Here is the next chapter everyone. Hope you enjoy this one. I am excited to get into the next chapter after this. Hopefully should be published next weekend!
Much Love 3

Draco's Point of View

The door opens and I set my coffee down on the high windowsill, turning away from the view outside. March brings with it the taste of spring, hope of summer but still can't shed the feel of winter. Granger starts in the doorway, the handle still in her hand as she gazes at me. She knocks clumsily at the door then, as if remembering it's customary to announce one's presence when coming into a room. She continues to stare at me. I brush my freshly cut hair out of my face and smirk at her.

"I'm sorry," she says, her hand continuing the knocking motion but it's too far away from the door now to make a sound. She continues to stare dumbfounded at me.

"H-Harry said to come at 3pm. That we should do this at 3pm. So here I am. At 3pm," she rambles, her hand still moving back and forth in the knocking gesture.

"Come sit down, Granger," I say, signalling towards the chair and trying to hide my smirk from her. I guess the fresh haircut had made an impression. I will have to thank Tonks again.

She makes her way over to the armchair, her footing uncertain and her eyes still glued to my face. She seems to gather some poise and takes her place in the chair more gracefully. But I notice her chest rising and falling rapidly and I cough into my elbow briefly to conceal a laugh.

I gather her hair again in my hand and lay her head back against the back of the chair to rest. She jumps a little at the contact. The nape of her neck is smooth and her hair smells like apricots. I take a second longer before I release her hair, liking how it feels against my fingertips.

"You know what," she says, leaning away from the chair to stare back at me. "I think we should maybe do this tomorrow instead. My head is a little all over the place right now. Tomorrow would be better," she agrees, moving to stand. I catch her shoulders and push her back down into the chair.

"Granger this has to be an everyday thing. We both don't know how long it's going to take. We need to chip away at it every day if we plan to make any semblance of progress," I argue, holding her firmly against the chair. I gather her hair again and smooth it back behind her. I see her brow drop in concern.

What is it she doesn't want me to see?

"Malfoy I really think that-

"Relax, Granger. There really isn't anything that could surprise me. Is that what you're worried about?" I ask but she doesn't answer.

"Just breathe. Okay?" I tell her and she nods a little too eagerly as she closes her eyes, I see her set her jaw in determination. Whatever she is going to try and hide from me. She isn't prepared. She hasn't ever trained like I have to hide certain emotions and memories. I plan to find it.

When I enter her mind it's hazy and dark and I commend her effort. I hadn't be half as successful the first time I had tried to hide her from Snape. But in trying to hide something from me she's closed off everything and she knows that not what we're here for.

"Granger, relax. You have to relax," I say, my voice seeming to reverberate around her mind, echoing. Something in my voice causes a memory to stir and I feel her push against it. But I push harder and I'm happy to be better at this than she is.

I materialise then in her memory. From the other night when I had walked into her bedroom. Our old bedroom. I hear her squeal behind him and feel her frantic mood enter. Its force feels so intense, overwhelming me. Snape had never mentioned to me that he was able to feel the mood in my memories. Maybe he assumed I would never have the need to know. That I would never be in this position where I was the one searching someone else's memories.

I watch the memory play out with full access to how she felt at the time but of course she doesn't know that. She watches me make my way into the bedroom and plop down quickly on the bed. It's strange to see a memory of myself that I have no memory of. I had assumed she had been asleep of course but I guess that wasn't the case. She had heard me come in. Watched me get into her bed and even closed the door after me. Surprisingly she had fallen asleep facing me. Her deliberation not lasting as long as I had expected.

In her mind, where we both stand in the memory watching, I turn around to face her but she's covering her eyes, embarrassed.

"You were awake." I state simply as she raises her face to look at me. She wants to speak, to say anything but nothing comes out. When I turn back around another memory materlises. But I could hardly call this one a memory seeing as it only happened less than five minutes ago.

"Oh Godric!" she shrieks behind me. The memory is just of me standing by the windowsill when she came in the door mere moments ago. But it's the mood I zone in on. It's attraction. I want to linger a little longer in that realisation, but she pushes me out harshly and springs up from the chair.

