Every Second is a Second Chance
As soon as they'd had what was left in the pantry to eat, they all sat around the table awkwardly and began to interrogate Draco. As if scavenging for any remaining bits of edible food hadn't been awkward enough, the silence that followed when they were eating was worse.
As much as Hermione and Harry were trying to be nice to Draco there was still a deep seeded hatred fueled by years of school bullying and rivalry. The tension was palpable and Ron didn't help matters by eating as he glared at Malfoy across the table. His knife angled towards him and unnaturally close as if he was prepared to take action at a moments notice.
"Where should we start?" Hermione asked sitting next to Harry who sat next to Ron. Malfoy fidgeted in front of them nervously, the tight collar of his shirt seemingly strangling him. He'd need to transfigure it into something more casual and less restraining soon.
"The dark mark," Harry exhaled like he'd been holding in his breath since the beginning of 6h year. There was a glint in his eye that made Hermione squirm.
"Really?" Draco asked pulling up his sleeve and showing them the dark twisted tattoo. The snake glowed in the morning light and it's body moved slowly, enticing their stares. "That's what you wanted to see first?"
"Can he find you using it?" Harry asked not looking away from the skull and the snake coming out from its open jaw. It was sinister and oddly alluring.
Malfoy pulled down his sleeve and crossed his arms. "No, but anyone who has it can find him. We can also feel his rage."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked and she noticed how Malfoy uncrossed his arms and how they fell in front of him stiffly.
He shifted in his seat before answering, his steel gray eyes darkening. "It's dark magic this thing. It's like we're a part of him and he can control us. What he feels we feel. If he wants us to see what he pleases all he has to do is think it and we'll see it as if it were our reality. Many don't know how to stop it but my mother taught me how to control my thoughts. Eventually though it doesn't matter. Weakness can make it worse. If you're hurt or scared, he'll get through."
"Like legilimency, without a wand..." Harry said.
"Exactly," Draco looked at Harry strangely, like he was surprised that Harry knew about legilimency. "My mother and Snape are quite adept at it. She taught me all she knew so I could control what I saw."
Ron scoffed but didn't say anything. He wasn't even looking at Draco. He sat facing the other side of the kitchen. Draco could only see his right side, half of his face screwed up in a frown.
"Is that all it does?" Hermione asked curiously eying the spot where he had laid his arm so they could see even though it wasn't there anymore.
"I think so," Draco said running a finger over the sleeve of his arm. "It bloody hurts all the time. Particularly when he's angry with you."
"Does it hurt now?" Hermione asked trying to find the pain in his features but she couldn't see any.
"What do you think Granger? I left and all of the plans he was stupid enough to share in front of me are exposed."
"Don't be cheeky Malfoy," Ron said staring daggers at the blonde.
"Then tell your girlfriend not to ask stupid questions."
Ron was about to jump up from his seat when Harry interjected before things got out of hand.
"What happened after the night on the tower."
Draco was taken aback. He knew he'd have to answer the question or else die but he wasn't ready to talk about it yet. He'd already said too much to Potter the day before.
"Umm..." Draco started, cringing lightly at the feeling of a tightening in his chest. "When I got to the Hogwarts gates me and the other death eaters who'd been on the tower apparated to my home. All the death eaters were waiting to hear the news about Dumbledore. Bellatrix couldn't wait to tell him that he was dead. Of course when Snape walked through the door he must have seen. He congratulated Snape and then turned on me."
"What happ-" Harry started but Draco interrupted before he could be forced to answer.
"No," Draco said standing up. He took a step back, he wasn't ready. "It doesn't matter okay. Don't make me tell you what he did."
"You deserve it after what you tried to do," Ron said leaning back in his chair and watched Draco run a hand over his chest as if he was trying to shield it from something.
"I regret it okay?" Draco said speaking almost directly to Ron. "I regret it every bloody day of my life. If I hadn't been so blinded by my fear of him then maybe I would have accepted Dumbledore's help earlier. But I didn't. I think about it everyday, about what could have happened to my friends, to my family. I have to live with that."
