Breaking All the Rules

Chapter Eighteen

Breaking All the Rules

The Enemy...

~*~~*~~*~

"What is it exactly that you want?" he asked the passive man before him who had yet to show a single emotion. It was quite admirable actually. That considering he had just had his best friend's probable girlfriend killed, he was taking it pretty well.

"I want him to pay. He got a very dear friend of mine killed and the only way to get him back for it is to take something dear away from him too."

"And what might that be?"

Blaise leaned forward on the chair he had taken the liberty of sitting on. "I can get you Thomas," he said menacingly. "I can get her and I can kill her before he even blinks."

"Really?" he said intrigued. "What makes you think that you can do that? He certainly wasn't able to do it, was he?"

Blaise almost laughed. It was the first sign of emotion he had shown since he entered the room. "I'm not the one in love with her am I?" he said coldly.

Leveret frowned. In love with her? Had he heard that right? Wasn't he meant to be in a relationship with the teacher? He suddenly had a revelation. No wonder he hasn't fought back yet. "He's protecting her, that's it isn't it?" Blaise nodded and looked around the room at the pictures on the wall as Leveret continued thinking. There were some dated photographs there. Even some Tudor houses in London by a river. One of them he was standing in front of with his family and waving. He frowned.

He's a wizard? Well look at that, never had a clue.

He didn't care about the teacher. Leveret sighed. He had wasted his time after all. At least he got his wish, he finally found out what the hell was wrong with the damn man. Stupid emotions. He sighed once more at his wasted attempt of salvaging a good marker and turned his attention back to the one in front of him.

Not all was lost after all.

***

Ginny knocked quietly on her brother's door and opened it slowly. She smiled warmly as he stood in the suit he had spent an hour looking for. She approached him and looked him over.

She nodded. "Very nice," she smiled.

"Thanks," he said returning the gesture. He narrowed his eyes at her far away look. "Are you alright?"

Her gaze snapped to his eyes. "Me? Yeah," she said waving a hand casually. She took a seat on his bed.

"You don't look it. I guess being married takes more out of you than it should, huh?"

"Oh Ron, don't start. I've had it from Harry, mum and Hermione of all people. I don't need it from you. Can you just be the brother that takes my side like you always were?" She laughed at his crooked smile. "I have missed this place so much. I spent a long time convinced that it didn't exist. He took away a part of me and made me believe I was alone here."

"Yeah and then you ran into Malfoy. One more reason to hate the bastard."

Ginny laughed. "If he hadn't driven me to Draco, I would be dead right now. Next time you want to condemn him, just remember that, Ron. Plus, for your sake and maybe perhaps a little of his own, he refuses to touch me in any way while you are around. You can silently thank him for that too." She stood up and straightened the front of his jacket. "Do you remember what to say?"

He rolled his eyes. He had had this speech from Harry, Hermione and his mum too. "Yes, Ginny. I have been trained by Malfoy, haven't I?" He batted her hand away from his tie. "Would you stop that?"

"Sorry, it's just that... well," she tried before just hugging him tightly. "Thanks Ron. You don't know how much this means to me." She squeezed him tighter.

"What, taking part in killing your husband?" he said offhandedly. "Well if it means that much, consider it your Christmas present. Saves buying wrapping paper and such."

She loosened her grip and kissed him on the cheek. "Well it's the best one I ever had."

"Weasley! Get down here!" Ron and Ginny looked at the door that led to the corridor to the stairs.

Ron frowned. "Is he calling me or you?"

***

Draco regarded Ron as he walked down the stairs. "Do you usually wear things like that, Weasley?"

Ron looked down at the suit Hermione had picked for him and she scanned it with her eyes. "What's wrong with it?" Hermione asked.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Nothing," he said monotonously. "Other than the fact the colour is all wrong." He turned his attention back to Ron. "Do you usually wear things like that, Weasley?" he repeated.

Ron shook his head. "Not really, on special occasions though."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "Take it off," he said pulling out a large scroll of parchment and studying it carefully. "Get something else."

Harry frowned. "Why? It looks fine."

Draco paused with what he was doing and sighed openly before turning back to them. "Potter, bear with me here." He looked at Ron. "Weasley, your sister has a contract on her head for the fastest and deadliest mark to kill her, and from different companies if my memory holds. If you wanted retribution, would you take time to find the perfect suit or would you go in what you were wearing so that you would feel ready and comfortable for whatever came your way if anything went wrong?"

