CHAPTER 36

October 17th 2001

Hermione Granger sat on her grandmother's porch swing with a brew of tea turned cold laced within her palms. The perfect midnight velvet sky above her was doomed to be destroyed by the raging clouds soaring across the nearby open fields. A similar feeling resonated within the witch's heart.

Beside her sat an antique book that was given as a gift not long ago, unable to be opened at the risk of a consuming sorrow.

A few miles down the road, thunder rolled as a roaring promise of rain. Hermione tightened the blanket around her shoulders but a string of yarn caught onto the diamond still wrapped around her finger. The pricey glimmer of her broken engagement stared back up at her as if it was making a mockery.

Placing her tea on the table in front of her, Hermione trembled as she twisted the ill-fated ring one final time before pulling it off her finger. A physical representation of the guilt drenched burden being lifted off her conscience.

Hermione sobbed into her hand as she clenched the engagement ring with her other. It was a sickening feeling to be free of a love that once sustained you. It was even worse knowing that she wanted to be with someone else long before the mutual decision to end things.

"You can keep it if ya want." A mournful voice made her jump.

"Ron." Hermione gasped, wiping the tears off her face. "You frightened me."

"Sorry."

The freckled wizard stood in his baggy pyjamas, hair messy from tossing in bed.

"You should keep it." He spoke with an embarrassed mumble.

Hermione looked at the ring in her palm, what was once so beautiful now just sat pitiful. "I wouldn't know what to do with it."

"You could toss it?"

"I could not do that. But it feels wrong to hold onto it as well."

Ron gestured if it was alright for him to come and sit by her on the bench. Hermione nodded, as he lifted her copy of The Wizard of Oz onto his lap.

"You've been out here a while. I think that your tea is getting cold." He kept his eyes on the clouds rolling in.

"I have not been able to sleep." She fiddled with the ring in her fingers. "Being out here helps to keep my mind off thinking the worst."

"They'll be fine, 'Mione. Harry's got the whole bloody ministry looking for Lucius."

As nice as his insurance sounded, Hermione knew history shared that aurors have been fooled by dark wizards before.

"I cannot stay here, Ron." She spoke under her breath. "I need to be out there, finding him."

"Him as in Lucius or him as in Draco?"

Hermione kept her head low, afraid that the truth was a little raw for their recent break up. Ordinary couples did not stay trapped in a cottage together after deciding to no longer get married. But alas, most things these two did were not ordinary.

"You know it's not safe out there. I'm not letting you go until you're healed, better yet when this stupid fucking thing is over."

With a little aggression on her tongue, Hermione huffed. "Why must everyone insist on ensuring my safety all the time? I am fully capable of making my own decisions."

"We know that. We know that very bloody well. But can't you just let people protect you, 'Mione?"

With guilt spreading across her chest, Hermione placed the ring next to her tea cup on the table. A pit at the bottom of her stomach twisted knowing that Ron was forced to stay here. Forced to live in a house where his ex-fiance not so secretly pinned to be with another man.

Culpability humbled the witch.

Ron stood from his seat, handing her the book he had almost sat on."How bout I go to the kitchen and make us some more tea? A warm brew this time, eh?"

With tight lips, Hermione thanked him with a smile as he walked back inside. Tilting the novel to the side, she noticed a slight gap in between the pages. Natural curiosity forced her to open it to discover what was hidden inside.

A piece of loose parchment fell on her lap. Hermione unfolded the paper, feeling a flutter in her heart as she read the handwriting she missed dearly.

Hermione,

There is no doubt you would have found this letter soon after I have left, but I hope days have passed for the harshness of my absence to soften.

I'm sorry. You deserve the peace that you fought for, and I am going to bring that back.

Do not do the heroic thing and risk your life for the sake of mine. My happiness is better off restored knowing that you are safe in your disgustingly blissful life with Weasley.

And if by chance I am lucky enough to be killed by my father to not see that, know this. Being friends with you has been the most inconvenient thing in my life. You have ruined me. But if anyone was going to ruin me, it was always going to be you.

Unconditionally yours,

Draco

.

A single tear drop splashed onto the inked parchment. Soaking it in heartbreak.

The inevitable rain fell heavily as Hermione slipped the letter back into the book. A soundtrack for her thirst for a different life.

"Unconditionally mine." She whispered to no one but herself.

