Hermione jumped when someone joined them at their table, sending the file she'd been accioing flying to Neville's back.

"Shit, sorry Neville, accio. Malfoy." She said, she didn't have time to acknowledge him more, and went straight back to what she was doing.

"What do I do Longbottom?" She heard him say.

"Here take those, look for dates, cross, do your shit, find that bloody place already." Oh, Neville was really tired. She lifted her head.

"Nothing new then?" Malfoy asked, his grey eyes fixed on her with an expression close to pain. What was wrong with him?

"No." She shook her head for emphasis but when he didn't swap expression she added: "What?"

"Are you both all right?"

"Fuck no." Answered Neville and she was about to lyingly contradict him but he was quicker: "No we are not Hermione. Now work. We have the day Malfoy." Malfoy seemed to suddenly understand something, probably why they looked like shit, and he went straight to work.

Shit she'd found it! She opened her mouth but:

"HERE! HERE! Look, Applebea landed Flint a humongous amount of money two days before Flint bought a summer house near Brighton!" Neville yelled.

"You've got to be kidding me! I found one too! A fucking old house acquired by Flint too, a couple of days before Applebea gave her money too! THIS IS A FUCKING NIGHTMARE!" She cursed.

"No, we'll search all those that's all. Keep digging I have a strange … gut feeling Granger." Stressed Malfoy and it stopped her. What did her guts say? That they were building an army, of course they'd have multiple safe houses.

"Shit they already have people haven't they?" Malfoy looked sick but nodded. "But there's so much to look through! The Greengrass have so many properties and business going on it's going to take ages to find … Oh I hate magical archaic sodding sorting systems! With a bloody computer it would have taken few hours tops! A spell, a spell, a spell, I need a bloody fucking spell …" She stood and started pacing.

"Granger? Can't we just look through Flint's estate and see what's been bought …"

"You don't get it Malfoy. Every bloody magical house of this fucking country has a file. It's sorted by location, not by owner, because those magical houses have wards that need to be referenced, and magical properties too. Then there is the people's files, and in there is just what has been found after the war. Nothing that is. They were so careful that names appear almost nowhere, every bloody purchase is anonymous. It's …"

"Hell on earth." Said Neville. "We need a break anyway it's been three hours already."

"No, no, I'm going to find a solution." She would. She would or she'd loose her mind. "Look, Applebea's name on you little shop was a mistake. A first attempt. After that they covered their tracks, hid and shared, sold and … wrote on those sodding untraceable parchments." Untraceable? It had to be heavy magic right? There her spell!

"I need to see Lee Jordan. Malfoy how's called that charm on the parchment?"

"A memoriam solis." She stormed out with that. Maybe, just maybe, they could track those. It would reduce their now growing pile of possible places. Yes, maybe Lee would know something.

She heard them call her but she was already at the door. Lee's department was just upstairs, she wasn't about to wait for a note. She ran out of the magical lift, passed a surprised secretary and knocked loudly on Lee's door.

"Merlin! Come in already! Oh, Hermione what's …"

"Could you track a charm named a memoriam solis?" She queried.

"What? I … Explain …Oh! You're talking about those parchments right? Like the one you have from Malfoy?"

"Yes but how do you … oh George. Right. Could you track it?"

"Show me yours." She nodded, and took hers out of her pocket. It felt weird giving it to someone. Like if she was letting go of a very personal object. He took it and started examining it for a minute.

"Maybe, I need to think about it properly, this is heavy magic it must leave some sort of trace, is it …"

"It's the most important thing you have to do today Lee. I'll send you locations if you can track it."

"I'm on it Hermione. Here." He gave it back to her. "I won't need it. Send the locations anyway, could you ask Kingsley to send George back? I'll need him."

"Oh, right, I will. Thank you Lee."

"You're welcome. Oh and take a break." He winked at her. Hermione sighed. Fantastic, she really looked like shit.

