A/N : We want to apologize for the lack of posting, we have been enthralled with an awesome story called, 'The Debt of Time' by Shayalonnie! If you haven't read it yet, go! Now! (Well after you've read this chapter of course ;)) Leave us reviews, we thrive on them! We want to know what you think! What are your questions? Also, if you haven't in a while, head to our Pinterest board, avisblue1765! We have new pictures up! Hope you like the new cover art!
"My, my, my, my, staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer."
Ron had flung the locket to a nearby chair before he had barged out, and Hermione felt a swell of tears hit behind her eyes. She knew that Ron would've been angry about her admitting her love for Draco, but she hadn't expected him to leave.
Harry walked over and placed a firm hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, Harry. I said that I would help you, and that what I am going to do." She sauntered over the chair where the locket laid, held it out for Harry to take, and sat down, curling her knees to her chest.
"I think I might be coming across something important." the witch said quietly.
"We will talk about it tomorrow, get some sleep." Harry dragged the blankets from Ron's bed and tossed them over to her after placing the locket around his neck. He laid down in his own cot and stared up at the canvas roof, listening to the pounding of the rain.
XXX
"He's gone, and he's not coming back. He's gone, and he's not coming back…" Hermione repeated to herself. She had wished that everything that happened just the night before was just a dream, but unfortunately, the hard reality set in. She glanced over to see Harry sleeping with his nose nestled into the pillow.
"He's not coming back." Hermione thought once more, and she knew that this was true because of the protective enchantments that surrounded them, so even if Ron wanted to come back, he'd not be able to find them.
Harry had finally woken up and sat with Hermione as they ate breakfast in silence. Hermione's eyes had looked red and puffy, as if she hadn't slept; which she didn't, she stayed up most of the night crying. She hadn't realized how badly Ron's departure would have hit her.
XXX
December had approached and the weeks had passed fairly. It was Christmas Eve. Since Draco couldn't properly celebrate with his family because of Voldemort, he decided to spend it with Theo, who was probably just as enthused to spend it with him.
That evening Draco had been brought in to the Dark Lord's circle and was told the plans he had in store, sending Dolohov, Macnair, and Parkinson with Nagini in tow.
Eager to get the Dark Lord's plans laid out to Theo, Draco rushed down to Honey's Lounge.
Theo was reading over applications for new 'Ladies' when he was interrupted.
"Have you heard from Hermione today?" Draco asked impatiently as he was entering Theo's office, taking note of the new moving photographs that had been placed on the shelves. "When did you and Granger take this picture?" he added, pointing at the small frame of Hermione eating an obviously nasty Bertie Botts Every Flavour Bean. He watched as her face went from smiling triumphantly, then immediately turned into a disgusted look with Theodore grinning, sneaking into the frame holding his thumbs up behind her.
The wizard laughed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Well, hello to you too, princess! And that picture there," he gestured for Draco to hand it over.
Flashback.
"I have an idea!" Hermione said as she skipped into the library, surprisngly after Theodore.
Theo turned and smiled at the bouncing witch coming toward him, "Yeah, and what would your pretty little mind be up to, today?"
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small box of 'Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans' and chocolate frogs with a bright smile. "Every time you get a question right, you get a frog! Every time you get one wrong, you get a lovely bean." She sat down beside the wizard who looked at her curiously.
"Granger, Granger, look at you being brave." He chuckled.
"I hardly call it brave! I am Hermione Granger, and I declare that I will leave this library without having to eat one of those ghastly beans."
Flashback ends.
"Ah, she got a bogey flavor, it was pretty hysterical. We were studying and she thought she came up with a 'brilliant plan' of treating ourselves each time we got a question right, and the nasty ones when we got one wrong. She swore she'd get every question right, and she was so wrong! She was so bloody pissed! That small bloke, Collin Creevey took the picture." he set the photograph on the desk before him, wondering why he hadn't put it there in the first place.
Draco smiled crookedly, "You two seem to get along quite well," his expression suddenly fading at that realization.
Theodore took notice and answered the previous question, "I haven't heard from her today, but I am sure she is fine… You know we only talk every three or so days."
Nodding, and sitting finally across from his friend, "I have… I have some news." he revealed quietly.
Theo looked up from the parchment he was writing on, "About the Horcrux?"
"She and Scar-head are in Godric's Hollow."
Theo rubbed down his face with both hands, "What. The. Fuck. How do you know they are there?"
"Because… The maniac living in my home sent my uncles out to scan the area, they fire-called just a bit ago and told him that they have laid eyes on the target. He sent Nagini with a couple others, and had them…put the snake inside of… Draco cringed, and swallowed hard, "Bathilda Bagshot's body… He had this idea that Potter would want to return there… And he was right. I don't know why he chose today of all days to be so damned sentimental. Bloody hell."
