Something unexpected

Ron made his way out of the room, with Harry following close behind. He peeked cautiously into the corridor. He motioned for Harry to follow him and they crept down the corridor. Ron froze as he heard a patter of feet down the corridor, and then a beautiful girl, with blonde silvery hair and exquisite red robes rounded the corner. He stopped and stayed completely still. "Maybe she can't see us," he thought to himself wildly. Her brow furrowed and she walked right up to Ron and pushed him hard. Ron let out a yell as he toppled over, grappling for handholds as he went. Unfortunately, the only handhold he could reach happened to be a tapestry. The girl extended a hand and yanked him up.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, curiously.

"To tell you the truth, we don't really know either," Harry replied, scratching his head. "I'm Harry and this is Ron. We managed to get transported here after touching a portkey."

"I'm Calantha," she replied and smilingly extended a hand. "This is my house. I must say, it is very strange your being transported here."

"Do you know anyone who can help us?" Ron asked anxiously, "My sister has been kidnapped."

Calantha looked thoughtful. "There is a wise old Sage who lives at the furthermost corner of the town. He may be able to help you-"

"Miss Calantha!" She turned her head sharply at sudden intrusion on their conversation. She looked to the end of the corridor. "Quick! In here!" she hissed and pushed them through a doorway. "I will be back for you presently," she said and closed the door on the two astonished and bewildered boys.

"Lumos," Harry muttered, and the room was bathed in the soft glow of light radiating from Harry's wand.

They were in what appeared to be the Laundry Room. The shelves were piled high with sheets, robes and what looked like-

"Pantaloons? You mean, they actually wore these?" Ron asked, amused.

Harry laughed, and then stopped, there was a very big possibility that they could be found out and with a wave of the wand could be hung, drawn and quartered.

"Look, Harry, I found a codpiece!" Ron said loudly, amid snorts of laughter.

The door opened. It was Calantha and she was bearing two voluminous black cloaks. "It is improper to make so much noise," she scolded, "You could be caught!" She threw them the cloaks and they put them on. They followed her out of the room and down an impressive stone staircase to the entrance hall. She led them through the front doors and onto the lawn. Harry and Ron looked around in amazement, there appeared to be some kind of Quidditch Tournament and some wizards were dueling fiercely. She led the way to the gates, where three broomsticks were leaning against the wall. A guard standing at the gates snapped to attention and they passed through. Calantha mounted her broom and they flew over the town until she motioned for them to land.

"I often come here, for a little piece and quiet," Calantha confided. She walked up to a small cottage, set apart from the others and knocked on the door. No one answered. She tried again, but still nothing happened. "I'll bet he's catching forty winks," she said, more to herself. She walked around to the back of the house.

Harry looked at Ron and shrugged. There didn't seem to be any imminent danger. They followed her to the back of the house. "Beats playing Wizard Chess," said Ron.

******

She had only woken up because she was cold. The warmth that Draco had provided throughout the night was no longer there. Hermione looked around and saw Draco washing his face in the pool, the water running in rivulets down his arms and the smooth skin of his torso. She turned away, a blush starting in her cheeks. She heard his feet crushing the tall grass, as he made his way back to her. He knelt down beside her; Hermione could hear him breathing and feel the warmth of his body next to hers. She waited and felt a swift brush of his lips on hers. She smiled and opened her eyes. She looked up into Draco's face, expecting a smile, but his face was devoid of emotion. "I thought by now, after what we have discovered about each other and shared, he would open up to me," she said inwardly. She stretched and sat up. Draco had put his shirt back on now and was standing with his back to her. She walked up to him in silence.

"We are going to go to my house," Draco said, breaking the silence.

Hermione nodded. "Okay," she said simply.

They walked from the clearing carrying their brooms, Hermione lagging slightly behind Draco. They took to the sky.

******

Calantha looked under the stone for the key. Having located it, she opened the door and invited Harry and Ron to step inside. They stepped into the cottage, which was dark and smoky. All the curtains were closed and a cauldron hung smoking over the fire. Calantha snaked her way between shelves of jars with mysterious contents until she reached a tiny back room. Here there was a man fast asleep on an open book. She shook him softy.

"Albus, there's someone here to see you," she said quietly. The man yawned and sat up. He ran his long, thin fingers through his hair and adjusted his spectacles, which were perched on the bridge of his nose.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Ron gasped. "But how, why...?" He trailed off, dumbfounded by this revelation.

"Harry, Ron! What a delight! What are you doing here?" he asked, puzzled.

"How do you know who we are?" Harry asked.

"I never forget a face," he said. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he smiled broadly.

"Ginny has been kidnapped, and we have found out that Lucius Malfoy engineered a portkey to send us to this time. We have no idea how to get back and we have to find Ginny before it's too late..." Ron lapsed into silence, having exhausted himself.

