May 22nd

Maybe it was unwise to do so, but Hermione chose not to tell anyone about her uncomfortable visit with Theodore Nott. When Rabastan finally entered the office an hour later, she remained silent. She didn't want the wizard to know that she had been so unnerved by the other. It was power that he could potentially hold over her head.

Neither did she tell Antonin. Though they were both trying to make their shared life in their home more comfortable and less tense, she wasn't ready to confide in him. Much like she viewed Rabastan, her husband was another wizard she didn't want to have any amount of power over her. The fact that he already did possess power made her even more determined to keep her own counsel for the time being.

All day Monday and for much of Tuesday, she analyzed the short visit. What Nott was on about was still a complete mystery. He was at least honest in his statement that he was there to see for himself that she was actually back. Far from being the only person who used any excuse they could to pass by her Ministry office or walk past her home, she knew there were a number of people very interested in her return. With her defection kept almost completely under wraps from the rest of the society at large, it was no wonder that her presence was surprising. Perhaps many assumed that she was murdered by her husband in a fit of rage and Antonin was desperate to keep his dirty deeds a secret. Simple minds enjoyed spinning the most elaborate and ridiculous stories in their heads.

Part of her knew that it would make her feel better to confess the odd encounter to Antonin. There was a time in their life when they had no secrets, even when it might have been less hurtful if they did. He would be able to give her greater insight into the motivation of the old man to drop by her office when she was alone. But, a concern in the back of her mind that she didn't understand everything that happened in her absence kept her silent for the moment. She really just wanted to help Aberforth escape and move on with her life. Every day she continued to practice cloaking her magic until it became like second-nature to her. Never again did she want to left completely helpless and without magic. Once she completed her mission, she could run away without fear. If she knew too much about what was happening, she might be encouraged to stay home and protect her son. She knew willful ignorance was the coward's way of coping and she didn't care.

When it was clear that she arrived in an empty home again, Hermione decided to stretch her legs. An entire day stuck behind the desk in her office made for stiff joints and pudgy stomachs. Even when they weren't actually speaking, Antonin made certain that he prepared a large meal for her every night since she'd returned. He didn't like to see how skinny she'd become. It was a frequent complaint of his when she worked too much in the past and forgot to eat. She used to accuse him, primarily in jest, of wanting her to balloon up to at least thirty-five stone just so he could always be positive that she wasn't warming some other wizard's bed.

Very little about Hogsmeade changed in her absence. She always got the impression that very little changed about Hogsmeade for the past several hundred years. It was like an old friend, ready and waiting for you when you had the chance to visit. She was surprised to discover how much she missed the place in her absence. For almost twenty years it had been her home. Not always a home that she chose, but one that she grew to love nonetheless. It was familiar, safe. How often had she longed to feel both of those while she was on the run?

Most of the villagers were polite when their paths crossed hers. She was once a familiar sight. Those that were less thrilled to see her didn't bother her much. Part of her past involved being one of the most hated people in the country. It was part and parcel of her job. Thanks to her close proximity to power within the regime, there would always be those that resented her and those that wanted to rise in the ranks on her coattails.

She reached the edge of the village, but wasn't satisfied with her walk. It had been too long since she'd really gotten her heart rate up with exercise. Perhaps since she was back in Hogsmeade for the time being, she could start jogging again in the morning. It used to bring her such a peace when the rest of the world around her was so violent and unpredictable. For at least half an hour every morning she could be assured that she would be left completely alone. Finding that kind of serenity was rarely easy.

Only a few meters into the thick forest that surrounded the village, Hermione got the sudden impression that she wasn't alone. Years of honing her instincts meant that it was difficult for anyone to sneak up on her unaware. Of course, she was a bit out of practice. Some skills became rusty if not used often. Not feeling as if she was in any immediate danger, she kept walking. Maybe it was a curious deer or another creature that made the woods their home. It was highly possible that she was the one trespassing.

The arms that wrapped around her waist from behind startled her to the point that she was ready to fight. She had her hand in her pocket to grab her wand when the lips first brushed against the skin at the base of her neck. A low moan from the back of the throat of her attacker proved she wasn't in immediate danger. Turning around quickly, she swatted Draco lightly in the chest. That was no way to get a woman's attention! If he wasn't careful, he would get a hex straight to his bollocks if he ever tried to do that again.

Draco wasn't deterred by the admonishing slap. He simply used the fact that they were now face to face to his advantage by ravaging her mouth with his. It hadn't been that long since the last time they were alone in the bed in his flat, but it was beginning to feel like an eternity. Even though she was having second thoughts about the man's motivations for everything he did, she wasn't in the mood to pass up a good time when it was offered. After all, it had been a rather stressful couple of weeks.

Only a little encouragement was needed to get him to the point that he was ready to push her up against a tree. Draco had a passionate streak in him that Hermione hadn't expected. Maybe it was all of the time that he spent alone. It was bound to build up over time if not released at regular intervals. His hands never stopped moving over her body, almost as if he was trying to touch every single part of her that existed. She wasn't exactly in a position to mind.

It was reckless to behave so freely in an area where they could be easily spotted. So much could go wrong if they were caught. Somehow that knowledge made the whole encounter all the more exciting. She gave herself over to the thrill of the moment. If they were discovered, that was a problem they could worry about later.

"You should've never left my flat."

He practically growled the reprimand into the skin of her neck. Pressing her body up against the thick trunk of a tree, he didn't waste another moment slipping his hands up her skirt to tug down her now sodden knickers. Hermione hindered the process of getting his trousers open more than she helped. When he was finally free, he grasped the back of her thighs to lift her slim body off of the ground. More than ready for what was about to happen, she wrapped her legs around his back and prepared for the blissful moment of intrusion.

Nothing about the act was gentle. Either because there was very little time or because he wanted to punish her for running away. Whatever the reason was inconsequential. All that mattered was the feel of him inside her body plucking the most delicious notes of pleasure from within. She longed to scream and cry out like she had when they were tucked away in the privacy of his flat, but knew that would just add an extra level of carelessness to their already reckless behavior. Biting her bottom lip, she stifled the moans.

"We should be doing this every night before we go to sleep. We should be waking up in each other's arms every morning to do this again."

He punctuated his statement with a fierce nip to her shoulder. Not hard enough to draw any blood, it was just enough to push her over the edge she was already dangling over. As her body convulsed around him, squeezing out every ounce of his pleasure in the process, she considered his words. It was a lovely fantasy, one that would never happen. Not for long, anyway. Their world was too uncertain. When they were able to catch their breath and she set her feet back down on the ground, the atmosphere seemed to shift.

"What was that about, Draco?"

An elegant shrug of his shoulders was his initial response. He took a moment to consider his words carefully. Finally, he just blurted them out.

"I missed you."

Hermione hoped that he was telling the truth. Something about knowing that the wizard thought about her when they weren't together and actually missed her made her feel warm and valued. It had been a long time since she felt that way. But, she was always careful not to get too wrapped up in her own emotions. As time went on and she was away from his influence longer, she found it more difficult to trust his motivations. What did he have to gain?

"How is everything going at the Ministry?"

Half a dozen more questions about the status of her plan to free Aberforth came tumbling out of his mouth in short order. He was very curious about her progress. Hermione wondered if that was what that all was. Maybe he was just using her to get answers, using her to get the wizard he respected out of prison. It would make sense if he was just using her to get information for the Resistance. She didn't appreciate being made to feel like that was all she was worth.

"I'm still working on it."

No details were forthcoming no matter how many more questions he asked. Frustrated, she adjusted her clothing and headed back into the village. He wasn't foolish enough to follow.