Draco's words seemed to echo through the small living room.
"Draco, what are you talking about?" Narcissa asked, sharply.
Draco stared at the floor for a moment before answering. "Pansy mentioned a plan," he explained. "She never told me details but she said chaos would lead to payback. She said that a few times. It didn't make any sense to me at the time but now it does."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and Narcissa visibly relaxed.
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Hermione wanted to know.
"I honestly didn't put it together until now," Draco replied. "At the time it just seemed like Pansy's crazy ramblings. She'd switch to talking about clothes and makeup thirty seconds later. I didn't think anything of it."
"Now that you mention it, Pansy said something similar to me," Daphne added. "Those words, chaos leads to payback. When I asked her what she meant, she said I'd understand soon."
"Did she say anything to anyone else?" Hermione urged.
"She said that to me too," Greg said, dully. "She said when the time came, I'd fall in line like I always did."
"Blaise, what about you?" Hermione asked. "It seems like she was trying to plant these ideas in people's heads before they could fully understand what it meant. Did she ever say anything to you?"
"Never," Blaise replied. "But, if we're being forthcoming, she and I were sleeping together. She probably assumed that she didn't need to do that for me because I'd just fall in line."
"So she's created chaos," Narcissa said, chiming in. "What would payback be?"
"I don't know," Hermione admitted. "Do any of you have any idea?"
"Well she would blame the Order for what's happened," Blaise said, thoughtfully. "So she'd probably try to find a way to directly attack the Order."
"But how would she do that?" Daphne asked. "I'm sure you all have insane amounts of security."
"We do," Hermione replied. "And I'm the only member of the Order she's had any contact with. But she couldn't come after me, I'm not an easy target."
"Polyjuice," Greg said, quietly.
Hermione's head whipped toward him. "What did you say?"
Greg raised his head as if he didn't realize he'd spoken out loud. "Um, er, polyjuice," he repeated. "If you were the only Order member she could get to maybe she'd use you to get to another by pretending to be you."
"But how could she have gotten a piece of Hermione's hair?" Astoria asked.
"The guest room," Draco said, looking at Hermione. "When she brought you the dress, she probably had the opportunity to get a piece of your hair off the bed or maybe the floor."
"That's...diabolical," Hermione replied. "But completely plausible. Who knew Pansy was capable of this?"
"We all did," Blaise replied. "Not directly but at Hogwarts she had one goal - marry a rich pureblood. School didn't matter, intelligence didn't matter, so she could just get by using her body to try to snag a man. In Asylum, that didn't matter anymore so she was forced to think. She's actually incredibly smart."
"So what would she do?" Hermione asked. "She's able to polyjuice into me, what would she do? Kill someone pretending to me?"
"That's too simple," Blaise said, thinking quickly. "She's created this elaborate plan, she's created chaos, her plan for payback would be equally as well thought out."
"Kidnapping," Greg said, in the same quiet, dull tone. "A pureblood family favorite."
"Of course," Hermione replied. "What better way to bring attention to the Order and everything that's happened than to kidnap a member of the Order. But who?"
Her question was met with silence.
"Well I need to get back," Hermione said, rising from the chair. "I need to let everyone else know what I've learned. Thank you, all of you, for your help."
"Will we be safe here?" Astoria asked, in a small voice.
"Yes," Hermione replied. "There's only four people who know you're here. And I'll add an extra charm before I leave that will alert me and only me when someone tries to gain entry to the house."
"Thank you, Hermione," Narcissa said, sincerely.
"You're welcome," Hermione answered, with a smile. "I'll pop upstairs and cast the spell from the top porch."
Hermione rose from her seat and began to make her way upstairs. She realized that Draco had followed her. When they reached the top of the stairs, Hermione turned to look at Draco but, when he didn't say a word, she turned back around. Hermione moved down the hall but stopped when she didn't hear Draco's footsteps behind her. She turned and saw that he was stopped at the top of the stairs, a distraught look on his face. She moved back toward him and took his face in her hands.
"What's going on, Malfoy?"
"How many people died in that muggle town?" he asked, not meeting her eyes.
"Malfoy," Hermione said, warningly.
"How many?" Draco snapped, his eyes latching onto hers.
Hermione could see emotion swimming in his eyes.
"How many?" he repeated, even more harshly than before.
"About 200," Hermione told him, tightening her grip on his face when he tried to pull away. "This isn't your fault."
"I know it's not my fault," he replied, pulling his face out of her hands and moving past her into the hallway. "But it could have been."
Hermione watched as he began to pace.
"Damn it, Granger, if my mother hadn't stopped me, if you hadn't come into my life when you did, that could have been me," he ranted. "I could have killed all those people. I did kill people. Just because of a stupid set of beliefs that turned out to be wrong."
"But your mother did stop you," Hermione said, moving slowly toward him. "And I'm here. Malfoy, you had no part in what Pansy has done. Don't blame yourself."
