Dark

Chapter 6

"Excuse me?"

"Hi. Can I help you?" I smiled at the woman in front of me.

"Yes, I was looking for the newest book by Rita Skeeter" I make a face and the woman laughs, "I know, my sister likes her colum in the news paper and no matter what I tell her, she won't hear a word against that foul woman"

"Here you are" I say, smiling at the woman in front of me.

"Thank you for your help, Hermione"

She returned my smile before walking off to the register. My mind wondered aimlessly as my fingers scraped lightly against the spines of the books that I had shelved earlier. I pushed my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. My eyes darted up as the bell on the door rang as someone entered the shop, they widened considerably as I reconized the blond strands.

My Immediate reaction was to hide. but then, I thought about the war. I didn't hide from the Snatcher or Voldemort, so why the hell am I going to hide from Draco Malfoy? before I even had time to entertain the idea anymore, I was pulled into a tight embrace, which knocked the breath out of me.

"Hello Beautiful" I blushed at the compliment, my bushy hair falling from behind my ear. "Why didn't you text me back?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed away from the warm embrace. His question, if asked by someone like Ron or Harry would have been completely innocent, but him asking the question just made him a total ass.

"You asked what I was wearing" I answered, disgusted.

"Yes, and you didn't answer so I figured that you were naked" Draco explained, his smirk widening at the images his words had no doubt put in his wicked mind.

"Hermione?"

We were, mercifully, interrupted by Harrison, Burke's son, much to Draco's annoyance.

"Are you alright?"

No.

"Yes, I'm fine"

Harrison wasn't that much shorter than Draco but his dark brunette hair (who knew the color since he uses Muggle Dye on it!) was a clear contrast to Draco's silky blonde strands.

"My dad needs help in the front" Harrison explained, jutting his thumb towards the front of the shop.

"Ok"

Draco held my wrist in his big hands, I looked up at him, my eyebrows raised,

"Your going out with me again"

"Draco" I warned.

Draco smirked at Harrison. Was he trying to make him jealous?

"I think you should leave, Sir" Harrison spat, disgust clear in his voice.

Draco didn't move, standing his ground. I winced as I felt his palm heat up to an unimaginable temperature. I've felt this before; When Harry was just learning to use the power he had inside, and I knew from experience that if he got angry and had that kind of power, Draco would most likely blow the roof off the building.

"I'll see you later Hermione"

The good-bye caught me off guard so I wasn't immediately prepared for soft lips to attach to mine and steal a kiss from them. Draco winked at me before turning and walking away, the muscles in his back buldged as he pushed the door open.

"Are you alright?" Harrison asked again, now in front of me, his blue eyes searching for any signs of distress.

"Yeah, thanks for that" I smiled.

****

"Thank you"

I smiled as I handed the man his bag, before he strolled away.

"I'm going to lunch in the Leaky, want something?" Harrison announced, coming from the back room.

"Nah, I'm good, but If you can get me some ice cream from Fortesque's, that'd be excellent"

Harrison laughed before nodding and heading back to the back to use the rear entrence. I talked with Yasmine for a while, laughing and chatting about the boys until I heard a loud, ricocheting thump. I pulled my wand out wildly, jumping over the counter and running towards the storage room. When I got to the room, Harrison was on the ground, clutching his nose and howling in pain, half buried under old Hogwarts school books.

"Harrison!" I shouted, half angry and half worried. What had happened to him?

Harrison looked up, his eyes widening as he saw that it was me. Immediately he tried to hide from me but a body binding and Silenco and he was lying still - he was glaring- but he was still. I crept over to where he lay, his hand no longer covering his face. I had to refrain from laughing as I took in the damage. Someone, had hexed Harrison to have donkey teeth.

"Who did this too you?"

Harrison's eyes looked worried but then I remembered he couldn't speak so I released the Silenco I had on him and asked again. This time, he breathed heavily and whispered a name that I barely caught.

"What?"

"M-Malfoy" Harrison whimpered through the donkey teeth. Draco did this too him? I though he'd changed. I thought he'd saw his ways, damn was I wrong?

***

Soon after, I was waving good-bye to Yasmine and Harrison, smiling as they disappeared into the distance. My eyes lazily swept over my surroundings, stopping immeditaly on the figure stood in front of my path.

"Draco?"

The figure shook his head, a truly evil smile crossing his face as he stalked forward.

"Oh, are you the newest tramp my son has roped in?" The figure asked quietly, removing his hood.

"Lucius" I growled, immediately on the defense. "What do you want? Aren't you supposed to be in some hole now that your Master is gone?"

Lucius' face darkened and he stalked closer, his breath coming in short puffs, "You bitch. I knew I should have killed you the moment I saw you"

My breath hitched at the hardness in his cold gray eyes.

"Father!" My head whipped to the side, spotting Draco instantaneously. I breathed a sigh of relief that immediately turned into a gasp of pain as Lucius shoved his wand deep into my ribs. "Let her go"

"Why?" Lucius hissed, his wand angled at a point where it pierced my lung, "You wanted her dead, remember Draco? Remember how you wanted to cast Crucio on her?" At this point his wand was digging to my lungs, I was pretty sure I had internal bleeding.

"Let. Her. Go"

Lucius and Draco stared at each other, fiercely, steel gray versus stormy gray, head to head, neither one willing to break from each others heated glare. Finally, after what seemed to be hours but was only minutes, Lucius' heated glare turned away from Draco, glared at me and turned away, Apparating away in the blink of an eyes.

"Hermione" Draco ran to me, grabbing me around my waist. He was the only force that seemed to be holing me up at the moment. "Are you okay?" He held his hand out, his arm still wrapped around my waist.

"Y-Yes I think so" I stuttered, wincing as I drew in another breath.

"Here take my hand" My vision travelled to his hand. I frowned, all pain forgotten. I frowned as I opted for the other hand that held his wand. Dumbledore had taught her a spell that she could cast without her wand, that could tell if the owner had used magic recently.

Draco's wand was warm, meaning he has used it recently.

"Draco... Did you.."

"Leave it Hermione" He growled, taking my wrist and leading me away.

He'd hexed Harrison.... I already knew, but I didn't want to believe it.