Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Victim of the Fall	By : PrettyDesdemona Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 32726 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe or any of its characters. I do not make any money off this story. Only love!

Chapter List
- 33
- 34
- 35
CHAPTER 34

LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE

“People talk about my image like I come in two dimensions.”

Hermione stared at Ron as he walked past her and sunk down on the bed, feeling uneasy now that they were alone in the room together. His face fell into his hands. She could not decide what she wanted to do, whether to return to the lounge room and curse Draco into oblivion or to stay and talk to Ron. Both desires were equally strong but, as usual, her anger won out.

Her hand was almost on the doorknob when he finally looked up at her. “You cut your hair.” he said simply.

Hermione shook her head, looking away from him sadly, “No, Harry did it.”

“What?”

“He… He came here a few months ago and stayed for a few days. He tied me up. One night I woke up and he was cutting all my hair off.” she said simply, knowing that the ordeal deserved a longer and more complicated explanation than that but she couldn’t be bothered.

Ron was staring at her incredulously. “Why didn’t you come and find me sooner?” he demanded. “If you knew Harry was losing it, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think you wanted to be found.” she replied quietly.

“Is that what you think of me, Hermione? You think I’d just turn my back on you like that?” he asked, his voice pained. “We’ve been friends for eight years…”

Hermione stared at him disbelievingly, her mouth opening and closing dumbly. “But… But you let me leave the Burrow! You didn’t talk to me for months! Why wouldn’t I think that?!”

“Well it’s not like you tried to talk to me either!” he bit back.

“What?! I did!” she said shrilly.

“When?”

“Before I left!”

He scoffed, “Yeah, one conversation on the stairs. And even then, it wasn’t really a conversation, was it?! You never told me how you felt, didn’t tell me what you were thinking! You were quiet too!”

“You never asked!” she yelled in indignation.

“Do I really have to?! Isn’t that what relationships are about?! Not having to ask?!” he was shouting now.

Hermione realised then that a part of what he was saying was right. When had her relationship with Draco started to go downhill? When she’d stopped talking to him about her feelings or about what she was thinking. Just like it had with Ron.

A painful truth was hitting her. She’d spent the last eight months blaming Ron for their breakup, thinking that it was his silence that had broken it; and then afterwards she’d gone right ahead and blamed Draco for their problems too. Never at any point had she stopped to consider that maybe she might have had a part to play, that it might have been as much her fault as it was theirs and that she might have been able to do something about it.

But it was too late now. Ron was clearly over her and Draco had betrayed her. She couldn’t do anything about it anymore. Except…

“I’m sorry.” she said almost as soon as the thought had hit her.

Ron looked at her blankly. “For what?”

“For not talking to you. I should have tried harder.”

He grimaced and stood. “Don’t beat yourself up, Hermione. I did it too. I really wasn’t trying to say it was all your fault… I should have tried harder as well.”

She nodded and he moved towards her. Before she could do anything, he was wrapping his long arms around her body and her senses were completely over taken by his scent. She hugged him back. There was nothing sexual about it; the hug wasn’t even loving, really. It was just an acknowledgement of all that had passed between them, of all they’d been through.

After a moment, she pulled away and Ron gave her a reassuring smile that actually reassured her.

“So, you wanna catch me up then?” he asked seriously, sitting back down on the bed. “What’s going on with Malfoy? Why is he even here?”

Hermione wanted the ground to swallow her up. For a moment, she contemplated launching herself out of her balcony window. Instead, she stole herself against the imminently approaching disaster and took a deep breath, feeling that there was no possible way around being completely honest.

“We are… We were together.” she said shakily.

Ron’s head snapped up to look at her and she cringed instinctually. She’d never seen him look so angry.

“What?” he snarled menacingly and stood up. Hermione felt real fear as he towered over her.

“We were in a relationship.” she said sheepishly.

His eyes pressed closed and his fists clenched. “How long?” he ground out.

“Since New Year’s.” she replied.

He inhaled sharply, his left hand rubbing at his chest as if he was in pain. “Did you sleep together?” he asked, finally looking at her. His voice was suddenly far too calm.

Hermione could not bring herself to say the word and so she simply nodded.

