Ed and Hippiechick, thanks again for your reviews! I'm aiming to get more reviews on this story than on the other two J
Hippiechick: it was more like I open the chapter 14 file and stare, then close it and decide to do it later…I've actually made it to chapter 15, which will be the last or second to last chapter, so I'm very excited.
Leave me love if it pleases you!
--Aimes
Morning came and brought with it what Hermione had come to think of as 'the end.' For the one who proposed the plan, you really have some issues accepting its execution. She took a deep breath, got out of bed, and got dressed. I should look nice for the Deatheaters…right. Jeans and a tank top again? Yes, indeed. Hermione slid the switchblade her father had given her long ago into the waistband of her jeans with a smile. Go say goodbye to your friends, Mya. Ugh that sounded so final.
Hermione waited for Draco in the common room and they went to the train station together in silence. When they arrived Hermione plastered a cheery look on her face and ran to her friends, hugging them tightly.
"Take care, you guys! I'll see you later this summer, alright?"
"Bye, Mione!" Ron and Ginny called as they hopped onto the train. Harry gave her a long, intense look then hugged her tightly, almost desperately, once more.
"Please, 'Mione. Be safe," he whispered.
"Of course I will, you niffler! Now go or you'll miss the train!" She kissed him lightly on the lips and shoved him away. Do not think about where those lips have been. Ew, too late. She groaned as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand in a most unladylike fashion.
Draco saw off his Slytherin compatriots, the few who had come to the train station. If anyone had noticed the rest missing, no one commented. There were few Slytherins left and the remnants tended to keep to themselves. Can't believe Ron hasn't missed Millie yet or Ginny hasn't missed Blaise. Then again, in this chaos they probably figure they'll find one another on the train.
Hermione waved one last time as the train pulled away from the station. Too bad Harry wasn't able to so much as look at Draco without arousing suspicion. She turned and looked up at the castle. Here we go.
The remaining denizens of the castle proceeded to the Great Hall for the customary end of year meeting. The meeting had been established taking care of final details, voting on a new Head Boy and Head Girl, and other details of that nature. As though in slow motion, Hermione proceeded to her seat, smiling at Professor Sprout, nodding at Professor Sinistra.
Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Ahem. On my word, will you all please pick up your glasses for our customary end of year toast," he twinkled. Several professors looked around in confusion. There had never been an end of year toast before. "I hope to make it a long standing tradition," Dumbledore supplied. Everyone nodded accommodatingly.
Before he could say another word, there was a resounding boom at the door. An eerie silence descended upon the room as the group watched the entrance with baited breath. They did not wait long. Within moments the door blew open.
"Now!" Dumbledore bellowed. Hermione looked at Draco for a moment then cast her gaze to Snape before moving to grasp her goblet. Several seats down, she saw Callah close her eyes and begin to disappear as the other Professors portkeyed out of the hall.
Hands hovering in front of her cup, she watched the Deatheaters storm in, waiting.
I recognize that swagger. She blew Dayrin Lestrange a kiss and firmly caught the goblet in her hands as he pulled out his wand. Hermione felt a pull behind her navel as she disappeared.
Ow. She landed on her knees in a clearing. Not the most kosher position to find oneself in. Hermione climbed to her feet, dropping the glass and looking around. Where is everyone? Suspicion sparked through her veins like fire. Recalling her capture months earlier and her torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and her nephew Dayrin, Hermione stepped backwards into the shadows and looked around. Every sense fired, tautly alert, and Hermione pulled out her wand. Fuck, what was that? A twig snapped and Hermione dropped into a crouch, vaguely noticing that she was getting wet. Raining. Right. Why not.
"Hermione? It's me, Callah. Where the hell are we?" came the whispered voice.
"I don't know. How did you end up here? You never grabbed your cup," she replied sotto voce.
"I teleported, tracking the energy from the portkeys. I must've latched onto yours."
"Shit, we left a bit after everyone else did, I think. We were the last ones to disappear. You must've managed to catch my portkey. Why didn't you use yours?" Hermione had given up the whispers.
"I hate portkeys, they make me feel squiffy. So why was yours keyed for someplace other than everyone else's?" Callah asked reasonably.
"Maybe everyone's was keyed for a different place?" Hermione suggested. "Not a great plan for avoiding panic, but…" she shrugged.
"And why haven't we received further instructions?" Callah asked rhetorically.
"Mmm," Hermione agreed. Throughout their conversation they'd been exploring the clearing and found it surrounded by a dense forest. Not someplace I'd like to get lost in. "We could be fucking anywhere," Hermione groused.
"Probably still the UK," Callah provided. "Nowhere else always smells like rain. Then again, maybe that's because it's raining."