It was the words Draco had used to describe how he would love her, despite being unable to have children. The words in which Hermione had pinned to be true, and here they were, written to be faithful.

"Here ya go." Ron half yelled over the weighty downfall. "One cup of freshly brewed tea."

Hermione used the back of her hand to wipe the tear track from her cheek before reaching out to receive her mug. Taking a sip of the hot drink, she swallowed it in haste. Ron had yet to perfect his tea making skills, but it was a kind offer.

"I take it that if you are out here with me, you too cannot sleep." She asked as he sat down once more.

"Yeah, bit uncomfortable that blue bed is. Dunno how Malfoy slept in it."

Hermione traced the brim of her cup with her finger, "I don't think he ever did."

With a look of distaste, Ron cringed. "Look, I know we agreed to be friends, 'Mione, but I don't wanna hear about what you and Malf-"

"I already told you we did not sleep together, Ronald."

"Oh." He locked his mouth shut.

"What I meant is that most nights Draco slept in the armchair beside my bed. I'd like to think it was out of protection, but I think it was mainly out of discomfort in other options. Wouldn't trust a Slytherin to do anything that vastly noble." Hermione smirked as she finished her joke.

Ron let out a throaty laugh. Something that she hadn't heard in a long time.

"From what you showed me, he did a good job at sewing you back up. Those scars look bloody awful. Pretty noble for a prick like him to do that."

"More so than either of us will ever know."

"Whadya mean?"

Hermione pondered whether or not to share the savage incident that had tormented Draco for years. It was never clarified whether or not he had kept it secret, but at this point what did she have to lose?

"He was tortured with a similar curse." She began, "I assume it was not the exact same curse, but Draco was punished by Voldemort for not killing Luna when she was captured during the war. His back was split in two at the spine."

Ron swallowed slowly as his brow furrowed in horror. Hermione could practically see his imagination playing over the frightful scenes.

"Must've been pretty hard for the bloke to have to cut you open like that." He shook his head.

"Is it bad that I feel lucky he knew what to do?" Hermione bowed her head in shame.

"I think nearly everything we've gotten away with has had something to do with luck. Dunno why we keep getting away with it, but must be for something right?"

"Yeah…" She breathed, "Must be."

Rubbing her knee in comfort, Ron gave a sympathetic look that showed he knew what she was going through. No matter what happened within their relationship, there was always going to be the element of the war that connected the two. No one apart from Harry knew what it was like to fight at such a young age for something bigger than themselves. It was a connection that no breakup or affair could break between them.

"How does your back feel now?" He took his hand back to his cup.

"Better." She took a sip of the watery tea, immediately regretting it. "I will be fine enough to get out of here sooner rather than later."

"Don't push it."

"I'm not pushing it."

"You always push it."

The warm tea kept Hermion's hands warm as the night sky fell around them. She watched as rain danced across the dark fields behind the cottage, nourishing it with new life before the cold winter was to cover it in snow.

It did not take long before Ron had fallen asleep beside her. His snores deafened by the rumbling clouds colliding where heaven met earth.

Hermione slowly but surely rose from the swing, careful not to nudge his peaceful state. She dropped the blanket from her shoulders over his chest as a gesture of goodbye. For when Ron was to wake, he would find that he had too easily let his guard down.

With a rushed wobble to her step, Hermione hustled throughout the cottage, collecting everything necessary for a quick getaway. Common courtesy begged her to leave a few items behind for the sleeping wizard outside, therefore it only took minutes before her charmed satchel was ready to go.

She stole her wand for the bedside table and took one last look at the bedroom that had seen the worst of her. At the pit of her stomach, Hermione hoped that this was not to be goodbye for her grandmother's home, and rather an indefinite see you again soon. It was a far fetched dream for someone who had a target on her back, but who was Hermione if she was not a dreamer?

Her limb was faint as she rushed to the front door but soon halted at a moment of realisation. She could not apparate.

"Shit." Hermione cursed under her breath.

It was too much of a risk that she'd be splinched. Even by miracle she could pull it off, Hermione had performed next to zero magic in the past month, let alone disappearing into thin air. But, she was not called the brightest witch of her age for nothing now was she?

Pulling her purse open Hermione pointed her wand into the hallowed darkness. "Accio car keys."

With a clatter of metal, a pair of forgotten keys surged their way up as she caught them before their downfall.