Theo grimaced, "Shit. This isn't good…" He moved to his desk drawer to pull out his matching journal, and flipped it open.
"Granger Danger!" he wrote in fast pace, biting at his lower lip, hoping for an even quicker response.
A few moments had passed by and still nothing had been written in return.
Draco leaned forward onto his knees as nervous sweat beaded over his forehead, "I don't have a good feeling, and there is nothing that we can do… If I get caught there without the Dark Lord's orders… I can be found out, and my fate will, well, be decided."
"I know, mate." Theo shook his head, "I know."
XXX
Hermione and Harry had escaped the ire of Nagini and made it back to camp accordingly. Hermione was devastatingly tired, but knew she couldn't, wouldn't, get any sleep, not after what had happened only hours ago.
"Harry, I need to heal your wounds." Hermione said painstakingly quiet.
Harry nodded and held out his arm to reveal his puncture wounds. "I don't think the snake was to kill me, it was to hold me there… until You-Know-Who would come and…"
Hermione shushed him with the sting of dittany being poured over the two holes.
"You'd think I'd be used to being bitten by snakes by now." Harry said with a half-hearted laugh, Hermione only sighed.
"It was good we were able to leave when we did. I'm sorry for disapparating us away so quickly, but I didn't want to take any chances. You should get some rest. Can I have my wand please?"
Harry handed her wand to her, and she wrapped her scarf around her neck, grabbed her journal, a blanket and stepped out into the brisk air.
She took a deep breath, and shook her head, "What a mess."
After she cozied herself up against a cool moss-encrusted boulder, she opened her journal to see a couple of frantic scribbles.
XXX
Draco and Theo hadn't left Theodore's office. Matti had brought them dinner, and even brought them a few snacks for the night. Draco left the office and sat only momentarily at Matti's counter while she and Theo said their goodbyes. It made his heart sick with envy.
"Have a good night." Matti said as she exited the building, and Theodore suddenly called out for Draco.
"Mate! Draco!"
Draco rushed into the office, "What!?"
"She's holding the journal!"
"Has she said anything, yet?" Draco scooted a chair beside the brunette wizard and sat down leaning forward to the page.
Theodore! I am alive and safe… for now… The day had taken quite the turn. But we are okay.
Good to hear it! I tried to write to you to warn you. We found out what the plan was… We were too late. I feel as if I have failed you.
No don't be silly Theodore, you didn't fail me. I didn't have the journal with me, and to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't be in the middle of a duel for my life and pull it out to see what you had to say.
Point taken. Mother of Merlin, Granger Danger! I was worried sick. I thought you might've been dead and that broke my heart.
Oh, do you think so little of me? To not survive… and I am ever so sorry for hurting your pretty little heart.
At this the pair of men looked to one another.
I am on watch, so I best be going. Happy Christmas, Theodore. Tell Draco the same if you see him.
Miss you, buttercup! Happy Christmas.
Draco leaned back into the chair he was sitting in and bit at the side of his thumbnail, "I think that maybe I should prove myself to The Dark Lord, that way we can have a better understanding when things are supposed to happen and we can tell them ahead of time." He spat out a bit of cuticle and began to chew again.
Theo grabbed Draco's hand away from his mouth and sneered, "Don't start bad habits, Draco. That's disgusting." He then pulled out a handle of Firewhisky from his drawer.
"You didn't respond. You have to admit that it's a good idea. My disloyalty was the cause of her death. Shouldn't I try and appear more loyal?" Draco reasoned.
"I don't know, mate." Theo said simply, swallowing a gulp of the burning liquor and handing the bottle off to Draco.
XXX
The room was silent, dark and taciturn. The atmosphere smelled of blood, and filth.
Draco hadn't remembered a time that the manor was so unkempt.
Greyback was standing against a wall, his mouth encrusted with dried blood, and he smiled shoddily when Draco had entered.
"Draco, I hadn't realized I called for you." the unnerving voice spoke, sending chills down his spine.
"No, my Lord. You haven't. I have come to you on my own." Draco stood firm, his head held high, although he wanted to recoil and rock in the fetal position. This was nowhere he wanted to be.
Voldemort glided from the window he was looking out of and gestured the young Malfoy to the table to sit with him.
"Wormtail." he said coolly, and the pudgy, watery eyed man proceeded to the dark wizard's side.
"Yes, m-my Lord?" The rat-like man appeared at his side, looking up at him as if he were a God.
Draco sneered at the creature, knowing of the massive betrayal the freak had once made.
"Fetch young Draco and I some tea."
"Yes, my Lord. Right away, my Lord." the animagus waddled away.
"So, Draco," Voldemort drawled, "what can you do for me?"
"My Lord, I would like to prove my loyalty to you. I want to be a part of raids, to search for that filth, Potter."
Peter Pettigrew had arrived with the tea and lingered by his masters side, "That is all, Wormtail."
