Chapter 5

Hermione grabbed both their dishes without a word when they were done, and washed them. Sure, Draco could have done it with a wave of his wand, but Hermione thought she should show gratitude in some way for the food. And she didn't have a wand.

Afterwards, Draco left the room, and Hermione followed without a word.

After a long stroll down the hall, back past what Hermione came of think of as her room, they came to a huge entry hall. The room was enormous, with a gaudy gold and crystal chandelier hanging above. The carpet was a golden color, and ran up the giant stairway across from where they came in.

And then, of course, was the door. It was a large and solid looking double door, with no windows. There were some heavily draped windows to either side of the door, letting in no light. The chandelier was turned low, and the overall effect was like something out of Dracula's castle. The room's design looked like it was mean to be bright and showy, but everything was dark. In fact, most of the house had been kept rather dark.

"What, are you hiding here or something?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked surprised. "No, why would you think that? I have a job to do here."

Hermione shook her head. "Everything is kept so dark!"

Draco smirked. "Coming from a poor muggle-born, I would think it would be obvious that electricity does not come cheap for such a big place."

It clicked then that something was very off about that. "Electricity? Like, you get a bill sent to you, you pay it, to muggles?" The image was too ridiculous. She had a picture in her head of Draco trying to work an online bill pay, and giggled. "I didn't see any power lines. And this far from any muggle communities? You must be kidding me."

Draco frowned. " We use something called magic to transfer the energy here. It's way easier and safer to transfer electricity to wizard homes than it is for us to use magic to light the whole house. That is," he sniffed "for those of us with substantial sized homes."

Hermione smacked her forehead. "I knew that! I forgot, some families do that. You don't pay muggles for the electricity directly, you pay the wizards who transfer the power over; they handle the muggle's bill. It's very pricey, but it's better than using your own wand for a place as…well, massive as this!"

Despite herself, Hermione was impressed, and felt her natural curiosity flare up. Where was the central location for filtering the electricity into the house by a magical channel? Many questions coursed through her head, and she decided to read up on it later. If there was a cheaper way, and more families could take advantage of muggle technology…

But anyways, more important things at hand. Door. That was her escape, if she needed it. She had decided to stay ask long as the benefits of not getting Draco in trouble outweigh the risks. In other words, if she found the horcrux, she was out of there.

And if Ron and Harry showed up…

Almost as if he had read her mind, Draco said, "If your boy's show up here, what the hell am I supposed to do? If they're captured, if they tell that they were here, here in my presence, and I did nothing…" he shivered. "If they show up, I have to send a message about Potter, you know that, right?"

"You can come with us!" Hermione blurted without thinking.

Draco started at her, and blinked. "Why the hell would I do that? I'm not the best death eater, but at least I don't have the fate in store that you three do! Why would I mix myself up in that pile of shit?"

"So your assuming we won't win?"

"How can you win? All this "Chosen One" bullshit! What are a goody goody muggle raised kid, a mudblood bookworm, and a poor-as-dirt boy supposed to do to stop a group of adult wizards headed by the most powerful wizard in the world?!"

Hermione didn't answer, because she couldn't. She had an answer, of course, but Draco was one of the last people she would tell about the horcrux's.

"That's what I though." He said. "I may not be on the most righteous side, but at least I'm on the winning side, right?"

"Spoken like a Slytherin mascot." Hermione said, making no effort to disguise it as anything but an insult. But then something occurred to her. "You admit you're not on the right side, right? You don't really like what's been happening since…You Know Who has been in power, do you?"

Draco rolled his eyes "My heart doesn't exactly bleed for muggle borns and half bloods, no." He sighed. "But I don't think anyone wants what's been going on. It's gone a bit too far…"

"A BIT!?"

He met her eyes. "Ok, it's gone way over the line. Innocent people shouldn't die for this."

"Well, what the hell did you think pure bloods being put above all other's would mean? Did you think everyone would calmly hand over their wands, make you all in charge of the world, and bow to your every whim?"

"No, well, I just wanted…"

"What, to have it confirmed, once and for all, that you were better, just because of what you were born?!" Hermione's face was red with her shouting. Draco, for his part, looked somewhat defeated.

"I don't know. I just don't know. I had always been told that's what I should want, that's all. I don't know anything anymore."

There was something in his voice that made Hermione's face soften. She took her hands off of her hips and asked in a gentle voice, "So we can at least establish that you don't want anyone getting hurt. You don't want me getting hurt, either, right? Even though I'm just a…a Mudblood, to you?"

Draco just nodded, avoiding her eyes.

Something came over Hermione, she didn't know what, but she suddenly found herself with her arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him to her. She just couldn't stand to see anyone look so pitiable, so confused and sad. Sure, he was confused about whether or not he hated people just like her, but the topic didn't matter. He just looked like someone who needed a hug.

She was shocked when his arms came up and circled her shoulders, trapping her to his chest. She gave up, and laid her head against his heart, as if she was falling asleep. She did feel tired. And he was so warm and comfortable, and he actually smelled good, a clean scent, like lilac soap…

She could hear his heart. It started to beat faster as he shifted a bit back, bringing his face down to hers. What was he doing?

She jerked back, tripped over the too-long pants, and fell smack down on her butt. He had tried to kiss her! Where had that come from? In fact, where had her hugging him come from? The moment had been so surreal, so unlike either of them.

He had a slight blush across his face, standing above her. She was beet red, herself.

"What was that?" She asked.

"What do you mean? What was up with you! You just grabbed me out of nowhere!"

"So you thought that was the "all clear" to kiss me!?"

Draco's blush deepened, and he covered up his embarrassment in his usual way, with insults. "Oh, please! You fall all over me, and for a minute I forgot you're a mudblood! Cooped up here, it's feels like forever since I've seen a real witch! Who could blame me for a momentary weakness? Like I'd ever actually be interested in someone like you." He said, sneering down at her.

Hermione stood up, angrily. "And like I could ever think of comforting someone as shallow, annoying, and simple-minded as you!"

And with that she stomped out of the room. Like hell she was going to continue her little household tour with Malfoy! She would search for the horcrux in her own time, and if it was there, she was getting the hell out!