It was stupid of Hermione to think the world would stop just because she did. She hadn't even bothered to read the Daily Prophet during her week of anticipation for her Visitor.

She was paying for it now.

"Hermione!" Ron called from downstairs.

Hermione threw a few more things into her bag: the perfume box, an extra pair of shoes, and the carved wooden block. After effectively shrinking her luggage into the size of a matchbook, Hermione pocketed it and left her room with one last glance. Maybe she would never see this place again.

"There you are. Hurry, the Floo connection's only open for about five minutes." Harry said, shrinking his Firebolt carefully.

"What about Bella? She wont be able to-"

"I'm staying here, Hermione." Bella came from her room, "They wont suspect a powerless squib. I'll be able to contact Albus if this perimeter is breached."

"Bella?" Hermione said, taken aback. Was she trying to kill herself?

"Go. Hurry!"

Ron stepped through into the fireplace and yelled into the green flames, "Twelve, Grimmauld Place!"

Harry went next, determinately not breathing in after he got into the fire. Hermione followed, crying for Bella. They both knew.

So this was it. Harry was running now. Voldemort was after him. And none of them were safe.

Trelawney had been kidnapped, tortured as it were, and the Prophecy had been lifted from her with her dying breath. And Harry was the last obstacle.

She tumbled through the fireplace, trying to find a good foothold so she wouldn't fall. Someone gripped her arm to steady her, and she looked up to meet Professor Snape in the eyes. Nervously, she let go of him and went to help Ron, who lay sprawled on the floor. Harry had managed to stay standing, but his glasses were askew.

Hermione looked around the room. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Remus, Mundungus Fletcher, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

The entire Weasley family was coming through the Floo now, even Molly and Arthur.

"Ginny!" Hermione shrieked, looking at the terrible mess Ginny had become.

"Hermione! Oh it's terrible!" Ginny sobbed and ran over to Hermione, crying into her shoulder. Hermione looked frantically at the crowd in the room for some kind of explanation as to why the entire Weasley family looked as if they had been sleeping in a trench.

"They went to the Burrow first. They thought Harry would be there for summer." McGonagall gasped, but Arthur continued, "No, we didn't use the fireplace at our home. We ran, after the first night. Some of them tried to follow us, but we gave them the run around. Three portkeys. Paris, Moscow and Hogsmeade, before we took the Floo. Nobody followed us." Arthur looked entirely beaten, and he slumped into the nearest couch.

The twins were draped over each other on the floor, unconscious.

"Why didn't you Apparate?" Hermione demanded, watching the family in horror.

"Haven't you heard? The Ministry's placed Apparation security all over the place. Of course they couldn't prevent you from Apparating, but the chances of getting splinched are two to one now. We couldn't take the chance, especially with Ginny." Bill replied, trying to hoist George, who was still firmly attached to Fred, onto the nearest couch.

Dumbledore sighed, loud enough for everyone to stop talking and look at him. "The Order will be meeting in twenty minutes. Children, I suggest you take the night to rest. We have more than enough room to house all of us. Madam Pompfrey will be coming along very soon, and we do have a few more guests coming."

Dumbledore separated George and Fred, who were in some sort of death grip with one another, and levitated them toward separate couches.

Hermione was still crying. For Ginny, who was still sobbing and shivering into her hair, for Bella, who was sure to meet her death when Voldemort came for Harry, and for herself, for no more reason than everybody else. She was scared.

Still, the crowd recovered from shock and went about, taking their things to the rooms upstairs. Hermione found herself following, and was shocked to notice that even the members of the Order were staying here. Of course, they had to stay with Harry. Protect Harry.

Remus had taken Ron aside, speaking sternly. Instructions, probably, should the worst happen. Hermione didn't want to think about it.

She and Ginny went into their usual room, shuffling their feet and looking as if they had been trampled by a herd of Hippogriffs. Hermione sat on her bed, watching Ginny curl up into her bed and cry herself to sleep. All of it was too intense, just yesterday, she had been sharing a beautiful dream with her Visitor. She wondered if he was the one who had given them up to Voldemort, despite Ginny's assurances.

She resolved to speak to Dumbledore before the meeting for the Order began.

On her way downstairs, Hermione noticed the fire. It had turned green. Two people came through it, holding what looked to be six suitcases. She gawked as one of the figures rose to dust off her robes. Narcissa Malfoy. Unbelievingly, she watched as the second figure turned around to face her. Draco.

