Chapter Ten

Landing with a dull thud, Clopin tried to bite back the cry of agony. Hermione took a deep breath before looking at his back. It was a mess, it was no wonder he was in so much pain. Cursing under her breath for not taking a pain potion with her as well, Hermione lifted his arm around her shoulder, gently urging him to stand but lean on her.

"I'm sorry, mon amour. Just a little further."

Hermione had apparated them both into the catacombs. There wasn't any chance of her leaving them out in the streets for the soldiers to find. It wasn't like she could have apparated them into Clopin's tent either. Slowly making their way through the tunnels, Hermione did her best to take most of Clopin's weight, to make it slightly easier for him to walk. Luckily, she had landed them close to the entrance.

Stepping out into the Court, she really wasn't surprised to find Bartley and Kezia waiting for her. Bartley's eyes widened at the sight and moved to take Clopin from her. Allowing the man to do so, Hermione followed him to Clopin's tent. Kezia followed quickly, telling Hermione that she had been able to keep the people from panicking and how they had gone to bed. Nodding jerkily, Hermione entered Clopin's tent and directed the two.

"Bartley, lie him on his stomach and then grab me some wine if you can find it. Kezia, I need some bandages, a needle and some thread. I have a feeling these slashes are going to need some stitches."

The two of them quickly moved to do as she asked. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Hermione brushed Clopin's hair out of the way to see him give her a small grimace of a smile. Smiling softly down at him, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before muttering.

"You're in a lot of trouble when you wake up, mon amour. For now though, sleep. You're going to need the rest."

Clopin tried to nod as he closed his eyes. Hermione wasn't surprised when he quickly passed out. The lack of blood certainly wouldn't have helped him. Biting her lip, she debated whether she had time to grab some potions, but the decision was taken out of her hands when Bartley returned. Holding out a flask, he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's all we have, Esmeralda. I can go up and get some more?" Hermione was shaking her head before he even finished his question.

"Non, I don't want anyone going up there for a few days. We need to be extra careful now. Will you please spread it around? We have enough food and drink for the time being." Bartley nodded before leaving the tent, almost bumping into Kezia as she entered with the supplies Hermione needed.

Taking the supplies from her, Hermione took a deep breath before making a start. It wasn't as bad as she had been expecting but still pretty bad. The number of blood-soaked sheets that she would be burning by the end of the night was ridiculous. Hermione did need to give Clopin some stitches in the end, flinching as he let out a pained groan now and then. Even the way his body flinched as the wine hit his wounds was enough to make her feel incredibly guilty for not getting there sooner. Wiping the sweat from her brow with her arm, the young witch let out a deep sigh after tying his bandages. Slumping down so that she was sat on the floor, she gave Kezia a small smile.

"That's all we can do for now. We just need to keep an eye out for infection."

Kezia nodded her head before pulling Hermione up to stand. Hermione really didn't want to but had no choice when Kezia reprimanded her.

"You need to go and clean up, young lady. I'll not watch as you sit there and pass out. You'll be no good to anyone if you do!"

Huffing, Hermione just nodded and left the tent. She figured if she quickly cleaned up, she could grab some potions that would make Clopin's recovery a lot easier. Nodding firmly to herself, she stepped into her tent, only to have Djali launch himself at her. Bleating in worry, the goat nudged her repeatedly with his head. Gently patting his head, Hermione smiled softly at him.

"It's alright, Djali. I'm sorry I worried you."

Djali nuzzled his head against her legs and refused to let her move for even a minute. Standing still, Hermione let him have that moment. Eventually, Djali let her move, content that she was okay and not in the Palace of Justice where his former owner had been sent to. Grabbing her beaded bag, Hermione pulled out the potions she needed before glancing down at herself. She was practically covered in blood.

Sighing heavily, she was grateful that she had the forethought to stitch herself some clothes that were pretty much exactly the same. The only difference was that she made sure that the skirt had some white fabric underneath it, to keep her warm in the coming winter months. Washing as much of the blood off her as she could, Hermione stripped and put on her clean clothes. Once she was as clean as she could get at that point, she grabbed the potions, shoving them down her top, before snatching up her bloody clothing. Stepping out of the tent, Hermione walked up to the fire and threw the clothing on top. She noticed some remains of the bloody sheets she had used were still smouldering. She assumed that Kezia had beaten her to it.

Hermione watched the fabric burn with mild fascination. It amazed her just how quickly she could cover up a murder. She had killed someone. Again. Shaking her head, Hermione let out a sigh. She didn't plan on telling her people what she had done. She didn't plan on telling Clopin in all honesty but knew that he would find out if word got out. Then again, the soldiers might assume that the bastard she had killed had let Clopin escape.

Tilting her head, she wondered if that was what she could spread around. That way, there won't be a death warrant with her or Clopin's name on it since she had made certain that no one saw her. Biting her lip, Hermione turned and strode towards his tent. Entering, she saw Kezia was trying to make Clopin as comfortable as possible. Sighing, she rested a hand on her friend's shoulder, drawing her attention.