To her distress, he did not react to this in anger. Instead, his shoulders rose and fell with his laboured breath and tears began spilling over his cheeks.

Hermione felt her heart break as her own tears moved down her face. She stepped forward tentatively. “Don’t cry…” she begged.

“WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO!?” he bellowed and she shrank back.

A very familiar silence fell on them then when she could not bring herself to respond. It felt so similar to the silence she’d shared with Draco only hours earlier that it made her head spin. Of course she felt guilty, and of course she wished she could have avoided telling him. But there was nothing for it really. She’d rather he find out from her than someone else, rather it was her than Draco.

In the end, she knew she couldn’t do anything to help Ron in that moment. She wasn’t going to tell him that it had meant nothing because it had. It had meant everything. She wasn’t going to say she didn’t love Draco, because she did and he’d broken her heart.

But ultimately, the situation wasn’t about her and Draco and Ron. It was about Harry. And getting caught up in their many and varied emotional dramas was just putting off the inevitable. Hell, she might be dead within the day…

She needed to sort out her priorities.

“Look,” she said after a long while, “Let’s just… Let’s just put this on the backburner for now, alright?” Ron’s head rose to glare at her in disbelief and she almost flinched again before continuing, “I know how awful that sounds and I know this usually wouldn’t be something we could just put off but… We need to think about Harry. He’s in danger. We can talk about this once… Once he’s safe.”

After a moment, Ron nodded and buried his fists into his eyes, wiping away his tears.

“Alright.” he took a deep breath, “Alright… Harry…” he looked at her and Hermione could almost visibly see him repressing all of his emotions. “I need you to tell me everything.” he said firmly.

Hermione nodded and tried to control her breathing to absolutely no effect. Where could she start? She knew Ron would not rest until he knew every last detail. He needed to hear it from the beginning and, after a moment of thought; she decided the beginning was with the tovarasi. And so she launched into her story, telling him about their Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, about how she’d tried to use the cruciatus curse on herself and what her comrades had done to save her. She skimmed over the gory details, like the pain she’d experienced and dragging Isobel from the lake, but she highlighted their connectedness, the bond she shared with the tovarasi, even the Slytherins. She told him about the Dividing Line, about how she’d discovered it, the book Draco had given her and about Grindelwald’s contribution. She talked about her experience with Harry, how he’d acted and what he’d done. She told him about the Zeitei Otrava and moving into Draco’s mind, about the memory and the wand. She stopped short at Draco’s betrayal.

Ron listened attentively, nodding and throwing questions at her every now and then. And when she was done, all he could do was look at her blindly. For once, she could see her own panic mirrored in his face.

“So, we have to find Harry essentially.” he said intensely.

“Yes.”

“And what then…? Do we… Do we have to kill him?” he asked quietly.

Hermione felt the question burn through her body and said intensely, “I hope not.”

Ron nodded and began pacing backwards and forwards across her bedroom. “Do you know where he might be?”

Hermione recognised the look on his face. It was time for strategy.

“I have a few ideas.” she replied. “The forest of Dean, Godric’s Hollow and Grimauld place to name the likeliest.”

“Well we’ll have to start searching those places. Though I don’t know how we’re going to find him if he wants to be hidden. He knows how to move without being seen…” said Ron wearily.

“I actually think I might be able to get around that. I could take the Zeitei Otrava. I think I’d probably be able to see him then, even if he’s wearing the cloak.”

Ron looked sceptical at first but eventually nodded. “Alright. Well… Shall we go?”

“Definitely.” said Hermione firmly. There was fear in her heart, of course, but she was grateful to finally be able to fly into action, to try and steady this teetering house of cards and stop the wizarding world from falling into another war.

She turned around and opened the door to her bedroom.

It felt like exiting a protective bubble as she stepped into the lounge room with Ron behind her. The room was full to capacity, though there appeared to be significantly less Aurors present than at first. The tovarasi were all there, as well as Professor McGonagall, Teodora and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Hermione braced herself and opened her mouth so that she might fill everyone present in on the situation but Malfoy pre-empted her.

“I’ve already told them everything.” he said and she felt a stab in her stomach to note that there was not a hint of emotion in his voice.