They all looked thoughtful. "Well, when you put it like that... Ron, go upstairs and change," Hermione said waving a casual hand. Ron nodded quickly and ran to the stairs.

As he was gone, Ginny looked at Draco. He seemed to be studying the necklace that Blaise had thrown at him as it lay on the table. It must have hurt him for Blaise to just leave like that and basically blame him for Julia's death. She edged closer to him.

"What's that?"

"It's the amulet that's given to us when we leave La Isla, we were told never to take it off once we put it on. I never put mine on to begin with. They told us that it would be better if we cast a charm on it so that it can't be removed. It was so that all markers could tell each other apart. Julia had one, Blaise has one and the one that killed Julia had one on too. I think that's why he gave it back to me." He saw the way she was looking at it. Held it up to her. "You want it?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, go on. I have no use for it right now." She took it from him as Ron emerged wearing a pair of jeans, a shirt and a pair of trainers. He held his Auror's robes in his arm and was about to put them on.

"I guessed that I would want to look as intimidating and pissed off as possible."

Draco looked contemplative and looked as if he were going to disagree before he nodded again. "Better," he said and turned back to the kitchen table. "Now, pay attention." He took out his wand and opened the large scroll to unveil a large map of the building. He touched his wand to it muttering something they couldn't quite hear. "Look here," he said ignoring their looks when the lines that drew walls around the building rose from the paper to give them a three dimensional look at the bottom slice of the building. The lobby. He pointed to the desk that rounded the length of a wall. "This is where the main secretary, Sarah, works. She is also who Leveret goes to for important files as she is the only one there with a brain." He smiled at the snorts he received. "You go to her and demand-." He focused on Ron. "Do you hear me Weasel? Demand to see him." He waited for him to nod. "If you do it well enough, she may take you up there herself. She loves a man with authority." Once again he ignored the looks in the room.

"If she doesn't take you-." He ran his wand through a wide corridor and the walls rose higher as he passed along them. "Go through this corridor, it leads to the lifts-."

"What's?" Ron interrupted.

Harry answered his question. "Elevators, Ron, like in the Ministry building. They take you up to different floors."

Ron made an understanding face. "Oh."

Draco continued. "Get off at the thirtieth floor." He tapped his wand to the small square where it said 'lift,' and wrote the number thirty in the box with it. The box turned red and began to rise with the drawing, following it up numerous floors before stopping. They were now on the thirtieth floor. "As soon as you step out, just go straight. You really can't miss it." He directed his wand straight opposite the lift at the other end of the building. It took up a whole length of it. "Ready?"

Ron tore his eyes away from the map and looked at Draco. "Erm..." he shrugged a little uneasy. He didn't know it entailed so much. "Sure," he smiled weakly.

***

"So, what does a guy have to do to send messages around here?"

The woman looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Blaise frowned at the office worker and then rolled his eyes at their utter stupidity. Really, how did Leveret choose his workforce, did he pick names out of a hat? "I mean," he said slowly as if he were talking to someone who didn't speak English. He enunciated every word perfectly so they caught every syllable. "I," he said pointing to himself, "want - to - send - a - message," he concluded pointing to the parchment in his left hand. "Where," he said in the same tone gesturing a questioning pose, "would - I - do - that?" he finished and waited for the answer with excruciating patience.

The secretary watched this display and then made an understanding face that looked like a silent 'oh.' She turned and pointed toward the elevator. "Go in that thing and then press the button that says forty-one. When you get out, you go straight ahead and you'll see a plaque which says 'Communications Bay.' Just use your identification card and number to get in." She went back to the file on her desk. Blaise ran an eye over it idly reading the title. He noticed the ID card around her neck and looked at her picture.

"So what's your number?" he said in a more friendly tone.

She looked up at him. "Pardon?"

"What's your number?"

"Um..." she trailed. Blaise stood up, he didn't know she'd actually tell him. "Butterfly," she smiled.

"Butterfly? I thought they were numbers?"

"They are, but I took down the letters to the number and re-arranged letters to get butterfly. I think it's sweet, don't you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. So, what do we actually do up there. With the messages I mean." He took in her questioning look. "I'm new," he elaborated.

"Oh, well we send messages to all our markers there. You do want to send a message to a marker right?"

No, he didn't.

"Is that how we can locate them? I have to find them first and I'm not sure if they've moved."

"Well, of course dummy." She hit his head lightly. "How else would we do it? It is called a communications bay. We can contact every marker there is, unless they don't have an amulet but, you know, what's the chance of that right?"

