More Important Things

A/N:  … … … Fuck it.  I don’t know what to say.  Here’s the next chapter.

 

The Rat, the Snake and the Castle

What if this whole crusade's

A charade

And behind it all there's a price to be paid

For the blood

On which we dine

Justified in the name of the holy and the divine

 

Just how deep do you believe?

Will you bite the hand that feeds?

Will you chew until it bleeds?

Can you get up off your knees?

Are you brave enough to see?

Do you want to change it?

(The Hand That Feeds—Nine Inch Nails)

~*~

Harry had conjured ropes from his wand and tied Pettigrew so he couldn’t move, only lay there helplessly as he left him alone with Hermione.  He gagged him so he would keep quiet on Hermione’s watch. 

“There, that should do it,” Harry said when he was done.  He knelt down on one knee and lifted Wormtail’s head by his hair.  “Nice to see you again,” he said before he let go of his head, letting it drop and bang on the floor.  Pettigrew let out a moan of pain. 

He stood up and Hermione walked up to him.  “I’ll be back with the Order,” he said.  “Stay here and watch him.”

*

Draco dropped his book and gasped at the stinging pain on his forearm.  He was in the Slytherin common room and nobody paid him any attention when he discreetly rolled up his sleeve and saw his scar glowing.  He got up from the table and made his way to his room.  He was being summoned by the Dark Lord.  For what reason, he didn’t know.  Maybe he had heard about how he failed to earn the trust of Potter and his friends, succeeding only in earning himself a month’s worth of detention.

He closed the door behind him and touched the Mark, feeling the familiar tug of portkey-like effects.  But when he landed, it wasn’t Lord Voldemort who had greeted him, it was Snape.

“You have been summoned by Lord Voldemort for a most important task,” he said to him.  “You will return quickly.  Our spy has been compromised and is currently being held in the Room of Requirement.  You are to go there and assist Nagini in his escape.”

Draco’s eyes widened.  “Nagini is in the castle?”

“Of course she is,” Snape spat.  “She can sense the horcrux unlike Pettigrew who is running around blindly.”

Draco swallowed nervously.  “Pettigrew is searching for the horcrux?”

“Important information has been shared with the rat and he will most likely spill it.  Let him.  Nagini will take care of him before they haul him away.  Your job is to get them out of the castle, hide any evidence that Nagini was there.”  Snape looked down at him in disgust.  “Now, go!”

He landed hard on his feet when he was sent back to his room.  It took him a moment to regain his bearings before he shook his head and opened the door to head out for his task.  He didn’t get very far when he ran into Potty and Professor Tonks.

“May we have a moment of your time?” she said firmly to him, her wand aimed at him.  “Accio wand,” she said, catching it deftly and tucking it away in her robes.  Potty had a smirk on his face. 

“Let’s go,” he announced and Professor Tonks moved behind him, poking him hard in the back so he would move forward. 

*

Hermione was very aware that Pettigrew was watching her with his beady eyes.  He was going to plead with her, beg her to have mercy on him and let him go.  “Not a chance,” she said aloud to him.  “Not after what you’ve done to Harry and his parents.”  Pettigrew closed his eyes and whimpered.  

The door for the Room of Requirement opened and Neville and Ron stepped through.  “Bloody hell!” Ron said when he saw Pettigrew.  “Good job you two!” Hermione’s cheeks turned pink at the memory of how, exactly, Peter was caught.  She wasn’t going to take credit for accidentally ambushing him after finding herself in Harry’s arms when she woke up. 

Professor McGonagall came in next, followed shortly by Fred and George who both whistled lowly when they saw him.  Their father came next with Shacklebolt and Remus.  Pettigrew whimpered when he saw his old friend.  Remus couldn’t look at him without giving him a look of disgust.  A tension had settled into the room as Remus approached the bound man.  He knelt down and took out the gag.

“Remus, I’m so sorry.  Don’t let them hurt me.  We were friends!  I’m still your friend.”

Remus reached back and punched the man in the jaw.  Everyone in the room jumped.  “That was for James,” he sneered.  “You’re death will be for Lily and Harry.”

“Remus,” Arthur and Kingsley moved forward and pulled Remus away from the pitiful man.

Hermione realized she had been covering her mouth with her hands in shock and surprise when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.  She looked over and saw that it belonged to Ron.  She turned back to Peter who spat blood on the floor. 

The door opened and Moody walked in, then Tonks then…she gasped sharply.

“Harry!” Ron exclaimed.

Draco’s eyes immediately found Hermione’s as he was forcefully shoved into the room by Harry.  Everyone could feel the tension in the room increase considerably with the Slytherin’s presence.  Hermione backed away. 

“What a lovely little reunion for you two,” Harry smirked as he shoved Draco in front of Pettigrew.

“Are we all here?” Kingsley asked.

“Aberforth will be here shortly,” Moody replied gruffly. 

Harry’s eyes fell on Hermione who suddenly looked as if she was struggling to breathe.  She could feel the boys’ gazes on her.  She wasn’t a member of the Order anymore, out of Harry’s circle of trust so she made her way to the door.  Tonks and McGonagall stared determinedly at Harry who looked like he wanted to stop her. 

Draco made a motion as if he wanted to speak to Hermione as she passed but Harry drew his wand on Malfoy, jabbing the tip of it in his cheek, forcing him too look away from her.

“Eyes forward, Malfoy,” he hissed to him in a menacing whisper.  Draco smirked and complied. 

Harry darted to Hermione as Ron took his place to stand sentinel over the Ferret.  He reached out and gently took her arm.  “Stay,” he whispered to her.

