"Whatever you saw, whatever you heard, I need you to focus on the present now."
Hermione was lying facedown on the floor of her cabin, gasping for air. Draco was hovering above her.
"I need you to stand."
Hermione nodded, startled to find herself back aboard the Dragomir and not at Hogwarts.
She noticed the floor was tilting, the furniture was sliding forward, and Draco was struggling to maintain his balance.
Her mind struggled to piece her memories together. Valko had knocked on the cabin door, and Draco had gone to find Ginny before she disappeared.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Have we resurfaced?" Hermione asked, remembering the storm.
"No," Draco said. "We have to go, come on."
He helped her to her feet.
"Where's Ginny?" she asked thickly, as he pushed her into the corridor.
"In the dining hall, Granger, exactly where you should be."
Draco stopped dead. Hermione felt water seep into her shoes. She looked down. The corridor was flooding.
"Hurry," Draco urged, leading her forward.
There were fairy lights illuminating the corridor and they followed them all the way to the dining hall.
The double doors were pushed open. The chairs and tables had been nailed to the floor. The students had conjured ropes and tied themselves to anything they could find.
The chandelier above them trembled menacingly as the ship tilted upwards, fighting its way to the surface.
"Ginny!" Hermione cried, catching sight of her at the far end of the hall.
Suddenly, the ship rolled to one side, and she was thrown off balance.
She threw hands out in front of her, trying to break her fall.
She hit the floor with a thud, and looked up at the chandelier, fearful it would come crashing down.
She crawled forward, eager to get to the other side.
"Granger, wait!" Malfoy shouted behind her.
She picked herself up and ran the rest of the way, throwing her arms around Ginny when she finally reached her.
Ginny was crouched under a table holding Crookshanks. "Where were you?" she asked resentfully.
"I'm sorry." Hermione said. "I—"
She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Draco had caught up to her. He conjured a rope with his wand.
He looped the rope around Hermione's wrist, then his own, tying them to the leg of the table.
Hermione and Ginny huddled against each other, staring out of the large, arched windows.
Cracks were beginning to form on the glass.
The ship continued to tilt upwards, and suddenly there was a flash of violet light, so bright it was blinding. The light lingered for a few seconds, then extinguished, cloaking them in darkness once more.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"The magical barrier," Draco replied. "It must have collapsed."
The ship trembled violently and everyone screamed.
"What's happening?" Ginny cried.
They heard three short blasts, and the windows fractured completely.
Hermione and Ginny ducked, as jets of water blasted into the dining hall. She heard shrieks and cries as students were pummeled by the freezing water.
The ship was crashing through the surface now.
With a final lurch the Dragomir emerged from the depths of the ocean. The ship bobbed for a moment before steadying itself. Water spilled down its sides, falling back into the angry sea.
Through the broken windows the students could see enormous waves churning across the ocean...and thick, dark thunder clouds filled the sky.
Crookshanks squirmed out of Ginny's arms and raced across the room.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione cried.
She made to stand, then fell down, forgetting she was tied to the table.
She reached for her wand, but Draco seized her wrist.
"Leave the stupid cat, Granger!"
Hermione ignored him. She lifted her wand and shouted, "Relashio!"
The rope binding her to Malfoy fell away.
She ran across the hall.
Draco cursed loudly and went after her. "Stay put!" he shouted over his shoulder to Ginny.
Crookshanks ran down a corridor and turned left, dashing out a door that was hanging off its hinges.
"No!" Hermione cried. "He's going outside!"
The ginger cat ran as fast as his legs could carry him, momentarily disappearing from view.
Draco caught up to Hermione, and they both froze when they reached the deck.
Lightning flashed across the sky, revealing an expanse of dark ocean as far as the eye could see.
It was more terrible than any nightmare.
The crew was scurrying about, trying to secure the ropes. Nikola was shouting commands from the helm, urging them all to move faster.
There was another flash of lightning, and Hermione and Draco looked up, hearing something snap above them.
