So I got a few complaints about the last chapter, and I'm very sorry that it wasn't as satisfying as usual. I'll try harder on this chapter and I really don't have that many excuses about the last chapter except my sister kicked me off the computer before I could finish that chapter and I really didn't want you guys to wait for a whole long time for it so I just went ahead and posted it. And heres the next chapter.

Just a little note, I really want to say thank you to all the reviewers. I've been getting so much support for this story and you have no idea how much it really helps, so THANKS!

"You make hard deals." He smiled at me as he scooped up some mashed potatoes. "However, since you ARE taking me to New Orleans, I suppose I could cooperate."

"For once." I muttered.

He ignored this and went on. "Well I already told you a bit. As I was saying, I had gone to Diagon Alley to close up some transactions and pick up a few things for my kneazle."

"You have a kneazle?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Would you like me to expand on that or would you rather I go on with the story."

I gave a disgruntled grunt, which he took for assent.

"I also had some business in Knockturn Alley, and no I will not be telling you anything about that."

I glowered at him.

"While I was in The Creator's Crackpot, I was told to go around to the back to pick up my purchases, which really isn't that strange, so stop looking at me as if I was dense, since many things that are bought in Knockturn Alley are only for the discreet."

Well I thought him going around to the back of a store that didn't sound like it had a good reputation was an extremely stupid thing for him to do, but it had already been done, so there wasn't any point for me to lecture him. Besides, my tendency to lecture was one of the things I wanted to change about myself, so I refrained from giving into the temptation.

"Amazingly enough, Lestrange managed to use some stealth spells that somehow got past my guard and I suppose he conked me over the head with something blunt since I still have a bit of a headache. It's either that or I'm getting a headache from too much Granger exposure."

I laughed sourly. "Ha ha ha. You are so amazingly funny, Malfoy. You just crack me up."

He smirked. "I do try." And then he went back to eating.

I stared at him. "That's it? That's all you're going to tell me?"

"Why would you think I have anything else to tell?" Malfoy turned too innocent eyes on me.

"Well for one, you're in America. Would you care to tell me how you came to be here?"

He shrugged. "I suppose Lestrange thought it would be a good idea to bring me to America."

I frowned at him. "Why haven't you got your wand?"

"Well obviously, Lestrange took away my wand."

I paused and took out my trump card. "Why would he take away your wand when you can't even use it?

His eyes pierced mine and his expression suddenly turned fierce. "Why wouldn't I be able to use my wand?"

I lowered my eyes. I had thought that he knew. "You haven't got any magic in you." I brought my eyes slowly to his.

Malfoy reared back as if I had just struck him. "Why are you saying that? Why wouldn't I have magic? How would you know?"

"You feel as if your half empty don't you? And you keep feeling like you've forgotten something, but you just can't remember what it is. That's what you weren't telling me."

He glanced down at his hands as if they would give him an answer that he would want to say. "Yes."

"You haven't any magic, Malfoy. Those are- they're symptoms, I suppose you can say."

"How would you know?" He asked urgently.

"A charm that backfired a year ago. I had this idea for a charm that would show a person's aura. Something like, I don't know, the vibrations they give off. It was a job commissioned by the Ministry." I shrugged. "Anyway, I was trying to create this charm that would change the color around a person depending on the person's personality. The only person who could see this aura, however, would be the person who cast the charm, and the charm is unnoticed by the person it is cast on. But before I could release the charm to the public, I had to do some tests. It passed all the other tests I did on it, except for the last one, which was the most important test of all, the human compatibility. I had thought that I designed the charm perfectly, but I suppose I left in a flaw which I've never been able to find. So I tested this charm on myself like I do with all other charms and it well- backfired."

I was blushing horribly by now. I hated making mistakes and the only thing I hated more than making them, was admitting them. And here I was, admitting it to the one person who I could barely even stand to be in the same room with. Which I suppose wasn't really as true as it used to be since Malfoy and I had been in the diner at the same table and we had yet to try to murder each other. Yet.

He raised an eyebrow as if he knew why I was blushing. Fortunately, he decided to refrain from being a complete prat and didn't comment on it. "Well, what happened?"

