a/n: I made it in time! I wrote the last bits of this chapter after the ESC final yesterday so I was really tired - I hope I haven't made too many mistakes. Read an review! 3

Day 6 since Greengrass's arrival

Greengrass had left the bunker early in the morning. Hermione had woken up when she pushed the chair across the floor and under the trap door. Nott and Zabini had slept. Hermione had slept better than she had in the last few nights, but after waking up, she couldn't fall asleep again and sat down at the table.

The cardboard ship that Zabini had built was still standing on the side of the table, which bordered the wall. No one seemed to have moved it, and between the apples and loaves it looked like one of those still lifes that Hermione found so fascinating as a child.

She did not dare to take a loaf of bread, even though she was hungry. Nevertheless, she took the pack of bread in her hand and read through the many lists and words that were on the pack. At the side stood that the bread tasted particularly good with cream cheese and jam and Hermione nodded. Yes, the packaging was certainly right.

After reading everything on the pack twice, she set it aside and reached for Zabini's cardboard ship. The HMS Victory. He had put a lot of work into the small model and Hermione treated it with great caution. I can't really say what interested me so much about the ship. Maybe it was just the name, who knows, Granger. Zabini wanted an end to these terrible times at least as much as she did. A victory, they all hoped for.

After a few minutes, Hermione came to the idea that the trap door might not be magically locked. Quietly, she pushed her chair over the floor and climbed on top of it. And she was right. Greengrass had not sealed the trap door with an alohomora, Hermine could easily open it. What a stupid mistake, Greengrass, what a stupid mistake. Looking to the sofa, Hermione assured herself that Nott and Zabini were still asleep and then opened the trap door, causing a dull bang when the wood hit the floor of the former salon. Nott and Zabini still did not move. She hoisted herself upstairs and quietly closed the trap door behind her.

She briefly pondered whether to go back and steal a wand, but the risk of one of the two former Slytherins waking up was too high.

She took a few deep breaths and then made her way quickly to the forest near the ruins. Hermione didn't want to run yet so as not to use up her strength unnecessarily. She marched between the trees and repeatedly looked over her shoulder to the ruins.

At some point, she stopped, still within sight of the burnt-out Nott Manor. She was free, but she didn't feel that way. It wasn't joy that spread in her body, it was fear. What did she do? Where did she want to go?

The trees were far too high and were far too close together. Why did no sun rays fall through the green leaves? Why was it so cold and so warm at the same time?

Hermione felt her hands trembling and had to try to stay on her legs, even tough her knees were about to give way. She didn't know what was wrong with her.

Before she could think about it, she turned around and ran towards the ruins.

Agoraphobia. Fear of open spaces.

Hermione didn't understand, everything had been good when she had walked through the forest with Greengrass. But now she felt like she had a fever and because she didn't understand all this, she panicked. She wasn't afraid of open spaces; she had never had. Why did this happen?

She reached the trapdoor faster than she expected. Her legs felt weak, but she was fast.

Nott and Zabini were still asleep and Hermione sat down at the table again. It was good that no one had noticed that she had been gone.

She felt so stupid. Angry, she pulled her hair and rubbed her eyes. Why couldn't she cry, Merlin, why not? She sobbed briefly, but that was it. She couldn't show more emotion. She pulled her hair again and then braided it into a loose braid.

Nott was the first to wake up. Hermione found it admirable that the two former Slytherins had such a solid sleep, but then she remembered the potions Greengrass had brought with her yesterday and suspected that it was also sleep medicine. She recalled that Nott never had a particularly good sleep and she often heard him running through the room at night.

He said nothing while he was having breakfast.

"Did you cry?" Nott suddenly asked, after staring at Hermione for several minutes. Perplexed, she shook her head. "Your eyes are so red." That probably came from rubbing. Hermione shrugged and gave Nott no further answer.

She was no longer hungry. Nott also offered her no food.

Her throat felt dry and she was tired of running. Merlin, she was angry at herself. A phobia – why did she have to develop a phobia now? It was so stupid, Hermione said to herself repeatedly. Not now, she had to leave here. This morning she had had the chance. So stupid.

She bit her lower lip until she could taste the blood and pulled lightly on her braid. Nott no longer noticed her and was busy waking up Zabini, who seemed to sleep deeply and firmly. Sleep medicine, definitely.