One of the masts had splintered, and Draco and Hermione jumped back as the debris hit the deck.
"Vat are you doing? Go back inside!" Valko shouted at them.
Hermione struggled to see through the heavy rain. The gale pushed her forward, whipping her hair into her face.
"What the hell is that?" Draco said suddenly.
Hermione followed his line of vision. Her heart jerked to a halt.
A monstrous wave was forming. It was over a hundred feet tall, and they were headed straight for it.
The ship careened forward, and Hermione's mouth fell open in shock as she realized Nikola was going to try to ride the wave.
"There's no way we're going to make it over that!" Draco shouted. "We'll turn over!"
Panicked, they conjured ropes and tied themselves to the handrail. The crew did the same.
Hermione lifted Crookshanks into her arms.
She saw Nikola at the helm of the ship, her coat flapping up behind her. Lightning illuminated her as she drove them forward. Konstantin yapped at her side, tied to her leg.
Nikola was mad…they would never make it…
"This is it!" Draco shouted, as they reached the wave.
The entire crew looked up, riveted at the sheer scale of the monstrosity in front of them.
The ship soared up, and Hermione and Draco clung to the railing.
Their feet slid out from under them as the Dragomir made its way over the enormous swell.
Hermione shut her eyes. There was a rush of sound…the howling wind, the roar of the ocean, the clap of thunder…
She felt her feet leave the deck, her body lifted up…she was floating in mid-air…
For one precious moment anything was possible…but then panic seized her and her eyes shot open.
Draco took her hand and she inhaled sharply.
Everything tipped forward, her body, the ship…and they fell into blackness, falling…falling…
She thought of her parents, of Harry and Ron, of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley…
Would she ever see them again?
They fell faster and faster, eventually hitting the water with a terrible force, landing on the other side of the wave.
A blast of water rained down upon them. The chill seeped into Hermione's bones, but she didn't care…somehow, they were alive.
Draco and Hermione turned to look behind them.
The colossal wave had crashed down with a terrible force.
Nikola and the crew cheered. Hermione collapsed into Draco's arms, exhausted. They had survived…by some miracle they would live to see another sunrise.
The next day the sky was a brilliant blue. Hermione and Draco's hands were still tied to the handrail. They had fallen asleep on the deck.
Hermione heard movement above her, and looked up. Seagulls were flying overhead.
"Land!" said a member of the crew. "Just there!"
Hermione pushed herself up to see, and her jaw dropped open.
For a moment she thought they hadn't survived the storm, for they had arrived in a place akin to heaven.
They were surrounded by towering white cliffs, and two beautiful arches made entirely of rock sat on either side of them. There was a large, white pillar rising up from the sea, and the turquoise water sparkled with magic.
The Dragomir made its way closer to land.
Hermione looked up, craning her neck to see. The land above the cliffs was covered in violets and lilacs, and the grass looked smooth, parting slightly in the breeze.
"Étretat!" Nikola shouted from the helm.
"Draco look," Hermione said, shaking him awake.
He opened his eyes slowly and sat up, taking in the sight before them.
There were witches and wizards waiting for them on the shore of the magical town. They waved white handkerchiefs in their hands, and shot golden sparks into the air with their wands.
There were tents on the cliffside high above the town. Hermione guessed they were for the first and second years. Nikola had told her a concealment charm had been placed around the area, to keep curious muggles at bay.
Hermione looked up. The storm had shredded many of the sails, and she gathered the crew would work on restoring the ship for the next few days.
They docked half an hour later.
One by one the students disembarked, looking in awe at the seaside town in front of them.
Some of the crew left the ship too, eager to hear the latest news of the war.
Draco watched them step down, remembering Nikola's words: "Étretat is sacred land. The devil cannot enter, you cannot enter."
Hermione touched his shoulder. "I'm going to take Ginny down. I'll probably stay on shore…until the ship is repaired. I'm guessing it might be a few days."
