The sun had barely risen when Ginny woke the next morning, the reason readily apparent as she spotted her wife wrapped in a blanket, smoking a joint and staring out the window. She kissed Nym's shoulder as she felt the other two starting to wake as well. The five hadn't spoken much when they got back from the Ministry and they were almost too tired to finish what they'd started in a an effort to replenish their magic. It had been going on three in the morning when they finally settled down to sleep, and now, less than four hours later, Hermione was wide awake.
Ginny crawled from the bed and then walked into Hermione's waiting arms. She wrapped the blanket around her and kissed the top of her head before laying her cheek atop it.
"You okay?" Ginny asked.
"Not really..." Hermione admitted with a heavy sigh.
"Does it have anything to do with lying to Amelia?" Luna asked sleepily.
"You did as well," Hermione countered; "I know, for a fact, you all saw what I saw," she laughed but there was no happiness in it; "It was hard enough focusing in on Sturgis, I couldn't control it..."
"You going to share that?" Nym asked.
Hermione nodded and then she and Ginny went back to bed. She re-lit the joint, inhaled deeply and then passed it to Nym.
"I only knew Macnair was dead cause Nym told me the minute we arrived," Hermione admitted.
"You used my gift to figure out why?" Ginny asked, Hermione nodded. "So that's what that was..."
"Sorry, I couldn't warn you," Hermione offered.
"You were worried I'd try to heal him?" Ginny asked.
"No..." Hermione smiled and kissed her cheek; "I knew you'd want to try but dead is dead," she sighed.
"Don't feel guilty over his death, Hermione, you couldn't have known," Nym said as she handed her back the joint.
"I don't..." Hermione shrugged; "Pissed at a missed opportunity maybe."
"So why did you lie to Amelia?" asked Fleur as she reached for the joint.
"Because Macnair didn't know the poison was there," Hermione replied; "I think he came to and Tom compelled him to clench his teeth until it broke..."
"Through his Dark Mark?" Ginny asked, Hermione nodded again.
"You're worried the 'Council' will fear we could do the same?" asked Fleur.
"How many times have we heard; 'Glad you're on our side'?" Hermione asked; "Or something to that effect?" She laughed ruefully. "Even Severus-bloody-Snape is afraid of what we can do."
"You're worried they'd turn on us?" Luna asked.
"No... not yet anyway..." Hermione said and took another hit from the joint before handing it to Luna. "We're not a threat to those who don't stand in our way."
"There's something else bugging you," Ginny prodded.
"He'd been following Sturgis for a week... I don't like how close he got to succeeding before we were alerted..."
"Maybe Sturgis thought he could handle it?" offered Nym.
"Or maybe it'll only work if we're together," Hermione countered.
"But we weren't," Luna pointed out; "Harry and Morgan..."
"True," Hermione replied thoughtfully; "But it got easier with them in the room."
"You think we drew from their magic?" Ginny asked.
"More like Harry shared some of their magic with us and we were strengthened by having the rest of our coven there supporting us," Hermione explained. "Truth is... I'm not sure..." she reached for Nym's hand; "But for everyone's safety..."
"Are you asking me to move in, Mrs Granger?" Nym joked.
"Thought we already did," Hermione replied.
"Yeah but I thought... what?" Nym trailed off a look from Hermione; "You didn't tell them?"
"That you'll be taking over for the toad once we get rid of her?" Fleur asked and laughed at the look at Hermione's face; "What? You thought we didn't know?" she teased. "You, Nym and Ginny... your bond is different than the one we have with her... and we're okay with that..." Fleur tried to assure her; "The bond we have with the two of you is just as strong if not stronger..." She took Nym's free hand; "But part of the reason we missed you is because they did..."
"In the meantime," Hermione said, trying to get them back on topic, "You definitely need to start spending your nights here, okay?" she asked Nym.
"I'll have to..." Nym trailed off at the four raised eyebrows; "Okay, okay... I'll go to work during the day and be back in time for dinner every night..."
A/N: Hey folks, sorry it's been awhile and this is only a preview of the next chapter, a little reward for your patience. See, I stupidly thought I was capable of writing two very different stories at the same time, but between working too many hours and having to sleep most of the time I do get off just to stay healthy, well, I'm afraid this story has been put on hold indefinitely. I have every intention of finishing it eventually however I have no idea when that will be. Perhaps once my other story has concluded and/or my work schedule returns to normal, I'll be back. Never fear, dear readers, I will return to this story once I physically have the time to write it.