"But I fought for that side," Draco replied, his voice breaking. "I took the fucking mark. I'm a part of this."
"You were a part of it," Hermione answered, honestly, moving so she was directly in front of him. "But you're not anymore."
Hermione took Draco's hands in hers and she moved in so she was flush against him, looking up at him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, quietly, leaning down so their foreheads met. "I'm so sorry."
"You're forgiven," Hermione replied, squeezing his hands. "Now, we move on."
"Okay," he breathed, lifting his head from hers and looking her in the eyes. "Okay."
Hermione smiled at Draco and he leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips.
"I have to cast this spell," Hermione said, pulling back from him. "I'll be right back."
Hermione pulled herself away from Draco and tried to ignore how hard it was becoming to walk away from him. She walked into the largest bedroom on the floor and out onto the small porch. Pointing her wand to the top of the house, she cast the spell and watched as the yellow sparks weaved around the house. When they disappeared, Hermione sent a quick patronus to Harry and Ron with two words, "polyjuice protocol" hoping the boys would understand her meaning. She went back inside and found Draco still standing in the hallway.
"I have to go," she said, walking toward him. "I'll come back when I can."
"Let me come with you," Draco requested. "I can help."
"Malfoy, no," Hermione replied. "It's too dangerous."
"You're going," he said, his tone accusatory. "It's dangerous for me which means it's dangerous for you but you're going anyway."
"That's different," Hermione began but Draco cut her off.
"Let me do this," he pleaded. "I need to do this."
Hermione looked at him for a moment before relenting. "Fine," she said. "But you have to play nice."
"Granger, you don't want me to make promises I can't keep," he said, his trademark smirk returning to his face.
Hermione rolled her eyes in response. "Let's go," she said, deciding not to push the issue.
Together, they descended the stairs and found Blaise standing by the front door.
"I'd like to come with you," Blaise said, when they reached the bottom of the stairs. "I know Pansy, I think I could help."
"Fine," Hermione replied.
"Fine!?" Draco exclaimed. "I want to come and you give me shit but HE wants to come and all of a sudden it's fine?!"
"I don't have time to fight with a second person," Hermione said, with a shrug. "And you both can be useful so let's just go. But first, the two of you have to do me a favor."
"What?" Draco asked, suspiciously.
"Both of you go speak to Greg," she ordered. "Tell him that he's the one who's responsible for protecting everyone in this house. He's in charge."
"Why don't you just tell him?" Draco wanted to know. "He'd listen to you."
"He needs to have purpose again," Hermione answered. "But he won't find it because he's back on follow orders mode. So you'll give him a order which will give him purpose."
"Brilliant," Blaise said with admiration. "We'll be right back."
The two men disappeared into the living room as Harry's patronus appeared in the hallway.
"Grimmauld, now," Harry's voice said, with an edge of franticness.
Hermione quickly sent her patronus back to let him know she was bringing Draco and Blaise. When the two men returned a moment later, Hermione opened the front door and they went outside. Hermione linked arms with both of them and apparated them all away to Grimmauld Place. When they arrived, Hermione moved quickly to the front door. She raised her hand to the door and knocked twice, knocked once, then knocked three times. The door opened a moment later and Harry held her at wand point. Both Blaise and Draco rushed forward but stopped when Hermione held up her hand.
"What happened to Dolores Umbridge?" Harry asked.
"Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest," Hermione answered, with a grin. "Not our finest plan."
Harry lowered his wand and returned her grin. "To be fair, most of our plans sucked."
Hermione walked into the home, gesturing for Draco and Blaise to follow.
"When did you get here?" Hermione asked.
"About 10 seconds ago," Harry replied. "I had just shut the front door when you knocked. Everyone else should be here soon."
"Where's Gin?" Hermione wanted to know.
"I'm assuming she's upstairs," Harry told her. "I figured I'd poke my head in on her before everyone arrived."
As Harry finished his sentence, the floo lit green and, a moment later, out came Ron, Arthur, Molly, and Minerva McGonagall. Before Hermione could even greet them, there was the familiar knock at the front door. Harry disappeared to answer the door and returned with Seamus, Dean, Katie, Dennis, Padma, and Millicent. Everyone settled into the living room while Harry and Arthur stood at the front of the room.
"Okay," Arthur said. "Status report."
"We managed to put out all the fires in Asylum," Harry began. "All of the bodies were transported to the morgue from Ainsley and one of the coroners was able to close everyone's eyes. The lone survivor is in critical but stable condition at St. Mungos. The bomb at the Ministry caused a great deal of damage to the building, killed several people, and injured many more. Hermione, what's going on at the safe house?"
Hermione tried to push away her emotions as she thought of the boy who'd survived the massacre in Ainsley. She explained to the room what she'd learned while she'd been in the safe house. She told everyone why she brought Draco and Blaise along.