Draco turned away from her. A part of him panicked. They were no longer in Britain, closed off from the world. She could go anywhere she wanted. What if she decided to apparate away from the coast? She wasn't seventeen yet, but he suspected Dumbledore had lifted the restriction for her in Étretat and anywhere else she planned to go.
She could be gone in an instant. And if he lost her, he lost everything.
But there was something else that bothered him. He couldn't stand the thought of her double-crossing him, because that would mean…it would mean she never truly cared for him.
And she had an awful habit of acting on impulse, like touching that blasted book. Last night she had told him all about Tom Riddle's past, and while he thought the knowledge would prove useful, he didn't think she should have risked her life for it.
They had been in the middle of a bloody storm for merlin's sake.
Draco forced his face into a mask of calm, remembering his conversation with her from the night before. She had told him traveling aboard the Dragomir was the safest way. The crew would fix the magical barrier and she would sail on to wherever it was Dumbledore had asked her to go. She hadn't told him where, or if she wanted him to accompany her, but he had to ensure that she did.
"Draco?" Hermione said, interrupting his thoughts. "I'm leaving now."
"Right," Draco said, looking down at his Dark Mark resentfully. "Don't let me keep you."
Hermione left his side to join Ginny.
"He isn't coming?" Ginny asked astutely.
Hermione shook her head. "He can't. Death Eaters can't enter Étretat."
Draco overheard, and her words cut into him, sharp like a knife.
Is that all she saw him as? A Death Eater?
He forced himself to exhale.
It was true, after all. She was an angel and he was a devil, waiting for the opportunity to strike. He had a feeling Potter was closer than ever. He just had to bide his time…
As Hermione made her way to shore, she recalled her conversation with Draco from the night before.
He was furious with her for touching the book and disappearing, and she couldn't blame him. She might have drowned, trapped in its pages while they were caught in the storm.
Hermione sighed. Thankfully that hadn't happened. She decided to tell him nothing of Harry, only that she had to sail away after the ship was repaired.
Draco had listened to her intently, but he'd hardly said anything at all.
Hermione breathed in deeply. It was time to decide…
Time to decide if she should trust Draco fully, or walk away from him forever.
She looked behind her. Draco was watching her progress from the deck of the ship. Although he was only a few feet away, it felt like there was a world between them. And she knew he felt it too.
She felt an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach.
It felt strange to part from Draco after everything they'd been though…
He had been her support in the absence of her friends. But maybe distance is exactly what they needed…she needed time to think…she could ruin everything if she chose poorly.
Back on the ship, curiosity got the better of Draco. He moved towards the ramp that led to shore.
"I vouldn't do that if I were you," Nikola warned, an eyebrow raised.
Draco jumped. He hadn't heard her approach.
Nikola looked at him shrewdly, and Konstantin ran up behind her, barking.
His fur coat shone like silk in the sunlight.
Nikola blocked his way to the ramp. "You should go back to your cabin."
Draco smirked at her. For all he knew, she was bluffing. He hoisted himself over the handrail of the ship. He hesitated for a moment, then let himself fall overboard.
He hit the water with a splash.
Nothing happened.
He swam several strokes until he reached shallow water.
When he could step, he moved forward until the water was only ankle deep.
He took a step towards shore, then another, and another…
He smirked. Nikola was obviously—
Then he felt it. An electric blast of energy that shocked his whole body.
He stumbled for balance, and as he reached a hand out to steady himself, something burned him.
He screamed in agony and looked down at his Dark Mark. It was glowing bright red as if someone had set him on fire.
He doubled over. He couldn't pass the invisible line, and he couldn't step back either. He was trapped.
He heard the sound of splashing water behind him, and someone yanked on his robes, forcing him to take several steps back.
"Had enough, Mr. Malfoy?" Nikola said sternly. "Miroslav and Valko are vaiting for you in the galley. There's work to be done on the ship."
"You're not going to lock me up?" Draco asked bitterly.
"No need," Nikola said brightly, adjusting her hat. "You couldn't call the Dark Lord even if you vanted to. Your magic is useless here."
Draco raised his wand. He tried to levitate Nikola's hat off her head.
