Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series and all the characters except the one I created belong to J. K. Rowling. The places I mention in the story with details are not advertised, they are mentioned in order to make the settings and the story more real. I don't make any profit.

Beta: Myka Ren

A/N: Thank you pgoodrichbloggs for your review! I'm sorry! I know its been over a month but I got busy with family drama and studying to retake my entrance exams. From now on I will try to update once a week or more.

Tales In The Mist

Chapter 8

Hermione didn't know where they were but the view was breathtaking. They had left Japan on the same day they went to Katharine's house. Renji had been kind enough to give them his tent and all the necessary things to survive for almost a month. She had ensured they had all all the necessary potions, books, clothes and dry food. They took the airplane again after they disguised themselves and reached Norway. That was the easy part. The difficult part was to go near the village without setting off any wards the Aurors may have set.

The moment they aparated in the forest Malfoy wanted to go to his mothers house. Well if she had heard that from Harry or Ron she would take it as normal but she knew that Malfoy was desperate to ensure that his mother was okay to think logically. After all, she knew all too well the feeling of wanting to protect your family.

Thinking of her parents almost brought her to tears. They had set the camp and Malfoy was placing wards and protection enchantments. Looking off at the view she wondered how her parents were. She had yet to find a way to restore their memories. Simply reversing the spell was extremely risky. For a magical being the chances of success are 15 out of a hundred considering that 5 years had passed since casting the spell. For a non magical being the chances are almost zero. She was trying to find another way but as more time passed, getting her parents back without brain damaging them looked like a fleeting dream.

Moving closer to the cliff she looked back at the tent and Malfoy before turning around again. It was cold, being so high in the mountain and the weather was gloomy. Dark clouds passed above them roaring with thunders. Living with Harry and Ron in a tent had been easy. Staying with Malfoy would be challenging. She didn't want to lie and say that she didn't know why.

Malfoy was completely different and she felt different. Not that she would admit. She didn't want to grow attached to him, something she subconsciously did. Her heart had been broken way too many times and letting herself feel for him would only end up badly. That man was...irritating, clever, irritably handsome, a git but she felt like when this whole ordeal would be over that she would miss him. She hated herself enough that she loved the way they argued. How he would lean closer to her until their faces were inches apart. How his eyes would change to a dark grey like the clouds on a thunderstorm. How her eyes moved from his to his lips and he would lick them.

Hermione didn't want to feel. She wanted to block everything out. She was a logical girl and logical girls don't start creating feelings for the man accompanying them on a quest to find their right.

Hermione Granger was afraid to fall. How long had it been since she had let herself fall? Since Ron... Why did she have to feel now? Why not when she was going out with Smith? Why not when eh dated Cormac? Why now? Why did she feel like she wouldn't be able to live without his eyes? Why did she hope? Why dream of something that would never happen? He was getting married and Hermione would be left with a 'what if?'. What if he loved her back? Would he worship her? Would he be willing to break his pureblood tradition? Would he make her whimper when she climaxed?

She didn't want to get herself in such a condition. She didn't want to fall in the emotional well.

She could hear her name being called in the distance but her eyes were glassy allowing her to get lost on her train of thought. She didn't want to think. She wanted to shut her brain off for once in her lifetime. No Draco Malfoy. No feelings. No world.

A hand softly touched her shoulder and she closed her eyes turning to face the man that haunted her.

She met a pair of thundering eyes. Dark grey mixed with lighter shades of grey just like the clouds. Those eyes immediately softened once they met hers. How was he feeling? Did he have debates like that too? Was this all a passing fancy? Just because she had started to get to know him?

Slowly his other hand touched her hand and gave it a slight reassuring squeeze. Was she having a mental breakdown? She couldn't tell. She only could tell how she could read his eyes like she read her books. How she could feel his warmth radiating off his body as he moved closer to her. How she desperately wanted to know that 'what if?'.