“Harry, I don’t—“

“Please.”

Draco turned his head to get a peek but Ron shook his head, blocking his view.  Draco turned back to Peter.  He was blinking up at him, a pleading gesture on his face.  Merlin, he really was pathetic. 

The door opened and Aberforth walked in, completing those in attendance that Harry had invited.  Assured that Hermione wouldn’t leave, Harry walked up to Shacklebolt.

“Do you have the Veritaserum?” he asked. 

Kingsley reached into his robes and handed Harry a glass vial with clear liquid in it.  Draco smirked and opened his mouth to say something but a quick and threatening look from Harry returned him back to his sulky mood.

McGonagall conjured up a chair and Fred and George placed Pettigrew on it, adjusting his binds so he was now tied to the piece of furniture.  George took out the gag as Harry approached him. 

“Don’t hurt me!  Please!  I’ll tell you whatever you want to hear!” Peter squealed.

“I’m counting on that,” Harry said as the twins forced his mouth open.  Harry let a few drops land on the man’s tongue. 

It felt as if long moments had passed in anticipation, no one dared to breathe.  “Did Voldemort send you?” Harry asked.

Peter had a glassy-eyed expression on his face.  His body lay limp on the chair, Fred and George at his side, their wands at the ready.  “Yes,” he replied.

“Why?” Harry asked.

“To spy on Harry Potter.”

“Is that all?”

“And to retrieve the horcrux.”

There were sharp gasps from the members that did not know about the horcruxes.  The secret was out now, it didn’t matter but Harry still did have two more to destroy, no one needed to know that.

“Harry,” Hermione called to him softly, gesturing him toward her.  Harry walked over, still keeping his attentions on Wormtail.  She reached out and grabbed his arm lightly for balance as she stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.  “Be careful what you say in front of everyone.  If Voldemort sent Peter here to retrieve the horcrux, he doesn’t know that you have already destroyed it.”

Harry looked at her then nodded in thought.  He then walked back to their prisoner.  He didn’t say anything for a long moment then, “What horcrux?”

A crooked grin grew on Pettigrew’s face.  “The one you stole from the trophy cabinet.  Hufflepuff’s cup.”  Ron nervously eyed Draco whose face was remarkably, or suspiciously, blank.  Neville glanced at Ron.

“Do you know how to destroy it?” Harry asked the rat.

“No, I’m only supposed to retrieve it.”

Harry looked at Draco with narrowed eyes.

“And what is Draco Malfoy’s role in this?” 

Draco shifted uncomfortably as Peter answered.  “He was a distraction.  Used to give you false information so I could slip into the castle.  He was told to befriend you to do this.”  Draco’s eyes flitted to Hermione but she was staring at Pettigrew and Potty. 

“What’s Voldemort planning next?” Harry asked.

“An attack on St. Mungo’s.”  Neville visibly stiffened as he stood next to Ron.  Harry eyed everyone in the room.

“When?” he asked.

“I do not know,” the rat replied.

“Does Malfoy know?” Harry asked.

“Which one?” Peter asked.

“Both.”

“Lucius yes.  The boy…no.  The Dark Lord likes to play the two against each other.”  Draco rolled his eyes at this.

“What will he do?” Harry asked.

“I do not know.”

Harry looked at Neville.  “Are there specific targets?”

“I do not know.”

Harry took a deep breath of frustration, letting another long pause fill the room.  “Is Snape alive?” he asked in a soft whisper.

Peter looked at Harry.  “Yes.”

Harry took a step forward and for a moment everyone saw power, real and controlled power.  “Where?” he asked.

“By the Dark Lord’s side.”

“And where is Voldemort?”

“I don’t know.  We are summoned by the mark like a portkey.  I see nothing but the room the Dark Lord is in.”

“How did he know I had the cup?”

“He saw it in the mudblood’s mind.  He knows you’ve been searching for them since the summer.”

Harry peered at him.  “How?”

“The locket was missing.  So he sent us to search for it.  Bellatrix saw your mudblood friend looking for it as well in a shop this summer.”

Harry looked sharply over to Hermione whose eyes were wide.  “And where are all the horcruxes?” he asked, turning back to Wormtail.

“I don’t know.  He only sent me after the locket and the cup.  Lucius has the diary…or so he says.”    Harry looked at Hermione.

“What do you mean by that?” Harry asked.

“Lucius hasn’t been able to turn it up.  He thinks Narcissa has it.”  Hermione looked at Draco.  Peter began to chuckle to himself as he stared at Draco.

“What?” Harry asked him.

“Like I said, the Dark Lord likes to play the Malfoy’s against each other.”

Blood roared in Draco’s ears and he shoved Ron away from him at the same as he swiped his wand.  Harry blocked the curse that was headed in Peter’s direction as Kingsley disarmed the boy.  Ron and Neville were only too happy to tackle Draco to the ground.

“WHAT’S HE DONE TO MY MOTHER?!!!” Draco screamed.  “WHAT’S HE DONE TO MY MOTHER?!!”

Chaos broke out in the room.  Hermione backed up to the wall as she heard Draco’s screams, Peter’s laughter, everyone was shouting. 

Harry walked up to her.  “Hermione.”  He called her name but she couldn’t take her eyes off of Draco and Peter.  Did something happen to his mother?  “Hermione!”  Oh God, she didn’t really know Narcissa but…why was all this happening?  Narcissa was safe, wasn’t she?  “Hermione!” 

