Chapter 3

A tension had settled over the house, and it didn't relent. Hermione tried to stay out of the way, and to stay busy, but she was worried—worried what this meant and what he wanted. She knew how hard it was to withstand Draco Malfoy's onslaught. She'd suffered it when he hadn't had any power other than persuasion and intimidation. Now he actually had power.

There had been moment when she'd considered taking herself out of this picture, but pride refused to let her consider it. Things would change again. Like a pendulum swinging, it was now in the horrible side, but it would swing back. Things would change. Maybe not immediately, but the blind eyes and apathy would eventually show people their own hypocrisy. She refused to believe people could tolerate their hypocrisy permanently. And she felt she pointed it out to them. What reminded them more of it than her? Harry had stood for everything decent, and now they had folded to perversions of it. If she served to remind them of that, then she was doing an important job.

Even so, she stayed out of the way as much as she could, because the Ministry was still looking for threats, and she was a clear threat, even if they refused to admit it. Being a martyr at this point would probably not help anyone. People were still happy to trade their blind eyes for a bit of peace. But that would change. It had to.

Maybe she had too much faith in their better natures. Wizard society might never be a place for her again, but the enslavement of muggleborns would stop. She believed that firmly. Her hope for the future was built on that. Most decent people didn't believe her inferior. Her magic was as good as theirs if not stronger. And it pleased her that they feared her magic so much.

The new order seemed happy to sweep her under the carpet and forget about her—until now. Draco was doing this, but she didn't know for what purpose. Was this the Ministry dealing with her as a potential threat? No, it couldn't be. The Ministry would have changed the laws, or found some official way of dealing with her. They wouldn't discreetly inquire to purchase her.

As she stood by the stove, the tea kettle boiled and whistled. With a towel, she took it off and poured the steaming water into the silver pot. Dainty teacups with roses painted on them sat on the tray she now carried up the narrow stairs.

"What choice do we have?" Mrs. Ollivander asked. "We'll be ruined."

"Father will never hear of it."

"And I utterly understand, but are we to be ruined for a servant girl?"

"She is more than that," Goderick Ollivander said. Hermione could hear him pacing. She didn't know what Malfoy was doing to put the pressure on, but it was like him. Draco didn't play fair, and he didn't back off. He'd have no conscience about the harm he inflicted on them for not giving him what he wanted. That was his arrogance. His wishes meant more than other people's wellbeing. He didn't deserve to get what he wanted—he never had.

"What are we going to do?" Mrs. Ollivander lamented. "What can we do?"

Hermione knocked on the door and the conversation stopped. "You asked for the tea service," Hermione said and walked in when they welcomed her. They didn't speak again until she left. The tension in the room was apparent, however.

This was causing real stress on the family, exactly like Draco wanted.

This felt horrible. They didn't deserve this. It was because of her. Garrick Ollivander could never bring himself to hand her over to Draco. It was an impossible position to put him in. But what could be done? Would they suffer all this damage, but Draco got her anyway? That was the most likely outcome, unfortunately. It would be better for them to hand her over.

That would put her in an impossible position, probably an intolerable one. That had to be Draco's aim. What other reason could he have for doing this? Making things bad for her had been his main objective their entirely time at Hogwarts. At least back then. Then during the war itself, he'd had his own neck to worry about. Then it seemed he hadn't cared that much. Hermione had assumed so, but seeing her enslaves now wasn't enough. He wanted something more.

She should convince them to hand her over, but she really, really didn't want to. If not for denying Draco what he wanted. That may even drive her more than what he'd actually end up doing to her. What did he want? It was true that he was sadistic, but he wasn't insane. He preferred embarrassment and mental torture to physical violence. That was a small mercy at the least.

Returning to the kitchen, she paced. She didn't know what to do. Could she stand by and watch the Ollivanders get destroyed when the end result would likely be the same? That was not the way to repay them. If she could just run away, but it wasn't an option. They would know the moment she stepped away. They were experts at chasing, and Draco would likely take pleasure in it. Was this all in an effort to force her to run?

