a/n: Well, this chapter is a month and a half late and I am so sorry! I hope it was worth the wait! I am now teaching algebra at a high school and one period of 7th grade math at the nearby middle school, so I've been a little swamped as a first-year teacher. I'll try my best to get the next chapter out ASAP! All my love to my alpha, Helene, and my beta, Noodar. Thank you for all you do :) And thank you, readers, for sticking with my story! I love every minute of writing and editing this. Enjoy!

Chapter 20: Safe

Several more days passed and Hermione's mood and motivation hadn't improved. The following day was the rally in Italy, but from the absence of sound or sign of life in the Manor, she knew she was alone.

When the paper came whooshing under her door frame in the evening, she ignored it, letting it land on the growing pile. She knew she should read every word of every page each day, but the prospect of discovering something horrifying was paralyzing. She couldn't fathom the loss of another friend or ally, and knowing that a certain wizard's name could be amongst the casualties was enough to root her to the spot where she laid.

It was past nightfall when she heard the faint crack of Apparition beyond the wards. She'd tuned it out so often that she was surprised to have noticed it at all, but the Manor had been so silent that evening that it was hard to miss. Curiosity and a small glimmer of hope bubbled within her, but she didn't move.

A few minutes passed and she heard heavy footsteps creeping down the hall.

"Fucking Malfoys and their bloody wards," a deep, scratchy voice muttered from outside her door.

The little glimmer died, replaced by fear. Hermione's heart raced. The thrum in her chest was building with the understanding that someone was trying to get into her room.

All the lethargy and despair that had plagued her existence since the night of the party in France dissolved in that moment. She sat up as silently as she could manage, her gaze glued to the jiggling door frame. Her fingers curled around the snitches under her pillow, and she slipped them into her pocket.

Hermione didn't dare move. She knew there was nowhere to hide; no way to escape. She just hoped that whatever wards were in place stayed in place.

After several minutes without a sound, she assumed the intruder had given up, though she hadn't heard the sound of retreating footsteps. In those silent moments, she told herself she wouldn't let herself slip again. She'd spent too many days admitting despair into her life and letting it stay far past its welcome. Draco didn't get to give up, wherever he was. Neither did Ron or McGonagall or any of the other fighters out there. Katie Bell certainly hadn't. She died fighting. And so would Hermione, if it came down to it.

Another beat of silence, and Hermione released a slow breath before the door swung open in one swift bang. There wasn't a split second to think. She flung herself off the bed and braced herself with her forearms on the hard floor. Scattered shuffling and grunts of effort sounded behind her, but she didn't waste time looking back. She clutched the small nightstand on both sides and hurled it over herself as the man grabbed for her. He yelled in pain or surprise, or a combination of both, and she used the second she had to clamber to her feet.

"Stop! Agh, you fucking Mudblood!"

Hermione nearly went for the bathroom, but she knew he could get in, and there were even less options to escape in there, so she jumped around the man and the fallen table. Her feet hit the ground and she made a run for the door, but was stopped by the grab of his hand on her ankle. Her knee landed on the hardwood and a sharp pain shot its way through her leg. She whipped her head around and found Mulciber sneering back at her, his face aged by time and years of casting Unforgivables.

Panic coursed through her body. No, she told herself. She couldn't afford to be afraid, and he didn't deserve her fear.

Hermione shoved her foot against him as hard as she could, but he kept a firm grip on her.

"Gotcha," he said, and the word made her want to vomit.

She continued to kick as he held tight, scrambling to get up. The room was small, which worked in her favor, as his long limbs and wide frame caused him to struggle in the confined space.

Every ounce of her energy was spent kicking at him while simultaneously trying to pull her leg free. She reached into her pocket and gripped the snitches, throwing them at his face and rerouting her efforts into summoning her wandless magic. She willed the little silver balls to open their wings and frantically flutter in his face with all the vengeance she could force into the unconventional act.

