Chapter 13
Bound and wandless? Draco Malfoy had not stopped repeating the phrase in the last ten minutes. After agreeing to the terms, the foursome dispersed from the kitchen to get ready. Since Hermione was the only one with the ability to go to the safe house, she would go first to ensure Malfoy was prepared for the other three.
I am not a thing that needs to be prepared, Granger. His voice was crisp and calculated in her head as she walked down the stairs to meet the group.
Malfoy, I know it is not what you wished for, but Ron will leave and take Gin with him if you do not. She tried to keep the fear out of her head. If both Ginny and Ron were to leave, Harry would crumble slightly. He needed his friends, his best friend in the world, to fight and win this war.
The power of friendship only wins wars in the novels, darling Draco quipped at her. She felt herself glare at the floor.
Harry was seated in the high backed chair of the Grimmuald living room. He smiled at her and asked, “are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” was her clipped response. “I am going to go make sure Malfoy knows of the… stipulations. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes minimum to start the chain of apparation, so decide among yourselves who goes first.”
Without another word or confirmation from her green-eyed best friend, she popped away.
When she materialized in the same sitting room from her previous meetings, she was greeted by the doe-eyes of Minty. “Miss! Minty has prepared tea and coffee for the visitors. Please take some!”
Hermione smiled kindly at the elf. “Of course Minty.” She grabbed a teacup and dropped two sugars in. “Where is…” She trailed off. It felt weird to call his name aloud, whether it be Malfoy or Draco. How was she supposed to address him? He had her dubbed darling these last few weeks, so should she come up with a name for him?
“Would you like to give me a codename, darling?” His voice was softer than it is in her head. The switch from mind to vocal would be an adjustment every time they met. He was standing in the doorway—no, leaning on the doorway, arms crossed, head tilted quizzically at her. “Because I think I would make a stunning Lancelot, wouldn’t you say?”
The teacup in her hand was shaking and a sound came from her mouth. Malfoy’s smirk fell so that his mouth was agape. “Did you just giggle?”
“No. And we shall never speak of it again.” She took a sip from the cup and set it down with a light clink. Minty stepped up to dispose of the cup, then she gave a bow to Hermione and squeezed the witch’s hand before popping out of the room. Facing Malfoy again, she drawled “are you going to stand there all day? We are in a bit of a rush.”
Moving with cat-like grace, he came over to the couch on her left and perched himself on the delicate blue material. “If you wanted me bound, darling, you could have just asked nicely. A bit of foreplay is always fun, wouldn’t you say?”
The blush that crept up Hermione’s face could have melted chocolate. She had the scene pictured in her head for a moment, just a singular moment, but it was enough the let herself know it was an intriguing scene. “That is not what I meant and you knew it.”
“Whatever you say, darling,” Malfoy drawled with a smirk. But your thoughts are mine and mine alone right now.
She did not dignify his teasing with a response. Choosing instead to bind his wrists and conjure a small blindfold for when the first apparation came through. “I will not bind your legs as I fear Ginny will keel over the second she sees you, and we want to be more adult about this situation as lives are at stake.”
He kept smirking. Oh I want to wipe that ridiculous smirk off his face.
He raised his eyebrow. Do it.
“Stay.” She popped back to Grimmuald Place.
Ginny was sitting at the piano in the living room. Ron was pacing behind it. Harry had not moved from the chair. Upon her reappearance, Ron snapped to attention.
“That was more than fifteen minutes!”
This time, Hermione really did roll her eyes. “Well forgive me for ensuring he was prepared!”
“And is he?” he said back.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
Oh, dear, have I made you snappy? Please continue this bickering while we discuss matters of life and death in our adult situation.
She rolled her eyes again. Are you just sad you couldn’t get the delicious tea Minty left for us?
“If you’re communicating, please wrap it up so we can leave,” Ginny teased. She rose from the piano bench and came to grab Hermione’s arm. “I’ve agreed to go first.”
Ron looked redder than Hermione did at Draco’s comments in the sitting room. “No, we specifically agreed you’d go last!”
Hermione didn’t want to hear this. She gripped Ginny’s arm, and they materialized in the blue room.
“Ah, so the she-weasel comes to the snake den first. Surprised your brother and Potter allowed such scandal,” Malfoy remarked from his place across the room.
You’re supposed to be on the couch, she said as she glared at him.
“I’m not a dog, darling," he responded. The smirk was back on his face.
“Oh, they didn’t. I was specifically told to go last,” Ginny said, moving to sit on the couch Malfoy was supposed to stay on. “Now, can I have a different name? I like darling, but it looks like that one is taken.”
Malfoy laughed. Laughed, and the sound was so much fuller in the open space of the room compared to the twinkling sound from inside her head. It didn’t even bother her that Ginny brought up the nickname she didn't want Malfoy to know got to her; the sound of Draco Malfoy’s laughter was a rare sighting in the last few years.
“I could always switch hers,” he said, charmingly. “What do you say, Granger? Are you partial to anything, darling?”
