𝐌𝐎𝐂𝐇𝐀 | 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦

four

"Hell no," Pansy said. She grabbed Theo and Disapparated. Hermione stared at the spot where they had stood in shock. Ginny, Harry and Hermione all traded bemused expressions. Luna visibly tensed and Blaise's wand was out once again.

"Hm, still harboring hard feelings, I see," Abraxas said lightly, eyes lingering on Blaise's wand. His gaze skipped over the room. "Hello, Ginerva. I've heard a lot about you."

Ginny fought the feeling of unease that this man gave her, but a shiver ran down her spine nonetheless. She didn't like the way he looked at her, like she was an experiment to be carried out. "A pleasure, I'm sure."

"Good morning, Abraxas," Hermione said pleasantly, still confused at the Slytherin's, and Luna's, reactions. "Ready for the trip?"

"Oh, absolutely," he said with a bone-chilling grin. Luna's eyes flicked to Blaise, and he didn't take his eyes off of the man in the middle of the room once, jaw set. Abraxas noticed, rolling his eyes. "Relax, will you?"

Blaise didn't move.

The sound of a door closing brought Abraxas's attention to Draco, standing stock-still. He smiled, saying delightedly, "Draco Malfoy! I haven't seen you in so long, care to catch up? We have time."

"I do not want to speak to you," Draco said, dark undertones to his voice that Hermione had never seen before.

"Aw, come on. Don't be a downer. For old times' sake."

Draco tapped his fingers on his wand, clearly conflicted. "All right."

Blaise looked surprised, but Luna knew his angle. She had sat with him for hours the night before as he agonized over Abraxas's return. He didn't want Hermione on the trip, but, as Luna and Blaise had both pointed out, she was unlikely to do anything that Draco told her to. If that plan failed, which Luna had guessed that it definitely would since it was 'a horrible plan, Draco, are you mental? No offense, I'm just saying-', he would talk to Abraxas to see if he had really changed. It would give him peace of mind, Luna had said to him.

Hermione was still confused, and surprised that even Luna was buying into whatever the Slytherins were so upset about. Abraxas followed Draco into the kitchen with a delighted look affixed on his face, and Hermione turned to Harry and said, "Do you have any idea what that was?"

Harry shrugged. "Beats me. He went to Durmstrang, wasn't it? Some people from Hogwarts hate that school."

"That's not it," Blaise said. Hermione glared at him. "I've heard all about your opinion, thanks."

"No, Hermione, he's right," Luna said softly. "Abraxas is dangerous."

"Just because he went to a rival school doesn't make him dangerous," Hermione said.

"Absolutely, Hermione, dear, so you can put that away," Abraxas said of Blaise's wand.

"That was an awfully short chat," Blaise said to Draco. Draco said, "There wasn't a lot to talk about."

Abraxas laughed. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, Zabini."

Ginny frowned. Draco said, "It's fine."

Blaise relaxed slightly at this, but still looked suspicious. Harry looked around, then said, "Well, I hate to be the one to say it, but this isn't seeming like much of a party anymore."

"Yep," Ginny muttered. Abraxas still looked gleeful, per usual, but something flashed briefly across his face that made Ginny want to get the hell away from him. Once glance at Luna confirmed that she felt it too.

Suddenly, a glowing blue Patronus came to hover in front of Hermione. It opened it beak and in a loud voice declared, "Aurors, your mission has been moved sooner than expected. You will leave as soon as possible."

As it disappeared, Harry said, "Well, I s'pose we better get a move on, then."

"I suppose we must," Abraxas said, a hint of something in his tone that Hermione wasn't quite sure she liked. She dismissed the thought as lingering uneasiness of the afternoon, determined not to be prejudiced.

Draco whispered to Hermione as she gathered her things, about to Apparate, "Be careful. I don't trust him."

Hermione groaned. "Didn't you talk to him? You said everything was fine. Don't be ridiculous."

Draco just pressed his lips into a thin line, not saying anything. Hermione stared at him for a moment then shook het head, disappointed and Dispparated with Harry's hand on her shoulder.

Blaise looked at Draco with an unreadable expression, then interlaced his fingers with Ginny's, murmuring quietly to her before Disapparating.

Draco looked imploringly at Luna, but she only said lightly, "I'll see you tomorrow, Draco."

And then he was alone.