If Jordan could track those parchments, all they had to do was to keep perusing through these files, and send him the places while going. If Jordan found the parchment's trace at one of them, he could just follow it and they'd find the right place. Hopefully there was only Lestrange's one. Those parchments had been Bellatrix's idea during the war, that's how Draco had learned the charm, from his mother. Only the family had had one. Everything they wrote on it appeared on all the other pieces. His mother had given him one during sixth year, she'd found out that if one charmed the parchment while touching it only one could see what was on it. If you were two then, only the two of you. When charmed without contact, the owner of the torn piece would be the first to touch it. Draco knew for a fact that the charm was really heavy magic, and it had taken him months to be able to practice. He knew Parkinson wouldn't know how to charm one, but Lestrange … maybe having spent three years in Azkaban without a wand would make it difficult for him to perform such magic. Draco wasn't surprised Granger didn't know about them, his father had had them destroyed just before the final battle. Apparently one had subsided and landed in Parkinson's possession. He would have been able to see what was on it, only if the owner had died. In this case the next person to touch it would become its rightful owner, that was why his father had had them burnt. In case someone else would find one. Parkinson senior must have found Rabastan's one somewhere.

Of course, as soon as Granger had come back from Jordan's office and explained everything, he'd told her all that, everything he knew. She'd seemed pensive for a moment and had just returned to work, accioing more files.

But Draco couldn't help but wonder how the piece of parchment had landed in Parkinson's possession. Not in the Manor for sure, but where? Lestrange manor had been seized by the ministry, Borgin and Burke too, where?

"Granger?"

"Mm?" She didn't even lift her face from what she was reading.

"Where do you think Parkinson could have found Rabastan's parchment?" She gave no sign she heard him for a moment, before answering, her eyes still averted on her work.

"Oh I sent a note to McMillan, at law enforcement, about that. I have an idea but I'll just wait for his confirmation." He saw it, that little lift at the corner of her mouth. She hadn't told him, on purpose, and she still wasn't telling him, on purpose.

"What idea?" She looked at him, and this time, she smiled. No, she smirked. Salazar she was astounding.

"This is killing you right?" She asked, and he could tell she was containing her bliss from the small victory over his nerves. She was bloody right! It was killing him!

"Did you just let me rummage all that in my head for an hour, when you already knew how?"

"Indeed." She stated, but her eyes and another twitch to the corner of her mouth were betraying her mirth. She was enjoying this far more than allowed.

"Spit it out. Now." He ordered, trying to be convincing, when he was actually so surprised at her pettiness that he wasn't even angry any more.

"I'm sorry Malfoy, as I said you'll have to wait. Please try no to make people blow things up this time." She droned quietly, looking falsely bored. This was her revenge? Making him wait? She wouldn't have been such a good Slytherin after all. All right, knowing she knew was killing him, but it wouldn't last long. At his right, Longbottom was lost in his pile of paper, and was muttering under his breath, following the line he was reading with a stucco finger. He didn't seem to really pay attention to them so Draco turned his chair slightly to face her, and bent over a bit, probing his elbows on the table.

"Oh no, that is your special treatment only." He whispered mockingly. She mimicked him, but pretended to read through another file.

"You can try all you want little ferret, I won't tell you." She smiled to the paper she faced.

"If this is your revenge Granger it's disappointing."

"We'll see about that in an hour or two." She murmured challengingly, the file forgotten, her whiskey eyes up to his. There was a tiny spark in them. It was the first time he looked at her in the eyes and could hold her gaze. They didn't look empty. He held back an unexpected smile.

"Indeed we'll see." He challenged. Oh, she would, no way he was letting her win with that.

"You won't have the patience Malfoy, it's written all over your ugly face." She looked so proud of herself, and added to the fact that she was probably right, that made him want to live up to that little bet.

"Never presume anything about me Granger. Patience is my middle name."

"Well, that's an ugly name. Goes well with your face." She held back a chuckle. Oh, she was getting that one back.

"Speaking of ugly Granger, why are you wearing a wig? Where's your nest?" Her face forced him to hold back a chuckle too.

"It's not a wig you jackass!" She retorted angrily. How she managed to whisper in such a high pitched voice he didn't know. There, right back at her.

"Well, Jenny, please use a comb then, it hurts my eyes."

