Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable in this story, if I did, I would be rich.

Chapter Four

Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy. "Where is he, Malfoy?"

Malfoy widened his eyes in shock, but quickly narrowed them in a glare. He looked the same as he always did, Hermione thought, always glaring.

Malfoy laughed. "How can you know that I'm in on this, Potter? You may have come back to life, but you can't get anything out of me."

Harry shoved his wand into Malfoy's chest. "Where is he?"

"I'm telling you I don't know where he is!"

There was a bang and a flash and Hermione screamed. She didn't know what just happened, but she knew it wasn't good. Harry must be angrier than she was.

When she had gathered her senses back together, she realized that Malfoy was on the ground tied up with Harry pointing his wand at him. There was an unfathomable look on Harry's face that Hermione couldn't decipher that she couldn't read, but she knew that it wasn't good.

Harry looked around at the shocked faces in the bar. He nodded his apologizes and explained that the man on the floor broke the law and had to take him away. Soon he turned to Hermione.

"Help me with him, Hermione," Harry said.

"But Harry…" Hermione began.

"Hermione, you have connections that we need to talk about," Harry said sternly.

Hermione caught his meaning and nodded, then started helping out with getting Malfoy out. She was an Auror, and her gate was open to everybody.

As soon as they got out of the bar, Harry turned to Hermione. "We need to get to somewhere safe. You know where there's one."

Hermione nodded and walked quickly down the street, with Harry following and levitating the bound-up Malfoy behind her. As she walked, Hermione felt a mixture of emotions. She was glad that Harry was back again, but where was he all these years? What was he doing, why didn't he make any contact with anybody he trusted? She couldn't tell the answers, but she would ask him as soon as she could.

Finally stopping in front of an apartment complex, she turned around to face Harry. He also had stopped and was looking at her curiously.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"I don't want him to know where my apartment building is," Hermione stated.

"Easy said." A flick of a wrist and Malfoy's eyes were bound by a piece of cloth. Hermione nodded her approval and continued on.

"I can't believe you're doing this to me, Potter," Malfoy spat.

"You're the one who imitated it, Malfoy and do us the favor of shutting up," Harry exclaimed lazily.

Finally reaching her apartment, Hermione unlocked the door and let Harry and Malfoy go in before closing and locking the door behind her. Dropping the bound-up Malfoy on the floor and making sure he was gagged, blindfolded, and wasn't able to hear what they were saying, Harry turned to Hermione.

"Why were you talking to him? The Malfoys are dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt," Harry said.

Hermione felt the rage build up inside her. How dare he tell her what to do? He didn't know her. Well, he did, but he hadn't seen her in years, so why should he take on rash assumptions when he didn't even know the whole story?

"Harry, I was supposed to talk to him. If you were still around, you know what it was all about, wouldn't you? We all thought you were dead, Harry, and then I saw you in that bar several days ago and I could hardly believe my eyes. I thought I was seeing things. If you hadn't died, then what happened to you? Where did you go?" Hermione asked angrily.

Harry sighed. "So you believed the lie, too."

Hermione stared at him in horror. "What? What lie? Tell me, please, I want to know."

Harry shook his head. "I mustn't say. It is too soon for you to know everything."

Hermione threw up her hands in disgust. This was getting ridiculous. She was in the middle of her apartment with Malfoy on the floor and the famous Harry Potter come back to life standing in front of her avoiding telling her anything about where he had been all this time and saying something about a lie that had been told this whole entire time! Plus, Ron was kidnapped and could be anywhere, probably being tortured as they spoke. She didn't know what to expect, or to say in the very least. This wasn't going anywhere as she planned.

"Fine," Hermione exclaimed, "if you're not going to tell me anything, you can just keep out of the way while I finish what I was asked of earlier by Dumbledore."

She strode over to where Malfoy was and undid all the bindings and curses that Harry had put on him. Malfoy sat up gasping and glaring at Harry and Hermione.

Hermione knelt down in front of him and look him straight into his eyes. "Draco, do you have any idea where my friend Ron is? Are you in any way part of this plot against him?"

"No, why should I? I didn't even know you two were coming in there, or even Potter. If I didn't know any better I would've said you three had some kind of plot going against me!" Malfoy snarled.

"He lies!" Harry exclaimed. "You know what he's like, Hermione, don't believe him."

"Harry!" Hermione glared at him and Harry fell silent, angrily pacing back and forth. Hermione turned back towards Malfoy. "If I had access to Professor Snape's closet right now, I would be putting the truth potion on you, but since I don't, I'm going to have to trust you by what you say."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "You dare trust the likes of me?"

"Do I have a choice?" Hermione asked.

Malfoy shrugged as if he didn't know, but Hermione knew that he understood and was willing to do what she asked.

Hermione stood and offered her hand to help him up. Malfoy growled and shook his head, and stood up by himself. Hermione just shook her head in amazement. Malfoy still kept his pride and dignity in tact. She supposed if that was all one had, they would guard it protectively.

"Now what do we do?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I think I need the night to mull it over—to see where we go from here. Malfoy, you'll take my room. It's right past the kitchen there. Harry, you can take the guest room right next to mine. And if I catch you trying to escape, Malfoy, you're consequences are going to be a whole lot worse than this. You're lucky I didn't let Harry have his way, but if you start doing anything suspicious, I'll let him have his way. Understood?" Hermione stated.

Malfoy nodded and turned on his heel before heading towards the room Hermione indicated, slamming the door behind him. Harry watched him before turning back toward his companion.

"You know what you're doing is dangerous, right?"

"Of course. You can't be too sure what's safe here anymore, so you've gotta take the risk. Will you make sure he stays in there? I'll be out on the couch here if you need anything," Hermione said.

Harry nodded and smiled. "I will, don't you worry." He turned and headed towards his room.

Hermione shook her head and sat on the couch and grabbed the nearest book. It was going to be a long night.