A/N: I have no excuse for taking this long to update. Anything recognizable belongs to J.K.

Hermione POV

Hermione took in a deep, shaky breath when they landed. Malfoy had zipped them across the sky, though she admittedly had seen nothing of the trip, choosing instead to clinch her eyelids shut. She wondered how Harry and Ron were faring. Why haven't they sent a Patronus? Dobby must have gotten them to safety, but she wondered why she hadn't heard from them yet. She glanced at Malfoy. The situation was puzzling, sure, but she had always doubted that he was truly evil - Malfoy had always looked scared. Now he looked as if he hadn't slept in days. His hair was matted with sweat, and the circles under his eyes were dark as night. "Where's my wand, Malfoy?" Hermione finally broke the silence. Malfoy glanced at his feet. "I… I don't know. I have mine and a spare that I usually carry. It's vinewood with a dragon heartstring core. Try it out," Malfoy said, offering Hermione the wand.

Hermione grasped the wand and conjured a bluebell flame. The wand felt...Different. Not wrong, but certainly not like her own; odd, considering it was made of the same components.

"How does it feel?" Draco asked.

"Fine, thanks." Hermione put the flame out and finally took the time to survey their surroundings. They were near the beach; she could smell the salt of the ocean. There were no buildings in sight. She desperately wished she had her beaded bag. Unless Malfoy had a better plan than she, it seemed that they were going to be very uncomfortable indeed.

"Malfoy, where are we?"

"Just west of Weymouth. My mother had wanted to build a house on the beach, and it was the first place I thought of. We need to move though. Any ideas?"

Hermione balked at the fact that Malfoy was civilly asking her opinion, but nevertheless offered one of the last resorts she had considered when hiding with Harry and Ron. "There was a cave… Sirius used to hide there with Buckbeak. I can ward the entrance. It is close to Hogsmeade, so we'll need to be cautious until we find somewhere new."

"Black hid out with that monster? He was my mother's cousin, you know. Never knew him, but I imagine he'd make a better relative than my aunt Bella." Hermione flinched but nodded. "Yes, Harry mentioned it. And Buckbeak was not a monster; you were a spoilt prat. I'll apparate us there. Take my arm."

Surprisingly, Malfoy grasped her arm with no objections. Hermione grasped her new wand and, with a "pop," off they went.