A/N: I just reread the last chapter, and it seemed pretty confusing. I apologize and promise not to write any more chapters when I'm drunk. Sorry. ;P
Disclaimer: I disclaim the characters.
Draco was the first to enter the house. It had a slightly decrepit feeling to it, as though it wasn't used often. The floors were dirty and the carpet threadbare. There were cobwebs evident, and the curtains were closed and dusty. He did know, however, that there was someone here. He could feel her presence. A picture flashed into his mind, the face of a woman. The woman had chocolate brown eyes framed by cinnamon colored lashes. They didn't sparkle like they used to; they were flat and the only emotion that showed was repulsion. It was the last time he saw those eyes. It hurt him to think of how those eyes, that woman, could break his heart.
Goyle came in after him, and fifteen other Death Eaters quickly surrounded him. Draco hated being this close to so many at a time; many of them were hiding from the Ministry and that Muggle-loving fool, Dumbledore. It had been so much easier when Fudge was still the Minister. Death Eaters could wander the streets without a worry. Now they were being hunted down, one by one. The Lestranges had been killed, of course. Bella had made the mistake of trying to take on Dumbledore himself on her own, armed only with a wand. She had been killed by Dumbledore minutes after finding him, and Voldemort had killed her husband for bringing such a stupid woman into the Death Eaters. He couldn't very well have stupid people running around and screwing up his plans, after all.
Right now, however, he knew that she was in the house. He wasn't sure where, but she was there. He had to get her out of there.
Suddenly, behind him, Crabbe had walked straight into an ugly umbrella stand and knocked it over. "You stupid fuck. Why are you-"
A high pitched scream suddenly pierced the air. The dusty curtains had sprung apart, revealing an old witch spewing obscenities. Draco caught one and turned on her. "How dare you call us Mudbloods? Do you not see that we are Death Eaters, you daft old bat? If I hear you say one more thing about us, the Dark Lord's faithful followers, I will curse you in death."
The portrait abruptly shut up, leaving a ringing silence behind. Blaise, one of the brighter of Voldemort's faithful, paused, then asked, "Why would you call us Mudbloods? Have you seen any?" Blaise actually seemed quite anxious, Draco noted.
"The filth, yes, Mudbloods and halfbloods and blood traitors and..." The portrait continued ranting and raving, but this time it was in a quiet, low-pitched voice, as though she was confiding a secret. Draco tuned out. The Dark Lord always knows. I have heard that since I was old enough to hold a wand. He knew there was someone or something here. Something important.
Draco interrupted her speech. "Are there any here now?" He, of course, knew there was at least one, but wanted to see what the portrait knew.
"I saw one of the blood traitors, that old fool Dumbledore. He is the worst thing to happen to Hogwarts. Phineas Nigellus, on the other hand-"
"I didn't ask for an opinion. I asked if there were any others here."
The woman in the portrait seemed to swell up in indignation, at having been interrupted in her own home, but thought better when she saw the wands of the nearest Death Eaters raised at her. "I'm – I'm not sure. Maybe. Let me check." She closed her eyes. "Yes, there is another here. I don't know where, but upstairs somewhere."
"Good. Crabbe, Goyle, search the rooms on the bottom floor, just in case. Nott, Avery, Crabbe, Sr., and Goyle, Sr., take the middle floor. Blaise and I will search the top floor. The rest of you, spread out and look for anything suspicious: documents, strange objects, anything that isn't dusty or dirty. Report back here in ten minutes. I will be waiting." All nodded their ascent and spread out across the house.
XXXXX
Hermione was quivering upstairs. She saw no way out of here, except the window, which was seven meters off the ground. She couldn't Disapparate and she couldn't just walk out of the house. So instead of trying to get away from them, she decided to make it very difficult for them to get her. She said, "Colloportus," sealing the door and the two small windows located on either side of the bed. She also put a kind of Invisibility Charm around the crack of the door and both windows, blocking a view of her from anyone. Lastly, she put an Imperturbable Charm on the door so nothing could invade the space of the room. She didn't feel safe by any means, but she felt better since she knew that the spells she had used would at least buy her enough time to figure out some way to save herself.
XXXXX
Draco looked startled. "What's up?" Blaise asked.
"She's up there."
"She who?"
"Her – uh – the Mudblood."
"How did you know?"
"I can sense the presence of people with large souls. The Mudblood has an exceptionally large one." Plus, I could smell her. I've always loved the way she smelled, like sunshine and fresh air. "Her soul suddenly disappeared."
"But she has to be here. Wait, who said it was a she?"
"Um, good guess?" Blaise was not happy with this answer.
"It's her, isn't it? Why didn't you say so?" Blaise asked.
"Would you have cared?"
"Actually, yes." Blaise flushed.
"And why would that be?" Draco stopped in the middle of the stairs and leaned against the wall.
A/N: A little bit of a cliff... Let's see what Blaise falls into next chapter.
Thanks in advance for reviewing,
-Kat
