Chapter 10
Upon arrival at Grimmuald Place, Hermione ran to the nearest bathroom on only her memory. She could hear Harry and Ron calling for her, but she wasn’t focused on them, only on the aristocratic voice that has fled her mind.
When she reached the bathroom, she slammed the door shut and threw up a silencing spell before any of them had a chance to get to her.
MALFOY! Silence. Malfoy you better answer me, or I swear I will dye your blond hair Weasley red. Still there was nothing but her own thoughts. She thought she would go crazy, she was used to her thoughts, all alone, a few months ago. They could get a bit out of hand, but the constant string of her own consciousness was enough of a comfort at the time that she didn’t care. Now though, now that she had gotten used to the back and forth banter and the silent conversations she had with Draco Malfoy, she wasn’t sure she could deal with the loneliness of her own thoughts.
She wasn’t sure how long she stayed holed up in the bathroom, but she knew it was early morning and that she had drifted off without realizing it. Malfoy was still silent, and she knew she wouldn’t get any sleep while he was gone from her mind, nor would her future self appreciate the hard floor of the Black family home’s bathroom.
Making her decision, she undid her silencing spell, took a breath, and opened the door. Ginny was there still, sat on the floor of the opposite wall with her head in her knees. When she heard the door, the red head looked up at her friend, a silent question in her eyes.
Hermione shook her head slightly, hoping her face didn’t show the slight devastation she still felt. Ginny nodded back.
“The boys went to bed an hour ago,” the younger girl said. “I told them that it all hit you at once that the war had officially started and you needed to be alone.”
“And Harry just accepted that?”
“Merlin no, he wanted to tear down the door, but I told him that if he wanted you at your best, he needed to leave you alone to cope.” It seemed logical. Everyone knew if you bottled up everything, eventually you would explode. Ginny continued, “Ron also asked if it was about your parents, but I was like how would I know and sent him to bed too. I’m slightly peeved at him for trying to send me back home where Godric only knows what’s happening.”
Hermione gave a hollow laugh.
The girls made their way down the hall, heading towards the kitchen. Hermione muttered, “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight. It’s been hours and nothing but silence.”
Ginny’s hand found its way to hers and squeezed lightly. Her eyes welled a little and she was eternally grateful to have told Ginny the truth because she wasn’t sure what she would do if she were to be alone, physically and mentally.
Hermione sat on the bench in the kitchen and accio’d a kettle, tea, and two cups. She wasn’t sure if Grimmuald was still in use by Order members, but she knew the last time she visited before sixth year, she had hid some of her favorite tea so the boys wouldn’t drink it all.
“Gin, will you look in the top cupboard to your left to see if there are some muggle tea boxes?” Busying herself with magically warming the water, Hermione tried to get a reign on her emotions. She heard Ginny shuffling around and then the green box of peppermint tea sat in front of her.
“Did you hide those the last time you came?” Hermione nodded. “You are an only child, how on earth did you know to hide you favorites before your siblings got to them?”
This time Hermione’s laugh was genuine. “Ginny, my closest friends are Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. They’re practically my brothers. Do you know how often I had to snag my favorite dessert in the Great Hall before not only Ron, but the whole of Gryffindor’s quidditch team took them?”
“Fair point.”
After the tea was steeped, she handed a cup to Ginny and the two girls sat in silence for a while. It wasn’t meant to be an oppressive silence, but with the worry about Malfoy, Hermione couldn’t take it.
“I’m worried about him,” she spoke quietly. “Right before we got the Patronus message, he screamed at me to get out of there. It’s the last thing I heard from him, and now…”
“Is that why you moved before anyone else did?” Ginny asked. “Because he told you, and you knew something was about to happen?”
She thought for a moment before she spoke. “I guess once I saw the Patronus I knew nothing good could be said, but then Malfoy’s voice filled my head, and I sprang into action. I knew I needed to get to you first. There was no way I could get to Harry and then go back to get you, and I meant what I said the other day about not leaving you. If the boys had realized what I was doing before I had you, then they would’ve left us both.
“And then we were in muggle London, and it felt normal for a moment. No war, no Death Eaters, no conflicting prophecies, no voice in my head. And when I realized there was no voice in my head, I panicked. He made sure I knew to run. What if that was the last thing he said to me? What if that moment of warning cost us the prophecy?” All of her thoughts from the bathroom came rushing out of her. "He sat in my head, quietly, for months. I have been speaking to him, knowing he's there constantly for less than two months and one night of silence has brought out an anxiety I don't know how to cope with. How could I go back to only my thoughts?"
Ginny sat and listened. For a fraction of a moment, Hermione thought she looked like she needed a parchment and quill to take notes. But she continued because if she didn’t, then the quiet in her head would slowly suffocate her. “I don’t know why I care, Ginny. This was thrust on me, and we have only spoken in person about it twice. But I get the feeling that this might be more to him. When I glanced through his memories, there was something else there.