Hermione ignored him. “Ron and I have a few ideas about where Harry might be.” she said to the room at large.

“Aurors have already been sent to all possible locations.” Kingsley rumbled from the other side of the room.

“With all due respect, Minister, I don’t think that will do much good except to have him retreat further into hiding.” said Hermione shakily. “If Harry doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

“What do you suggest?” asked the Minister dryly.

“Well… As I’m sure Malfoy has already told you, I have a potion that enables me to see magic. I think that while under its influence, I should be able to see Harry even if he’s under his cloak.”

“Well hand it over then. I will dispatch some to the Aurors.” said Kingsley, as if this were obvious.

Hermione shook her head. “I’m sorry sir, but it’s blood magic. Only Malfoy and I can take it.”

Kingsley’s eyes narrowed and he looked between Hermione and Malfoy sceptically. “So you are suggesting that I send two underqualified people out into the field to track down a mass murderer?” he asked incredulously.

“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.” she replied firmly.

Malfoy scoffed. “If you think I’m going out to…”

“You know as well as I do that I can’t take the potion without you around, Malfoy.” she snarled, cutting him off, “You’re coming with us, even if I have to fucking drag you.”

He glared at her but said nothing.

“I would consider it a crime against the Ministry should you refuse, Mr Malfoy.” Kingsley growled though his face suggested he was almost lost in his own thoughts. “Very well, Hermione, you and Ron can go and help the Auror’s search.”

Hermione grimaced. “Again… I’m sorry minister but I think it might have to be just me, Ron and Malfoy.”

This statement was met with many cries of outrage from the tovarasi and the remaining Aurors, but Hermione spoke over them.

“Last time Harry was confronted with a group larger than three, he disapparated before we could do anything! I think he’ll try and avoid a battle if he can. But if it’s just the three of us, he might think he stands a chance.” she said, yelling to be heard over the clamouring voices of her comrades.

“This is out of the question!” said McGonagall incredulously.

“I think I must agree.” said Teodora firmly.

Hermione looked at Kingsley imploringly, “Please, Minister. I know Harry and I know Voldemort. Trust me. We can do this. There really isn’t any other option.”

Eventually, much to the outrage of the rest of the room’s occupants, Kingsley sighed and nodded. “Very well. But you will tell me where you plan on going. I will make sure that there are a group of Auror’s stationed nearby should you get into any trouble.”

“Thank you Minister.” said Hermione and once again, the voices of her comrades rose in indignation.

She turned to look at Ron, but he was glaring at Malfoy as if ready to break his pale neck with his own hands.

“So what’ll it be, Malfoy? Will I be dragging you or are you coming quietly?” he asked, looking very much like he’d prefer the former.

Malfoy gave him a look of deepest loathing before raising his hands in apparent submission. “I wouldn’t want to give you the satisfaction of dragging me, Weasley.”

Ron looked as if he might say something cutting in reply to this but Hermione cut across him. “Alright! So where do you think we should go first?”

He shrugged, “Godric’s Hollow I reckon. Seems the most likely.”

Hermione nodded in agreement.

“I will have Aurors stationed nearby within the hour.” said Kingsley, pulling out his wand.

“Thank you.” she responded. She made to walk back into the bedroom to retrieve her beaded bag but Isobel stopped her.

“Wait, what?! This is happening tonight?!” there was a hysterical edge to her voice.

Hermione glared at the younger girl, “Do you have a better alternative?” she asked coldly.

Isobel cowered under Hermione’s mean stare and eventually shook her head, looking stricken. But Hermione didn’t care. As far as she was concerned, Isobel had betrayed her. She didn’t have time to cater to the younger girl’s feelings when Isobel had so recklessly ignored hers earlier.

“I don’t like this…” said Juliet uneasily. “I don’t like just sitting here and waiting.”

“Me neither.” said Padma fervently.

Hermione tried to resist rolling her eyes, the delay frustrating her.

“I’ve an idea.” said Luna suddenly speaking up from her position perched on the arm of the lounge. “We’ll know if either Hermione or Draco are hurt, won’t we? Because of the tovarasi bond. Why don’t we go with the Aurors? That way, if there’s trouble; Hermione won’t have to call for help because we’ll already know… Then we don’t have to sit here, waiting for news.”

