Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Verto Vitae	By : RynStar15 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 40710 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Harry Potter nor do I make any money or intend any copyright infringement by using the characters therein.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
Draco sat bolt upright, his heart pounding, gasping as consciousness beckoned to him. Confused and disoriented, he attempted to assess his surroundings but it was pitch black, he couldn't see a thing.
His throbbing head spun enough to put him onto his back once more, his whirling mind trying to right itself. Where was he? How did he get there? And why did he feel as though he'd just been mowed down by the Hogwarts Express? He'd been having the strangest dream - pain, fear, and screams, the most terrible screams, screams that sounded just like-
Hermione.
A deranged growl broke from his lips as he forced his weak body back up, tumbling from the surface he was on to the hard floor, noting it was wood instead of stone. He was in the main house rather than the dungeons which meant he could Apparate them out of here - unless someone had thought to put up a temporary ward to prevent his escape.
Though every part of him hurt and his head had him careening at every movement, Draco could tell he'd been healed at least somewhat - his mother, he figured. She would have been infuriated at his treatment and the only thing his father had ever feared more than their Master's displeasure was his mother's.
Instantly he began making strategies. He needed to find Hermione. It was unlikely she would be housed above the dungeons which meant he had to somehow make it down there without anyone noticing - a daunting task. Even as doubt lurked at the corner of his mind at his impossible feat he shoved it back. It didn't matter how unlikely - he had to find her. He had to save her. He wouldn't let his horrid family touch one more hair on her head. He had no idea what had happened since she'd felled his father but he'd left her alone, left her to be captured once more. She must be terrified, hurting...if she was even alive.
No! He shook the thought from his head. She was alive, she had to be. And she needed him to be strong.
Suppressing a grunt of pain, Draco lifted himself heavily to his feet, cursing when his head swam, his right leg buckling weakly beneath the weight. Hands in front of his face, he felt forward in the dark room finally finding a wall and following it until he found the corner, then a raised slab of wood - a door-frame! His heart bounded in his chest knowing he was wandless, injured, weak, but stolidly prepared to break down the door and fight whoever was guarding it tooth and nail to find Hermione.
As it turned out, the first part of his heroic planned proved unnecessary as the handle turned beneath his hand. Slowly, silently, he eased the door open a crack, peering out into the dark, empty corridor, lit only by a slash of light emanating from a closed door at the end of the hall.
Where was his guard? And was he in the service quarters? This certainly didn't look like any habitable portion of the manor... Even so, why hadn't his door been locked?
It's a trap, they're watching you, seeing what you'll do. He cursed inwardly knowing he was securing his fate with every step, but he had to try, he couldn't give up on her...
Feeling naked without his wand, Draco slipped into the hall, creeping as quietly as he could, hoping he could at least use the element of surprise on his side for any attack he would be forced to mount.
Draco tensed as he heard voices. Following the sound, he stuck to the wall, trying to identify who was speaking. It sounded so familiar…
And then he heard a higher one, one he would know anywhere, one that made his heart clench with both elation and dread. Hermione! They had her! Relief crashed through him, dread on its heels. How was he supposed to get her out of here without a wand?
When she spoke again his mind was set. He didn't care what it took. Sneaking forward to the sliver of yellow light he peaked through the open door and nearly fell to his knees. No wonder the voice had sounded so familiar.
It was Harry Potter's.
Shoving open the door, all three of the teenagers residing beyond jumped, Hermione whipping around to see him, her eyes wide as saucers.
"Draco!" she cried, twitching as if she'd been about to hurl herself into his arms before thinking better of it. "You scared me to bits! Why aren't you lying down? I'll call for Madam Pomfrey-"
Her words died when he surged ungainly forward and yanked her into his arms, not caring that Potter and Weasley were there watching his every move, ignoring her slight protest as he took her mouth, his entire body quaking with relief that she was there before him, seemingly uninjured and safe, surrounded by her friends. He still had no idea what was going on but he didn't care about anything right that moment but to feel her against him once more.
When she finally responded on a shuddering sigh he held her harder, delved deeper, before slowing his movements, drawing back slightly so that he could gaze into her glazed eyes.