No, there had to be another option. Think, she told herself. What was her objective here? To not suffer? Was that even an option? Or was it to deny Draco? Both would be good. To survive. But doing nothing was not the answer. It wouldn't achieve anything. So what to do?

Walking upstairs, she took the door to the shop where she knew the senior Mr. Ollivander was. The shop had a lone browser at the moment, while Mr. Ollivander sat at his desk. Usually there were more customers, but patronage had been light in the last week. Very light.

"Some people feel the right wand will call to them," he said quietly. Worry sat heavily on him. She hadn't seen him this tired since the war. This was getting to him, affecting him. "I tend to make better decisions, but not everyone will listen."

"I know the feeling," Hermione said so the customer couldn't hear. "Something needs to be done."

Mr. Ollivander's expression was tight. He looked so very tired. The man had been in impossible situations before, perilous situations.

"Things will change," she said, "but not yet."

"Then what do we do in the meantime? Give up on our morals entirely?"

"I am not yours to safeguard," she said. "I am so grateful for everything you have done for me, but I been to face this. You will be a casualty in this war."

"You think it is war then?"

"A personal war that has gone on for years."

"He will have complete power over you if we agree to this. I dare not think what he was in mind. He is not twisted with cruelty like his aunt was, but that was then. Who knows what he's become now? I do not dare think what he wants from this."

Hermione shifted a bit closer so she would lower her voice. "We don't have to give him what he wants. There are other options."

"Such as?"

"The objective is to give him no benefit from harming you and your family. And at the same time not give him what he's after."

Ollivander looked at her.

"There must be someone who would delight in thwarting him and who has the power to do so. He is not all powerful."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Sell me to someone too powerful for him to bully."

Ollivander was silent, his eyes shifting between her as he thought through what she was saying. "It would still put you in someone's power."

"Yes, but that may be a lost cause right now. That be the case, denying him might be the best outcome we can hope for."

"And who would be more powerful than the Malfoys? The Ministry?"

"It has to be one of the old families. One that it is not worth them messing with. Lucius Malfoy wants peace and stability. Causing fissures within the old families would be the last thing he wants. The Flints."

"The Flints? They're not terrible nice people."

"I went to school with Marcus Flint. He had no particular interest in me. Obviously, he was never remotely pleasant, but more importantly, he had a real competitiveness with Draco. I bet that is as true now as ever."

"That doesn't mean he would care enough to not hand you over to Draco. I'm sure Draco would find something to bargain with."

"Then if all I will achieve will be costing Draco a lot more, then I'll take it. But if it is not worth it to him, he would not purchase me. We can test the water with Marcus Flint to see how interested he is in denying Draco. For that reason, we cannot make my purchase price cheap. If he is invested in thwarting Draco, he will pay handsomely. It may be worth highlighting Draco's interested and our desire not to comply with it. Then we will see if he chooses it or not."

"The Flints will not treat you kindly."

"I think I will prefer them than whatever Draco has in mind." Dealing with the Flints would be cold and clinical. Draco was after something more. He wanted her to suffer. He wanted her emotions. "We have no choice," she said, "but this is a means to fight, and that is the best we can hope for. This is my fight, Mr. Ollivader. Please remember that. I hope we will have the chance to meet as friends in freedom once more, but right now, I must finish this fight. I don't need you to protect me from it, at least not at the expense of your family."

In truth, she sounded more confident and firm than she was. She hated this, everything about it, but if she showed her fear Ollivander would try to protect her at all cost. That would serve no purpose but to destroy a few of the decent people in this world. The last thing they could afford would be to lose the decent, strong people. They would be the ones who would lead them out of this darkness. That was the longer-term imperative.

"Write the letter to Marcus Flint directly. Be up front about the situation and see if he wishes to deny Draco. Offer me at twice what Draco offered. He will let us know one way or another. If not, there are others who hate the Malfoys. One of them will want to play this game."

"I do not like doing this."

"No, but it is necessary," she said firmly. It was the only way she could see forward that would thwart Draco and protect the Ollivanders. A better option than any other available.