"Wake up, you bastard," Nott hissed in Zabini's ear. The latter grumbled a bit and then turned to the other side. "Wake up!"

"Don't call me bastard, Theo," Zabini muttered, then opened his eyes. Hermione turned her gaze away from the sofa and looked up at the ceiling, which was grey and boring.

"If you say so," sighed Nott. "But get up now. Daphne said she wants to be back today."

"It's only in the morning, Theo, she's not going to come in right away."

"It's definitely lunchtime. She put something in the tea yesterday to make us sleep better."

"Bitch"

"Don't call her that, Blaise!" Nott hissed menacingly. Hermione tried not to turn the gaze away from the ceiling but was too curious about what Nott's facial expression looked like. So, she looked back at the two former Slytherins and saw the anger in Nott's eyes. Zabini, on the other hand, seemed a little amused.

"Okay, if you say so," Zabini grinned.

Greengrass came back surprisingly early. Hermine hadn't expected her until sunset, but it could be just late afternoon when the brunette came into the bunker through the trap door. She seemed tired and stressed and Hermione waited curiously for the news. That was all had from the outside world. She was hoping for good news, and if she thought more closely, she wasn't hoping to hear from Harry and Ron. Because no news about her two best friends was good news now.

"Theo!" said Greengrass after she had slicked her shirt. She must have been at home, because she had new clothes on, and Hermione knew that she hardly stored clothes here. She went to Nott, who was sitting on the sofa and, bored, scrolling through one of Greengrass's books. Hermine was sure he wasn't really reading.

"You're back early," Nott remarked. "Have you seen Draco?" Greengrass nodded hastily and then sat down next to Nott.

"How is he?" asked Zabini, sitting on the other side of the sofa. Hermione still pulled on her braid, so that her scalp hurt.

"I couldn't talk to him," Greengrass said, and Nott looked alarmed.

"Why? What about him?" he asked, panicking. "Daphne, fuck, what about Draco?"

"Theo, calm down. I saw him at the market and then everything went so fast ... A lot has happened, Theo, Blaise," Greengrass said, and Hermine could see she was suffering. Greengrass was angry, bored, annoyed, or happy. But never in the one week since she was here in the bunker had Hermine seen Greengrass suffering.

"What happened?" urged Zabini.

"I was at home and changed. Nobody was there, I suspected they were all at Malfoy Manor. Nothing unusual. Then I went to the market because I wanted to see if they had chocolate that I could bring to Draco," Greengrass inhaled deeply. "And then the tumult began. Someone had spotted them and started screaming. Bella and father were the first to be there."

"Who saw whom?" asked Zabini. "I don't understand."

"Speak damn even more clearly!" Nott hissed tensely.

"The Order. I saw Shackleboldt," Greengrass said and Hermione took a sharp breath. The former Slytherins did not pay attention to her. "They were so stupid and careless. Someone must have called the Death Eaters, damn!" Angry, Greengrass hit the back of the sofa. Zabini grabbed her shoulder and rubbed her back. "After father and Bella, Draco came with Pansy. He saw me and his eyes ... it hurt, it hurt so much."

"What did they do, Daphne?" asked Zabini, trying to make his voice sound calm.

"Shackleboldt tried to collect the rest of the Order that was at the market before a fight broke out, but it was too late. I saw him and the werewolf fighting with my father. I think - I ... Pansy then discovered me and what was I supposed to do? Shit, I didn't want to fight at Pansy's side."

"It's okay, you've only done it for your protection. All right," Zabini said reassuringly, while Nott grumbled something incomprehensible. Hermione, meanwhile, stared at the cardboard ship and tried to arrange her thoughts. Why did Shackleboldt and Lupin have to be at the market? And had Harry and Ron been there? Ginny? Luna?

"No, Blaise, I didn't fight," Greengrass said bitterly. "Shit, I ran and then apparated to the Manor. Narcissa was there and said I was needed at the market and I - I told her I was there.", Greengrass began to stutter. "And I told her I wasn't needed anymore, that everything was okay. Even though I saw an Entrail-Expelling curse hit father."

"Daphne ..." Zabini said weakly.