"So that's where we stand," Harry said. "As far as we know, Hermione is the only person Pansy could have polyjuiced so be wary."
"What do we do now?" Ron wanted to know.
"Everyone will work in pairs, at least," Arthur replied. "If they're going to come after a member of the Order, we're going to make it as difficult for them as possible."
"Do either of you have any idea where they could go?" Harry asked, looking to Blaise and Draco. "Anywhere that the Ministry wouldn't know about?"
"All our families have summer homes," Draco replied. "It wouldn't surprise me if the Ministry didn't know about them."
"We seized all Death Eater assets when the war ended," Ron told them. "So we probably already know."
"Summer homes are always kept under false names," Draco replied. "That's how it's been for hundreds of years."
"So the Ministry couldn't find them without the owner telling them," Hermione said, thoughtfully. "Do you know where the houses are?"
"Maybe," Blaise replied. "But we were kids when we were there. I don't know how well we'd remember where they were."
"My mother would know," Draco offered. "And I know she'd be willing to help."
"Okay, okay," Harry said, thinking. "So why don't the two of you go back to the safehouse and talk to Narcissa. Have her make a list of everywhere she can remember there were summer homes. Then come back here."
"Who's going to go with them?" Ron asked.
"No one," Harry said, looking at the two men. "I'll give them a portkey and they'll do it on their own."
Ron opened his mouth to answer but Hermione quickly hit him with a silencing charm. He waved his arms in rage but Molly gave him one look and he immediately stopped, dropping his arms to his side.
"We'll be back as soon as we can," Blaise said, holding out his hand for the portkey.
Harry handed over the portkey and Blaise stepped back toward Draco. Draco moved up next to Hermione and gave her hand a squeeze before turning toward Blaise. With a whoosh, the two men disappeared.
"Is there anything else we could be doing right now?" Katie asked.
"I think right now the best thing we can do is wait for Malfoy and Zabini to come back," Harry replied. "Once they come back, we can come up with a plan of attack."
"So everyone sit tight," Arthur said.
Molly moved toward Harry at the same time that Hermione did.
"Have you been up to see Ginny?" Molly asked, a smile wide on her face.
"I'm going to pop up now," Harry replied, raising an eyebrow at his mother-in-law's grin. "Is there something I should know?"
"Just go on up and see her," Molly said, avoiding his question but still grinning.
"Okay…," Harry answered, giving Molly a confused look. "Hermione, did you want something?"
"No, no," Hermione replied. "Go ahead, I'll come up and see Gin when you're done."
Harry disappeared up the stairs and Hermione chatted amiably with Molly. Harry reappeared though a minute later.
"She's not up there," Harry told them.
"What?" Molly replied, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she's not in the room, she's not anywhere upstairs," Harry said.
"I wonder if she and Hannah went somewhere," Molly answered, thinking out loud.
"Hannah was here?" Hermione asked. "Why?"
"Why don't we floo St. Mungo's and see if they're there?" Molly offered, moving over toward the fireplace.
"Why would they be at St. Mungo's?" Harry wanted to know.
Instead of answering him, Molly activated the floo. She stuck her head in the flames, spoke to someone for a minute, before standing, her face now completely void of color.
"What is it?" Hermione asked. "What's going on?"
"I just spoke to Neville," Molly said, her breath shaky. "He thought Hannah was still here. He hasn't seen her or Ginny at all."
"Maybe they went shopping," Harry speculated. "Maybe Gin was feeling better and they decided to go out."
"Hannah just put Ginny on bed rest," Molly told them. "They shouldn't be anywhere."
"Why did she do that?" Hermione asked, confused. "I thought Gin was just a little sick. Is it serious?"
Molly looked at Harry and took his hands in hers.
"Molly, what's going on?" Harry asked, anxiety all over his face.
"Ginny is pregnant," Molly said, with a smile. "She wanted to be the one to tell you."
Harry looked like he'd been hit over the head with a brick for a moment before his face split into a huge grin.
"I'm going to be a father?" he asked.
Molly nodded, tears of joy filling her eyes.
Hermione squealed and threw her arms around Harry, nearly knocking Molly over in the process. Harry hugged her back, his face nearly splitting from the large grin. But his grin changed in a blink of the eye to a frown.
"So then where are they?" Harry wanted to know, suddenly concerned.
"Did they tell you where they were going when you were here?" Molly asked, looking at Hermione.
"They weren't here when I got here," Hermione replied, confused. "And I got here after Harry did."
"That can't be right," Molly answered, equally as confused. "Ginny floo called me about an hour ago to talk about what Hannah was suggesting for care but she ended the call because you were at the door."
Hermione looked at Harry in horror as realization dawned on them both at the same time.
"That wasn't me," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Molly, I've been at the safe house."
