You know it, I don't own it.
Chapter 7: Ile Saint-Louis.
Waking early as usual, Hermione took some time to remember why she felt a knot somewhere in her stomach. Bright as she was, not to mention a morning person, the memories of the day before quickly flooded her. The letter, the conversations that followed and the trip they would take today. It was time for her and Draco to meet Selena, Draco’s little sister.
‘Well, first things first, sneaking out without the others noticing me.’ That was the plan they had come up with yesterday. Get up early and quickly eat some breakfast before the others get up. That way she would be gone before her friends could ask too many weird questions. They figured that Draco wouldn’t have too many problems, the biggest one being getting away from Pansy Parkinson. But Hermione had to navigate around Harry, Ron and Ginny.
Going into the girls’ bathroom, she thought about what they would be doing today. She had made up her mind to leave Harry a note saying that she would be gone today. She was positive he had seen her walking together with Draco, and she needed to give him something to keep his mind quiet so he wouldn’t try to come after her, worrying about
Draco hurting her or something like that. He would then be able to keep Ron and Ginny quiet. ‘Yes, that would probably be best.’
Going back into her dormitory, she quickly dressed and quietly walked into the common room. Just when she was about to send the note up to Harry’s room, she saw him walking down the stairs towards her. He didn’t wait for her to say anything but went straight to the point.
“What is going on, Hermione?” His face was calm; there was no accusation in his voice, even though he knew she was keeping something from him.
“I’m sorry, Harry, I can’t tell you, not yet anyway. Just read this note. I have to go.” Hermione pushed the note into his hands, turned around and was about to leave through the portrait hole, when Harry spoke up again.
“This has something to do with Malfoy, doesn’t it?” It wasn’t really a question.
“Yes, but please don’t worry.” Harry was frowning at her now, not quite believing that Malfoy was nothing to worry about. “Please, he won’t do anything to me. We have something we have to do together. The Headmaster knows about it, and he won’t let anything happen to us.” She could see Harry still didn’t quite believe her, but he opened her note and while his eyes were focused on the parchment, Hermione quickly left.
She hated leaving Harry like this, but she needed to get down to the Great Hall and eat some breakfast. She was already running late by now, and she definitely needed the food. Walking into the Great Hall, she saw that Draco was already there. He was alone, hardly eating anything and looking extremely pale. Hermione, checking there were no other people around, picked up the plate that the house-elves had prepared for her, grabbed an extra apple and walked over to the Slytherin table.
“You have to eat; you can’t help your sister like this.” She gestured at him. Draco only looked up when Hermione actually sat down next to him. His eyes were dull and there were dark circles underneath them. “Have you slept at all?”
“No, and why do you care whether I sleep or eat?”
‘Definitely not a morning person then. Fine. I’ll keep quiet for now.’ Hermione took one more look at Draco, then started to eat her own breakfast.
Within five minutes both were finished, Draco had hardly eaten anything, but Hermione couldn’t make him do anything, besides they needed to get to the Headmaster’s office. They got up and walked out of the Great Hall together. They were nervous.
Suddenly, Draco turned to Hermione.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I know having a…a girl there will be better but well…” Draco looked at her questioningly. “You didn’t ask for this,” he added, more as an afterthought.
“Since when do you care for what I want?” She felt anger flare in her for just a moment. “Just lead the way, you annoying, twitching, little...” She quickly stopped, not uttering the name the fake Professor Moody had provided them with in their fourth year. “Sorry, Malfoy, I mean, Draco, I…” Again she stopped, for once not knowing what to say. Finally she looked Draco straight in the eye and sighed. “No, I didn’t ask for this, but I want to help.”
“Thank you.” Hermione could hardly believe she had heard something so un-Malfoy like come out of his mouth, again. She just gave him a small smile and motioned for him to lead the way.
~
The Headmaster was already waiting for them. “No troubles so far, I take it?”
