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The English Rose	By : TempestLore Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 20463 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I make any profit off of this story or any others.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
The English Rose

Chapter Nine

     “Damn it,” Draco said staring up at the gray, winter sky after Potter put him flat on his back.
     “I’m sorry,” Harry said and he extended his hand to help the blond up.
     “Nobody beats me at duels anymore, nobody but you,” Draco spat. “But don’t be sorry for besting me. I just need a bit more practice and then I can kill that murderous arsehole!” Draco howled as he climbed to his feet.
     “You’re no Dumbledore,” Ginny said with an eye roll and Draco sneered at her.
     “Dumbledore? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Harry asked and both Draco and Ginny’s heads shot around to gaze at Potter.
     “Harry, you remember Dumbledore?” Ginny asked with a hopeful gaze.
     “Overrated, quack of a wizard who took an abnormal liking to you,” Draco said but Harry just shook his head.
     “Don’t listen to him; Dumbledore was the greatest sorcerer to ever live. Besides, Malfoy was a prat back then Harry. Still is,” Ginny muttered. “In fact, you hated Malfoy. We all did, well mostly anyway. There was a time when I was infatuated with him but that quickly faded.”
     “Hated Draco? I don’t believe that,” Harry replied. “He’s my best mate. If it weren’t for him—“
     “No Harry, she’s right, as much as I hate admitting that she’s right about anything. I was a prat and you did hate me,” Draco admitted. “You didn’t call me Draco either, you called me Malfoy.”
     “We also called him ferret on account of—“
     “You don’t have to tell him about that,” Draco scoffed. “Harry, call me Malfoy and see how it feels.”
     “Malfoy?” Harry said but then he shrugged.
     “It’s alright Harry, it will come back to you in time,” Ginny said in a sappy way and she looped her arms around his neck and hugged him while Draco looked on. Who did you marry Hermione? I want to kill him, Draco thought to himself when he saw his bitchy wife change right before his very eyes. Ginny was actually a nice person, but only when she was around Potter, otherwise she was a snarky, foul-mouthed bint. I miss Rose. He’d written her letters, letters that went unanswered and he’d even stopped by the Brothel once or twice, but each time Hermione was conveniently not on the premises. Eventually he took the hint and let her go. Only he didn’t. The heart wants what the hearts wants and the want never faded.
     “We don’t really have the time is the problem with that,” Draco said. “Come on Potter, you must remember something?”
     “He said he doesn’t, so just lay off. Besides, I’m not exactly anxious for him to run into battle,” Ginny quipped.
     “I can speak for myself, thanks,” Harry said to the redhead. “I do remember some things, but they’re just flashes—images really, and they don’t make sense.”
     “Do you think you can fight?” Draco asked.
     “No, he can’t!”
     “Look, I’m out there getting cursed and hexed, tracked and hunted! I need some bloody help,” Draco explained. “He just bested me in a duel. I say he’s more than able to fight.”
     “I’ll fight if you need me to,” Harry said.
     “Oh I need you to,” Draco said as a matter of fact. “If we could just let the resistance see you, then I wouldn’t have to go it alone.”
     “No! I mean it Malfoy, no way. We don’t have an in with that lot. They hate the both of us, so unless you’ve infiltrated Potter’s Army—because you can be sure that the Dark Lord has!”
     “I’ll do it. Whatever you need Draco, I want to help. I owe you my life,” Harry said in such a genuine way that Draco knew he wasn’t bullshitting him, like everyone else he knew, including his not so doting wife.
     “Thank you, but I’m afraid Ginny is right. We can’t risk exposing you, not when there’s a chance that the Dark Lord has a spy or two lurking within my army,” Draco said with a deflated expression.
     “It’s Harry’s army, not yours, so stop calling it your army!” Ginny shot back.
     “I’m the one taking all the risk! It was my actions that caused the bloody army to form in the first place, and that makes it mine. If only I could lead them.”
     “Oh what you want to be a General now?”