It didn't move.
He looked at her resentfully.
He could not do magic, at least not while on these shores.
Moments later, Nikola joined Hermione, Ginny and the crowd of onlookers that had gathered to greet them on land. She found the Head Witch in charge, and discussed arrangements for the first and second year students. The conversation soon turned to the war. Hermione waited with baited breath.
"We have news of the Weasley family," Nikola said suddenly, motioning for Hermione and Ginny to follow her up the cliffside. Hermione guessed they were headed for the tents.
"What is it?" Ginny asked anxiously, trudging after her.
"Maybe we should talk in private," Hermione told Nikola, giving Ginny a sideways glance.
"No," the young girl said fiercely. "I want to know what's happened."
"We vill talk at the encampment," Nikola said, continuing the strenuous hike.
They were out of breath once they made it to the top of the cliffs. They had long, sweeping views of the ocean, and the Dragomir looked like a tiny dot in the distance.
"Come in," Nikola said, motioning for them to step inside a golden-white tent.
She pulled the flap open.
Once inside they saw the space was three times larger than it appeared on the outside. There was a desk, a cot, a shelf full of books and several maps pinned to large wooden boards.
Nikola sat in a large armchair.
Hermione was hit by a sudden flashback of the Quidditch World Cup…Mr. Weasley laughing with Fred and George as they set up their tent…she and Ron and Ron going off to collect firewood, Molly making hot chocolate for Ginny…
"Have a seat," Nikola said, motioning to two chairs.
Hermione and Ginny sat down, looking at the older witch expectantly.
"We've received a report from the Magical Alliance," Nikola began, looking directly at Ginny. "Your father, Arthur Weasley and two of your brothers, Bill and Charlie were found by members of the Order. They are alive. Mr. Weasley was gravely injured, but we believe he vill recover."
Ginny swallowed. "And the rest of my family?"
Nikola nodded. "As you know, your mother, Molly Weasley, was reported missing several weeks ago. The Order discovered that she was taken by snatchers. Her three younger sons were working with a member of the Order to recover her. They were captured in the Forest of Dean by Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy."
Ginny stared at her in shocked silence.
Nikola went on. "I'm afraid that's not all. Before they ver captured, Ronald Weasley was attacked by Fenrir Greyback."
"Fenrir Greyback? The werewolf?" Ginny asked weakly.
Nikola nodded. "I'm afraid your brother is no longer as you remember him. He was bitten most severely."
"You mean, Greyback…"
"Yes, Ms. Weasley. I am sorry to say your brother is no longer fully human."
Hermione's mouth dropped open.
"My dream," Ginny whispered. "I knew something was wrong—"
Hermione remembered her last conversation with Ron, they had argued and said terrible things…
"Does the Order know where Bellatrix took them?" Hermione asked desperately. "What about Mrs. Weasley?"
Nikola sighed. "They have reason to believe they're keeping them all at Greymoor Castle, a few miles from Hogwarts, but we don't know for certain."
Hermione nodded, in the papers she'd read that Greymoor Castle belonged to Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus Lestrange. The Order told her it was filled with dark curses and traps. It was abandoned after the last war, and no ministry or Order member had been able to break through its walls.
And now with Voldemort winning, it was no surprise the Lestranges had taken up residence there once more.
"Why didn't Dumbledore help the Weasley's leave Britain before the war started?" Hermione asked, suddenly furious. "He helped my parents. Why didn't he do the same for them? He knew they'd be targets—"
"My parents insisted on staying," Ginny said quietly. "Dumbledore offered us all a way out, but we wanted to stay and fight, just like you did. We never thought the ministry would fall so soon."
"But what does Bellatrix want with them?!" Hermione exclaimed. "They don't know where Harry is!"
"Then they need to make up a story," Nikola said gravely. "Or Bellatrix vill kill them. They need to spin a tale long enough for the Order to find them."
