Chapter 17
There was a group of five teenagers settling into a tent on the bank of a creek in the Yorkshire Moors. The cascading water soothed the tension in their shoulders from being exposed in the sparse tree line.
A bushy-haired girl stood apart from the rest of them, raising a stick and swishing it cross her body in slow, languid movements.
“Repello Inimicum. Muffliato. Protego totalum. Fianto duri.” The muttering of spells was as relaxing as the rushing of the waters. “Repello Inimicum. Muffliato. Protego totalum. Finato duri.”
When the incantations were complete, the camp they had set up was hidden from sight. There was not a trace of their movements or sounds from the outside.
“Harry,” Hermione called, “could you step outside the wards?”
The black haired bespeckled boy moved out from in front of the tent to a few meters in front of Hermione. She could see his every movement, hear his footfalls on the slightly damp ground. But this wasn’t a test for if she could see him.
“I don’t see anything.” He came back within the wards, the sound of Ginny and Theo bickering with Ron over whether lunch should be twice a day rushing back to his ears. “And I was given a blissful reprieve of that.” He motioned towards the tent.
Hermione grinned. “Wonderful!” She clapped her hands together and bounced from her spot near the wards back to the tent. “Alright, stop bickering, Minty and Kreacher said they would both get us food and laundry service if we called for it, but Theo has a point, we can’t abuse that or we will be traced.”
In the kitchenette part of the magically enlarged tent, Theo grinned triumphantly at the ginger boy, then, to everyone’s surprise, walked over and tapped Ron on the nose.
“It’s okay, Brauns, we can’t all be correct all the time,” he singsonged his way to the nearest room.
The tent belonged to the Weasley twins, who stole it from Hogwarts and were planning to use it for purposes of dubious hilarity. Ginny nicked it from their room over the summer when Hermione told her to see if they had anything worth taking on the run. Turns out the products of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes were incredibly helpful for distractions should they be caught unawares.
With some magical tweaking, Hermione turned the one room tent into a two room tent equipped with a bathroom and kitchenette. Her and Ginny would share a room, and the boys can all squeeze together in the other. Since Theo was a new addition who was unaccounted for in the original planning of this adventure, he got stuck with the boys who didn’t think to pack their own bags. Payback for making Hermione and Ginny go through their drawers for clothing during their preparations.
Harry, who had come in after Hermione, watched Theo prance away with awe and amusement. Ginny erupted into laughter that was sure to test the sound wards. Ron, slack-jawed and blinking rapidly, had yet to recover. When he did recover, he was spluttering and moved to the room Theo disappeared through.
Harry moved to the small table that was sitting in the middle of the space. “He reminds me of George and Fred, but in a single human. I hope Ron is able to be friends with him.”
Ginny moved to sit across from him at the table. “He is remarkably similar to Fred, even down to the knowledge of how quidditch players could get away with so many pranks on the field if they weren’t so focused on winning.”
While Harry and Ginny talked together, comparing their favorite Fred and George moments, Hermione moved into the kitchenette to put on the kettle for tea.
HERMIONE GRANGER.
She winced. She wasn’t aware one could yell that loudly inside someone’s head. With the use of magic, the kettle was hot enough, she opted to ignore him and began making cups for the five of them.
I know you are ignoring me, but I can find out where you are just as easily as you seem to ignore me.
A threat? Are you threatening me, Draco?
No, simply urging you to answer me before I find you myself. You’re the one who asked me to come find you, and yet, I’ve searched the entire safehouse and guess who is missing? His tone was harsh, bitter even. I take the Cruciatus for you, and you leave me like a lover at dawn?
The mention of lover brought a flush to her neck. She remembered how close he had been to her yesterday, when they were sitting on the couch together, close enough to feel his breath on his face. The feeling of safety that had wrapped around her in that moment, knowing he was there and he had proven to do anything to protect her. It felt nice, to be wanted, treasured, put first. It had been a long time since she had been anyone’s first priority.
We knew that if You-Know-Who was aware you’re half the key to his demise, he would be watching your movements. We decided to leave a little early before you came so to make sure our collective torture would have been worth the protection it brought. She grabbed her mug and levitated two to Harry and Ginny. She walked over to the small flap of a door that covered Theo and Ron and tapped it twice. “Tea.”
The two boys came out. Theo looked smug, and Ron was flushed. She raised an eyebrow at her friend, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. What on earth?
Yes, Granger, what on earth is correct. Malfoy’s voice wasn’t harsh or bitter anymore. Instead it was amused. He had seen Ron and Theo.
Please butt out of my sight so that you are not found out as a spy for Harry, she snapped. “Honestly, why would he risk it again?”
“What was that, Mione?” Harry called.
Suddenly aware that she had been moving on autopilot and muttering to herself, she came to sit next to Ginny. Theo was on her other side at the head of the table, putting Ron across from Hermione.
She gave a small smile and said “Draco’s just being a prat.”
Theo perked up. “Has he mentioned if he’s okay, or anything that could be remotely helpful? Or is he simply posturing like a peacock?”
Fuck off, Nott.
Hermione grinned. “Posturing like a peacock sums it up.”
You can forget about the information I have for you then, darling. She could hear the smirk that graced his lips. But the words wiped any trace of laughter from her face.
“He’s got information,” she said. Everyone seemed to press in on the table, waiting for more.
Okay okay okay, I’m sorry. Please tell us. Hermione could hear the desperation in her thoughts but couldn’t care. It was silent around the table as she waited for her partner to say something.
Is the prisoner you wanted me to contact one Mundugus Fletcher?
Yes. How did you know?