If she had any time to be surprised, she would have, because the snitches followed her command perfectly, but she freed herself from his grip and started for the door. She paused, her breathing heavy and rushed, and she turned back. Mulciber's screams echoed all around as the little wings attacked his eyes. Her gaze darted around the floor in search of his wand, and when she spotted it beside the closet door, she snatched it and let her legs carry her out the door and down the hall as fast as they could.

Hermione ran through the halls, past the portraits of Malfoys past, down the grand staircase, past the closed drawing room doors, and out the front entrance without looking back. Her vision blurred with fierce tears, but she wasn't breaking down. She was overwhelmed with adrenaline, her mind working a million miles a minute to calculate her next moves.

She finally let her head jerk over her shoulder as she approached the gate, unsure of any potential wards set to keep her inside while the Malfoys were gone. Mulciber was nowhere to be seen, but his yells remained confined to the upper right portion of the house. With one heavy breath and a wipe of her hand to her cheeks, Hermione looked down at the wand she still clutched, hoping it would work well enough for her.

Lifting it, she took a deep breath before casting a Revelio to detect any potential barriers to exiting through the gates. Nothing. She tapped her foot. The charm wouldn't necessarily be able to reveal any ward set against her. Yet again, she was able to leave her room after Mulciber broke through the wards there. Loosening her grip on the unfamiliar wand, she tried to relax as she tried a few more charms.

There was a faint glow of golden light that ripped across the gate; some kind of ward.

Hermione snapped her head from left to right, trying to gauge any other possible exits. Behind her in the Manor, Mulciber's bellowing grew quiet, and she knew it was only a matter of minutes before he could catch up to her.

She slashed the wand through the air, sending a flurry of spells at the gate to try to break whatever ward was keeping her in. It felt so strange to be harnessing her magic once again; the wand she wielded was nothing like her own. It was heavy, and it radiated with dark magic and death.

There was a loud crash from somewhere within the Manor. Hermione's heartbeat pounded in her chest; her eyes stung with fear and determination. She looked over her shoulder and caught the silhouetted figure of Mulciber bounding through the front door.

Moving with unbridled speed, Hermione shoved the wand in her pocket and grabbed hold of the gate. She furiously reached for higher horizontal railing that she could hold to hoist herself up and over. Even with her touch, the ward did nothing to repel her from scaling the gate. She kept going, not daring to look back for fear of seeing just how close Mulciber had come. Finally, she reached the top - at least three meters high - and didn't hesitate before jumping to the ground.

Her legs carried her along, far past where she'd need to be to Apparate. Each breath she took was sharp through her lips. Her cheeks were still wet with the fall of her adrenaline-induced tears. She didn't have time to stop and think.

Under the dark canopy of trees, her fingers clutched Mulciber's wand as tight as they could as she spun on the spot.

Her feet hit the stone, and she stumbled a bit before catching herself against the alleyway wall. She whipped her head around to check her surroundings. The streets of Knockturn Alley seemed bare and silent. She hadn't thought through this destination at all, but she had made a split-second decision and she was going with it.

She sighed and let her head fall as she leaned her back against the cold building nearby. Everything had happened so fast. She wondered if Lucius or Voldemort were already on their way to the Manor. When they arrived, she would be missing. And she didn't want to consider what that would mean for Hagrid. And Draco's mother, for that matter. She closed her eyes and wished she wasn't so fucking stuck in all of this. She wanted to dream again; wanted to feel freedom at last. But it was all wrong. And Harry was still gone. And Katie. And Remus. And Tonks. And although she had been in a near-catatonic state for endless days, she hadn't felt like she was in this moment. And it all came crashing down on her again; the weight of it all.

Tears poured from her eyes. She didn't furiously wipe them away like before. They were hers and she deserved them.

A few moments passed and in the distance, several pops of Apparition sounded, followed by a commanding male voice and hurried footsteps.

Panic rose within her again. She clumsily grasped for the wand and held it in front of her as she quietly walked along the side of the alleyway wall. The footsteps grew louder on her right, and she heard the voice once again directing the men forward. She carefully stepped backwards, creeping along until she could edge herself to the other side of the alley.