"You're alright?" he growled, assessing her, brushing back her thick hair. She nodded mutely, her eyes welling with emotion. She swallowed before she could speak, her fingers tracing his face as if memorizing him.
"I thought I was going to lose you," she whispered, her lips quaking as she forced back tears. "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault-"
"No, never-"
"I didn't mean to, I couldn't stop, I was already turning, I focused so hard but then the guard-"
"What are you-"
"-Impediment Jinx but it was too late and we were already Disapparating but the spell-"
"Hermione, slow down-"
"-I must have blacked out half-way through because then we landed and I looked down and you - and you-"
"Hermione, what are you going on about?"
"What she's trying to say," Potter interjected, his voice strained, his eyes still wide with shock when Draco turned to him, Weasley gaping stupidly beside him. "Is that when she Disapparated with you back at the Manor she was hit by a curse and it broke her concentration."
"I'm so sorry," Hermione blabbered again, petting his face, tears now streaming down her cheeks looking so desperately upset that Draco couldn't help the bubble of laughter that rose at her vast over-reaction.
"Hermione, relax, nothing happened," he chuckled which only made her cry all the more.
"Actually, er, that's not entirely true, Malfoy," Potter said as Hermione buried her face into his chest and Draco just clutched her, utterly perplexed. "She, er, she accidentally splinched you."
Shocked, Draco looked down at his body for the first time and realized that his chest was bare but for a mass of bandages looped around him. His eyebrows shot up and he realized that there was indeed a stinging, numb sort of pain radiating down his right side from his ribs to his hips.
"Er, how bad?" he asked weakly as Hermione continued to hide against him.
"Pretty bad," Potter admitted gruffly. "Took a good chunk out of your side, had some organ damage. She did a number on her arm where she'd been holding you-"
At this Draco yanked her back, grabbing her heavily bandaged arm and pulling it up for inspection, looking over the rest of her wildly.
"Where else?" he growled. "Where else are you hurt?"
"Draco, I'm fine, it's you-"
"Has she been seen?" Draco rounded on the two boys who were still looking bewildered at their actions. Potter eventually cleared his throat on a nod.
"Madam Pomfrey looked her over when she was done with you. She wouldn't let anyone touch her until she knew you'd be alright. Starting to make a bit more sense now."
Hermione's lip quirked sheepishly as she looked over at her friends but Draco couldn't get himself to care about whether or not they approved. All that mattered was Hermione.
"You're alright?" he asked again, dragging her attention back to him. Her face softened, glistening with her tears.
"I'm fine,really," she whispered, reaching up to stroke his beard-stubbled chin. "You shouldn't be up, though, you should be resting-"
"I had to find you-"
"I'm here," she assured him, grabbing the hands which were wound tightly in her curls. "We're safe. They can't find us here."
"Where is here?"
"New headquarters," Potter offered. "For the time being."
"New headquarters?" Draco snapped. "What do you mean new-"
"Draco, please, sit down," Hermione pled, urging him towards the closest chair. "Please, and then we can talk."
Not wanting to distress her any further, Draco allowed her to help him limp to a rough wooden chair and let her press him down, knowing she needed to fuss to appease her misplaced sense of guilt over splinching him.
"Ron, could you get Draco some of that tea you made me?" she asked, her fingers playing over Draco's dressings, ensuring they still held. "Ron?"
They both looked up at the dumbfounded ginger who hadn't moved from his slack-jawed stance. Potter smacked him on the arm and he shook his head once, looking between Draco and Hermione.
"Er-"
"Tea?" Hermione repeated, her voice gentle but leaving little room for argument. Weasley shook his head a second time before ambling for the kitchen wordlessly. Hermione snorted and Potter took a seat, nearly missing as his attention was focused on Hermione's hands where she worried over Draco.
"So, so you two..."
"Harry, not now," Hermione said softly, not able to look at him. "I promise I'll explain everything later."
Potter nodded jerkily. "Right. Yeah. Later."
"Later."
Potter graciously let the issue drop at Hermione's strained voice, though he continued to watch them with a strange fascination.
