They eat dinner largely in silence with Narcissa staring off into the distance, lost in thought, and Ron avoiding Hermione's suspicious glances. She still cannot understand what he meant earlier about her and Narcissa. She decides to leave it alone for now. At least until after she speaks with Narcissa about Bellatrix. One headache at a time...
After dinner, Narcissa shows her and Ron to two bedrooms that have been rid of dust and cobwebs. Narcissa must have thrown herself into some cleaning after Bellatrix left. Once Ron disappears into one of the rooms, Hermione gently takes hold of Narcissa's wrist and leads her into the other. She closes the door behind them and wrings her hands together nervously.
"Is something the matter?" Narcissa asks.
"No," Hermione says, "it's just...well, Ron was wondering - and I thought it might be a good thing to talk about, of course - how much you - how much we rather - are planning on telling Bellatrix about our plans?"
Narcissa raises an eyebrow, and Hermione feels she's misstepped.
"Are you saying we have a plan to even tell her? I wasn't aware," Narcissa says.
Hermione bristles. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Narcissa regards her coolly. "If you're so concerned that I'll betray you, you should have something to be betrayed first, don't you think?"
"I never said you'd betray us! It's something we all need to agree on!" Hermione frowns. "Not just you, all of us."
"Is that why you've brought me into a room without Weasley? Or was it because he's too cowardly to accuse me to my face?"
"I'm not trying to accuse you of anything!" Hermione says, her voice rising.
"Except you seem to think I have no sense whatsoever - "
"I never said that!" Hermione cries, anger and frustration coursing through her. Hermione trusts Narcissa. Why can't Narcissa trust Hermione to be honest with her?
But are you being honest? said a voice in her head. Ron is worried. And so are you.
Guilt twists her stomach. She might be worried, but she isn't worried because she thinks Narcissa will intentionally betray them. She wants a plan for her own peace of mind.
"You didn't have to," Narcissa says coldly. "Rest assured I may have misjudged my husband, but I will never make the same mistake again."
With that, Narcissa wrenched the door open, stormed from the room, and slammed it closed behind her. Hermione stood staring at the door, feeling lost and numb, her heart sinking at Narcissa's words.