Hide Away

Hide Away

Chapter 8- A business trip...

I woke up the next day, from a loud commotion. I scrambled to get off the sofa, with my eyes half closed. I fell off the sofa and screamed as I hit my head on the coffee table.

I blinked and that was when I was really awake. My eyes were open fully and now the pain, of falling off the sofa onto hardwood floor and of hitting my head on the glass coffee table, really sunk in.

I got up and saw Malfoy standing in my foyer.

"What in bloody hell are you doing?" I asked him, unleashing my red-hot anger.

I glanced at the clock on the table and saw that it was five o'clock on Saturday morning. Ok, I admit, I do wake up early. Mostly nine, ok maybe eight, and sometimes seven but not at bloody five!

I felt like screaming these words at him, but he looked so calm and good.

I frantically tried to pat my mass of auburn hair down, but it refused to be tamed at this time in the morning. I was super glad I hadn't worn my comfy pajamas.

I glared at him and waited for an answer.

He looked nice in a white shirt and baggy dark jeans. His hair was gelled today, and the longer strands were tugged behind his ear for once.

"We've got to follow Peacock today," he said. "I received a tip that he was going to do something important today."

"You could've told me!" I said.

He shrugged, "I only got word last night so..."

I refused to believe that but demanded from him. "How the hell did you get into my flat anyways? I placed tons of spells and charms..."

He snorted and said, "I broke those in two minutes. You didn't have anything complex anyway; it was all fifth year magic."

I seethed but refused to say anything. Ok, this was so wrong. I spent my whole week with him, almost every waking moment talking to him on the phone, and answering to his every call. But the weekend, the weekend was mine. It was my property and I refused to give it up. Besides, I didn't work on weekends. Who in flaming hell did he think he was, just barging into my flat unannounced, thinking I would go with him to wherever he wanted and do whatever he wanted me to do.

"What?" he asked me, seeing that I was biting my lip hard.

"Nothing," I said, in a chirpy voice. "I'll be perfectly happy to do whatever you want when you want me to. And don't worry about my privacy or that I'm tired from the week doing your bidding. Please forget the fact that it's Saturday morning and that it's bloody five in the morning and also forget the fact that I have plenty of work to do...from you may I add!" I said the last part in a non-chirpy voice.

He smirked at me and said, "I'll pay you for your hours today and tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I asked incredulous, collapsing on the couch.

He shrugged and said, "If we need to follow him tomorrow."

I sighed and didn't say anything.

"Look, Weasley," he said. "I'll pay you for all the hours you do this weekend and I'll also pay for your expenses as well. This is a huge tip. Someone told me that he's going on a business trip and something big might happen, so we need to tail him for the weekend. As for all the work I assigned you, forget it for now. Just pack your bags."

I got up and said, "So this is a business trip?"

He nodded and said, "You could call it that."

I sighed and he looked at the couch. He raised an eyebrow, and I could just see what he was thinking! The stupid sick mind of his! He was wondering why I was sleeping on the couch, was it because there was someone else inside my room?

I picked up my pillow and threw it at him. He seemed shocked and then smirked at me.

I grinned evilly and said, "Just wait here; I'll go get ready and get my stuff."

I walked off to my room, cursing him under my breath. I placed a heavy lock, something I found in a charm book, on the door. I didn't trust him in my house while I changed and took a shower.

As an extra precaution, I placed the same charm on my bathroom door and took a quick shower.

I didn't feel like wearing my 'work' clothes, so I decided to wear my casual clothes. I picked a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved white shirt with black stripes on it.

I dried my hair magically and tied back into a braid. I grabbed my diabetes kit and stuffed it into my purse and went outside.

Malfoy was sitting on my couch and playing with Snowflake. She was playing with his shoelaces. He smiled at her and patted her, tickling her on her stomach.

I smiled when I saw him smile. Maybe he was right; maybe he wasn't as cold and heartless as I thought.

He finally noticed my presence and said, "Took you long enough." Ok, scratch that thought.

