CHAPTER 7 Let My Heart Rest In Peace
Hermione made her way to the Atrium and there was Ginny standing beside the fountain, gazing at the gold gilded figure of Harry crouching beside the old fountain, a statue guarding him. Her hair was loose and looked quite ruffled, she was wearing a plain cardigan and black trousers and she had a handbag in her right hand, one which she was swinging about absentmindedly as she gazed up at the statue.
Hermione walked towards her and called out, "Ginny?"
Ginny turned around to face her old friend and smiled while saying, "Hi Hermione".
"What is it Ginny. Is there something wrong?" Hermione asked worried.
"Oh no", Ginny replied quickly, "I just came to you to ask a few questions if you don't mind. But I really would like some answers".
"Sure no problem, come on we'll go up over here to the couches", Hermione said indicating a few comfy couches on which to lounge on. She walked ahead and sat down on one of the couches.
"So Ginny, how are you? Are you still at university?" Hermione asked as Ginny sat down beside her.
"Yeah, its my fourth year, only two more to go", Ginny replied smiling.
"So how is training to become a Healer coming along. It must be hard, I hear being a Healer is one of the most gruelling occupations there is", Hermione enquired.
"Oh it is, but I love it, ever since the second war that's all I've wanted to do, is help people", Ginny replied.
"That's great". "So Ginny, what do you have to say?" Hermione asked.
"Well first of all I need to know one thing", Ginny said taking out a newspaper clipping from her pocket. She unfolded the article and lay it out on a table for Hermione to see. Hermione's eyes widened as she read the article, taking it in her hand and rereading it.
"They actually wrote an article on this?" Hermione said giggling, but when she looked up and saw Ginny's upset face, she quickly stopped. "Oh Ginny! No I'm not going out with Harry and we certainly are not an item!"
Ginny sighed as she started smiling. "Just me being silly", she laughed as she sighed a deep sigh.
"Its ok, I know how you feel about Harry, and just so you know, I would never go out with him you just don't do that", Hermione joked. "I mean when it comes to family and best friends, you have to tread really carefully with whom you date".
"Speaking of friends and family", Ginny said, "There is something you might want to know".
"What is it?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Its about Ron", Ginny started.
"What about him?" Hermione asked sitting up straight. "Because if its about that latest girlfriend of his Kirsten."
"Krista", Ginny interrupted.
"Yeah well Krista, Harry told me all about it", Hermione finished rather stiffly.
"Look I know about how you and Ron broke up and he was totally out of line", Ginny added.
"Well seems everyone knows ", Hermione replied icily.
"But he still loves you!"
"What?" Hermione sat up straight again and looked Ginny firmly in the eyes.
"Ron told me he still loves you deep in his heart".
"You've got to be kidding me. Ginny don't shit around with my feelings because you can't do that", Hermione said not quite believing or trusting her ears.
"I'm not. We were talking about the article today and he told me. Yeah he loves Krista, but deep down inside you're the only once he really loves. The only one who really still touches his heart", Ginny explained.
"No you've got to be kidding me Ginny", Hermione added not believing Ginny. "I mean you said yourself he loves this Krista. No you made a mistake there Ginny. I'm sorry but I have to go back to work", Hermione said getting up, but Ginny caught hold of her arm.
"Please just listen to me Hermione, I'm not wrong here, take my word for it. He still loves you. And you can be together again".
"No it doesn't work out that way Ginny. This is the real life and Ron has a girlfriend", Hermione replied.
"Just listen to me Hermione. Ron will split up with Krista soon enough, you were meant to be together. Just go and talk to him".
"No".
"You belong together just go",
"NO!" Hermione shouted, but she shook her head and added calmly, "I can't, it just doesn't work that way. Ron and I are history and that's the way it should be. Let my heart rest in peace. I'm sorry Ginny but I have to go back to work now. We should go out for lunch sometime", Hermione said.
"But you never told me you were over him Hermione. You never denied you had feelings for him. I know you still love him".
Suddenly there was an almighty crash and a scream as five Dark Wizards jumped out of separate fireplaces, their wands in hand as they started shooting curses around the Atrium. Hermione and Ginny ducked behind two couches as more and more Dark Wizards, all masked, jumped out of the fire and stunned nearby wizards and witches. Some more witches screamed once more and ran out of the way. More and more Aurors came rushing into the Atrium by the lifts, shouting things across the hall.
"Ginny go home, this is too dangerous", Hermione cried turning around to face her. "No I want to help!" Ginny replied stubbornly.
"Ginny please go home, this is too dangerous, there are qualified Aurors who will deal with them. Please Ginny just go home I don't want to see you get hurt", Hermione cried once more.
Ginny nodded and with a loud crack she was gone. Hermione sighed and held onto her wand tightly as she ran out to face them Dark Wizards and their attack on the Ministry of Magic. She stunned a few Dark Wizards in no time, none of them having seen her, but one Dark Wizard called on a few others and they advanced on her, sending stunning spells at her, but she blocked them easily. They forced her into a corner as more and more started firing spells at her. They stopped sending spells at her, but only after Hermione realised she was cornered.
One stepped towards her and cried, "Where's the book?"
"What book?" Hermione asked innocently. Her mind was running, why were they attacking the Ministry to get the book back. It seemed completely irrational and stupid.
"The book!" she cried out, but he could not say anymore as he fell forward on his face. Harry was standing behind him, wand out at the ready as he stunned more Dark Wizards. When the last one fell, Hermione sighed and stepped over their unconscious bodies towards Harry.
"I was wondering what took you so long", she smiled.