"It's all right," Greengrass said weakly. "Maybe he survived..." But she didn't believe in it. Hermione looked at the three former Slytherins, who sat side by side on the sofa, their arms squeezed around each other. Greengrass didn't cry, but Hermione felt her pain.

"Fuck," Nott said into the resulting silence. "Narcissa will know that you lied."

"The Dark Lord doesn't like sneaking off the battlefield, I know Theo," Greengrass said softly. "So, I can't go back. I didn't even say goodbye to Toria."

"Shit ... Maybe Narcissa doesn't say anything," Nott said hopefully, but Zabini slowly shook his head.

"Then Pansy says something. She saw me running. Or... Draco." Nobody said anything.

Hermine stared at the cardboard ship again. What if someone from the Order was injured? Or worse - no, she didn't want to think about it. Shackleboldt and Lupin were excellent wizards, they were able to defend themselves. And surely all the other members of the Order could do the same. She had to think positively. Again, she pulled on her braid and bit her lip, whose wound had just stopped hurting.

"They're going to look for me, just like they were looking for you, Blaise," Greengrass said. "Just that they probably won't give up as quickly as your mother did - oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, it is okay."

"If father still ... then he will look long and mother and Toria do not give up so quickly. And the Dark Lord will want to punish me, Bella and Narcissa certainly do the same," Greengrass said with concern.

"Then you can't go out now," Nott said. "Fuck, the game of hide-and-seek starts anew."

Zabini rubbed his nose and let his head sink against the back. They all looked so incredibly tired. Hermione sunk into the chair as she tried to keep her gaze on the cardboard ship, but again and again she looked at the sofa, where Nott seemed to ponder.

Greengrass got up after a few minutes and made herself and Hermione a bread with jam. It didn't taste even half as good as it did yesterday. Hermione kept thinking about her escape attempt in the morning and then of the Order. Merlin, why did they have to get into a fight at the market?

"Shackleboldt and the werewolf did you say, right?" asked Nott. Greengrass nodded and swallowed the last bite of her slice of bread. "Shouldn't they be in Glasgow?"

"They suspect a safe house there, Theo," Greengrass said. "I don't know what they were doing at the market, but maybe they're stationed somewhere nearby. Bristol is not too far from here and with a port key you can be in London within a minute. And Swindon has one of the biggest markets in the area, as you know."

Swindon. They were not far from Swindon; with the port key it took only a minute to get to London. Hermione stored all the information and stopped pulling on her braid.

"It's only a matter of time before they finally get here," Nott said thoughtfully. "At some point they will come here looking for me and you."

"The Manor is completely destroyed. Nobody thinks anyone lives here," Zabini said, and Greengrass nodded.

"Daphne is gone - Daphne! The little pure-blood princess," Nott began, but he was interrupted by Greengrass.

"Don't call me that, Theo!"

"They will look for you! Your mother may pretend she doesn't care, but she'll kill damn again to find you. And to give you a punishment." Nott's corner of his mouth sank down and he looked bitterly at his fingernails. "And Astoria ... they will all look for you and we are not the only ones who know about the bunker here. Miles and I were down here years ago, and I've told Pansy about this little hiding place. She just can't remember it now, otherwise someone would have turned up here long. But what if it clicks and she tells everyone about it?"

"You've been here for almost a year and no one ever came here to look for you!" said Greengrass, upset. She walked up to the sofa and looked down at Nott and Zabini. "What else do you want to do? We can't go anywhere, and we have Granger - number three of England's most wanted people!"

"I have an idea," Nott said, and then stood up.

"Oh no..." Greengrass sighed, and Zabini didn't seem too enthusiastic either. Hermione could understand them; Nott's ideas weren't necessarily intelligent. He had not been able to carry out his plan to find the Order, and saving Malfoy seemed simply stupid in Hermione's eyes. He fought alongside Voldemort. He would be a loser as soon as the war came to an end. A loser or dead.

"Fuck, let me think, damn it! Don't always be so negative," Nott hissed, then began wandering through the room.

"We are-," Zabini began, but Nott cut him off with a hand gesture. Greengrass sat down on the sofa again and looked as wait-and-see at Nott as Zabini did. Hermione remained seated at the table.