Harry was holding her firmly by her upper arms and calling to her.  She looked over at him as if coming out of a fog.  “What?” she asked him, softly.

“Where is Mrs. Malfoy?” he asked.  “What room is she in?”

“Huh?” she asked, a little dazed.  There was so much noise in the room.

“Her room, Hermione.”

“3514,” she replied.  She didn’t realize that Kingsley Shacklebolt was standing behind Harry.

“Let’s go,” he said to the raven-haired teen.

Harry turned to McGonagall and Remus.  “Keep him here.”

“Where?” McGonagall blurted out.

“This is a castle!” he said impatiently, holding his arms out.  “I’m sure we can find a nice cell in the dungeon somewhere!  Ask Filch!” 

“Let’s go,” Remus said as he and Harry picked up Draco, who was still angry and upset.  Tonks and Kingsley followed behind them as they left the Room of Requirement. 

*

Draco had calmed down considerably when they apparated him off of school grounds.  The aurors immediately put an anti-apparation charm on him but Draco didn’t seem to be questioning it.   He was just as eager to reach his mother as they were.

“Where’s the diary?” Harry asked him as they walked into the hotel lobby, catching stares from some of the guests.

“Not a chance Potter,” Draco mumbled back.

“You want us to help your mum, you give me the diary,” Harry said firmly.

Draco looked at him, weighing his options.  “I want to see my mother first.”

It was a quiet group in the lift.  Harry watched the numbers light up as they passed each floor.  So many things were going through his mind.  He was anxious about Peter, dreading contact with Narcissa, curious as to why Lucius would lie to Voldemort about the diary.  And Hermione…

Oh, Hermione.

He couldn’t think about her right now so he pushed her to the back of his mind as the lift slowed and came to a stop, There was a small ping to announce the arrival of their intended destination and the doors opened.

Immediately, Harry felt the tingle.  The hairs on the back of his neck rose in a strange anticipation and a feeling of dread and foreboding overcame him.  It felt too quiet and still on this floor.  The group kept walking but he wondered if they felt it.  If they did, they were doing a wonderful job of hiding it. 

“She might not be there,” Tonks said.  “She may have left to go out.”

“She wouldn’t go out,” Draco replied and knocked on the door in some strange sort of pattern.  A signal, probably, to let his mother know it was him.

Everyone waited.

Draco knocked again.

“Are you sure she isn’t in the lobby or anything?” Harry asked, getting more and more nervous as time passed.  The look on Draco’s face confused Harry until he realized he had never seen it before.  It was a look of concern.

“Kingsley,” Harry said softly and the auror motioned for everyone to move aside, Tonks and Harry drew out their wands while Remus looked out for any muggles. 

A quick unlocking charm did the trick and Kingsley swung the door open.  The room was dark inside, the curtains shut to block out the morning sun.  An odd and detached thought of missed breakfast passed through Harry’s mind. 

Draco moved forward but Harry held him back, shaking his head no.  Draco shrugged Harry’s hand off and moved forward into the room with Shacklebolt.

“All clear guys,” he said to the others and Harry knew, just knew by his tone that something was wrong. 

He followed behind Draco, feeling as if he were moving in slow motion, watching as the Slytherin moved forward to the body on the bed.  The sheets were stained red and for a moment Harry wondered if it was all fake.  He felt like he wasn’t really there, that he was watching a muggle horror movie that he had once sneaked a peek at when Dudley had his friends over. 

He must have stopped walking at some point and just stood there as a cry ripped from his nemesis’ throat.  It was surreal to watch Draco Malfoy sob as he tried to reach for his mother.  Remus and Kingsley were holding him back.  There was a muffled sob next to him and he looked up to see Tonks covering her mouth.  Oh, yeah, that was her aunt or something.

Narcissa was pretty, even in death.  She seemed peaceful and still if only the angry red slit on her throat wasn’t there, and if she wasn’t surrounded by her own blood.  Harry noticed that there was a note folded in half and resting between the fingers of Narcissa’s stiff hand.  Harry reached over and plucked it out of her post-mortem grasp.

Draco

That was who it was addressed to.  He slowly opened it, not recognizing the script.

You were always your mother’s son.  Even to the end.  Give me what I want.

L.

He didn’t even sign it: Your Father or anything like that.  Just L for Lucius. 

 “I have to bring others in here,” Kingsley said in a low voice.  “I have to take everyone in for questioning and…”  Harry tuned him out.  He was watching Draco’s face.  He saw the tears subside and give way to something else.  Anger, rage or maybe both mixed with grief.  Harry knew how he felt.  Or at least he thought so. 

It was only two years ago that he had lost his godfather, the closest thing he had to a parent.  Last year he had lost his grandfather figure, his mentor.   He couldn’t remember losing his mother really.  He was too young to feel the pain, it was just a dull ache, a feeling of incompleteness.  No one had seen him take the note so he discreetly slipped it into the pocket of his robe. 

 *

He recognized some of the Aurors that had showed up eventually.  There was a white cloth draped over Narcissa.  Draco was sitting in a chair, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees as he stared at his mother’s body.  Harry wanted to get out of here.  Some familiar faces from other departments were here, flashes of a camera went off once in awhile.  They were going to have to go down to the Ministry eventually.  Harry wondered how long Narcissa had been dead.  Honestly his mind was still trying to wrap around the thought that there was a very strong possibility that Lucius had done this. 

And over a stupid diary that he knew had been destroyed. 

Was Lucius just covering his own ass by the reckless way he had handled the horcrux?  Peter had said that the horcruxes were scattered about and that Voldemort was racing around trying to recover them before he, Harry, could get his hands on them. 