I frowned and said, "Be glad that you're still standing here in my living room, Malfoy...or standing at all."

He smirked and got up. "Threatening me are you, Weasley?"

"Me? I wouldn't dare," I said as innocently as possible.

He ran a hand through his platinum blond hair and said, "First we've got to stop by the Manor and get a few things. Then we'll leave. The Manor's far from here..." he said, "and it has apparation spells on it that allow only me to apparate there."

"So, how am I supposed to go there then?" I asked him, with my eyebrows up.

"You'll need to have contact with me and it's more contact than just holding hands."

I wrinkled my nose in disgust, this DID NOT sound good.

"Are you up to it, Weasley?" he asked me.

I guess he noticed me looked disgusted or what it looked like to him, I didn't know. Perhaps nervousness.

"Of course I am," I said, gathering all the cool I could muster and trying to act mature.

He came closer to me and wrapped his arms around me.

Did I mention how fast my heart was beating right now? It was racing and my palms were all sweaty. My cheeks flushed and I could feel myself perspire and it was only five thirty in the morning!

Since he was taller than me, my head rested on his chest. I wrapped my arms gingerly around him and I heard him whisper in my ear, "Are you sure you don't want to tell someone where you're going? Someone perhaps in the bedroom?"

I forgot my entire cool and stepped on his foot with my toe and smirked as I heard him groan.

"Ready?" he asked me.

I nodded and closed my eyes. Even though he was annoying me right now, and I felt like strangling him all I could think was, man, he smelled good. I felt like I was going to melt in his arms. I could feel his heart beating softly, and it wasn't racing like mine.

Suddenly I felt a tug, and held on to him as we whizzed through. The force and speed of this apparation was stronger than I usually felt, so my arms held on to him tightly.

In less than a minute, we were there.

I didn't want to let go of him though. He smelt so good and it felt so nice when he hugged me. Now don't go getting strange ideas now, I DON'T like him. I find him annoying, arrogant and a git. But I just liked the feeling of his arms around me. They were nice and muscular and not hairy either.

I felt warm and safe like when I hugged mum. It was like nothing could hurt me there and I was safe.

I slowly let go of him, and felt his big arms let go of me as well. I opened my eyes and blinked as I looked into his eyes.

"Sorry about it being so intense," he said. "But the system checks me when I apparate, making sure that's really me."

We had apparated into the main foyer of the house. It was large and had a marble floor, with a crystal chandelier.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked me.

I nodded and he started walking. I assumed I was to follow him, so I did. It took a few minutes for us to reach wherever he was taking me, because of the twists and turns we took in the big house.

I followed him into one of the most beautiful and big kitchens I had ever seen.

There was a glass table at one end, and it had tons of food heaped on to it.

"Go ahead and eat, while I go and get the stuff," he said.

He disappeared up a staircase and I decided to sit and eat.

There was bagels and juice so I helped myself. As I ate, I imagined what it would be like to live in such an amazing home.

It was large, as I already mentioned, but also quite beautiful and expensively decorated. Near the table where I was sitting, was a large glass door, which overlooked a beautiful garden.

I immediately envied him and continued eating.

As I almost finished, he came downstairs wearing a jacket and had magic-ed a bag to follow him.

"Are you done?" he asked me.

I nodded and chewed the last bite of my bagel.

"Sana," said Malfoy and a little house elf appeared at his side.

"Yes?" she asked in a squeaky voice.

"Take these bags out to the car," he ordered.

The house elf took Malfoy's bag and mine too.

He grabbed a bagel from the table and went.

I got up and followed Malfoy outside to his garage. Parked in his fifty meter wide and long garage was a navy blue Porsche.

His cars never ceased to amaze me. He always had a different car every day.

I went around to the left and opened the door. I sat down in the car and smelt the scent of new leather.

It was a pretty nice car. As I admired it, Malfoy came around the other side and sat down in his seat.

He turned it on and turned around, to back down the driveway. He placed his arm around the back of my seat as he turned around.

I had still not recovered from our 'embrace' and I was feeling shy now, something I don't usually feel towards him.