He paused for a moment. Well he was taken in front of the Dark Lord for questioning. The Dark Lord went through his mind and came out fuming. He spared nothing of Fletcher, but he tasked me with finding out about Dolores Umbridge.
“This is awkward,” Theo muttered, shaking his head as he leaned back in the chair. “They should invent a spell that shows people’s thoughts as they happen in real life.”
Ginny huffed and smacked his shoulder with a laugh. “You mean Legilimency?”
“Right,” Theo said, looking embarrassed.
Why does he want to know about Dolores Umbridge? Hermione focused back on the important stuff. She wasn’t sure how much time Malfoy had to talk, so getting the highlights was the most important use of her time, not laughing at a teenage boy’s memory.
I don’t know, but he mentioned a locket and said that I had permission to dispose of her if necessary. Another pause. I can’t talk long, but I want you to know that I am so sorry for the torture. I tried to keep our connection buried deep, but I was under for so long.
She stared down at her tea, the liquid murky from the bit of milk she splashed in it. How long?
He was silent for a moment. I think it was around forty minutes of the Cruciatus Curse. Although I have some marks from physical torture prior to the casting of the curse. Bellatrix was none too happy to find out I was included in a prophecy.
She tuned out the expectant faces of her friends, choosing instead to think about the last time she’d seen Draco. How his hair was longer than it had been in June, his eyes harder and closed off. He still painted a beautiful picture with his pale skin and stormy eyes, but Hermione focused on that image, the one of the beautiful boy who resembled a marble statue, of him sitting next to her on the couch in the safehouse. She might not be able to see what he looks like for a while, unless she practiced seeing through his eyes while he was looking in the mirror. How easy it could be to make sure he remained in tact and without further scarring on his body if she were to master that connection.
We are discussing serious things here, darling. He interrupted her train of thought. If you wanted to see me undressed, you had plenty of time these last few weeks.
Hermione blushed hotly, horrified she was caught thinking about undressing him, even if it was to make sure he was safe.
“Oh, you better keep your thoughts to yourself, Granger. That blush screams dirty thoughts, and I don’t want to know any more about my best mate’s sex life.” Theo gagged and moved from the table to put his mug away.
Her blush deepened with the look of disgust on Harry’s face. Ron looked like he would rather not hear anything about Malfoy’s sex life either. He refused to meet her eyes as he spoke. “Please don’t, I’d rather not have to oblivate myself.”
The laughter around her and in her head from Draco was enough to keep her blushing until Christmas. Ginny was bent over the table, banging a hand on her knee.
“Anyway,” she said hotly, “he said that You-Know-Who took Mundugus Fletcher for questioning. He’s dead now, but You-Know-Who was furious about a locket. He’s tasked Draco with finding out about Dolores Umbridge.”
Harry groaned. “You’re joking. The one Defense Against the Dark Arts professor I was hoping to never have to see again has Riddle’s locket?”
“It would explain her awful countenance,” Ginny said. “Blood supremacist to the max and all.”
Thank you for taking the time to tell me. She told Draco. Please, please be safe. And if you would like to meet up with us when you have the locket, we have a replacement for it, so let me know, okay?
There was still teasing in his tone when he answered. Of course. I told you my bets were on you. I will be checking in with you twice a day, just to know you’re safe.
I look forward to it. And she meant that. Somewhere along the way these last few weeks, Malfoy’s voice in her head became a comfort. She felt less lonely than she had before, knowing there was someone with her to make sure she was taking care of herself.
You are my number one priority now, Granger. The teasing had left his voice. I have killed for you before; I will not hesitate to do it again, especially after last night. Keep your bushy head down and stay safe.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Theo were all talking to each other. It sounded like Harry was explaining to Theo what the significance of the locket was, but Hermione couldn’t be sure.
A memory came to the front of her mind. It was the night the Death Eaters attacked the Quidditch World Cup in fourth year.
They were running towards the tree line, desperately clinging to one another. They’d lost Fred, George, and Ginny, but that didn’t matter much to Hermione. Survive this night, get Harry and Ron to safety: that was her goal.
When they came to the tree line, they heard footsteps. Whipping around, the pale hair of Draco Malfoy contrasted the dark sky. He was smirking, still wearing the same suit with a scarf in Ireland’s colors around his neck he had worn to the match.
Ron said something biting to Malfoy. She didn’t hear it all, but she knew Mrs. Weasley would tear him apart if she were here.
“Careful Weasley. Wouldn’t want her spotted, would you?” Malfoy’s voice was harsh and aristocratic as always, but the look he gave her caused her stomach to bottom out. “They’re hunting muggles. Better get her out of here before they come looking.”
“Hermione is a witch,” Harry spat.
Malfoy shrugged and leaned against a nearby tree. “Think they can’t spot a Mudblood? Oh, let’s call them over to test that.”
Hermione couldn’t tell if he was being serious. He made no move to draw the attention of the masked figures up ahead, but Harry and Ron weren’t paying attention to Malfoy’s movements, too offended on her behalf.
Malfoy’s grey eyes met hers. “Keep that bushy head of yours down, Granger.”
Without a second thought, he pushed off the tree and disappeared into the woods.
She was shaken from her memories by Ginny.
“It’s almost time for first watch,” her friend said. “I was going to make some food for dinner, then we were going to play a game of exploding snap to see who takes watch.”
Hermione shrugged her off. “It’s okay, I’ll take the first watch.”
Harry came around and rested his elbow on her head. “You sure? I was really looking forward to kicking your arse at exploding snap and making you do it anyway.”
She laughed and pushed his arm off her hair. Standing up, she moved to the other side of the tent where Ginny and her room was and said “yes, just have Ginny bring me a plate of food” before ducking into the room to grab her charmed bag.