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: Teriyaki Princes

A/N: Enjoy!

Tales In The Mist

Chapter 12

The Ministry of Magic was full. Every wizard or witch that was able to leave work was there to hear the speech Harry Potter was to give about the case of their war heroine and the ex-Death Eater.

Hermione was standing next to Harry on the podium the Ministry had set for the speech, but her mind was elsewhere. She had been replaying her and Draco's argument in her head, ever since they had returned to England.

I needed to get you out of my system.

For some reason, it hurt.

It hurt a lot. She hated hurting people and she couldn't believe she hadn't understood he had become infatuated with her, because she didn't dare believe it was love. It was lust. He was a man and his needs had gotten the better of him. Simple. What did she have that other women didn't have to get him drawn to her, after all?

Harry touched her shoulder softly, and she snapped her head up to look at him.

"Hey, are you okay? You look pale." He asked her, and she shook her head, her eyes involuntarily searching the crowd for pale blond hair.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just tired and glad this is over. Won't Malfoy come?" she asked, and Harry shook his head.

"No. He said he wanted to go home and not get mixed up with the press again. He said he had had enough of both of us to last him a lifetime." He answered her while making a face.

"Not only do we save his ass and prove that he is not guilty, but he has the nerve to still be a right wanker to us. If it was in my hand, he would still be guilty." He continued, but stopped upon getting a glare from Hermione.

"He had enough to deal with and I'm sure he has more important things to do than attend a press conference." She told him off, and Harry raised his hands in defeat.

"Molly is expecting us for lunch after this mess is over. Everyone is so excited to see you again. It has been three months after all." He smiled at her, before Kingsley came out of his office and everyone stopped talking.

"Thank you all for coming today." He started, looking at everyone. "Three months ago, a ministry official from the Japanese Ministry of Magic was killed in her apartment, shortly after leaving a business appointment with Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy, who were chosen by the Ministry to negotiate with her about trading potion ingredients and some banning regulations. Little did we know that Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger were both being targeted by a group of Death Eaters that wanted them dead, or at the very least in Azkaban. Mister Potter will tell you more about the case." Kingsley finished and the people clapped.

After squeezing her hand reassuringly, Harry stood at the podium and looked at the crowd.

"Katharine Tanaka had been spying on Mister Malfoy and Miss Granger for over a year and was murdered by said Death Eaters because of unknown reasons. Our evidence show that they probably had a disagreement about their targets or that their goals were not the same anymore. She had been killed by the use of dark spells that cut wounds into the body and hair. DNA evidence was left on her body to incriminate Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy. After months of fruitless investigations, Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy contacted us through Narcissa Black Malfoy to tell us they had found evidence proving their innocence. We already had testimonies of people giving them an alibi but the Wizengamot didn't consider them to be enough. We now have files in our hands, containing information about Miss Tanaka and the Death Eaters." Harry said, pausing for effect and licking his lips.

"A valuable source of information told us the name of one of the Death eaters, claiming that they would get even." He continued, making that part up as it was the most possible reason.

"Edward Collins." He said, and there was a moment of silence before hell came loose.

"Mister Potter, who is your source?"

"Mister Potter, do you know the names of the other Death Eaters?"

"Isn't the fact that Miss Granger was targeted by Death Eaters the Auror's fault for not capturing them?"

Harry raised a hand and the questions stopped.

"I cant give the name of my source and no, we are not informed about the their names. And as for the last question, yes it is and as the head of the department, I am deeply ashamed that two innocent people were almost put in Azkaban and most of all, I am ashamed because I thought my best friend had committed the crime." He paused, and gave Hermione a sad look.

"We won't answer any more questions and both miss Ganger and mister Malfoy will be guarded by Aurors. They are under absolutely no obligation to answer any questions. Thank you." Harry finished he interview, and climbed down, making a b line for Hermione.

Hermione was touched by Harry's words. She really hadn't thought of how her friends had been affected by this whole ordeal.