"Let me call Madam Pomfrey," Hermione begged, looking up at Draco with concerned eyes. "You're not supposed to be awake for several hours-"
"No need," Draco soothed, stilling her fretting. "Looks as though she's already done her job. Besides, I can't let you guys have all the fun. What's new, Potter?"
Potter let out a harsh laugh, one which held no humor. "We were just getting into that. Hermione's been in a right state over you; we were only just able to calm her down. Can't say I blame her with the way you looked when you arrived at Hogwarts. It's good to see you up and around, Malfoy. You gave us a right scare."
"Take more than a bit of splinching to do me in," he grinned, grabbing Hermione's hand which was unnecessarily tucking in his bandages and lacing his fingers through hers, placing them on his thigh to quell her useless ministrations. "I'm fine."
She nodded, though more tears welled. She thankfully held them back and turned when Weasley entered what appeared to be the dining room carrying two mugs of tea, setting them in front of Draco and Hermione, his eyes still wide, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared at their entwined hands.
"Thank you, Ronald," Hermione said softly, laying her hand on his forearm and making him jerk. He nodded dumbly, scrubbing his face with his free hand.
"Yeah. Yeah."
To show his appreciation to the ginger for not making a scene as he had back when they were Valouris and Leon (though to be fair, he had caught them in a rather unseemly state), Draco lifted his mug in cheers, nodding to Weasley. The latter shook his head in astonishment and rounded the table to sit heavily next to his best friend, still staring blatantly at their hands.
"Drink your tea, Hermione," he said dully, almost as an afterthought. Her fingers twitched nervously in Draco's grasp and he tightened his hold in solidarity as she reached for her mug. He realized belatedly that he'd taken away her chance to explain things to her friends and had unintentionally caused unnecessary drama, but he hadn't been able to think passed the blinding need to assure her safety - not after everything they'd been through.
Potter cleared his throat again, drawing everyone's attention back, but not before Draco concluded that his drink had been heavily doused in Pain Potion. He looked to Weasley to show his thanks as every muscle eased, but the distraught bloke was now staring intently at the charred wooden table. Instead, Draco lifted his gaze to Potter.
"I can't tell you how thankful I am you two are alright," he said, eyeing them both. "I can't imagine the last month has been easy..."
Hermione's head fell and Draco squeezed her hand tighter, likely cutting off circulation, but she only returned the pressure.
"No," she whispered, her eyes closing. "It has not."
"Hermione..."
"Harry, don't start," she snapped tensely. "We both knew what we were getting into. We're both adults, we made our choice. It's done."
Potter looked about to chew his tongue off but nodded tersely.
"I'm just glad you're home."
"Yeah, it's about the only thing that gone right with this whole bloody plan," Weasley scoffed, sinking further into his chair, his eyes not leaving the tabletop.
Draco could see the fatigue on their faces for the first time, a disheveled air about them.
"What happened?" he asked, looking between his classmates, remembering that on this side their relationship was much less tense, the two having had several months to warm to the fact that Draco was one of them. He even reminded himself that he'd laughed at a joke or two of the Weasley's before he'd been thrust into another dimension where the latter had wanted nothing more in life than his castration. When neither spoke, Draco pressed further.
"Where are the others?"
Potter scratched his messy head and then shuffled through the piles of parchment scattered along the rough table nervously.
"Most of the Order is at Hogwarts," he answered, sliding what Draco now recognized as the Marauder's Map across the table and he leaned over, not missing the pained expression on Hermione's face at his obvious injury when he winced. "The Death Eaters mounted an attack on the school about a week after you left. Looking for you."
Draco met Potter's strained green gaze and asked again. "What happened?"
Together, Potter and Weasley explained how everything had fallen apart in thirty short days. Upon their disappearance, the Death Eaters instigated a search for Draco, sending out a warrant for his arrest, promising safety to the families of anyone who turned him in, killing ones who couldn't give them his whereabouts. The Ministry fell within in a week under their demented wrath and anyone known to be connected with the Order was hauled in, questioned, and most of them killed.