     “Well I am a General already,” Draco defended. “I know a little about battle tactics thank you very much.”
     “You’re a Death Eater! Do you think Ron and Hermione are just going to welcome you with open arms? They’re just going to hand you control and say ‘here you lead us My Liege’. Get real Malfoy! We need an in.”
     “Yes we do and it should have been you!” Draco shouted. “You ruined that with your ‘Oh let me shag my brother’ and the shit you did to Hermione and me, or did you forget that?”
     “I had to do it. I needed the Dark Lord to trust me and now he does. I had to make everyone believe that I’d switched sides. I was being followed everywhere and pulled in for questioning constantly. I did what I had to do.”
     “That might be so, but now your whole family hates you and you’re no help to me or the cause.”
     “She’s a big help to me though,” Harry said and he took Ginny’s hand and kissed it. Ginny blushed and Draco rolled his eyes.
     “I’m going to leave you lot alone. Junior and I will be in the cabin.”
     “No, uh if you don’t mind I’d like Junior to get to know Harry better. I thought we’d go inside and play a game or something. You don’t mind waiting outside a while do you? You could arrange for the carriage.”
     “Bloody hell, now I have to wait out in the cold whilst you lot play house? You know, fine, but you both owe me for this. I’ve given up everything for you,” Draco said and he shot Harry and Ginny daggers.
     “Oh please! You’re the richest man in all of England aside from Voldemort himself. You can have anything you want.”
     “Listen here, you conceited harpy, I haven’t had a woman in years thanks to you!”
     “You could have any number of women whenever you want, so stop putting that on me.”
     “No, he’s right. Draco,I will make it up to you,” Harry said with jade green eyes that spoke only honest truths and Draco felt bad for lashing at him.
     “I know you mean well Harry. Enjoy some time with your family, you’ve earned it,” Draco said magnanimously and he felt better when Harry smiled back at him.
     “Thank you. I know he’s mine not yours. Thank you for all you’re doing for him too.”
     “You knew?” Ginny said and her jaw hung open. Harry just nodded as he plucked the small child up into his arms.
     “Draco, I’m—I’m not very good at apologies—“ Ginny said sincerely.
     “No, really? I hadn’t noticed,” the blond quipped.
     “Yeah, well, I’m sorry that I blew things up between you and Hermione.”
     “Hermione? Granger?” Harry said and four eyebrows flew up.
     “You remember Hermione? Do you remember Ron too?” Ginny asked.
     “I keep seeing a girl in my dreams, and we’re running through the woods and she keeps telling me what to do and I’m trying to keep up but I can’t, she’s too fast,” Harry said. “I yell out for her to slow down and the name I’m shouting is, Hermione.”
     “You’re having dreams about Hermione?” Draco said angrily.
     “Oh stop it, they were friends is all,” Ginny defended. “You were just friends, right?” Ginny then said in an accusatory voice. Draco chuckled. “Oh what, I mean we both fancied you, so it isn’t unreasonable to think that she might have also had a thing for Harry,” Ginny chided and Draco’s face dropped.
     “Something tells me you’re the one for me,” Harry said turning to Ginny. “I do remember dancing with Hermione though.”
     “I can’t listen to this!” Draco howled up at the sky.
     “I’d like to meet her,” Harry said.
     “I bet you would,” Draco scoffed.
     “I don’t mean like that. It’s just—she’s the one I remember the most.”
     “Great! Just bloody great,” Draco said. “Well you’re not going to, not yet anyway. I have to get in there somehow, it’s the only way I can flush out the snake that the Dark Lord sent to infiltrate their army. I just have to figure out how,” Draco said deep in thought.
     “I could go to the Brothel and tell Ron and ‘Mione that you beat me up? You could even hit me, you know to make it look good,” Ginny offered and Draco just stared at her as if she’d gone completely mad.