She transfigured a teacup into another blindfold, and it wrapped itself around his aristocratic features. Then she gave a look to Ginny which hopefully communicated ‘if you suggest changing it from darling, then you can bunk with Ronald’ before disappearing to get the boys.
This reappearance in the sitting room of Grimmuald was met with heaving chests and raised fists. Oh for fuck’s sake what is wrong with these boys!
“OI! I will leave you both here while Ginevra and I locate the remaining packages and kill You-Know-Who ourselves! Knock it off now, or neither of you will see the inside of that safehouse.”
Both boys had the decency to look sheepish. Harry moved away from Ron, and Ron lowered his arm before moving to her. “Are you okay? Why would you leave Ginny alone with him?”
The glare she shot him would wither an aloe plant. “Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, I do not care to know what this fight is about, but the both of you will stop viewing it as your jobs to protect us. Ginny has instincts to protect herself and those around her. I am the Brightest Witch of Our Age. We are perfectly capable. All this animosity is doing is causing us to lose focus. Lives are on the line; solider up and fight one war before delving back to juvenile feats of unimpressive masculinity.”
With grip on them both, she gave no warning as she slammed them down on the floor of the Malfoy safehouse sitting room. Hermione took note of the position of Malfoy and Ginny and moved to stand next to Malfoy near the couch.
“I assume Ginny assisted with the blindfold?” she muttered.
“Mione, I’m a wizard with competency in wandless magic, or have you forgotten my many talents in wand work?”
Hermione cut a glare at Ginny, who seemed far too preoccupied biting her lip and looking at the shelves on the walls. When she caught the red-head’s eyes, she mouthed “you’re bunking with Ron” and turned to face the two other boys who finally got their bearings.
Ron had his wand out and trained on Malfoy, who was leaning on the sofa’s armrest, looking relaxed with the binds around his torso and lower body. Harry was observing the room, checking for entry and exit points, noting the various items that could be used as weapons if needed. He caught Ginny’s eyes and a blush appeared.
Your move, darling came Malfoy's prodding.
“Okay, so we have some things to discuss. Harry, Ron, you both sit on the arm chairs. Ginny take the door.” Hermione directed the others to positions while pushing Malfoy to the couch he should’ve been sitting in the whole time. “Malfoy, you remain here, please, and we can get started.”
You know you haven’t bound my legs. I can walk on my own. His insistence on speaking only in her mind was not lost on her. But I will follow your pushing simply because you said please this time.
“Focus on the priority, dear. You’ll have use of yours arms soon enough," she quipped as she sat down next to him on the couch.
“Dear?” Ron’s voice interrupted the flow of Hermione and Malfoy’s conversation.
“Oh, it seems like we should discuss codenames!” Ginny stated. Good segue, but not enough to end whatever conversation Ron will inevitably launch when they are alone. “I personally liked Ranga for Ronald.”
“Ranga?”
“Yes, like an orangutan.”
Harry’s bark of laughter couldn’t be helped, just like Hermione’s snort was hidden in her hand. It couldn’t be helped. Ginny was so serious about it.
Before Ron could dispute the claim, Hermione tried to turn the conversation. “Well we do need codenames to protect each other, those can be thought of a little later. For now, let’s focus on one thing that will be necessary: our current living predicament.”
“I thought we would stay where we are currently,” Harry started. “I know Tonks said to move, but it’s warded, and no one can get in except members of the Order.”
“And me,” Malfoy said calmly.
“What?” They all chorused.
“I am the heir to the House of Black. Grimmuald Place is more mine than it is yours, Potter.” The surety in his voice left Hermione speechless. He was heir to two houses, and the Order of the Phoenix was meeting in a place that technically belonged to a high ranking Death Eater’s wife. “My mother was born a Black. She is the last eligible member to inherit, but I was born, making it mine.”
Harry looked green. “You’re telling me you have claim to the property but never made a move to take it?”
"How did you even know it was where we are staying?" Ron demanded.
Malfoy ignored Ron and held Harry's stare as he answered. “Technically, I only came into my partial inheritance a few months ago, so there was nothing I could do to claim the Black properties beforehand, and, if you hadn’t noticed, we are currently involved in the operation of a hotel at Malfoy Manor, so my inheritance is the last thing on my mind.”
Hermione felt her stomach twist. If the Malfoys made a move to take the Black properties, not only would the Order lose a valuable safe house, Harry would lose the last thing connecting him to Sirius.
You can’t take the property. She didn’t care if it came off as begging; the look on Harry’s face was enough to bring her to her knees. Take whatever else of the Blacks you’d like but not Grimmuald Place.
He glanced down at her. His eyes cleared of the occlumency haze enough for her to see the meaning in his eyes. He didn’t look away from her. “Don’t worry, Potter, I wouldn’t dream of taking it. It probably hasn’t been kept up with since that deranged older sister was tossed in Azkaban.”
“How did you know it was Grimmuald Place?” Ron asked sharply. “Did Hermione tell you? She isn’t allowed to.”
Malfoy removed his gaze from her. “No, she did not. I know a lot more than you think I do. Before you start flinging accusations at me, know that you lot are unharmed because I have kept those things to myself, going against my mother and father and the very instincts that make me a Slytherin.” That make me who I am.