Albus scratched his beard thoughtfully. "What makes you think Lucius is still in the future? Maybe he brought you here to find him."

"But why would he do that? Presumably he would be trying to evade us?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"But you forget," Albus answered, "that he also has Ginny. I do not believe he will hurt her. I expect that he is just using her to get to you, Harry."

"How can you be sure, Professor? He deliberately tried to hurt her with Tom Riddle's Diary. He tried to kill her," Harry said.

"I have a feeling he has different motives this time, Harry."

He nodded at Calantha wearily and set his head down on his book and within seconds was snoring again.

"Funny. How did he get all the energy to run a school if he can barely keep his eyes open for ten minutes?" said Ron.

******

Ginny had been informed that she was allowed out of her cell that morning. Lucius had decided that she was not a threat to him and his duties and she was allowed to roam the house, except for a few specific rooms. She had been formulating a plan. Ginny crept out of her bedroom, and down the hallway in her nightdress. Her heart was racing and her bare feet pattered lightly on the cold stone. She made her way cautiously to the ground floor and passed through a door, which led down to the dungeons. It was here that Lucius kept his work. She walked down the corridor briskly; it was intensely cold; the sunlight never reached this place. There, at the end of the corridor were two double doors and they were unlocked. It was evident that Lucius had not anticipated a night visitor and had neglected to lock the doors. She passed through them and the torches in the room as one became lit. She crossed the room to the orb in the middle, the one that had reflected Harry and Ron the day before. She waved a hand over it and it glimmered. Ginny waited a little while and soon, a blurry picture of Harry and Ron emerged. She waved her hand over the orb, as if to clear the static, but nothing happened. Ginny pressed her palm to the orb, willing it to give her a clear picture. Suddenly, the picture disappeared the sphere grew red and from it, came forth a piercing sound. Ginny waved a hand vaguely over it, trying to quell the sound, but it was in vain. She made a run for it. She only made it to the door before Lucius and the mysterious guard burst in. Lucius looked furious, and strode immediately over to the orb. The room fell silent as he tapped it with his wand and muttered a few words. He strode back over to Ginny and faced her, a vein pulsing in his forehead.

"Miss Weasley, I take it you are to blame for this incident?" his voice had a dangerous edge to it. He advanced on her. Ginny backed away, her eyes wide with fear.

"I... I-" she stuttered. She backed into a chair and tripped over. Lucius advanced and delivered a swift kick to her side. Ginny screamed in pain. He slapped her around the face, leaving a red mark on her cheek. "Stop!" she screamed, tears coursing down her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" She lay at Lucius' feet like a broken doll that he had carelessly tossed there. She was curled up into a little ball. He bent down so his face was inches from hers and spat at her.

"You disgust me, Weasley, you are worthless. I hope Potter gets here before I finish you off, it would be such a waste of a pretty face." He hauled her up by her hair and slapped her around the face once more. Blood trickled from her nose and from a small cut on her forehead, from where his ring had caught her. She whimpered, holding one hand up weakly to shield herself from further abuse. A smile spread over Lucius' lips. An excellent idea. "Imperio!" Lucius intoned. Ginny's eyes immediately glazed over slightly. Lucius' smile grew wider and he deftly unbuttoned his breeches and left them to slide to the floor.

"Hey, you can't do that-" the guard started, but was fixed with such a glare from Lucius that he lapsed into silence.

"Now, I'm going to expose you for the little slut you really are, Virginia Weasley!" Lucius screeched, his normally immaculate hair now standing up in all directions. "Now get on your knees and do that which you know so well."

Ginny began to comply, and Lucius was so preoccupied by the result of his maniacal scheme, that he did not notice the guard surreptitiously sneaking over to uncover the Orb of Macrinus.

******

Ginny felt the release and her mind clearing. She gagged and moved away.

"Take her away, back to her cell," Lucius snarled.

Ginny felt her hand being tugged. She looked up and into the earnest face of the guard. She meekly got to her feet, although every muscle in her body screamed in agony. She took a few tentative steps, wincing slightly, before Lucius delivered a kick to the base of her spine. She turned around.

"That was for free," he snarled.

******

Hermione touched down lightly on the manicured front lawn of Malfoy Mansion. Night was falling rapidly and the air was beginning to get a little chilly. She followed Draco into the house, trying not to let her mouth drop open in awe. Draco nonchalantly led her to the kitchen.

"We have to fix our own food," he explained. "Father fired the house-elves last week." Hermione nodded, and stood helplessly in the centre of the kitchen whilst Draco busied himself cutting a large loaf up. He cast a sidelong glance at her. "Want a drink?"

Hermione nodded. "What do you have?"

"We have everything. You can have whatever you want. Could you get me a Dragon's Scourge on the rocks? The drinks cabinet is over there." He indicated it with a nod of his head.