     “You want her to hate me even more than she already does? No, absolutely not. In fact, I don’t want you involved at all. Every time you meddle in my life I end up alone and married to a halfwit bint who—“
     “Stop it!” Harry shouted with conviction and it surprised Draco. “Say one more word about the woman I love and I’ll hit you with everything I’ve got.” Draco thought about it, and he decided that it was worth it. If he was ever going to take out the Dark Lord then he needed to know that he could best Potter once and for all, and so against all rational thought he went for it.
     “I would rather lick a toad than so much as kiss her fucking ugly hatchet face,” Draco said and he went for his wand.
     “I’m warning you Draco,” Harry said as he raised his wand. A duel was close at hand.
     “Bring it Potter, if you dare,” Draco said.

__0__

     “Why don’t you use a napkin? Were you born’ed in a barn?” the tot said and the Death Eater scowled at him as he ate his supper. “Like ‘dis,” the small boy said and he picked up his napkin and proceeded to wipe his mouth with it. He then folded it and set it next to his plate as he stood from the opposite end of the long table.
     “Why you snot nosed, little shit! I’ll show you what you can do with yer’ ruddy napkin, Mudblood,” the burly Death Eater said and he knocked the table clean over when he stood and flipped it. The boy fell to the floor when one of the chairs fell against his back knocking him over.
     “Mal!” Hermione shouted and she did a running dive to cover the boy when she saw the Death Eater holding a chair over his head as if to bring it down upon him and crush the little boy with. “Merlin,” she cried out when she felt the bruising blow come down upon her back. She looked down at the frightened boy that lay beneath her and she soothed his cries. “It’s alright. Mummy’s fine,” she assured but then she winced when the Death Eater hit her again, this time breaking the chair into splintered pieces and that’s when everything became hazy.

     “’Mione, you there?” Ron asked and I opened my eyes.
     “Malcolm?” I said with frantic worry when I remembered the altercation.
     “He’s fine, just a small bruise on his ankle is all from where the chair hit him. He’s no worse for wear,” Ron assured.
     “Did the Death Eaters--? The authorities didn’t take him?”
     “No, no nothing of the sort. Relax, it’s fine ‘Mione,” Ron said and he smoothed his hand over my shoulder to comfort me. “I’m just sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. I was out back stacking the empty wine barrels for pick up, otherwise that never would have happened. I know that bloke, he has a nasty temper and it isn’t the first time I’ve had to subdue him with magic.”
     “Good. I hope you subdued hard. Really hard,” I said and then I groaned when I felt the throbbing in my back. ”But what if he goes to the Magistrate? They’ll take little Mal.”
     “He won’t. I had a little talk with his superior. They’ve had trouble with him on plenty of occasions. They apologized for the trouble. Everything is fine, except for you. The Healer says you will need to rest for a few days so you can heal but then you should be fine,” Ron said.
     “You called a Healer? I don’t think we can afford a Healer. Business is down lately, what with Marcheline marrying Dean Wethers and leaving the brothel. You didn’t owl the Pureblood Healer did you? He charges too much.”
     “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t know there was another Healer?”
     “Well there is, it’s Katydid. She’s been taking classes from Esmeralda.”
     “The Mudblood crone that only has one eye?” Ron said flabbergasted.
     “She’s not a crone, she’s just an elderly woman and her eye is just a tad lazy so it wanders a bit. Honestly Rob, how many times do I have to remind you to NOT USE THE WORD MUDBLOOD AROUND ME!” she shrieked.
     “Whoa, I’m sorry. It just slipped out. You know I don’t give two shits about blood status, it’s just that I hear the word so often what with so many Death Eaters about using it.”
    “I don’t know why I yelled. I’m just a little stressed out lately.”
     “Yeah, and more than a little frigid.”
     “Oh get out already! I don’t need to hear any of your filth today. I’m just worried about Mal. He must have said something to that fat arse Death Eater to set him off.”
     “Yeah he did—commented on his poor table manners.”
     “He didn’t?” I asked and my mouth fell open.
