With you in my Arms

32. You got what she wants, Draco.

Narcissa Malfoy was sitting in her bed in St. Mungo's with a rather unusual visitor by her bedside. Kingsley Shaklebolt, Minister for Magic, was looking at his hands, twisting them into complicated shapes, but keeping silent all the same. She had been surprise when he had shown up in the middle of the night, alone and seemingly rather concerned.

She would have expected an auror to come and see her, as they would deal with the case of her being cursed. Why the Minister himself would be involved was beyond her. Surely he had staff to deal with this kind of crimes? Or was there more to it all than she knew? Had Draco left out a few vital details when he had been speaking to her? She wouldn't have been surprised by it.

She decided it was time to find out what was going on and why the man, that was the head of the British wizarding community, was sitting at her bedside of all places.

"Minister, I'm sure you have a lot of important matters to attend to. So, why are you here exactly?"

A calculating look was shot her way before Shaklebolt continued to be silent.

"Fine, if you don't mind, I will attend to some important business of my own then."

She got a small travelling writing desk from the night stand, smoothed out a piece of parchment, checked the tip of her quill...

"The healers and two aurors specialised in curses have been able to analyse the curse that has been used on you."

She looked up. "Oh?"

"It was a complex and personal one. So complex actually that I'm surprised it worked at all."

"Personal?"

"You were meant to only wake up, if Draco could tell you that he was genuinely happy because of him having found true love."

There was only silence filling the room. Kingsley now gazed at the regal looking woman before him. No emotion was showing on her face.

"Somebody must have a rather dim view of my son, if they are thinking he would be unable to find a girl who truly loves him."

"Does he have a girlfriend? If you don't mind me asking."

"Yes, he does. A very fine girl, intelligent, sharp witted and nice looking."

"Then why would anybody try this complex curse on you? And also, why did it work in the first place?"

There was a tense moment.

"He found her while I was... absent.

"I see."

The Minister seemed to be lost in thoughts for a moment.

"Who would have an interest in... cursing you?"

"I don't know, but as it was a female that I heard muttering the incantation, I would presume somebody that had an interest in getting to Draco." She sighed. "Alas, he hasn't been the most considerate of young men when it comes to dealings with the other sex."

"I see."

"Minister, should I have any more information for you I'll let you know immediately."

Kingsley felt a bit like a student being dismissed by his teacher.

"There is one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Where is your son. Where is Draco?"

"Sorry, I can't help you there."

He shot her a calculating look. Was she lying? How good an occlumence was she? He decided not to find out at this occasion. He had more pressing matters on his mind, including the failure of his aurors to locate Hermione so far. That girl couldn't just have fallen of the face of the earth!

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Before Draco could do anything else, he heard somebody calling from the front garden.

"Tom? Everything okay?"

He whispered to Turo to hide in the upstairs bathroom and then slowly turned to face who ever had been calling him. There was a knock against the still half open front door and the head of Sean came into view.

"Everything okay, Tom?

The young wizard concealed his wand and then slowly walked over to the other man.

"..."

Before he could say anything else he saw with utter amazement that Sean was slowly pulling a wand from his jumper sleeve.

"Lumos." The tip started to glow. They both stared at it for a moment. "Nox."

"How...?"

"You were at Hogwarts the first year, when I was preparing for my N.E.W.T.s. It took me a while before I realised where I had seen that hair before."

He came in and closed the door behind him.

"So, what has happened?"

Draco didn't know what to do. His brain was scramble with the fear for Hermione's life. He had always been calm and collected no matter what, but now he found himself unable to think straight.

"Are you really Sean? Or is that a cover?"

The other man smiled.

"No, my name is really Sean O'Connor. I'm a wizard and live amongst Muggles as my father didn't like me dating a Muggle girl and didn't think twice to chuck me out."

"Oh."

"And you are Draco Malfoy, heir to name and fortune of the Malfoy family."

"Yes. If you knew all the time, why didn't you say anything?"

"None of my business why you were hiding behind a false identity."

There was a moment of silence.

"What has happened? Looks like somebody broke in here." He pointed to the overturned furniture that was visible in the living room.

Draco nodded slow. Then he called Turo. The house elf appeared and bowed.

"Yes, Master?"

"Has this man ever been in this house?"