"Typical," Ron spat also standing up. "We give you a second chance, we offer you an opportunity and you still don't see what you did to us. My sister was in that castle, my brothers and a ton of little eleven year old's frightened by the murderers you let into the school and all you can think about is-"
"His family," Hermione said catching Ron's glare briefly. "Please Ron just..." She didn't know what she wanted him to do. Drop it? Understand? She couldn't see what would drive someone to put so many people in danger but she had never been threatened like he had. When she was up against a wall she tried to find ways to tear the wall down not to crumble against it and give up.
"I don't want details," Harry said trying yet again to defuse the situation. "You told me earlier that there had been plans." His face turned briefly to Hermione and then to Ron. Ron still didn't know what Draco had told Harry and what Hermione had overheard.
"What plans?" Ron asked but when neither Hermione or Harry spoke he directed his frustration to Draco, "What plans!"
Draco took another step back and tried to avoid eye contact with all of them. The images were still perfectly engraved in his mind. He didn't know what Granger looked like naked but the death eaters had sure given it a lot of thought, especially the ones who had seen her in the castle the night Albus Dumbledore was killed. Her and all of the other female students who had awoken.
The Dark Lord had been unforgiving in sharing the crude images and he could still hear the screams of the more than real victims his home had seen. Imagination was a speck of moon dust compared to the giant truth of reality.
"There are legal measures that will go into effect soon. Muggleborn witches and wizards will be asked to go to the Ministry of Magic and surrender their wands. They'll try to make it seem more innocent than that but the Dark Lord is behind it all. They'll take the muggleborns to Azkaban and the death eaters will have their pick from the lot. They are particularly interested in Granger."
Ron's knuckles turned white and he stood from his seat nearly toppling it over. Draco held his wand by his side tightly but Ron didn't approach him. He just turned and walked towards the window. He stood by it, head hunched and shoulders tensed.
"That's barbaric," Hermione whispered nearly as white as the walls of the kitchen. "Surely the ministry-"
"He IS the ministry."
The silence was deafening as the news settled in.
"Snape," Harry let out also standing but instead of staying in one place like Ron, he paced. "Tell us what he told you." He was trying to stray from the topic that had turned the atmosphere of the already suffocating kitchen even thicker.
"He knew I wanted to switch alliances. He was willing to help me."
"Even though he killed Dumbledore..." Harry added.
Draco didn't say anything at first, remembering his last talk with his old potions master.
"He said he owed him a favor. That's all he said."
"Rubbish," Ron interjected and this time neither Harry or Hermione tried to stop him. "You know more. How does someone just kill another human being and not feel remorse. Do you even know what you're implying?"
"Of course I do-" Draco was on the defensive now.
"Remus said that Dumbledore trusted Snape and if he did then we should all trust Snape." Harry rested his arms on the chair in front of him. A far away look on his face. Perhaps he was trying to convince himself.
"That was before Snape sent Dumbledore flying off the north tower!" Ron bellowed. Hermione also stood now. The color still hadn't returned to her face.
"Draco can't lie..." Hermione said. "We asked him a question he is bound to answer and even if he could twist the truth he gave a straight answer."
"Okay so maybe Malfoy isn't lying but Snape probably was."
It was like Draco wasn't even in the room anymore.
"Need I remind you two that Snape sent him here, I thought that was impossible? How did he do it if we're all supposed to be the secret keepers now? How is Snape not dead for it?" Ron was practically jumping in the air.
Hermione and Harry interchanged glances and then glanced expectantly at Draco.
"I don't know alright? I'm not even sure how all this works. How the death eaters don't burst through the doors every time you break the taboo or how they can't see this place yet they clearly know we're in here."
