Hermione collapsed into a chair, wearily blowing her hair back from her face. In her pockets were a number of gold-covered items – earrings, necklaces, bracelets. Severus had given her the darkest stare when she had admitted what she and Ginny had done with the Pearls; but after a moment, he had laughed. He seemed to find some morbid amusement in being burgled. Hermione supposed that if she had been willing to commission a theft then realised she had been stolen from by the thief she would be amused also. But only after she got past being really grumpy. She shrugged. It had taken all sorts of convincing to get the darned things back.

Blaise sat opposite her. He was smiling, but there were stress lines on his forehead that hadn't been there before.

"Well, Hermione, how are you?"

Hermione sighed. "Tired, run down, overworked, but otherwise fine. Yourself?"

Blaise's expression turned wry. He looked away. "Tired, emotionally exhausted, otherwise fine. Sorry to get right to the point, but why did you request supper tonight?"

Hermione frowned a little at Blaise, but he seemed unwilling to share. "The earring I gave you, I need it back."

Blaise shrugged, took it out and handed it back. "Wondered what you would do with it," he added.

"You aren't going to get angry with me for asking for it back?" Hermione could see all the other recipients in her mind's eye grumbling over her asking for it back. The 'luck' they had received had been a hard thing to return.

Blaise gave her a long, weary look. "I knew what it was when I took it. And my power… Well, perhaps getting back to my own luck will be better." And he looked away.

Hermione shook her head. "Do you want to talk about it?" She offered. Blaise shook his head slowly.

"It's not something I want to burden you with. But, tell me, how goes your application to St. Mungo's?"

Hermione thought about latching onto the subject, trying to draw Blaise out. She discarded the idea slowly: the man was obviously not in a good way, but perhaps he didn't need the burden of another person knowing about his worries. So she conversed with him over supper about all sorts of interesting things, from the potions she and Snape had sent to St. Mungo's to the price of food and the lack of governance of Wizarding Britain. Finally, when supper was over and she was standing to leave, she brought the topic up again.

"You know, Blaise, if you ever want someone to talk to… I'm happy to listen." She laughed quietly. "And if you're not comfortable talking with me, Draco seems to have developed quite the listening ear."

Blaise started, stared at Hermione. "Malfoy? His Majesty of the Mighty Opinions? I have never known him to listen to another person… Ever." He peered at her. "You haven't been feeding him strange, experimental potions, have you?"

Hermione laughed, more at Blaise's humour than his joke. "No, no. If you want to know, feel free to come down to the Leaky Cauldron and see him. Yes," she added at his surprised look, "he's slumming it with the rest of us." She smiled.

Blaise nodded slowly. "I might do that. I haven't seen him for years. Keep safe, Hermione," he said, giving her a quick embrace before leaving to pay the bill. Hermione watched his back for a couple of moments before turning and leaving herself.

Back at the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione found Severus exiting Draco's room. He was wearing a worried frown that followed familiar creases in his face. His expression eased when he saw her.

"Worried about him?" she asked quietly as they walked down the hallway.

Severus' frown became thoughtful. "He seems to have little inclination to keep himself alive. I wonder about his emotional health. He seems to be preparing himself to die. Ruminating over his life. He barely resembles himself."

"You knew him well when he was growing up, didn't you?"

"I was his Godfather. I took the responsibility seriously."

"Who was his Godmother?" Hermione wondered aloud.

Severus snorted. "His Aunt."

"Andromeda Tonks?" Hermione gasped.

"Hermione, are you quite well?" He sneered. "No. Bellatrix Black."

Hermione shuddered, a phantom memory glaring black-eyed at her down the length of a wand. She flinched. Severus surrounded her shoulders with his arm, pulled her close as they descended down the stairs. "I often have much the same reaction," he confided quietly. He steered her into a small meeting room with several comfortable chairs. Ginny was already seated inside.

"I believe that we have all the Paradise Pearls collected," Severus stated, walking to stand beside the fireplace. Ginny nodded from her chair. Hermione slumped into a chair, suddenly feeling tired from the wrangling she'd had to do all day.

"I really didn't expect to have to fight so hard to get people to give the damn things back," she said.

There was a time of silence. "What will you do with them?" Ginny asked.

Severus turned to look at her. "I think we will grind them up and scatter them into the sea."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You convinced me to steal them, and now you are going to throw them away?"

Severus gave her a weary look. "I am too tired for humour right now, Weasley. I believe the ocean will be the best option."

Hermione nodded slowly, and Ginny added, "Don't forget to take the five in my drawer."

"I'll go get them now," Hermione said, pulling herself up onto weary feet. "Otherwise I'll forget and we'll have to go through the process twice. Play nice," she added as she left. Severus gave her a wicked grin.

Once Hermione was gone, Snape turned to Ginny.

"I am worried about Draco," he stated. Ginny frowned. "He… seems to have to inclination to pursue life. How has he seemed to you?"

Ginny nodded slowly. "I've noticed much the same thing. Actually, I'm quite sure that he is looking for the attention. He wants to know how much we care," she clarified at Snape's dark look. "He said to me last night, 'you're going to a lot of trouble to keep me alive.' And we are. I think he needs to know that he's worth the trouble."

Snape raised an eyebrow at her. "Melodramatic, but then, Draco usually is. Has he… opened up to you?"

Ginny frowned. "I suppose you could call it that. When I ask him questions, he actually answers them. He keeps the conversation going, as well."

Snape nodded. He stared deep into the fire. "You haven't told him."

There was no question in the statement. "No," she replied unnecessarily.

Snape looked over at her. "He needs to know."

Ginny looked down at her hands. The copper band gleamed dully up at her with firelight. "I know."