"So, why are we driving there?" I asked him.

"I don't know where he's going, but all I know is the path he'll take and so we can't apparate there," he said, not looking at me as we hit the highway. "It's quite far too, up north."

"Can't we track him with magic or something?" I asked him.

He turned to look at me and then glanced at the digital clock in the car, "It's only six in the morning, woman. I don't feel like answering your stupid questions right now."

"Stupid?" I questioned. "Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, but you're the one who dragged me out of my bed at five am this morning and you're telling me to be quiet?! Now, I'm going be loud and annoying...just on purpose!"

"It wasn't a bed," he said, smirking, sideways at me, "it was a sofa, remember? The bed was perhaps occupied by someone else."

"Shut your f..." I started to say, but he put a silencing charm on me. I screamed as loudly as I could, but no sound came out.

I cursed loudly in my brain and even gave him the finger, but he wouldn't remove the charm.

"Sorry, were you saying something?" he asked me.

I gaped at him with my mouth open and started strangling my purse again.

I cursed him and decided I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting to me.

I turned my face to the other side, and ignored him completely.

This was not a good start to the trip. I was gritting my teeth, but after an hour of silence, I forgot about him and just took out my book and read.

Malfoy saw me take out the book, and smiled slightly to himself. I was peeking from the side of my eye, so he didn't notice that I was looking at him.

I shrugged and continued reading.

After an hour, Malfoy put the car on auto drive and relaxed behind the wheel and closed his eyes.

How unfair, he could just let the car drive and sleep. I cursed him even more and stuck my tongue out at him.

As soon as I was awake, I wouldn't go back to sleep. It was an annoying habit of mine, but I had to live with it. As soon as I was awake, I would stay awake.

I pantomimed throwing my purse at him, hating him that he could just sit back and fall asleep at any given moment.

I had finished my book so I had nothing to do. I couldn't even turn on the radio, because he would probably yell at me.

I sighed; what the hell was I supposed to now? Just sit and watch him sleep?

Actually, not a bad idea; I snickered evilly to myself.

I tucked of my legs under me and settled into my seat to stare without being mocked at. I looked at him and saw that even as he slept, he looked good.

He didn't move at all and his chest rose and fell lightly, as he breathed. His chest looked good too, I couldn't help but notice. It looked like he worked out all right, because his muscles were sticking out of his shirt and I could feel them when I hugged him.

Ok, before I started going on a whole different type of tangent on his body, something I SO didn't want to go on now.... I looked at his face. His eyes were closed, and he looked less malicious with them closed. He wasn't sneering or frowning at me, so he looked so much nicer and happier and not like he hated everything he saw.

His nice luscious lips (ok, this makes it sound like I want to kiss him, but I DON'T, I was just making a few er...healthy observations) were slightly open. His bangs fell into his eyes now and my hands just itched to want to move them.

I stared at him for another twenty minutes, without even realizing that his eyes were open.

"It's rude to stare, you know," he said.

I jumped a mile in my seat (not really, but just play along with the _expression, I couldn't anyways; I was wearing a seatbelt!) and started.

"I was checking to see whether you had any drool or not," I answered, surprised to hear my voice. Wow, was that a good recovery or not? I mean that was just genius, I am a genius...*evil cackle*

"When did you take the spell off?"

He smirked at me and said, "When you were reading. I thought if you didn't know that the spell was removed, you'd still keep quiet."

I rolled my eyes at him and asked him, "Is it safe for me to talk now?"

He laughed and said, "Yeah." Wow, he laughed at something I said. I had never heard him laugh before. Oh wait, I think he did before once or twice, but anyways, it sounded so strange but nice. I think I had only heard him laugh this time, and it was with me! Ok, probably not true. The person he was mainly around was me and he was probably laughing at me, in a cruel mean way.

"So," I said, pushing thoughts of his laughter out of my head, "what're we doing?"

"Well, Peacock's going into a territory that is inhabited by many old Death Eaters and they have placed many charms on the area sending them a signal if anyone uses magic in the area," he said. "So any magic, you need to do, do it now."