"It's a safe house that the best wizards of all time guarded exclusively. Snape was working with Dumbledore when Sirius offered the place to the order. He must have seen a loophole." Hermione started to bite her finger nails trying to figure it out.
"All I know is Snape gave me a piece of paper with this address on it. He showed me how to get in with a memory of his and that's all. I – I don't even think the address was written in his hand writing."
"A piece of paper?" Harry asked stepping around the table and searching Draco's face for he didn't know what. "He never actually said anything? Was the handwriting a bit messy? Kind of swirly and – and..."
"I guess?" Draco said not knowing what was going on.
"Harry?" Hermione sounded apprehensive.
"It was him!" Harry spun around, a half smile on his face. "Dumbledore. When he wrote mine he must have written a second. Given it to Snape. What if Dumbledore did it so Voldemort wouldn't doubt Snape's loyalty?"
"That's a bit severe mate," Ron said just as apprehensive as Hermione. "Asking Snape to kill him so it doesn't look like Snape's gone soft? We hate Snape remember? Snape tried to help this idiot break Bellatrix Lestrange and Greyback into Hogwarts. Snape stood by as Umbridge took over the school. He's the reason Sirius..."
"Stop," Harry said dangerously. "I do hate him, but Dumbledore trusted him. I think it's time I start trusting who he trusted or else I can't do this mission. It'll drive me insane."
"Trust Snape? He killed Dumbledore!" Ron bellowed as if it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world.
"What does it matter anyway Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively speaking over Ron's rants.
Harry leaned into the table and rested his hands on it. "It matters because it means someone is still with Voldemort who's on our side. I have to believe that. Dumbledore was all about signs. I think Dumbledore knew I wanted leave and do this by myself. I think he would have believed we'd end up back here and he told Snape. Maybe sending Malfoy was sign. He knew how much I hated Snape. I think for once I'm thinking like he wanted me to."
"And what about all the stuff Snape did. What about him killing Dumbledore? Are we really going to believe this nonsense about Dumbledore asking him to do it? That's what we're all thinking right? There has to be a better reason." Ron was almost beside himself.
"We've always found reasons to hate Snape," Hermione whispered as Ron let out an exasperated sigh. "Dumbledore was dying, the curse...it was eating him alive."
She stopped short noticing Draco but she didn't elaborate. "It's not out of the realm of possibility but still highly unlikely. I suggest we keep acting like Snape is on Voldemort's side. We can't risk it."
"Yet we can risk having him here!" Ron pointed at Draco as the latter flinched.
Neither Hermione or Harry answered, both still lost in their own worlds.
"I've basically given you my life, I'm willing to surrender all the information I have, I can't even fight back if I wanted to. What more do you want?" Draco asked.
"The last six years back," Ron said before storming out of the room.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled. She was about to go after him when Harry stopped her.
"We need food desperately. I'll go with Ron, we'll use the invisibility cloak so the death eaters outside won't see us. Maybe it'd be best for everyone if we just have a little space. Give me an hour."
"Harry no," Hermione whined. "It's too dangerous, we can manage-"
"We can't live without food and if we don't go now we'll find excuses not too later as well. Don't worry, we won't take off the cloak at all."
Before Hermione could say another word Harry was gone. She heard him running up the stairs no doubt to let Ron know of his plan. That left her and Draco alone.
"They'll be fine," Draco said sitting back down at the table. "The two death eaters outside are thicker than Crabbe and Goyle. They're not there to chase, just to confirm that someone is in here. We'll watch from the window and if it seems like they see something we'll leave."
"And Ron and Harry?" Asked Hermione.
"Don't you have ways of communicating with them?" Draco asked surprised. He saw her fidget and then turn to leave. He tried not to smile but was grateful that he had said something at least slightly helpful.
He reached for his left forearm and ran his hand over the fabric that covered his tattoo. It was aching painfully. Almost like it knew he had divulged secrets about its master. He knew the questioning wasn't over and the questions that were to come would be a lot harder to answer without exposing the truth and extent of his torture.