"Like it doesn't hurt to look through you." Right, because he was transparent. He chuckled. Merlin, this was so stupid. She pinched her lips together and gained some colour, her freckles no longer standing out atop the light pink that tinted her upper cheeks. She looked at him with wide eyes, visibly trying not to laugh. Wasn't it always when you weren't supposed to laugh, that you were taken by uncontrollable giggles? Well her face was funny, and Draco had to mimic her and pinch his lips together too. It took them a minute to regain some composure, without actually laughing, their faces lowered to the table, avoiding each other's eyes. Longbottom would surely not appreciate their banter, not that Draco cared about the clumsy idiot's moods, but having a giggle with Granger in front of him would just be awkward.

A short moment after they'd calmed down, a levitating note came flying around her face. When they realised what it was, he jumped on the table to grab it. Distraught, she wiggled her arms in the air to grab it before he did, and lost her balance, her chair falling back to the floor in a loud crash.

"What in the bloody world?" Longbottom's roaring sounded far away. Draco's seeker's reflexes were very much still there, and the note tightly clenched in his fist he looked down at her from the table. Yes, he was flat on his stomach, on top of the mountain of files that covered the table. She, on the other hand, was very much on her buttocks. Her hair was all over her face, and she blew at it while rubbing her elbow. For one second he thought she'd hurt herself, but she looked at him through her fringe and the, until now avoided, uncontrollable giggling came. They literally burst out laughing, Draco still on the table, and Granger holding her ribcage from the floor.

"INSANE! This is insane! I need a bloody fucking BREAK!" Longbottom's shriek only doubled their laughter. Indeed it was insane. But Draco didn't care, he hadn't laughed this hard in years! He took it all out and Granger seemed to be doing the same. It took several minutes for them to calm down and, not quite ready to go back to work, Draco chose this moment to comment on the situation with a high-pitched poor imitation of her:

"We're not children any more!" They weren't going back to work that easily.

"Gazelle!" She cried hysterically, between heavy breaths and giggles. It took another few minutes for them to calm down again. She was all pink and tearful now, but her smile was something. Draco had never seen her smile like that. Not even in school, but then he hadn't been paying attention to her. Now he was, and she was looking at him with a huge grin, that changed her entire face, and it moved his insides a bit. He cleared his throat awkwardly, regretfully but inevitably breaking the moment, and her smile with it. He lifted himself from the table and dusted his robes, now he was properly uncomfortable. What had just happened, in front of Longbottom, who had apparently left, had been so childish, especially when people's lives were in their hands. And so what? Draco realised that despite all that terrific reality, he didn't regret it. It had felt good. And when she, yet again, broke the ice he'd set up by feeling stupid, he couldn't help but smile.

"Hufflepuff." She grumbled. She'd stood and was now giving him an irritated glare, her hands probed on her hips. But she gave him back his smile and added: "That's better." This was so reminiscent of the school girl Granger that he didn't find his voice to say something. She then lifted her chair back up and sat again: "Now that you ruined everything with your skeleton we need to get back to work." Skeleton? He wasn't skinny! He looked himself down and no, he was just lean. Seeker lean. She chuckled. Oh, another joke. She was trying really hard, he thought. She'd seen his discomfort and was making things right again. He felt the urge to thank her. Face to face this time. Because it had been a hell of a relief to just let go of everything for a short moment and he'd hate to have ruined it by feeling uneasy. This was Granger, and it was awkward, when he over thought it. She seemed to realise that, but had apparently decided it was worth it. He couldn't agree more.

"Thank you Granger." She looked at him, but didn't acknowledge his thanks, for she seemed to, again, read his mind, and know it would only make him feel worse.

"Aren't you going to read it?" She asked instead. "All that for nothing?" She added, biting her lower lip and pointing at the table for emphasis. Read it? Oh! He still had the note in his right hand. He unfolded it and read :

You remember correctly Hermione, I checked, Parkinson's first hearing was right after Lestrange's sentence proclamation. They have crossed path in the corridor to the department, since it's the only entrance to the court. I had it confirmed by the guards. They didn't see anything though, and assert that the prisoner was magically handcuffed, and guarded by two of them. I checked though, and they were one minute and thirty two seconds late to the transportation to Azkaban. Ernie.

Shit she was smart. How had she known?

"How did you …"

"I was there. For Bellatrix's sentence I mean, I bared witness. Her brother-in-law was right after and I stayed through most of it. I was almost certain I heard that Parkinson was next, but I was gone before the end of Lestrange."