"Granger, what the hell?" I ask, holding my head a little against the dizziness. I'll give it to her, she's surprisingly good at pushing people out of her mind. I don't think I ever managed to push snape out of my head.

She stands up, holding her own head as she faces me.

"We're going to have to come up with a way for you to just find the memories that matter okay. I don't want to be sharing every single thought in my head with you, Malfoy!" she shouts, her face flushed and red.

"This is a complete invasion of privacy, and I don't like it. I don't think you would like it either if the roles were reversed so we're going to have to work something out here," she says, almost beratingly. I try to hide my grin again.

"Why the hell are you smirking at me like that? Do you think this is funny? God, you make me so angry sometimes Malfoy I swear!" she shouts, stomping towards the door.

"Granger?" I call, unable to stop the grin. She turns around burning with fury and mortification.

"If you thought I looked hot with the new haircut you could have just said so," I say dryly.

Her face turns even more red as her mouth drops open incredulously. What I would have given in Hogwarts to get that kind of reaction out of her. She huffs and slams the door shut. I can't help the loud laughter that erupts out of me, even louder still when I hear her bedroom door slam.

Hermione's Point of View

I stay in my room until Ginny comes and gets me for dinner, my face still so red from embarrassment. I should have demanded to leave the room when I couldn't restrain my thoughts. I should have tried to even climb out the window. Anything would have been better than enduring that level of humiliation. God his face had been so smug about it too. Maybe I should just call this whole thing off? I mean who needs those memories anyway? I can just create new memories and I'm sure over time they might just pop back on their own. I mean what's the point sacrificing my own pride for some memories that could easily be replaced.

But on the other hand, I know it means a lot to everyone that I remember what happened in those missing years. Especially Harry. He had told me there was some important stuff that I needed to remember. Maybe I should just go to Harry and let him know that Malfoy is more inclined on embarrassing me that helping me. But that wouldn't be entirely factual of course. It wasn't his decision to focus on those memories. In fact, I had been trying so hard not to think about those memories. But that's just the way the world works regrettably. Try to bury something and it has funny ways of finding its own way free.

I can't deny it and he knows that too which is the worst part. He had looked so startlingly attractive when I walked into that room I was stunned. Barely able to lift my feet off the floor. He looked like a different person. 'Bright' was the best word to describe him. There was a brightness to his face and especially his eyes. Before it seemed like he was a sort of shadow moving around the place, but this change had made him solid. Whole. There was no looking past him now. He had looked regal and proper. Like the prince they sometimes called him in Hogwarts, and I had just been taken aback by it. But naively in my awe I had forgotten to reconstruct my face and he had seen it all written there. Like an open book. I felt as if I couldn't truly live this down.

But had he done it for a reaction? The coffee and the haircut and coming into my room at night. Getting a haircut wasn't really on everything to-do list around here so why was it on his? Had this been for me? Or was I just being really artistically vain about the whole situation. I mean he had looked slightly unkempt and worn down when he arrived here a few days ago. Maybe he just felt like a bit of a change. It's not like all his other free time was accounted for. Besides the one hour a day we spent walking down memory lane I wasn't sure what he did with his time here.

Ginny takes my hand then, shaking me. I seem to come into myself, almost like I had been in my own memories again with Malfoy. I feel the wooden chair beneath me and the sounds of people around me.

"Are you okay?" she asks, reaching for my hand under the table. I had almost forgotten we had even left my room and walked to the dining room. Molly had wanted everyone to attend a family dinner. Everyone being anyone who was currently staying at Grimmauld Place. I turn my eyes around the room and find a set across from me watching thoroughly. Malfoy drops his eyes to the table, but I don't miss the grin.

My face flushes again and from all this blood moving around constantly. I might end up passing out.

It feels surreal to look around the table to all these distinctive people I consider family and then to look across and see Draco Malfoy sitting there. He's not exactly chummy with everyone but him and Tonks speak softly to one another. Remus on the other hand ignores him completely. Ron sits at the very end of the table, and it doesn't surprise me that Harry is down there beside him. Harry smiles at me reassuringly.