When Harry and Ron had descended the stairs, Harry holding a piece of fabric that Draco had to assume was the infamous invisibility cloak, he had managed to stay out of the way. The last time he'd been this close to Potter and his cloak Draco had broken his nose.
Ron purposely ignored him which was fine by Draco.
He went to the window and heard Harry and Ron open the front door already under their cloak. The two death eaters who were watching the house didn't even stir.
"I think it's working," Draco whispered and then jumped when he felt Hermione at his side.
"You're good Harry!" She whispered yelled. They heard the front door close and the two death eater's outside were non the wiser.
Then they really were alone.
They stood side by side watching the death eaters. One was watching the invisible space between 11 and 13 while the other surveyed the area around them carefully. The two death eaters seemed so out of place but they also didn't seem to care.
"Who are they?" Hermione asked crossing her arms as if she were cold. She just couldn't get rid of the shivers that rocked her body every few seconds.
Draco wondered if she was cold or if she was nervous. Probably both. This place seemed uninviting at best and her two best friends had just left to risk their lives for a piece of toast and some tea.
"Hill is the bulky one, kind of looks like he's trying to remember the name of the commanding officer during the 5th goblin war. Bloody idiot but loyal to the bone. Turner is the skinny tall one. Won't go anywhere without Hill. Mother told me she went to school with him, he's not very bright. Might not even like the dark side much but because of Hill..."
Draco was rambling but she was holding on to his every word.
"Kind of like you," she said looking at him with pity.
"What?" Draco asked feeling the hitch in his throat.
Hermione opened her mouth and then looked away, a soft blush covering her cheeks. "I just meant, you were on their side because of your parents right? So you're kind of like Turner-"
"I'm nothing like him, like them." Draco was teetering on the edge. Flash backs that he was trying to hold back were banging on the walls of his mind.
"It's okay," Hermione tried to say, "you're here now right? It means you were never like them."
He wasn't sure why he hated her words. It should have made him feel better, like he was making progress but he was trembling nonetheless.
"Just because I'm here now doesn't mean I like you Granger, doesn't mean we'll be friends. I've only decided I don't want to kill for their side anymore."
Hermione was taken aback, "Anymore?"
"I – I didn't mean that-"
"But you said it!" Hermione took a step back and that just made him even angrier.
"You don't know what you're talking about Granger!" He just wanted her to take her step back. To wipe that look off her face.
"What did you do Malfoy?" Her voice quivered and she searched his face, his eyes, his soul with those words.
This time he took a step back and the sharp sensations were tingling inside of him. He looked down and wondered what would happen if he simply defied the vow? Would there be any scars? Any bleeding? Would he just drop dead?
"Don't," Draco said for what was the second time today. "Don't make me say it."
"What can you say?"
Draco's head snapped up, a dark glint in his eye and murder in his voice, "I'll kill them all and if I get a chance I'll kill Voldemort too."
It had been five long and exhausting days since Kreacher had left to find Mundungus and there was still no word from the elf or the thief. The tension in the Black house was at an all time high.
There had been a moment of brief happiness when Harry had found a letter his mother had written Sirius and a fragment of a photograph taken many years ago of himself and who he believed to be his mother. He could not find the piece with his mother but the letter had given him hope. That one day all could be well again and if not, then perhaps he'd get to see his mother.
They had left Draco to his own devices and immersed themselves into horcrux hunting. She had delved into the old words the horcrux book provided her. It made her stomach turn each time she flipped a page but she ignored the nauseating feeling that overcame her.
Ron and Harry were intent on figuring out why exactly Dumbledore had gifted them the deluminator, the golden snitch, and the Tales of Beedle the Bard if not for the sole purpose of helping them find horcruxes. They were fortunate to have the Black's extensive library at their disposal but so far they were coming up empty handed.
They desperately wanted news from the Order and they needed to move forward on their horcrux hunting. The tension in the house was overwhelming them all, including Malfoy.