"Let him think," Greengrass said, shrugging her shoulders. She took the book that Nott read earlier and began to read. Nott wandered through the room for a good forty minutes before sitting across from Hermione and letting a piece of paper and a pen fly to him. Hermione didn't want to be caught staring at the sheet, but she found nothing more interesting to look at and watched Nott draw a map.

Hermione did not recognize what the map showed. She suspected that the rectangles should symbolize houses and the strokes streets. She couldn't see what the big square was, but then she realized that the small signs that were in the square were stalls. Nott drew a map of the market from which they got their food. For a long time, Hermione had thought that the notorious market was the magician's market in London, but since then she knew better. Presumably London was too dangerous, and too far away – without a port key.

Nott's drawing was unclean, but Hermine was now able to identify the complex road system around the market. Nott seemed content, waving Zabini and Greengrass to him.

"We're going to draw the order's attention to us," Nott began, and Greengrass was already moaning. To draw someone's attention was not a good idea for any of them, not even for Hermione, because everyone was in danger. Voldemort wanted them all. Best dead, Hermione suspected. "And for that we use the ... Granger."

"Theo ..." Zabini said but did not finish his sentence.

"This is the market in Swindon. Where you met Shackleboldt and the Werewolf today, Daphne." Greengrass nodded as Nott continued to talk. "I assume that at least one of them is still alive or that other members of the Order are near the market." Then he stopped and looked thoughtfully past Hermione.

"Okay," Zabini said hesitantly. "And what then?"

"They want Granger back, don't they?" asked Nott, but waited for no answer. "And we will give her back to them. But for this we want to have something that only the Order can give us." Hermione recognized the plan, and Greengrass and Zabini also seemed to remember. Surprised and not necessarily enthusiastic, they widened their eyes. Nott had never abandoned his actual plan to exchange Hermine for security, of course not. He pursued his goals. "We want protection."

"How do you want to get their attention?" asked Greengrass, and Hermine was surprised that she wasn't immediately trying to knock Nott out of the plan.

"Through Granger," Nott said, then looked at Hermione. Zabini and Greengrass also turned their heads to the former Gryffindor, who sat on the chair with a helpless and at the same time curious gaze across from Nott.

"Through Granger?" asked Zabini. Nott waited, made them listen anxiously, and then began to describe his plan. In itself, it was very simple. They would all pack the few things they had here in the bunker and then head to Swindon. Hermine would apparate with Nott. Then they would run inconspicuously to the market. They would wear the few capes and hoodies they had in the bunker. When they arrived at the market, Hermione would have the hood pulled from her head so that everyone could recognize her. They would wait until one of the members of the Order became aware of them and then they would come to the barter ingeniums. Nott would never leave Hermione's side to prevent her from escaping. If Deaths Eaters were called, they would quickly disapparate and come back the next day, hoping that someone from the Order would be waiting for them.

Hermione went through the plan in her head and discovered countless things that could go wrong. But apart from fearing to get into the hands of Deaths Eaters, she also feared the feeling she had this morning. The pressure she felt when she had no roof over her head, no walls to protect her. She hoped that Nott's presence would reassure her, and yes, she called herself stupid, because tomorrow she would have the chance to make a successful escape, but she wished Nott, Nott, stayed by her side. Again, she pulled lightly on her hair.

Zabini rubbed his temples and Greengrass buried herself in the back of the sofa. They both didn't seem to know what to say and preferred to remain silent. And they did it for quite a long time until Greengrass finally said something.

"There's so much that can go wrong, Theo." And with that she said what Hermione thought. The latter, however, was immersed in thought and argued with herself about whether she should stay at Nott's side tomorrow and thus stay safe or attempt to escape.

"I know," Nott said. "But what else should we do? And don't say they won't find the bunker because they'll damn sure do. And shit, when we are at the Order, we will be forgiven when the war is over."

"Assuming the Dark Lord loses," Zabini said.

If she tried to escape, it would be a great advantage for her if Kingsley or someone else from the Order had seen her. And a wand would also be quite helpful. Could she overpower Nott and snatch the wand? She didn't think she was strong enough.

"Assuming the Dark Lord loses," Nott confirmed. "But that's how it will come, because the good guys always damn win."

"In fairy tales," Greengrass said bitterly. Then she got up from the sofa and looked at the map again. "Where exactly are we going to position ourselves?"

