Chapter Ten: What is a Life Worth?
Hermione walked with a determined fury, and Platform 9 ¾ was devoured under her feet. She looked up at the Hogwarts express, trying not to pay too much attention to the passengers, knowing that she couldn't save them. Using all the determination in her arsenal, she pushed the horror of seeing the cars overstuffed with people out of her mind and focused on her mission. There was one person that she was determined to save at all costs. She needed him.
Hermione had been completely enraged when Bippy interrupted her talk with Blaise and Narcissa to learn that Draco had been apprehended by a hunter. After Bippy described the man to Hermione, she sat frozen with anger. Her face turned red and the vein on her forehead pulsed. Dennis Sodding Creevey.
That was how she found herself at Kings Cross station. With a large fortune weighing down her pockets, walking into a den of hunters that were busy sneering at the new batch of unfortunate prisoners. She breathed in through her nose slowly. She couldn't save them. She had to focus.
Putting on her most charming smile and trying to channel the adoring flippancy of Lavender Brown in their sixth year; Hermione turned the full force of her will against the man who was guarding the first car. She knew it was the right one, as the wards shimmered and pulsed around that one fixed point. They really didn't want to lose him and it made her feel sick. Did they already know who they captured? Did Dennis confiscate all of the tiny vials of emergency potion that they hid in his clothes? She hoped not, or she might find herself in the car right next to him. Then they would both be up the creek without a paddle.
"Mr. Cresswell." She greeted, giving him a shy smile, looking up at him from beneath lowered lashes. She felt like an idiot but knew sometimes being subtle was more important than feeling comfortable. Flirting might give her the extra edge she needed to get Draco out of this mess. Yes, she would love to go in wand blazing to rescue the whole of the people on the cars. But that was inadvisable. Where would these people hide if she were captured? What would stop them from being recaptured immediately? She needed to use every ounce of cunning that a born Slytherin would use despite not actually being one. Thinking like a Slytherin was easier said than done. She tried to relax and imbued the famous Dumbledorian twinkle in her eyes as she stared at her newest victim. What was it worth to her, the price of just one person's life? A little awkwardness was a small price to pay in her opinion.
"Miss Granger, how can I help you?" He asked, a considering smile on his face. It seemed as if he was interested and Hermione tried to play things off as if she knew what she was doing. He was older than her, probably Bill's age but she knew that his age didn't really matter. She got that look a lot these days from all manner of people, that appreciation they had for the way she looked. Having never been considered as beautiful or in Ron's eyes a girl at all, it never failed to shock her that men looked at her and liked what they saw. She supposed that she would never get used to it.
"My overseer has been taken by mistake. He runs the day to day operations at the Manor. I really can't afford to lose him."
Cresswell lifted his clipboard and smiled indulgently at her, leaning against one of the pillars on the platform, indolently.
"Name?"
"Racheté. Alexander Racheté." She said. The unfamiliar alias they had agreed on tumbled clumsily off of her tongue. He stiffened at the name and looked at her with alarm.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, but Dennis brought that prisoner himself and is convinced that he is Draco Malfoy. I can't just hand him over to you. More than just my job is on the line here if I let Malfoy escape again."
"Does the prisoner look like Malfoy?" She asked tentatively.
"No," He answered quickly. Everyone knew what Malfoy looked like. Someone would have to be a complete idiot to miss the white-blond hair. It was like a neon sign.
"How long has he been in your custody?" She pressed.
"A while."
"Longer than an hour?"
"Yes." He was obviously rethinking this line of questioning. She was the famous Hermione Granger, the brains behind the golden trio. He already knew he was outclassed.
"So, you can discount the use Polyjuice. What are your theories then? If he doesn't look like Malfoy, do you think he has a glamour charm? Did you try finite incantatum?"
"We did."
"And?"
"He didn't change."
"What makes you think he is Malfoy?" She asked curiously, knowing he was trapped. He knew it too and it showed from his awkward, defensive pose.
"Dennis said so."
"And he is infallible? Let me ask you something, Mr. Cresswell. Do you think I am easily duped?"
"No, Ma'am."
"Am I unintelligent or lacking in common sense?"
"Of course, not!"
"Have I ever given the impression that I was not extremely thorough in my selection for workers?"
"Not that I know of, but then again it's not my job."
"Don't you think that you should be able to release him to me?"
"I wish I could." His gaze shuttered and she knew he was close to bailing on her. She couldn't allow that to happen.
Hermione slid closer so that they were nearly touching and dropped the pouch of galleons into his robe pocket. His startled eyes shot to hers, fear replacing confusion and reticence.
"I need him. I can't spend my valuable time doing grunt work. I need to spend that time perfecting my spells. Could you, just this once, do me a huge favor?" The bribe left her lips easily. She was shocked at herself. Where was the Hermione Granger that would have fought injustice such as this? Internally she sighed. There were too many people counting on her to stop now.
"Miss Granger," He whispered anxiously looking around at his brethren.
"Please?" She asked just as quiet.
He deliberated for a moment, a pained expression crossing his face. He grabbed her bicep and steered her behind the huge column before looking around to make sure they were not being watched.
"Ten years ago, my mother remarried a muggle and they had a daughter together. My little sister is magical and is having uncontrollable outbursts. Right now, they are in hiding because their muggle neighbors tried to report her and have her sent to Redcar. I know you have taken over Malfoy Manor. Would it be possible for her to live with you? I need to keep her safe."
"I don't know. It's a business, not a school. What would I even do with her?"
The money pouch dropped back into Hermione's pocket.
"If you take mine and Finnegan's little sisters, I will release your worker." His light blue eyes pled with her. They were both taking a chance and she saw it as the olive branch it was. She knew what she had to do and grimly set to work. How much was a life worth?
"Give me my man and three others off the train and I will do it. Every time you want to send someone my way, you are going to have to pay their fee with free workers."
He paused and looked around again before pulling her into his chest. Stiffening, she prepared to hex him if he stepped even one toe out of line. He leaned down and breathed his answer so quietly that she nearly missed it.
"Every Thursday I am at the gates of Hogwarts. Four am is when the guards change and I oversee it. Finnegan was right about you. The best of the best. I believe we have struck a bargain, Miss Granger."
"And my manager?"
"I will get him right now."
"Thank you."
He smiled, his shoulders relaxed as he sauntered over to the heavily warded train car. Lowering the wards took a few minutes but despite the dodgy looks he kept getting from his compatriots, he kept on. He stepped out of the line of sight for a moment before reappearing on the deck, a young Tom Riddle in tow.
She could live a thousand years and still shudder in the face of this man's appearance. She watched Draco with resignation. Harry was going to throw a complete fit if he ever saw Draco in this disguise.
With a thankful nod from Cresswell, Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and twisted them into the tight tube of apparition, past the wards and protections of Malfoy Manor to land in their shared bedroom.
She took one step back and smacked him across the face. He made no move to stop her until she raised her hand a second time. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her trembling figure into his body.
"I'm so sorry, Love."
Hermione burst into tears, burying her face into his chest. He stroked her hair, murmuring comforting apologies and kissed her springy curls.