I shrugged and tried to pretend it didn't matter. "Well I said the incantation, did the wand motion, and all of a sudden there was a really loud bang and I got knocked unconscious by the spell. When I came to, Ron was kneeling over me and there was this blinding halo of silver light surrounding him. I soon realized it wasn't his aura since Harry and all the Weasleys had the same silver light surrounding them, which wouldn't have been possible if it WAS his aura. I figured out that it was his magic."

Malfoy smirked at me. "So then what did you do?"

"I wore sunglasses the few times I let Harry or Ron visit me and I stayed away from Diagon Alley completely. It took me two months to develop a permanent counter-charm. I still see the silver light but it isn't blinding. I see it on and off, really, it isn't always there. It usually can be seen with someone who has really powerful magical abilities, but for normal or average wizards or witches, I won't see it and even with the powerful ones it flashes on and off."

Malfoy stared at me gravely. "So you're saying.."

"I haven't seen ANY flashes of silver around you Malfoy. After the first hour when we met on the road, I assumed you weren't that powerful of a wizard but I still expected to see a little flash. Most people do, but after 3 hours of being with you and not even one tiny little flash, I started to become suspicious. And with your symptoms then.. Well I really don't think you have a dollop of magic left."

He was paling considerably and to my surprise I felt some flutterings of pity for him.

"How do you know the symptoms?" He asked.

"It was in sixth year when we were in History of Magic. Professor Binns mentioned something about Jared the Jokester who had lost his magic. I did a little research on it. He had been struck by lightening and about a week later he started to feel empty and like he lost something. He wrote it all down, along with his suspicions in a personal diary."

"I remember that." Malfoy muttered. "But didn't his diary end a month later in complete gibberish because he.."

Any of the remaining color in his cheeks fled.

"Because he went mad." I whispered.

"But how can something like THAT happen to me?" Malfoy practically yelled.

"There are, of course, dark spells and charms that a dark wizard can use to strip and bind the powers of another wizard or witch." I said in my professional lecture voice. I really did not want to have this become complicated on me. I didn't want to get involved with Malfoy and his problems. I had plenty of my own and there was no reason for me to try and solve Malfoy's dilemma. I could and would try my damned hardest to remain unaffected by this entire fiasco. I wanted so badly to be impartial, but a sinking feeling in my stomach whispered it was already to late for that.

"I know about those. Remember, I was Lucius Malfoy's son." He snapped.

"I know."

"But all incantations for stripping magic and binding it from a person is difficult and you have to have something that is very valuable to the person. Lestrange lost a lot of power after the war and what thing of mine could he possibly have? You're wrong, Granger."

Dread was building in me, but I had to tell him my theory. "He might have something, Malfoy."

He glared at me. "Oh right. Well tell me you're theory, oh wise Granger. You can never be wrong, after all, and if you say I have no magic, then far be it for me to say that I do. Why saying something that contradicts you would be sacrilege and now I guess I'll just have to be sacrificed to the nearest cannibalistic God in America."

I tried not to get angry at him, after all he WAS going through a traumatic and very painful experience, but Malfoy always knew which buttons to push.

"Fine. I won't say anything then." I glared at him.

But he would just not let me back down.

He continued to taunt me. "No no no, oh wise one. You must tell me what you were going to say or else I might remain ignorant and magic less for the rest of my life. You are always right so of course I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

"You might have thought he has your mother, you complete ignoramus." I snapped. "Everyone knows how close you and your mother are. A complete fool would know after seeing the two of you together and Lestrange may be a weak wizard but he's no fool."

I regretted my words immediately after. Malfoy looked stricken and furious, and for the first time in my life, I actually feared what he could do to me.

"You. Are. Wrong." He ground out. "My mother is in Malfoy Manor completely safe and you will need a brain transplant."

I hoped that he was right, but I wouldn't have put it past Lestrange to kidnap Malfoy's mother.

I rummaged around in my handbag and pulled out my cell phone. I held it out to him and looked beseechingly at him.

"I honestly hope you're right, Malfoy. But you need to check to see if she's safe and if she is, then you need to warn her."

He looked at my outstretched hand as if it were slimy and dirty.

I laid it on the table in front of him.

"Malfoy, I'm assuming you have phones in Malfoy Manor due to your muggle businesses, so just call and make sure she's all right."

He hesitantly picked it up and dialed in the number. I listened as it rang and strained to hear the conversation.

"Malfoy Manor, may I ask who is speaking?"