"He'll be fine, Kezia. Go and get some rest."

The older woman looked like she wanted to argue but ultimately gave in with a nod. The second she left, Hermione cast a spell on the three potions she had brought with her, allowing them to be injected straight into Clopin's blood stream. A blood replenishing, a pain relief and one to erase any and all infections. Job done, Hermione vanished the empty vials and sat down on the floor next to the bed. Taking Clopin's hand in hers, she rested her head against the bed and closed her eyes for a brief minute.

As loathe as she was to admit it, she fell asleep, and it came as no surprise to her. It had been a long time since she had used so much magic in one go, not to mention it had been a fair few months since she had had to kill someone. She wasn't quite ready to wake up just yet, but the voices above her head were annoying her, even as they whispered. Slowly coming to, she could feel someone stroking her hair, it was a comforting gesture that only one person used on her.

"She stayed with you all night, Clopin. Refused to leave your side, although I did have to force her to wash up. Even then, she was only gone for five minutes tops." Hermione wanted to smirk, Kezia was laying it on a bit thick in her opinion.

"That doesn't surprise me. She's a bit stubborn." Kezia snorted as Clopin's voice registered with Hermione.

"Because you're not?" Hermione heard Clopin chuckle lightly.

"Perhaps."

Hermione kept her eyes closed, not quite ready to open them. It wasn't until she heard Kezia leave the tent that Clopin gently shook her, whispering.

"Hermione? Wake up, mon amour." Groaning, Hermione shook her head, making Clopin chuckle but he kept on prodding her. Blinking, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before giving her fiancé a sleepy smile.

"How're you feeling?" Hermione's voice croaked slightly but she just cleared her throat before jumping up to assess Clopin's injuries. He just brushed her off and pulled her to sit down next to him on the bed. Carefully moving so that she could do so comfortably, Hermione sighed as he cupped her face with his right hand, leaving his left in Hermione's possession. Nuzzling into his palm, Hermione was about to tell him off when he beat her to the punch.

"What the hell were you doing there, mon amour?" Hermione blinked before her jaw dropped slightly. She felt her anger spark.

"Me? What the hell do you think you were doing?! I told you to be careful, for fuck sake!"

"I would have been fine! I asked you to get out of there, and now the soldiers will be looking for you!"

Hermione blinked again, her anger halting for only a moment. He didn't know. Closing her eyes, she debated whether or not to tell him. She felt him pull her forward until she was lying down by his side, her head on top of his heart beat. Tears gathered in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, she didn't want to tell him but knew she had to.

"They won't be looking for me."

"What makes you think that? Hermione, amour, you killed the man, didn't you?" Clopin sounded confused and went to pull back to look at her face, but she didn't let him. Tightening her grip on his tunic and hand, she squeezed her eyes shut. Hermione was sure he could feel the tears soaking his tunic.

"I did. There isn't a body. I turned it to ash. I'm going to spread it around that he helped you escape and then ran off."

The room was silent for a long while before Clopin tightened his grip on her. She could hear him whispering to himself.

"Thank you, Maria. Thank you." Frowning, Hermione sat up slightly before staring at him as tears rolled down her face.

"You're not angry that I killed him?" Clopin started shaking his head as soon as she said the word 'angry', confusing her even more.

"Non, chérie. You did what you had to do. I would have preferred it if you had let me figure out an escape myself, but that's only because I don't want you in danger! I was more concerned about you having a murder charge against you. You have told me about your past, mon amour. I don't care how many people you've killed, or end up killing, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters to me."

Hermione's tears continued to fall. She had never had someone care so much for her. Her friends were more than willing to get into trouble with her, but she had a feeling that Clopin would have taken the blame for her if she hadn't destroyed the body. Gulping passed the lump in her throat, the young witch leaned over to kiss him, mindful of his injuries. She needn't have bothered.

The second their lips met, Clopin pulled her even closer to him. Chuckling lightly, Hermione deepened the kiss. It wasn't long before she realised that Clopin was exhausted. Pulling back, she shook her head as he leant forward for more.

"You need to rest. Get some more sleep, mon amour. You're still going to be getting the telling off of a lifetime."

Clopin laughed at that but surrendered to his fiancée's request. Hermione stayed with him as he fell asleep. Biting back a yawn, she forced herself up before she fell asleep herself. Only to find herself trapped by Clopin. Rolling her eyes, Hermione was certain he had done that on purpose. Shrugging, she figured a few more hours wouldn't hurt. Not that she was aware of the time.

Hermione's sleep was plagued with nightmares. No matter how much she would tell herself it was only a dream, she couldn't shake herself out of them. They varied quite a bit. Some were focused on Clopin being hurt or hung. Others were of her old friends condemning her choice not to look for a way home. She even had one of her parents telling her how disappointed they were in her.

