Burn it to the Ground

Authors Notes: Sorry it took so long to get chapter two up and running. I've been swamped with school so hopefully I'll be able to update at least once a week. Thank you for all the feedback guys!


Chpater 2: Tea and Cigarettes

“No rwrry thrse r' gwyt!” Hermione scrunched her face in pure disgust at the sight of her best friend sitting across from her. Ron tried speaking and was shoveled another mouthful of mashed potatoes into his mouth at the same time . She couldn't help but huff and turn back to The Daily Prophet which she held near the tables ledge.

“Really Ron, it would be wonderful to enjoy one meal without your mouth spewing food everywhere.”
She flicked her wrist daintily, trying to rid her paper of crinkles. She moved her gaze slightly to the left at Harry who was trying in vain to wipe off some of the gifts Ron had left him all over his shoulder and sweater. They both made eye contact and communicated silently, smirking at the site of Ron looking back and forth between them.

“Broody hell, ould' you guys stop doing that? S' creepy.” He turned back to the meal at hand after his muffled, open mouthed comment.


Hermione looked at both of her friends and smiled. As much as she hated to admit it, it was nice to be back at Grimmwald place. They had spent the better part of this year in search of the Horcruxes, a mission that was very much still in progress. There was something that satisfied her about having a warm bed and a shower available at night, although most people would say those luxuries were necessary, most of their time had been spent out in the wilderness this year.

Harry seemed to be more balanced stationed rather than on the run. His anger peaked more constantly being on the run. The fear of not being aware of what was happening back at home base ate away at him slowly but surely while camping out in the unknown. His face looked slightly annoyed at Ron's food spewing, but all in all, He looked much better than a few months back.

Remus and Tonks sat quietly at the other side of the long oak table and smiled over with amusement filling their eyes at the sight of the three best friends. Headquarters was having a fairly quiet night. Everyone had settled for going home or moping around for a quick bite and some tea. For most of The Order, you could say it was to quiet for their taste. The quiet before the storm.

“Hermione, I was thinking that tonight we could go over some of the things you've been researching about the...” Harry didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as the distinct Pop drifted from upstairs. Everyone raised their eyes up towards the ceiling with speculative glances, even Ron stopped chewing and looked up from his plate.

“I'm guessing that's Severus, I wonder why he decided to apparate all the way up there.” Remus grunted. He turned back to his tea on the table and lifted the cup to his lips to take a sip, but before he could let a single drop touch his lips he jumped in his seat and sloshed the hot liquid all over the table top.

A horrifying hoarse scream echoed throughout the entire house, almost shaking it with it's intensity.
Everyone was instantly up and out of their chairs, shocked by the pain that was etched into the terrible sound. Before anyone could make a dash for the lower hallway and stairs Hermione had pushed her chair out by the sounds of the apparation alone and bolted away from the table and up the stairs as fast as her legs would take her. Everyone else trampled out of the kitchen and followed at her heels.

She could almost tripped as she stopped outside of the bedroom that the agonized sound was coming from and pulled out her wand. “Alohamora.” she burst inside and her eyes went wide at the sight before her. Snape stood in the far corner of the bedroom, his robes covered in dust and his face looking weary beyond his years. She turned her eyes to the floor at gasped at the sight of Draco Malfoy choking on his own air, tears streaming down his dirty, bloodied face. It was as if he was not capable of hearing the world around him though. He didn't even raise his eyes from the ground to witness her intrusion.

He looked so, broken.

Instinctively she took a step forward over the threshold, but the look in Snape's eyes and the feeling of Harry's hand on her shoulder from behind made her stop. Draco fell to his knees and pounded the ground with his fists. His screams had turned to loud angry sobs. His entire body collapsed onto the wood floor and he continued to cry helplessly.

Snape had decided at this point to move over to the open door where the teens, Remus, and Tonks blocked the dark doorway. He scowled fiercely at the group “Miss Granger, kindly remove yourself from the door frame this instant.” Hermione paused momentarily and then slowly backed out of the way, allowing room for the door to close.

Snape brushed past her and turned to close the door. Hermione raised her eyes to look over his shoulder to take one more look at the boy who has teased her relentlessly crumpled on the floor and felt a chill go through her at the sight of Draco's wet, red eyes boring into her own. Even though the contact was only for a second before Snape slammed the door in her face as well as the group that stood behind her, she could almost feel the pain in that gaze. The steel grey eyes held no animosity or hate towards her, they just held a haunted look that Hermione had only ever seen on Harry's face.


Snape swept passed them and down the dark corridor of the second floor, causing Remus and Tonks to quickly follow in his wake.


“Blimey Harry, what the bloody hell is Malfoy of all people doing here? What about his dad, there's a good chance that all his death eater pals could...” Ron's whispering was cut off by Harry “Ron, shut up would you? Snape brought him, and there must be some logical explanation behind it, did you see him for gods sake?” Hermione blushed with pride at Harry for being so understanding and open to the situation as a whole.