"Who?" Hermione choked. Weasley stared at the ground as Potter steeled himself.
"They found Mad-Eye first. Cornered him. They knew he was the strongest. He killed himself before they could question him." Hermione gave a hard sound of pain, lifting her fist to her mouth as Draco's stomach clenched. "Then they went for Tonks-"
"No!" Hermione gasped, her hand clutching her mouth in horror.
"It's alright, she got away!" Weasley assured her quickly. She looked at him desperately.
"Your brothers?"
Weasley blanched, withdrawing the hand he'd placed on the table to soothe Hermione, falling into himself in grief.
"Percy tipped Mr. Weasley off before they could get to him," Potter said lowly with a glance to his best friend whose gaze was back on the table. "We all tried to get him to come with us, but Percy refused to go into hiding. He claimed he knew who the Death Eaters were after. It wasn't long before they found out who was hiding people."
Hermione made a sound low in her throat, leaving Draco's hold to round the table and kneel beside Weasley, dragging his hands into hers, forcing him to look at her. Though Draco burned with jealousy at their intimacy, he couldn't help but feel pity as fat tears rolled down Weasley's cheeks, his pain mirrored in Hermione's gaze as she stood and dragged him into her chest.
Potter went on to explain how a dozen others went missing, how someone must have been tortured into telling the Death Eaters about their safe houses, explaining why Draco and Hermione had been found at Shell Cottage.
"Don't tell me they found headquarters too!" Hermione bemoaned from the seat she'd taken next to Weasley. The boys nodded and Hermione and Draco looked at each other in horror. Dread filled Draco until he felt sick.
"So what you're telling me is that Hermione went through hell for nothing?" he growled dangerously, rising so that he stared intimidatingly down at Potter and Weasley, his entire body vibrating with anger. "The whole point of having her take the Mark was so that she could lead them to Headquarters!"
"Yeah, well, we weren't expecting your father to tear up England and lead a bloody massacre looking for you, were we?" Weasley snapped, his cheeks reddening.
"It's nobody's fault!" Hermione intervened, looking between the three, sensing danger. However, instead of calming Draco, Hermione's attempt to salvage the situation angered him further.
"So now what the fuck are we supposed to do now?" Draco roared, seeing red. "You throw your best friend off to be tortured and raped and almost fucking murdered for NOTHING?"
"Draco!"
"Do you have any idea what she went through for you?!" Draco screamed at Potter.
"Draco it's not their fault! It's no one's fault!" Hermione cried, running to pull him back from where he'd leaned threateningly across the table toward the Chosen One.
"You think I don't know?" Potter yelled back, rising to stand him down. "You think I haven't spent every damn night in agony worrying over you two?"
"A bloody lot of good worrying does us when Hermione is out there risking her fucking life-!"
"Draco, stop, you're not helping anything!" Hermione implored, grabbing his arms and stopping his weak advances. "Please, just calm down-"
"You better have a plan, Potter!" Draco raged, his fist cracking against the tabletop, ready to break every damn thing in this room. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything they had done, every night of pain and anguish Hermione had gone through, all of her close calls, all of the sacrifices she had made had all been for nothing…
"What do you think I'm trying to do here?" Potter screamed, gesturing to the papers on the table.
"You think we've just been sitting on our arses?" Weasley chimed in, standing as well.
"No, of course not!" Hermione soothed, glancing between the three beseechingly. "We know you've been doing the best you can-"
Draco started to comment on what their "best" had done but Hermione turned her pleading gaze upon him. He could see the streaks in her dirty face where the pain of lost friends had made their mark, the exhaustion painted below her eyes. And though a part of him wanted to scream and rage he tucked it down, knowing he was only upsetting Hermione further.
"Look, we're all tired," she said, turning to Weasley and Potter. "It's been a long night for all of us. But fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. We have to stick together, now more than ever. Ron, are Bill and Fleur alright?"
Weasley looked over at her as if she were speaking Parseltongue before he visibly suppressed his emotions for his distraught friend, his lips twisting before he nodded. "Er, yeah, yeah they weren't home when the cottage was taken over. The Burrow was ambushed first and after that we had everyone evacuate."