Blaise nodded to oblige her joke with a fake smile. His hand went to his chest as he looked toward the lift and said, "Right, of course." He looked at her again and took her hand to make her stand up. When she frowned but stood up anyway, he pulled her toward him to hug her. "Thank you for your help. Leveret would have my head if I didn't send this out." He let her go and then folded the paper up and put it in his pocket. "The fortieth floor, was it?"

She got over her smiling dazed look and stared at him in a less dreamy manner. "No, for - ty - one," she said mimicking Blaise's actions holding up four fingers on one hand and one on the other.

Blaise chose not to comment that she had it the wrong way around and therefore showed him the number one-four. He just walked toward the elevator ignoring everyone else in the room.

***

"Are you sure you don't want to do this, Harry?" Ron said fidgeting with his hands as Harry put on his Auror's robes. "I'm not sure I can act all professional when I'm not." Harry rolled his eyes as he secured his cloak. They had been standing outside of the building for a half hour and he was sure that someone must have noticed them by now.

He placed both hands on his friend's shoulders. "You're a professional Auror, Ron. You don't need to pretend. If you want, I can be like an associate or something. I wasn't planning on going in but if you think it'll calm your nerves." He saw his friend was close to hyperventilating. "Ron," he said waiting for him to look at him. "Breathe." Ron did and concentrated on the doors.

Harry looked in his robe pockets and saw some random messages he was meant to look at before he left the ministry. Oh well. "Here, take these and when you get inside give them back to me. Make it look like you're indifferent and have better things to but came there anyway.

"Where did you get that from?" he said still taking the pieces of parchment anyway.

"Years of practice I guess, making it look like you're working to get them off your back. Just give it to me when you start talking to them."

"I don't see why you can't do this."

"She's your sister, Ron. Look we've been through this before. It's more believable that you'd want to kill the bastard. He stole her away from you; he took her innocence and wasted a whole year of her life. Worse than that, he made her meet Malfoy. They are now... going out I guess is the word for it because of him. Focus on that and be angry Ron. Just be angry and everything will be fine." He patted im on the back.

Ron was near seething when Harry finished his speech. "He took her away from us didn't he Harry? I do want to kill the bastard, don't I?" With that he stormed into the buildings lobby. Harry let out a deep huff in relief that he actually got him to go inside and followed behind him. "You there," Ron said as he approached the lobby desk.

The woman behind the desk jumped but looked at him anyway. "Yes sir?" she smiled.

"Take this for me would you Harry?" he handed Harry the pages. "I want to see the owner of this establishment," he said harshly waving a casual hand around the spacious room.

"Mr. Leveret is in a meeting at the moment, would you like to make an appointment?"

"Appointment? No. I don't think you heard me..." he trailed looking at her name tag, "Sarah, is it?" he said snobbishly. Harry tried hard not to look too surprised. "I want - to see - your employer. Right now," he said almost slamming his hand on the marble desk.

Sarah jumped, as did Harry. Neither of them was expecting that. Harry noticed her worried face and took a step back for good measure. Apparently his power of pep talks hadn't died down since Quidditch in school. He tried not to smile and turned it into a fearful expression. Somehow.

The girl looked at Harry moving back and looked back to his employer. "Um, of course sir. This way." She got up out of her seat and motioned for him to follow. Ron began walking and Harry followed closely behind with his hands behind his back. Ron turned back to him making a relieved face that he was actually able to do it and smiled when Harry gave him a thumb up.

They got off at the thirtieth floor and the girl knocked on Leveret's door. She poked her head in and began speaking to the man inside. Ron took the opportunity to steal a glance to Harry showing just how nervous he was to be there in the first place. Harry looked at his friend in concern.

"Breathe," he mouthed. Ron nodded putting on his resolute face as the girl turned around.

"Mr. Leveret is actually free for the rest of the day. Would you like to come in now?"

Ron raised an eyebrow. "What do you think? Excuse me." He walked past her and stopped at the door. He turned to Harry who was trying very hard not to laugh at the half-hidden dreamy smile the girl was giving him. "Harry." His head snapped to Ron's direction.

"Yes... Sir?" he said adding the last part quickly.

"Wait out here for me. I'll be back in a minute." He looked around the room curtly. "Don't break anything," he added moving his hand around in a casual way.