"So you think …"

"I'm sure of it now. Once we're done with all this, we'll need to investigate the two guards and probably fire them. I sent a note to Kingsley too. This is unacceptable. None of this would have happened if those idiots had paid proper attention to one of the worst prisoners of Azkaban."

"Maybe you should send someone now for that, we never know …"

"Kingsley will decide that. Maybe he'll send Creevey. Now we have …"

"Oh! Is the madness over already? Have the two of you recovered?" Longbottom looked pissed. This was quite the sight, actually funnier than the weasel's angry face. He was so round and soft that seeing his eyebrows touch made him look like a giant annoyed potato. Draco had to hide behind a file.

"Yes, sorry Neville. I think we're all on edge right now. Did you take a break?" Granger asked, with a kind voice, looking a bit guilty. The angry potato deflated and slumped in his chair.

"Yes. What was that about?"

Hermione didn't know what to say, she didn't really want to tell everything. She simply stated:

"We fought over a note, here read." She snatched it from Malfoy's long fingers, and gave it to Neville, from whom all trace of anger vanished, replaced by wide interest. He guessed quite quickly what this was about and gave her a "good job Mione." before setting back to work. They now had seven possible places they'd sent the details to Lee, and the number was growing. They had skipped lunch, which they were in great need of. Hermione didn't listen to her growling stomach, their little childish moment had made them loose enough time already, and with a last glance at Malfoy, she set herself on work mode. She'd think about all that another day.

Around five in the afternoon, and after a quick, well-awaited, sandwich break, reinforcement came, in the name of Dean, Ron, Lavender and Harry. The first three had visibly slept, the last looked about to collapse. After they'd caught up with everything, Hermione had to say:

"Harry, go to bed now." He looked about to argue but limply settled with closing his mouth and nodded before going without a word. He was a wreck. Lavender sat between her and Neville, Dean next to Malfoy and Ron between Dean and Neville. This was quite the strange assembly.

"All right, let's get started." Said Lavender "Oh and by the way, if Lee finds a way to track those parchments, you three are out by eight." She pointed to Malfoy, Neville and Hermione. Who wasn't about to be ordered around, she opened her mouth but Lavender turned to her instinctively: "Don't bother, Kingsley's orders." Shit. She wouldn't sleep if she knew they were searching without her! How ironic, she thought. She shot a quick glance at Malfoy who was smirking his face out, the git! She wanted to throw him something. He eyed the others quickly and mouthed "I won." at her. He was infuriating. That sodding little blond bastard! Transparent twat! Idiotic and childish pretentious piece of …

"I have one here, Mione I'm not sure about it …" Ron was just lame when it came to everything related to paper. It got her out of her angry swearing trance though, to sigh and set in another kind of anger.

"Give it." She hissed through clenched teeth. Ron didn't deserve such treatment but he'd been there for less than ten minutes, and was already asking for help. Hermione took the file he handed her guiltily, under Dean's amused stare. She read it.

"There's no link there Ron, did you pay any attention earlier? It's supposed to link Flint and …"

"Here mate, I'll show ya." Said Dean, rescuing Ron from Hermione's growing anger. Ron was just being himself, but she'd been there all day, and except for a short loss of sanity with Malfoy, she'd worked all along.

"Sorry Ron." She grumbled.

"Err, I wasn't paying attention." He winced at the truth, his face screwed in an unattractive grimace. She smiled, some things just never changed.

"It's all right." He looked so relieved it was almost comical.

"From calling each other nasty names to exchanging pleasantries … can't …" Hermione cut short Lavender's mumbling with a perfectly placed elbowing.

"Ouch, right, work." she said.

At eight, they had no news coming from Lee and George, and Neville had yawned twice in less than a minute. Hermione felt her eyelids drop under the heavy tiredness. She'd read the same sentence twice already and still didn't know what was written. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes fiercely. They hurt and tears of exhaustion made they way to her tear ducts. She wiped them off with her sleeve and swore profusely when she got wall dust in her eyes. Lavender's and Malfoy's chuckles were not welcome. When everything seemed to try to make her miserable, salvation arrived, in the name of Lee Jordan and George Weasley.