"Hermione?" someone whispered behind her.

She whipped around to see a familiar face shadowed by the backlight from the nearby street.

"Lev?" she said in a hushed tone.

He approached with his wand still raised, careful not to make any noise. When he got closer, he lowered his wand and held his hand out to her. "Come on, the Snatchers are just there." He jerked his head towards the other end of the alley.

Hermione lowered her own wand and hesitated for a moment before wiping her face, taking his hand, and letting him lead her back the way he came. "Why are you so good at finding me?" she whispered as they hurried along. After the party the other week, she had thought the worst may have happened to him.

"I just know how to find attractive people." He huffed a quiet laugh.

If she could see his face, she was sure she would see a smirk that rivaled Draco's.

"I've actually been tracking for the Order since my cover vas blown. I'm in charge of this whole area. My place is only down there," he said, pointing towards a building a few blocks away. He continuously glanced over his shoulder as they rushed ahead. "Couldn't really stay at home, you know? Vith my parents being loyal supporters of You-Know-Who."

Hermione nodded as she followed him down the stone path until he came to the door of a small, run-down building with a large sign that read Cobb & Webb's.

"Lev, I-" she started, but he cut her off with a swipe of his hand through the air.

"Shh," he said. "One second."

He silently unlocked the door and crept inside, ushering for her to follow. In the pitch dark room, he took her hand and led her through the aisles filled with knick knacks and antiques she could barely make out. The touch of his skin to hers made her stomach twist with anxiety. Maybe she shouldn't have gone with him? She was so trusting of the man and she wasn't sure why, especially when Draco hated him so much.

When they came to the base of some steep stairs, Lev put a single finger up to signal for her to stay put. She nodded vigorously and tried to keep her breathing quiet. He went up each step carefully until he made it to a thin door and opened it, stepping inside. The door closed softly, making no sound behind him.

A dim, warm light flooded through the crack of the slightly ajar door.

It was only a few moments before Lev peered around the door and waved for her to enter. She took careful steps, just as he had, to get to the door, and when she entered, she was shocked to see Lev wasn't alone.

"Blaise," she whispered.

Behind her, the door shut fully and Lev muttered a silencing charm. "Okay," he said at full volume, "welcome in!" He placed a hand on her back and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hi, Gran- Hermione," Blaise said. He was standing in front of a small loveseat, his face tinged with a faint rosy hue.

"Uh- hi," she managed to get out.

"Please, sit," Lev said. "Do you want some tea?"

She looked at him and made to answer, but he smiled and winked.

"On it," he said, moving towards a small kitchenette to put on the kettle.

Blaise ran a hand through his hair as he stepped around a coffee table just big enough for two mugs and made his way to a four-person dining table stuffed into the corner. Opposite the kitchenette was a bed adorn with black sheets and a deep maroon blanket. There wasn't space for much else in the room; a pile of clothes was visible beneath the bed, the arms of robes and trousers sticking out. High on the wall above the sofa were several rows of floating shelves, every inch of which was covered with a well-read book.

Hermione slowly approached the table, above which was a large paper map tacked to the wall, little scattered holes in it. She settled into the chair opposite Blaise. His gaze was fixed on the table before him, not once roaming her way. She stared at him, the mystery of this man at the forefront of her mind. He was dressed in deep grey robes, just a peek of his attire underneath showing: a simple white t-shirt and what looked like sweatpants.

She swallowed and stayed quiet as Lev carried the tea kettle over and levitated three cups to their respective places before each person. He sat down and poured the tea, tiny splashes of the liquid breaking the silence in little waves.

"So, vat happened? Did you find Draco's mum and that giant of yours and finally escape the Malfoy mess?" Lev leaned back in his chair and blew on the steaming tea.

"No," she said weakly. "I…well, I got away."

"Oh?" Lev said, raising his eyebrows. "I vas under the impression you vere happy there? That you didn't vant to leave?"