Harry nodded raising an eyebrow. I should be telling you the same thing. "Yes Sir," he replied and turned to look for somewhere to sit praying that Ron was able to pull this off. He hadn't noticed the girl from downstairs following him to the seat he had found. When he turned to sit he jumped in surprise as she was a lot closer than he believed was possible. "Erm, can I help you?" he said not sure why she had to be so close in the first place.

"What's his name?"

Harry frowned. "Pardon?"

"Your boss," she said gesturing toward the door. "What's his name?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. He smiled, this was too good. Hermione was going to love this. "It's Ronald. Ronald... Granger," he smiled with sudden inspiration.

"Oh, that's a lovely name," she said dreamily.

"Mmm," he said looking around.

"Sarah!" said a voice to their side.

Sarah and Harry turned around to see a girl walking toward them with a file in her hand. Sarah smiled. "Laura! Hey, haven't seen you since... two days ago. How've you been?"

"Good, I was looking for you actually. I went all the way downstairs but you weren't there. And here you are." She caught her breath a little and then said nothing. Harry frowned in a confused way. Malfoy had tried to warn him, it was a pity he hadn't listened.

"Okay," he said slowly and looked away.

"Oh, yeah, so Leveret wants these filed but I don't know where they go. Since you handle all these kind of files, I was wondering if you could tell me."

"Oh sure, let me see." Harry just watched this display of words in silence. "Oh, this is a marker's file. They go upstairs next to the Communications Bay. It's protected though, you have to use your ID card."

"Oh that's okay, I have one..." she said lifting her hand to her chest to show her as if the girl couldn't see. She stopped and felt around her chest before looking down and seeing that it wasn't there. "Where did it go?"

***

Blaise walked along the pure white corridor staring at the plaque with small letters that said, 'Communications Bay: unauthorised entry is prohibited.' He looked down at the slit that must have meant that he had to slide in his identification card.

"Oh dear," he said, "Looks like I do actually need that card." He fished into his pockets and pulled out the blank sheet of paper which he unfolded and took out the ID card. He looked at it in the light. "Thank you indeed... Laura," he said reading it carefully. "Thank you and your butterflies." He slid the card through the slit and keyed in the number 2-8-8-8-3-7-3-5-9. Large locks came undone and the wall began to move backwards.

Well the wonders never cease here do they?

When it separated from the adjacent wall and into a room, the wall stopped. He walked in and then spun around as the wall began to move back to its previous place. He looked around the immaculately white room and saw a large item on a podium surrounded by a glass case. Next to it stood a large glass screen that showed a map of the world engraved into it. The sea was clear but the countries were etched at the outlines and frosted in the centre, lightly in some areas and harder where the relief was higher. In another corner stood a large desk. It stretched out through a whole length of the room and on it stood what Blaise knew as a fax machine from Draco's apartment. He went to it and saw containers of stationery from muggle stationery to the normal quill and ink. He then noticed a drawer with a blank label.

He went to pull it out but found that it wouldn't move. He left it alone and went to investigate the large item on the podium. It was an enlarged version of the amulet that he wore. He reached to his neck to pull it out of his shirt. As he looked up at the glass case, he saw, on the glass, bore instructions.

"Speak surname first."

He looked thoughtful and thought he would test it. "Zabini." He watched as the large sheet of glass with the map on it started to move with a smaller square that continued enlarging the image every time until a map of London was visible and it stopped at the city centre where a crimson spot appeared blinking on and off. At the top left corner of the glass, writing was beginning to fill a column. He read it across.

File Details

Surname: Zabini

Forename: Blaise

Age to date: 25

Sex: Male

Immediate Family: None

Time in La Isla: 3 yrs

Time in field: 4 yrs

Mark Titles: Miscellaneous

Average Marks per day: 3

Average Marks per annum: 1092

Marks Given: 4368

Marks Taken: 4367

Marks killed: 4367

Captured: 4367

Rank Percentage: 100%

"One hundred huh? Well look at that." He stood back from it and then said countless other names that he could remember looking at certain headings such as 'Rank Percentage' and 'Family.' His interest also peaked as he wondered what the hell 'Captured,' meant and the fact that under all the headings of that name, it was the same number as 'Marks Killed.' He noted with a smug smile that there were a scarce few whose 'Rank Percentage' was as high as his. He also noted with some concern that the only word for the names he called out under the heading of 'Immediate Family,' said, 'None.' He then called out the last name he could think of. "Malfoy," he said with some distaste and read the details but forgot what it said the second he saw the words flashing at the bottom.