“Come on you two,” Kingsley said.

Harry sat with Malfoy after they were done being interrogated.  Malfoy was not a favorite name amongst the Department and was treated as such.  The two of them sat in an empty room, waiting to be escorted back to Hogwarts.  Draco was sitting at the only table in the room, a sad little square wooden one with matching chairs.  He was slumped forward, his chin resting on one forearm while his other hand traced the scratches on the table.  His eyes were red rimmed and a little puffy but his expression was hard to read.  Harry assumed that the Malfoy’s were not ones to be openly emotional. 

“It’s in my bookshelf,” he said.  His voice was rough and scratchy.

“How did you get it?” Harry asked softly.

“My mother stole it from my father.  She was using it as leverage to protect me from him and the Dark Lord.  I guess my father was afraid that I would be the one to deliver it to him since he was unable.”

“Your father had no intention of giving Voldemort the diary,” Harry said softly.

Draco’s eyes looked up at him.  “How would you know?” His tone was nasty but Harry shrugged it off.  It’s not everyday your mother dies and then you have to spend the rest of the day with the person you can’t stand most in the world.  But he wasn’t going to answer the question either. 

Instead, he walked over and stood next to Malfoy and took out the note from his robes.  He placed it on the table and slid it over to him.

“What is this?” Draco asked.

“I got it from your mother’s hand.  Nobody saw it,” Harry replied.

“Why didn’t you give it to them?” Draco nodded toward the door that led to the Auror offices.  Harry didn’t answer that either.

Draco looked at the note for a moment, taking in his name written in his father’s writing.  Then he opened it and read the contents. 

“I’m sorry about your mother,” Harry said softly.  Draco folded the note and slipped it into his robes.

~*~

Trying to concentrate in class under the current circumstances was proving to be very difficult.  Even Neville was fidgety.  Ron looked back at him in DADA where he was noisily tapping his foot underneath the table.  He was paired up with Hermione since both of their partners were gone for the moment.  Hermione was looking very lost and distracted as well. 

Some of their housemates had asked questions earlier about Harry’s absence but Ron just shrugged the questions off.  Now that Malfoy and Potter were both conspicuously absent from the classes they shared, the gossip was heightened just a bit. 

Ron challenged Neville to a game of chess after dinner to whittle away the hours and keep his mind off of the time.  Both of them were distracted, Ron’s bishop shook his head in disbelief at the move he had just made.  Neville’s pawn was gesturing wildly to the space next to him to overtake the bishop but he instead moved his knight.  The pawn sat down and pouted.

Hermione was sitting on the sofa reading a book…or at least pretending to.  She hadn’t turned a page since she had sat down.  Ron couldn’t help but wonder who she was more concerned for, Harry or, ugh, Malfoy.  He liked to think it was Harry but even that thought made him uneasy.  Not that he didn’t want his two best friends together, they did seem better together when they were ripping each other’s hearts out.  He just wondered how much the two of them could take before they did severe irreparable damage to their friendship.  They were toeing the line nicely.

The portrait door opened and Tonks walked in.  The three of them immediately stood.  “They’re back,” she said.  Her expression was very somber.  The three of them scrambled out of the door and into the corridors. 

Hermione saw them on the second floor landing and skidded to a halt.  Ron and Neville nearly collided into her.  Harry was walking with Draco, Remus and Shacklebolt.  Her heart leapt when she saw that Harry was alive and unharmed but her joy quickly evaporated when she saw the look on his face.  Remus and Shacklebolt hung back as the teens approached each other.  Draco seemed to be looking everywhere but at them and Harry looked…sad.

Then it suddenly hit her.

Maybe they were too late.

Her hands flew to her mouth.  “Oh no,” she whispered.  Harry nodded, confirming her conclusion.  There was a soft sniffling sound and she was stunned to see that it came from Draco.  Suddenly, he broke and his shoulders started to shake as he reached for her in his sorrow.  Hermione was stunned.  Her wide eyes turned to Harry for an explanation.  His expression was guarded but he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder before he walked forward to Ron and Neville.

“Come on,” she heard him say to them.  “Let him alone.”

“What happened?” Ron asked quietly.  Harry looked back and saw that Malfoy, Hermione and Shacklebolt were moving to an empty classroom.  Malfoy was still distraught and holding onto Hermione. 

“His father killed his mother,” Harry answered, turning away and stuffing his hands in his pockets. 

“Merlin,” Neville said under his breath as the three of them made their way back to the common room.

*

“Even though he’s a first class git, I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone…except You-Know-Who,” Ron said quietly.  The three of them were sitting in their beds talking.  Seamus and Dean were already asleep, curtains closed and softly snoring.  “I dunno what I’d do if I lost my mum.”

Neville and Harry caught each other’s lost glances.  Harry looked away to the Map on his bed.  McGonagall had joined the group after Remus had left.  Shacklebolt, Hermione and Malfoy were still in the classroom.  Harry didn’t know what he was feeling.  He just witnessed his most hated classmate grieving over his dead mother’s body only to come back to Hogwarts and have him break down in his best friend’s arms.  What the fuck was he supposed to do?  Fuck off Malfoy, I don’t care if your mother IS dead, get your grubby paws off of Hermione.  It seemed a little shallow and heartless but it gave him some consolation that Hermione looked just as bewildered.  Then again, she was still with him in that room wasn’t she?

Fuck it all.  He couldn’t sit here and dwell on this.

“Hey, where are you going?” Ron asked when he got out of the bed. 

