Baton Rouge

- 41 -

The table was festively set, at least as festively as their capabilities in the little cottage by the sea allowed. Hermione felt positively stuffed. Harry and Ginny had cooked and made a great job. That was probably one of the things you learned from being either Britain's most wanted wizard or an outcast blood traitor who wasn't even allowed to officially work in the magical world. Too much time. Too much loneliness.

Hermione sighed softly. She couldn't cook herself, had never learned to. And how? At Hogwarts they had been regaled by the house elves. In the aftermath of the war, Hermione had been lucky if she was able to think about food at all. She too had been lonely, but unfortunately never alone.

She studied the satisfied faces and immediately regretted that it was only a matter of time before they had to turn to the really important things again. But she still enjoyed this brief moment of happiness and contentment. Christmas with the people she loved (apart from Blaise Zabini, perhaps) was something Hermione would never have dreamed of weeks ago.

Draco's head was tilted slightly towards her as if he were listening to her, only she wasn't speaking at all. His hand rested on her thigh under the table and he rubbed small circles into her sensitive skin with his thumb. He knew exactly what he was doing to her with that, but his face was absolutely blank. He still avoided touching her openly when Harry or Ginny were around, although Hermione was sure the two of them had already caught them secretly exchange affections many times.

She sighed again and finally put her hand on his to stop him. If he continued like this, she wouldn't be able to think straight for the rest of the evening.

"How are things at the Ministry?" Hermione asked to distract herself, looking over at Blaise who was relaxed in his chair.

Now he made a face and Hermione felt sorry for being the one who brought him down to earth so abruptly. After all, he was the one least likely able to take a break.

"Umbridge is getting more and more nervous. She's already told me twice that it won't be long until I lose my position as a leader as well. For her liking, the Pursuit Squad's work results aren't good, and they aren't coming fast enough either. I'm afraid we'll have to come up with something tonight because we're definitely running out of time."

At her side, Draco nodded. Hermione gave him a quick look. He had suffered the excruciating pain in his forearm two more times since his first collapse in the garden. And it must have been a really bad pain because, even though he had tried to hide it from her, she had always noticed the cold sweat on his forehead in the process.

Voldemort must be furious and that was no surprise. Draco had been one of his staunchest followers over the years and had spearheaded the search for The Undesirable almost from the start. It must have been a heavy blow that he had disappeared practically overnight. Especially since he had behaved so conspicuously towards Umbridge in the weeks before.

Hermione worried her bottom lip. They were all silent for a while.

"I had an idea a few days ago," Blaise said suddenly, and Hermione looked up in surprise.

She was curious to hear what he had to say, as she meanwhile thought the black-haired Auror was exceedingly intelligent. Draco had told her at length how Blaise had kept up his charade. The mere idea of fooling Draco like this and luring him to Fowey to check his loyalty had been brilliant. She would have fallen for it herself.

"Our biggest problem, of course, is that no one knows where the Dark Lord is right now."

"Except for Umbridge, probably," Ginny chimed in and Blaise patted her knee benevolently. The two of them were huddled together and each of them had a hand on Ginny's baby bump.