Both the older idiots had the smile, which was at least promising. The Weasley twin shot Draco a glare as a salute and Jordan started speaking.

"I need both of you to write a few messages on your parchments Hermione, just to check but I think we found a way." His black locks moved haphazardly while he gesticulated for Granger to withdraw her parchment. "You need to be away though." He added and the twin jumped on it like a madman

"I take Mione! Come with me." He said, and Granger hollowly followed him out of the large room. Draco looked at Jordan questioningly.

"Okay, em, just write something on there please. Dean?" Thomas took the hint and moved with his files to take Granger's spot. Jordan sat next to Draco, and he couldn't help but remember the old Quidditch comments from the black man. He was an idiot. An impatient idiot.

"Go on, just write whatever."

"All right." Draco took a quill and, after flattening the parchment on the table he wrote.

- Whatever.

"Tell me when she answers."

- Something.

"She did." Jordan pointed his wand at the parchment and muttered a complicated spell. The tip of his wand went red.

"Again please."

- Message.

This time he let his wand pointed to the parchment all along, and the tip sparkled yellow when the answer came.

- This is idiotic. He couldn't agree more.

"Last time."

- Just to your level.

He couldn't help it. What would he write anyway?

"Right. Perfect. It's complicated but I'll be able to follow both pieces. Right. Tell them to come back please." Granger answered before he could.

- PRAT.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek.

- Come back, WENCH.

They were back less than two minutes after, Granger chatting quietly to the redhead half. The git laughed and it unnerved Draco, but he didn't get time to think about it more, since Jordan spoke:

"All right. I'll check those locations, but I'll need aurors with me, I'll have to go at least a few miles close to them. Hopefully I'll find a trace in the firsts I visit, and then I can just follow it. I'm off to see that with Kingsley. I guess we'll work on that in the morning, will you be done by then?"

"Sure." Said Brown.

"This is great news guys, a little enthusiasm maybe?" Cheered the twin. Everyone mumbled in tired agreement.

"Yeah I'm ecstatic." Was Draco's rumbled answer. They said their goodbyes for the day, and the twin was off to Azkaban again, Jordan to Kingsley, and Draco stood to just go home already.

"About time, Mione?" Queried Longbottom, following Draco's move.

"Err, right, you tap the bloody coin each time you find something or I'll just be back." Granger warned Brown. The last looked pleased at her surrender and agreed. With a brief good night, the three of them made their way out of the archives, together.

Malfoy walked two paces ahead of Hermione and Neville, his shoulders slumped in apparent exhaustion. He seemed eager to just get out of the ministry, and Hermione had to confess she felt the same. Neville walked slowly at her side, and annoyance at following his limp pace was creeping up her spine. She was about to say goodnight to just strode away but he opened his mouth first.

"Malfoy!" The blond turned an impatient face at them.

"What?!"

"Oh my, don't jump on the table or anything, but you've got a paper stuck to your sleeve."

Hermione chuckled at his intended choice of words. Neville looked quite pleased with himself.

"Oh." Malfoy gripped a useless piece of note paper from his sleeve and looked back at them. "Nice joke Shortbottom."

"No one ever made this one to me Malfoy. I admire your sense of creativity." Neville answered. Malfoy looked positively surprised.

"Wow, Salazar … Longbottom I think this is the first time I hear a sarcastic comment from you. Usually all I can hear are stutters." He didn't look sarcastic at all, it was strange. He wasn't smirking either. He looked genuinely surprised. Neville seemed to catch that and lifted his chest in pride.

"Guess we all changed then." Malfoy nodded in response and almost turned away but Neville offered him his hand to shake.

"Thanks for your help today." Malfoy looked lost and confused. He eyed the hand offered his way like it was some foreign thing he'd never seen before. Hermione guessed that it was unexpected for the blond. It wasn't really when one knew Neville, he'd always been forgiving and thankful, but Malfoy didn't know that. She thought he might need a little help.

"Shake that hand already gazelle." She said with a small smirk. Now he looked outraged. It was much better, especially when Neville chuckled at her name calling. It gave Malfoy his wit back.

"Mind your own hand hyena." And he shook Neville's hand. She smiled and it seemed to unnerve him even more. He gave the both of them a glare.