The members of the tovarasi looked jubilant and began jumping to their feet to prepare to leave. The remaining Aurors looked sceptical and unsure and Professor McGonagall said frustratedly, “Oh for heaven’s sake…”

Kingsley stared around at the fresh flurry of activity wearily and said, almost to himself, “So now I’m sending not three but eleven unqualified witches and wizards out into the field…”

“Looks like it!” said Eli with a grin, donning his cloak.

Half an hour later, Hermione, Malfoy and Ron were striding down Diagon Alley in absolute silence. The street was dark, only lit by the light of the moon, but not as dark as the heavy atmosphere hanging around the trio. Ron was clearly furious, Draco was sulking and Hermione was shaking. She knew the silence would not last long, knew exactly why Ron was so angry and sort of understood Draco’s sourness. It was all defence mechanisms. Ultimately, she knew that both of them were scared and hurting and this was how they were dealing with it. But those defence mechanisms would crumble eventually.

As for herself, she felt a whole myriad of conflicting emotions. She was sort of angry at both of them, really. Draco’s betrayal was stinging and bleeding like an open wound in her chest and her old heartbreak over Ron was festering unpleasantly. She didn’t want to be there. She wanted to be as far from both of them as possible. They were only making her feel worse.

She felt childishly resentful that neither of them were even try to comfort her.

Ron was understandably in a huge amount of pain, so she got his coldness to some degree, but what did he expect her to do? She’d left the Burrow and he’d disappeared off the face of the earth for nine months. Was she supposed to sit around pining for him? Waiting for him to decide to love her again? Shouldn’t he be happy that she’d made an attempt to move on and fix her life? Even if it had failed in the end, she’d still tried.

And then there was Draco. He should have been prostrating himself at her feet, should have been begging for her forgiveness. Not that she’d give it even if he did, not in the least. But he still should have been sorry. He wasn’t acting sorry. Now more than ever she was seeing the petulant, spoilt, scowling brat that she’d gone to school with for the past eight years. She had to wonder where the other Draco she knew had gone. What happened to the kind, sensitive, compassionate man she’d lost her virginity to? Where was the brave Draco that had pulled her from the lake? The loyal, caring Draco that had cared for her after what had happened with Harry? Where was he? This person striding along beside her was none of those things. The person beside her was Draco the Death Eater, Draco, Lucius’s son… It made her chest ache just looking at him. It tore her apart when he looked back at her and she got to see firsthand all of his former tenderness and love for her gone from his eyes.

But this is what Voldemort did. He tore people apart.

Again, Hermione found her resilience. She wanted this over, wanted to return to her life and pick up the pieces. She would fight until she had that back, until she could feel safe again in her own home.

They reached the Leaky Cauldron and Hermione wordlessly grasped both Draco and Ron’s arms before turning them all into darkness.

It was odd seeing Godric’s Hollow not covered in a soft white blanket of snow. The village had a very earthy feel, like it was hewn from natural stone even though she knew it hadn’t been. There was a sort of wise feeling to the magic that hung about the place.

Hermione stole herself against the onrushing memories of the last time she’d visited the little town and made to move forwards.

“Wait!” hissed Draco, grasping her arm, “Should we not try and hide ourselves even a little?” he asked, all of the petulant sulking gone from his face to be replaced by a very Slytherin like taught attentiveness.

Hermione nodded reluctantly, feeling a tad embarrassed that she hadn’t thought of it herself. “How?” she asked.

“Polyjuice Potion?” suggested Ron, “We don’t have the cloak anymore so…”

Draco gave him a look of pure condescension, as if he was attempting to have a conversation with an over excited ape. “Disillusionment Charms.” he said simply.

“Oh! Right.” said Ron, his face turning slightly red.

Draco looked between the two of them expectantly for a moment, waiting for them to cast their spells.

Hermione felt her cheeks burn as she said, “We never really learnt them… Because we always had the cloak…”

Draco actually laughed at this and shook his head disbelievingly. Without another word, he pulled out his wand and tapped both Ron and Hermione on the head with it before casting the charm on himself.

“How do we not lose each other?” asked Ron’s disembodied voice.

