Chapter Nine

Draco, under the guise of a heavy cloak, perused the shelves of Flourish and Botts trying to find a particular book. He was unsure of how he was going to pay for said book but he knew how appreciative Hermione would be for the small gesture. Something he had learned over time was that it was the small things that captivated Hermione and not huge obvious romantic gestures. Deciding that he would not find it in the magical section he moved towards the muggle fiction where he found what he was looking for. Looking around he noticed that the area was desolate and he slipped the medium sized book under his heavy cloak and hurried out of Flourish and Botts before anyone could notice him.

It was raining outside and Hermione peered out the window at the gray sky covering the land before her. She had pulled up a rope of sheets that Draco had used to escape with, now she was worried about his where abouts. He would be obvious walking around Hogsmede and she feared what would happen if he was caught. She was surprised he had managed to climb out of the small window without being noticed in the first place. After roughly thirty minutes she could hear someone cursing loudly underneath the window and when she popped her head out all she could see was a heavy cloak kicking the wall muttering curses under its breath. Then the cloaked figure looked up and she recognised the pale features underneath it. She hurriedly threw the sheet rope out the window and then ducked her head back inside so that she would not be seen if he happened to be caught scaling her wall into a non-existent window. Draco's head was the first thing to appear but he had obviously not thought out his re-entry into the room as there was no room for his legs so Hermione had to pull him in through the window causing him to land with a loud thump awkwardly on his face.

Hermione could not contain her giggles, not worrying if anyone had heard the rather loud bang as his face had connected with the ground, Draco's face held a rather sour expression but that just made her laugh harder. It took her a while to control her girlish giggling, not before Draco had seen the humor in the situation and had begun laughing himself. It then dawned on her the risk he had taken leaving the room she had offered him and her face soured which in turn ceased the stifled snorts from Draco.

"Where did you go?" she questioned him, worry and anger apparent on her face.

"For a walk," he lied in response turning a deep shade of crimson, similar to that of a cooked lobster, that made it more than obvious that he was not being truthful.

"For a walk?" Hermione repeated cocking an eyebrow as if to say i don't believe you, "then why did you have to climb out the window? You could have gone back to Hogwarts and walked around there." Draco stood up and brushed some imaginary dust off of the grey wool cloak he was wearing over the fresh linen shirt and cotton pants Hermione had stolen from Harry and Ron. He was trying to think up a good and believable lie to tell her. It would have to be a doozy as he knew Hermione could see quite plainly through lies. No matter how elaborate that were. He decided that it would be best to be defensive about his whereabouts causing a small argument as that would be the only way to hide the truth from her.

"Why do you have to know where I have been?" he leaned against the fire place in case he had to make a hasty retreat, "What business is it of yours, know it all?" He could see he had hit the right chord with Hermione and she was truly offended by his remarks. Hermione on the other hand was feeling quite fiery and was having trouble containing. She had sat there worried about him and when she asked for an explanation as to his whereabouts he insulted her.

"Well seeing as this is my place, and that is my window you climbed out of, i have every right to be curious! What if you'd have been caught? I would get in a lot of trouble for harbouring a fugitive!" She snapped back in retort offending her friend in the process.

"So that's what you think of me? A fugitive and a snitch? You think I would tell anyone what you've done for me? You think I don't appreciate your help?" He pulled the book out from under his cloak and threw it on the bed, "I went to get this for you, I wanted to wrap it and leave it as a gift, don't bother, there is no need to thank me." and with that he turned on his heels and disappeared in a flash of green flames.

Hermione was stunned at the gesture, on the bed lay a hardcover copy of one of her favorite stories from her child hood. She sat down heavily on the bed and fingered the hard spine of limited edition version of Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carrol. When she opened the hard cover to her surprise inside was in elegant script written a poem not by the original author of the book but by the famous Edgar Allen Poe. Hermione ran her fingers over the elegant words and she suddenly felt awful for the things she had said in anger to her friend. Not only had he gotten her a book she had read more times than Hogwarts: A history, but he had also written one of her favorite poems, by her favorite poet inside of it. When she flipped to the back cover in the same script she found another poem also by Edgar Allen Poe.