WARNING:

ERROR 004. AMULET NOT FOUND.

***

"Have you seen your sister as of late?"

"No, that's why I'm here. She sent me this telling me what her bastard husband did and that she refuses to come and see me until it's all over. I'm here to make it all over."

"Well, if you sign the bottom of this form I'm sure we can get this all straightened out." Leveret handed his newest client the form to sign and waited until his signature was on the page. "So Mr. Weasley. Your reasons for wanting your mark dead are what?" he said as he prepared to write on the parchment.

Ron cocked an eyebrow and stared at him. "He's trying to kill my sister."

"And the mark's name is?"

"Girard Thomas."

Leveret looked up and saw him staring at him with a cold glare. "Really?" he said biting his lip. "Your sister wouldn't happen to be Mrs. G Thomas, would it?"

"Yes, it would. He signed a form just like this one a few weeks ago if I'm correct."

"Yes, I think he did." Leveret then eyed his client's uniform. Ron noticed his questioning and somewhat concerned stare and smiled at the man's discomfort. "Sorry, could I ask your profession?"

He crossed his arms. "I'm an Auror."

"Oh-."

Ron smirked. "I'm not going to report you. If that's what you're worried about forget it. As long as you kill him I couldn't care less about this place. Quite ingenious though." He nodded his approval. "For you, it must be nice to have clients for future favors. Mustn't it?"

Leveret nodded curtly and continued writing. "Indeed. Well, that's all I suppose. Would you like to take a look at the catalogue?"

"Catalogue?" Malfoy hadn't mentioned anything about a catalogue.

"Yes, to choose your marker. If you don't want to choose, we can do it for you and choose the best there is."

"Well obviously I'm going to choose the best there is so what's the point in asking?" he said coldly.

Leveret smiled. "Of course."

"Well, where is it then?"

"Oh, my mistake. Mathew!" he yelled. Ron tried his best not to jump and turned to the door when Leveret's secretary entered the room. "Bring me the catalogue." The man left and returned a few moments later with a large book.

Ron opened it as it was put in front of him. When he looked at the pages, he frowned. They were blank. "What the hell is this?" he said with a genuine confusion.

"Oh. Pick a letter." Mathew inched forward with his quill.

"What?"

"Pick a letter, sir. You can choose by using the surname of your marker."

Ron looked incredulous. "This is how I pick my Assassin? By choosing a letter?" He suddenly didn't feel so nervous anymore. He knew exactly the letter to choose. He feigned contemplation. "Erm..." he trailed looking to the ceiling. "M," he said throwing his hands in the air.

"Ah, popular choice, middle letters. Always popular." He scribbled the letter M on the first page and soon the pages filled with names and statistics of each marker known with a surname beginning with M. He fingered through the pages stopping on a few and book marking two or three pages with the highest numbers before stopping on Malfoy. He paused for a while curious to see if he could beat the insanely higher numbers of the names before him. He froze as he read the numbers.

Surname: Malfoy

Forename: Draco

Age to date: 25

Sex: Male

Immediate Family: Complications

Time in La Isla: 3 yrs

Time in field: 4 yrs

Mark Titles: Uncommon

Average Marks per day: 2

Average Marks per annum: 728

Marks Given: 2912

Marks Taken: 2909

Marks killed: 2908

Captured: 0

Rank Percentage: 99.97%

Malfoy had only missed one mark and it was most likely to be Ginny. He suddenly felt very wary about his sister's choice of... well, whatever he was to her. "Him," he said pointing to his name.

Leveret glanced up removing his bored expression. The man had been looking for a long time. When his eyes settled on the name, he looked up at his client. "Erm, I'm afraid that's impossible."

"Excuse me? You just told me that I can use any mark I want. It's right there on the form too."

Leveret frowned and looked at the form. He glanced to the bottom where the infinitely small writing was scribbled. He looked up at Ron.

"I always read the fine print of what I have to sign," he said smiling knowingly.

Leveret sighed in frustration. "This marker is currently unavailable."

"Well get him. I want the best and, as far as I can see, this one is the best one."

"I'm afraid he is not going to be part of this organisation for much longer."

Ron suddenly felt very obstinate. He leaned dangerously over Leveret's desk and got a thrill when the man moved back into his chair. "Then make it - his last - assignment. I want Thomas dead. I want him to do it. Or else you don't get paid."

Leveret gulped. This was the second man in here making threats to him. "Very well. I'll make sure he gets it... somehow."