"Bean, this is Master Malfoy, put my mother on the phone."

The house elf gasped.

"Oh Master Malfoy sir!" his voice got noticeably squeakier. "Oh sir sir a TERRIBLE thing has happened! Terrible!"

Malfoy looked grim. "Bean, calm down. Tell me what has happened. Where is my mother?"

"Oh sir that is what terrible thing has happened! Nobody can find Master Malfoy's mother anyplace! She has gone! It is so terrible! There is no note and all furniture in Master Malfoy's mother's sitting room was destroyed! Terrible! Like there was a great big fight! Nobody knows where Master Malfoy's mother was. She is gone! Disappeared! Terrible sir! So terrible!"

Malfoy was bloodless and pale, however he spoke fiercely into the phone. "Bean, tell me when she disappeared."

"Oh oh I isn't so sure, sir! I is so distraught! Maybe four days ago? Maybe five! I isn't too sure. Master Malfoy's mother don't go out of her room too much when Master Malfoy is gone, so maybe sir's mother has been gone longer!"

"Okay Bean, thank you for telling me. I'm sure she'll come back soon. Don't any of you guys worry. I'll be back as soon as possible. You know how to run the Manor, so you go on as usual. I'll call back as soon as I can."

"Where can Bean reach sir?"

Malfoy looked questioningly at me. I rattled off the number which he repeated into the phone.

"I'm leaving you in charge, Bean, so when I get back, I want everything to be okay."

"Yes, Master Malfoy. Everything is fine. Come back to the Manor soon sir."

"I will. Goodbye."

Malfoy took a deep breath and hung up.

"I'm sorry." I covered his hand with mine and for that short time, I forgot that he was my enemy.

Malfoy looked down at our hands. "He has her. The bastard took my mother."

I looked away from his anguished face. "I'm sorry."

"You were right. Just like the old days. Always right." His hand spasmed violently underneath mine.

"I didn't want to be." I looked up and met the coldest pair of eyes I had ever seen before. "What are you going to do?"

"Do?" he repeated. "What can I do? I have no magic, no money, no nothing. I'm more useless than a muggle child."

I chewed on my bottom lip, another bad habit I had. "I can help you, if you want.." I squeezed his icy-cold hand.

Malfoy laughed acidly. "You help me? You can hardly stand me. You'd rather see me rot in hell then help me."

His self-pitying attitude made me angry. I had never been able to stand the people who bemoaned their problems but did nothing to change it. I snatched my hand back. Malfoy looked momentarily shocked at the sudden action but I didn't care as I was too busy glaring at him.

"Not help?" I spat. "What the bloody hell do you think I've been doing? I'm not you. I actually enjoy helping people with their problems, another disgusting Gryffindoric quality. I'm not the kind of person who'd kick an injured dog. If you'd only be able to get past your blasted pride then you'd be thanking me for the offer instead of insulting me."

Malfoy looked so angry for a second I thought he'd hex me if he had a wand, but then suddenly his face crumpled in and he looked despairingly at me.

"What do you believe I can possibly do, Granger? I have NOTHING. And according to your calculations, I'll be quite mad in another month and a half, if I'm lucky."

I clenched my teeth and counted silently to ten in Mermish. When I felt I had sufficiently calmed myself I allowed myself to glare at Malfoy slightly.

"Aww poor little Malfoy." I sneered. "Now that he has no money and no magic he's going to roll over and let himself DIE."

He looked at me as if seeing an alien life-form. I ignored him and went on.

"Has it ever occurred to you that some of the Muggles you think so inferior survive with no money and no magic? And look at yourself. You've just admitted that you can't survive without those two things yet I know muggles can. I think that that is sufficient enough to prove just who is more superior. All those years of so much useless prattle."

"How dare you say those ridiculous things to me. You are just a filthy little Mudblood. I am a --"

"Malfoy?" I smiled sweetly. "Why don't you start acting like one? You know, arrogant, conceited, and as if nothing can get in the way of what you want to do. Right now you're acting like a dog rolling onto its back and gleefully offering its stomach to a coyote."

"You--"

"Come on, Malfoy. Snap out of it. Have I made you adequately angry enough yet or do I need to go on insulting you?"

I hid a smile as he clenched his teeth.