“And, Merlin, Ginny he calls me darling like it’s my name. He called me a mudblood for years, and I didn’t react to it half as much as I do when he calls me darling. Who knew Draco sodding Malfoy’s absence would make me lose my mind?” She gulped in air, then slowly sipped from her cup.
Ginny sat for a moment, anticipating whether Hermione was going to speak again. When she saw the other girl silent, she spoke. “Hermione, I say this as someone who knows more of the story than anyone, and I say it as your friend too. Have you considered that this prophecy, the way your magic is tied to his, is because maybe you both like each other or at least harbor some feeling towards each other besides hatred?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know much about soul magic, and I’m sure there aren’t many people who do, but don’t you think it’s weird that the prophecy chose two of the smartest people in Hogwarts, perhaps two of the most powerful in the school, despite the fact that they hate each other, supposedly?” The red-head paused for Hermione’s brain to wrap around what she was saying.
“Ginny, are you trying to say that you think Malfoy and I are in some way compatible, like romantically?”
Before Ginny could respond, a crack was heard in the living room. Hermione’s hand was on her wand in an instant, and she and Ginny moved quietly to the door of the kitchen. She strained her ears, but heard no movement from upstairs where the boys were sleeping. I should seriously remind them that being heavy sleepers in the midst of a war is probably the most effective way to be killed in your sleep.
The creak of the hallway made Hermione’s blood run cold. Someone was in the house, and they were intentionally trying to remain quiet. She tried to remember who would have access to Grimmuald Place and whether anyone at the wedding would have given it up.
“Is anyone here?” a female voice said. It was familiar, but Hermione took no chances. She threw the kitchen door open, and threw a stunning spell at the woman. It hit her in the back, and she went tumbling forward, but before she could hit the floor, face first, Ginny cast a freezing spell.
Hermione made her way to the witch, and came face-to-face with Tonks. She called to Ginny, “Bind her hands and feet. We have to make sure it’s actually her.”
When Tonks was seated on the couch in the living room, hands and feet bound, Hermione lifted the stunning spell. She kept her wand trained on the auror and asked, “What name does Ron hate that you call him?”
“Little Weasley.”
Hermione visibly sagged in relief. “Alright.” She waved her wand to vanish the ropes around the witch. “My god, what were you thinking?”
Tonks laughed. “Well, I was thinking of checking the other safe houses to see if anyone else needed help after the Burrow was cleared. How was I to know the two of you would be camped out here?” She stood to give the two girls a hug. “Where are Harry and Ron?”
“Irrelevant at the moment,” Hermione said. She still did not trust anyone with information involving Harry’s whereabouts. “Is everyone okay from the wedding?”
The older witch nodded. “Yes, once the Death Eaters realized Harry, Ron, and you weren’t there, they bolted.” She turned to Ginny, “Your mum is going to have a conniption when she discovers you left with them. Everything was so hectic, no one even saw the four of you move.”
“Don’t send me back, Tonks,” Ginny said quickly. “I have things I need to do, and you of all people should understand when a girl wants to prove herself.”
Tonks patted Ginny’s arm. “I’m not going to take any of you back, little red. I actually came to check on people, but now that I have you, I need to talk to Hermione. But first, mind if we get some tea?”
Once the three women were settled back in the living room, tea and some crackers in hand, Tonks told Hermione about her mother’s guest.
“My mother is housing a Death Eater defector and has been since Christmas. He’s special in more ways than one, but when he found out I was close with you, Hermione, he demanded you be told where he is.” Tonks’ voice was even, but she lowered it slightly at the end. Hermione prayed to whatever gods there were that it was Malfoy, but she knew it was slim given the timeframe. “He’s very close with an acquaintance of yours.”
“An acquaintance of mine?” She squeaked. Hermione did not have many friends, and everyone knew she didn’t do acquaintances.
Tonks nodded. “He said specifically this acquaintance is mentally there, and probably won’t say anything to you, but that’s besides the point. The point is, I want to tell you who it is because he needs to be protected if something were to happen to my family.”
“Why is he so special?” Ginny asked.
“He’s the son of a prominent Death Eater, a defector,” Tonks inhaled slightly and looked Hermione dead in the eyes, “and he’s a Seer.”
Oh. Voldemort would do anything to have a Seer in his army. He was mad enough to want someone to spout prophecies of his greatness at all times. This person was truly in danger. She asked the burning question. “Who is it?”
“Theodore Nott.”
Malfoy, if you’re listening, now would be a good time to pay attention, she thought. It wouldn’t hurt to give it one last chance, especially given how close the two seemed at school whenever no one was looking. She wondered why Theodore Nott was demanding she know where he is; it’s not as though any of them were friends. Then it hit her: he was a Seer. And Tonks said her acquaintance would be a mental one.