Hermione felt Draco’s fingers slide into her palm, making the skin all over her body tingle, and said, “We hold hands. Come here.”

A moment later, her other hand was cocooned by a much larger one and she felt the insane urge to cackle as both Draco and Ron clung to her. The urge was swiftly overtaken by total anguish. Once again she was seized with the desire to run. She hated this.

Without further ado, the three of them marched into the village, occasionally whispering instructions or warnings to each other. They passed the tribute statue to Harry’s parents and moved towards the lane where Hermione knew the half destroyed house to be. When they reached it, the place had that air of being entirely untouched and she knew even then that while Harry had definitely been there, he wasn’t there now. Unlike the last time she’d seen it, the three of them went inside but only as far as the hallway before Hermione cast Homenum Revelio and established that they were indeed the only people in the house. She wasn’t shocked really; it was the most obvious choice in the end.

Wordlessly, they left the house and walked back towards the outskirts of the village. Once there, Hermione sent her otter patronus off towards where she thought the Aurors and the tovarasi might be stationed with a message telling them that her, Draco and Ron had found nothing and that they were about to move on to Grimauld Place and would give them a head start of ten minutes.

They did not have to wait long before Ginny’s glowing horse materialised and told them that they were all in position.

Hermione once again grasped Draco and Ron’s hands and apparated almost directly onto the weather beaten doorstep of number twelve, Grimauld place. The square was as dark as Godric’s Hollow and had the somewhat familiar eerie feeling she usually associated with it.

With a heave, she opened the front door and a rush of musty air hit their faces. Draco and Ron followed her a couple of steps into the hallway before it happened.

Her tongue rolled up in her mouth and the dusk on the carpet began to swirl up into the air. The ghostly figure of Albus Dumbledore flew towards them alarmingly. Hermione, knowing what to expect, waited for the tongue tying spell to dissipate before she mumbled, “I didn’t kill you, Professor.”

The dust figure burst into nothingness and Hermione took a few more steps into the dimly light hallway, holding her wand aloft. She walked further and further down until she came to the end and almost smiled when she saw the dusty red curtains covering Sirius’ mother’s portrait. It was then that she realised that she was not being followed by her two companions.

She wheeled around to see Draco backing towards the door, staring at the spot where the ghostly figure had just been, a look of total, unadulterated terror on his face. Ron was trying to push him further into the house but Draco wouldn’t have any of it.

Hermione jogged back down the hallway towards them.

“What’s wrong?” she asked in a clipped tone.

“I’m not going any further!” said Draco, his voice high and frightened, eyes still glue to the dusty patch of carpet. “Just cast the fucking charm and let’s go!”

Hermione realised then what seeing that must have done to him. Of course Ron wouldn’t understand, but she did. She knew Draco. His guilt was his worst enemy and seeing a ghostly spectre of Albus Dumbledore would have been beyond awful for him. She was amazed that he wasn’t a blubbering mess on the floor.

Because of this, she did not roll her eyes or say anything remotely sarcastic as Ron was doing, she just turned around, pointed her wand down the hallway and said, “Homenum Revelio.”

Her heart gave a great lurch in her chest when suddenly, the tip of her wand glowed blue and her hand began to tingle.

“There’s someone here.” she said over her shoulder, “In the kitchen I think…”

Draco groaned but pulled out his wand none the less.

The three of them tiptoed down the corridor, the musty silence heavy in their ears. They reached the door to the kitchen and spent a few minutes listening hard. What she heard, was something she was not expecting.

“Is… is that someone crying?” whispered Hermione bemusedly with her ear pressed up against the door.

Ron nodded, frowning, “I don’t think it’s Harry though. Too high pitched.”

Hermione laid her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. As the door opened a crack, the sobbing became louder but there was no attack. Wand arm first, she peeked into the room. It was empty.

She allowed the door to swing open entirely so that Ron and Draco could see too. The kitchen looked much the same as it always had aside from a thick layer of dust.

Hermione wandered further into the room towards the sound of the sobbing, realising as she did that is was coming from the cupboard under the boiler. She knelt down and slowly opened the door.