Both boys made their way through the hall and down the stairs whispering to each other and Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. She gave the door one more look and followed her two best friends back to the bottom floor.

Draco didn't bother leaving the bedroom at all that night. Snape didn't even bother to return to the his room that night in order to give the boy some peace. The adults seemed to be in a dark mood that night. Even Molly Weasley kept to herself as she bustled about the kitchen to prepare dinner. Her, Harry, and Ron were kept in the dark about Draco's situation, but by the appearance of things, it wasn't good. Their whispers didn't help the situation at all either.

Hermione glanced at Harry to see if he could also feel the tension in the room. Just as he was raising a spoon full of stew to his mouth he looked over his bowl and gave her a nod. She sighed and pushed her plate away from her. She knew that she couldn't eat a bite with the feeling that sat at the pit of her stomach. Hermione glanced up at the clock and it chimed at 9:00 pm. Molly moved her gaze up at her as she moved her chair out as dishes were magically being cleared around her. Harry started to move up from his seat and was about to speak until Ron grabbed his shoulder from where he was sitting next to him and nodded his head in a swift back and forth motion.

“Thank you for dinner Molly, it was lovely, I'm just really tired and I think I'm ready for bed.” She stifled a yawn and smiled at both of her friends and a few left sitting at the table.
“Good night everyone.” She turned and made her way up the stairs and into the bedroom down the hall and to the left.


A part of her knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. With everything that had been bustling around Headquarters all day she knew her nerves would be on high alert. The nightmares that ate away at her on a nightly basis didn't help much either.

She shuffled into her bathroom and look out the pins from her long hair. She grabbed her tooth brush and hummed to herself and she squirted a piece of paste onto the plastic object and started brushing her teeth. Now that she was alone she allowed her face to drop and she looked into the mirror with empty eyes. She was no longer the Hermione Granger she once knew, the one that everyone loved. Why did her entire life feel like one huge lie. She spit out her tooth paste and blocked her mind from these thoughts.

Not right now Hermione


Once she had finished the rest of her bathroom rituals she slipped out of her jumper and jeans and made her way to the dresser drawers near her bed stand. She slid her knickers down her legs and frumbled with the clasp of her bra. After rummaging around she spotted a cotton v neck tee and a pair of tights and threw them in haste. She plopped down on the edge of the bed and waited. She knew everyone else would be following her lead soon enough. So she let her mind wonder and simmered in her own dark thoughts. When Hermione finally snapped to her senses she scrambled for the door.

She cracked open the door just a bit to see if there were anymore noises raising up from the bottom of the stairs. Once she was positive all activity down stairs had ceased she padded slowly in her footed tights down the creaky staircase. The kitchen was silent without all of The Order members zooming in and out. The pitch black of the room seemed to swallow Hermione whole, but she knew her way around it as if it were her own home. She maneuvered her way to the stove and put on the kettle to start some tea and plopped down at the last seat near the far end of the table and pulled out a small drawer from underneath it.

She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and glanced around the room one more time before taking one out and putting it to her lips she grabbed her wand with her right hand and lit the tip. Hermione inhaled the sweet smoke and blew it out with a feeling of relief washing over her. She knew it was a bad muggle habit, but with everything that had been happening with the Order and the disappearances, she figured she of all people had earned a bad habit or two.

The kettle started to whistle lightly but she continued to ignore it and took another drag. It wasn't until she heard the soft click of the gas going off and the water slowly decrease in noise did she turn around. Hermione felt her heart rate increase ten fold as she came face to face with Draco Malfoy. His figure was covered by the shadows near the corner of the stove and his face was hard to make out. She wouldn't have recognized him if it weren't for the trademark platinum hair.


They both froze in their current positions, not quite knowing what to do. Draco finally moved slowly towards the tea kettle while Hermione trained her eyes on him, her hand over her wand at the ready. He remained silent and grabbed two small cups and poured the hot water in with two tea bags he had grabbed off the countertop. He turned towards her and sat both cups on the table and pulled out a chair across from her.


“Do you have another one of those on you?” Draco whispered in a horse voice. Hermione blinked in surprise and reached over to open the pack and pushed it towards him. He grabbed one and looked back at Hermione “Light?” she flicked her wrist and the cigarette came to life and burned a bright orange at the tip. He took a long drag and settled in the chair.


“I never took you as the smoking type Granger, what would the boy wonders say?” He smirked at her but the smirk held no malice. It was empty, hallow.


“What Harry and Ron don't know won't hurt them.” she sucked in another drag and grabbed the hot tea and pulled the cup to her lips.

“I believe that is one of the more intelligent things I've heard you say as of recent Granger, starting to think on your own a bit?” Draco moved closer from across the table and brought his scorching eyes to meet hers. She raised her cold brown eyes to meet his own, he was shocked to see the pain the swirled in the cinnamon depths.

“Malfoy, you have no idea.”



Authors Notes: I need a Beta, seriously. But anyways, chapter three coming soon guys! What our lovely Hermione hiding?