Harry threw on his cloak and grabbed his Firebolt from his trunk.  “I’m just going to fly for a little bit.  Clear my head.”

“Do you want company?” Ron queried but Harry shook his head. 

“I just want to be alone right now.  I’ll be back.”

The astronomy tower was empty, probably recently cleared of its romantic occupants by the Prefects and Head Boy and Girl.  It was a clear night and Harry took a moment to stare up at the starts that dusted the black velvety darkness of the night sky.  There was a gentle breeze that caressed his bangs away from his forehead, his cloak caught in the breeze lifted slightly away from him. 

Hermione didn’t know why she felt compelled to come up here but when she passed the door, she felt as if something was pulling her toward it.  She silently and cautiously crept up the stairs only to be greeted with the breathtaking sight that Harry Potter was under the starlight. 

Harry realized that he wasn’t alone anymore and he turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway.  She still had on her school uniform but she didn’t have her jumper and her shirt was untucked, her tie gone.  Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the lovely curls moved with the gentle breeze.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

For a moment, he didn’t know how to answer her.  Was he okay?  No, he had just seen a dead body, another murder.  No, he had seen Draco Malfoy scream and cry for his mother.  No, he had been questioned all day in the Ministry and he had not eaten very much.  No, he watched as Draco reached out to seek comfort from the same person that Harry used to get comfort from. 

But she was here now.  Here with him in the Astronomy Tower.

“I think I will be,” he replied softly.  “Are you just coming back?”  He looked down at his feet, shuffling them on the stone floor.

Hermione scratched the back of her head.  “Yes.  Kingsley wanted to know exactly what we were doing all this time with his mother.  McGonagall was there as well.”

Harry nodded solemnly.  “And Malfoy?” he asked. 

Hermione sighed.  “He is doing as well as can be expected knowing his father did this.  Harry, I didn’t know about the diary.  I swear I didn’t.”

“I believe you,” he replied.  “He and his mother wouldn’t have told anyone about that.”

“Did you tell him that you destroyed it?”

Harry shook his head.  “No.  He doesn’t need to know that right now.  Too risky.  Did you say anything?”

“It was mentioned but I didn’t say a word.”  She stepped forward and as she did she saw that he had his broom with him.

“I was going for a ride,” he explained. 

Hermione nodded.  “Be careful,” she said softly.  “And, uh, don’t stay out too late.” She turned and began to walk away but Harry calling out her name stopped her and she turned around.

“Did you, uh, want to come with me?” he asked.

He stood there in the night, broom in hand, reminding her so much of that fateful night in the garden at Grimmauld Place where he gave her the same exact proposition.  The night that shifted things between the two of them.

Maybe it would shift things between them again.

Or at least she hoped as she smiled and walked back to him.  “Ready?” he asked in a low voice by her ear.  She stood in front of him, her back to his front as she felt him gently tap his wand on her head.  A coolness rippled down her body then suddenly she was weightless, flying in the air.

She never felt safe flying unless she was with Harry.  She knew that nothing bad would happen to her, he wouldn’t allow it.  His presence surrounded her, invading her senses and filling her with warmth. 

“Do you want to steer?” he asked her.

“What?” she laughed.  “Are you joking?”

“Why not?  You taught me how to drive a car.  The least I could do is teach you how to fly a broom.”

“Harry…I could mess up and do some serious injury to us.”

Harry laughed.  “And my driving was the best?  Everyone makes mistakes, Hermione.  It’s part of learning.  It was a bumpy and probably not the most comfortable drive but…we got where we needed to be in the end didn’t we?”

His hands slowly let go of the broom and rested on Hermione’s hips.  Hermione swallowed nervously, willing herself not to look down.  “Lean a little to the left,” he instructed.  She did and the broom ever so slightly began to veer left.  “Now try the right.”  The broom veered right.  She went left then right again, gaining just a little more confidence.  “Okay, now go right a little harder and hold it.”  She complied and she held her breath as they tilted, the broom going right in a wide circle.  “Good, now straighten it out.”  She did and they righted themselves.  “Do the same with the left”.  Hermione laughed as she successfully brought them out of another circle.  “Lean forward and press down.”  She did slowly and they began to descend.  “Now pull to bring us back up.”  She did and they flew back to the tops of the castle’s turrets. 

She gained more confidence in herself and she flew them over Hagrid’s hut (“Wanna stop and say hello to your boyfriend?” Harry had teased).  She flew them over the gatehouse and over to the lake, flying over it’s glossy surface.  Harry took over and they flew faster and lower, the tips of her shoes skimmed the lakes surface.  She gasped in delight when Harry moved them higher, stopping a moment so they could take in the view.  The lights in the castle twinkled, mirroring the stars in the sky.  The mountains were dark in the background and there was a small stream of smoke coming from Hagrid’s hut.  She could hear the breeze rush through the trees in the forest and the occasional hoot of an owl.  It was so beautiful that she closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to remember this for the rest of her life.  What if felt like to be here with Harry at this moment in time.

“We should be getting back,” Harry said, breaking through her thoughts.

It was with great reluctance that Hermione set her feet back down on the stone floor of the Astronomy tower.  She dismounted and turned to face Harry as he tapped her on the head again, lifting the disillusionment charm off of her.  They were still standing close together and with a pounding heart Hermione stepped forward.  She put her hands on his shoulders and stood on tiptoe to bring her lips to his.

She opened her eyes when she realized that Harry wasn’t returning the gesture.  She saw him swallow nervously.  She closed her eyes and sighed, retreating from him just as he leaned down to return her kiss.  “Right,” she breathed.