Waking up with a gasp, it took a moment before Hermione realised where she was. Gently clutching the sleeping man next to her, she breathed a sigh of relief. If anything, she was grateful that she hadn't had the recurring dream of her torture at Malfoy Manor. That one always left her screaming until her voice was hoarse. The warmth from her fiancé was comforting, reminding her that he was alright and not going anywhere if she had her way.

Frowning, Hermione realised that she couldn't move her feet. Casting a glance down, even in the darkness of the room, she could make out the white fur of her companion on top of her feet. Smiling softly, she gently eased her feet out from under him. She really shouldn't be all that surprised that Djali had decided to join them. She had scared him enough to last a lifetime, she was sure.

Hermione laid as still as possible whilst staring into the dark. She wished she had seen something like this coming. The past few months had been going well, too well. Slowly shaking her head, she let out a small sigh. It would seem that trouble didn't just follow Harry around. Biting her lip, she wondered if she should leave. Who knew what dangers lay ahead. Hermione really didn't want to cause any trouble for those who she now considered to be family. Perhaps it was best if she did leave.

She found herself staring at her engagement ring once again. As much as she loved the man next to her, maybe he was better off without her. The same went for the others too. Selina and Kezia would be alright, as would Bartley and Duke. They would all watch out for one another. The gypsy children would get over her leaving. Hermione was interrupted from her depressing thoughts when a hand cupped her face. Turning her head towards Clopin, she saw a small smile on his lips.

"I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, mon amour, but stop it." Hermione's lips twitched slightly. Clopin knew her a little too well. Sighing, she gave him a small, sad smile.

"I was thinking it might be best if I left." Clopin frowned at her before wrapping his arms around her tightly, pulling her to his chest.

"You should know that I'm not going to let that happen, chérie."

"I'm causing you too much trouble. If I leave, perhaps you'll all be safe." Clopin shook his head before he sat up. Pulling her up, he manoeuvred Hermione so that she was sat on his lap, stroking her hair comfortably. Hermione rested her head just beneath his jaw. Clutching his tunic in her fists, she couldn't help but feel small but protected in his arms.

"We will be in the exact same amount of danger if you left us. It's a hazard of being an outcast, mon cher. If the roles were reversed, I would have killed that man a thousand times. I know you would have done the exact same thing for any of our fellow gypsies."

Hermione really hated it when Clopin was right. As though sensing he had won this argument, he pressed a kiss to her temple. The pair of them stayed like that for some time, mentally repeating the previous events over and over. Hermione sighed before lifting her head to look up at him.

"Alright. I'm sorry. I won't leave. You're still getting scolded once your injuries are healed."

Clopin let out a cautious chuckle. He had been on the receiving end of Hermione's lectures before, but he had a feeling this particular one was going to be the worst. Tightening his grip on her, he had only one last comment that he felt needed to be said.

"I don't want you to even think about leaving, chérie. I'll come after you and drag you back if I must."

Hermione chuckled at the thought but nodded nevertheless. She had no doubt that he really would chase after her and bring her back, kicking and screaming. Sighing, she slowly let go of him and gestured for him to turn around.

"Let me see your back."

Clopin turned without question. Hermione slowly unravelled his bandages so that she could see how well they're healing. They weren't doing too badly but tapped her wand against a few of the more serious ones, helping them heal just that little bit more. She didn't want to make anyone suspicious though, so held back.

"I can't heal them properly, mon amour, but I'm easing them along slowly. How bad is the pain?" He threw a smile over his shoulder whilst she grabbed some clean bandages off of the table by the bed.

"Manageable, chérie. I know you can't, but thank you.' He took her hand and pressed a gently kiss to her knuckles. 'Anything you can do is appreciated."

Smiling softly, Hermione gently wrapped the new bandages around his torso. Helping him lie back down, she chuckled when Djali woke up and moved over to lick Clopin's cheek. Spluttering, Clopin tried to push him away.

"Aww, he's checking to make sure you're alright! Don't be nasty."

Djali moved into Hermione's open arms and she couldn't have sworn he stuck his tongue out at Clopin. Petting the goat gently, she fixed Clopin a glare. Clopin pouted slightly before sighing.

"I'm sorry, Djali." He reached out to offer the goat an apologetic pat on the head. Djali seemed suspicious but allowed him to stroke his fur. Smiling, the couple watched as Djali made himself comfortable at the end of the bed once more. Clopin stared at the goat for a moment before groaning.

"He's not staying there once we're married, mon amour. That would be rather awkward."

Chuckling, Hermione just nodded as she brushed his hair back from his face.

"Sleep, mon amour. You need it."

Hermione watched as Clopin slowly drifted back off to sleep. Caressing his cheek, she quickly pressed a kiss to it before lying back down herself. Feeling incredibly drowsy, she allowed sleep to take over once more.