She huffed. "No, I was not happy to be a captive," she said haughtily. "I simply made the difficult decision to stay for the safety of more than one person I deeply care about. I ran away tonight because Mulciber showed up and broke into my room."

Lev's expression fell from the lightheartedness it held and Blaise shifted in his seat.

"I'm alright," she continued. "Just…a bit shaken, admittedly."

Lev nodded. "Vell, I'm glad you are alright."

"Yes, thank you," she said, sipping her tea. "I am glad you are alright, as well."

"Thanks," he said, smiling. "So, vhy are you in Knockturn?"

Hermione bit her lip, her cheeks undoubtedly growing with embarrassment. She could have gone anywhere else. Should have gone anywhere else. In her hasty decision, her first thought was, of course, Shell Cottage. She longed to go back there, but there was too much at stake to do so. She was going to fight. And she was going to do it her way; the strategic way from her vantage point. So, she went to the one place she knew she could properly arm herself with the tools she might need.

"I was going to…" she trailed off. It was stupid, really, to be embarrassed about the lack of morality in her reason for going there. But part of her was still the rule-following fiend she'd always been. "I was going to steal supplies." There. She'd said it.

Lev had the audacity to laugh, and she didn't miss the fact that Blaise cast his eyes downward as the corner of his mouth lifted in amusement.

She huffed and stood up, not caring to be laughed at after all she'd been through that evening. "Look, I appreciate you helping me hide away for a moment, but I really shouldn't stay. There are merely hours left until the rally and I need to get back to the Manor before Lucius or Vold-"

"Don't say it!" both men yelled.

Her eyes went wide.

"There's still a Taboo on his name," Blaise said.

Hermione met his gaze and nodded.

"Breathe," Lev said, catching her wrist gently. He waited until she sat back down to continue. "The rally isn't until nine a.m. And if they left you at the Manor, it means you're the last thing they vant to deal vith. You have until at least seven before someone comes for you. It's…" he tapped his wrist with his wand, "not even four."

"But I took Mulciber's wand," she said, placing it on the table. "I cannot imagine what will happen when he tells them-"

Lev shook his head and dismissed her worries. "The fucker von't say anything. I'm sure he vasn't supposed to break into your room. He vouldn't rat himself out like that, especially to Lucius or the Dark Lord."

Hermione just nodded.

"Besides, you need to stay put until the Snatchers are long gone. You can gather supplies then. There's an apothecary nearby vith terrible owners. You von't have to feel bad for taking anything from them." He sent her a wink.

"Okay," she said. "How did you find me out there?"

"I set up a few vards to notify me vhen someone Apparates anyvhere vithin Diagon Alley or Knockturn Alley," Lev said. "I even know who they are and their exact location."

Hermione's eyebrows raised. "That's possible?"

"When you grow up the vay I did with the family I had, yes. Anything is possible."

"I'm surprised You-Know-Who doesn't have his people do the same," Hermione said.

Lev laughed. "Oh, they have tons of similar vards. I just know how to block them so mine overpower theirs."

Her lips parted and eyes widened in amazement. "That's incredible."

Lev sipped his tea and smirked.

Blaise shifted in his seat. "I should go," he said abruptly, standing.

"Don't," said Lev, grasping Blaise's wrist. He stood, too, and spoke to him in a low whisper, his words unintelligible from where Hermione sat.

Hermione was suddenly very uncomfortable. Her face grew hot. She didn't want to let it show, but she thought she had an idea of what was happening here.

Blaise responded to Lev in an equally hushed voice and took several more steps towards the door, but Lev tugged on him, practically begging him not to leave.

"I'm sorry," Hermione spoke up, also standing and making her way towards the door. "I really don't want to be in the way."

"You're not!" Lev said, exasperated.

"Well, I've clearly interrupted something here," she said, her eyebrows raised. She rounded on Blaise, looking him straight in the eyes. "I thought you were marrying Pansy in a few weeks." She didn't particularly care about Pansy, but she was confused and incensed on the woman's behalf.