"I'm fine Ginny," I say, and she smirks at me, cutting into her turkey.

Tonks laughs effortlessly with Malfoy. He seems at ease with her. Perhaps since my memories have gone, he fits in here better than I do. I frown.

I push my peas around the plate as the noise mounts around us. We haven't had dinner together like this in a long time because of the constant coming and going of everyone. This place although a safe house seemed to run more like a B&B. Where the average length of stay being 2 to 3 days at most. But Molly had demanded it. I look up from my peas to see that he's examining me again. I hold his stare, almost challengingly. I try to will away the flush from my cheeks. His smirk leaves, replaced with a small, placid smile. Barely noticeable as he watches me. The others around seem to drift away, taking with them their sounds and sights until all I can see is him, sitting across from me. It feels like when you stare at something for so long that your peripheral vision blurs. Tunnel vision.

I feel like his eyes are trying to say something. But it's foreign. A language I don't speak. Or a language I forgot. It feels like they're shouting at me, and I want to tell him I don't understand but the trance has left me speechless. I want to tell him to use his words or to write it down. I can't understand what his eyes are trying to tell me even with the noise in the room faded away to the back of my mind. I feel the fork drop from my hand and a movement to my left, possibly Ginny but I can't see her right now. I am solely focused on Malfoy. He breaks the stare first as his eyes drop to my fork hanging off the side of the plate. It's spit mushed potatoes up onto the side of my glass. He clears his throat loudly as the room comes back into focus and I turn to Ginny.

"Hermione?" she asks, nervously, looking between Malfoy and me. I reassure her with a nod and clean up my section the best I can, bumping arms with Arthur who barely notices.

When I look up again Tonks is beaming at me cheerfully and Malfoy shoves her slightly to which she laughs. What an easy relationship they seem to have.

The relaxed nature and warmth that fills the room seems to shield us from anything else around us. It's only when I notice one of the Aurors staring out into the foyer that I linger on her face trying to read her expression. In my position I can't see into the hall that well, but her eyes stay transfixed there. Eventually she turns to Harry and taps him on the shoulder, pointing. Harry's smile fades a little as he leans around the girl to get a better look. Suddenly Shacklebolt enters the dining room. I stare around trying to understand the cause for concern. I know he isn't here that often but surely, he would still be invited to a dinner party we're having.

Harry stands from his chair first, followed by Ron as they meet Shacklebolt in the middle. The commotion in the room seems to die down almost one by one as everyone notices the conversation between Harry and Shacklebolt is rigid. I see a sea of white as everyone takes their napkin off of their laps and place them on the table as they step away. A new commotion seems to find its place in the room. Except this one isn't of an easy nature. I feel like the last person still in my seat as a hand reaches for my wrist and pulls me up. I clasp it tightly behind me as Shacklebolt starts to speak.

"Okay everyone! I don't want to alarm anyone here so let's just take a breath okay," he starts.

"What's going on?" Arthur pipes up beside me as the row of people start to move downwards closer to Shacklebolt. There are some shushes and hushing as I'm squashed against the chair a little. The hand holding my wrist pulls me back. I look up and notice it's Malfoy that's standing behind me. He squeezes my hand when he notices me looking but keeps his eyes ahead. My hand starts to sweat as his grip on my wrist tightens reassuringly.

"We've got word that there was an attack in Diagon Alley. A big one."

A mumble of worried whispers starts, a few people already making their way towards the foyer.

"We're not sure what they're looking for, but we all know this many wizards in one location holds a certain magical pull to it. I think it would be best if everyone left for a couple days just to be safe."

"Leave? Where do you suppose we go?" Someone asked from the back of the group. Another round of questions were thrown about in fits of worry from the group. The anxiety and fear palpable.

"We have set up a couple safe houses around the country. But if people have their own places to go to then that would be preferably. Everyone calm down, okay? It's just going to be for a few days and when we know more, we can meet back up here again," he announces. The group absorbs this information soberly.

Abruptly the herd seems to waste no time. I see several people make their way upstairs. No doubt to pack what they have and get the hell out of here. Some shuffle closer to Shacklebolt to ask more questions. How long ago was the attack? How many people were hurt? Do they know how many death eaters were involved? Etc.

