With you in my Arms

33. "And of course we had the long girl talk..."

"Sean..."

"You want me to call Magical Law Enforcement?"

Draco shook his head.

"I know, who is behind this. I'll get them and then the Auror Office can deal with..."

There was a rather loud and annoyed sounding hooting somewhere outside. The two wizards looked at each other and then Draco went to the front door. On the tree across the road sat an eagle owl radiating annoyance. There was a letter in its beak. He held his arm up and tried to make it understand it could come to him. It didn't. It took off, started towards his house and then seemed to be repelled by some kind of forcefield.

How could that be? He hadn't set any owl repellent spell around the house. Why would he? Then again, maybe it had been the intruder. He walked along the path, stood on the pavement and held his arm up again. This time the bird landed as he would expect it to do. He took the letter, stroked his head and then sent it back to its owner.

While reading the letter he walked back to the house.

Draco!

Pansy and the youngest Rockwood, William, were going to get their hands on your girl. I took her to stay with me until you could come and collect her. I'm at the flat.

Blaise

"Everything okay?"

Draco nodded.

"Okay. Should you need anything, let me know."

Sean was halfway down the path, when the younger wizard called after him, "You were a Ravenclaw prefect. Gave me detention for trying to charm a Griffindor's hair green."

Sean turned and smiled.

"That's right. Her hair turned yellow as you didn't know that she was really a Hufflepuff."

When he was alone again, he noticed that Turo had cleaned and repaired the furniture in the living room. He called the elf and told him that he would go and get Hermione. Nobody was to enter the house, nobody!, while he was gone. The elf promised to make sure that his orders would be carried out before Draco spun on the spot and tried to disapparate.

It didn't work.

He frowned. It should be possible for him to disapparate in his own house, shouldn't it? He tried again and yet again nothing happened except for him starting to get dizzy. He pulled his wand out and then did a quick check on the protection surrounding the building. For some strange reason, he found a counter spell for him being able to disapparate, but everybody else was able to get in and out.

"Finite Incantatum."

He checked again, he was again able to disapparate. Then he cast the protective spell that allowed himself, Hermione, Blaise and the Weasley girl, what was her name again?, apparate inside the house. He took the owl repellent spell off and replaced it with a Pansy Parkinson repellent instead. That should do it for the moment.

Time to get to Blaise and collect his girl. He hesitated. If Pansy was hell bent on kidnapping Hermione, what were the chances that she might try something to harm his mother? Had that been what had happened to her? He needed to find out.

For a moment he wondered, if he should get the Griffindor first and then go and see his mother, but as Blaise was watching her for the moment and Draco very much doubted, that Pansy had any idea about this, it should be okay, if he went to St. Mungo's first.

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"Mother?"

Draco slowly opened the door to her room. Narcissa Malfoy sat in her bed reading. She looked up and smiled as she saw her son.

"Draco, come in."

He did and gently hugged her. This was something he wouldn't have done in the past, but he was just glad, that he hadn't lost her. She kissed his forehead as he drew back.

"What brings you here? I would have thought you would want to spend your time with your girlfriend."

"I need to know about the curse that was used on you."

"Oh? Why?"

He didn't quite know how to tell her that somebody that she had known for years might have tried to kill her in order to get to him.

"Who ever tried to kill you..."

"No."

"What?"

"She didn't try to kill me. She just wanted to get me out off the way."

"How?"

His mother sighed.

"The healers and some aurors have found out that the curse that had been used on me was aiming for you not being able to find happiness."

His face only too clearly showed that she had lost him.

"I was only to wake up, if you could tell me that you had found true love."

"..."

"You see, the girl or woman that cast the spell must have been pretty sure to be able to make you fall for her and then when you told me about it, I would be back to normal. In the meantime she would be trying to be a shoulder for you to cry on so to speak."

"You are awake..."

"Because you found true love. Just not with the person that wanted you to fall for her."

He sighed. His thoughts had gone into overdrive. Pansy! She must have cursed his mother in order to get close to him, but he had already had his night with Hermione and was therefore no longer susceptible for her evil scheme. How could one person be so... evil was the only word that came to mind.

"It was Pansy, Mother. She has cursed you and this evening she has tried to kidnap Hermione. Blaise got there first though and made sure that she is safe."

His mother thought about this for a moment. Yes, Pansy was allowed to apparate within the Malfoy grounds as she had always been regarded as one of his friends. The house elves knew her as well, they wouldn't be suspicious about her visiting and now she had tried to get her hands on the girl his son had chosen for himself? This was not going to be pretty when it came out.

"Will you call the Auror Office or shall I notify them?"

His voice drifted into her thoughts.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to them. You go and get your fiancé back."

She smiled warmly at him.

"And remember to bring her here as soon as possible. I want to meet her." He was already half way to the door. "Preferably before I become a grandmother."

His steps only faltered for a moment, then he was gone. His mother smiled to herself. It was good to see him being happy at last.