Harry mentally kicked himself.  He wanted to kiss Hermione.  Oh Merlin how he wanted to but he couldn’t keep the stupid thought out that this place, this tower, was where Ron had walked in on her kissing Malfoy.  He stifled the jealous thought and moved to return her kiss but she had already pulled away.  The moment was lost.

“Hermione,” he sighed.

She stepped away from him and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.  “It’s okay, Harry.  Really.  I’m sorry.”  She turned and left him alone in the tower. 

Harry rested his forehead against the Firebolt.  “Fuck,” he whispered softly.

~*~

News of Narcissa Malfoy’s death made the front page of the Daily Prophet and was top topic of conversation in the halls of Hogwarts.  “It’s strangely poetic justice,” Ginny said as she passed the paper to Neville.

“That’s a real fucked up thing to say Ginny,” Harry scolded her.  “Nobody deserves that.”

“After all that he’s done,” she retorted.  Ron stayed out of it as did Neville.  Harry let the topic go, not wanting to cause a fight.

The door to the Room of Requirement opened and this time Terry Boot walked through with Anthony Wellington.  Ginny raised her eyebrows and looked at Harry, gauging his reaction.

“What?” he said to her.

“Nothing,” she shrugged. 

“I said you could bring one other person.  I like Wellington, really I do.”  Harry defended himself.

It was Friday night, the night of a meeting with the D.A.  The room was beginning to fill up with members, some old some new.  It was five till the hour and a few people still needed to show.  The door opened and Harry’s heart leapt into his throat when he saw Hermione walk in. 

“Hey,” she said to him, giving him a soft smile.

“Hi,” he replied nervously.

She reached into her bookbag and pulled out a sheet of parchment.  “I have what you were asking for earlier.”

“Oh thanks!”

She took a look around the room.  “Wow, new faces, huh?”

“Yeah, I said they could each invite only one other person, that way they would give some more thought into who they would like to join.”

“Hmm, very clever, Harry,” she mused.

“But the extra insurance of the list wouldn’t hurt either,” he added. 

“Can’t be too careful,” she said, scanning the crowd.  “Oh there’s Susan.”  She left his side to talk to her.

Harry waited until ten after to start the meeting.  He cleared his throat loudly as he stood in the middle of the room commanding everyone’s attention.  The chatter slowly died.

“Welcome back,” he said.  “For those of you who are new, welcome to the D.A.  I trust that your sponsors have filled you in on the gist of this club and that you’re still willing to come shows how dedicated you are.”  He held up the Daily Prophet, the picture of Narcissa’s cloth draped body was held up for all to see.  “None of us are immune in this war.  Even those who are…rumored to be in his circle.  It’s an important lesson.  This castle won’t protect you completely as well.  This morning…one of Voldemort’s spies was captured in this castle.”  The room exploded into chatter and Ron whistled loudly to bring back order. 

“Secrecy is of the D.A. is imperative.  We cannot risk someone finding out about us.  This is more than punishment by Umbridge, which was bad enough as it was.  Therefore, I ask you to think this over carefully.  We aren’t children anymore, this world isn’t safe and it’s up to us to defend this school, defend our homes and families, defend our way of life. 

The new D.A. is tougher, more vigorous and more demanding of its members.  Therefore, I want each of you to think carefully when putting your name down on this list.  There is a greater consequence than just SNEAK appearing on your forehead.  Those of you who have changed their minds…will have a simple memory alteration so that you don’t remember the meeting.  So with that in mind.”  Harry picked up a quill and signed his name on the parchment.  This time, his name disappeared into the paper.  Ron, Ginny and Neville signed next.  Then Hermione stepped to the front to do the same.  “Welcome back to the D.A.,” Harry said softly to her.  She smiled and handed the quill over to Dean and sat back down next to Susan. 

*

Pettigrew looked up to see young Draco Malfoy approach his cell escorted by a couple of aurors.  He didn’t know how long he was going to be down here or why he was being held instead of turned into the Ministry.  He supposed they were just waiting for the attack on St. Mungo’s to verify his information.  It was true, he had overhead it from the Dark Lord himself. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked the blond-haired young man. 

Draco just stared at the pitiful man for a long time.  He was supposed to help him and Nagini escape?  Fuck it all.  He didn’t care anymore, this man could rot in the dungeon for all eternity.

“Who ordered it?” Draco asked him.

Peter sneered.  “Oh, I guess you found out about your mother.  Don’t look so surprised boy.  Her death was a long time coming.  Lucius had been talking about it some time now.  How long was she lying there dead in that filthy muggle hotel?”

“Fuck you.”

Peter just laughed.  “You did it yourself boy.  Reducing your mother to stay in those muggle infested areas.”

“You knew this would happen and no one warned me?”

Peter blinked at him.  “Warn you?  WARN you?” he threw his head back and howled with laughter.  “Why would anyone lift a finger to help a brat like you?”

Draco rushed at the cell but was dragged away by the aurors, spitting profanities at the vile man. 

He was tossed out into the corridor.  “You’ve had your five minutes you filthy scum,” the auror said to him.  Draco smirked and raised his middle finger.  The aurors grumbled and returned into the dungeons to their posts. 

Peeves came zooming down the hall and bounced up and down in delight in front of him.  “Heard about your dear sweet mum,” the poltergeist said then held a finger to his throat and made a slashing noise as he swiped across it.  The ghost zoomed away with glee, laughing hysterically. 