“I ran into Harry, sir. He knows I will be gone today. He won’t say anything though, he just noticed us walking together yesterday so he knows Draco will be gone as well. I’m sorry, sir.” Hermione stole a glance at Draco to see if he was upset but it seemed Draco had a similar problem.
“I ran into Pansy this morning, but I simply dismissed her. She won’t give us any trouble.” Giving the two people in front of him a small smirk, he explained. “Somehow she follows my orders and I sent her back to bed.”
Dumbledore just shook his head. One thing would never change in Slytherin house. You had the leaders and the followers, and Malfoys would always be leaders. Coming out of his reverie, he took the letter that had started this whole adventure and gave it back to Draco.
“Please listen carefully. I have changed this letter into a Portkey; it will take you to just outside of the apartment. To get inside of the apartment you simply say the words at the bottom of the letter. When you’ve gone inside just look for the house-elf, Lydia, and Selena and take her to your own apartment. If something, anything goes wrong or doesn’t feel right, don’t go there but come back here. The letter will bring you back to my office.”
There was silence between them. A feeling that reality was somewhere outside of the room they were in, a reality that was nasty and unwelcome. Not knowing exactly why they didn’t want to face this reality but feeling a necessity to do just that.
Draco looked at Hermione, offered her the letter and put his hand on her arm. “Let's do this; let's get this first part over with.” Hermione didn’t know where this new Draco had suddenly come from, but she took the letter and looked into those silver eyes once more.
“Let's.”
The two were so caught up in the moment that they didn’t notice the Headmaster counting down. When he reached one, they both felt the telltale tug behind their navels and were instantly transported to Paris.
~
Quickly making sure Hermione was okay, Draco looked around. It was promising to be another beautiful, sunny June day. “So this is Ile Saint-Louis. I guess we really are in Paris then. This is all really happening.”
“Yes, we are in Paris. I have been here before, but I have never actually been on the island itself. It is supposed to be a luxury to live here.” Hermione turned away from the view they had over the Seine; she was still holding the letter. Looking at the boy next to her, she asked, “Are you okay?” He nodded and took the letter she now offered to him. “Maybe you should do this, since you are her brother.”
This made Draco look at his more direct surroundings. They were on some sort of terrace with two chairs and a small table, overlooking the river. Right in front of them was the apartment his mother owned. Like Hermione had just said, luxurious. Holding up the letter, but not really seeing it, Draco finally said the words that would lead him to his sister.
“Selena Anarya Proles Ater.”
Instantly, the door in front of them opened.
Hermione and Draco took one last look at each other before Draco pushed the door open. They quickly entered the house and Hermione closed the door behind them. She didn’t know why exactly but somehow she didn’t feel quite safe being here. Closing the door behind her hadn’t really helped to shake off that feeling, but since the apartment was now once again under the magic of the Fidelius Charm, she figured they were as safe as they could be. When she looked back in the direction where Draco stood, she saw a house-elf trembling before him. ‘That must be Lydia.’ Hermione thought.
“Master Malfoy, what is you doing here? Where is Mrs Malfoy?” Draco could tell that the house-elf wanted to ask and say much more but she had recognised him as a Malfoy and was trembling because of it. It was no wonder really, he recognised Lydia the moment he saw her as well, though why his mother had called her Lydia he did not know.
“Hello, Nalya,” he said simply. “I’m here looking for my sister, my mother told me she has left her in your care and I would like for her to leave this house with me. Mrs Malfoy won’t be coming around anymore.”
Hermione was stunned, not only did the house-elf and Draco recognise each other, but Draco had called her something entirely different than Lydia. And that wasn’t the end of it. After hearing this other name a great change overcame the small creature, from a great sense of fear of the Master she had once known, to a greater feeling of loss as she realised her Mistress was gone. How she knew this was a mystery to Hermione, but she had no time to think about it as several different things happened right at that moment.
AN: Sorry, evil cliff-hanger but I didn’t want to write what you were all expecting. I promise you will meet Selena next chapter.
Thanks to all of you who have left reviews, and to Hells for being an awesome beta.