And Then There Were Three

Chapter 4 - The Calm Before The Storm

Draco's POV
"HEY MALFOY!" Astoria yelled as she pounded on the door to Draco's motel room.
Draco's loud groan could be heard from outside the door. If their is one thing Draco hated more than messy hair it was waking up before 9am on a Saturday!
"Get up! I have a surprise!" Astoria yelled through the door.
Draco groaned again before rolling out of bed, slipping on his black silk robe and opening the door. Astoria walked straight into the room and collapsed onto the bed.
"You like my jacket?" She asked rolling over into her stomach so that Draco could see the back of her leather jacket. It had a large green 'S' on it and her name written across the top in silver thread.
"Snazzy!" Draco said as he gave her an approving look.
She then threw Draco a brown parcel and told him to open it.
"Go on then, what are you waiting for." She said eagerly.
Draco gave her a confused sort of smile and began to tear open the paper.
"Woah!" He said as he saw what was inside the package. It was a matching leather jacket, except instead of saying Astoria on the back, his said Draco.
"I love it, but why did you get me this?" Draco asked.
"Well we're going to brunch." Astoria answered.
"I'm leather jackets?" Draco puzzled.
"They're not for brunch, there so you look cool as hell on the back of my motorcycle." Astoria laughed.
Draco looked astounded. "You have a motercycle?" He asked.
"No," Astoria answered.
"Then how-?" Draco began before Astoria put her finger to his lips and lead him out to the car park.
"Look at that." She said, pointing out a stunning black bike.
"But it's not yours?" Draco asked.
"Not yet." Astoria laughed.
"What do you-?" Draco started, but Astoria kicked him in the shin. Draco took the hint and stopped talking.
A tall man began to approach them and pulled out the keys to the black motorbike, Astoria stood dead still in between him and the bike.
"Hello their big fella." Astoria said, however she had put on a fake Australian accent that was surprisingly convincing.
"What do you want love?" The tall man asked.
"I was wondering if my friend and I could borrow your bike for a while?" She asked, keeping up with her accent.
"And why would I let you do that?" The man asked.
"Because otherwise I'll tell your wife you cheated on her." Astoria said plainly.
The man grunted angrily, but then reluctantly handed over the keys.
Astoria climbed onto the bike, "coming loser?" She asked Draco as she fastened her helmet.
"I guess so, but don't go to fast." He answered.
Astoria laughed and revved the engine. Once Draco was on, she sped off and out of the car park.

********

As the two sped along the road, ten wind blew in Astoria's hair. "WOOOOAAAAHHHH!" She cheered and threw her hands in the air.
"Hold on Astoria, your supposed to be driving!" Draco tried to yell over the wind.
"What?" Astoria replied. "I can't hear you!"
"HOLD ON!" Draco yelled louder.
"Loosen up a bit Malfoy!" She cheered and she threw her hands up again.
"We're going to crash!" Draco argued
"Fine." Astoria scowled as she put her hands back onto the motorcycle.

*********

The pair sat at a booth in the small town diner. "How did you get that guy to give you his bike?" Draco asked.
"Bribery." Astoria replied, without even looking up from the menu.
"Threatening to expose his affair was hardly a fair price." Draco mumbled.
"Blackmail is the best type of negotiation, because you always get what you want." Astoria laughed.

Harry's POV
Harry screwed up what must have been the fifth piece of paper and threw it to the floor. Why was he finding it so difficult to write a letter to Draco. Maybe it was because this was his last chance to help Ginny, or maybe there was another reason. Whatever it was, Harry just needed to swallow his pride and write the damn letter.

Dear Draco,

Harry pondered for a moment, was he supposed to address the letter as Draco or Malfoy. It felt weird calling him Draco, but somehow weirder calling him Malfoy.

Dear Draco,
Ginny is hosting a fundraiser this Sunday and she requires two teams. The teams will be playing quiditch to raise money for people who lost loved ones in the war. I'm playing one seeker and I was hoping you would play for the other team. I understand if you can't but your my only option.
Best Regards,
Harry Potter

He sealed the letter and handed it to pigwidgeon, who immediately flew off to deliver the letter.