Hermione crossed the room and opened the cabinet. She stared at the bewildering array of bottles before her. Finding a tumbler and the bottle, she splashed some Dragon's Scourge liberally over some ice and set it down. Not knowing what all of these bottles contained, she settled for the same as Draco. She picked up the glasses and set one in front of Draco. She took a sip from her glass and shuddered. Hermione followed Draco out of the room and up the stairs to a cozy looking room with some comfortable looking armchairs. She sank gratefully into the nearest armchair. Draco lit a fire in the grate and pulled a table over so it was between the armchairs. On this he set a plate of sandwiches and his drink.

"Nobody appears to be here," Draco mused, his mouth full of sandwich. "Normally my mother is here at least, but even she is not here."

"Mmm," said Hermione vaguely, wondering what else she could say. She took and sandwich and bit into it. "These sandwiches are nice," she commented.

"Yes," Draco said. The room was silent once more. Draco got up and stoked the embers in the fire. Suddenly, there was a giant inrush of air and the flames flickered and turned bright green.

"My boy!" the voice of Lucius Malfoy boomed from the flames.

"Quick!" hissed Draco. "Hide behind the curtains, anywhere!"

Hermione rose quickly from her chair and rushed to the other side of the room, concealing herself behind the curtains. From her vantage point she saw Lucius' head now appear in the flames.

"Father, what brings you here?" Draco asked brightly.

"I saw you travelling with that Granger girl. I wanted to remind you that you are not to associate with Mudbloods. Why must I continue telling you this?" Lucius said.

"Oh...I was trying to come back here, but she followed me. You know what those Mudbloods are like. I was going to bring her back here, for your own amusement, but her good sense prevailed and she took off." Draco lied smoothly.

"Good work, my boy."

"Father, is it true you kidnapped Ginny Weasley?"

"I will not lie to you. Yes it is true. The whole country is looking for the poor girl and she is right under their noses. Quite the little fighter, so I have observed. Very compliant if you know what I mean." Lucius gave a lewd wink. "Now, I must be going. I have business to attend to."

The fire returned to its natural colour and Hermione returned from behind the curtains. "How does he know? How did he see us?" she asked quietly.

"He has an all-seeing orb, which he normally keeps in a locked room downstairs." Draco responded. He yawned. "I'm tired," he said.

Hermione nodded in agreement and followed him from the room, stopping once for Draco to throw an extinguishing charm at the fire almost lazily over his shoulder.

******

Draco felt more than a little awkward about having Hermione in his home. He was still feeling nervous from his Father's sudden appearance. He led her in silence to one of the bedrooms. "Wait there. I'll bring you a shirt." He left the room and shortly came back with a black shirt, made for a man. Hermione looked at it dubiously.

"Thanks," she said and took it from him.

Draco wasn't sure what to do when she turned around and pulled her clothes over her head. He gawked as she pulled the shirt over her head, which barely covered her behind. She turned around and he quickly averted his gaze. She looked at him curiously. "Could I possibly have some sheets and blankets?" she inquired, oblivious of her effect on him.

"Yeah. Sure. Would you mind helping me fetch them?" he asked.

She followed him from the room and down to the laundry room. He stopped to let her pass through into the small gap first. A wicked thought passed through his mind.

"Hermione, the blankets are on the top shelf, could you get a couple down?" Draco asked innocently, eyes gleaming.

"Yes, of course." She reached her arms up, and the shirt went with it. "Just a few more millimetres" Draco's brain pleaded. "Please just a few more..." He watched, barely daring to breathe, as the shirt rode higher and higher on her thighs. It was so close. Then, Hermione's hand yanked it back down again. "Damn!" Draco cursed inwardly. She handed the two blankets to him with a smile. He collected the sheets and they walked back to her room. He left the room and continued down the hallway to his room. He undressed and slipped between the sheets of his bed. He was frustrated. There was so much that was left unsaid between them, and the sexual tension was clearly apparent. He smiled as an idea struck him. At least he could relieve his tension tonight. His hand slid lower, the knowledge of what he was about to do bittersweet.

"Could I stay in here, please?" It was Hermione. Draco yelped and flung his arm back, hitting it on a bedside lamp. "Only, your resident poltergeist seems to have chosen to haunt the guest-room tonight" She offered a smile.

"Yes... Okay. I will sleep on the floor," Draco said resignedly and started to swing his legs out of the bed.

"No, it's okay," Hermione said, "we're both adults, I'm sure we can share a bed!" She offered another tentative smile.

Draco chewed his lip and nodded. He drew back the blankets and patted the space next to him. Hermione climbed into the bed.