Her breath caught in her chest. He was willing to help them. She knew this from the conversations they’ve had, but seeing him defend himself against an accusation that was meant for her, she realized she was placing her bets on the right person.
“We can’t stay in one place for longer than a week. Tonks already told us to clear out, so let’s figure out where we can hide from Vold-” Malfoy’s hand came to cover her mouth. For the love of Merlin, put your restraints back on before Ron stuns you.
“I will not, especially not when you use that name,” he lowered his hand and looked to each of them. “Get this through your thick skulls. If you take any of my advice from this meeting, let it be this: that name is a taboo. You say it, ten snatchers are at your location in five seconds.”
He looked Ron in the eyes, steel meeting the ocean, and said “If Granger ends up in the dungeons of the Ministry, I will blame you all without hesitation. I will end this war on both sides if she is taken because one of you decided to prove yourselves brave for saying his name.”
The silence of the sitting room needed to be broken. Hermione couldn’t take it. The look of pure hatred on Ron’s face, Harry’s shocked eyes, Ginny’s knowing look, Malfoy’s words; it was all too much to process.
“Right,” she started “thank you for the tip. Um…”
Ginny recovered and rescued Hermione’s attempt to control the conversation. “So, is it cool if we stay here for the night? We can figure out a place to go, but other than you, no one knows where we are. The next thing we need to address is the Seer.”
Ron looked between the four of them. “Seer?”
You know where Theo is? Malfoy questioned as he turned to look at her.
Harry looked similarly confused as to what the importance of a Seer was to their mission, but Hermione had determined that Malfoy would need to know his friend was taken care of. So obtaining the quiet Slytherin would be part of their mission after finding a place to stay.
“Yes, there’s a Seer who defected from the Death Eaters before their initiation,” Hermione started. Ginny smirked at knowing more than the boys present. “Tonks gave me the location of his current whereabouts, and I think since You-Know-Who is obsessed with solidifying his place as a modern day god, getting the Seer in our fold before they have a chance to disclose more prophecies would be better for our side.”
Malfoy nodded. “I think it is worth doing, especially since they are an exceptional duelist.”
The older Weasley looked annoyed. “We don’t need another pair. Harry and I can hold our own together, and Hermione isn’t so bad with spells either.”
His sister whipped her head to look at him. “And what about me, Ranga? What will I be doing while the three of you go off galivanting through Britain?”
Oh, Merlin. If I had known he wouldn’t move on from me putting Ginny at risk, I would’ve just grabbed Harry and Gin! Hermione’s thoughts were a hailstorm of expletives at the same argument being had. I will leave him here if he says another word.
“Before Granger tries to leave you with me, Weasley, you’d do well to have both women present,” Malfoy cut off the retort Ron no doubt had. “Numbers matter, Weasley. And in the case of protecting the two most important people in this war, having Nott on your side is better than the slapdash dueling I’ve seen from you in school.”
“He’s got a point, Ron,” Harry started. But Ron’s tendency to not let people finish reared its head again.
“You agree with MALFOY?” The accusation was paired with a gaggle of limbs as he stood to full height and towered over Harry’s frame on the couch. “What is happening in the world that you, you Harry, agree with Draco sodding Malfoy?”
Hermione had had enough. The conversation from this morning was clearly not heeded, and the lack of respect and awareness for the death and decay of Britain's wizarding world was uncalled for. She stood, too.
“You’re doing it again.” Her voice was lethal. The room stilled as her voice dripped with icy fire. “Acting like your opinions and prejudices are more important than this mission; acting like your vote will be the deciding factor in the outcome of this war. There is nothing about this conversation, nor the conversation you keep having with Ginny, that will matter when you’re at the end of a green curse with a cold mask staring back at you.”
No one was breathing, or maybe she just wasn’t paying attention to anything else besides her own voice, her own truth. “I told you this morning that this was war. Dumbledore may have filled our childhood with the idea that goodness will always prevail even if you broke a few school rules, but he’s gone. He’s not protecting anyone and wasn’t when he was living in this realm. Draco is here, bound and wandless at your request, and you’re still hung up on the idea that if it was you and Harry against the Death Eaters, you’d win. Take the help you’ve been given. Don’t alienate this information simply because of who it came from.
“Tell me, if this was Moody or Kingsley or Lupin, would you question any part of what has been said?” Silence. “No, but because it’s come from me and Ginny and Draco, you’ve discounted it. You were always so good at chess, Ron, so why are you leaving the strategy and the finesse of the game on the board? Why are you so against accepting the help that has been predetermined to give Harry the key to defeating that ego maniac?
“I will go retrieve Nott. Draco, give whatever information or locations that would be considered safe to me, and we will leave tomorrow morning. Minty?” The elf popped in with a smile and a low bow. “Would you please show Harry and Ginny the room we will stay in?” When she turned to look at Ron again, the anger in his blue eyes was an impenetrable wall. “Ron, decide if you’d like to be included in information, or if you will fight tooth and nail against your own side.”