"Good night Malfoy." She said and then pecked Neville on the cheek. "Night Neville." He went a little pink and mumbled:

"Night Mione." She walked pas them, eager to have a proper night of sleep. It would be a first in months. She apparated home from the entrance hall apparition point, wand tightly clenched in her hand, as usual. It took a moment to check but her wards seemed intact and she couldn't hear anything so she relaxed. Finally. She went straight to her shower. Damn that wall. And no, she wouldn't be left in peace that night apparently. Her pocket got warm just before she could take her pants off.

- You keep me posted if you get anything from that coin tapping thing? Let's say you won.

Aha! As patient as she, not so much for an ugly middle name after all. And she'd won! But she understood his ordeal so well she didn't feel like rubbing it in his face just now. He'd just swallowed his pride to ask, it would be unthoughtful.

- Course, won't sleep well anyway.

- No rubbing it in my face? The quiet that precedes the storm then. Thanks. Night Granger.

At least he knew better than to think she was going soft. He'd said thanks. Again. This was becoming a habit.

- Night Malfoy.

She finally took her shower and got to properly potion her hair. It would last a few days. Thank Merlin. Then, a little disturbed at the idea, she realised she had nothing to do but to sleep, and it was only ten. It felt too good to be true, something would happen. No need for a gut feeling on that, it was a strong habit, chance was never on their side any more. She settled under the covers, her parchment and coin tucked in her pyjama pocket, a quill on her night stand, and fell asleep, her wand in her hand.

She woke up suddenly, her heart hammering her chest. Her eyes darted everywhere, her wand was ready, and her sense of hearing acute in the sharp silence. Nothing was wrong. She'd slept three hours straight, and nothing was wrong. She switched sides on her bed, getting a chill from the cold sheets, and turned the lamp on to check her coin. They'd found three more locations. Ten places for Lee to check then, maybe less if he found a trace quickly. Rubbing her eyes she took the parchment out but thought twice before writing anything on it. Would she make the annoying blond blow up a wall too? Why not? She was about to scribble quickly on the parchment when she had a change of heart. She'd wake up at five and write to him then. Her clock was already set anyway. She turned the lamp off and tried to sleep again.

Thoughts of the past day came to her mind. They'd had a good laugh, as strange as it had been. Neville had witnessed their crazy behaviour, that she had previously thought to be only a written thing. And it was the most crazy thing of all, and she'd seen quite a few crazy things, that she was apparently getting along with Draco ferret patience Malfoy. She'd thought they would never really manage do be completely civil, but they did, they'd changed. The both of them had and they'd found some sort of middle ground between completely mean and completely uptight. Which they both weren't any more. Now she wondered if Neville hadn't been right. They were getting along like friends did, teasing and joking, and acting childishly. And she enjoyed it more than anything else for the time being.

Her friends, her closest friends, whom where now her sole family, were in the same boat at she. They'd lived through so much together, that they knew each other by heart, and loved each other to death. But their whole lives had been a constant battle, and they no longer joked. They no longer went out, or simply enjoyed each other's company. They had little laughs, from time to time, of course, but there was always some more important matter at hand.

With Malfoy though …The world was upside down because whether they had something important to do or not, it seemed that they could just completely forget everything for a few minutes. Nothing else but their banter existed for a moment and it was an escape. It was a small piece of relief, from an tireless hell. She smiled. Malfoy had seemed to enjoy it as much as she did that day. He'd even prolonged the moment by mimicking her in a ridiculously inaccurate way. She'd seen the disappointment, and then the determination in his grey eyes. He'd done it on purpose. And he'd felt uncomfortable afterwards, as always. This was Malfoy after all, not the kind to display anything, especially not to his former enemy.

But it was worth the afterwards weird feeling of doing something wrong, or unnatural. That feeling was in their heads only, they were on the same side, they'd emptied their bags, and she'd forgiven him. She hadn't voiced it, but she had and he seemed to know it, for he kept voicing things that only non-enemies people did, like thanking and saying please and good night. So she'd tried, again, to balance things out with mockery. And Malfoy responded well to mockery. It seemed to be his favourite source of laughter. It was becoming hers, since laughing at old memories wasn't an option any more. Everything was bitter.

