Author's Note: I was going to think about something to write up here so that the chapter title wouldn't be pushed to the left, but I really couldn't think of anything to tell you, but I still didn't want the chapter to be off-center, so this is the author's note that I ended up writing. Happy reading!

Chapter 11

I touch down in a small garden. All the plants inside are enchanted to grow without care, a trick I learned from Naree, one of our house-elves. He told me what the magic had to do, and I just had to find the correct words to make it happen.

I start to dismount, but she hasn't released my waist yet. I clear my throat, and she pulls her hands back with a jolt. She dismounts quickly and takes a few steps away from me.

As I stow the broom away, I hear her walking toward the cottage.

"Mind lifting the Disillusionment Charm?" I ask.

She appears, and then her wand taps the top of my head, and I can see myself again.

"We're going to meet here, then?" she asks me.

I walk past her, open the back door, and enter a small sitting room. I wave my hand at the fireplace, and orange flames burst into life. I relax into a couch and wait for her to come in.

This is my only real home. It was the only gift worth receiving from my father, aside from my Nimbus 2001, of course. He gave me the money for it, but I never told him which house I had chosen to buy, or where it was located.

The first thing I did was learn how to cast the Fidelius Charm so that I could protect my home. I am the only Secret-Keeper, and I've told no one. Blaise and Theo know of its existence, but I've only mentioned it in passing. They asked to see it, but at the time, I couldn't stand the thought of sharing this with anyone. I still don't think I can let anyone in.

But Granger… I somehow feel no need to hide from her. Maybe that means I should be even more diligent in hiding myself from her.

She walks inside slowly, looking around warily.

"There aren't Death Eaters hidden in the walls," I say.

She looks at me, clearly annoyed, and repeats the question she'd asked me outside. "Are we going to meet here, Malfoy?"

"Yes, this is where we're going to meet," I reply. "It'll be safer if you Apparate straight into this room."

"Who lives here?" she asks.

I shake my head. "No one."

She frowns and looks around the room. "How did you—"

"You should leave. I have to get going too," I say, getting to my feet.

She hesitates before asking, "Do you need me to take you anywhere?"

I laugh. "Do you really think you'd be able to take me to any place where I'd have to be? The Manor maybe? Just get going."

She glares at me. "Bye, Malfoy."

She raises her wand and Disapparates with a small pop. As soon as she's gone, I fall back onto the couch and stare into the flames.

Suddenly a face appears in the fireplace, and I hear a familiar voice.

"Draco? How come I can't come through?"

Fucking Theo. Terrible timing, as always.

"I'm at my place."

"No wonder I can't see a bloody thing. You look like you're sitting on air."

"What do you want?" I growl.

"You're not in a very good mood, are you? Your aunt Bellatrix was looking for you. She was pissed when I said I hadn't seen you since two days ago. Where'd you go?"

"Don't ask."

"But she wants to know. She's—"

"Don't push it, Theo. I'll be home to talk to my aunt in a few minutes."

"I just wanted to know where you were off to."

"I don't have to report to you."

"Yeah, I know. I just thought—"

I shoot him a glare, and he abruptly stops talking. "I'll talk to you tomorrow," I say.

"Sure. Bye, Draco."

I nod. As soon as his face disappears from the flames, I can relax again. Even though I know that no one can enter or even see inside this room, I still feel uneasy when faces appear in the fire.

I summon a small basin from the bathroom and place it on the coffee table in front of me. Shutting my eyes, I concentrate hard.

"Aguamenti."

The basin fills with water, and I open my eyes again. Wandless magic is getting easier and easier for me. I touch the tip of my index finger to the water.

Her image appears on the surface of the water as the ripples fade. She's speaking to Weasley and Potter. They say something that worries her, and she rushes toward the staircase of Order headquarters. I watch as the two boys scramble up the stairs behind her. They enter a room on the second floor, and I see Blaise lying on a bed, unconscious.

Concerned, I lean closer to the water. What's wrong with him? Apparently Granger's concerned too. I wish I could have captured sound as well with this charm, but I haven't learned how to do that.

Sighing, I Vanish the water with a wave of my hand and lean back on the couch. I really should be heading back to the Manor. If Aunt Bella went to Theo, she must have been really desperate to find me.

Remembering that I left my mask and new cloak at my godfather's home, I sigh heavily. It'll take some effort to retrieve them and return to the Manor.

I sit down on the bed in my room at the Manor, exhausted. My head's still throbbing.

Aunt Bella was furious that she couldn't find me tonight. Apparently, the Dark Lord was looking for me, and when she couldn't get in contact with me, he had punished her. So when she saw me, she didn't even bother asking where I'd been, instead diving right into my mind. I had had to thrust several inconsequential memories in her path to distract her as I hurriedly secured my walls.

I'd never had much to hide from Aunt Bella in the past—my only real secrets were my secret opinions of Granger. Since the night I rescued her, Granger has invaded my thoughts more and more often, and I've had to stow away more and more thoughts. No one can know what I think about her. I already can't quite come to terms with what I'm feeling myself. No one else would be able to even begin to understand.

This time, I had to hide a relatively large amount of information—Blaise unexpectedly turning up at Godric's Hollow, my meeting with Potter and Weasley at Spinner's End, the conversations that took place tonight at the headquarters of the Order. This is more than I've ever had to hide from Aunt Bella, and she gave me no time to prepare. I'm still stunned that I was able to hide it all.

That didn't mean she left me alone, though.

When she didn't discover anything out of the ordinary, she lost her temper and attacked my mind. I thought my skull was going to split in half. This wasn't an attempt to get behind the walls that I'd put up—at this point, I've become skilled at concealing the walls from her. No, she was just trying to hurt me however she could. Punishing me as she saw fit, I suppose, since she was punished by Voldemort for being unable to find me.

I can't even remember the last time she hurt me intentionally. Voldemort must have been very furious with her.

I pick my wand up from the nightstand and point it at the door, locking it. Although I can perform wandless magic, it's tiring, and I'm already drained from tonight. I rub my forehead tiredly and yawn. The sun's just beginning to rise, and I want to take a nap.

I pull the serpent charm out and look at it.

Hopefully Blaise is all right. Granger looked very worried about him.

Jealousy stirs in my chest again, but I smother it quickly. Emotions like these can't keep rising to the surface. I have to maintain as much control as possible over myself.

I close my fist around the charm and shut my eyes.