Hermione felt trapped in the small space of the tent. She shouldn't have let Ron and his brothers leave Hogwarts. She should have fought harder…forced them to stay…
But deep down she knew they wouldn't have listened, not while Molly was in danger. And if she was in their place, she would have done the same…risked everything to save her parents.
Hermione couldn't breathe. She was choking on anguish and fear.
She ran out of the tent.
"Ms. Granger!" Nikola shouted.
She knew she shouldn't fall apart in front of Ginny, but her desire to get away was stronger than anything else.
She ran without looking back, only stopping when she reached the edge of the cliffs.
She looked down. The water crashed against the rocks and her vision blurred. The tears fell fast and free-flowing. She took a step back, her balance wavering. Endless thoughts swirled around her head, crushing her.
She sat by the cliffside and cried. The Weasley's were like a second family. She couldn't imagine life without them.
She didn't know for how long she sat there, but eventually Ginny found her.
Hermione wiped away her tears. "I—I'm not sure what to do anymore, Ginny. Maybe I should go back, forget about finding Harry…"
Ginny shook her head. "You have to find Harry like Dumbledore asked. If you go back they'll capture you too. My brothers were never going to stay put at Hogwarts. My mum was in trouble and they had to help her…"
"Yes, and now they're all in trouble," Hermione said furiously. She looked into the distance. The sun was starting to set, lighting up the cliffs.
The Dragomir bobbed on the water, and her thoughts drifted to Draco. Now she understood his desperation. His mother was trapped too, and there was nothing he could do about it. How had he carried on with that uncertainty?
Ginny followed Hermione's line of vision. "Malfoy…do you trust him?"
Hermione was taken aback by the question, but she didn't hesitate. She had made her decision. "Yes, I do. I didn't at first, but I do now." Hermione reached for Ginny's hand. "But you don't, do you? Even though he saved our lives? Back at the lake?"
Ginny met her eyes. "His family is holding mine captive. How can I trust him?" She pulled her hand away. "I have a bad feeling about him, Hermione. You should be careful."
"Did you see something again, in one of your dreams?
Ginny's red hair whipped into her face, and her eyes looked dark and ominous.
"No," she said. "Nothing."
Hermione swallowed.
They sat on the cliffside in silence, staring out into the ocean.
Hermione felt a chill run up her spine.
Ginny had been right about Ron. Was she right about Draco too?
The next few days passed by in a blur. Hermione's concern for the Weasley's consumed her and she thought of little else. She wanted to return home, but she knew Spain was a means to an end. If she could get the Arévalo vampires to join the fight against Voldemort, they would stand a chance—without them, the fight would be much longer…
During the day, she swallowed her fear and anxiety for Ginny's sake, but after dark she was plagued with nightmares.
And one night in particular, she couldn't sleep at all.
Hermione tossed her covers aside, and left the tent she shared with Ginny. She walked down the cliffside, worried that she'd lose her footing in the dark. She heard the sound of crickets chirping and the occasional crash of the waves.
Her anxiety clouded her mind, making her weak…and she had to make it stop.
Minutes later she made it to shore. She stared out at the ocean. The waves glowed an unearthly, electric blue.
She was an excellent swimmer, but she'd kept away from the ocean since they'd docked. She still remembered her near-death experience in the lake.
She took a step closer to the water, determined to overcome her fear. She had to do this. She had control over little else in her life, but she could control this.
Hermione took a step forward and the water swirled around her ankles. She continued moving forward until she was waist-deep. She ran her hand through the foam-filled water, leaving jets of glowing blue light in her wake.
She swam away from shore until she couldn't step anymore. The ice-cold water stilled her thoughts. A wave rolled towards her…and she took a deep breath, diving to avoid it before it hit her.
Instinct told her to swim up right away, but she made herself stay below water, testing her resolve… she could kick up to the surface when she wanted to, there was no need to panic…
She remained submerged until she was desperate for air, then she went up and waited for the next wave, ready to do it again.