Setting aside their animosity for Hermione who looked ready to snap at the slightest provocation, Potter and Weasley explained about the evacuation and the frantic construction of new safe houses. The one they were in was now Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's, a far cry from the Burrow, but now that Draco had been told he could see Molly's homey touches about the nearly barren shack.
"Where are your parents?" Draco asked Weasley, notably extending his olive branch, to which Hermione softened in response.
"Dad is on duty at Hogwarts. After the attack most of the Order has been stationed there. Parkinson, Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle were caught trying to bring the Death Eaters in using the cabinet you fixed," he glared at Draco, though bit back any angry retort. "They've been expelled and mum pulled us and Ginny out; we're to be owled our exams."
"Is she at Hogwarts as well?" Hermione questioned.
"No, she and Ginny are with Tonks," Potter replied, looking wan. "Remus has been missing since the full moon and she's been so sick what with the pregnancy…"
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione moaned, her face crumpling. Potter looked ready to snap the quill in his hand but kept his composure.
"We've been spending most of our time trying to construct new safe houses and with all the new guards stationed at Hogwarts there hasn't been much time to spare on making a new plan," Potter went on, obviously not wanting to talk about his pseudo-godfather. "Besides, it was impossible to know if you two…we'll need to know everything."
"Well, where the bloody hell is everyone?" Draco exclaimed, looking around as if Order members would come shooting out of the woodworks. "If we have to come up with a whole new plan why aren't they here?"
"Mum made them all go back to Hogwarts after they brought you here," Weasley explained. Draco turned to Hermione who sighed heavily, her exhaustion evident.
"After you passed out in the dungeons I was able to Apparate to Hogsmead," she explained, looking pained. "Professor Flitwick and Mr. Weasley had been waiting for us and led us safely into the grounds after stabilizing you. We got you to Madam Pomfrey, thankfully without any students noticing, and these two showed up with the cavalry but I was able to beg them off until the morning so you could rest. When Madam Pomfrey approved you for traveling, she and Mr. Weasley brought us here and Harry was able to talk them into letting him and Ron to watch over us for the night."
Draco nodded, angry at himself that Hermione had been forced to save them from his family home, alone and injured, that he had done nothing to help, that he'd once again left everything to her. Draco moved to pull her into his arms again but was interrupted.
"Hermione," Potter murmured, his voice low. Their eyes met and it was if they were having a silent conversation, Draco and Weasley left to watch them curiously. Finally, Hermione nodded and Potter stiffened.
"What?" Weasley finally spat, looking as confused as Draco felt.
"She did it," Potter croaked, looking as if he was going to be sick. He had never seen Potter act like this. Weasley's jaw dropped as his head snapped from Hermione to Potter and back again, obviously picking up on what they had silently communicated, leaving Draco bewildered.
"No…" Weasley whispered, horrified.
"Well, isn't that the whole reason we did this?" she scoffed, her right hand going almost mechanically to her left arm making Draco's stomach clench.
"You're-you, but…I mean, yeah, it was, but I just didn't think-"
"Didn't think what, Ron?" Hermione snapped, rounding on him. "Didn't think I could do it? Didn't think I was capable?"
"Well, no, that's not what I…I just didn't think the plan would work!"
"It did."
Then Potter was shoving his chair back, ripping past Draco to pull Hermione into his arms and holding her so tightly that Draco worried he might suffocate her. She hugged him back, her hand at his neck, comforting even as she sought comfort, their bond beyond words.
"I'm so sorry," he choked out. Draco looked to Weasley who seemed unperturbed by the sudden display of affection. Was this how it always was between the three and Draco had simply never noticed? Would he have to grow used to seeing these two men hold his woman as intimately as he did?
"This isn't your fault, Harry," she whispered back. After several long moments, Potter pulled away and looked at Hermione, pushing her hair out of her face with a familiarity that fed the green monster in Draco's chest. After a long moment he sighed, his hand moving down to her shoulder which he squeezed gently.
"You need to rest. Both of you. We'll get back to this in the morning."
