Chapter twenty-seven.

"You work too hard darling."

Ron started; jolted out of his intense concentration of the many drawings he was writing notes on, spread out haphazardly around him, he quickly hid a few before turning around and smiling at his wife. Padma lent against the doorframe, her robe hanging loosely around her, an eyebrow arched as she looked at him critically, "It's after midnight! Leave it for tomorrow, please?" she asked wearily.

Ron grinned, got up and flicked his wand. The papers gathered quickly into a neat pile and the glowing orbs of light flickered and disappeared, leaving the light streaming in through the corridor and into his study the only source of light.

Ron and Padma were currently living in a cosy flat, despite the fact that Ron was now rich beyond his boyhood dreams because of his success as a wizarding architect. After the war, so many houses and buildings had been destroyed and architects became very sought after as people decided that they might as well renovate their house, change houses or start anew on a fresh patch of land. Padma herself was a Goblin Liaison officer; a.k.a one of the few magical folks allowed to work in Gringotts as an accountant.

Ron slipped his pyjamas on and got into bed with a sleepy Padma.

"I got a letter from Charlie today." He said, smiling lightly as Padma grunted sleepily and he softly stroked her round belly.

"He just got his letter, several weeks late! But he's already proposed." Padma made an interested noise, her eyes firmly shut as she tried to sleep.

"A lovely girl from America, Charlotte, he said she was called. And just as crazy about dragons as he is!" Ron chuckled and Padma smiled.

"That's nice, when will we meet her?" Padma finally opened her eyes.

Ron shrugged, "He said something about Christmas time I think."

"Ohh… That'll be lovely, I've always been interested in Americans! You know, they have some absolutely wonderful inventions in combining muggle technology with magic!"

Ron looked interestedly at her, "Really? Dad'll like that!"

Padma smiled and closed her eyes, "Yes, I know. Now, go to sleep."

Ron sighed as he lay back contentedly, "At least he didn't say she was Australian. If we had to go visit them over there, I don't think I could handle it! WAY too many spiders there!"

Padma replied annoyed, "America has a lot of spiders too, so does England, and the rest of the world."

"Yeah, but Australia has DEADLY spiders. One bite and BAM you're dead!"

"Darling, no spider can do that."

"Ah, but you don't know that because all it's victims are dead! And if one exists, its in Australia!"

"Are you sure? I would've banked on India."

"Nah, that's for snakes-sss." he grinned and hissed at her, as she swatted his arm lazily.

"Excellent, so we're decided, we don't go to India or Australia. Now Good Night!"

A black shadow slipped through the commons of three of the most famous wizarding war heroes ever. It hesitated when it met with the dividing paths of the staircase, (which had taken into its head (or banister) that it too could move and trick like the rest of Hogwarts' staircases) but ultimately went up one way, to be faced with a brick wall. After kicking the wall in frustration, the shadow turned around to see that the staircase had disappeared, leaving it stranded on a small ledge, high up in the ceiling. The shadow sighed and sat down, legs dangling over the side.

"Hey, has anyone seen Alice?" It was the next morning, Neville and Hannah had gone back to their place after midnight and the New Zealander still hadn't returned from the hospital wing. Draco's eyebrows shot up; he was just about to put on his robe when he heard Hermione's anxious call. He raced down the stairs, robe forgotten, to find Hermione nervously pacing, "What do you mean? Where's Alice?"

"I don't know! That's why I asked you!"

Suddenly they heard a soft voice, "Alice is fine. Alice is tired. And Alice is stuck."

Hermione and Draco looked at each other eyes wide with confusion; Harry was currently singing loudly in the boy's shower and hadn't heard their alarmed calls, so it couldn't be him. They slowly looked up. In a way reminiscent of Neville during their second year, Alice was dangling precariously on a ledge near the beams of the high ceiling. "I kinda took a wrong turn last night…" Alice explained.

"Are you a witch or not?' Draco said angrily, 'And what time did you get in last night?"

Alice glared down at him, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion, "I am a witch, but I don't know any spells that'll make me fly. I know I could've placed a cushioning spell on the floor, but I couldn't remember it. And it's not my fault Peter Pott's curse kept popping up with side effects, I was working on it till about 3… or 4…"

"Then call for help!"

"I fell asleep! And I know you! You could sleep through a train wreck!' Alice yelled, then muttered, 'Bloody Pom."

"Don't get snarky with me! And how could you fall asleep? You could've fallen and DIED!" Draco yelled back at her.

Hermione had to stifle a giggle; this was definitely not a side she had ever seen of Draco. She had seen the spoiled, wimpy, selfish side, the do-what's-right-for-the-family-rep side, the funny, let loose, nice-ish side and now, the (dare she say it?) fatherly side…

She could almost picture him shaking a finger at Alice, no…wait… that was actually happening…

Hermione smirked she now had the perfect catalyst to pull off her maddening scheme and Draco had given his weakness to her on a silver platter… "Excellent…" she thought, nearly letting out an evil cackle but refrained herself just in time.