The man bowed anxiously and cowered away. Voldemort brought the cup to his lips, gesturing in attempted graciousness for Draco to take the other. Draco accepted his tea from his House dishes concentrating heavily on not breaking contact between his grey eyes and the red slits staring searchingly into his soul.
"I don't believe him, my Lord." Fenrir snarled, "After he cowardly dishonored your demands! Just like his father!"
"I don't believe I asked for your opinion, Greyback. If you recall, your left arm is bare, spare the scars of your impurity. Leave us." Voldemort said calmly.
The werewolf growled loudly and sniffed in his surroundings before leaving the room.
Draco felt sick to his stomach as the all too familiar feeling of anxiety built up from within.
"I have a group of snatchers heading to The Lovegood's place of residence, you're familiar with the young…Luna, isn't it?"
XXX
Days trickled into weeks; Time seemed to halt, every day became just the same. It was as if the sun had stopped shining, dark clouds were left to consume the sky.
Hermione and Harry were continuously on the run, hunger rolling in their stomachs, desperately praying for survival through it all. It had come time for them to settle somewhere new, in hopes of figuring out what the next step was to take, however their next landing could only be for a short time. They had almost been found by snatchers time and time again. Life was more dangerous every single day. The two found themselves listening to a small radio at night, the familiar voice of Lee Jordan comforting them in a way they never thought possible. Anything that linked them to their lives from before was almost reassuring to them; as long as their friends back home were surviving, they could too.
Hermione had taken her pink scarf and tied it around a tree in case Ron came for them. Nestling her fingers into the woven fabric, she smiled slightly to herself and let go of her not so hidden sentiment of her love for Draco. She was tired of having to hide secrets, let alone from her supposed best friends. She grabbed the small 'bookmark' from her pocket, and pressed her wand against it, bringing it back to the size of a scarf and wrapped it around her neck, inhaling her favorite scent of musk. She had kept contact with Theodore, letting him know plans every few days or so. She missed him terribly, and she wanted to so badly see Draco and forgive him for his errors in judgement when they were back in school. Most of all, she wanted the war over. Hermione Granger however, decided not to falter into sadness, but to keep her head up and keep pushing on.
Theodore worked, trying to wane the pain that ached through his bones, only to take his mind from the troubles that escalated around him each and every day. He kept his matching journal of Hermione's on him at all times, in hope of hearing from her, any sign to let him know that she was alive, and safe, if that was even a word these days. Aside from all of that, the young wizard found himself easily adoring Matti. She was his favorite part of the day; her smile, her laugh, her genuine personality took away all of his cares. He was falling for the witch, and she too was crazy about him.
Draco. Draco was surviving, melting into his personal pensieve every night, reliving his favorite moments with the love of his life. He stayed mostly in his bedroom, not allowing anyone to see how distraught he really was. But when it came time to stand before The Dark Lord, he'd gulp down a Pepper Up potion and push his way through it with a stony expression. He even distanced himself from Theodore from time to time; seeing him remotely happy filled his soul with envy and he didn't care for the feeling too much. He was glad for his friend, don't get him wrong. He just didn't have the ability to dote on Theo's happiness with him.
He barely slept, and when he did, he had horrid nightmares, which lead him to taking dreamless sleeping draught, which then led to a need for it. His mother begged for him to not be so reckless with it, she tried to hide it away, have Nora get rid of it, but somehow he always ended up with more. Narcissa had no fight within her to stop him anymore; he was too far gone into depression. After he had captured Luna Lovegood, her innocence and cries tore at his heart. Fortunately she hadn't seen his face because of his mask, but it didn't make things any better.
He was holding on by a chain, and that chain was around his neck, hanging swiftly by his heart. One drop, it could break, and he'd fall apart. He had been on multiple raids to search for the trio, luckily he knew where they were each time they went out, so he'd turned his team the opposite way.
Time was slow. Time was breaking each of them, slowly and painfully.
XXX
Ron had shown back up a couple of days after Christmas, saved Harry from a frozen pond and defeated the locket with the rescued Sword of Gryffindor. This still didn't change the fact that he ran off to begin with. He always left.
Hermione was trimming up Harry's hair for what had seemed like the twentieth time on this blasted journey, when Ron lowered himself into a chair across from them. He and Hermione hadn't talked much since he returned, her revealed secret of loving Draco Malfoy weighed heavily in the air. Things were quite awkward, to say the least, but Ron knew that he loved Hermione as a friend before he loved her in that way. He knew he needed to apologize for his cowardice, but he never knew when the right time would be. Apparently now would have to do.
Hermione didn't look up at the redhead in his fresh presence. She instead continued to trim at the edge of Harry's neck, only to stop once Ron cleared his throat.
"Yes, Ronald?" she asked unconcernedly. Clearly she had better things to do than listen to his rubbish.