Hermione leaned up and kissed Potter's cheek, dropping another on Weasley's when he came to hug her goodnight. Potter turned to Draco and held out his hand as his alternate self had done the last time he'd seen him.
"It's good to have you back, Malfoy," he grunted, not quite meeting his eye. "Thank you for bringing her home."
"Pretty sure that was entirely her doing," Draco admitted, turning to Hermione and gazing at her with longing admiration, once more uncaring about their audience as he reached for her, drawing her close when her hand slipped into his. Weasley cleared his throat uncomfortably, turning away from their obvious display of affection.
"Yes, well," Potter grunted. Hermione smiled softly at her friends from under Draco's arm.
"We'll talk tomorrow," she promised.
"Yeah. Tomorrow."
Hermione led the way down the hall, taking Draco's weight once more as he limped sluggishly, the pain kicking in through the potion Weasley had slipped him. The moment the door closed, however, he dragged her into his arms, kissing her long and hard, melting when she returned the sentiment with similar desperation and enthusiasm.
He could remember all too vividly the sight of her shackled across the dungeon, beaten and terrified, and he not able to do anything about it. He dove into her mouth with frantic fervor, attempting to forget how helpless he'd felt, how terrified he'd been that she wouldn't leave, that she would die at the hands of the Dark Lord and he would never again feel the warmth of her arms around him, the softness of her lips beneath his.
"Hermione," he murmured against her lips, leaning his forehead against hers, breathing her in. He felt her fingers stroke the hair at the nape of his neck, soothing him.
"It's alright," she whispered, as if she could read his thoughts.
"I thought that they…" Draco couldn't finish the sentence, couldn't put words to the images he'd held of Hermione being at the mercy of his family. He pulled her tighter against him, just to ensure himself that she was real, that she was safe.
"It's over now."
He shuddered, remembering how her eyes had glazed over, how she'd turned his father's wand on him, how she had somehow fought back, saved them both. If the Dark Lord had been aware of how powerful a witch Potter had as his best friend, he had hidden his fear well.
Draco kissed her again, softer this time, his fingers brushing back her hair. Gazing deep into her brown eyes he saw everything he almost lost and was struck with an overwhelming determination to protect her, this woman who had very nearly given everything for him.
"I love you, Hermione," he whispered, watching her expression soften as the back of his fingers brushed over her cheek. "I should have said it before; I shouldn't have waited until it was almost too late…"
She smiled, a look which made his heart tumble ever more.
"Better late than never."
They made love slowly, silently, with kisses that lingered and caresses that soothed. Hours later, with Hermione curled against his chest, Draco watched the sun peek over the horizon, the impossibility of their situation weighing on him like an anchor. With their options so drastically limited, Hermione's chances of surviving an encounter with the Dark Lord had severely plunged. Their leverage was gone and her illicit acquisition of the Dark Mark would see her murdered on the spot. He'd been wary about sending her off the face the Dark Lord yet again, especially since she'd all but conned him right under his non-existent nose and had proven the hold he had over her. Now, without anything worthwhile to give him…Draco shuddered and his hold tightened on her slumbering form, imagining the horrible punishments which awaited her.
Everything had changed. Their mission was sunk; her part in this was over. He would not see her thrown to the wolves again just because the Order couldn't keep up with their end of the deal. It was time to finish this ordeal once and for all. With so much at risk now he entrusted this task to no one. Potter may be the one who had to kill the Dark Lord, but Draco would ensure that when Potter went to strike his deadly blow, it would ring true.
.
.
.
Hermione woke alone, Draco having already joined the others. Stretching like a cat, a smile on her face, she couldn't help the blissful mood she found herself in. She knew she should be worried, terrified really, at the thought of what was going to happen now. But somehow, she wasn't so scared anymore. Draco loved her. They'd survived their month of horror, escaped the clutches of the Death Eaters, and though a little worse for wear, they were alive, they were safe. Whatever may come, they could handle it.
They would figure something out. Didn't they always? Some solution would come to them and they would all be ready to execute the next step in their plan to destroy her master and everything would turn out alright - she could feel it.