"Let's go." Harry said, and she took his hand, stopping him.

"I 'm not mad at you, Harry." she told him, and was immediately pulled into his arms.

Both held each other, as if they would never see each other again.

Pulling away, Hermione wiped a few stray tears away and watched him do the same.

"Can I stay with you at Grimmauld place?" She asked, and Harry nodded.

"It 's your home too." He answered, before taking her hand and making his way to the

empty fireplace Kingsley had kept for them.

Harry flooed to the Burrow first and Hermione took a moment to collect herself. Everything was so awkward. The warm shower she had taken, prior to coming to the Ministry, the fact that she wasn't an outcast anymore, that there wouldn't be a blond, sarcastic, actually really sweet, idiot outside waiting for her, seated on the couch and nagging about how his ideas were better than hers.

Rubbing her temple, she sighed once more. She had been truthful. She had turned him down not quite gently but he had hurt her emotions too. Yes, that was it. After all, it was easier being angry with someone else, ignoring your part in the whole ordeal.

With a small smile and her best relieved attitude, she stepped into the fireplace and let the green flames engulf her, before appearing with a thud in the Burrow's busy living room.

"Hermione, dear!" Molly exclaimed, pulling her in a hug before she had even managed to dust the soot off her clothes.

"Nice to see you Molly." She smiled, returning the hug.

Pulling away, she was pulled in a hug by Ginny that almost suffocated her.

"Merlin knows how much I missed you. Did Malfoy hurt you while on your trip? I swear, if he ever did so little as hurt a hair on your head, he'll be sorry." She asked, and Hermione shook her head, her heart clenching at the mention of the blond man.

"He didn't hurt me." she reassured the girl, before standing in front of Ron.

"I, uh, I'm sorry." He cracked out, burying his hands in his pockets.

That was when Hermione noticed something had changed about him. He looked tidier, healthier, and he had a glow that wasn't there when they were still a couple.

"For what?" She asked with a smile, and watched as he rocked on the ball of his feet.

"Well I kind of thought you killed someone. You cursed Edgecombs face in fifth year, and closed Skeeter in a jar for months in fourth. It just seemed possible, and- and Malfoy is a bad guy." He said, but if he was trying to joke, all of the humor was lost on her.

"He is not a bad guy. The war's over and despite him being an ass to everyone and saying nasty things, he isn't a bad guy." She exclaimed, and Ron raised his hands as if in surrender.

"Geez, Hermione. Some things never change, do they? Giving people second chances and all." He smiled, and Hermione tried to smile too, succeeding by the look on his face. Her heart, though, was ready to break again. She really didn't need to be reminded of him all the time.

It was guilt after all. Guilt that she had turned him down like that...

No! It wasn't her fault. He had started the argument!

"Something's different about you." She smiled, and Ron blushed, the air between them thickening.

"I'm dating someone." He started, and Hermione smiled to help him continue.

"Her name's Lauren. I met her in France when I went there supposedly looking for you. She's an Auror too, and transferred over to be in our department." He explained, and now Hermione was smiling brightly.

"That's amazing, Ron. I'm so happy for you." She exclaimed, making him grin back.

"I think you'll like her. She's smart and sweet and I'd like it if you could both be friendly. She is moving here, after all, for me and I want her to have a friend." He

admitted, and she nodded.

"Count on it. I'm actually quite eager to meet her." She admitted, and Ron pulled her in a hug.

"Thanks."

Lunch was as perfect as always and she felt relieved. Relieved that there wasn't any awkward moments and that her heart didn't ache. Relieved that her pulse didn't quicken and she never felt the magic in her veins reach out to someone.

At one point, she had seen a red thread. It was tied around her pinky finger and it looped and turned and twisted but the other end wasn't there. It was only there for a moments' breath.

Dinner had her almost exploding from the amount of food she had eaten. Molly wouldn't let her leave the table until she had eaten enough food for all the months she was away.