Eventually Malfoy pulls on my hand.

"Come on," he says pulling me towards the door. He pushes me up the stairs and follows me into my room. He grabs my bag from under the bed and throws it on top of the press.

"I can pack my own stuff, Malfoy." I argue, pulling the bag away from him. He doesn't falter for a second, leaving the room to go pack his own bag.

I stare around the room as I hear the movement and ruffling of everyone in the house gathering up what little they have. An attack? And this close to Grimmauld Place? Where will we go?

Early on when I had awoken from whatever had happened to me Harry has asked if I wanted to go somewhere else. If I wanted to go to the Burrow or somewhere new. But I had refused. I had woken up in this place and it was the only place that had felt semi normal and safe but now I had to leave and go somewhere different.

Malfoy comes back into the room with a light backpack slung over his shoulder as he stares at me.

"Granger come on!" he argues loudly when he notices I've made zero headway with my own packing. He sighs loudly, grabbing whatever he can from the wardrobe and shoving it chaotically into the bag. I try to speak but I don't know what I would even say.

"Where is your wand?" he asks but again, my tongue feels dry. He grabs my waist and his hands pat around me until his feels my wand in my back pocket. He takes it and puts it into his robe pocket before pulling a heavy coat around me. Again, he takes my wrist and pulls me out of the room. I turn longingly towards my bed and the chairs by the window where I used to watch the muggles from. I don't want to say goodbye yet, but we round the corner to make our way down the stairs and it all seems to disappear.

There's disturbance on the stairs as several Aurors stand quarrelling and dropping things out of their hastily packed bags. Malfoy maneuverers around them effortlessly and tugs me along with him. In the madness of the foyer, I stand close to Malfoy, almost trying to bury myself into his side. I just want this noise to stop for a minute so I can think but it only seems to be getting louder and louder against my cries. Malfoy wraps his arm around me and pulls me under his coat, shielding me away.

I try not to think about the situation and how warm and safe it feels pressed against his side. He smells like cedar and it's intoxicating only worsening the confusion in my head. I wonder what he would see right now if he was in my mind. I look up at him, my chin moving against his chest. He looks down at me, feeling the friction and my face is closer to his than it's ever been. He leans down even more dangerously close so his lips brush against my cheek, close to my ear.

"Close your eyes, Granger. We'll leave soon," he whispers. I feel the arm that's holding me slip out of the jacket. He grabs the end of the jacket with his right arm and pulls it tight around us. His free arm, hidden underneath the jacket rests warming against my back as he moves us out of the foyer and back into the chaos of the dining room.

"Potter!" he calls, pushing us through dozens of people all still swarmed around Shacklebolt. How can there be this many people in the house? It always seems like it's full, but this is to a different level. Hidden beneath his jacket and with the shouts and madness in the room nobody notices me pressed against Malfoy beneath his coat. His arm still rubs my back soothingly.

"Malfoy!" Harry calls back, pushing through to stand in front of him. I peak out of his coat and Harry stares right at me. I expect anger, confusion, or rage. Any emotion that would make sense for the scene he's seeing before him. But a look of relief seems to come to Harry as he notices me with Malfoy.

"Okay, we're going to go to the Burrow with the Weasleys and we'll meet back here in three days at high noon, okay?" he says, his voice barely audible over the qualms and shouts in the room. Malfoy nods in response.

"You know where the Burrow is, yeah?"

"I have an idea," Malfoy replies.

"Okay come there if anything happens before then but not unless absolutely crucial okay," he advises him.

"Okay," Malfoy responds. His voice engulfed by the sound.

"Where are you going to go?" he asks.

"Norwich. Theres a house there I know is empty," Malfoy supplies.

"Okay. Three days Malfoy," Harry advises as he goes to turn back and join the conversation with Shacklebolt and Remus.

Is he not going to ask about me?

"Potter!" Malfoy calls again loudly. Harry turns back but is carried forward with the crowd.

"Everyone is apparating at the door? Shouldn't you tell them to at least go to the safe point?" he shouts.