Hermione made her way into the kitchen expecting to see Draco and Ron and Harry hard at work and was therefore surprised to see Mrs. Weasley alone cracking eggs into a large bowl.
"Good morning, Hermione!" the older woman smiled. Hermione remembered the look of utter relief on Mrs. Weasley's face as she'd fallen into the hospital wing and saw her all-but-adopted daughter returned home, remembered the comfort she took in the woman's strong embrace. If she had ever before doubted if Mrs. Weasley loved her as one of her own, last night had assured her that the woman's love knew no ends.
"Did you sleep well?" the Weasley matron asked, nodding her towards the table even as she flicked her wand at the tea kettle to start it boiling.
"Yes, thank you," Hermione replied distractedly, looking around. "Where are the boys?"
"Where do you think? It will take a crowbar to get them up this early," Mrs. Weasley said, returning to the eggs. Confused, Hermione tried to quell the tiny prickle of unease as Mrs. Weasley continued. "I tried to check on Draco last night but the door was locked. If he's not up in a few minutes I'll have to wake him, I'm afraid. I hate to bother either of you, after all you've been through. I keep saying that you all are too young to be taking risks like this but no one will listen-"
Hermione didn't catch the end of Mrs. Weasley's monologue. The door had been locked for a good reason and, depending on when Mrs. Weasley had gotten in, luckily Silenced. Without excusing herself Hermione tore back down the hall, stopping to glance in the open bathroom before darting to what was supposed to be her room. There Ginny snored softly on one of the beds, the other still made as she'd never slept in it. A quick look in the boys' room where Ron was drooling heavily and Harry laid half-off the tiny bed confirmed her fear. Knowing it was no use, she looked once more in Draco's room and in the sparse living room before dashing back to the kitchen, her heart in her throat.
"Draco's gone!"
.
.
.
Hermione felt numb, the voices around her little more than muted humming. Her brain was waterlogged, saturated, as if no more information could possibly lodge itself in.
It didn't make sense. Where could he have gone? There was no sign of struggle - none of the alarms had sounded, no barriers had been breached, indicating he had left of his own accord.
But why? They had ended the night on more than good terms…at least she had thought so. She tried to think of something, any little thing that she might have done or said or insinuated that could possibly have angered him into leaving, but she was at a complete loss. Not a single word was exchanged during or after they made love and he hadn't seemed cold or distant. He had held her so close, played with her hair, making her smile into the dark. There was not a single indication that he was mad at her or that he regretted his actions. And why should he? She'd only just saved his bloody life! So how does he repay her? By taking off in the middle of the night, endangering them all! They'd trusted him and he had…he had…
She couldn't wrap her mind around it. This wasn't happening. There had to be another explanation! But without one to provide to the others, they all had to accept the very real possibility that he had duped them. The Daily Prophet had said nothing to indicate that Draco had been caught, but then it would make sense for them to use his absence as a continued excuse to question and torture innocent people.
Hermione felt sick as Order members attempted to figure out everything he knew so they could prepare for what they might be up against while Mrs. Weasley pleaded his case, vouching for his innocence, begging that they send out search parties. Hermione's heart rooted alongside Mrs. Weasley, images of him somehow being coaxed or blackmailed to go back, the sight of him beaten and broken burning behind her eyes. But her mind was far too practical to give her heart any more leverage. Draco had left of his own will. That much was certain - even if the reasoning was foggy. The best option they had was to strike hard and strike fast, before he had time to give away any information.
Hermione was now their only weapon. Her memory of the Malfoy Manor along with everything Draco had told her about the place and her own accessibility made her their single source into the Death Eater's inner core. Ignoring the knowing stares of Ron, Harry, and Ginny who alone knew she had not stayed in her own room last night, she drew maps, explaining everything she knew of rooms she had visited, the secret magic of the dungeons in case someone was captured. Though they had little time to spare, she reported an abridged version of Draco and her trip into the other dimension, of the possibility of an Arcavi, watching everyone's eyes widen, their shoulders sag. With her every word they realized how dire their situation had become. She didn't delve into the Blaise/sex aspect, simply making it look as though she had escaped on the basis of not wanting to receive the damn thing and not because she couldn't. But as they all wholeheartedly agreed with her decision and congratulated her on her spectacular getaway, she was not inclined to explain further.
