Harry smiled. He seemed to have recovered somewhat. He was looking a bit pale, but otherwise composed, in some of Draco's black fancy-dress robes. Various Death Eaters kept stopping and greeting him, and she could tell he was having a job trying to pretend he knew who they all were, but he was looking cool and unruffled. Very Draco-like, in fact. It was odd, she thought, she had always hated Draco far too much to see that he was good- looking, whatever Lavender and Parvati might say. But now she saw it; in fact, she saw that he was, in a classical sense, much better-looking than Harry could ever hope to be. It wasn't a beauty that made her stomach flip over, like Harry's did, but she did recognize that it was there.
'Lucius is some kind of sex maniac, I think,' she whispered to Harry.
'Must be,' said Harry. 'After all, he tried to have it off with you, didn't he?' and he yelped with laughter as Hermione hit him playfully on the arm.
'Isn't there anything to eat?' said Hermione, looking around hopefully.
'I dunno,' said Harry. 'I think Lucius just got everyone together to tell them about his newest diabolical scheme, I don't think he was planning on feeding them.'
'Do you think we can sneak off yet?' asked Hermione, craning her neck to scan the crowd. Somewhere by the wall, Draco was standing, wrapped in the invisibility cloak. She had explained the details of Lucius' plan to the boys, and they had decided to go and get Sirius right away. They had hoped that during the confusion of the party, they could all three sneak off to the drawing room and get down into the dungeons to rescue Sirius. So far there hadn't been an opening during which she and Harry could dart away, though.
'We could try,' said Harry. 'If they catch us they'll just think we're skulking off to make out.'
'Hurray for teenage hormones,' said Hermione. 'Let's go snog behind a tapestry.'
'Indeed,' said a voice behind her. It was Lucius. Hermione jumped and blushed.
Eleftheria Parpis was with him; she was looking down at Hermione in a motherly sort of manner.
'Who can blame you, dear?' she said. 'Draco is getting very handsome. Just like his father,' she added, looking at Lucius in a sickening sort of way.
'Uh,' said Hermione.
'Mandy was just kidding,' said Harry.
'I'm sure,' said Lucius, smiling a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Hermione had a feeling he was still fractious with her for having repelled his advances. 'Eleftheria, this is Amanda Brocklehurst, my son's girlfriend.' Hermione smiled at Eleftheria politely.
'Good news, Draco,' Lucius added. 'Harry Potter was spotted in Malfoy Park by the owner of the Cold Christmas Inn. He sent me an owl just now.'
'That is good news,' said Harry faintly. 'Was he with anyone?'
'At least one person that we know of,' said Lucius blandly. 'Some girl.'
'So he'll be here soon,' said Harry.
'And will find a welcoming party ready to receive him,' said Lucius.
A terrible silence descended on Hermione and Harry. Neither of them could think of anything to say. Finally, Hermione said, 'Harry's got loads of girlfriends, it could be any of them.'
'I'm sure,' said Lucius. He gave them both a measuring look, then said, 'Have fun, children,' and disappeared into the crowd with Eleftheria behind him.
''At the risk of sounding like someone in a comic-book,' said Harry, 'I think this means we're getting short on time. We better do this now.'
Hermione agreed with a fervent nod, and they headed off toward the end table where they had left Draco. They said nothing, but a rustling noise indicated that he had joined them, and all three of them ducked through the nearest doorway.
They followed Draco's whispered instructions, heading towards the drawing room.
'Loads of girlfriends,' said Harry, shaking his head as they rounded a corner. 'I do not have loads of girlfriends. I am not a player, Hermione.'
'I know that,' she said, trying not to laugh.
'At the moment,' Harry continued, 'my girlfriend count stands at zero.'
'That's cause you're always wasting your time chasing after Cho,' said Hermione, nettled. 'Who doesn't want to go out with you anyway.'
'I wouldn't be so sure about that,' said Draco's disembodied voice.
Harry glared suspiciously at the empty space where Draco was likely standing, 'What do you mean?'
'I think she may have experienced a drastic change in her feelings towards you.'
'Did you do something to her, Malfoy?' snapped Harry.
'Not to her, per se,' said Draco. Hermione could hear him smirking, 'With her, maybe. A little of the old Malfoy charm and she was begging me for a date.'
'Ah, yes,' said Harry. 'the famous Malfoy charm. Was that what convinced your dad you were gay, or was it just your hair?'
Draco ignored him. 'Anyway, I told her you weren't interested.'
'Why did you do a stupid thing like that?' snapped Harry.
'Because,' said Draco. 'You aren?t. Oh, look,' he added, before Harry could say anything else, 'here we are.'