Hermione plunged into the depths of the ocean a second time, allowing her mind to go blank…pain and fear were non-existent here, she could only feel the ice-cold water, letting it numb her…
Suddenly, something latched onto her arm. She screamed but no sound came out, only a flurry of bubbles escaped her mouth.
Moments later Hermione crashed through the surface of the ocean and gasped for air, turning frantically to see what had attacked her.
Draco's face loomed before hers. "What are you doing?!" he shouted. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"Of course not!" Hermione yelled, shocked. "Let go of me!"
She saw the Dragomir floating a short distance away.
"Did you jump off the ship?" she asked, incredulous.
Draco scoffed at her. "Had to, didn't I? Seeing as you've completely lost your mind."
Hermione dug her elbow into his stomach.
Draco cursed loudly and released her.
She swam towards shore, knowing he wouldn't be able to follow her back to the tents.
"I just wanted to know if you were alright!" he called after her. "I heard about Weasley."
Hermione stopped swimming. "What did you say?"
"I said, I heard about Weasley. Nikola told me. I'm sorry."
Hermione shut her eyes. He had completely ruined her peace now. "Since when do you care about Ron?" she shouted over the roar of the waves. "You've always hated him…just like you hated me at Hogwarts, and Harry. Go back to the ship, Draco."
He stared at her dumbfounded, all the progress he'd made with her was tumbling down.
"I'm not going to let you do this," he said, moving closer to her.
"Do what?!"
"Blame me for everything that's happened."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be stupid."
They had reached shallow water and she was able to step again. She turned away from him, eager to get away.
"You're in love with Weasley, is that it? That's why you're acting like this—"
Hermione laughed in exasperation. "I can't do this with you."
"Do what?" Draco reached for her, and soon his hands were around her waist.
Her back was to him, but she could imagine the burning look in his eyes…the one he used to disarm her…time and time again.
He put his lips to her ear. "Do what, Hermione?"
He spun her around to face him. She looked up. Beads of water ran down his face. His hair was slick, and wet. His lips were parted…seducing her…drawing her in.
She didn't want to feel this way for him. His family had Ron captive, and Ginny's words weighed heavily on her mind: I have a bad feeling about him, Hermione. You should be careful.
But her pulse quickened at their closeness all the same. She wanted to reach out and touch him, trust him, but did she really know him at all?
After everything they had been through, would Malfoy really betray her?
"You don't get to pick your family, Hermione," Draco said, tightening his hold on her waist. "And you can't decide who you fall in love with either."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat.
Draco's lips found hers, and the kiss lit a fire inside her, consuming her, until she could no longer think of anything else but him…the warmth of his body, the weight of his words and the ache in her heart.
A wave crashed over them, and they were pulled under.
Hermione's hair floated up around her, and she circled her arms around Draco's neck.
She thought she could stay submerged with him forever, hidden from the world…
But she knew it was impossible.
When they resurfaced, Draco led her to shore, taking care to stay close to the water's edge.
"I can't step any further," he said, remembering the invisible barrier. "Stay with me?"
Hermione nodded.
They kissed each other again and stumbled back, falling onto the sand.
They were breathless, dizzy, unable to stop now that they had started.
Draco removed his shirt, his trousers, then focused his attention on Hermione. He paused on the buttons of her blouse.
She nodded, waiting...
With skilled hands Draco removed Hermione's clothes, then what remained of his own.
Hermione drew a shaky breath, trying to calm her thundering heart.
Draco moved over her, and she sighed when his bare skin touched hers.
She liked the weight of him on top of her. She slid her hands up his strong arms, and remembered all the times he'd carried her or lifted her out of harm's way, held her…
She wrapped her legs around his waist, and Draco ran his tongue along her neck.
She moaned softly.
But it wasn't enough. She wanted to be closer to him. She ran her hands along his back, and pushed her hips up.
He groaned, digging his fingers into her waist.
He rolled his hips against hers, and her mouth fell open.
"I want to hear you say it," he said hoarsely.
"Say what?" she breathed, as he laced his fingers through hers.
"That you'll always remember this, remember me…no matter what happens."