She saw many of them eye her covered left arm as if expecting to see through the fabric to the Mark below. No one questioned her story but she could feel their skepticism like a pall over her.
"It's not that we don't believe you, love," George finally spoke up. "If anyone here was to do those things it would be you…but...can we see it?"
"George!" Mrs. Weasley cried in disbelief, looking ready to clobber her middle child.
"It's alright. I would feel the same," Hermione said soothingly. Without hesitation she pulled up her robe and held her arm out for everyone to see. Some hissed, a few gasped, the twins exclaimed that it was "wicked!" as Mrs. Weasley burst into tears and Ginny leapt forward to soothe her while Harry's hand somehow found Hermione's. Dropping her arm, she squeezed his hand hard, knowing he felt the weight of her burden as heavily as she did.
Hermione waited for everyone to calm down before addressing them again.
"The Manor is heavily guarded, not visible to the naked eye," she explained. "One can only access it under the protection of a Death Eater. As there is only one of me and many of you, we would be incapable of a surprise attack. My plan then is for me to sneak in undetected, place Lucius Malfoy under the Imperious Curse and force him to remove the wards. I will then signal you with my Patronus with as much information as I can gather about the Death Eater's numbers and positions."
"You can't go in there alone!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "You'll be killed!"
"I will take Harry's Invisibility Cloak, they won't even know I'm there," Hermione continued.
"Hermione," Harry turned to her curiously. "Where is my Invisibility Cloak?"
Hermione blanched. It had been in her satchel when they had taken the potion…along with Atrum quod Ignotus...
"Harry, I'm so sorry, they took it! They have it and they have the potion book as well, it's marked, they have all the evidence they need, they'll know what we've done!"
It was no wonder Lucius wanted to take her straight to her master rather than kill her off. Draco was expendable at that point, only a liability as Hermione had all of the proof they desired.
"They can't necessarily know you've taken the Mark," Mr. Weasley said, his brow furrowed in concentration. "We may still have the advantage of surprise. You can take Mad-Eye's old cloak for the time being, listen around, see what you can find out. We need as much information as possible before we plan any kind of attack."
"What about the snake?" Harry worried.
"I can try to locate its position," Hermione said, eager to make up for her loss. "She will probably be kept wherever Voldemort is. In fact, give me the sword, just in case I-"
"Wait, I thought this was just for you to gather information?" Harry argued.
"If I'm provided with an opportunity-"
"Yeah, I mean, if she can off the snake so much the better!" Ron agreed.
"And if you kill the snake they will murder you on the spot!" Harry snapped.
"Harry, if I have a chance to get rid of the last Horcrux I'm going to take it," Hermione replied. "They know too much already. Every minute we wait could be our last chance. Draco could have told them anything, he could have had his memory searched, been given Veritaserum. We do not have time to spare! This has to be it. We kill the snake and then you have a straight shot at Voldemort - it's our only chance and you know it. If Nagini is murdered right there in the Manor they will fall apart from the inside, Voldemort will be furious. It would be our best time to strike, in the middle of that confusion and fear. If we can busy the others, Harry, you can get to Voldemort, do what you have to do. It's time to end this once and for all."
She could see that her words had effect. Most of the room was nodding in agreement, some of their faces shining with excitement, others with determination or worry. Harry finally backed down; Mrs. Weasley's objections were silenced.
Preparations were made. Hermione went over and over the plan with the others even though she knew in her heart it would never work. As soon as Voldemort found out she had the Mark he would kill her. But this was the only way she could find out what had happened to Draco to make him want to leave.
She was so used to ignoring the burning it took her a few moments to recognize that familiar tug, that all-consuming need to be next to her master's side. Her heart raced as she pulled up her sleeve, stared down at the Mark that glowed black against her pale skin.
"Hermione?" Harry asked nervously, his hand coming to cover hers. "Is he-?"
She nodded and looked up into Harry's anxious face. "New plan."

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XOXO
RynStar15
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