That thing with the blond skeleton was … important. Somehow. Oh Merlin she was tired. She needed the sleep. And he needed it too. So she would not write to him yet and she would sleep. Easier said than done.

Being back at the manor this early, and work free, was a first for Draco. It felt wrong, so out of habit, like the quiet before the storm. Sighing he realised he'd walked to his office as usual. He frowned, how was he supposed to know if they needed him now? This coin nonsense they talked about constantly didn't apply to him. Maybe he would just return to his own job in the morning. Brown had said to Jordan that they would be done by then. So what? He'd been useful for a day and then he'd be tossed aside? He wouldn't handle well being kept away from everything now that he had jumped in with both feet. He scoffed, he'd never sleep if he didn't know what was going on. Once again his only way to stay on track would be his parchment. Granger was right, he had no patience at all. He'd been home for what? Five minutes? And already couldn't handle it. It was unnerving. He needed to know they'd at least keep him updated.
He retrieved his parchment and took a quill out the instant. Granger desperately needed her sleep, and if he didn't want to startle her or annoy her on her first full night in forever, he had to ask now. Shit, he cared!

- You keep me posted if you get anything from that coin tapping thing? Let's say you won.

He added the last part, thinking it would probably make her more willing to release his nerves, if he at least recognized she'd been right. Nobody could read it anyway and he would never ever voice that. Her response took some time. Was she already asleep? It wouldn't be surprising. Shit he'd startle her again!

- Course, won't sleep well anyway.

Or not. She just agreed, without gloating over the fact he'd given her a victory. She must have been falling asleep. Or she was just being nice, and hell had broken loose, and something bad would happen.

- No rubbing it in my face? The quiet that precedes the storm then.

Maybe she was just being nice. So he added, battering himself inwardly for being too soft again. Thanks. And since he knew she needed the sleep, Night Granger. He didn't want this to prolong and keep them from the recovery they were both in desperate need of.

- Night Malfoy.

No comment? Or exhaustion had broken her definitely, and she was going soft, or he'd done something wrong and she was mad. No, she'd agreed. Weird. Confused, he tucked the parchment back in his pants pocket and turned back slowly towards Blaise's room. The lad hadn't used his parchment that day, and Draco had been so deeply absorbed by his work, except maybe for his table jumping moment, that he'd forgotten to keep him posted. He didn't need to knock, the door was slightly ajar, and Draco heard the unmistakable sound of alcohol pouring into a glass.

"Pour another, told you we'd get a drink." He said, and the dark and bored face of his friend flashed him a grin.

"Shit mate you're early!" Then he looked panicked. "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing. Well, a few things but nothing bad."

"Spit it out." Draco did as told. He talked about everything and Blaise only commented twice and it cut his discourse a moment each time.

"Well the weasel's still a twat. That guy is … I mean he made the first move, which is astounding, but he basically told you that disrespecting Granger was normal. Shit she's forgiving." He said.

"I guess." She was, wasn't she? He was fairly certain now that she'd forgiven him. What could Weasley do that would be worse than what he'd done to her for years? He knew he wouldn't forgive if he were in her shoes. She'd given him a chance, and she tried to make things work between them every time he almost ruined the … friendliness? Civility? Whatever it was by over thinking it and feeling uncomfortable. And he was glad she did. There was no point in lying to himself.

He went back to his report of the day and they stopped again when he mentioned the little table incident. Blaise actually laughed at their childish behaviour.

"That's … insane. I had no idea you were this … civil." He said with a knowing look.

"Err, I guess we are." He hadn't told Blaise about their parchment talks, and he would never tell him about their apologies. It was personal. He'd just pretend they simply got along.

"I'm glad, wouldn't do to be working with all those Gryffindors in a bad atmosphere."

"Right. Speaking of Gryffindors, Brown's all right but I didn't get a chance to talk to her so … I have no love message to transmit …"

"Well, maybe you got one from another Gryffindor and you're hiding it from me." All right, this was not that funny.

"All right, I'll just tell you what happened next then."

"You better." And he did, he told him all about Jordan and even if Blaise huffed disgustingly at his mention, he didn't comment. He ended with Shortbottom's weird thanks.

