Baton Rouge

- 33 -

Suddenly, hot tears burned the corners of her eyes.

"When do I have to go?" she asked hoarsely.

Melody cleared her throat. "He's already here, waiting for you. He made it clear that he wanted to take you with him immediately."

There was a roar in Hermione's ears.

It felt like she was losing the ground under her feet again. There was no hope left for her to hold on to. Her fate was sealed and without her wand, which she had sorely missed on more than one occasion in the past few weeks, she would not be able to do anything about it. But even worse than these thoughts were the sudden pangs in her chest.

Malfoy wouldn't be able to find her.

+.+.+

Hermione had packed her bag. It was slightly heavier now than the day Malfoy had forced her to leave the Baton Rouge with him nearly four weeks ago. Only the two new books had joined her meager belongings.

She sighed, took one last look around the small room and finally shouldered the bag.

All the way back down, Hermione felt like her shoes were filled with lead. Her hands were shaking and she felt like crying. Aside from the other emotions that had flooded through her when Melody had broken the news to her, she was now also afraid. She didn't know what to expect. If she was to believe Melody, her admirer was very wealthy. And what these kinds of men had done to her over the past few weeks triggered a flight instinct that she was now trying desperately and unsuccessfully to shake off.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up.

There he was. His hair was reddish and fell slightly over his forehead. For a moment, Hermione thought she was looking at Ron and gasped involuntarily. But it wasn't Ron, she realized immediately. The man didn't even bear much resemblance to him, apart from the striking color of his hair. His eyes were bright green, he was tall, very trim and well dressed.

"Are you ready?" he asked and looked at her seriously.

Hermione nodded silently and gave Melody a help-seeking look. But the witch had decided to discreetly turn away. She was probably uncomfortable. Hermione felt another pang in her chest and straightened herself. It had been foolish of her to think that she had found something of a confidante in Melody. Of course, she didn't care about Hermione - and why should she?

The wizard reached out and clasped her upper arm.

"The sales contract is already signed," he said quietly as she came to a halt next to him. "Don't do anything stupid and don't try to leave without permission. That won't work," he informed her.

Hermione lifted her chin defiantly, but still kept her mouth shut.

He said goodbye with a few words while Hermione avoided looking at Melody or the receptionist. After being treated like this, she saw fit to give them both the cold shoulder. At least their behavior had a more than welcome side effect: Hermione was no longer anxious and worried, but mostly angry again.

Reluctantly, she followed the red-haired man who had started to move and now pushed open the doors that led straight into Diagon Alley. It was already dark and Hermione looked down as she stepped onto the uneven cobblestones. His grip hadn't relaxed and he was walking quickly, so she had to be careful not to trip.

"Merlin, are we in such a hurry?" she hissed belligerently as he turned a corner sharply, causing her to stumble.

He didn't answer. Hermione looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Was it tension that flared up in his face now? She felt a small wave of contentment. He apparently didn't want to be seen with her if there was a way to avoid that - fair enough. However, she would not do him the favor and give him a pleasant exit.

"Whoever you are..." she began, since she had never seen the wizard before, not even at Baton Rouge, "... be sure I won't put up with anything. I don't even want to know what a ridiculous amount of money you paid to humiliate me, but I'm not ready to play your private whore." The words came out harder and more confident than she really felt.

Did he just growl?

Hermione was still wondering if she had misheard as he pushed her down a dark side street. Gasping softly, she stumbled backwards against a brick wall separating the alley from the backyard of another building.

Uncertainty spread through her. Maybe she had gone too far. Maybe she should have been more careful, should have found out first who and, above all, how her counterpart actually was. Involuntarily she pressed herself against the cold stones behind her back.

"Merlin, Granger, you really never know when it's better to shut up," the wizard grumbled, stepping closer, eyes flashing.

Hermione immediately forgot how to breathe. That wasn't possible. It was downright absurd.

"Malfoy?" she gasped and searched his face for a hint that she had made a complete fool of herself with her assumption.

With one big step he was directly in front of her and pressed his hand to her mouth.

"You're supposed to be quiet, damn it," he hissed in his usual manner, which Hermione recognized immediately - despite the unfamiliar voice and the green instead of gray eyes that were now looking at her in warning.

The enormous relief that washed over her almost made her legs give way. She had never felt anything like this for Malfoy before, but what flowed through her body now and made her worries vanish for the time being was pure joy of reunion.

Tears welled up in her eyes and now she pushed forward - towards him and away from the brick wall. Despite the unfamiliar body he was still in, the desire was too great and she clutched his shirt collar in her hands, emotions still swirling vigorously inside her. Relief, affection, longing, confusion, hope. A soft sob escaped her throat, but she tried to pull herself together.

"Granger," he growled softly, finally wrapping both arms around her. "I suppose I should be flattered that you seemed to have missed me so much, but that'll have to wait."

A smug grin curled his lips and Hermione didn't know which to do first: smack him or kiss him.

They looked at each other breathlessly for a few seconds. Hermione slowly took him in, her heart beating erratically against her ribs.

Malfoy was here.

He had indeed returned and apparently saved her once again, Hermione now realized, although she still didn't understand why. But somehow she didn't care at all. She could have just done a little dance of joy, although that would probably have made her the biggest idiot of all time.

"What are you doing here? How?" she breathed and it would never have occurred to her to move even an inch away from him.

"Later," he murmured, scanning her face as if to make sure she was fine.

His expression was softer now, so Hermione just nodded while meeting his gaze, which sent a shiver down her spine.

At that moment the scales fell from her eyes.

She trusted him. She probably would have entrusted her life to him without hesitation. And maybe she was doing just that right now, without knowing it.

"We have to get out of here. I don't know how long the effects of the Polyjuice Potion will last," Malfoy said, glancing at his timepiece with concern.

Hence the haunted look on his face that Hermione had noticed earlier. That made sense.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck as if controlled by someone else. She ran her fingers over his skin.

"That, Granger, is a very good question. I don't know for sure myself."

And before Hermione, who was now frowning, could ask another question, he leaned in and kissed her. Their lips met only briefly. It was an embarrassed kiss. A little shy and cautious, but it felt like Malfoy just couldn't resist the urge.

When they broke apart a few seconds later and Hermione looked at him with slightly parted lips, he Disapparated without another word.