"He is-"

"I am-" they said at the same time.

"Look, it's not what you think," Blaise said, his voice smooth and calm. "It's complicated. She…knows about this." His face reddened even more as his gaze flickered to Lev again.

After a moment of the three of them standing in the silence, she let out a huff and strode back to the table. "Do you have something stronger?" she asked, holding the teacup in the air.

"Yeah," Lev said as Blaise followed suit and returned to his seat.

It was silent again while Lev shuffled around in his small cabinets. Blaise's gaze was again fixed on the table in front of him, his thumb absently fidgeting with the family ring on his finger. When Lev returned to the table with a bottle half-full of Firewhiskey and three more glasses, he poured their drinks and leaned back in his chair once more.

Hermione looked back and forth between the two men for a moment before she asked, "What's happened since the night of the party? I'm completely in the dark. Please, tell me everything."

"Vell, after I got the note to you, I fled to a spot on the River Thames. It vas the closest spot to Diagon vhere I could vait it out until I could make it back here."

Hermione's stomach ached in guilt. "I- I actually never read it. The note."

Lev sat up straight, his face serious. "You didn't?"

She shook her head. "Please, tell me what it said."

His features tightened. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Hermione. I brought it straight to you from Theo. I didn't have much time at all."

Her heart sank. "I couldn't really get a chance to look at it, so I gave it to Draco, and I haven't seen him since that night."

"I see," he said. "He vill tell you vhen you see each other again."

Hermione nodded.

"So, I had not gone on many missions vith the Order before, even though I vanted to. It vas hard to get avay from my family responsibilities for too long. My family never cared to know vhere I vas unless they needed me, and that's been a lot recently. The night before everything happened, Viktor came to me. He vas so upset. He said Angelina's mother vas in danger and he couldn't get avay to help, so I offered to go for him."

The curious look on her face must've told him just what she was wondering.

"He cares for her. They've been through a lot together recently. I don't think it's anything more. She spends a lot of time vith one of the Veasley brothers."

Fred or George. Probably the former, as Hermione remembered she'd attended the Yule Ball with him and they'd been friends ever since.

"I've had this place for avhile, actually," Lev continued, gesturing around the little apartment. "Vhenever I needed to get avay, I'd come here."

There was a silent pause, and she could feel the ghostly scenes of rough nights and clandestine meetings that had played out in this very space throughout the years.

"So," he went on, "I made up some excuse for being in London the next night and met up vith Angelina, Bastien and Marie-Eve Javier, and a man named Oliver, who you probably know, too."

"Yes, we went to Hogwarts together," she said. "And I read that the Janviers were part of the fight. Do you know how they got involved? Last I heard, they'd been slandered in every paper."

"They're lucky to be alive," Lev said. "Their house vas raided only hours after they abandoned it and vent into hiding. I think they vere able to make it to a safe house in the northern part of France until they could get to the main Order base. I know they vent on a lot of missions before the ambush night-"

"They were at Shell Cottage?" Hermione asked. "Have you been there?"

"Of course," he said. "It's vhere they're organizing everything. There are hundreds of people there every day."

A wave of pride coursed through her.

"They've had to get creative vith their check-in and check-out system, but it's really vell managed," said Lev. "Minerva's running everything. Гадняр, that woman."

"I'm sorry?"

"It means badass," Blaise said.

Hermione smiled. "Yes, гадняр," she said, trying and failing to pronounce the Bulgarian word.

Lev smiled back at her and winked.

She sipped her drink and tried to make sense of this man.

Blaise hit Lev's arm, and he looked at him, confused, then apparently something clicked. "I told her already," Lev said to him.

"What?" she asked.

"About Ron…" said Lev tentatively, "...that he misses you."

Hermione's breath caught; her heart clenched, but she couldn't find any words.

"Do you vant me to tell him I saw you here? If I see him again, that is," Lev said.

She barely heard the countless thoughts that coursed through her mind. "No," she finally said. "I don't want him to worry any more than I'm sure he already is. I would prefer he didn't know about Mulciber. Or Draco, for that matter."

