"I know it is you, behind that mask..."

"You have such a beautiful handwriting..."

,,I want to know who you are, because I think I know it already..."

,,Are you sure...?"

,,As sure as I can be... Ms Black..."

Narcissa smirked, pulled Hermione closer, and whispered: ,,Then let me tell you a secret, Ms Granger... this party is boring, and I'm starving."

Hermione had to laugh, and leaned her head against Narcissa's shoulder, who also had to laugh, before she said: ,,I know a good Japanese restaurant, if you want..."

,,Am I dressed right for a restaurant?" Hermione asked, looking up at Narcissa, who looked up and down on her: ,,Not sure... perhaps you ought find a witch, who could give you another dress..."

Hermione blushed heavily, and thought: "Bite me..."

,,Come on..." Narcissa said gently, and smirking, while she lead Hermione outside...

They apparated away from the party, Narcissa pulled out her wand, and changed their dresses into a simple red one for Hermione, and a green one for herself with a less deep cutout. She also let vanished their masks, into a bit of make up.

,,Thanks..." Hermione said, and they both realized, that this moment was the first moment, they were standing so close, and were talking to each other... and most importantly: without a mask.

,,Thinking of running away...?" Narcissa asked, and Hermione nodded slightly. Narcissa smiled, and took her hand.

,,Let's don't have this conversation outside..."

Hermione nodded, and followed Narcissa into a small restaurant, where she asked for a table with some privacy.

The waiter nodded, and pointed his wand at a particular table. Two chairs glided backwards, and he said: ,,Just tell the table what you want, and no one will bother you."

Narcissa nodded, and Hermione followed her... they sat down at the table, and after they've ordered a plate filled with Sushi, a bottle of wine, Hermione took a deep breath, because there were too many Questions in her head, and finally she asked: ,,Why did you come back? Ginny had seen you and Draco leaving, and Lucius right behind you..."

Narcissa nodded, their wine arrived in two glasses, and she said: ,,After Draco came to us, I wanted him as far away from there as possible. I didn't care anymore, if Voldemort wins or not, and that's also why I've lied to him. I fled with Draco, and I stopped in the middle of the bridge... I remembered how Draco had asked me, why we stopped, and I looked back at Hogwarts. It was like leaving my home, when it needed me most. I told Lucius he ought bring Draco home, if he would have had the tiniest feeling still for me, and I went back to the battle field... and then I saw you. And my sister right in front of you... and in that moment I've had had a Deja-vu... I saw you again lying on the floor in the manor, and I couldn't do nothing... besides that what I've done."

,,What exactly was that... and... why...?" Hermione asked after a short break, and Narcissa looked at her. ,,Because you were only a child which had had seen much too far. I'm not even sure, if my sister would've stopped herself, if it would've been her own nephew. Or her own son, if she would've had one... and what I did, was... pure white magic." she said, and Hermione looked with wide eyes at her. She didn't know what she should say, so she just reached over the table, and took Narcissa's hand.

,,Thank you... for everything..."

Narcissa smiled and nodded: ,,Thank you, for helping me in return."

,,I didn't helped you because you've helped me... not only... you were alone against two death eaters..."

,,You are cute, you know...?" Hermione blushed, and thought: "Yeah, and you are damn hot, and I swear, if-"

"If what...?" She heard Narcissa's voice in her head, and while the older witch ate her sushi, Hermione shook her head, and said: ,,Not important..."

"I would like to rip that dress off of your body, if you would wear it again..." Hermione thought a bit later, and this time, it was Narcissa who blushed heavily, even if she had provoke exactly that. But to hear those thoughts, was something complete different...

They were walking through a park after their dinner, and even neither of them were talking, it was wonderful, and Hermione let her fingers slip between  Narcissa's, who squeezed them gently.

,,Would you like to come to my place...?" Narcissa asked, and without thinking, Hermione nodded in Agreement, and Narcissa apparated them directly to Black Manor.

,,Trixie...?" Narcissa asked gently, and a house elf appeared in front of them, and to Hermione's surprise, Narcissa knelt down, and gave her house elf a small hug, before she said: ,,Please make us some tea..." she turned to Hermione: ,,Would you like to have a dessert?"

Hermione nodded, and Narcissa also asked her house elf for that. Trixie bowed, and vanished, while Narcissa got back up to her feet, and turned around to Hermione.

,,You... you hugged your...?"

,,Yes..." Narcissa said, took Hermione's hand and led her upstairs into her parlor. ,,Yes I'm hugging my house elf, and I asked her... I always hated it, how Lucius had treated Dobby..."

,,Wow..."

Narcissa laughed: ,,I know. I'm the last person from whom you would expecting that."

,,Sorry..." Hermione apologized, but Narcissa shook her head: ,,You're not the first who react like that... let's talk about something else. How's work?"

,,Sometimes like entering the Hogwarts Express."

,,How so?" Narcissa asked in amusement, and Hermione said: ,,Well... sometimes my day starts at 11am. It seems always like my door open, and didn't close until 6pm. And every witch or wizard is like a train ride through every weather condition..."

Narcissa laughed, and nodded: ,,Oh yeah, I know what you mean... and... what about your private life?"

,,Do you mean my love life, or my... none existing love life...?" Hermione couldn't held back her question, and Narcissa smirked: ,,Oh come on... you're an attractive young woman."

,,You too..." Hermione said, and Narcissa blushed heavily. ,,I'm not that young..."

,,But you're not that old too..."

,,That's cute of you, Hermione... but..." Narcissa started, and their eyes met...

,,But...?" Hermione asked, and Narcissa shook her head slightly, gripped in Hermione's dress and pulled her closer. Hermione closed her eyes and felt Narcissa's warm breath on her lips, before she felt those soft lips on her own...

"You sent me those notes..." Hermione thought, while their tongues danced around each others, and she could heard a throaty chuckle in her mind, before Narcissa thought: "I did, Sweetheart... and you have... such a beautiful handwriting..."

tbc...