Hermione pondered this a moment before shrugging in mute acquiescence.
"Oi, we're ninnies! You know where the bloody Headquarters are, why don't we just Apparate there?"
"Because Albus probably didn't send us there for a reason," Callah said cautiously.
"Ah shite, you're right. Well we can't wait 'round here forever. Where d'you want to go?"
Before they could agree on a place, an owl swooped into the clearing and dropped a letter. It took off without waiting for a response. Callah and Hermione regarded the letter where it rested on the grassy earth.
"If that's not a letter from Albus, we'll be really really fucked," Callah noted. Heh, she's almost as eloquent as you are, Mya. Well done.
Hermione reached out and tentatively grasped the letter. "Here goes everything," she murmured before ripping it open.
Miss Granger,
The Manor. Melke.
--Albus Dumbledore
"How enlightening," Hermione said sarcastically. "Presuming that's where the Headquarters are, how the hell are we supposed to get there? I can't apparate without an idea of a destination."
"I can," Callah said with a shrug. Hermione looked at her skeptically. "It's hard to explain. It's like an internal GPS system. Oh wait, you're a witch. A GPS is…"
"I know what a GPS is," Hermione assured her. "But how does it help us? I mean you can get there, but I can't."
"Sure you can. I'll project," Callah responded confidently. Project what? She seemed so normal yesterday…figures she's nutters.
Hermione stood back expectantly as Callah closed her eyes and concentrated, seeking out the origin of the message. As soon as she'd caught it, she projected it at Hermione, and suddenly, clear as day, there was an image of a manor in the clearing.
"That's it," Callah said. "Can you do it?"
Let's bloody well hope so. "Sure," Hermione lied.
"On three then. One, two, go!" Callah teleported and Hermione disapparated.
With a crack, Hermione landed at the bottom of the driveway, where Callah had appeared.
"Ready?" Hermione murmured.
"Naturally," Callah replied smoothly. They looked at each other and giggled slightly hysterically. You've just abandoned your one safe haven and appeared in front of a manor that looks like it belonged to Dr. Frankenstein. Life just keeps getting better.
Hermione grabbed Callah's hand and proceeded up to the manor with an air of braveness she did not feel. When they reached the door, she chickened out.
"You knock," she hissed.
"Why me?" Callah shot back.
"You're older!"
"Thanks, rub it in."
There was a pause. "Rock, paper, scissors?" Hermione suggested. Callah looked at her as though she were in kindergarten before relenting.
"One, two, three!" Callah picked scissors, Hermione picked rock.
"Best two out of three?" Callah hedged hopefully.
"No chance, knock!"
Callah stuck her tongue out and raised her hand, delivering a strong, confident knock. The door swung open on well oiled hinges. Hermione looked at Callah nervously and entered the house. They'd taken only two steps in when the door slammed shut behind them and something grabbed their shoulders.
Hermione and Callah yelped simultaneously and whirled so fast they had to grab each other for balance. Hermione's wand was out instantly and Callah's eyes were sparking with some sort of electricity.
Remus Lupin laughed. "You should see the looks on your faces!" He chortled, trying unsuccessfully to catch his breath. He thinks it's funny, does he?
Hermione attacked, pinning him while Callah tickled ruthlessly. "Let me go! Not fair, you outnumber me. Besides, they're waiting for you!" Callah didn't pause and Hermione merely smiled triumphantly from her position straddling his chest. She leaned down till she was staring into his eyes from barely an inch away and said sweetly, "Shouldn't mess with two chicks who outclass you in every way, Remus. Bad practice," she whispered in his ear.
He let out a deep guttural growl and Hermione froze. Stop. Control yourself, what the fuck are you thinking, Mya. Okay, you're thinking about fucking him, that's not the point. Wow, didn't realize so much blood could rush south so fast.
"Miss Granger, why are you sitting upon Remus? And Miss Riese, is there a reason you're tickling him?"
Hermione's chaotic whirl of thoughts froze and her eyes widened. Oops. Remus winced.
Hermione clambered to her feet and pulled Remus up. "Sorry, sir. This fu—niffler decided to scare the wits out of Callah and I, so we retaliated."
"Probably not the most effective way to deal with the Dark Lord should you encounter him, Miss Granger," came McGonagall's crisp brogue.
"Yeah, he slapped me when I sassed him," Hermione noted absently. McGonagall registered her faux pas too late and attempted to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger. I'd almost forgotten—"
"No need," Hermione interrupted with surprise. "It's not a big deal. Anyways, there are people waiting for us, aren't there? We should go."
Dumbledore led the way to the parlour, where Hermione took stock of the inhabitants of the room before sitting on an armchair and waiting for the meeting to commence.