Allowing herself to just relax she let her soul win the battle against her brain. For the soul knew how to heal itself. The only challenge was silencing the mind. She closed her eyes once Malfoy rested his forehead on hers their noses side by side.

She needed to know.

She wanted to feel.

She craved it.

She loved his smell. That pine smell mixed with mint and a musky masculine scent. She loved how nice her body fitted his when they hugged. She loved the small vulnerable moments both had and each one could heal the other. A elderly man had once asked her if she believed in soul mates. She couldn't say back there but now she wanted to know. Each soul was unique. An entity on its own but there were some pieces of each soul, some characteristics only one other soul could bring out. Those souls meet, for they have the same hiding place. Be it a library, a forest, a cafe. They always meet.

What if they were soul mates? What if that read thred she had seen for a moment on her hand lead to him? Would he want to be with her?

She parted her lips as she felt him move closer to her. Cheek on cheek. His warm breath meeting hers. It was only a small tilt of their heads. She could feel his lips above hers before a shrieking sound erupted at the trees close to them.

Both immediately pulled away and pointed their wands at the trees.

"I wrote a coded letter to my mother. Take it and go to the houses Owlry. I checked the wards and they can't trace us there. I'll check the source of the sound." Malfoy said and before she could protest he had gone in the forest.

Sighing Hermione lowered her wand and entered the tent. He had mentioned in the airplane that the villagers thought the forest to be cursed and noone dared to enter. Will all the enchantments and spells they wouldn't need to keep guard.

Taking the letter she went to the tree on the border of their camp and made a scratching mark. Half was hidden away by the charms. Though it was tiring she marked every tree on her way to the Owlry to ensure that they would be able to go back to their camp.

Sending the letter, she watched as the owl flew in the house before taking cover. She didn't want to think of what almost happened. Her mind had already been going down a dangerous trail and thinking about their almost kissing would drive her crazy.

The sound of steps on fallen leaves made her snap her head and point her wand at whoever was coming. She only lowered it after she met the eyes of the man that haunted her dreams.

"Won't it be dangerous? Sending a letter I mean." She asked as Malfoy sat at a rock.

"For anyone else the letter is gibberish. It's a code my mother and I came up with to talk during the war." He explained and she nodded understanding.

"You never told me about your parents Granger." He exclaimed turning to look at her, "You always are up to listening to me talking about my mother or about things I did when I was a kid but you don't talk about anything like that." He pointed out and Hermione bit her lip.

He had asked after all and nicely. Maybe he could help her. Malfoy had knowledge on some matters that she hadn't read about.

Turning to him she avoided his eyes. "Before the war I erased their memories." She explained waiting for a reaction or exclamation but nothing came. Looking up, she met his eyes and tried to gather her courage. "I wanted them to be safe so I send them off to Australia. They think they are Wendell and Monica Wilkins. Childless dentists that love hiking." She said fighting to keep her tears from running.

"You can't reverse the spell." Malfoy concluded and she nodded keeping a straight face.

"No. The risks of brain damage are too high. I have been searching for another way to make them remember but I haven't found anything." She sighed.

"I can help." Malfoy said making her look sharply at him.

"How?" She asked intrigued.

Malfoy seemed slightly uncomfortable but shook his head and answered.

"The flowers of Babylon." He answered and Hermione looked scandalized.

"Are you crazy? They are supposed to be extinct." She said remembering having read about them in Hogwarts.

The flowers of Babylon were two of the strongest magical plants in the hanging gardens of Babylon. The flower that bloomed the day was added in every potion making it almost undetectable and extremely strong. The flower that bloomed by night was added in the antidotes of the day blooming flower.

"They aren't obviously." He retorted, "The day blooming one is at London's botanical garden as an endangered plant. The night blooming is in Egypt. I did some research on the Babylonian potions and by Plato's and other philosophers descriptions I managed to find the flowers." He explained.