"Do I still have to change my hair colour and stuff?" I asked him, hoping not.

The corners of his mouth twitched and he said, "Why? You don't like having brown hair?"

I didn't know what to say, so I said, "I don't know."

"I would've though that having any other hair colour would be a change from such a...noticeable colour," he said.

"Are you mocking my hair?" I asked him.

He cocked his head to one side and said, "What do you think?" He blinked and gazed at me intensely.

I panicked. Was he staring at ME like that? No way.

I blinked and was probably looking scared when he laughed again, whoa, twice in one day, must be some miracle.

"You're unbelievable, Weasley," he said. "I can't believe you fell for that. Like I'd be interested in you," he snorted and I felt like strangling him.

Ok, even though I was trying to frown and ignore him, I was hurt deep down. He didn't have to say it like that. The truth was, a lot of times he hurt me, but I knew it was just his ferret idiotic nature and he treated everyone like that, and it didn't bother me, but when he told me he was too good for me, that was mean.

And my hair isn't that red...is it? I mean I remember in second and third year, it was like bright red-orange, but by the time sixth rolled around, it got darker and was an auburn, but I was most definitely still classified as a red head.

He noticed I didn't say anything, so he said, "Offended, Weasley?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide the hurt and said, "As if, ferret."

He frowned and said, "Who told you about that?"

I grinned; I had something on him. "Everyone heard about it, but Hermione told me."

He muttered under his breath and I continued, "See. I know your secrets Malfoy." I was only joking but he turned and stared directly into my eyes and said, "I know some of your secrets too."

Whoa! Ok, that was creepy. He turned his head back and left me to ponder alone. I was so scared now. Did he really mean what he said? Did he really know some of my secrets and what were they?

I decided to change the topic and said, "Hey, you laughed twice in one day. Isn't that like against your rules or something?"

He ignored me and didn't say anything, but I could've sworn I saw him smirk, but it was so quick I can't be sure.

I sighed and took out my wand, changing my beautiful auburn hair to a golden blonde. I was going to change it into brown, but then I decided that if Peacock noticed someone with brown hair following him, then he would be even more suspicious if he saw the same person today.

I altered the length and made it straight and up to my shoulders. I changed my eyes to blue and also altered a few of my other traits.

Since I wasn't an...oh drat I forgot what's called. , but someone who can change their appearance at will, these spells would only last for a few hours.

After another hour or so of travelling, we spoke again.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked me.

"Sure."

"There's a bag in the back," he said. Since he was busy reading a map and inputting directions into the computer, I Accio-ed it to me.

I took a peek inside and found tuna sandwiches. I smiled in happiness and missed the swift glance that Malfoy gave me.

I took out a sandwich and also took a napkin out with me. I didn't want to make in a mess in his nice car (see! I am nice to him even though he is purely EVIL to me...I have proof now!) , so I ate it extra carefully.

"Want some?" I asked him.

"Sure." He took the bag from me and also grabbed a sandwich. He ate it while he examined a map and said, "We should be there this evening at seven."

"This evening at seven?!" I asked.

"That's what I said, Weasley. Didn't you hear me?"

"When are we going to get back to the office?" I asked him. "I have work to do."

He smirked and shook his head to himself. "Don't you get it Weasley? You're with your boss. You don't have any work to do, and whenever you get to the office is fine. It's not like I'm going to ask you where you were. Why do you worry so much? Just relax."

He leaned back in his chair and looked at me.

Very good question, I don't know why I worry so much. Now that I think of it, this was a business related trip and no one was there to ask me why I wasn't at work or why I didn't complete my work. Except that I would get behind, I frowned to myself and then glanced at him. Oh yeah, the fact that I was going to be stuck in a car with him for the next eight plus more hours.

I groaned; this was going to be a nightmare.

I took out my wand and started twirling in my hands. It fell on the ground, but Malfoy Accio-ed it to himself.

"Why'd you take my wand?" I asked him.