She didn't know what to think about what he had said when Ron and Harry had left. His words still haunted her and she wasn't sure if she should feel sorry for him or fear him.
She wanted to know what he'd done or what had been done to him. The day after the vow had been very telling. It was almost like she wanted to see the Malfoy she had known and hated all along but he was non existent except for his rude remarks and pretentious smirks. Other than the telling features like his blonde hair and gray eyes he was a different person.
Aside from calling her mudblood the one time when he was trying to get a rise out of her, he never uttered the foul word. For all intents and purposes Malfoy was a proper boy but whatever he was hiding scared her. What ever he was hiding, it had changed him.
It scared her because she didn't know this Malfoy. The one who had thanked her for the toothbrush, albeit she had made him do so. She didn't know the Malfoy who didn't cower behind injuries. When Buckbeak had injured him he had whimpered for a whole month about it. Now, now that something so clearly horrible had been done to him, he was mute.
And what he said about killing them all. She figured he meant the death eaters. He was bound by their vow to not hurt anyone on their side. He held special hatred towards Voldemort. She realized she didn't mind what he had said as much as how he said it. So easily and with so much conviction. It dawned on her that she had no idea what she would do if he had no problem killing. Was it really her business so long as it wasn't someone on her side? People on their side had killed, she wasn't oblivious to that.
Surely Alstor had, not for sport or for revenge but Aurors had dangerous jobs. Sometimes it happened. Harry would have to face death eventually. Kill or be killed. Would she hate him? She had brushed it off because Voldemort was so clearly evil but what if it came down to it in the end?
These were the thoughts that kept her up for five nights and because she couldn't sleep, she read and when she couldn't read anymore she bugged Ron and Harry about Draco.
"So it doesn't bug you?" Hermione asked Harry whose face was buried deep inside a book about Quidditch trying to find out more about the history of golden snitches. Only once had she seen him this committed to finding an answer and the reason behind that time was in the kitchen two stories down.
Harry huffed and didn't answer her. Ron who sat a few feet away from them clicked the deluminator again and a soft ball of light flew across the room to a solitary candle. He had figured out how to capture the glow of single objects after Hermione had threatened to chuck it out the window if he took the light out of the entire room again.
"It bugs me," Ron said nonchalantly. He clicked it again and the candle extinguished. "What is he hiding? And whatever it is, can we really think any less of him anymore than we already do?"
"Ron that's awful," Hermione almost whispered. She wanted to agree. She wanted to loath Malfoy. It just seemed pointless now. After all they'd lost. After all she'd lost.
"He's the reason you can't see your parents Hermione," Ron said almost without thinking.
Harry peered over his book, a crease permanently etching itself on his forehead. He cleared his throat and Ron looked at him. Harry shook his head in disappointment and that's when Ron noticed Hermione.
"Mione, you know what I mean-"
She closed the book she'd been reading and set it beside her. She didn't want to look at him right now instead choosing to stare at her clenched hands. "The thing is Ron, I don't think I do anymore. Stopping Voldemort is our cause now. Malfoy isn't a death eater anymore and worst yet is he's right. He gave us everything and we can use him and dispose of him just like Voldemort would have. I think the difference between me and you is that I don't want to be like him. I'm making an effort and you're just...you're just being cruel."
She stood and was about to leave when she turned around to face Harry.
"I think I'll take Malfoy to get some food. We ran out last night and I really need to get out of here. Where's the cloak?"
"In my room," Harry stood, glancing momentarily in Ron's direction but she didn't want to see his face yet. "I know what you said and I agree but do you think you'll be okay? Just you and him?"
Hermione's lips drew into a straight line and she tried not to sound exasperated, "I can handle him."
Harry nodded and she took that as approval. She didn't want to know what Ron had to say, she didn't want to be anywhere near him at the moment.
She was probably being reckless but that didn't stop her from barging into what used to be Sirus's room, now Harry's, and snatching the cloak.