Hermione didn't know why he had mentioned the flowers but the project was intriguing. Studying the potions of an ancient civilization and managing to locate two of the most important plants on their culture is impressive.

"You can drool all over the project idea later Granger." He grunted and Hermione pouted but stayed silent waiting for him.

"Plato had described the method of making a potion that combined dreamshade with the day blooming. Have you got any idea what dreamshade is?" He asked and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Powerful killing plant that is used as a drug." She answered and he nodded.

"Combined with day bloom and mandrakes tears it can lose the ability to kill but it wipes clean your memory." He explained and then all clicked in place.

"If you make the antidote and add the night blooming you can restore memories." She completed his talk in a daze as he nodded.

"I was in the middle of making it. Once this is over we can go get some night bloom and restore your parents memories." He explained softly making Hermione blink.

"Would you do that to help me?" She asked and she looked in his eyes. There was only honesty there. He wasn't bluffing or making fun of her. He really meant it.

"I think I have proven to you that I will follow you to the end of Earth. Making a potion is the less thing I could do." He explained before his attention was pulled elsewhere.

Turning around Hermione noticed miss Narcissa exit the house and carefully make her way towards the Owlry.

She hadn't even reached their hiding place before Draco engulfed her in a hug.

He seemed relieved to see her be okay.

"Dear Merlin you are okay." Narcissa thanked as she pulled away from the hug and examined him.

"What happened Draco? Why do they think you killed a person?" She asked and Malfoy explained everything to her.

If looks could kill miss Narcissa would probably had killed both of them. She was furious but she wouldn't let it show.

"I can't believe that those buffoons managed to escape getting arrested. I will inform mister Potter about them. He had asked me in case I know anyone that might had it in for you darling but I didn't know." She exclaimed and Draco shook his head.

"Its okay mother. We didn't know either. We found out yesterday and came here immediately. How are things back in England?" He asked and Hermione stepped closer to hear better.

"Mister Potter has searched all the country and France for you two. He told me in private some days ago that he found some clues showing that the tests had been tampered with. He is sure someone is trying to frame you and he secretly conducts researches to find more evidence that can clean your name. They have set Aurors in the house and don't allow me and Andromeda to go back in Britain." She sighed, "The Greengrasses cancelled the betrothal. They didn't want to get their reputation destroyed. Astoria visited me and apologized for her parents actions. I returned to them her dowry. It didn't seem right to keep her things." She said and Malfoy nodded in agreement seeming relieved about it.

"She also talked to Potter. She said that you two had spend the afternoon together so she gave you an alibi for the time of murder." She explained before turning to Hermione.

Hermione was relieved that Malfoy had an alibi but she wished she could get one too. After their lunch she had gone home for a shower and to change her shirt and then went straight to work. The murder took place while she was at work so she could get one to testify for her.

"Miss Granger?" Miss Narcissa asked and Hermione brought her attention to her.

"Thank you for taking care of Draco. " she aid solemnly and Hermione softened her look.

"It was nothing." She asked with a small smile before all three noticed someone exit the house.

"You must go." Malfoy said and miss Narcissa seemed in a dilemma.

Hermione could see desperation in her eyes. That woman may keep her cool but her eyes are as expressing as Malfoys. She didn't want to leave her son. She didn't want to be forced to be away from him.

In the end, she pulled him a quick fast before picking up the water bowl from the Owlry and walking back towards the house.

Malfoy stayed there looking until his mother was safe in the house. Slowly Hermione took his hand and led his back to their camp.

A soft drizzle had started while they were walking. The storm was only beginning.

Once in the tent she softly pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed and started softly stroking his hair.

She wasn't sure if he allowed her to do so but she needed him to relax.

Softly, she leaned in a kissed his forehead, resting her head on top of his. Her cheeks burned a but as his arms wrapped around of her and he buried his face in her chest.

She didn't need books or logic to understand that man. He was raw emotion. He needed love but wouldn't tell you.