Other people were crowding around the doorway now, wanting to see who had come through. Several of them were shocked, and others sounded relieved. Snape and Dumbledore came into the room.

Narcissa smiled at Dumbledore, extending her hand despite her somewhat bedraggled appearance. Dumbledore kissed her hand and straightened himself, "Welcome, Narcissa, Draco. I'm glad you were able to make it safely."

Harry was watching with an expression of horror on his face, looking back and forth from Draco to Dumbledore. Hermione watched Draco, too astounded to speak. What were Death Eaters doing in Grimmauld Place. And why were they welcomed so warmly by Albus Dumbledore?

She gasped in shock and mute horror as Draco pelted across the room and embraced Snape in a rigid grip. She could hear him crying through Snape's robes, holding on desperately. She was not the only one surprised.

Everybody in the room turned to stare at the spectacle, and Snape pulled apart from Draco, whispering something to him. Hermione was astonished at the display. She had never seen either of them so emotional.

Dumbledore cleared his throat again, "Do not be alarmed. Narcissa and Draco are on the run from Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa is part of the Order now, and Draco will be staying with us for the remainder of the summer."

The stunned silence did not abate.

But Dumbledore still swept out of the room with all the grace he ever had, and the members of the Order followed him into their meeting. Hermione forgot to tell him about her Visitor. She was still staring at Draco, who was now standing up straight to meet them. His tears were still there.

Harry started first, unsure, "What are you doing here?"

"Potter." He managed to say it somewhat venomously, "I'm here to protect your arse from Voldemort. Does that make you happy?"

"What?" Harry stood his ground, but he was even more unsure now. It wasn't everyday that an enemy suddenly became a…bodyguard.

"I see Dumbledore's left it to me to tell you, that idiot." Draco started, to a reproachful glare from Harry, "But my father has absolutely lost his head and decided that you, for some reason, have to die. My mother was a Death Eater turned spy for Dumbledore, like Seveurs." He paused, trying to contain his emotions, "So of course we couldn't let the Golden Boy here die, and now we're running away from Malfoy Manor and coming into this sad excuse of a pureblood's home."

He certainly was able to revert from Pathetic, Crying Boy to Aristocratic Snob in a matter of seconds. Hermione inched toward Harry, willing him to maintain some modicum of composure. Surprisingly, Harry did not pull out his wand and hex Draco into next Sunday, but kept his arms lax at his sides.

"So you're here, and we're supposed to believe that you're not a spy for You-Know-Who." Ron broke the silence.

"Well, you don't have to believe me. It's not as if your opinion matters, Weasley. But Dumbledore believes us, so you can make what you want of that."

"Harry," Ron said, trying to gauge his reaction. Harry just stood there, staring at Draco with his eyes wide.

"You really don't need to worry about me," Draco huffed and crossed the room to the stairs, "If I wanted to kill you, Harry, I would have done it a long time ago. Oh, and we're to sleep in the same room, Dumbledore's orders."

With that, he started up the stairs with some effort, as he was limping on his left leg.

Hermione regarded what had become of the room. George and Fred were still lying on their respective couches, looking for all the world as if they had been beaten repeatedly by Bludgers. Ron was crossing the room to sit next to his brothers, examining them as if he could help. And Harry - well Harry was still standing in the same position as when Malfoy had left, mouth still gaping.

Hermione fought the impulse to laugh. This was no situation for that kind of behavior. She was too tired to consider when to talk to Dumbledore, or what to do for Harry. She was just too tired.

She left Harry, Ron and the twins in the parlor and climbed the staircase to her room, where Ginny still slept. Hermione found the matchbook sized suitcase she had placed in her pocket just a few hours ago. Enlarging it to its normal size, she looked through her things and found what she was looking for. Gently, she placed the perfume box on the old night table next to her bed. She fell asleep there, wondering if her Dream Visitor would be able to find her in Grimmauld Place, and wondering if he did indeed betray her to Voldemort.

………………………………...................

So, tell me if you liked this chapter! And leave a review! Yay! The pacing's a bit different for this particular chapter, but once again, You'll see. Oh, you'll see.

And a note to Dragon kiss - If I'm pleased with the chapter, I'll say I'm pleased with it. And of course I have a plot. BTW, thanks for your compliments on my writing, I appreciate it. Wait for the story to unfold, I may surprise you yet.

Thanks again to my marvelous beta, Maria, whose help is really invaluable. We were able to work out all the story twists together Again, Review and I'll put up another chapter soon

Love,

Jenny