********

"Whatcha doing?" Ginny asked as she collapsed onto the sofa beside Luna.
"Reading," Luna answered dreamily without looking up from her book.
"Is the book good?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know, it's written in Spanish." Luna replied.
"Oh." Ginny sounded confused. "Are you staying for dinner?" She added.
"Yes I think I will." Luna replied, "I hope there's pudding."
Ginny chuckled.
Suddenly a sequence of thuds, followed by a loud crash filled the house.
"What was that?" Ginny asked, sounding scared.
"I don't know." Luna replied.
"SOMEONE HELP!" Ron yelled from the hallway.
Ginny and Luna immediately stood up and rushed to where the sound had come from. They saw Hermione crouched down over somebody at the bottom of the stairs.
"Who is that?" Ginny asked, panic rising in her voice.
Hermione lightly slapped the face of the unconscious body.
"WHO IS THAT?" Ginny yelled, tears beginning to form.
Hermione moved aside so that Ginny could Fleur's face. She was laying at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious. Or was she dead?
Harry and Ron were stood at the top of the stairs, their mouths open and eyes wide in terror. Molly, Bill and the other Weasleys along with Remus all came inside giggling and slightly tipsy. They had been drinking wine in the garden and clearly not heard the fall.
"MUM!" Ron yelled. "MUM COME HERE."
Molly came rushing into the hallway, followed by Percy.
"What's the matter Ronald!" Molly asked sounding frustrated. She saw Fleur laying on the floor and immediate gasped.
"Is that?" She asked as she looked at Hermione, who nodded. "Get Bill." She instructed her son, Percy.
Molly crouched down beside Fleur and examined her, checking her pulse.
"She's alive." Molly exclaimed.
"Who's alive? What Happened?" Bill asked as he rushed into the room.
"Fleur." He whispered as he knelt on the floor beside his wife.
"We have to take her to the hospital, NOW." He said as him and Hermione began to hoist her body up and carry her to the fireplace.
Her forehead was cut open and her arm bent unnaturally. Bill slung her tiny body over his shoulder and stepped into the fireplace, grabbed a fist of floo powder and said the name of the nearest hospital. With an eruption of green flames Bill and Fleur were gone.

*******

Everyone was sat around the kitchen table, no one speaking.
"Did anyone see what happened?" Molly asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
"I assume she tripped." Ron guessed.
"That's the most likely explanation." Hermione agreed. It seemed they had put their argument aside for the time being.
"Well it's been quite a night, you should all be heading to bed." Molly said.

********

Harry a was laying on the pull out bed beside Ron's dresser.
"Do you really think she fell?" Harry asked.
"What else could have happened mate?" Ron replied
"Just forget it." Harry replied as he rolled over. Harry couldn't help thinking that something more sinister had happened. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that was making his insides churn. Maybe it was just Molly's tuna casserole, or maybe he was right. Had someone pushed Fleur, or had she simply fell. She had been wearing high heels. Maybe Harry was grasping for straws, maybe he just wanted another chance to be the hero. Or maybe something really did happen. Without warning Harry noticed someone moving outside Ron's door.
"Did you see that?" Harry asked, but when Ron didn't reply Harry knew he had fallen asleep. 'It was probably nothing' Harry told himself, but when he saw it move again he sat bolt upright. 'What was that, or maybe, who was that?' Harry slowly stood up and walked over to the door. He peered around the doorframe, and undeniably, someone was moving around. He followed the shadow allong the landing until he suddenly bumped right into whoever was out there.
"Sorry Harry." Bill whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you, I was just coming home to shower before I go back and see Fleur."
"Oh, no it's fine, I was just getting a glass of water." Harry lied.
"Kitchen's downstairs." Bill said skeptically.
Harry nodded then headed back to his and Ron's room and lay back down. So he was just being paranoid. No one was in the house (except for Bill) and no one had pushed Fleur. Harry was just overreacting. With piece of mind Harry closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

// thanks for reading this chapter, I hope you liked it//