Lev nodded.

"Speaking of which…" she started, trying to phrase her question appropriately. "Does Draco know about…" She pointed her finger back and forth between the two men.

Blaise's face was tinged with a red hue; his body went rigid. Lev, on the other hand, was so cool and casual. "Vat?" he asked.

Hermione went red, instantly regretting her action. "Oh, just…"

"Us?" Blaise said softly, the word from his lips traveling for seemingly the first time. With her silence as confirmation, he went on. "Yes and no," he said.

Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion.

"He knows that there is someone in my life, but he doesn't know who." Blaise was as uncomfortable as ever.

She showed her understanding.

Lev started to speak, but Blaise jumped in. "I wanted to leave," he said, his voice smooth, yet with an air of reluctance and shame. "When all this started, I wanted to get away. We had a whole plan, Draco and I. We were going to leave in the middle of the night. We'd get his mother and Pansy and…and I was going to get my person…" He looked at Lev.

"But I told him from the first mention of it that I vouldn't leave," Lev said. The lingering tension from the clearly sore topic was a stench that filled the room.

"I thought I could convince him," Blaise continued. "I kept telling Draco I was working on him, so we kept delaying. The night you were captured was it. That was the night Draco said he was going to leave, with or without me and my…" his voice trailed off. "I asked him to hold off until sunrise. I just wanted more time." There was a faded desperation in his voice, a memory that held tightly to the words as they left his lips. "You were caught before midnight."

The weight of his words crashed down on Hermione's already heavy shoulders.

"For vat it's vorth, I am sorry," Lev said. "I told him not to vait for me."

Hermione watched as Lev looked at Blaise with a serious expression; a look that conveyed so much without needing any words.

"Why didn't you want to leave?" she asked, unsure if it was alright to ask, but wanting to know.

"It's…" the word complicated died off in his throat, but Hermione knew that all three of them heard it anyway.

The air was tight, and the tension was still thick in the space.

"It's okay," she said, hurriedly. "What's done is done."

Blaise and Lev both gave a solemn, curt nod.

"So, Draco didn't tell you any of this?" Lev asked.

A huffed laugh escaped Blaise and Hermione at the same time.

It got quiet again until Hermione spoke up. "I think if he didn't tell me, he wasn't ready."

"I understand that," Lev said.

Silence, save for the sips of alcohol by all.

"So…Pansy…?" Hermione prompted.

Blaise shifted uncomfortably. "Her parents wanted her married off right after school. They wanted her with…well, with Draco, but Lucius said he needed to focus. They were going to set it up for next summer, but the arrangement obviously ended when…you know, you came along. I think Lucius even used a memory charm on the Parkinsons so they wouldn't remember the whole thing. A few days after you were caught - before your wedding, even - Pansy came crying to me that her parents were making arrangements with the Flints. So, I proposed." He cleared his throat. "She's known about Lev and I for years, and she's never told anyone. I would do anything for her."

"I see," Hermione said, trying to process how Pansy Parkinson could possibly have that level of empathy within her.

"She's a saint," Blaise said.

"Right, and I'm a unicorn," Lev said, smirking.

The corner of Blaise's lips lifted.

"That's wonderful of her. And of you, to help your friend in that way," Hermione said.

"You'd do it for your friends," Blaise said. "Hell, you practically have, with all the stuff the Golden Trio have been through."

Her chest caved in.

"Sorry," he said, seeing the pain in her expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't think. I know you just lost Potter, and you haven't seen Weasel- Weasley," he corrected himself, "in a while. It must be hard, especially because you were…" he looked at Lev. "Well, you two were together, right?"

Hermione kept her mouth shut and shook her head.

"Okay," Blaise said. "Well, you're with Draco now, right? That's what Lev said."

Hermione wasn't sure how to answer that, so again, she was silent.

"Right," Lev said. "More?" He hovered the tip of the bottle of Firewhiskey above her glass, waiting for her response.

