For the next few weeks, Hermione's home was very quiet. Normally, the WWN would be on as she worked, but there was nothing. Disturbing silence reverberated around all the rooms. Even more disturbing was the fact that Hermione had taken to cleaning everywhere.

Draco's house elf had still not returned Ron's clothes. Hermione was very unhappy about this, and had thought of visiting him to retrieve them many times. The thought, however, of walking in on something she didn't want or need to see was what changed her mind every time.

She had not been into work since Draco had arrived at her home. Thankfully, her Department were very understanding, and, telling them she was grieving over the loss of a family member, was told to take as much time off as needed. She wasn't grieving over Draco, she told herself. She just didn't want to see people at this present moment in time.

During one of her cleaning sessions, she went upstairs. She had let herself go in the past two weeks. Her clothes, instead of being inside the laundry basket, were scattered everywhere. Takeaway boxes, another sign of her laziness, lay scattered over the floor. Summoning a black sack, she began to put all the pizza boxes, Chinese takeaway boxes and the like inside.

That done, she began to pick up the clothes. She made two trips to the laundry basket. She checked under her pillow, in case she had thrown anything under it. She saw something; a familiar looking green pullover. Beside it, black trousers. She pulled them towards her. As she lifted them to her face. They still smelt like Draco.


In Malfoy Manor, all was quiet but for one sound; Draco's voice loud and raging at the house elves.

"CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?"

"Trixy is very sorry master Malfoy, sir. She was sure master said Miss Baker."

"BRING ME THE PARCEL AT ONCE, AND THEN GET OUT OF MY SIGHT." Draco slumped into a chair in his private chambers.

For the past two weeks, his stupid house elves had tried to deliver Ron's clothing back to Hermione. If she'd had house elves, she never would have started S.P.E.W, he thought. It was the same thought he had had every day since the elves had messed up the delivery. In fact, he ended up thinking about her with whatever he did. If he read a book, he wondered if she had read it, what she had thought, if she could recommend any of the same style. If he ate chicken and mushroom pie, he thought of the night when he had cooked for her for the first time. None of his thoughts were not about her in some way, shape or form, and he was desperate for it to stop hurting every time he did.

Trixy returned, her hands heavily bandaged, a parcel in hand.

"Here… here is master's parcel, sir."

"Never send a house elf to do a wizard's work…" Draco muttered, taking the parcel from her. "That is all. You can go now."

The house elf seemed only too happy to oblige. When she had left, Draco took a deep breath, and Apparated.


Hermione was a mass of tears when she heard a knocking at her door.

"Go away," she said. "I don't want visitors."

The knocking persisted.

"GO AWAY!"

Whoever was at her door was very persistent. Wiping her eyes, she took the sodden green pullover with her.

"ALRIGHT, I GET THE PICTURE!" she said, angrily, as she descended the stairs.

Had she have known he was standing behind the door, she never would have answered.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly, the green pullover out of sight.

"To…" Draco seemed to be unable to talk. Her cheeks were tear-stained, and tears were still falling from her eyes. He stepped forward and wiped them away with his thumb. The two were standing very closely in a small doorway. "I came to bring this back…" he said, handing her the parcel. "There was a letter on the top, but as I'm here, I can tell you face to face."

Hermione looked at him.

"Are these Ron's things? Why are they so late?"

"Yes… they're his things. Can I explain everything now?"

Hermione lifted an eyebrow. "I suppose. You'd better come in." As he came in, he brushed past her, causing the green pullover to fall out of her hands. She promptly cursed, which made Draco turn to see what had happened. Hermione cursed again.