"How… I…" He wasn't sure where to start, he wanted to know how long she'd been keeping her secret, he wanted to say sorry, he wanted things to be normal again. His ears began to turn bright pink.
Hermione finished up Harry's hair and set her sheers down. Harry moved from the chair, "I think I will take watch…"
As he made his departure, Hermione sat down in the now vacant seat. "I suppose it's been a little over a year." she answered his silent question. However, she wasn't going to say it was alright for his actions, not without a proper apology. So, she waited.
He nodded, not looking her directly in her eyes, "Why?"
Hermione scoffed, "Why what?"
"Why are you in love with…with him?" His eyes stared down at the floor.
"I don't know, Ron. I just am. I mean, Merlin knows I shouldn't be. He can be such a tart sometimes, and we didn't really end our… whatever it was, on good terms." she rolled her eyes in resentment. That memory was one that had made her cry too often into her pillow.
"You were in a relationship?" Ron moved his gaze to her face now, their eyes finally meeting.
"I wouldn't say it was a relationship. We kind of just… found each other? I don't know how to explain it. It was strange, but in the best way imaginable." she answered, a small smile stealing her lips.
"Did you two… you know…"
Hermione blushed a deep crimson shade. This was not something she wanted to discuss, however, she needed the heat between her and Ronald to go away.
She nodded vaguely, and Ron's ears were now the color of her cheeks.
"Was he your first?" he said, stifling a cringe.
Hermione nodded her head once more, "Yes, Draco was my first, but Ron, we are getting off track. I do love Draco, I care for him immensely. He is different from what you see of him. You are my best friend, and I have always cared for you, and I always will, but…"
"I'm just not the one for you." he finished for her.
She sighed, "You're an amazing friend, and I know that the right witch—or muggle—is out there for you. I don't know who, but between you and me, I sure hope to Merlin you don't ever go back to Lavender."
He chuckled at that, "Trust me, I don't think that I will… I could only be called something reminiscent of a Chinese takeaway meal so often." The friends burst into giggles, it was nice; different, but it felt good.
"I do love you, Ron. I hope you know that, and maybe once upon a time, a long time ago, I did feel something for you, but your friendship means so much more to me. I don't ever want to lose that. You and Harry are like the brothers I never had."
Ron smiled, "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I'm not going to say that I agree or even approve with your choice of the ferret. Honestly I'd rather you be with the Nott bloke if I had to choose. I assumed there was something between the two of you before I ever dreamt of…of Malfoy, but whatever makes you happy, I guess. If he hurts you though, know I'm not afraid to hex him."
She smiled, thinking of a time long ago when Ron did just that and ended up choking out slugs for hours.
"I appreciate that. And he's not a ferret." she said smugly, "I would say he's more like a…"
Ron threw his hands up in defense, "Don't want to know, and don't care to know!"
Hermione laughed, "Oh, seriously, Ronald Weasley! Do you not have a mature bone in your body? And by the way, don't say anything more about me and Theodore unless you want to see me vomit." she shuddered at the thought of their kiss in the library, and chuckled, "Definitely not Theo."
Ron grinned curiously and Harry peeked his head inside the tent, "Everything good here?"
"Yes Harry, everything is good." Hermione said with a small smile, and Ron nodded. It was as good as it could be in a time like this.
XXX
The sound of broken branches, and a tussle of leaves caught Hermione's attention. She journeyed out to the edge of the protective wards and came face to face with Fenrir Greyback. He didn't see her, but he sniffed around as if he found something familiar. She moved quietly against an elder wood tree, pressing her back against it hard, and gripping her nails into the bark.
After the werewolf had turned away and gone back to his trail, Harry grit his teeth. Hermione turned to him and sighed as she entangled her fingers into the knitted fabric around her neck, "He could smell Draco… He could smell him because of my scarf." she paused pensively, "But, Harry, something just occurred to me."
He only nodded in return, not asking questions.
Hermione rushed inside the tent and began to pack everything inside of her bag. She moved to the table, knowing that Theo would be sleeping she wrote out her next plan of action.
She closed the book and tossed it into her bag as well as the rest of the trio's items.
"Wha- wha's goin' on?" Ron asked as the pillow was pulled from beneath his head.
"Ronald, now is not the time for questions!" she said as she threw him a jumper, "Come on!"
XXX
Theo woke to the hint of light coming from beside his head, to see that his journal was lighting up. He and Draco stayed at Nott Manor that night—more to annoy Theo's father than anything else—getting pissed off the elder Nott's Firewhisky and brooding.
He opened the journal and sat up fast and dizzily at what he had read. "Fuck." He turned around in bed, and shoved Draco, "Fuck, mate! I told you, you're not my type!"
Draco rubbed at his chest, "What?"
"Hermione is heading to Xenophilius Lovegood's."