"That guy's just … I don't know, flabby?"

"Not really mate, he's got his moments trust me." Draco corrected, recalling the potato's snap.

"He's changed too then. Shit it's like we know all of them, but we don't. The world's upside down mate. Remember when we took turns snogging Parkinson? And insulted the bushy-haired bookworm? And when the weasel was always purple when we talked to him? Or vomiting slugs? Or when Potter didn't trust you and did everything to get you caught doing nasty things? What happened?" Draco chuckled, the world was upside down. He was working with former enemies, Gryffindors, weasels, he wanted to kill Pansy, the book-worm was almost blond and they got along! The weasel was apologizing and he shook hands with Longbottom. My! His father would kill him if he still could. Draco smiled even more, the bastard was in Azkaban, watched by weasels and order members, and his opinion didn't matter any more.

"Remember when we were idiots?" He asked quietly in response. It was rhetorical and Blaise just nodded in agreement. Putting his life in perspective, Draco realised this was the best it'd gotten to so far. Everything had just been hate and pain before that. Hurt and wickedness, prejudiced shit and … death. He scratched his dark mark. It still hurt from time to time, like if the skin had never healed properly. It had been hell. Now, and despite the danger they were in, it felt right somehow. He was on the right side, fighting for what was right, with true people. People he'd hated, mocked and hurt, but people that had always stayed true to themselves. They'd never quivered in front of evil, they'd never swapped sides. Draco knew his wrongs, and was trying his best to make things right. And if Granger could forgive him, as saint Potter had done a long time before, then the others could too. And as Weasley had said, if they couldn't get along, make peace, they'd play civility and just ignore the other. Which was the right thing to do, they were not children any more. That thought made him frown, indeed they'd said it so much it didn't make any sense. When had they really been innocent children anyway? Before Hogwarts? Even then he'd been corrupted.

They drank in comfortable silence for a moment and then Blaise started looking agitated, like he wanted to say something.

"What is it?" He seemed relieved to be asked.

"Well, I want you to ask Potter something for me."

"Oh, err right, go ahead."

"I want to be in. I want to participate. I can't take it. I'm going mad staying here Draco and it's only been two days."

"You're involved in the case Blaise I doubt …"

"Look, they'll need me if they want to set a trap. I'm a hell of a wizard mate and you know that. I won't let my involvement alter my judgement AND I'll respect orders scrupulously. I want in. Even it it's minor work. Please mate just ask him."

"What about …"

"Your mother will be moved to a safe house, you just have to ask. Come on, plus, if they set a trap it'll be here, she'll have to be out."

"Shit you're right."

"Will you then?"

"I'll ask. But don't get your hopes up, I doubt Potter will accept and even if he does, that Shakelbolt head will make the final decision and he seems … annoying with rules and laws and plans. Like a school Granger you know?" Added Draco remembering the way she'd probed her hands on her hips at him.

"Ah right. A pain in the arse then."

"Yes." No not really, thought Draco. They shared another silent moment during which Blaise made his drink swirl in the glass he was holding tightly. He was looking emptily at the golden brown liquid, a sad expression on his face. His best mate had lost his family a week before, and now he wanted in too, what if it was to get revenge? It could be disastrous.

"Are you all right?" Draco finally asked quietly. Blaise got out of his trance to look at him.

"The best I can I guess. Being bored doesn't really help either …"

"Is that why you really want in? You're not seeking revenge now are you?" Blaise took a serious face to answer this question, and Draco knew he was trying to be honest.

"A bit. But I won't do anything stupid. Look, if I can kill that sadistic madman I will jump on it, but if, I don't know, Potter's there first, then so be it. I just want to be a part of it. I really thought about it, I want to do the right thing, make her death worth something you know? Even if it's just sorting through their reports and playing secretary I don't care, I want in." Draco got it. He understood his friend, even if he didn't have the weight of loss on his shoulders. Potter had it, Potter had no one else but his friends, and maybe he'd understand precisely what it was like for Blaise. Maybe.

"I'll ask Potter first thing in the morning then."

"Thanks. You should go to bed then, be fresh for manipulating Potter." Blaise smirked.

"Right. I'm off then. I'll tell you on the parchment."

"Good."