Ron stood up straight. "Good." He held out his hand and Leveret shook it. "Nice doing business with you."

***

"So how long have you been working for him then?"

Harry wondered what the hell was taking Ron so long. The first ten minutes was fine but this was crossing into an hour now and the girl was still talking about him. He had made subtle hints and even gotten up to walk around but she, annoyingly, kept following him. He was so close to yelling at her when he spotted someone walking to the lift that made him take a second glance. The dark hair and coat caught his eye as it ran to the man's feet open and billowing around him like a cloak.

"Hello? Are you listening?" she said waving her hand in front of his face to get him to pay attention.

He dodged to move away from her. In the end he just swatted them away. "Would you stop that?" he said distractedly.

She stopped abruptly. "Pardon?" she said surprised at his sudden outburst.

He snapped his gaze to her and glared. "Stop it!" he snapped. He almost felt guilty for it but she was being too annoying to care.

"How dare you speak to me like that?"

He rolled his eyes and continued looking toward the elevator. "Oh please," he said and walked toward the man who was pressing the button to the side of the lift. He ducked behind a cubicle wall and looked out the side to get a better view.

He looked just like him, if he could just get a frontal view of him to make sure.

The elevator doors opened and the man began to walk in, when suddenly he stopped and turned his head to the side slightly as if feeling Harry's gaze on him. He didn't turn around but Harry knew it had to be him. He ducked behind the cubicle wall again. The man walked in anyway and pressed the button to go down.

"What are you hiding from?" Harry jumped at Sarah's sudden appearance. He looked up at her and noticed that she was making it obvious he was hiding there. He took hold of her arm and pulled her down.

"What the hell are you doing?" he whispered angrily holding his chest.

She clambered to the floor beside him. "I just wondered why you were hiding behind this wall - Why are you whispering?" she inquired.

"Do you always ask so many questions?" he said frustrated wondering if it was safe to look again. Suddenly he stopped and turned to her. "Why are you following me?" he asked incredulous.

She shrugged. "No reason." He rolled his eyes at her and chanced a glance to see if the elevator was clear. He froze on the spot as he looked over the wall. Blaise was holding the elevator doors open and glaring directly at him knowing exactly where he was hiding. He swallowed hard and watched as Blaise smirked shaking his head before letting the doors close.

"We're leaving." Harry jumped again at Ron's voice holding his chest again. "What the hell are you doing?" he said wondering why he was hiding behind a cubicle wall with Leveret's secretary. He then looked at Harry's face. "Harry? What's wrong?"

Harry looked up at him. "I just saw Zabini."

***

"What do you mean you saw him? Why would he be there?" Draco said as he stopped pacing the living room.

Harry continued pacing. "I don't know."

"You said he was liable to do anything, what if he's swapped sides?" Ron said from the sofa.

Draco shook his head and leaned against the fireplace. "No, Blaise doesn't believe in any other side apart from his own. If he's doing this," he said and looked at Ginny. "It's for a reason." Ginny looked away and sat down at the kitchen table watching them all through the archway.

"I don't understand," Hermione said. She had been pondering the possibilities in her head for a while coming up with different conclusions but not finding that she could agree with any of them. "Harry, are you actually telling me that she was openly flirting with him?" she asked for the third time.

"Granger," Draco said clicking his fingers. "Priorities. Set them straight." Draco sat down next to Ginny. "I'll have to go home again," he said with a sigh. "If you were as vicious as Potter says you were - are you sure she was all over him?" he asked Harry himself.

Harry nodded. "And then some." Both Ginny and Hermione glared at the three men in the room.

Draco stood up. "Well I have to go and check my messages. I'll be back in a while." He walked to the living room to floo home.

The room was in silence for a while until Hermione spoke.

"Harry?" she said reaching into her bag.

"Yes 'Mione?" he said wondering why she was taking out a quill and parchment.

"Tell me exactly what this woman looked like." Ron rolled his eyes and laughed.

***

Draco stepped through his fireplace and into his own living room. He breathed in reveling in the scent of home. "Ah, I'm counting the days." He fingered a few bits and pieces around the room before settling on the fax machine. The usual littered the paper bin and he picked it up going through the same damned schedule and addresses. Then he came across a piece of parchment set apart from the usual pages. He stopped when he found it and read through the familiar writing before seeing the object, and reason for the page, stashed underneath. He smiled and walked into his bedroom to get some more of his clothes before walking back through the fireplace connection holding the papers with the parchment beneath.