"If you manage to make me any angrier, Granger, I just might try to hex you with your own wand." retorted Malfoy.

"You haven't got any magic." I reminded him politely.

"I know, but if you don't shut up soon, I'll try it anyway."

I grinned. "Right."

Malfoy groaned and buried his dirty blonde head in his hands. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"YOU can't believe you're doing this?" I laughed. "I can't believe I'm doing this. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I'd willingly help Draco bloody Malfoy solve his problems, I would have admitted them to St. Mungo's."

He glanced up and glared at me. "Enough of this. What are we going to do?"

I checked my watch and was shocked at the late time. It was eleven o' clock and I finally realized how tired I was.

"First," I said briskly, "We're going to find a motel to check into since I'm dead tired. In the morning we'll continue to New Orleans since it is one of the biggest wizarding towns in America. We can discuss what to do on the way there."

Malfoy nodded and began to finish up the food on his plate. "Fine." He waved his fork in the general direction of my mashed potatoes. "Are you going to eat the rest of that?"

I pushed the plate closer to him. "You go ahead and have it, pig. Merlin, you eat as much as Har…" I coughed. "Erm, Ron."

Malfoy's head snapped back up. "Do not compare me to Weasel. We have NOTHING in common. I'd jump off the Astronomy Tower before I did anything the same as him."

"Does this mean that if I tell you that both of you have surprisingly a lot in common, then as soon as you got your magic back, you'd make my dreams come true and kill yourself?"

He grunted and finished up my mashed potatoes. "Shut it, Granger."

I grinned. "Right."

When he FINALLY finished eating I waved the flirtatious waitress over who then handed me the check and gave Malfoy what she must have thought was a enticing look. I wanted to laugh at her attempts at seduction but decided to refrain from doing so since I supposed that Malfoy was deriving some amusement from it.

Since when I cared about humoring Malfoy, I didn't know.

"Something amuses you?" asked the object of my thoughts, as I signed the receipt for my credit card.

I shrugged. "What makes you think something is amusing me?"

"The corner of your mouth was twitching.'

I gave an exasperated sigh as I stood up. "Do you notice everything?"

He smirked. "Practically, yes."

"It must be all those years spent as a spy."

I noticed as I said it, his jaw clenched and a shaded look came over his eyes.

"Of course." He answered simply.

I dearly wanted an explanation for his reaction but decided not to press my luck with him. He had already revealed quite a bit about himself, something I was sure he never did often.

I must have been going crazy.

Since when did I care about what went on in Draco Malfoy's head?

No, I didn't care. I didn't. Of course I didn't.

"Granger?"

With a start I realized we had reached the car and I had been standing in front of my door motionless.

"What?" I snapped, annoyed at my train of thoughts.

"The truce is over now, correct?" asked Malfoy somewhat sharply.

I realized with a disturbing pang that I was reluctant to let it end. However, for self-preservation, from what I didn't know, I knew that I had to put an end to this dangerous truce.

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?"

He nodded. "Good, then I can say this. Open the bloody door you simple-minded Mudblood."

My hands clenched. How easily he switched from charming to nasty. Well I could do the same thing.

"Say please."

He glared at me. I glared right back.

"Please."

I gave a satisfied smirk. How nice it was to remind him who held the power in this situation.

I unlocked the doors and slipped inside. Before Malfoy could even finish closing his door I gunned the engine and shot out of the parking lot.

"Bloody hell, Granger! Slow your suicidal arse down!" He shouted.

"I'm tired. I want to find a motel or hotel. You look on your side, I'll look on mine."

After about five minutes of driving around Malfoy spotted one.

"Stop."

I stepped on the brakes suddenly, causing the car to jerk to a stop. Malfoy shot forward like a bullet since he had forgotten to put on his seat belt.

"Merlin, Granger, I am going to --"

"If you hadn't always been so disdainful of all things muggle then you would have known to put on your seat belt. A useless muggle contraption for useless people. Isn't that what you called it in sixth year when Dumbledore made you take Muggle Studies?"

I could tell that Malfoy was only seconds away from leaping across the seat and strangling me, so for my own good I quickly got out of the car and began walking towards the motel. I heard, rather than saw him follow me.

We both arrived at the door at the same time. Instead of waiting for him to open the door for me, which doubted he would do, I pulled open the door, stepped through, and allowed it to close in his face. Malfoy growled and shoved it open before it slammed into his overlarge nose.