Kreacher was lying on a pile of rags, curled up into a ball and making the most pathetic little keening noises Hermione had ever heard. She dispersed the Disillusionment Charm so that the elf could see her.

Ron and Draco appeared behind her, both freshly visible. Draco made a disgusted noise at the sight of the house elf and Ron said in surprise, “Kreacher?”

The little elf’s head shot up and he visibly cringed when he was the three of them standing there, his wailing reaching new heights of despair.

“It's alright Kreacher!” said Hermione frantically. “I won’t hurt you!”

The elf seemed not in the least bit comforted by her words.

“What happened, Kreacher?” asked Ron kindly.

The elf looked up at him, his giant eyes swimming with tears. “Master Harry has asked Kreacher to do a very bad thing, but Kreacher won’t sir, he won’t!” he cried, throwing his head against the wall of the cupboard with each word. “Master Harry has always told Kreacher that the Dark Lord is evil, he has taught Kreacher to be a better elf and now he tells Kreacher to forget all that! He tells Kreacher he was lying!”

“What did he ask you to do?” asked Hermione fearfully.

The elf shook his head, his hands clamping over his mouth.

“It’s alright, we can help Kreacher. Master Harry is… is very sick. We need to know what he told you so that we can help him!” said Hermione.

Kreacher looked at her for a long time and she could almost see the gears in his tiny head ticking, trying to find a loop hole. “Master Harry is sick?”

“Yes.” said Ron.

“And if Kreacher tells you what he knows, you will heal him?” the elf asked desperately.

“Yes.”

The elf looked away from them and stared off into space for a moment. “Kreacher must tell the truth to save his master. Yes…” he sat up a little straighter and looked back at the trio, “Master Harry wishes Kreacher to gather the Dark Lord’s remaining followers. Those who were not sent to Azkaban.”

Hermione gasped and sat down heavily on the floor. She’d hoped it hadn’t gotten that far.

But the elf wasn’t finished. “He also told Kreacher to find Miss Hermione and… And…” the elf began to cry again, “And to bring him her blood!” Hermione’s stomach turned as the elf keeled over sideways and wailed like a wounded animal. “But Kreacher will not do it! Miss Hermione is a friend! Kreacher will not!!”

Hermione looked at Ron and Draco, both were ashen faced and appeared terrified.

“Do you know where he is, Kreacher?” asked Ron urgently.

After a few tense moments, the elf nodded. “Master Harry told Kreacher to find him in the forest of Dean.”

Hermione leapt to her feet, a fierce sense of triumph driving through her body. Harry had seemed to be a step ahead of them at every point since she’d gone to the Burrow. But now, Kreacher had turned it around. She knew where he was, she knew the exact place.

“Kreacher, find Professor McGonagall and tell her everything you’ve just told us. She’ll protect you.” Hermione told the elf as Ron and Draco stared at her, one in fear and the other in determination. “We have to go.”

With a final sniff, the elf disapparated.

Minutes later, the trio were tearing out of the house and into the square to find the tovarasi and a group of Aurors waiting for them. Ginny rushed forwards.

“Was he there?! Did you find him?!” she cried frantically.

Hermione shook her head, knowing that they must have felt her jubilation, “No. But we know where he is.” she told them about all that Kreacher had said.

“Why do you think he was after your blood?” asked Blaise once she’d finished.

Hermione shrugged, but deep down all she could picture were the scattered texts of blood magic he’d been reading all those months ago. She looked across at Draco who was frowning and had the strangest feeling that he was thinking the same thing. He’d been the one who’d cleaned up Harry’s mess after all.

“What time is it?” asked Ron suddenly.

One of the Aurors, a tall dark woman with black dreadlocks said, “Almost four am.”

“I think we should get some sleep.” said Ron firmly.

As he said it, Hermione finally felt her own exhaustion but she refused to give up when they were so close to finding Harry. “What are you talking about?!” she demanded, “We can’t stop now!”

“He’s right, Hermione.” said Padma. “We’re all tired. Your reactions will be off and if you’re facing V-voldemort… You need all the help you can get.”

Hermione noticed Draco flinch at the sound of his lord’s name.

“Come on, Harry isn’t going anywhere. By the sounds of it, he’ll stick around the forest of Dean until he hears from Kreacher.” said Ron.

