hermione close her eyes in thought. Then he closed his own and said, "One... Two... Three!"
Wind rushed through their ears causing whistling noises to freeze the tips. Hermione tried opening her eyes but couldn't. She made a small frightened noise no one could hear. But Draco did here, and he pressed her face into his jacket, to protect her. A moment later they were released from the strange wind. Hermione pulled her face out and looked around. Her eyes landed on the house in front of them, Rosie's house.
"Did we just do what I think we did?" Hermione gave Draco a skeptical look. He looked a way and started walking towards the house.
"This is the right one, right, Hermione?" He called over his shoulder.
"Draco, did we just apparate or not?" She asked.
He sighed and looked back. "No, Hermione, we did not. I apparated, you and Mrs. Filch are safe from any problems."
Mrs. Filch piped up, "Oh, not good, not good! You will be in trouble for sure. You're not even supposed to know how yet! How did you know?"
"It helps when your dad is Voldemorts leading right hand man. He believed I should know this so I would be prepared for when the time was right. Well, it was useful knowledge alright."
Rosie opened the door before another word could be spoken. "Come on in you guys. Quickly, before my parents see!" When they got in, Rosie and Alex looked at Mrs. Filch and said in unison, "Who are you?"
"She's Mrs. Filch and this is her cat Norma." Hermione said quickly. She pushed past the group and went upstairs to Rosie's room. Without a word, she sat down at Rosie's new computer and called out, "Rosie, enter your password for me."
Rosie obliged with no more than a questioning look. Hermione scanned her AIM buddy list. There were only a couple names on. "See anyone local, Rosie?"
Rosie shook her head, but Alex said, "Yes, I see one!" she pointed to the name at the top of the list. "That's Billy right there, but he'll just say he's busy or something."
"It's the only shot we got. We have to try." Hermione clicked and began to talk to him. Minutes later she looked up with a smile. "He says bring only what's important with us and he'll let us come down to his place."
"Are you serious? You guys are going to Billy's?" Rosie asked, her jaw hanging open in shock.
"You're coming with us. I told him you were and he's expecting you to come." Hermione answered.
"Ok, but I don't know what's going on and I'm not leaving Maggie behind." Maggie was the little black cat she now held in her arms. With a quick note to her parents on the table, the group set off into the night. Alex walked with Hermione and Draco.
"Ok, spill, what is going on? Why does it seem like we are all in danger?" Alex whispered frantically, as they ran down toward Pinedale.
Hermione looked at her quickly. "We might be."
She watched Alex glance back at Rosie, her face starting to turn ghost white. When she looked back to Hermione, her eyes were wide and careful looking. "Rosie, still doesn't know, Hermione. We can't just keep her running without knowing why. She won't do it."
"Then, there's a good chance we might have to tell her." Hermione said simply, her eyes never straying from the path ahead.
Finally, after running all over downtown, they reached a final stop. Billy's house loomed in front making them all uneasy. None of them had ever come here before.
"Well, I have seen you through. Me and Norma are going to go back and see what can be done. Ta-ta!" Mrs. Filch ran off as Hermione climbed the steps and rang the bell.
A/N yes I am sorry that's the end of chapter 8! Don't be upset, chapter 9 is well underway! The next thing I will include will be Hermione and Billy conversation. It may not be important, but I enjoy Billy due to the fact he is based on a real guy who is too polite for his own good sometimes. - Anyways, the usual people, please review! I don't get too many, it's kind of sad. Bree, thanks again for your help! Ta-ta!