Misplaced Trust

hey everyonhe well no reviews for the last chapter but i hope that there are more reviews before the next chapter which will be a doozy of a chapter

anyway pease review review review!


*~*~*~*~*~*~Enjoy*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco let her lead him, pulling her hand from his collar and straightening it.

"I do so love it when you're forceful." He said playfully, keeping pace with her.

Hermione giggles and walks to the apperation point as she was about an inch taller than Draco. She took his hand and apperated outside a small muggle club. The sound of loud music is heard inside. Draco puts his arm around Hermione's waist and leads her blithely to the beginning of the line. He flashes a glamoured muggle ID and the bouncer barely looks at them, nodding. Draco smirks and leads his lover in, to the groans and complaints of the long line behind them. Hermione looks at the ID then at Draco. She was amazed.

"Draco since when do you go to muggle clubs?" she had always thought her lover was anti-muggle but surprise surprise he does a 180 on her.

Draco shrugged.

"Much less likely to be recognized in a place like this." He grins.

"Alright. Let's find your friend, shall we?" Hermione nods as she holds Draco hand tight as she looks around.

Unbenounced to her several of the large and more drunk patrons of this club had seen her legs and shoes and instantly took her to be a harlot they could play with. Draco senses several people watching them and the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He can feel some of them getting closer, and one backing away. His gaze turns toward the one backing away curiously, but before he can get a good look, he spots a rather wobbly and far too muscled man weaving his way toward them. Hermione ignores him as she continues to look for her friend.

"Maybe he's in the back?" Draco nods.

He leads her toward the back, away from the man and closer to the watcher he had felt moving away from them moments ago. He had a feeling that person had recognized at least one of them. Hermione looks around as there were guys and girls screwing each other against the wall.

"God where is he?" Draco, too, looks around.

"What exactly are we looking for? What does he look like?"

"He's got blonde hair like yours and hes about my height. He also has a distinct giggle." Hermione continues to look around as several guys continue to stare at Hermione.

Draco raises an eyebrow.

"Giggle? We're looking for a giggle?" Hermione glares at him.

As she continues to walk as she lets go of Draco's hand to talk to a bouncer. Away from her the was sound of a giggle more like bird tweeting. Draco's head turns automatically in that direction and he sees a flash of blonde, but the person is gone before he can get a proper look.

"Hermione." He says, turning to her, only to see a rather muscular man sidle up to her and wrap his arm over her shoulders.

"What are you doing running around with that pretty boy? I bet I'm right up your alley." The man whispers into Hermione's ear.

Hermione blinks and steps back.

"Excuse me my lover needs me." she turns giving him a glare before walking over to Draco.

"What is it love?" Draco glares daggers at the man, his hand slipping into his pocket and palming his wand.

"I may have spotted him near the bar, but I'm not sure." He says quietly to him as the Hermione's beefy admirer glares back, flexing his fists.

Hermione nods as she grabs Draco's arm.

"Come on." she pulls him towards the source of the sound.

Draco allows himself to be led, still looking at the man who, for the moment, doesn't follow. His gaze darts forward as he hears the odd giggle again and he hisses to Hermione.

"Was that it?" Hermione nods as she looks around.

At the end of the bar was a head of blonde hair. It was about Pansy's length but messy. The person had on very ripped up clothes.

"Ryan?" Draco looks the person over, curious about Hermione's friend.

The person turns showing a baby face boy no more than 16. His brown eyes were wide but looked hard.

"Her....Hermione?!" his voice was still very young but started to form into a mans voice.

Draco looks between them, trying to discern precisely how their friendship had ended. The young man didn't seem terribly put out... Hermione covers her mouth as the boy suddenly looked like he was going to crumble in the presence of his old friend.

"Hermy..." he whimpered as Hermione moved quickly and hugged him tight.

The boy wrapped his arms around Hermione tight. His long sleeves falling showing several long cut marks all over his arms. Draco frowned fiercely at the cut marks. What had this boy been through? He nodded to himself and stepped forward.

"Hello. My name is Draco Malfoy." He offered a somber face for the boy.

The boy looks at him up and down then slightly curls into Hermione for almost shelter.

"Who is he Hermy?" Ryan whispered as Hermione held him tight.

"He's my lover. I promise hes very nice. Come on lets get out of here." Ryan slowly nods.

Draco leads the three efficiently toward the exit.

"Do you have personal items you will miss? We can retrieve them if you like, but you will have a new home now." He realizes he's being blithe, but he refuses to allow anyone to hurt the young man anymore.

"I dont... have anything..." Ryan whispers as he hangs onto Hermione like a cling on.

"Good. Come along." He steps up to the door, but is halted by the man who accosted Hermione earlier.

This time, he has a friend. The men could be related, they were so similar in size and coloring- both of them scowling at the trio. Draco lifted an eyebrow, apparently not worried.