"Then who?" Molly began but Harry cut her off.
"Ginny and Hannah have been taken," he barked to the room, sending everyone into a tizzy.
The entire room began to talk at once, with Ron again frantically waving his arms because no one had taken the silencing spell of him. Hermione removed the silencing spell and Ron began to shout.
"QUIET!" Professor McGonagall ordered, immediately silencing the entire room. "Mr. Potter, explain yourself."
"I think Ginny and Hannah have been taken," Harry explained, with a frantic tone. "Pansy Parkinson polyjuiced herself into Hermione and took them."
"So what do we do?" Dean asked. "What do you need?"
"What we need are the list of those summer homes," Hermione said, when Harry didn't answer. "They'd need somewhere to hold both of them. They probably didn't plan on Hannah so maybe that adjustment will cause them to make a mistake."
"How can you talk about this so calmly?" Ron demanded to know. "That's my sister, your best friend, and one of our other friends that they have!"
"Because being irrational will help no one, Ronald," Hermione snapped back.
Hermione then turned to Harry who looked distraught. "Harry, I need you to go with Molly and Arthur to the Burrow."
Hermione's words seem to snap Harry out of his trance. "No," he said, forcefully. "I'll do this."
"We'll do this," Ron said, moving next to Harry.
"We all will," Seamus said, gesturing to the rest of the room.
Suddenly there was a whoosh and Draco and Blaise landed in the living room. The tension in the room was immediately apparent and Draco looked at Hermione for an answer.
"They've taken Ginny and Hannah," Hermione told him. "We need those summer homes."
"We have it all here," Blaise said, holding up a green notebook.
He passed the notebook to Hermione who opened it.
"On the first page is a list of all the properties my mother could remember," Draco explained. "And if you keep going, she diagrammed the floor plan of every single one."
Hermione handed Harry the notebook and he flipped through it quickly. "This is amazing," Harry admitted, reluctantly. "Thank you, Malfoy. Thank you, Zabini."
Draco and Blaise nodded in response and Hermione beamed at the two men.
"Okay, let's split into teams and figure out a plan of attack," Harry said. "There's about a dozen properties on this list so we'll have to figure out a plan for where to start.
"Mother suggested that you start will the Bullstrode property," Draco offered. "Their home is the most remote and Pansy is likely too smart to use the Parkinson home."
"Okay, we start there," Harry replied. "Let's take a look at these floor plans. Malfoy, Zabini, you in?"
"Seriously?" Ron asked. "You want their help?"
"My wife is missing," Harry answered, not even looking at Ron with his response. "I'd take help from Voldemort himself if it meant getting her back."
"Might as well be," Ron muttered but relented when Harry glared at him. "Fine, fine."
"So?" Harry asked, looking to Blaise and Draco. "Will you help?"
"Yes," Draco said, answering for both of them. "Whatever you need."
Blaise murmured his assent as well.
"I'd like to go home," Molly said, looking at Arthur.
"I need to get back to the Ministry," Arthur replied. "We have a tenuous hold on everything right now and I'm needed there."
"I'll take Molly home," Hermione offered. "Plans of attack aren't really my strong suit so I'll leave you all to the planning and I'll be back in time to help execute the plan."
"Thank you," Molly said, gratefully. "Can you apparate both of us? I just don't think I can."
"Absolutely," Hermione replied. "I'll be back shortly."
Hermione sent Draco a grateful smile but he didn't see because he was already bent over the dining room table with Harry. Hermione ignored the way her heart fluttered seeing Draco working closely with her best friend. Times had certainly changed, she thought to herself with a laugh.
"Ready?" Molly asked, breaking Hermione's train of thought.
"Yes," Hermione said, holding out her arm.
Molly linked her arm with Hermione's and Hermione apparated them away. They landed in the back yard and Molly immediately let go of Hermione's arm.
"I think I'm going to go lay down," Molly told her. "Will you please keep me updated on what's going on?"
"Of course," Hermione replied. "Would you like me to see if Percy can come over? Or George?"
"Yes, please," Molly said, gratefully. "George should be at the joke shop, you can floo him from the living room."
Molly went upstairs and Hermione moved toward the floo. She placed a quick floo call to George, explaining what had happened. George promised to alert the rest of the family and be over as soon as he could. When Hermione disconnected the floo call, she stood up and stretched. She cocked her ear but didn't hear anything coming from upstairs so she assumed that Molly had gone directly to her bed. Hermione knew the Weasleys would likely come through the floo or apparate into the backyard so she decided to step out into the front yard and apparate from there. Hermione opened the front door and took one step out before she thought she heard Molly call her name. She stepped back into the house and managed to partially shut the door before she heard a loud bang and felt a wave of heat behind her that threw her forward into the Weasley home. She felt searing pain and could feel her ears ringing before she blacked out.
A/N: The end is near.