She just nodded, and he filled it up again. After she took a quick sip, letting the mixture of feelings within her rumble around each other, she checked the time with Mulciber's wand. 5 a.m. "Please, tell me about the Order," she said.

Lev nodded and leaned his elbows on the table. "It's been chaos. There are more Snatchers and Spotters than ever before."

"Spotters?" she asked.

"They look for 'traitors' and 'dark vitches and vizards.' It's all they do. I don't know how there are so many, but it's getting ridiculous. It's hard to move between safe houses."

"There's really no way to tell who's on who's side," Blaise said. "Theo was really helpful before he was injured, and Lev had a lot of insight into the international work before he went underground, but there's nobody left on the inside who can siphon info our way."

"Aren't you still on the inside?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and no," Blaise said. "I'm not a Death Eater and I've never been asked to become one, thank Merlin. My father died young and since then, my mother's been with too many men to count, which never really gave a clear path for me as opposed to other pureblood families. She's not really in the picture right now, anyways. I know at one point, Lucius tried to inquire about my status, but Draco basically told him I've failed at anything I've ever done, so that shut him up. Don't think Lucius wanted to recommend someone he thought would shed a bad light on him. I'm not complaining, obviously."

"No, I suppose not," Hermione said, taking another swig of her drink. "Well, you have me."

The two men looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?" Blaise asked.

"You have me on the inside," she said resolutely, glancing at the time again and standing up.

Blaise's brows furrowed. "You're not seriously going back there. We can get you to the Order's main base by the evening." He stood, too, and Lev followed suit.

"I know you vere staying to protect the gameskeeper and Draco's mother, but you're out now. There can't be much hope for them, anyways," Lev said in his deep voice. "For all ve know, they could be dead already. Could've been dead long ago."

Hermione's breath hitched, the sentiment of his words a sharp blow to her senses she wasn't expecting. No. Her eyes stung with the very thought.

"I'm sure that's not the case," Blaise said in his smoothe, reassuring tone.

She didn't miss the warning flicker of his gaze at his partner.

"But, please," he said, his voice not pleading, but wishful, as if he knew she wouldn't change her mind. "Don't go back. You-Know-Who is very powerful. Even more now than before-"

"I know," she said. "That doesn't change the fact that we can still win this war."

The pity in his eyes was unmistakable.

"We just need some more time." She kept quiet about the Horcrux information, unsure of whether or not they already knew. "And if I can somehow contact you even sparsely, I may be helpful from the inside."

Lev turned around, taking something from a drawer in the kitchenette. "Take this," he said, holding out a small coin. "The Order has been using these to send messages as much as possible."

Hermione flipped the golden piece around her hand with her other fingers. It looked just like the D.A. coins she'd made. She swallowed and nodded.

"You're not going back for him, are you?" Lev asked.

"Lev," Blaise admonished.

"Vat? If she's going back to-"

"There's more than one reason for me to go back," she said. She hadn't processed it yet, and certainly didn't want to talk through it. Stepping forward, she passed the men on the way to the door. "Thank you for your help tonight. I'm sorry I interrupted your evening."

"You're never an interruption," Lev said.

Blaise's face was unreadable; Lev's was twisting into a playful smirk she'd seen on him multiple times now. There was something uncomfortable lingering between them, and she knew it had to do with his flirty nature, but she had a feeling she shouldn't dare broach that subject.

"You really shouldn't go on your own," Lev said.

"I'll go with her," Blaise said, stowing his wand in the pocket of his robes and leaning down to pull on his boots.

"Oh, no, it's alright. I'll be fine," Hermione tried. "Just point me in the direction of the apothecary."

"No," Blaise said. "I was about to head out. Plus, I can Apparate to the Manor with you to make sure it's empty before I leave you there."

Lev faced Blaise and approached him, placing a pleading hand on his bicep and lowering his voice so Hermione couldn't hear.

She looked away and busied her hands with Mulciber's wand.

"I'll see you Monday," Blaise said as he stepped around Lev.