     “He did,” Ron replied. “You know he’s just a little too much like—“
     “Don’t you say it or so help me—“
     “Wouldn’t dream of it, Rose. You just rest. I’ll tell the others that you won’t make tonight’s meeting.”
     “You will not,” I fired back. “Tonight is too important for me to miss. I’ll just take a swig of Potion of the Poppy and I’ll be good to go.”
     “Alright, but make sure the bottle you’re swigging from is actually Potion of Poppy. You don’t want the same thing to happen that happened before.”
     “Honestly, I made one mistake and you won’t let me live it down. Trust me that will never happen again.” He was referring to the stale bottle of Tonic of the Morning, at least that’s what I thought it was when I swallowed it down in gulps. It tasted bad and the color was off, but I thought that it was just a tad old. Of course later I found that it was actually apple cider vinegar not Tonic of the Morning at all, this when Ron finally changed the light bulb in the storeroom and I saw the deep amber color of the liquid and noticed that the label had fallen off and landed on the shelf below where the bottle was stowed. Needless to say I had a baby nine months later. I don’t make mistakes often but when I do they tend to be big ones.

__0__

     Draco busied himself at his desk, conducting the business of a Liege as he poured through official memos, orders and death certificates. It was not uncommon for him to find a stack of twenty or more death certificates, mostly of Muggle-Borns. They were put to death for all manner of minor infractions and the death sentences were getting worse not better. “Fuck me, since when is stealing a loaf of bread punishable by death?” Draco shouted angrily.
     “Since Voldemort wrote it into law. It only applies to Mudbloods though,” Ginny said as she trod into his study casually eating an apple.
     “Oh it’s you,” he said under his breath and he crumpled up the death order for a Mudblood who stole a loaf of bread and instead scrawled out a pardon that the wizard should be released from jail.
     “Don’t get pinched for that. I got a good thing going with Harry and I don’t want you doing anything stupid to jeopardize that.”
     “Don’t tell me how to do my job, besides, I’m not going to get caught.”
     “Oh and what will happen when the Dark Lord has his personal snoop go through all your dealings?”
     “Then he will find everything in order.”
     “How’s that? You just let a known criminal go.”
     “No, I merely replaced the bread thief with a real arsewipe instead.”
     “Ha! What’d the poor unfortunate soul do to warrant death?”
     “Well I can’t send him to his death, he’s a Death Eater, but he will serve out a four month sentence in Azkaban for beating a woman and child.”
     “Wow, what did they do to deserve a beating?”
     “Fuck me!” Draco stood and stared at the parchment in disbelief.
     “What is it?”
     “Hermione…She was the one beaten. It didn’t come in through the proper channels, which would be through that twit of a Magistrate, but from one of my Lieutenant’s instead. He put it in his weekly notes. Fuck, it doesn’t say whether the woman was alright or not. I have to find out.”
     “And how will you do that? Just waltz into the Brothel and ask her how she’s doing?”
     “Why not?”
     “You don’t know Hermione very well if you think she’ll let you get ten meters from her.”
     “I have to try,” Draco said and he stood and put his coat on.
     “I might have a better idea,” Ginny said and she walked to the bay window that offered sweeping views of the lavish gardens where she pointed at the gardener who was pruning a bush. "You don't have any stores of Polyjuice Potion, do you?"
     "I might, what's it to you?" Draco asked.



__0__

     Thanks to Potion of the Poppy I was able to walk through the dark catacombs of Blind Falls without too much trouble. I stowed the potion in my cloak just in case the throbbing in my back returned. With little Mal no worse for wear and Katydid sitting for me I was able to attend the weekly meeting of Potter’s Army. With Harry doing his thing, attacking the Death Eaters that manned the checkpoints, and assumedly on the run for the duration, the job of recruitment was left up to Ron and me. I used my notoriety as did Ron as two thirds of the golden trio in order to pull more Muggle-Born and even Halfblood witches and wizards in, where they joined the ranks of the Army. We were nearly a thousand strong, and we had chapters popping up in nearly every town in England.