Hermione took Draco's hand and pressed it to her lips, trembling. Was he afraid of dying, of not surviving the war?
"I will," she said, kissing his fingertips. "I promise."
She gasped as she felt him push inside her.
He was careful with her, taking care not to go too fast.
She felt a building pressure and then a stinging kind of pain. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his neck, losing herself in him.
As the waves crashed onto shore, she realized that she was losing her virginity to Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater, and the son of one of Voldemort's closest followers.
Her nails dug into his back and she looked up at the star-filled sky, vaguely aware that they were making love on the edge of an invisible barrier, a barrier that was meant to separate them. A barrier that said she was on the right side and he was on the wrong one.
And she had crossed it without a second thought…and she was glad.
They weren't like Catherine and Tom. They were different…
Draco kissed her again.
They were falling into a rhythm now, and Hermione's eyes lost focus.
She never felt more alive than she did now, caught between pleasure and pain. She and Draco belonged to each other. It was something that had no logic or reason. She remembered his stolen glances at her in the halls of Hogwarts, the way his grey eyes lingered on her face, betraying him. Deep down, she knew it would always be this way.
Where it would lead them she did not know.
Either to ruin or bliss time would tell…
But for this moment, they had each other, and she knew that long after the war was over…she would always remember this night.
Hermione woke hours later with Draco lying asleep next to her. It was near dawn. She shook the sand from her hair and searched for her clothes.
Some distance away she spotted the crew on the deck of the Dragomir, working to repair the magical barrier. She guessed the ship would be ready in a few day's time.
"Will you come with me?" she asked Draco when he woke, telling him of her mission to Spain and what she had to do there.
Draco nodded and kissed her hand. "Of course. I'll help you with whatever you need."
Hermione smiled at him.
Draco felt sick with himself. A part of him hoped she'd insist on leaving him behind, that she'd realize he was leading her into a trap.
Instead, Hermione lay on his chest and told him of her plans, unaware that she was whispering into the ear of a snake.
He didn't know how long they lay there, but he avoided looking Hermione directly in the eye, lest she see the lies written on his face come morning.
Days later the ship was ready and Hermione said goodbye to Ginny. There was a lack of warmth in her embrace. Something had changed between them.
Ginny didn't trust Draco, and now she didn't trust her. It didn't help that she'd gotten back to the tent late every night, with her hair disheveled and her cheeks flushed. Ginny had said nothing, but it was clear that she felt betrayed.
"We'll see each other again, Ginny. I promise."
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," she said stiffly.
Hermione nodded at her, fighting back tears. Ginny was hurting now, but in time she'd come around. At least in Étretat she was out of harm's way.
Hermione thanked her French hosts, then followed Nikola on board the ship.
Draco was waiting for her.
They pulled away from the coast, making their way to the distant shores of Spain.
Hermione leaned against Draco's chest, watching as Étretat grew smaller and smaller in the distance.
"I've been thinking a lot about something," Hermione said.
Draco looked at her curiously. "What is it?"
She turned to face him.
"Dumbledore's final words…Catherine lives, and she's closer than you know."
"You don't think it's true, do you?" Draco asked.
"No," Hermione said slowly. "I think Catherine's dead. I think Dumbledore meant something else entirely."
Draco was silent, waiting.
Hermione took a deep breath. "I think he meant to say that a part of her lives on…"
Draco frowned. "But her son died too."
"I don't think Dumbledore was talking about her son."
"Who then?"
"The day Catherine gave birth, she was acting very strangely."
Draco nodded."You said the baby came early, and she had a difficult time. It's natural that she'd be out of sorts."
"Yes, but what if that day, while Tom was away at St. Mungo's trying to get help…Catherine gave birth to not one child, but two?"
A chill ran up Draco's spine. "Another son?"
Hermione shook her head. "Dumbledore said, she lives on, remember?"
Draco's eyes widened. "A daughter…"
Hermione nodded. "A daughter…a daughter that Voldemort never knew existed."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Reviews highly appreciated! I'll see you next time :)