"Vat happened to tomorrow night?" Lev asked, still clearly trying to keep their conversation private.

Blaise mumbled something into Lev's ear, and after a moment, Hermione heard the distinct sound of a hasty kiss.

"I'll see you soon," Lev said.

Hermione kept her head down and her voice quiet as she followed Blaise out the door. She gave Lev a final thank you and goodbye, and then she was off.

The two didn't speak a word on their way through the antique shop, the first rays of the morning sun starting to hit the windows. At the door, Blaise gestured for Hermione to crouch behind an aisle shelf as he surveyed the street, his wand out and ready.

Hermione looked down at her attire and pointed the unfamiliar wand at her clothes. "Multicorfors," she said quietly. The now familiar argyle pyjamas she'd been wearing split at the seams and weaved together with the fabric of her top until she was drowning in black robes. Pointing the wand at her disheveled hair, she made it roll up into a tight bun, snipping a piece of fabric from the robes to make herself a hair tie.

At Blaise's signal, Hermione hurriedly walked after him out the door and down the stone along the dark side of the street. She took a heavy breath and flipped up the hood of her newly formed robes as she followed.

Knockturn Alley was dark and quiet in the dead of night, and she was thankful; it would be easier for them to stay hidden this way. Her feet didn't make a sound as she walked along the dirty street. The only sound was the distant rumble of cars and meows of cats in a nearby shop. She didn't dare look inside, fearful of the condition of the place.

At the end of a long, narrow road, there was a crooked sign hanging from outside the shop she was hoping to find. She had never been there before, but she had read about it in multiple books and knew that she could find what she was looking for within. Blaise carefully approached the shop, glancing around to ensure nobody was there. He stood outside and ushered her over.

Holding the tip of the wand out, she whispered, "Alohomora," and heard the click of the lock as it opened. She didn't mean to, but she held her breath on the way in and paused, anticipating any unknown wards.

When there was no sign of screaming sirens or physical boundaries, she let her feet carry her in. Her gaze darted around, looking for the supplies she needed: wormwood, bubotuber pus, dragon liver, and much more. She took all the ingredients to the major healing potions, including a small stash of Essence of Dittany; anything potentially useful she could get her hands on. At the counter, Hermione found a little pouch that was sold next to the jewelry and got to work putting an Undetectable Extension Charm on one so she could fit everything inside. She tried not to count the breaths she took as she focused through her hurried state. She threw everything into the tiny pouch as she looked towards the door every few seconds.

Hermione took one more swift survey of the space and hoped she wasn't missing anything as she bounded out the door, locking it on her way out.

"That was fast," Blaise whispered.

Hermione flashed him a smile.

The two quickly made their way back down the street, the fading moonlight shining on the stone. With every step, anticipation grew within her for what was to come. The night wind was a perfect breeze against her skin, still sticky on her cheeks from her dried tears.

He led her to the closest Apparition point and extended his arm for her to take. She looked up into his dark eyes, laden with looming heartache, and snaked her hand around his forearm.

The darkness that engulfed her in the throws of Apparition was brief, quickly replaced by the light that fell on the pathway at the Manor. They landed a few paces from the gate, and Blaise swiftly pulled her aside to stay hidden behind the high hedge on the left.

"Stay here. I'll go in first. If someone's here, I'll say I'm looking for Draco."

Hermione nodded, and he left, opening the gates with ease at the flick of his wand. Her heart pounded inside her chest, but she wouldn't let the building anxiety deter her in any way. She had gathered a considerable ingredient supply, got a coin to contact the Order, and banished the state of deep depression she'd been in before Mulciber showed up.

"It's clear," Blaise said as he glided back through the gate.

"Thank you," she said, not sure what else she could or should say.

He nodded in response and stepped aside, letting her pass.

Clutching Mulciber's wand, Hermione made the long journey down the path, the small signs of morning weaving their way into her senses: the growing daylight…the slight breeze…the whisper of critters awaking in the distant wood.

The walk seemed much longer than when she'd left earlier.