     “You made it. I would have waited for you had you asked,” Ron said and he shoved a wooden crate under my bum. I sighed as I took a seat.
     “You forgot your ring,” I said when I noticed that Ron wasn’t wearing his wedding ring.
     “No I have it right here,” he smiled and retrieved it from his pocket. I nodded when he slipped it onto his finger. “Thanks, you’re a lifesaver ‘Mione,” he said and I just smiled. We didn’t acknowledge the official law of the land and for that reason marriages were performed by our own Magistrate, a legitimate reverend who worked at the Ministry years earlier when the former Ministry still ran things. Before Voldemort. Because it wasn’t official, members of the resistance kept their marriages on the down low, hidden from the powers that be. It was none of their business, and we liked it that way.
     “Right, so everyone was supposed to bring a friend. If you’ll just line up my wife will check you in and from there you’ll be put in groups,” Ron said. That was how our meetings always started, the sorting of the new members. From there we moved onto battle strategies but not before the rules of secrecy were gone over at great length. In fact, I had designed a spell to keep our army honest in so much as they couldn’t divulge certain information about the P.A. without suffering a whirl wind of nasty consequences.
     As the new members lined up, I lit my wand and thumbed through pages of parchments that were pertinent to our cause. Some were newspaper clippings, some
were official communicates from Voldemort to his henchman--the evil Death Eaters (when we were lucky enough to get our hands on those). I hated that we had to meet in the dark catacombs of Blind Falls, but our clandestine meetings needed to stay secret, and the natural topography of Blind Falls, what with the ample amount of caverns and deep underground caves lent to it being the perfect place to hold our meetings. There was really nothing of much interest in the stack of parchments; unless you count that the Liege of Blind Falls, Draco Malfoy, was seen leaving in a carriage with his Lady and their small child, assumed for holiday. I cringed when I read that one. Those were the little tidbits of info that I could have done without ever reading, but it was vital to keep tabs on bloody Malfoy’s location, since he was the very sort our Army focused on taking down. Of course we were saving his ‘takedown’ for some time down the road, whilst we focused on lesser known Lieges’ first. We didn’t want to draw any attention to ourselves, not when we were running interference all over the country. No, as much as I hated it Malfoy would have to wait. He would get his come-upping’s though soon enough. By then I would be out of Blind Falls. We had it all planned out. Just a few more months and I’d be gone from these parts and I’d never have to hear about my pompous Liege ever again. Until then though I had to read about his quaint vacations in Scotland or the South of France, with his blushing bride, Ginny the Snake Weasley. Two hissing snakes, they were the perfect pair!
     “Uhhmm,” a man cleared his throat and I raised my eyes from the stack of parchments.
     “Yes? Can I help you?” I asked.
     “Uh yes, I’m new. Matthew Murphy,” he extended his hand for me to shake. I politely shook it. His hands were soft, almost too soft for a Muggle-Born or even a working Halfblood.
   “Oh, well nice of you to join us Matthew. Odd, you don’t sound Irish,” I said disinterestedly.
     “Yeah, uhh I worked hard to lose the accent,” the wizard said. He was tall and he towered over me as I glanced up at his handsome face. He handed me a parchment that had his name and place of employment on it and I briefly glanced at it.
     “Oh, you work for the Liege as a gardener?” Strange his hands weren’t calloused like you’d expect a gardeners hands to be. Still, they made healing creams for that sort of thing so I pushed it from mind.
     “Yes mi lady,” he said politely and I felt a small blush creep over my cheeks. The way he said was respectful and almost flirtatious.
     “Makes sense why you had to lose the accent. Liege Malfoy was probably put off by it I bet,” I said with only the smallest amount of venom in my words. “Well that’s good, we might be able to use you to spy on the Liege. Good intelligence is hard to come by.”
     “No, not at all. He’s a rather kind man, nice to his employees in fact,” the man replied and I clenched my jaw.
     “Yes, well isn’t that nice. Matthew, you’re not following the rules.” He gazed at me as if confused so I elaborated. “All new members were told to line up.”