Without waiting for her to answer, he grasped onto her arm and apparated her into the courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron. A series of pops announced the arrival of the rest of the group. Together, they walked up the street towards her flat. Ron’s hand remained squarely on the small of her back, steering her to their destination.

She really was tired… If she was honest, she could barely walk straight. The lure of her four poster bed was too much to resist.

When they entered the flat, Professor McGonagall, Teodora and the Minister were all gone. A collection of Aurors elected to stay behind and stand guard while the tovarasi refused point blank to leave her alone in her flat. And so it was that Hermione found herself alone in the kitchen with eleven mugs, five of which had to be transfigured from cutlery, set out in front of her as she prepared the tea for her comrades and Ron.

She was almost scared at being left alone for too long, terrified that her repressed emotions would come bubbling to the surface of her mind and cripple her.

But they never did. She was too tired to invest properly in her feelings. Sure, it was all there, all the fear and defeat and despair and hurt but she couldn’t bring herself to be demonstrative about any of it. She just wanted to have her cup of tea and go to bed.

Suddenly, someone appeared next to her, dropping teaspoons of sugar into the assembled mugs wordlessly. She recognised those hands.

“What are you doing?” she asked wearily, aware of the slight growl in her voice.

“I’m helping you.” Draco replied simply.

“Why are you still here?”

“I live here.” he responded, and she could finally hear the emotion in his tone. He sounded tired. He sounded sad.

“Not anymore.” said Hermione cuttingly.

He turned his head to look at her for a long while before saying, “I’m helping aren’t I? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Hermione scoffed and shook her head resignedly. “You don’t understand, do you Draco? Honestly, I don’t think you ever will. You were faced with a question, a choice. And as far as I am concerned, if the answer to it wasn’t immediately obvious, then that’s all I need to know. Your loyalties may not lie with Voldemort, you may have just been scared, but the problem is, your loyalties don’t lie with me either. You have no allegiance.”

He frowned, a pained and wounded look. “I don’t know what to say…” he said quietly.

Hermione smiled sadly and pushed a cup of tea into his hands. “Again, if it isn’t immediately obvious, then that’s good enough for me.”

She collected a couple of mugs in her hands and walked past him, into the lounge room.

She knew then that that was exactly what she’d needed to say all along. And now that she’d said it, she didn’t think there was anything she’d need to say to Draco Malfoy ever again.

Bogarto - Haha, yeah Draco was definitely being a royal douchebag!! But then I can certainly see how you might think Hermione was being too hasty too. I think ultimately it all comes down to their trauma. They're both going to flip out about the prospect of another war but for totally different reasons and therefore have different reactions.

Don't worry, although the plotline IS already mapped out, I take all begging into account! Haha. Hope you liked this chapter!

Kain - Have I told you lately that I love you? Seriously. Every review you give has me giggling like a school girl lol. And the GIFs in this one were a particularly nice touch! Yeah, I'm getting to really like Ron. He's definitely grown heaps and it's a bit odd seeing him as the more mature one out of him and Hermione. Odd but nice. Hehe I did like Hermione's few really cutting lines, and there was a few more in this chapter! She's gone gangsta! xox

tabitoo - Hehe you need not wait a week! Only two days!! :D

Oishiinam - No I know you won't be reading this for a while as you're only on chapter 9 but none the less, I'm glad the story is touching you like that! Thank you so much for that beautiful review!

Aranel - Ah! I LOVE that song!! And very apt too! Yeah, it's all winding up now isn't it? I'm a bit scared lol. xx

lisha - Oh no! Don't die!!! I'm sorry :( xx

Vrrtak - I'm glad you liked the twist! Can't really say much more in regards to your review without giving too much away haha. Hope you liked this chapter! :D

Cat - A bit odd wasn't it? Lol. But I can assure you that Ron had NOT been replaced by a robot haha. In regards to Hermione being such a bitch... I LOVE writing her like that! So badass she's about to blind some bitches. Awesome lol. xx

The quote at the beginning of this chapter is from Ani Difranco's song Little Plastic Castle. Her music has served as a huge inspiration for this piece. I own nothing. Thanks Ani!
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Victim of the Fall