"Here Granger and I will stand," Nott said, pointing to a empty space right in the middle of the map. "And you will be close, ready to fight if the Order attacks us. But don't point any unnecessary attention to you and not hurt anyone. We want to convince the Order of us, otherwise even Granger is of no use to us."

"Bella and the others could be there within seconds and attack you," Greengrass said.

"That's why I'm not going to leave Granger's side and at the slightest danger we're going to apparate. We all," Nott said, looking at Zabini and Greengrass seriously. It wasn't fun anymore, Hermione realized. Now it started, she thought. She would see them again, all of them. Harry, Ron. Escape? Was that really a good idea?

Another new plan formed in her head. She had to make sure that the Order became aware of her and she had to make it without anyone being injured. If Nott came to the Order, it meant that she would be released, exchanged. And the Order could still throw Nott out afterwards.

"Am I going to have my wand?" asked Hermione, ignoring the former Slytherins' questioning and shocked facial expressions. "So that I can defend myself and you."

"I don't think that's part of the plan," Zabini replied.

"Yeah, it's damn not. Shit Granger, do you think we're stupid?" hissed Nott. Hermione did not respond immediately but withstood the brunette's gaze.

"You realize that I want to find the Order too?" she asked.

"And? You could kill us all with your wand," Nott said, staring at her angrily. Hermione snorted. She might take that as a compliment, but she said nothing more. Maybe she would be able to convince him tomorrow, but today she would have no more chances. It was pointless to discuss with Nott. "Daphne, don't you want to go out and wash yourself for tomorrow?" Greengrass nodded and grabbed Hermione by the arm, forcing her to get up from the chair.

Not out, Hermione thought, please don't go out. But of course, Greengrass pushed Hermine onto the chair under the trap door and they climbed up into the salon.

To Hermione's luck, Greengrass didn't really want to go for a walk through the woods today, so they just stood in the burnt-out house and washed themselves with the old bucket. When she was going to the toilet, Hermione had to pull herself together, not to shake too much, but it reassured her that Greengrass was nearby. All the while she pulled her hair and bit her lower lip. Not until she bled.

No one slept well that night. Nott wandered constantly through the room, Zabini worked on his cardboard ship and Greengrass read. Hermione sat at the table and watched Zabini. At one point she fell asleep sitting and when she woke up, all the little things lying around had already been packed and a worn cape hung behind her on the chair.

Nott still didn't want to give her her wand, and Hermione thought it might be because he didn't own it at all. This made her somewhat sad because her wand had been an important companion for many years. Presumably she had lost it in the ministry or while travelling through the fireplace.

They left the bunker while it was still dawning outside. Nott said goodbye to his old home with a brief wink and then they marched a little through the forest. Hermione didn't feel bad today and wondered if she just had a stupid panic attack yesterday. Then again, she knew that she had three people by her side and that although these three people were supposed to be her enemies, she felt safer. Nott said they would be apparating at some distance from the Manor so as not to leave any traces. They always did, Greengrass said, looking at Hermione's questioning gaze.

Hermione hadn't missed the pulling feeling when apparating. Her whole stomach contracted, and she felt as if she had been caught, the hook had drilled into her navel and now she should be pulled out of the water. She had to pull herself together when they turned up in Swindon.

"Cover your faces." Nott ordered, and Greengrass pulled Hermione's hood deeper into her face. Then she took her by the hand, and they ran behind Nott and Zabini through the dark alley where they had appeared. Hermine had memorized the map Nott had drawn well and knew where and when to turn to get to the middle of the market.

"Don't do anything stupid," Greengrass hissed, before handing Hermione over to Nott and leaving with Zabini. Nott reached for Hermine's hand and side by side they approached the middle of the market, where many people were already busy for the early hours of the morning.

According to Zabini, the market was only visible to magically gifted people. He didn't know what muggle saw here, but apparently it was so uninteresting that they never entered the market unintentionally. Perhaps the market was also protected by other spells, so muggle couldn't even enter it if they wanted to.

"Keep your head down, Granger," Nott said, and then they stood between rushing people in colorful capes and hats. Hermione was uncomfortable and unintentionally pressed Nott's hand tighter, so he snorted briefly in surprise. But they didn't let go of each other.

Not even when a stupor just swayed past their heads.