"May I help you gentlemen?" Hermione turns as Ryan pales instantly at the meer sight of these two brick wall men.

She moves quickly behind Draco and Hermione.

"Where do you think your taking our boy?" Draco's brow lifts impossibly higher.

"So you," He points to the previous assailant. "Want her," He indicates Hermione. "And you, want that one?" He asks, pointing to the other man and Ryan. "Just to be clear."

"Na we will own that bitch the girl on the other hand we wouldnt mind playing with." Ryan grips onto Draco's coat his hand shaking.

Draco nods, seemingly unsurprised.

"The problem, you see then, is that the one is mine and the other is in my care." He shrugs with a smirk. "Looks like you're out of luck." The guy growls and goes to reach for

Draco but Hermione stomps on his foot with her heel making him shout in pain. Draco reaches into his pocket and casts a quiet "Stupefy." on both of the men, who fall to the floor with wide-eyed looks. He sighs.

"We really must be going, Hermione. They're rather large and will wake soon." Hermione nods and pulls Ryan out of the club fast.

Draco leads them to an alley when he turns and looks oddly at Ryan before looking to Hermione.

"Should we warn him or just apparate?"

"Just go we will explain later." Hermione turns to Ryan.

"Bunny... please just hold onto me we will take you away from here." For what feels like the hundredth time tonight, Draco's brow raises.

"Bunny?" He asks, but doesn't give them time to answer, apparating the three of them to the front yard of their hideout.

"Sorry, but the wards must be adjusted before we can apparate in." Hermione nods as Ryan holds onto Hermione tightly.

"What do we have to do?" Draco removes his wand and waves it in a complicated pattern, muttering under his breath.

After several moments, he lowers it and winks at Hermione, bowing.

"You may enter." Hermione nods and gently leads Ryan inside as Ryan refuses to let go of her.

Hermione nods and gently leads Ryan inside as Ryan refuses to let go of her. Draco follows sedately. Harry, who was raiding the foodstock when the door opened, sticks his head out of the kitchen curiously.

"Hey. Who's the tyke?" He asks, eyes on Ryan.

Ryan looks at Harry as she tightens his hold.

"Just a friend of mine that we are helpping." Lily stepped from the parlour and blinked.

"Draco, Hermione, who is this?" She asked, her tone low and comforting.

She gave Ryan a sweet, welcoming smile. Ryan looks at Lily as he bit his lip. She seemed warm and comforting but he didnt want to move away from Hermione who he knew would protect him.

"Lily this is Ryan he's an old friend of mine." Lily turned to Ryan, smile still in place.

She trusted the kids to be responsible with who they brought in.

"Hello, Ryan. Welcome to our home." Lily seemed puzzled as she noticed something odd about the boy.

She turned to Hermione.

"Muggle?" Hermione nods as Ryan tilts his head.

"What's a muggle?" he asked as he looked at Lily.

Lily stepped forward, out of the doorway and closer to the three. Harry, forgotten, just watched.

"Rather the opposite of a wizard, I'm afraid." She stated, her look slightly sad.

"If you're to stay with us, there are some things you will be unable to avoid finding out." Ryan looks at her then turns to Hermione.

"Does this have to do with that time that bully was thrown into a tree when he pulled my pants down in front of you?" Hermione blinks then nods slowly.

"Yes it does Ryan... im a witch." Draco grins.

"And a bloody brilliant one too." Ryan giggles softly as he tightens his hold on Hermione.

"I can do things too... When i was..." his voice trails off as his eyes go very dull.

The memories obviously flitting through his mind made him feel dirty. Draco removes his wand and casts a purely for-fun spell that shoots harmless pink and yellow sparks into the air like fireworks.

"Things like this?" He says with a sad smile.

"It is a thing of honor to be bestowed with such powers." Ryan looks at it then shakes his head.

"Mine are hurtful... they hurt other people." Behind Hermione's back Ryan digs nails into the front of his wrist.

Harry steps forward on hearing this. His eyes meet and hold Ryan's.

"It's still a gift." He says, obviously believing it.

Ryan starts to shake as he digs his nails deeper tears slipping down his cheeks.

"No... its a curse... their faces..." Hermione looks at him and pets his hair.

Harry says nothing more, his mother stepping up.

"I think you should rest for now. We've several rooms available, some near Hermione's." He looks up to Hermione.

"Why don't you take him up and draw him a hot bath?" Hermione nods as she walks down the hall.

From where Draco stood he could see Ryan's now bloody nails still digging into his arm. Draco frowns and wonders just what kind of magic he's been performing by himself. As though echoing this thoughts, Harry speaks quietly.

"What do you think he's done?" Lily tsks and shakes her head.

"You leave that boy alone." Her eyes follow Ryan, a deep sadness in them.

"What he needs is rest and love. No questions for a while, okay?" She turns back to the two of them, both of whom nod.

*~*~*~*~*~*~End of Chapter 25*~*~*~*~*~*~