"No time!" Harry calls back and he's gone, taken to the front of the room by the hustle and bustle.

"Let's go," Malfoy whispers down at me, his lips moving against my forehead as he speaks.

He twists us around and my view of Harry is gone and that's it. As much as the warmth against Malfoy is calming and feels safe, I expected him to say something. To reach into the coat and pull me out with him. He didn't do it and he had looked like it wasn't even a thought that crossed his mind. He didn't look like it had been obvious I should of went with him and the Weasleys to the Burrow. What was I missing that everyone else was so in tune to. This secret language that they spoken that I must have forgotten somewhere along the way.

"Malfoy, what is happening?" I ask in a whisper against his chest. He doesn't answer, simply shushing me and stroking my back melodically.

"It'll be okay again in a minute," he reassures me. I feel the cold trying to reach in around the jacket, but he pulls me closer as we step outside. I hear the loud, sharp sound of people apparating all around us. Disappearing to different parts of the country in the blink of an eye leaving the house barren.

I feel Malfoys arm leave my back as he reaches around to fetch his wand. He puts it into his right hand and his arm encircles me again. This time the movement causes my shirt to rise, and his warm hand find it's place against the bare skin on my back. He moves his hand up high, resting it over my bra strap. The touch is painfully intimate.

He casts the spell quickly and I feel the weightlessness in my stomach for a moment. A cold hand clasps around my ankle and I jolt a little against Malfoy.

I stumble out of his coat as we land, falling over a lump on the ground. The air is chilly, and the wind swoops low, throwing my hair around my face taking the stars away and distorting my view. I frantically try to gather all my hair at the back of my neck so I can see where we are.

"What the fuck are you thinking!" Malfoy screams and I squirm away from the noise. He pulls Ron up from the ground and throws him back down again callously. I hear the sound leave his lungs as he groans loudly.

"Malfoy, stop!" I call, pushing up from the ground with one hand. The other still holding my hair behind my head so I can see. The flyaway hairs still obscure my view as the wind tosses us around like its toy.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He screams at Ron.

"Did you think I was just going to let you disappear with her?" he shouts back.

"What the fuck do you mean? I told Harry exactly where I was going!" He says, kicking him in the ribs. I jump towards Malfoy and pull him away.

"Stop it now!" I argue, pulling him back but his attention stays on Ron, rolling in pain on the ground. He wipes some blood off the side of his mouth and sits up.

"Check the fucking house!" He calls to Ron and makes his way up the long driveway. I scramble behind him, watching over my shoulder at Ron who curses and limps towards the house.

When I catch up with Malfoy he turns and takes my wrist in his, staring back at the house. I turn to look as he watches Ron enter the house. He looks at his watch and waits.

"What are you doing?" I ask, spitting my hair out of my face. He lowers his arm, turning his eyes away from the watch.

"Guess there are no unknown wards around the house. They would have been here by now if there were," he announces watching Ron move past the window.

"So, you were just going to use Ron as bait to test if there were any enemy wards here?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes," he replies simply.

"Malfoy he could have been injured or worse!" I shout, my anger swallowed by the window.

"He's the asshole who wanted to come with us, Granger!" He roars and I'm taken aback by his rage. His eyes glower down at me.

"Come on," he says pulling me up the hill roughly.

"Hey! Where are we going?" I ask, tensing my legs to stop him from pulling me any further away.

"We have to set our own wards far enough away, so we have time to move in case someone breaches them," he says matter-of-factly. His angry tone dissipating.

At the very top of the hill that overlooks the small cottage that sits against the English Channel he asks me to set the wards. He leans alongside a tree trunk and braces himself against his knees. I know apparating with one person can use a lot of magic but when you have a straggler apparate with you against your knowledge it can suck up a lot of your energy. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as I set the wards. Reenforcing them as Remus had once taught me.

I look towards the house as I wait for the wards to set comfortably. I think ahead to the next three days in a house with just Malfoy and Ron and there ever-growing tension. Malfoy sighs loudly into his hands and now probably isn't the best time to ask him about the old cottage. To ask him why it looks so familiar.