I walked blithely up to the reception area where a little greasy-haired man was looking at the two of us speculatively. The man ran his eyes down my body, taking in my shabby clothes and shoes, before looking me in the eye and turning his nose up. I silently boiled with anger and waited for Malfoy to step up beside me. He got no better reception from the man than I did due to his dirt stained skin and clothes. Little could the man know that Malfoy and I had arrived at his seedy motel in a Porsche.

"And what can I do for you two?" The man's nasal voice grated on my ears almost as much as his condescending tone did.

"We need rooming tonight." Responded Malfoy shortly.

I glared at him for trying to take control.

"Ahh.. I see.. And will you two be sleeping.. Together?" asked the man nastily.

"No," I answered before Malfoy could finish sputtering, "we want two separate rooms."

"Two?"

I glared at him and wondered if American wizarding laws condoned the transfiguration of nasty little motel managers into toads. "Yes."

The greasy-haired man smirked. "I'm afraid it isn't possible tonight."

"What? Why?" I nearly shrieked.

"Well every year here in Carmen we have a little town party of a sorts to honor the heroes that fought in the Civil War. It's an old tradition, but every year we still get an amazing amount of tourists. The party is a few days from now so I'm booked full. I'm afraid all I have left is a queen bed in a little room."

I glared at him for a second before turning to look at Malfoy, who currently had a horrified look pasted on his face.

"I'm not sleeping with you, Granger."

"Oh I wouldn't dream of asking." I turned back to the man. "I suppose we'll just go elsewhere."

"Yes, that's probably a good idea.. Although.." he trailed off.

"Although what?" asked Malfoy suspiciously.

"Although the next town over is about six hours from here."

"There aren't any other motels or hotels here?" I asked in dismay.

"Nope." he said cheerfully. "Carmen's a small town and has never needed another motel, much less a hotel."

Despite the fact that I was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors were notorious for their stubbornness, I knew when to admit defeat.

"Fine." I sighed. "I suppose we'll just take --"

"No. No bloody way, Granger. I am not sleeping in the same room as you." Malfoy interrupted.

I whirled on him. "Fine." I spat. "You can bloody well walk to New Orleans tonight. I'm sleeping here because I am dead tired and it doesn't really matter to me whether or not you're here too. But please, can you just not complain for one night?"

He glared at me for a second before giving a sarcastic little bow. "Lead the way then, Granger."

I nodded stiffly before turning back around and handing my credit card to the manager. He slid it through and gave me a key.

"Fourth floor all the way down the hall. Nice and quiet." The little, greasy-haired manager leered at me, obviously still believing that Malfoy and I were there for an assignation despite all the evidence that pointed otherwise.

"Fine." I turned and began walking toward the elevator. As Malfoy and I stepped into it I stepped as far back as I could and studied him.

As I did so, I immediately began to regret my sharpness with him earlier. Because now that I could take the time to study him, I could see that his show of confidence and energy had been just that, a show. He was obviously tired and probably hadn't had a good nights sleep in days. He also had a look of bleak despair, no doubt because of his mother's kidnapping.

"What are you staring at?" He barked.

I shrugged tiredly. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"Yes."

Malfoy gave me an unfathomable look. "For what?"

"For being mean, earlier. For shouting at you. I usually don't."

He looked shocked at my apology, and I guessed he hadn't gotten many in his life.

"You don't have to be sorry."

I gave him a weak smile. "Okay."

"It won't make me like you any better so you don't have to kiss up."

I sighed and didn't respond. At least I had tried.

The elevator doors opened and we both walked out, then down the hall to 15F. I slid the key into the door and unlocked it. It swung open and Malfoy and I both gaped into the room.

It was smaller than a closet and quite ugly. It had room for just one dumpy looking queen sized bed. And no room for anything else.

Okay! I'm done with this chapter. And I have sufficiently thickened the plot, I believe. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter more than the last one! Until next time!

PS. Thank you to my reviewer Kristen36 for giving me this idea about having them share a room together. I do believe I'll use this tactic more than once. Maybe. Depends on how this turns out. It should be very interesting.

REMEMBER TO REVIEW! REVIEWS GIVE ME INSPIRATION TO WRITE… ;)