She and Draco rarely spoke unless it was during one of his interrogations which she understood. They were getting more and more personal each time. Not to mention Ron getting nastier and Draco getting more defensive. She'd want to avoid them too.
Perhaps it was reckless, but this outing was necessary. She feared what would happen if they continued under these conditions.
Hermione stopped in her tracks. The cloak floating by her side.
"Malfoy?" She asked quizzically.
The blonde boy who had antagonized her for 6 years was standing tall and pensive in front of the Black family tree. At first she thought he was staring at his picture. But as she got closer it became obvious he was interested in Nymphadora's. Tonks had purple hair and a smile so big it took up most of her face.
"She's my cousin, this one." Draco pointed at Tonks and then shoved his hand back in his jeans. He had done a wonderful job transfiguring his clothes and even some blankets he had found to act as extras. She was beyond impressed but she didn't let on how much so.
She was proficient in transfiguration but it seemed he excelled. His relationship with Tonks made Hermione wonder if perhaps it was more than a coincidence.
"Did you ever meet her?" She asked and then wondered why she'd asked. She didn't really care, not too much. Tonks had never let on that she was related to the Malfoy's although she should have guessed given Kreacher's betrayal two years ago. Sirius was related to the Malfoy's and Tonks who had been his cousin as well.
"Once," Draco said but then he caught sight of the cloak under her arm. "Are you going somewhere?"
"You and I are going to get food."
Draco laughed.
Hermione dropped the bottom half of the cloak and then swung it around her shoulders. "Well what are you waiting for?"
"I'm not getting in there with you!" Draco backed away as if burned by the mere idea of being so close to her. It irritated her further but she tried to keep herself calm.
"Fine, you stay here then. I should warn you that Ron and I had a fight and if he comes looking for you I very much doubt you'll be safe-"
"Fine, fine. You're a bloody nuisance Granger. A pain in my-" Malfoy grumbled as he gathered some of the cloak and threw it over himself. She stepped in front of him and they practiced by walking down the flight of stairs together all the while Draco murmured under his breath.
She had twisted the truth to get him here but he had gotten in so she didn't feel so bad. A small smile at her triumph made its way onto her face.
"Are you enjoying this?" He asked pushing her slightly.
"Absolutely not," she said sarcastically. "Draco Malfoy under the sheets with a mudblood, your ancestors are turning in their graves."
"At this point they don't know which way is up and which is down," Draco said taking out his wand. They were standing in front of the door to the outside. There were still always at least two death eaters outside but it seemed they were starting to lose hope that the Golden Trio were residing inside of these particular walk ups.
"Ready?" Hermione whispered taking the handle of the door through the cloak. "We're going to apparate as soon as the door closes behind you. Grab my shoulder or something."
"Do you know where we're going?" He asked watching her hand still on the handle.
"Umm..." she thought for a moment. "There's a farmers market in Hereford. We'll have to stay under the cloak, someone might recognize us."
"You," Draco said. "I don't know anyone there."
"Well do you have any brilliant ideas?"
"I have one but it'd be even more dangerous. Rather go with yours until we find a safer place. Let's go." He gave her another push and she elbowed him in response.
She had the door pushed open and was pulling him through quicker than he had imagined. The door closed behind him and then he was being pushed through space and time. He hadn't been prepared and he hoped for her sake that he didn't end up splinched.
When they landed he checked himself over twice and then turned her around under the cloak. His hands tightened on her arms and almost immediately let go. The similarity between the first time he had grabbed her like that and this time was carved into his memory. He didn't wish to experience that panic again.
He cleared his throat roughly, "Give a guy a second won't you?"
"Sorry," she really did look regretful. "I panicked. I thought the cloak had come up over my shoes. You're much taller than I am."