It amazed her how he had remembered her favorite things, she may of only told him in a passing, quick conversation and did not expect him to remember in such detail. She held the small token of appreciation to her chest and inhaled deeply falling onto the bed she had been sitting on previously. She felt racked with guilt and did not know how to make it up to her special friend. She could not remember Harry or Ron doing anything for her, definitely they had not done something so generous and thoughtful. She felt so consumed with her own guilt that she for a while did not even think to return the favor.

Draco kicked the stones around the room, he was quite annoyed that his plans had been spoiled. He was fretting as he had not heard any news of his mother. As he was pacing another length of the room the door opened and in walked his father. He sat with a heavy thump on the ground, dismissing any form of grace as he did so. His father with the same lack of grace thumped down beside him.

"How is she?" Draco asked putting his head on his fathers shoulder.

"She's one tough cookie," Lucius responded stroking his son's hair and wrapping a protective arm around his shoulder.

"They haven't caused her any serious injury have they?"

"Do you think I would let them hurt her?"

"Of course not," Draco sighed, his worrying mind not appeased by his father's response. He was no longer a child and he knew that his father was powerless to stop the Death Eaters doing as they pleased to his mother.

"Listen Draco, I am not allowed to stay, I simply have a message for you to hurry up from the dark lord, he is impatient and I can only protect your mother for so long," Lucius pulled his son into a hug and stood up dusting off his own tattered robes.

"Will I see you again?" Draco looked up at his father in earnest worry and grief obvious over his features. Lucius looked down at his son and remembered playing hide and seek with him as a little boy. He had always been so adventurous and mischievous, he was able to hide for long periods of time causing his parents to fret about the where abouts of their only child.

"I don't know my son, but promise me, no matter what be brave, every thing will turn out as it should." With these words of wisdom Lucius Malfoy turned and exited the room without further delay, leaving his son more worried than before.

Hermione cloaked in deep crimson and dark of night hurried out of her apartment towards Hogwarts. Dressed similar to little red riding hood, a basket laden with food under her arm, she made her way through the drizzling rain. Her plan was not as well thought out as she hoped to but she figured that she would have to make a serious effort to make amends after such a dreadful argument. It was cold outside and she wished she had been able to take the floo network but unfortunately when she tried her attempts had failed horribly. She had been unable to find the golden gates, where she presumed he had gone and she could not quite remember where in Hogwarts the room was hidden as she had only once walked there by foot.

As she reached the doors of the main entrance she looked quickly behind her, pulling off her hood as she entered the large castle. Hogwarts at night was now deserted as the head master was no longer there to protect the students, those who parents had not allowed them to drop out let them stay in the Leaky Cauldron so they commuted in large numbers to their classes. They rarely spent time in the castle as it was partially ruined and most of the facilities were uselessly incapacitated. The students only congregated near their classrooms and the great hall which had miraculously remained unaffected. The house elves remained in the castle but stayed in the kitchens as much as possible for fear of capture. Hermione could hear the werewolves howling in the dark forest and the noise alone sent a violent shiver down her spine. She hurried up the grand staircase and made her way to the stairs that would lead her to her destination. She had to light her wand to see anything as Hogwarts now left practically abandoned, was shrouded in darkness lit only occasionally by the lightening storm playing fiercely outside the castle walls.

The dark, unknown surroundings worried Hermione as she was left unaware of what horrible frightening things were lurking in the darkness. As she made her way up the moving staircase she got a creepy feeling that someone or something was following closely behind her but every time she turned around and held up her wand she was greeted only with further darkness. She swore she could hear footsteps in the darkness, her breath she could hear was coming out in short gasps as she steadily climbed upwards and onwards. She was full of fear as she passed familiar places where she had once felt safe she was now petrified of what lay behind and what could be in front of her.

She had just passed the library and was heading up when she recognised the familiar floor and she knew she was not far from the gates of Elysium now and not far from the safety of her friend. Just as she was walking as quickly as she could towards the room she noticed something or someone hurrying towards her. Before she could cry out and warn the on comer of her existence or duck out of the way of the speeding hoon she was knocked to the ground where everything had become black.

A/N:

I got NO reviews for the last chapter one i was really quite proud of! There fore i have no one to really thank in this chapter!!! Okay so to the people who do read this I appriciate it BUT LEAVE A REVIEW WOULD YA!!!!

The next chapter really gets the ball rolling on the whole Hermione and Draco thing so keep reading and let me know what you think and give me any ideas as i am always open to ideas...

Much Love

Perfect Butterfly Blade