An alarm went off in the house, startling all three witches into fighting stance, wands raised.
“Blimey Harry would you turn that off?” Ron’s voice followed the sound’s end. The three relaxed. When Hermione looked to find the time, Harry came racing down the stairs. He came to a halt at the sight of Tonks, but after a moment, wrapped both Ginny and Hermione in a bear hug.
“Are you okay? Ginny told me you needed time to process, so I went upstairs and set an alarm to see if you were okay in the morning. Did I wake you? Have you been up all night?” Harry was a flurry of questions and half thought nonsense.
“Harry,” Hermione said calmly, “I am okay. Yes, I didn’t get much sleep, but I am still okay. You don’t have to worry.”
He seemed to take that with a grain of salt, but backed off anyway. Turning to Tonks, he asked, “is everything okay?”
Tonks glared at him for a moment, then shoved her wand to his chest. “I apparated in here in the early hours of the morning, clambered around the kitchen making tea and finding crackers, only to have two people realize someone was in the house. Has Moody taught you nothing?”
Hermione looked away to hide the amusement written across her face, but Ginny made no attempt to hide her enjoyment at the Chosen One being scolded by the petite Auror sporting her typical bright pink-cropped hair.
“Well,” Harry started, but when he realized he couldn’t come up with an excuse to defend himself, he finished the sentence with, “at least the strongest and smartest of us were quick on their feet?”
Tonks shook her head. “Constant vigilance, boy, or you are no longer going to be known as the Boy-Who-Lived. Rather, the Boy-Who-Didn’t-Wake-Up-That-One-Time.”
“Rather long name, don’t you think?” came Harry’s snarky reply. Tonks was close enough to smack him on the back of his messy head of hair.
Honestly, sometimes Harry sounds just like you, Draco. She knew she wouldn’t get a response, but the desire to irritate him into saying anything was fierce. If he says something about his father, I will have cause for wondering if the two of you have secret late-night conversations without anyone the wiser.
Ginny, Tonks, and Harry were moving towards the kitchen for breakfast, and Hermione’s stomach gave a growl, so she followed. They had plans to hatch, and she was mildly aware that Theodore Nott requested she be told where he was in case of the worst.
After thirty minutes of Harry getting every detail of what happened after they left, Ron came downstairs. Hair still rumpled from sleep, he sat down next to Hermione and put his hand on her knee. It felt odd, not unwelcome, but certainly not something she was interested in happening again.
“What’s happening?” He grumbled, mouth full of eggs that Tonks found. “Are mum and dad alright?”
“Look, I’m not going over this for the third time,” Tonks sighed. “Everyone is fine. I am going to go in ten minutes before Lupin has a fit and sends a search party. But first, here’s some money.” She handed a small coin purse to Hermione, who put it in her mum’s old purse for safe keeping. “Second, I am not going to tell anyone where you are going, simply because I do not know where you are going. But you lot better be out of here by the end of the week before Molly comes dragging the four of you back by your ears.”
“Would you take Ginny back with you?”
Leave it to Ron to say the one thing no one wanted to hear.
Tonks did not appear to have heard him, as she was busy getting up to go to the bathroom. Ginny smirked at her brother in triumph.
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After Tonks’ visit, the four teenagers went into planning mode. Well, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry did. Ron had taken to rummaging around looking for food.
They stopped to allow them each time to shower and change, as Hermione was still in last night’s dress and the boys still had no idea they had clothes stuffed into both girls’ bags. She shoved Harry a backpack filled with his clothes and a few other items he might have wanted.
“Did you sneak into my room to get these before the wedding?” he asked, only sounding slightly miffed at the idea.
Hermione shrugged. “I had a feeling, and I had the essentials packed since I left my parents’ house.”
Ginny didn’t bother handing Ron his bag, she simply dropped it unceremoniously onto the floor. “Given that I would be coming along, I took it upon myself to ensure you were packed.”
Ron gave her a sheepish smile. But Ginny was not interested in babying him. “Don’t get used to this, Ronald. We are on the run, potentially sleeping in tight quarters in the middle of Merlin knows where. You’re almost an adult, you should have prepared for this.”
Her older brother looked to Harry and Hermione for help, but Hermione wasn’t interested in giving any.
“She’s right, Ron,” was all she said before she moved to head upstairs. Briefly, she heard Harry and Ron promise to hold their weight this mission. Good, it can’t just be me, Ginny, and Draco being the brains behind this operation. I’ll go mad if I have to tell them to mind their laundry.
Once she was safely in the bathroom, bath running, Hermione allowed herself to go over the last twenty-four hours, and what Malfoy’s absence could mean.