-Incendio-

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Don't sue, I'm poor. EXCEPTION: I own the Witches of Trane, the Crystal Orb, the flying carpet idea for the story (kinda), the idea that the forests of Albania are next to the Dead Sea, the Door of Serenity, Fabrisia, home of the nymphs and Amethyst Cove.

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CHAPTER 31: Concentrating on Draco (Chapter rated PG-13)

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Draco let out a sound like a weak animal, and quickly grabbed Hermione's arm.

"We have to get out. Now." he said. Just as he uttered the words, Hermione felt the air around her getting slightly colder, and she shuddered, following Draco into a dark corner of the room.

"But this only-" she started, but was cut off by Draco's hand over her lips.

He muttered something under his breath, some sort of spell obviously, and a second later, the wall in front of them opened. Draco stepped into the small room behind Lucius's Lair, and pulled Hermione in with him, and then the door closed.

It wasn't a room, merely a large space between the sliding trap door, and the Lair.

They were pushed up against each other, Hermione's chest was against Draco's, and their legs were touching. They were breathing the same air, and just the thought of it made Hermione weak at the knees.

But there was no room to be weak at the knees. The wall was right behind her.

It was kind of odd. They were in a cramped room, possibly awaiting death, and could hardly make a sound. But he kissed her anyway, and she kissed him back.

She pressed herself against him, her hands in his hair. Draco was pushing Hermione against the wall, and she obliged. Her knees gave out under her, and they slowly fell to the floor, still kissing, him almost sitting in her lap.

They broke away for air, and as Hermione panted heavily, Draco kissed her neck.

Then, they heard the all-too-familiar sound of the door to Lucius's Lair opening. Hermione silently cursed the sound, because it made Draco draw away from her, and stand up, bringing her with him.

They stood absolutely still, as their ears strained for a sound. Any sound. But there was only silence. Hermione started to believe that maybe their minds had created the sound on their own, or that the creature was gone. But the sound was real. Unmistakably.

Draco and Hermione crept stealthily along the walls of the small space between wall and wall, until they came upon another door. They silently exited, holding hands, and entered into a grand room, filled with large tapestries and spiral staircases.

The room was breathtaking, and if they had time, Hermione would have observed the room with interest. But there was no time. Whatever it was that had entered the room could be watching. And waiting.

They flew up the stairs like sheiks. When they got to Draco's room, the door was locked.

"Shit!" he cursed under his breath, fiddling with the handle.

Hermione pushed him aside assertively, but still gently.

"Alohomora." she said silently. The word brought memories of first year back to her, and tears threatened to spill. But she brushed them away, impatiently, and they entered Draco's room, closing and locking the door behind them.

Hermione fell to the ground as soon as the door had closed, gasping for breath. She turned onto her back, and put her hands behind her head, staring at the ceiling. She felt Draco lay down next to her, and turned towards him.

"What was that?" she asked.

There was a long pause, before he finally spoke. "I don't know, Hermione."

"Where were we?"

"I've never been in there before." he said, abruptly.

"Then how did you know it was there?" Hermione continued to probe him for answers.

"I... had a feeling." he responded.

Hermione frowned and sighed, standing up, and going to the window, looking at the blackness of his drapes.

"We have to do something. Now." she said.

Draco stood up from sitting on the floor, and went to the window as well.

"Well... I found this." he said quietly, handing it to her.

She took it in her hands, and gasped. It was the orb that Maye took! But how did it get here?

He peered at her knowingly. "She was on their side."

Hermione wasn't even that surprised.

"It seems like everyone is. What should we do with it?"

"Do you remember anything from Divination?" he asked her, looking at her from under his stringy hair.

She shook her head. "I quit, remember? Divination is such a hopeless subject. It's nothing but fairy tales and guesses..." she stopped, and switched the orb to her other hand, "Unless..." she looked up at him.

"Exactly."

Hermione grinned. "Will it work?"

"It should." he replied. "There are ways to scry. One of them is crystal balls."

Hermione nodded. "But these are used for direction, not for scrying."

He shrugged. "It's not that different. Instead of showing us where to go, it shows us where our destination is."

Hermione could have hugged him, but she knew there was no time.

"What do we need?"

He smirked. "A whole lotta luck."

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Meanwhile...

Ginny's body continued to be controlled against her wishes. Eventually, the power in her body took over her better judgment. Her normal thoughts were clouded with hatred, and anger.

Pretty soon, they arrived at a large, swirling, green mass, in the place of a door.

"Herenhuis Malefoy." said Ginny, in a dark raspy voice, very different from her own.

Then she stepped into the green, and was instantly overcome with cold air. Her mind raced, and soon she arrived in a library of some sort. It old-fashioned looking, with shelves upon shelves of books. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a small desk under one row of books in the circular room.

She went into her pocket, and pulled out a green amulet. She laughed, observing it.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Ginny remembered. It was the same amulet that Draco wore! But, why did she have it? And if she wasn't a Malfoy, how could she touch it, without dying?

She quickly knelt to the floor, and twisted the pendant in a small slot, covered by a patch of carpet, three times. The floor flew open, and Ginny looked around the room, with mild interest.

Suddenly, she thought she heard a scuffling sound in the corner, but quickly dismissed it when she saw a dead, and decaying, Doxy in the corner of the room.

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Sorry it took so long for this chapter! I had no idea what to write, but I like how it came out. Happy Valentines everyone! Hope you get what (or who) you're looking for.

P.S. I CHANGED THE CHAPTER A LITTLE. THERE ARE STARS WHERE I MADE THE CHANGES.

dan-lovr - Hi! Long time no review! Haha. Glad you like.

random llama127 - Maybe so. Maybe not.

XX-Dracos-Dark-Queen-XX - Sure. Thanks.

Lestatlover1784 - Yeah. Update your story! I miss it...

VoldemortsVeela - Thanks for noticing. I fixed it. Thanks!

steve - I fixed it, Steve. Haha. I'll try not to. Things happen on their own in my story.

londonmalfoy - Yeah. Poor Seamus. I'm glad you like it! I'm reading your story feverishly. I just love it!