Chapter 14
"Hello," Draco said nervously. "You must be Ninian."
Hermione looked up into the crystalline blue eyes of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, and she was instantly jealous.
"Yes," Ninian said. "Ninian Lestrange. Who's this?"
"Hermione," Draco said, smiling at Hermione. "My girlfriend." Hermione smiled back at him, and her heart swell. Ninian ushered them in, and shut the door.
"So, Draco, why have you ventured out to our neck of the woods?" Ninian asked, quickly casting a blocking charm over the door. "I haven't seen you since you were in diapers."
"I'm researching a relative," Draco said. "And Mr. Borgin said you had bought a necklace belonging to a certain relation of ours, and I am interested in buying it from you."
Ninian's face darkened. "By all means, have it. The damn thing is cursed. Cursed to hell. Whatever you do, don't give it to anyone."
"What do you mean it's cursed?" Draco asked, alarm entering his normally serene voice.
She shuddered. "The first time I wore the necklace, my husband was hit by some crazy muggle driving down a street at some impossible speed. He was in St. Mungo's for three months. The second time, my sister flushed her engagement ring down the toilet. The last time I wore that damned thing, I nearly got beheaded by a flying plate."
"Oh dear," Hermione said. "That's terrible."
Ninian nodded in agreement. "It's so beautiful though. I bought it for a steal. You two can have it, consider it your wedding present."
Draco laughed. "I don't think we're getting married-"
"Ha, that's what you think," Ninian said triumphantly. "I'm always right about these sorts of things. Anyhow, perhaps I just have bad luck, and it's not the necklace at all. You two wait right here."
She disappeared into the back of the house, and Draco and Hermione sat down on the couch.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Hermione blurted out finally. "I heard her speaking to you, and it was just so horrible, that I was quite speechless for sometimes. Then I went to talk to Sirius, and he straightened me out on the whole thing."
Draco sighed, and buried his face in his hands. "Look, just trust me next time. I wouldn't have gotten mad at you. I've been looking for a way to tell you for the last ten hours."
Ninian reentered, someone close behind her. She and her husband sat down on the other couch, and she was holding a flat box nervously, as if it were a deadly poisonous snake.
Ninian's husband was so ordinary looking, that for a moment Hermione almost didn't notice him. She wondered if he ever felt overshadowed by her amazing presence, but when she saw the adoration on his face as he gazed upon her, he was almost as beautiful as she.
Ninian handed the box to Hermione hastily.
"Here you go," she said. "Go ahead and open it. I don't think it's dangerous when you're not wearing it. The moment you put it on, prepare for disaster."
Hermione pulled off the lid with shaking fingers, revealing a beautiful ruby necklace lying on a white satin pillow. The rubies sparkled in the light, a twisting vortex of red appeared on the whitewashed ceiling.
"It is stunning," Hermione admitted. "But clearly dangerous."
"It belonged to Draco's aunt, Natalya," Ninian volunteered. "I'm sure you already know all about her. She was a very interesting person. I met her only once."
Draco tore his gaze unwillingly away from the necklace, and turned to Ninian. "Do you know anything about someone named Marissa Malfoy?"
Ninian frowned. "Of course, Marissa was the only daughter of Talfryn Malfoy. She was a good friend of Natalya's. She was very beautiful. She's around somewhere. But when her brother died and her best friend died, she went into a terrible depression, and hasn't been seen since."
"Did you say her brother died?" Hermione asked, placing the lid back on the box reluctantly.
"Yes, Mihangel died in a rather tragic accident. He was only sixteen. Of course, it was all covered up to confuse the muggles and the public, but it was very sad. Terrible, terrible way to die."
"What happened?" Draco ventured to ask.
"The public was told he fell into a vat of sausage meat and was ground up, but rather, he was killed by one of Voldemort's followers."
"Who?"
Ninian looked hesitant to tell, but her husband spoke up instead.
"Lucius Malfoy, do you know him?"
Draco and Hermione stumbled into the bright street, Draco reeling. Hermione fell back as they walked back up Diagon Alley and then turned onto Knockturn Alley.
"Draco," she said, once they were past the gaggle of hags that hung outside Borgin and Burkes, cackling madly. "Stop."
He stopped, so she could catch up.
"My dad, killed an innocent boy," Draco choked out. "He was only sixteen, for god's sake."
"Draco," Hermione said urgently, grabbing him by the shoulders. "You're only sixteen. Your father didn't hesitate to kill you. What happened to Mihangel was an unfortunate accident, it wasn't your fault."
"Look, it was his bleeding cousin! You just don't kill family members, it's not logical!" he shouted, causing a strange look from a warlock nearby.
"Stop it Draco," Hermione said calmly, remembering what Sirius had said about blood being thicker than love. "He tried to kill you as well, and you're his son."
"But it was okay to try and kill me," Draco raged, near tears. "I made him mad, he has a right."
"What are you, insane?" she asked, slapping him across the cheeks lightly. "Snap out of it. We have the necklace, we can find more out about Natalya, and revenge her and Mihangel's death. In the meantime, blaming yourself isn't getting us anywhere."
He breathed deeply. "You're right, I'm freaking out for no reason."
"No, it's not for no reason. You are right, but freaking out about it won't help the situation. Plus, you're a member of the Order of the Phoenix for a reason."
They were now at the foot of number 56 Knockturn Alley, which had miraculously appeared out of nowhere.
"Oh Hermione," he suddenly sighed, leaning on her. "What would I do without you?"
Hermione grinned. "You'd be dead, for one thing."
A/N: Sorry to leave you all at a cliffhanger... they're just so much fun... Heheh. Well, everyone kindly leave a review, and I'm sorry I didn't post over the weekend.
Someone mentioned that my chapters were a little short, and I'll be happy to lengthen them, but you I won't update as much as I do now. So, you guys make the call, and I'll be happy to oblige.
anglachel