“Yeah and fuck you too,” Draco grumbled.  “Useless vapor of mist.”  He reached into his robes and retrieved his flask of Firewhiskey and made his way to the third floor lavatory.

*

Everyone present had signed his or her name on the list.  They were in it for better or worse, most likely the latter.  The lesson went by quickly.  Harry had them pair up to assess how they were in their DADA skills.  It was mostly review for the former D.A. members but it provided a nice catch-up for those who were new.  As much as he wanted to pair up with Hermione, she had paired up with Susan Bones.  Maybe it was for the best, being without a partner allowed him to observe Hermione….er, others, observe the others.  And when the time came for the lesson to end, he checked the Map and let everyone leave in small groups. 

Hermione was chatting with Susan, Ernie and Anthony as they approached the door.  “I would rather you left with another Gryffindor, just so you reached the common room safely,” he said to Hermione.

She looked around and was about to call for Seamus when Anthony Wellington spoke up.  “I know the way to your portrait, Harry.  I’ll walk her there.”  Harry looked at him then opened his mouth to say something but Hermione cut him off.  “Harry, it’s okay.”

“Is it safe to go?” Susan asked him.

Harry looked down at the Map.  “Yeah, you’re all clear,” he muttered and watched as Hermione left. 

“He’s got the right idea with the club, you know,” Anthony said to Hermione when they reached the Fat Lady’s portrait.  “Especially after what happened last year.”

“Well, that was the idea,” she smiled back.

They paused outside.  “He really likes you, you know.  I can tell.  I was a little afraid for a moment when we were leaving that he was going to hex me into a million pieces.”

Hermione let out a small laugh.  “He’s just protective over his friends.”  She was too embarrassed to tell him that she was pretty sure that he didn’t want to have anything to do with her in that way anymore.  The attempted kiss the other night proved that.  

“Trust me Hermione,” Anthony smirked.  “That was Universal Guy Speak for ‘Fuck off’.  That and the fact that he couldn’t keep his eyes off of you all through the meeting.”

Hermione shrugged and gave him a small smile.  “Good night Anthony,” she said and the two of them shared a small hug before she walked into the common room.  Never the less, Anthony’s words haunted her that night as she restless tossed and turned in her bed.

~*~

It happened sometime in the middle of the night.  She heard the portrait slam and someone scramble up the stairs.  Two people maybe?  Then there was nothing for a moment then another door opened and more people scrambling on the stairs.  Hermione got out of bed to investigate. 

There, below in the Gryffindor common room, McGonagall stood in her robes in front of Tonks, Harry, Ron and Neville.  “The message came five minutes ago.  I came here straight away,” she was saying.

Hermione raced down the stairs when she saw that the three boys were getting ready, putting on their trainers.  Tonks was already in her Auror garb.

“It’s happening isn’t it?” Hermione breathed.  Everyone turned to look at her.  “St. Mungo’s.”

“It’s under attack,” Tonks said, then she turned to the young men.  “We have to leave now, Harry.”

“I’m going with him,” Neville said determinedly.  “My parents are there.”  Harry nodded.

“I’m going too,” Ron declared.

“I want to go as well,” Hermione added.

“No!” Harry said firmly.  Ron looked at him. 

“Harry, we could use her—“
“No,” Harry cut him off.  “I want one of you out of harm’s way.”  His two friends looked at him exasperatedly.  “Please,” he said.  Hermione and Ron looked at each other.  Hermione conceded and looked away. 

“Let’s go,” Tonks said as everyone filed away.  Hermione stepped up to her three classmates.  “Be careful,” she said, looking at each one and placing a hand on Ron’s arm. 

“We will,” Neville replied. 

A feeling of foreboding overcame her as she watched them file out.  Harry was the last to leave.  He waved goodbye to her and Hermione took this moment to look at him, take him in as if it was the last she should see of him.

The door closed and she let out a small sob, bringing her hands to her mouth as she walked over and stood in front of the fireplace.  She heard the door open again and she quickly wiped away her tears.

“Harry,” she said when she turned to see who had entered.  He stood there a moment, looking at her.

He reached her in two strides, reaching out and cradling her head in his hands as he kissed her on the lips.  He could taste the salt of her tears on his tongue as he traced the line of her lips, asking for permission to deepen the kiss.  Hermione’s arms wrapped around him as she complied, letting her tongue taste and explore his familiar warmth.  Something powerful radiated through Harry as he kissed her sweet lips and he was reluctant to break it.

“I’ll be back,” he whispered, touching his forehead to hers.  His hands moved from the curls of her hair to her waist, pressing her closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  They kissed again.  Hermione put all of her love into it, let my love protect him, please, please bring him back to me.  Harry was reluctant to pull away from her but he had to go.  He missed her contact immediately but vowed to himself that he would come back.  His eyes conveyed the message to her that they weren’t over, that they would never be over.  He looked back one last time before he stepped out of the room.

~*~

Of course she couldn’t sleep after that.  She ran upstairs to grab a heavy cloak and transfigured her pajamas into jeans and a light jumper, her slippers into trainers and she ran out after them.  But by the time she opened the doors to Hogwarts and ran down the steps, the sounds of apparition filled the air.

Harry was gone.

“Hermione?  What are yeh doin’ out here this time of night?” Hagrid came walking up to her holding a large lantern in his hand. 

Hermione threw her arms around the half-giant.  “Oh Hagrid!” she cried.

He patted her roughly on the back.  “They’ll be okay Hermione.  Harry and Ron will watch each other’s backs.  They’ll come back soon.”