"No, Master. Man taking Mistress was black wizard not white one."

Draco looked down at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Face of wizard was black not white."

There were only so many black skinned wizards he knew and only one of them could have been able to apparate into their house: Blaise Zabini!

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He stood at the front of the reserved box and was cheering. The Holyhead Harpies had won 310 to 150. Ginny had even been playing for the last half hour as one of the Chasers had been badly injured when she was hit by both Bludgers at the same time. Harry was bursting with pride for his fiancé.

As the players had vanished into the dressing rooms and the partners, boyfriends and husbands of the team were filtering out into the corridor the young wizard stayed behind for a moment and looked around the stadium. It wasn't as big as the one that had been used for the Quidditch World Cup, but this was only the second time ever he had been at an official match. Would he like to play Quidditch professionally? It would be great to keep up his Seeker skills and he missed playing. It had only been three months since he had left school, but not to be able to fly more often... It had left him wanting somehow. He realised that until now he hadn't thought about it, but seeing Ginny at the match had ignited a yearning that he could barely conceal.

He sighed and followed the other men downstairs to the changing rooms.

Meeting Ginny freshly showered and smelling all lovely he forgot the yearning to play Quiddirch again for the moment as hunger of a different kind was occupying his mind.

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Blaise Zabini looked at the sleeping girl before him. She had been protesting, arguing and been close to screaming at him, but he hadn't budged. She would stay right were she was until Draco came to collect her. Their shouting match exhausted her to an astonishing degree. He would have never thought that being pregnant could do that to her. She had always been the one that had got back to any Slytherin trying to taunt her. She had won arguments hands down in most cases, but now? One short heated debate and she needed a nap.

He grinned to himself. Did Draco know how easy it was to shut her up for a while by just having an argument with her? Then again, why would he want to argue with her? He was more likely to do a lot of other things rather than talk...

What was Granger like between the sheets? Not that he would ever find out. In case he valued his own male parts he would keep his hands strictly to himself. He was no fool. Draco would forget any friendship regardless with whom, if that person tried it on with her.

He remembered the book his former house mate had been reading in the Leaky Cauldron when Blaise met him. A book for fathers to be. He would have never thought he would see the day when Draco of all the people he knew would be trying to learn about the more non-public parts of fatherhood. He shuddered. Hopefully it would be a long time coming before he would need to borrow that particular book from his friend. He didn't intend to get that serious with a girl any time soon.

Hermione muttered in her sleep. She look so peaceful. Blaise let his eyes wander over her sleeping form; nice body, pretty face and an air of gentleness. The hair was a lot less unruly than he remembered. It surrounded her in waves of brown curls. He smirked. Draco had taste, he had to give him that, but whatever he had done to get this particular witch would probably remain a secret for ever.

"Draco?"

The whispered word invaded his thoughts and he noted the slightly less peaceful expression on her face. Was she dreaming about him? Longing for him? He shook his head. How could he think of longing, Hermione Granger and Draco in one sentence? Though she was now repeatedly muttering his name.

"He should be here soon. The owl has been gone for more than three hours." He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to get slightly worried. Why had he not yet heard from his friend? Had he possibly come home while Pansy and Rockwood were in the house? He could only hope, that that wasn't the case.

"Draco!" Hermione was wide awake and sitting. She looked wildly around.

"Everything is okay. You are still at my place. You are safe." Blaise tried to re-assure her.

"Oh, yes." The memory of earlier events seemed to be coming back to her now.

He said next to her on the bed and put his hand gingerly in her shoulder.

"You okay?" His eyes showing sincere concern for her. She nodded.

"So you want a cup of tea? Or some water?"

"Tea, please." She let herself sink back onto the pillow. "Blaise?"

He didn't turn. He didn't want her to see his surprise as she had been using his first name.

"Yes?"

"Why did you come and get me?"

"I told you, Pansy and William had intended to kidnap you. I couldn't let that happen. Pansy is a bitch and Merlin knows what she might have done with you. I would reckon a slow, painful death might have been on the cards for you."

Hermione frowned.

"Why would Pansy want to do that?"

Blaise brought her the tea with a wide smirk on his face.

"You got what she wants, Draco."

"Oh..."

"Yes. Careful with the tea, it's hot."

She sipped it slowly, lost in her own thoughts.