Hermione rapidly made her way out to the abandoned red car that had been sitting outside since the day they arrived. The cold midnight air and heavy rain had fogged the windows up to a crisp glaze, but it was nothing her wand couldn't fix with a quick warming charm. Her slippery hands fumbled nervously at the lock until on the third try the door welcomed her with an ease.

Slamming it shut behind her, Hermione clutched her chest and took in a few short breaths. Her hair falling damply flat against her forehead. It hadn't been a part of her plan to run away as soon as Ron fell asleep, and yet Draco's letter almost screamed to give into temptation despite literally telling her otherwise. Only a coward would turn back now.

Hermione twisted the keys at the ignition but the engine chugged in denial.

"Come on!" She grunted. "Come on!"

The red car fought to stay asleep but Hermione refused to give in. Thick droplets ran down the windscreen, blurring her vision of the cottage. On the fifth turn of the key, the engine roared back to life.

A hand banging on the window made her scream in shock.

"What are you doin'!?" A wet Ron bellowed through the glass barrier.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this!" Hermione yelled back, locking herself in from the inside.

Ron pulled at the door handle that refused to let him in. "Get back inside! You're gonna bloody get yourself killed!"

With nothing but sorry eyes, Hermione shoved the car into reverse and pulled away from the man still slamming his fist at the window. His screams were silenced by the screeching of the cold brakes waking themselves up as she swiftly threw the gear into first and drove down the gravel entrance.

The rear view mirror had an image filled of tire dust and an angry Ron sprinting after her. She pressed on the excelerator until the engine revved in demand to change gears. Her trembling hands obeyed the command and watched as Ron reached out to grab the car only to fall aggressively on the ground.

Hermione's heart was beating a thousand miles an hour, with guilt swallowing her whole as she drove down the dark country road. It took everything in her not to turn around and check if he was okay. The reflection of the cottage growing smaller and smaller behind her reminded her of what she was doing and the priorities in place.

Only now… she had no idea where she was supposed to be going.

Blood was rushing to her ears, resulting in a high pitched ringing noise that blocked her concentration. All those years of life endangering adventures and it never got easier.

Breathing in through her nose and out her mouth, Hermione gripped at the steering while she headed in an unknown direction. The piercing ring faded to a soft hum of a guitar sung through the radio. It wasn't a song she recognised, but it brought comfort as a reminder that she was finally free.

Hours passed as the thunderous night turned to a sweet blue morning. Hermione's eyes grew heavy. The road lines started to double up then clarify again with every blink.

Before things got dangerous, she turned off at the closest corner into an unknown town she hadn't heard of. The street lamps were dim and roads were uneven, but a bright neon sign called out as a temporary saviour.

Motel vacancy, open 24/7.

Pulling into the car park, Hermione disguised herself with blond features and green eyes before stepping out into the cold night. The whistle of trees blowing against the wind sent a shiver down her spine. She prayed it wasn't nature warning her for caution that was to come.

The long drive had caused her legs to ache, and with every step to the reception door Hermione felt as if her knees were being knocked in on themselves. It was times like this she wished she didn't have such a hero complex all the time. Maybe then she would've stayed at the cottage and healed like Draco had wished her to.

From the outside, the motel looked like it hadn't seen sunlight in many years, rusted with deterioration and clutter with fallen leaves. It was not the worst place Hermione had stayed, but it most certainly was not the best.

Using next to all of her remaining muggle money she paid for a single night's stay and headed to her allocated bedroom. The desk clerk chewed his gum like it was his last meal and gifted her with a bent room key. It led her to door number 135.

The red furnished room smelled like mould and cheap beer. Hermione sprayed her perfume a few times before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.

She splashed water across her face in an attempt to waken herself up, but the last few days of no sleep crept up on her with no intent on leaving.

"Just a few hours." She promised to no one as her feet staggered to the bed.

Tugging off one shoe at a time, Hermione began to plan in her head a schedule to what she will abide by tomorrow. But the fuzziness of her sleep deprived brain denied her any creative action plans.

As she stuffed her jeans into the satchel her hand sought after something she was given earlier in the night. Draco's letter found her grip with no trouble. Hermione reread his words twice before folding it once more and holding it close to her heart.

Tomorrow's reunion could wait, for now, she needed to rest.

The moment her head hit the pillow her eyes had given up the fight to stay open. Instead, they blessed her with the gift of slumber and a head full of hopeful dreams. Dreams that would show her the truth behind Lucius' attacks.