Just Neighbors

Chapter 21

Theo left her at Harry's office door and she entered with a knock. He looked up from his desk, his green eyes smiling at her

"I see you've returned already?" He asked as he set his quill down, leaning back in his chair.

Hermione moved into the room and shut the door behind her, feeling a rush of emotion, "yes, Harry. Thank you for that." And she was genuinely thankful.

He offered her a smile as he looked down at his papers, "It wasn't my idea. You can thank Theo for that. He came to me with it, but he knew the Manor is under lock and key. I just happened to know what time there was a shift change."

"And what about Mrs. Malfoy? I didn't see her." Which she was also glad for. Hermione hadn't even considered the possibility of seeing Narcissa.

Harry casually wrote something on one of the sheets in front of him, "Theo just happened to know she took her morning tea in the East Wing at the same time."

"How all very convenient," Hermione jested with a smirk, "but I should get back to work."

He rose from his seat and came around the desk to her. He took her hand in his and their eyes met. His warm green, like a sunlight forest in the morning. "Hermione, I wanted you to see that because you seem to..." his lips twisted slightly, "care about Draco. And don't get me wrong, I think he is nice...enough. But until you can break the curse, you need to careful. He's..." Harry seemed to hesitate as he patted her hand absently, "He goes to a dark place sometimes."

She looked at their hands, his large hand encompassing hers, "like the other night with the Death Eater?"

He inclined his head slightly, "Yes. He has never told me everything that he had endured, but from the things he has told me..." Harry let out a sigh, "It was bad, Hermione. I don't know how he is even alive, to be frank. And you can't walk away from that experience untainted."

"Theo said something similar," Hermione admitted softly, looking at oldest and dearest friend. The one who had always been there for her, protected her; was the brother she never had.

Harry dropped her hand and gathered Hermione into his arms, holding her tight. His embrace was warm, soothing. His voice was quiet, "I just don't want to see you hurt, Hermione."

She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying the warm embrace. A safe place.

"I know," her voice was caught in her throat.

He smoothed a hand down her hair before stepping back, "I better let you get back to work. But listen," he moved to his desk with a smile, "we want you to come with us tomorrow on the next mission."

Hermione's brow furrowed slightly as looked at him curiously, "why?"

"Hermione," Harry met her eyes, "Draco said the library at this manor is massive. You need to come, we don't know what you are looking for."

As soon as Harry had said the word library, Hermione knew she would go with them on whatever mission they had.

So she now stood with Draco and Harry in one of the barren rooms with just the fireplace adorning one wall, draped in a heavy black cape. Harry had explained that it was charmed to help against some minor hexes. The other two were dressed in their sharp Auror robes, solid black stave for the golden buttons that adorned the shirts. While Harry looked professional in his outfit, maybe somewhat intimidating compared to what his usual appearance was, Draco just looked like a steel blade draped in silk. All hard lines and cold expression, his emotions locked away. His blonde hair was smooth back from his face, reminiscent of his earlier years.

She looked at the fireplace, wondering if they planned to use the network to simply enter the house but her thoughts were interrupted by Harry, "So we are going to apparate just outside of the wards—"

"We're apparating?" Hermione asked as she looked at her friend. She hated the feeling of Apparition, and she knew the further the destination the worse she would feel its effects.

"The Floo to the manor is closed. Likely blocked after the war. Besides," Harry patted his pocket, likely making sure his wand was there, "this will get us there undetected."

Draco passed Harry a rolled scroll, and the dark haired man glanced over the paperwork quickly before he crammed it into his pocket, "ah yes, thanks Draco. I'll need that to properly arrest Mr. Crate-"

"Crow," Draco said dryly.

"Yes, Mr. Crow. What would I do without you, Draco?" Harry jested as he waved a finger at Draco. Similar how to Mrs. Weasley waved her finger at her children.

Draco rocked back on his heels, casting his grey eyes towards the ceiling. A bemused smirked just touched his lips briefly before disappearing, "I imagine you'd die, Potter. You can barely remember a scrap of parchment must less-"

Harry smacked Draco in the chest as he headed to the middle of the room, and Hermione watched their exchange with interest. While both seemed to have a cool, aloof attitude towards the other she could feel they had grown tolerant of each other, their words lacking their usual bite. Maybe they had, dare she think it, formed a tenuous friendship?

"Alright, let's get on with it," Harry said, holding his arm out for Hermione to grab, "I'll have you side along with me. After Draco's mishap last time, I don't want you getting splinched."

Draco moved to stand next to them in the middle of the room, his steel eyes glinting in the gloom, "Fuck off, Potter."

"You first," Harry responded casually as Hermione gripped his arm.

She felt the room squeeze around them as they were whirled away.

The feeling passed and Hermione nearly fell over when they landed, her stomach churning. She put her hands on her knees, feeling the bile rise her in throat. She wasn't sure where they were, but she knew it was farther than she usually apparated.

"You alright there, Hermione?" Harry asked from above her. She could see his black dragon leather boots just out of the corner of her eye.

She wiped a shaky hand across her lips as she straightened, giving a nod as she tried to ignore her stomach as it twisted again. Draco and Harry stood in front of her, both seeming unaffected by the apparition. Harry was looking at her with concern in his green eyes with one hand out to help her, while the other seemed as if he had shut himself away and his cold gaze travelled along her face.

Looking at him now, he seemed almost a different person from the one who had come to her night.

More like the person he used to be.

Cold.

Arrogant.

Deadly.

Hermione pulled her wand from the holster at her waist and let out a shaky breath, "I'm fine."

"Good. Don't slow us down," Draco bit out quietly as he looked out towards the sprawling manor just off in the distance.

They stood feet apart but it could have been a gulf for how distant he felt from her in that moment.