He asked her if she wanted tea to calm herself down and she agreed, following him to his hut where Fang happily greeted her.  There was a deep rumble that sounded like thunder and she realized that it was Grawp, snoring. 

“Here you go Hermione.”  Hagrid set down a saucer and cup in front of her.  He had a warm fire going but she shivered anyway.  She was so worried about Harry.  She wanted to be by his side, fighting and protecting him.  Not that Ron and Neville weren’t capable, she just…needed to be by his side. 

There was a soft hissing sound and she looked up to see Isis writhing in a makeshift cage Hagrid put her in.  “Hagrid?  Is she better?”

“Oh yeah,” he replied.  “I was going to give her to Harry today.”  Fang began to whine and scratch at the door.  “If yeh don’t mind, Hermione.  I have to walk Fang, I’ll be back.”

Hermione nodded and sat back in her chair, sipping the tea.

Thump.  Thump.  Thump.

Hermione looked over at Isis who was trying to lift the lid of her cage.

Thump.  Thump.  Thump.

Hermione got out of the chair and approached the snake.  “Isis, stop.  You’re going to hurt yourself again.”

Thump.  Thump.  Thump.

Hermione reached out and unlocked the cage, stepping back as Isis slithered out of her cage, coiled and raised her head at Hermione, hissing.  It took a few moments before Hermione realized she was trying to tell her something. 

Of all the times Harry had to leave.

“Isis, I’m sorry.  I can’t understand you.”  Isis hissed and slithered over the counter, knocking over jars and saucers.  Hermione was about to protest when Isis knocked over the stack of flashcards that Hagrid used on Grawp.  A card with D-O-G with a picture of a dog fluttered to her feet and she picked it up.  Isis was slithering through the cards, knocking them down one by one.  Getting the idea of what she was trying to do, she picked up the cards and flashed them one-by-one to the snake. 

Rat.  Bird.  Mouse.  Cup.  Chair.  Table.  Frog.   Snake. 

Isis hissed.

Hermione looked at the card.  “Snake?”  Hermione sat back down in the chair and sighed.  “Yes, Isis.  You are a snake.”  Isis hissed and slithered to the floor where Hermione had dropped the cards she had already flipped through.  She hissed when she stopped at Rat.  Hermione picked it up.  “Rat?  Yes, Isis a rat attacked you.”  Isis hissed again and nodded with her head to the other flashcards.  Hermione set the Rat and Snake cards aside and began to flip through the cards once more.

Broom.  Snitch.  Tree.  Castle.

Isis hissed again.

Hermione looked at the card and set it with the rest.  “Snake.  Rat.  Castle.”  Isis slithered up to the table and hissed again.  “Snake.  Rat.  Castle.  Snake.  Rat.  Castle.”

Then suddenly it came to her.  A horrible and frightening thought.

“Nagini,” she whispered.  She stood up so abruptly she knocked the chair over and sprinted for the door.  Isis slithered after her, barely making it through the door as it swung shut.

She ran back to the castle and headed straight for the dungeons.  The two aurors that stood on guard supervised their visit.  “Where’s Nagini?” she demanded of Peter.

He was lying on his mattress in the cell.  He rolled over and looked at her with his beady eyes. 

“Why would I tell you?”

“Where is Nagini?” she repeated. 

Peter rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling.  “It’s happened hasn’t it?  I heard the Aurors talking about an attack on St. Mungo’s.  Potter went with the rest of the Order didn’t he?”

“Don’t change the subject,” she said.

“I’ve been thinking.  It’s funny that I overheard that piece of information from the Dark Lord.  Maybe I was meant to overhear it.  And if Nagini is here at Hogwarts, like you are accusing, then why send the both of us?  Maybe I was meant to be captured and tell you about the attack.”

Hermione’s heartbeat slowed dangerously to a near stop.  “What are you saying?” she whispered.

“I’m just rambling,” he said dismissively.  “Pay no attention to little old me.  But then again…the Dark Lord was working on a special spell that could be cast over a space, or a room…or a building.  A spell that would activate once Harry Potter stepped across its barrier.  A spell that would keep anyone else from entering or leaving the enchanted area, trapping its occupants inside, slowly killing them and letting up once Harry Potter willingly turns himself over to a Death Eater.”  Hermione stopped breathing.  “Imagine using such a spell on St. Mungo’s, an entire building full of helpless witches and wizards?  Oh, it’s a good thing young Harry doesn’t have a Hero Complex or anything.”

Hermione stepped up to the cell.  “You foul and disgusting excuse for a wizard!” she screamed at him.

Peter shot up out of the bed and moved to the other side of the cell.  Hermione moved back quickly enough to avoid his grasp as he reached for her.  The Aurors drew their wands, one of them spoke into his magical transmitter. 

“Shacklebolt,” he said into it.  “Keep Potter out of the building.  Repeat, keep Potter out of the building!”

A tinny voice replied.  “He’s already in.  Listen, we’ve got a situation here and have requested back up.  Over.”

Hermione was horrified.  Peter grinned.  “Give me the cup and I’ll get Potter out of that building and return him to you safely.”

“No deal,” another voice spoke out.

Hermione and the Aurors spun around to see Draco Malfoy step out from the shadows.  As he approached the cell, Pettigrew backed away.  He stopped in front of Hermione and looked at her face.  The torchlight in the dungeons flickered and cast a soft glow over her as she looked back at him, her eyes filled with despair and hope at the same time.  “Pettigrew isn’t the only Death Eater in the castle,” he whispered softly to her.

 

Coming Up:  Draco learns that the hero always gets the girl.