     “I’m eager, Miss,” he said and he smiled at me.
     “Yes well that’s good, but the line is over there,” I said and I pointed.
     “But the man said to line up in front of his wife to be checked in?”
     “Yes he did, and that man is Ron Weasley, so show a little respect in addressing him,” I said crossly. “I’m not his wife,” I finally replied addressing the obvious when he just stared at me dumbly.
     “You’re not?” He looked dumbfounded.
     “Do you see a ring on my finger?” I retorted, growing exceedingly annoyed.
     “No, I’m sorry Miss. So his wife is where?”
     “Over there, where the line has formed. Honestly! Her name is Tuesdee, so be sure to address her properly. Now if you don’t mind,” I said and I lowered my eyes and began reading from the parchments again.
     “My deepest apologies mi lady,” Matthew said and I giggled under my breath as he strode off. It had been ages since any man had so much as flirted with me. I giggled again.

__0__

     We were well into our meeting and all the new members of Potter’s Army had already been initiated into the Order. Ron and I were going over tactics and strategies for our upcoming operation where we would attack a jail where a Muggle- Born woman was being held awaiting trial. She didn’t deserve it. All she’d done was refuse to give up her seat at a play that was premiering on Diagon Alley. Apparently, her half-sister was starring in the play and she’d waited hours in line to get a good seat in which to watch her sister perform. Just as the play began, a Pureblood woman demanded she stand and give her seat to her dog, yes, her pet poodle. When she refused she was arrested and escorted from the theater. We intended to break her out of jail, and we weren’t afraid to do it by force. Of course it being in the capital presented certain problems, massive security being one of them, Voldemort living in his ghastly, gothic castle only two blocks from the jail being another, but we were steadfast in our convictions to see her freed. “Ye’ got no light in da ruddy tunnel. I dun’ knocked myself out when I hit my head,” a scrappy looking wizard said as he rubbed the top of his head. He’d arrived late for the meeting.
     “You didn’t light the torches Ron?” I asked and Ron shrugged. “Oh honestly, I’ll do it myself,” I said angrily as I stood.
     “I can do it,” Ron offered.
     “I got it. When the wind blows it goes out so it needs a spell,” I said as I lit my wand and started down the dark tunnel that wound around and eventually led to a clearing in the dense forest that surrounded it. Ron found the tunnel one day when he crashed his broom by mistake after the cheap broom broke in half on him whilst he was riding it. It seemed the perfect place to hold our meetings.
     “Mind if I come along?” a voice said and I turned to see the new recruit, Matthew Murphy standing behind me. He had a lit torch in his hand and when I saw how much light it let off I shrugged and nodded for him to join me.
     “Regret taking the oath yet?” I asked, just passing the time as we trod through the dark recesses of the cave. I was reminded of the first time I traversed the caverns of Blind Falls, but I quickly pushed it from mind. It was just like Malfoy to horde the majestic falls and to keep them all for himself. Many nights I’d stewed at the thought of him taking a leisurely hot soak in the hot springs, that or bringing his dates there where he pillaged and plundered them all while laying waste to their chastity. Then at the end of his fake courtship he would leave them alone and with a blackened heart. The no good arse. In my case he left me with all of that and more. A lot more.
     “Not at all, though your organization could use a little work.”
     “Are you always so arrogant?” I fired back, annoyed.
     “I’m sorry. I—I studied battle strategies, you know, as a hobby of sorts.”
     “I see,” I drawled. “Indulge me then…What’s wrong with our organization?”
     “Not sure where to start,” he said conceitedly and I rolled my eyes. “You should have men posted at the cave entrance for starters. You should have them again at the bend in order to alert you should an army of Death Eaters suddenly decide to raid your meeting.”
     “Yes well, I have to agree with you on that. I mentioned it to Ron too—he’s the one in charge of security.”
     “Figures,” Matthew said and I stopped and spun around on him.
     “What did you say?”