"In case you do some magic," he said.

I rolled my eyes and said, "I know I'm not supposed to do magic, you git. You already told me."

He surveyed me and then said, "True but you could take out your wand for something trivial and everything could get messed."

"I know not to take it out," I said. "I won't do it, so give it back to me."

He shook his head and pocketed it. "It's just to be safe, you could just take it out and say a spell without even being aware that you are."

I rolled me eyes at him, and grumbled about him stealing my wand.

"Look, Weasley," he said. "This case is big, bigger..."

"Yea, yaw, yaw," I said. "Bigger than anything you did before, whatever."

He frowned at me and then said, "No. Perhaps your small brain may fail to comprehend this; I will explain it as simply as I can."

I scowled at him and he continued. "Ever since Potter beat the Dark Lord, his death eaters have been trying to resurrect him. I doubt it will happen, but that's why this case is extremely important to solve and keep track of. They have signals everywhere in the area so if we do any bit of magic in that area, it will trip their alarm and they'll attack us or run away."

"That's all nice and dandy," I said, "but what if we get attacked and need our magic? I mean this case may be important, but not as important as our lives is it? What if they kidnap us? Or what if they use our bodies to sacrifice to bring back the dark lord? Or," I said thinking of more dangerous things, "what if they kill us?"

"None of that's going to happen, Weasley," he said, "so calm down."

"I don't think so, Malfoy," I retorted. "These people are previous death eaters. Followers of Voldemort. They knew dark magic and probably still have it."

"I know what a death eater is, Weasley," he snapped. "My father was one."

Oops. "Sorry," I said. "I forgot."

He didn't even look at me now didn't say anything.

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. We didn't talk for another hour, and I didn't even look at him.

He was being a stupid old prat, as usual. I mean I did say I was sorry about forgetting that his dad was a death eater. What does he want me to do? Kiss and make up?

Oh great, now my mind was filled with images of him kissing me. They did not appeal to me at the moment though and it was quite easy to get of them.

I looked out the window and saw flat land everywhere with tons of snow piled on top of it.

I had to go the bathroom badly and couldn't help it anymore. I didn't want to talk to him, so I held it in for a few more minutes when I said, "Can we please take a break? I really need to go to the loo."

He nodded and for once didn't mock me. "There's a service station not too far from here."

We drove for another five minutes when Malfoy stopped the car on the side of the road.

I got out, but couldn't see anything for miles.

Malfoy locked the car and came round to my side, where there was flat land with some trees in the background.

Cold wind whipped my hair, and so I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself.

He stood beside me and said, "Remember, no magic. The station's just beyond those trees, so it'll be a bit of walk. Are you up to it?"

I nodded and we started walking. The ground was uneven and I kept on tripping every now and then.

There were small holes and boulders in the ground and I almost twisted my ankle a few times.

One time, I stepped into a hole and almost fell flat on my face when Malfoy caught me.

"What's the hurry?" he asked me.

"I have to go the loo!" I said, straightening up.

He smirked and walked beside me. We finally reached the service station and I quickly walked to the loo.

After that, I fixed my hair and washed my face with warm water. I was about to magic it dry with my and, when I realized I didn't have it.

I groaned, but realized that Malfoy was right. I would've done magic, and wouldn't have realized it until after I had done it.

I groaned again, cursing him for being right.

I went outside and found the git waiting for me.

I frowned and he looked up.

"Done?" he asked me.

I nodded and we started walking. We were walking about a metre away and I was trying not to fall in the holes in the ground.

I was cursing him again and again, for no particular reason now and didn't notice the hole I stepped in. At the last second, I swerved but then screamed as pain shot up my foot.

I fell to the ground and Malfoy rushed to me.

I screamed louder and felt tears tumble out of my eyes.

I was sitting in the snow and was in a lot of pain. My foot screamed with pain and the tears rushed out.

Malfoy kneeled over me and said, "What happened? What's wrong?"

"My foot," I managed to say through my tears.

"What happened? Is it broken?" he asked.

