Sold-Chapter 30-Winging Swiftly Through the Sky

By Marmalade Fever

As Malfoy kissed her, Hermione took a few seconds to think of a plan. Carefully, she shifted into a position that forced his arms up. Then, in only two seconds, she rapidly morphed into a swallow, flew out from under his arms, turned back into her original form, and grabbed his wand from his inside pocket, all while his arms collapsed in on thin air, lips still puckered. "Don't move!" she commanded, holding the wand as if she were fencing. Malfoy looked up, startled and furious. Hermione pointed the wand toward a chair. "Sit down, Malfoy." She gritted her teeth as he backed into the chair. Ropes came out of the wand and bound him.

"Now what, Miss Granger?" he asked, as she pocketed the wand.

"You're going to stay here, Mr. Malfoy," she said, fiercely.

"And you?" he asked.

"I am going out." She took a step toward the fireplace.

"Don't bother. I took the liberty of removing all the floo powder in the house," Malfoy uttered. "I wouldn't apparate, either."

"Why not?" she asked.

"I took the safeguard of putting up a few wards." He smirked innocently.

"Well, then. I'll fly!" And she morphed into a swallow and flew out the open window.

…

"Bellatrix?" the Dark Lord queried from his skul encrusted throne.

"Yes, my Lord?" she asked, lowering he eyes and staring at his shins.

"What new have you of the scrap of paper Lucius found?"

"It is nothing, my Lord. I am afraid his age is catching up to him," she said, praying he wouldn't detect her lies.

He seemed to consider this for a moment. "Yes," he said at last. "Perhaps it is time to offer him retirement…"

"Retirement, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked, her voice somewhat higher than usual.

The Dark Lord nodded and dismissed her. Bellatrix quickly returned to her laboratory, clutching her heart. She turned back to her research.

…

After Hermione had flown a few miles, she morphed back to her human form and focused her mind on the village of Hogsmeade. It was difficult to get a clear picture in her head. The last she'd seen of it, it had been smoldering. She arrived a meter away from Honeydukes and almost immediately began to stare at a display of chocolate. Chocolate… she missed it so. She had to shake her head to remind herself that 1) she was on a mission, and 2) she didn't have any money. It didn't stop her from frowning. She hadn't had any breakfast yet. Just a love muffin. Grudgingly she trudged away and began the walk to Hogwarts.

It had been a very long time since she'd felt this sort of freedom. Freedom to simply walk down a road in broad daylight. She supposed she had Malfoy to thank for that… He had, after all, brought her to his home to solve the mystery of Evander. Had he not done so, she'd still be in the other dimension. She was quickly forgetting the other bidders. There had been other bidders, right? Yes, of course. If he hadn't bought her, one of them would. She could have still been there… owned by a demented stranger.

Her thoughts of Malfoy naturally drifted to a more recent matter. He'd kissed her… again! Three times now the great git had the gall to kiss her! He'd even asked her to marry him! The nerve of some people! She painfully had to admit something to herself, however. It—the kiss—really hadn't been all that bad. The thought settled on her brain like lead. That stupid, stupid love muffin! Why did it have to betray her like that? So she was attracted to him… it wasn't as if she were madly in love with him. She hated his very being. And yet… what was it she said only an hour earlier? That she was starting to like him? He had been acting surprisingly civilly in the other dimension. And it wasn't as if he'd actually taken his father's advice and tortured her…

Hermione felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Why did she have to feel so bloody conflicted?

She resolutely continued on into Hogwarts Castle, went up the many flights of stairs, and stared at the gargoyles guarding the Headmaster's office.

…

"Hey, there! Potter, Malfoy!" Lily and Evander slowed on their walk toward the castle. A seventh year whose name Evander was unfamiliar with had stopped them.

"Yes?" they asked, turning.

"Professor Dumbledore wants you in his office," the boy said, sounding smug. "I wouldn't dilly dally if I were you." Evander and Lily exchanged a look. "It sounds as if he wanted to talk to you earlier, but since you were at the match…"

"Thanks, Elwood," Lily said, nodding. She may have been four years younger than the boy, but she did know a few more names of elder students than Evander. "Come on, we best get going," she told him, her arm still draped across his shoulders in what he hoped was not meant to be a sisterly manner. They made their way up to Dumbledore's office and stepped inside after correctly guessing the password. (A.N.: My cat was just licking my hand while I was typing…) Evander's jaw dropped as he found his mother sitting at the desk. She turned sorrowful eyes on him.

"What's wrong, Mum?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm the other one, Evander. I'm afraid Malfoy sent your parents to the other dimension."

"Not to worry, though," Dumbledore said, quickly. "I'm working on a solution. I'll be sending both Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy…" he trailed off, looking thoughtful, "the other Mr. Malfoy, to the alternate dimension. Miss Granger will then be in charge of restoring your parents to you."

A.N.: Yes, very short. Yes, ending sucky. I'm not in a writing mood at the moment. Future updates may be somewhat erratic.