Chris approached the little girl cautiously. They were on the streets of Hogsmeade, and Malfoy probably thought them quite safe. He was speaking to a few villagers outside the bakery, and the little girl with her bunny had wandered off slightly. She wasn't more than a yard from him, but Malfoy was engrossed in his conversation.

"Hello, Grace."

She looked up at him with curious eyes.

"Are you enjoying your stay with Draco?"

"I am. We just came from his office. He sent owls and his assistant made me tea. Now we're having brekkie in the bakery."

"How fun. When will Hannah be back?"

"Saturday. Blaise gave me his ring until he gets back," she said as she pulled the Zabini crest out to show. "What's your name? You know mine."

"I'm Chris."

He had nearly snarled at her when she mentioned Zabini, but that wouldn't do. The little girl giggled and clutched her stuffed bunny. She was close to what he coveted. Chris reached out to touch her hair.

The hex that hit him threw him to the other side of the street. He hadn't been paying attention to Malfoy. He'd gotten distracted.

"You bastard! I will make you wish you were dead!"

Chris got his bearings quickly and disapparated.

Draco said every swear he knew in his native tongue then in French and Chinese. Mrs. Dearborn was gasping in surprise. He was just about to give chase when he heard Grace crying. More people were also starting to gather and ask what had happened. It seemed to be agreed that Malfoy was protecting Grace, rather violently, from strangers.

Draco put his wand away, picked her up swiftly and stalked into the bakery. Draco held her close, his heart hammering. Blaise would have killed him. If anything happened to Grace while she was in his care, Blaise would end him. Warrington, the same Warrington who had participated in his kidnapping, had been about to put a hand on Grace

Several bakery employees were questioning what was wrong, but Draco waved them all off as he made his way out back. He set Grace on a pile of crates behind the bakery so she was eye level to him. She whimpered and almost would not let go of his neck.

"It's all right, Grace. I'm sorry, pet. Quite sorry. I did not mean to scare you, but that was a bad man. If you ever see him again, you run away as fast as you can, all right?"

"He was bad? But he was so nice."

"Sometimes the bad men are nice, sweet one. Did he hurt you?"

"No," Grace said, sniffling.

"Good. Blaise would be very cross with Uncle Draco if you were harmed on my watch."

Grace just nodded and buried her face in her bunny.

"Promise me you'll run if you see him again."

"I will," Grace promised. "Why is he bad?"

"Among other things, he hurt Uncle Draco really bad once. Him and his friends."

"Why?"

Draco sighed. "I'm not entirely certain. What was he saying?"

"He was asking when Blaise and Hannah would be home."

Draco nodded, filing that away. He picked Grace up. "Didn't I promise you breakfast?"

But his mind was whirling. What in the hell was Warrington up to? Draco felt the strong urge to hex him all over again. If he was lurking around, that meant Montague or Pucey might be near as well. This did not give Draco a good feeling.

Pucey would love his head on a pike, and Montague had already proved how far he was willing to go.



{SUMMARY} Draco gets to hex Warrington in Hogsmeade.