Standing up from the table, she excused herself to use the loo and sighed in relief when she locked the door behind her. After finishing her business and going to wash her hands, she paused, staring in the mirror. She had lost some pounds and looked paler but she was the same. The very same.

Suddenly, something was behind her. A shadow was standing behind her and when she turned away from the mirror, nothing was there. Her heart was pounding hard. Seeing and hearing things weren't good, even for the magical world. Cold sweat was running down her back and she closed her eyes hard to shake her fear away.

Opening her eyes, she stared directly into the mirror and Malfoy was standing behind her, where the shadow was before. But he was bloody and his eyes were lifeless. His hand was clinging to a locket and the other held a golden ball with circles on it.

A scream left her throat and the mirror broke, resulting in the shards falling and

cutting her hands, where she was holding the basin.

Immediately the door was unlocked and Harry ran in, taking in her shaking image. Looking around, he ensured nothing was in there with her before pulling her in his arms, despite the blood.

Hermione was shaking hard. She had never been so terrified in her life, not even when she was facing death with Bellatrix Lestrange looming over her. Her mind was playing tricks with her. There couldn't be another possible explanation. She was breaking.

"Shhhh its all okay. You're safe." Harry murmured, still holding her close. She was clinging onto him for dear life, afraid that if she looked up, she would come face to face with that mirage of Malfoy.

"I'm so sorry Harry." She whimpered, daring to open her eyes.

Ron was standing at the door with Ginny, and George was looking around the small room to see what could have possibly happened.

Molly came running and looked at the scene.

"What happened? Are you okay sweety?" She asked, worried sick, and Hermione, finally pulling herself together after her panic subsided nodded looking up at the woman that was like a second mother to her.

"Yes, I'm okay. I just had a really tiring day. Would you mind if I went home to rest?" She asked, and Molly shook her head as she healed her hands.

"Of course not, dear. Go get some rest. You look like you've seen a boggart." She said, and Hermione's head shot up.

"Could you please check the bathroom for one? I saw something terrible." She said, ignoring Harry's sharp look as he helped her stand.

"I'll take her to Grimmauld place. I'll be right back." He said, and led her to the fireplace after grabbing her bag.

They flooed together and walked out of the fireplace on the other side.

Tentatively, she sat on an armchair and closed her eyes as she felt her muscles relax.

Harry left her bag on the coffee table and sat on it in front of her.

"What did you see, Hermione?" He asked, frowning when the woman in front of him shook her head, avoiding meeting his eyes.

"It was nothing, Harry." She tried but failed to convince him.

"Remember once you were the one telling me that visions weren't real? I think that you are right but there are people who have real visions. Seers, for example." He tried, but she threw him a glare.

"I'm not a Seer." She said, shaking her head.

"I know you're not but you never know how the Great Day is affecting you." He informed her, and Hermione looked at him shocked.

"What's the Great Day?" She asked, and it was Harry's turn to look shocked.

"You don't know?" He mumbled, "Its a festival that happens every two millennium-it's about celebrating the element of magic itself. Its connected with the moon eclipse that will happen next month. The festival and all the weird activities start appearing a month prior to the eclipse."He explained.

Hermione looked at him, frozen. A lot of scenarios were running through her head

and she couldn't talk to him about them. They would be celebrating the Source and the peak of all magical activity would be during the moon's eclipse.

She needed to talk to Malfoy, but she doubted he would listen to her. He had to know, though, and she couldn't tell him through the floo or a letter because they could get intercepted.

"I didn't see anything, Harry. Thanks for informing me about the festival." Hermione said, and the Boy Who Lived nodded, disappointed she wouldn't tell him what was on her mind.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?" He asked as he walked to the fireplace.

Hermione nodded, picking up her bag.

"I will." She reassured him, watching as he disappeared in a flash of green flames.

Throwing her bag onto a chair, she ran to get to the basement and find the book. She needed to learn more. Whatever was happening, it was affecting her.

And she didn't like it one bit.