******

She limped back to her cell, supported by her guardian. Once safely inside, she pressed herself right into the corner and cowered there. To her surprise, the door did not make its familiar hollow clicking sound when it was closed, and she did not hear the bolt being drawn across. Instead, the door was wide open, but her guardian had gone. She stared at the open doorway and soon, her guardian returned bearing bread, water and a bowl with a cloth. He set these down in front of her.

"Eat," he commanded.

Ginny mechanically placed a piece of dry bread in her mouth. She chewed it and swallowed. The guard took the cloth and dabbed it in the liquid in the bowl. He then proceeded to clean the blood off of her face. Ginny winced at the unexpected pain.

"What is your name?" Ginny asked him quietly.

"My name is Blake," he replied shortly.

"Blake, why are you here? I mean, you're not malicious like Lucius. What's in it for you?" Ginny asked.

"A long time ago, my father and Lucius were best friends. They were both Deatheaters. My father ran into a lot of trouble and he was forced to leave. Voldemort and his followers spent some time looking for him, but they never found him. Except for Lucius, that is. He knew exactly where to look and found my father very quickly. My father beseeched him not to relay the information back to Voldemort. Lucius was one of his trusted followers, so I do not think that Voldemort would have cause to doubt him. Lucius agreed not to tell Voldemort he had found my father in exchange for me. I guess it shows how the power of evil came before the power of love this time." he finished and smiled morosely. "Anyway, Lucius never needed me, not really, until now."

"Oh," Ginny gasped. "That's terrible. I'm sorry," she said bowing her head slightly.

He lifted her chin with one finger. He swabbed at the blood with the cloth. "I have to go now," was all he said. He stooped and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Sleep well."

******

Hermione was aware of Draco's intentions when he had asked her to fetch the blankets and she had almost obliged. Titillated by his titillation. Now here she lay, between the sheets of his bed, and the distance between them seemed miles. She was acutely aware of his tossing and turning. She rolled over restlessly, accidentally brushing against Draco. She was just about to roll away, when an arm casually slung itself around her waist. Hermione stopped, figuring that Drake had done it by accident in his sleep. She tried to move gently away, but the arm held her firm and the hand began to stroke her thigh insistently. She rolled over to face Draco.

"You have been driving me crazy in that shirt," he said and his hand travelled still higher.

Hermione frowned slightly. He had been so cold with her and now he wanted to make her hot? A small voice in her head told her that it wasn't right, but she pushed it to one side. She hooked one leg around Draco's waist and pulled him on top of her. In the faint moonlight, she saw him a raise one eyebrow in surprise. As he bent his head to kiss her, his hair fell forward and she brushed it out of the way. She met the kiss with passion and he responded with desire. She felt herself drowning in his embrace. He started to undo her buttons, fumbling slightly. Hermione helped him in her anxiousness for her lust to be fulfilled. She yanked down his shorts and slid her arms around to his back, caressing him.

******

Calantha led them into the mansion and into a small pantry. "You must act as serving boys at the banquet, there is no other way I can hide you when all of the guests arrive." she said worriedly.

"The banquet starts soon, I must make haste to my room to prepare."

After her departure Ron said disgustedly, "Great, we get sent back to the past and all we get to do is be kitchen skivvies! Charming!"

A trumpet fanfare caused Ron to stop ranting and leap up into the air in fright. "I guess that's our cue," Harry sighed.

They entered the kitchen and grabbed a couple of silver trays each and made their way out to the banquet hall. The hall was packed with many red-faced fat men and their dainty young brides. Ron noticed Calantha sitting to the left of the head of the table. She gave him a curt nod. Ron started at one side of the table and began to serve some suspicious looking stew from a serving pot on his tray. He reached the end of the table and was about to serve Calantha when a particularly repulsive and obese man stood up.

"Gentlemen! I give you...the freak!" he boomed and indicated Ron. The men at the table roared with laughter. Harry saw Ron's knuckles whiten around the tray. "Perhaps it is fortunate he does not work in the garden, gentlemen, for if he did, I fear he would be mistaken for a carrot!" The men hooted and stamped their feet.

"Shut up!" Ron shouted, unable to control himself anymore.

The man looked at Ron like he was something he had found on the bottom of his shoe. "You dare order me, servant boy?" he spat at Ron.

Ron stared back defiantly, but said nothing. The man suddenly threw one of his gloves down on the floor. He looked at Ron expectantly and there was an abrupt hush in conversation. Ron set his tray down and picked up the glove from the floor. A collective gasp went up from the rest of the guests. Harry, who had moved closer to Ron, was also shocked.

"Ron, you idiot!" he hissed, "Picking up someone's glove means that you have to duel them!"

Ron turned white. The man smiled sadistically.

"So it is agreed. Tomorrow on the Quidditch Field, we will have a gentlemanly duel. You may want to ask your companion to bring a sack, as he may need it to carry you back here."