CHAPTER 3

The door was thrown open, and Carla stood in front of her. She was dressed in a pair of silky white pajamas. Her waist length copper hair was bundled into a hairnet. In one pale hand, she held a lit candle.

'Hermione,' she whispered, 'That was fast.'

Hermione trudged inside her. Her feet were wet. She glanced apologetically at Clara.

'Oh, that's okay. The floor's seen water before. Do you want something to drink? I can have Tom make some coffee.'

'No thanks, Clara. You called me here for a reason.' Hermione pointed out wearily. Clara nodded.

'Okay,' she said, 'This may be none of my business, but I know all about you and Draco Malfoy. It's all over the newspapers.'

Hermione nodded jadedly. 'I know,' she said, quietly. 'But what's that got to do with-.'

Clara shushed her.

'Today, when I went down for dinner, a man in robes and a hood walked into the inn, and asked for a room. He was given the room right next door.' Clara jerked her thumb in that direction. 'Well, I didn't think anything of it then, but pretty late at night, I heard some noises outside. I opened the door to check, and he was standing there, opening his room door. Apparently he had just come back from somewhere, because his boots were sloshed with mud. And he had his hood pulled back.'

She looked seriously at Hermione. 'It was Malfoy, Hermione. I can swear it. The same blonde hair, pale skin. And he turned, and I got a glimpse of his face. It was definitely him.'

Hermione stared at her. Her brown eyes had gone slightly wide.

'D-Draco?' she whispered. 'Are you sure?'

Carla nodded grimly

She stood up quickly. 'Which room?' she asked.

Carla opened the door, and pointed at the room right across. It was a bright red door which was shut and locked.

Hermione got up. 'Thanks Carla,' she said, 'I'll stay in touch.'

Then, she went and knocked on the door.

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The wind had picked up even higher.

Ginny stirred in bed. She wasn't sleeping very well these nights, and tonight was the worst. Her mind was filled with images of Harry…his eyes, his messy hair, his sweet, sleepy smile…

Finally, she sat up in bed. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep. Getting up, she quietly slipped downstairs. The kitchen was dark and gloomy. Fumbling a bit, she lit a candle, and watched the soft yellow light flicker against the walls.

She pulled out a glass, and filled it with some muggle soda. For some reason, she felt like drinking something cold and fizzy. Taking long sips, her mind wandered once more.

Harry…

Her eyes filled with tears. She was thinking about him always. She feared for him always. The dangers he would have to face, hurdles he would have to cross…she found herself wishing she was with him, that she was suffering along with him, but she knew her parents would be shattered if she left. She took another sip, and a tear slid down her cheek.

I need to talk to Hermione.

She wiped the tear away, and set her glass down. Picking up the candle, she made her way towards Hermione's room. The door was ajar.

'Hermione?' she called, softly.

No answer.

Quietly, she pushed the door open, and stepped inside. The room was darker than the rest of the house. She waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the candlelight.

The bed was empty.

Ginny stared for a moment, then turned swiftly, and rushed down the corridor.

'Mum! Dad! Wake up!'

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The door opened, slowly.

Hermione stood back, her heart pounding. She felt a stirring of anger inside her. He was here… but he hadn't bothered to meet her. He hadn't cared to inform her he had returned. He was hiding from her…

A man stepped out. And Hermione's heart stopped.

Tall and lanky, he stood before her. His face had a few scratches, his pale skin scarred. His blonde hair was longer, and messier, standing up and in his eyes. He was dressed in worn out traveling robes.

When he saw her, his jaw dropped.

'H-Hermione?'

Hearing his voice again after all these months, the slight tremor, she felt the anger well up in her again.

'Since you've already distanced me from yourself, why not go back to calling me Granger?' she said, hotly.

He frowned at her. 'Come in. We need to talk.'

She stepped into the room, and he closed the door behind him. His room was exactly like Carla's. A candle stood on the bed stead.

'How did you find out I was here?' he asked.

'Why didn't you tell me you were here?' she spat. 'Then, maybe I wouldn't have had to find out like I did.'

'Don't snap, Hermione. Tell me, how.'

'First you left for five months! Not a single letter, not a single note, no news, no nothing! You could have been dead for all I'd known? But did you care! Oh no, you had to come back, and hide yourself away like this!'

'Hermione, I needed some time alone!'

'That I can understand! But why didn't you write?'

'Because,' he fired, hotly at her, 'I didn't want to be reminded of the world I'd left behind. I wanted to have my own time before I came back and fought all the battles I'll have to here.'

'Like?' she asked, angrily.

'The entire wizarding world! My family, who thinks my mother's death is my fault! The ministry, who hasn't exactly welcomed my with open arms after this whole fiasco. I might even lose my job! And then there's you! I knew things weren't going to be easy for us. We were married by force, and suddenly fell in love? That isn't exactly a happily-ever-after ending, Mya!'

Hermione fell silent. His logic had hit her. Suddenly, she felt a wave of pity towards him. She had been continuously thinking about herself, but now she realized that Draco was in a position as bad if not worse than hers.

Great.

Guilt.

'Okay,' she nodded. 'You're right. I shouldn't have shouted. But why didn't you come and see me? Why are you- hiding away here?'

He sighed. 'I'm not hiding, Mya. I got back jus this evening. I was going to come down to- explain the situation tomorrow.'

Hermione sat down on the bed. All her anger had been displaced with sadness and guilt.

'Oh, Draco…' she whispered. 'I'm sorry. You're- you're right. I've been sitting here, feeling sorry for myself.'

Draco sat down beside her, and put at arm around her. Hermione savored the feeling. It was one she hadn't felt in five months.

'You had a hard time,' he said, gently. 'We haven't been happy, Hermione. I think we should talk this whole thing out.'

She looked up into his eyes. 'Meaning?'

'What we're going to do, where we're going to live.' He pulled her a little closer. 'The works.'

'Understandable.' Hermione said, nodding. Then, she smiled up at him. 'But there's something else I want to do first.'

He looked puzzled. She leaned up, and softly kissed him.

'I haven't been able to do that for five months,' she said, with a small grin. 'Sure have missed it.'

Draco wrapped his arms around her, grinning back. 'Same here, Mrs. Malfoy. I sure have missed you.'

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Mrs. Weasley bit her lip.

'A little walk!' she exploded. 'She says here she went for a little walk! At this time in the night?'

Arthur Weasley laid a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. 'Calm down, Molly. This doesn't sound at all like Hermione. There must be a reason.'

'Nonetheless-.' Mrs. Weasley snapped.

Ginny turned away from her bickering parents. She was feeling sick with worry. Hermione's note reeked of lies. She hadn't gone on any walk.

She turned, and looked around the room. The window was open.

'Strange,' she murmured. 'Hermione never leaves the window open.'

She walked out, and breathed the crisp, cold air in. a few drops were dripping from the leaves. Ginny held out her hand, and caught one.

She turned around the room. Suddenly, her eyes fell on Hermione's desk. There was a small piece of crumpled parchment on it.

Ginny walked over to the desk, and unfolded the parchment. She bit her lip.

'Mom…' she said, hesitatingly.

Her parents turned to her. 'What's that, Gin?' her father asked, gesturing towards the paper in her hand.

'I think I know where Hermione is.'