     “Nothing at all,” he replied and I turned and continued walking.
     “There’s something about you that’s quite familiar. I can’t place it, but…Do we know each other?”
     “No Ma’am, can’t say as we do,” he said and I shrugged it off. That’s when it happened and the muscles in my back seized up. Pain shot through my body like wicked nails being pounded into my spine with a hammer from hell. I dropped to the ground. “Shit,” Matthew called out and his voice echoed through the caverns. “I got you,” he said and with strong arms he hoisted me into his arms.
     “I have a bottle of Potion of the Poppy in my cloak pocket, I just can’t reach it,” I winced as he carried me in his arms down the dark tunnel. Finally I saw the glowing light from the moon and when we reached the entrance to the cave Matthew set me down on a pile of soft leaves. My back was wrenched good and I was hunched over on the ground as he fumbled for the potion. He gave it to me and I spared no haste as I gulped it down.
     “Your injury—you’re really stiff. You should really be in bed.”
     “Yeah I know,” I said. “I’ll be alright as soon as the medicine kicks in.”
     “I doubt that,” he said and all I could do was sit there, hunched over as he crawled in behind me to offer me some support.
     “What are you doing?” I asked when I felt hands on my back.
     “Massaging the muscles. Sometimes a good back rub does wonders,” he said as he began to knead my shoulders and back with his expert fingers. I let out a soft moan and then I felt exceedingly embarrassed for it.
     “Thank you for this,” I murmured as I relaxed into his massage.
     “Once I fell off my horse and the damn beast dragged me for half a kilometer. My—er—the regiment left without me. I was lucky that a Muggle-Born woman found me and took me into her country cottage. My back was wretched pretty bad but she spent the night rubbing the pain out and by morning I was almost good as new.
     “That was quite nice of her. So you were in the army then?”
     “Yeah, I suppose I was, for a spell anyway. Then the Dark Lord found out my blood status and I was let go.”
     “Muggle-Born?”
     “Yes, but my stepfather was Pureblood, so he just let me go.”
     “You’re lucky. I heard of wziards’, so called Mudbloods’ who were forced to be soldiers for him and then he led them into battle like pigs to slaughter,” I said and then I cried out in pain when he hit a sore spot.
     “I’m sorry,” he said but he didn’t stop kneading my sore and inflamed muscles. “That better?” he said when he softened his touch and I nodded. “Not all commanders are bad. Mine was pretty good. He didn’t treat the Mud—Muggle-Borns any differently than he did the Halfbloods or the even the Purebloods,” Matthew said but I had a hard time believing it. A Death Eater is a Death Eater. Period.
     “I really appreciate this. It feels much better. I think I can even sit up properly now,” I said stretching myself into a more upright position. No sooner had I done that did I fall back against him when I felt spasm in my lower back. He was warm and he smelled deliciously good as my head fell sideways and I found my lips dangerously close to his neck. He turned his head and in the moonlight his eyes looked so striking and so familiar. I could feel his breath on my cheek and then his lips brushed against my ear. “Uhh, do you think you could light the torch? The meeting should be almost over and we don’t want anyone injuring themselves on their way out,” I said uncomfortably and my heart was racing like a thoroughbred charging down the home stretch.
     “Yes, mi lady,” he said and he stared into my face and smiled. He lingered a little too long and then he tucked a stray curl of hair behind my ear. Chills shot down my spine when he touched me with delicate fingertips. I was about to protest when he finally stood and made his way back to the cave entrance where he lit the torch that was erected outside it. “If it’s still bothering you I can rub it some more?” Matthew said.
     “No, I think—it’s better. Thank you,” I said.
     “Thank Merlin you’re alright,” Ron said and he bounded out the cave with a horde of wizards behind him. “You were gone so long I got worried,” Ron said and he and Tuesdee helped me to my feet. In all the commotion I lost sight of Matthew. I wanted to thank him again, and to welcome him into Potter’s Army but he was all but gone.

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The English Rose