I couldn't stop crying, because the pain was all over my foot now.

"Shhh," he said. When I didn't stop crying, he reached out and dried my cheeks with his soft warm hands.

New fresh tears started pouting out, but I stopped wailing.

"Is it fractured?' he asked me.

I shrugged and winced as pain seared up my ankle.

He sighed and looked around for help, but when there was none he started undoing the laces to my boot and took off my sock, slowly.

I shivered as the cold wind touched my bare foot and shivered again as his hands touched my foot.

He took it into his hands and touched my ankle. I screamed in pain and he winced.

"Sorry," he said. "But I think your ankle is fractured."

The pain was almost unbearable now, but I didn't know what to do.

"I guess I'll have to fix it with magic," he said.

"No," I said. "Don't."

He looked up from my foot to my face and said, "It's fractured though."

"It's ok," I gasped. "I don't want us to be found out when we're so close." It was true. I didn't want him to be mad at me for using magic when we were so close.

"Are you sure?" he asked, uncertainly, sounding like a little kid.

"Yes, you big prat!" I said.

He nodded and looked at it again, putting the sock and boot back on. "I think you'll live, but it'll be really painful."

"Sorry about that," I said. "So don't get your hopes up."

When he looked at me, confused I laughed a bit and said, "About me living. Sorry about that."

He smiled a bit but didn't say anything else.

He gave me his hand and helped me up.

"Here, put your hand on my shoulder," he instructed. I put my hand on his shoulder and he put his hand around my waist.

"That should be ok, now," he said.

I tried to walk but cried with pain, and collapsed to the ground again. It hurt a lot now and my head was hurting now too.

He bit his lip and thought. "Put your hand around my shoulder again."

I did as he told me, while on the ground this time, and he picked me up.

Ok, don't get your hopes up. This wasn't some romantic scene from a book or anything like that, but it was nice all the same.

He walked with me in his arms, trying to get back to the car. I was feeling embarrassed, so I kept my eyes down and didn't dare look at him, even though I could feel the power of his gaze on me.

I slowly raised my eyes to look at him and found his cool gray eyes on me. Our eyes connected and I couldn't look away.

I had never seen such gray eyes ever before. They matched the sky perfectly and were framed by his thick lashes, as he looked at me.

My breathing was coming out ragged, because of my fall and because of his gaze on me.

As the cold wind blew, my long nags brushed into my eyes and wouldn't leave. Both my hands were clasped around his neck, and so I couldn't push them away, but blinked a few times to try and get them out.

It was getting annoying when Malfoy brushed them away with his hand.

I then could feel the usual red tint coming back into my cheeks, so I slowly lowered my gaze and looked down. My ankle killed and one last tear rolled down my cheek.

It tickled my cheek and I slowly let go of his neck with one hand, to wipe away my tear, but he reached it faster then I could.

His now cold hand brushed my cheek, slowly, caressing it.

I raised my eyes quickly and found his eyes still on me. My heart gave a funny jolt and I said the first thing that came to my mouth.

"Be careful of the holes," I said.

He nodded and kept walking, finally looking away to ahead of him.

Even though he wasn't looking at me anymore, my eyes still remained glued to his face. I was in his arms so couldn't see his whole face, but what I saw I liked.

I blushed and lowered my eyes and snuggled into his chest, closing my eyes.

My foot ached with pain, but I felt better now, in his arms. I could feel and heard the gentle beating of his heart and smelt his familiar cologne.

It made me melt and I didn't even realise when we reached the car.

He fumbled with the keys in his pocket, while holding me with one hand. He took out the keys and pressed a button on the mini remote.

The roof went down in two minutes, making the car a convertible. He raised me slightly and then put me on the backseat.

He pressed a button on the remote and the roof came back on. He then got to the front seat and started the car, turning up the heat.

I closed my eyes but couldn't sleep. I had hugged him twice in one day, wow. What was that about?

I guess maybe he wasn't that cold and heartless as I thought he was.

I finally drifted off in an uncomfortable and painful sleep.