Chapter XIV:
Molly Weasley scowled as she stared into the eyes of the monster on the front page of the Daily Prophet. A girl she'd invited into her home, allowed to date her son; now with tears streaming down her eyes as Draco Malfoy kneeled before her, a glitzy ring shining in its box. The picture shifted and she pulled him to his feet into a disgusting public display of affection, all whilst adoring fans cheered them on. It was a travesty. What right did Voldemort's daughter have to be happy and beloved when Molly's own children were rotting in dank prison cells at her expense? Arthur might be resigned to their children's' fate (even going so far as to say they'd made a mistake and DESERVED to be punished for it!) but she was not. As the matriarch of this family, she refused to see it go to hell, no matter what or how long it took.
The new graduates decided to spend the week after they finished school forever in the Malfoy Manor in the Maldives. There was plenty of champagne to celebrate what their friends believed to be a new engagement, along with sunny relaxation on the warm sand and in the cool sea. Still bitter, Pansy hadn't been invited but the rest of them got on smashingly. Of course there were Hermione and Draco, and Harry and Daphne, but another relationship had bloomed between Blaise and Neville. The two had barely ever spoken so it was quite a surprise for everyone when they said that they'd learnt they worked well together during revision. The Gryffindor helped Blaise focus on what he needed to improve to hone his natural talents whilst the Slytherin helped calm Neville down when he was feeling anxious. After their last exam they'd met up outside the hall, where Blaise excitedly told his study buddy that the question he'd quizzed him on just before they went in, which he hadn't known, had come up, showing how grateful he was with a kiss. It was absolutely adorable to see the serial dater only have eyes for one man, and to see him teach the always cautiously fearful Neville how to surf. Seeing her school-hood friend shout out care-freely had made Hermione realise just how wonderful things were. Her father was, if not beloved then pitied and respected, as the unspoken but acknowledged head of the government; her brother understood how she felt with his own happy romance; her relationship had finally reached the same point in public as it was in private, meaning she had nothing left to hide. It was a huge weight off her shoulders to know that she could make out with Draco on the peddle-boat they drove out and dive in holding hands, and that people would delight in it rather than gasp in horror or suspicion. Not a fool, she knew that the Weasleys must be upset at what had happened to their two youngest children but she hadn't moved against Arthur for his role in her mother's death because he'd proven to be little involved and incredibly remorseful. She doubted he would hurt a fly now. None of the brothers were a threat either; Charlie had returned to Romania after the trial; Bill was starting a family with his French wife over there; Percy had publicly condemned his siblings and focused on rising in the Ministry; likewise, the twins seemed horrified and agreed that justice had been served, no matter how tragic it was. Molly was the wild card, or at least that was what Hermione had expected, but in the months since the trial, the Weasley family matriarch seemed upset for certain, but rather too depressed to enact any plans. Molly hadn't been spotted by the paparazzi at all since the photos of her leaning on her husband's arm crying at the trial.
Currently, there were no threats whatsoever and that was more than fine. It was time she accepted it and continued to have a good time on the rest of this holiday, and upon return to her normal life.
After months of scrapped plans and whispered doubts in her mind, Molly decided that she had nothing left to lose. It was reported that Hermione and her friends would be returning from their fun time abroad. On the date in question she staked herself outside the private airport. There had been no time given, so she gladly waited all day with a pre-prepared tub of homemade sausage rolls. The satisfaction of shouting Avada Kedavra would have been preferred, but it was the method of the Dark, and anyway fairly easy to deflect or miss with. Poison would be just as effective, if not more so.
When they finally arrived, Molly waited to approach despite the fire heating up her belly in anticipation. Upon seeing children of the Light like Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom she felt furious, but disguised it with a maternal smile, still managing to make the laughing crowd jump and go silent. "Stay back!" The Malfoy boy ordered, stepping in front of his fiancée like a bodyguard. Molly held up her hands, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"I read that you were returning from holiday today and I had to apologise. It's been tearing me apart," she looked past the sickening couple to see the boy she'd wanted so badly to be a part of her family amongst the snakes. With a pang, it reminded her of everything she'd lost and she knew that it was more important than ever to succeed. "I'm so sorry for anything me or my family have done against you." Now she extended the box of vipers with a sheepish expression.
Malfoy looked confused when he saw the home cooking, his mother had probably never touched a wooden spoon in her life- but Hermione put a hand on his arm, looking a little more relaxed at the familiar apology. "It's what she made me after she turned on me during Rita-Skeeter-dating-Harry-gate," she laughed a little, but her beau was unimpressed.
"You try it first," he told Molly sternly. She only had a moment to believably decide, but the possibility had occurred to her and there was only one option.
She nodded as genuinely as she could at Hermione. "Of course dear, I completely understand." Breaking off a piece of one of the pastries, she placed it in her mouth and chewed carefully, making a big point of swallowing.
Despite the burning in her mouth and the increasing nausea, she felt insanely jubilant as Hermione arched her eyebrows at the boy next to her as if to say that she had told him so, then reached out for the box. Excitedly, Molly thrust it at her, practically salivating as she waited for her to take her own bite. "Thank you," Hermione smiled with doe eyes that played at being innocent. "I just ate on the plane and I couldn't possibly stomach anything else, but I can't wait to try these!" Heart dropping from her body, Molly nodded numbly and turned to leave, hoping to get away so that she could die quietly without Hermione realising and still take the teenager down with her. "Wait!" The brunette reached out and grabbed her hand, but Molly jerked away. "Come back to the manor to talk some more!" She shook her head, unable to speak as her mouth started to foam and dizziness overwhelmed her. "Molly?" She could see three of her now, a most displeasing nightmare. "Are you okay?"
Her mouth was so full that she couldn't keep it closed anymore, opening it just as Hermione turned her around for the group of teenagers to gasp. Malfoy pulled his girlfriend back from the horrific sight, whilst she dropped the Trojan horse and clapped a hand over her own mouth. "You'll get what's coming to you!" Molly declared with conviction, not sure if the words were even audible as she stumbled, making the traitors back away every time she made any progress towards them. "Binty bitch!" With those satisfying last words she slumped to the floor, coughing up blood and spit in a disgusting medley.