"Just don't let it happen again Granger." He sneered. It was the Malfoy from Hogwarts who she saw then and her stomach turned awkwardly. She wasn't sure which she preferred. She realized it didn't matter. They were on the same side for once, prepared to fight the same people, under the same cloak, shopping for food.
A smile appeared on her face before she could stop it. Draco noticed and his anger disappeared only to be replaced by curiosity.
"What the hell is wrong with you Granger?"
She tried to make the grin go away but she couldn't, so she just spoke with it. "It just hit me, what we're doing."
"And what's that?"
"We're grocery shopping. You and me. Archenemies. Pure blood and mudblood. Isn't that funny?"
Draco frowned, "Is it really just dawning on you? This wasn't enough?" He reached for her wrist and held it in his hand. Every time they touched like this the tendrils that had wrapped around them and left scars would glow.
She opened her mouth to say something but a person walked too close to them and nearly bumped the cloak off. She gripped his hand and they got out of the way.
"Let's just get what we need and go, I have some muggle money with me-" she started to say before he grabbed her around the waist and started pushing her towards a vendor.
"You pay with that crap. I'm craving a cheese cake and my moral compass is broken so open up that magical purse of yours because we're going to feast tonight."
"Malfoy-" but it was too late. He had already reached for the cake and was pulling it inside the cloak before she could say another word. He began to steer her to another vendor and she resigned herself to bite her lip and just let it happen.
"We're going to hell for this," she whispered.
She felt rather than heard Draco laugh against her back. He was also being careful around the muggles. "Oh Granger, if we go to hell it's going to be for worse things than this."
"You're a bad influence," she groaned.
When they were finished they walked a fair amount of steps before Draco stopped them by steering her again in a certain direction. She thought they might look silly if it weren't for the cloak. Her in front of Malfoy, who was at least twelve inches taller than her; guiding her with two hands around her waist like some kind of backwards dance. At first his hands had felt foreign and awkward. Her greatest enemy had been touching her, touching her like he had done it a million times before.
"Where's that money you were going to use to pay the vendors?" Malfoy whispered against her ear.
There were more people walking around here. She looked around and noticed it was some kind of walk way leading to the market they had just been at.
She dug around her purse as he led her farther down the walk way coming to a stop a short distance away from a beggar.
"You want me to give him the money?" She asked incredulously. "What if he-"
"What if he what?" Draco asked turning her around under the cloak. "You gave me a chance, what's stopping you from giving him one too?"
"I don't know him! He could spend it on liquor or drugs for all I know." She felt awful saying it especially after they had stolen. She had no place to judge.
There was disappointment written all over Draco's features. She felt like he had been testing her, for what? She wasn't sure.
"Have a little faith Granger, I heard it changes people." She wasn't sure what he meant but she looked behind her to the man who sat on a piece of cardboard. A well groomed and healthy looking dog rested his head on his owners lap. She didn't doubt he was well taken care of.
"What are you doing Malfoy?" She said looking back at him. "What do you get out of this?"
He shrugged his shoulders and didn't answer. She sighed and turned around inside the cloak.
"Fine, lets do this." They walked a couple of steps and when they were in front of the man his dog barked, perhaps sensing a presence like Mrs Norris had done plenty of times before. The man looked at his dog to see what upset him and Hermione used the distraction to stick her hand out of the cloak and dump the money into a hat that was placed in front of him. She noticed he only had a dollar or two in it. It filled up significantly with her money.
She had expected to feel uneasy but as Draco pulled her into him and backed them out of the way of the people walking and the homeless man she smiled. Even through the black hole of apparation she appeared on the other side with a small smile on her face.
Then she looked up and realized they were back and the death eaters were still outside. Her small moment of happiness had been shadowed by her cruel reality.
When they stumbled into Grimmauld's Place and Draco let her go she almost missed his presence. But the sight of Kreacher apparating at the foot of the stairs with a struggling Mundungus Fletcher wiped that feeling away.
"Kreacher has returned with the thief!"
"Let me go you bleedin' house elf!"
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