"Hey!" Harry cried mock hurt. "I had to help out a poor other damsel in distress. Seems to be my specialty".
"Come on Harry help me bring these down to the Department of Mysteries. We'll put them in a cell for a while before you can start interrogating them. As they looked around, they saw only one other stunned Dark Wizard, the rest must have Apparated away.
"Looks like we don't have that many to interrogate", Harry said looking at their four and the other stunned man.
"Less for you to do", Hermione replied laughing. "Well I had better go back to my office, there are some things I have to work out".
**************************************
Harry knocked on her door, before opening it and walking inside. Hermione was bent over a few long parchments and books, her specs resting at the end of her nose.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked up and took off her specs, smiling at him. "Oh Harry good that you're here there are some developments I want to discuss with you".
"Shoot", Harry replied sitting down on one of her comfy chairs.
"I found it most curious and rather erratic that the Dark Wizards broke into the Ministry, such a risky thing to do by the way, to get the book back .Understandable the book is very precious and contains a lot of power, but why go to such dramatic lengths to get it. Why not send an insider into the Ministry to steal it quietly", Hermione mused.
"Maybe they had no other choice, they needed now and couldn't come up with anything better. You know some of these dark arts groups are actually quite stupid", Harry replied. "They would have to be quite smart to get the book in the first place. No this attack doesn't seem so clever, yet the group itself are quite smart. We learnt that in the way they handled your raid. You did say they put up quite a fight".
"Nearly killed Barrett with that curse. Yeah they were very skilled in their fighting and manoeuvring. They always kept us away from the book", Harry said.
"So it shows you they were skilled in the art of combat and duelling, yet with that attack in the Ministry, you could almost call it desperate. The way he shouted at me where the book was. As if he knew I had it", Hermione replied trailing off.
"What are you saying Hermione?" Harry asked as her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a silent Oh.
"It was a desperate attack to get the book back .Of course any smart wizard or witch knows that if you speak we can use certain charms to track them down and find out who they are. Its highly dangerous and sure they teach that to the Aurors too. They had to get the book back no matter what. These blundering fools might not be the same ones you took the book from".
"Are you saying a second Dark Arts groups was involved?" Harry asked.
"Yes of course, I mean these dark arts groups are like the mafia or any mob, always fighting amongst each other and with other groups. No different from our average muggle mafia", Hermione replied. "Harry who told you about there being Dark Wizards in the warehouse?"
"Our usual source found out", Harry replied.
"Your usual source, is he a double agent?"
"Yeah I suppose he is in a way, though we never give him any information, we only pay him for the info", Harry said.
"Then there's a chance he was also paid by someone else to tell you about it. Someone from our second group, the group that attacked the Ministry", Hermione replied.
"Well it complicates your theory, but if the second group were so desperate to get the book back, desperate to the point of not being very clever, how did they pull it off to have us find out about our first group. It contradicts our theory".
"Not if they had help. Look we all know about the rumours circulating that there is a new lord vying for control of all the groups, to unite them once more as Voldemort had done and plan an attack on us. It is most likely he needs the book so he helped our second group out so we would find the book .They needed it in the Ministry, but why? Anyway, what if something went wrong and the second group were told to just get the book and as an act of desperation they attacked the Ministry in broad daylight in front of everyone and only got themselves in trouble", Hermione mused.
"Well that's a lot. Ok so how do we go about proving this theory and what do we do next", Harry asked.
Hermione grinned at him and Harry shook his head, "Oh no Hermione, whatever it is you're thinking about, the answers no!"
"Come on Harry, we go undercover and find out", Hermione said sweetly.
"Its too dangerous!" Harry replied adamantly.
"Well you'll have to tag along and keep an eye on me", Hermione replied sweetly.
"No Hermione!"
"Come on, consider it your debt paid for me getting you out of that sticky mess last New Year", Hermione said smiling at him.
"Fine, but only if I take a small team with me and if it gets too dangerous, we're out understood", Harry asked.
"Understood, I only want to find out a bit and it won't take long, they won't even realise we're there!"
"I suppose, I know you're going to get me killed though. This plan reeks of danger and I don't like it", Harry muttered.
"Well if it smells too bad, I can block your nose with a simple charm", Hermione joked and went back to reading her parchment.
"You are crazy!" Harry said before turning around and leaving the Den.
Hermione made her way to the Atrium and there was Ginny standing beside the fountain, gazing at the gold gilded figure of Harry crouching beside the old fountain, a statue guarding him. Her hair was loose and looked quite ruffled, she was wearing a plain cardigan and black trousers and she had a handbag in her right hand, one which she was swinging about absentmindedly as she gazed up at the statue.
Hermione walked towards her and called out, "Ginny?"
Ginny turned around to face her old friend and smiled while saying, "Hi Hermione".
"What is it Ginny. Is there something wrong?" Hermione asked worried.
"Oh no", Ginny replied quickly, "I just came to you to ask a few questions if you don't mind. But I really would like some answers".
"Sure no problem, come on we'll go up over here to the couches", Hermione said indicating a few comfy couches on which to lounge on. She walked ahead and sat down on one of the couches.
"So Ginny, how are you? Are you still at university?" Hermione asked as Ginny sat down beside her.
"Yeah, its my fourth year, only two more to go", Ginny replied smiling.
"So how is training to become a Healer coming along. It must be hard, I hear being a Healer is one of the most gruelling occupations there is", Hermione enquired.
"Oh it is, but I love it, ever since the second war that's all I've wanted to do, is help people", Ginny replied.
"That's great". "So Ginny, what do you have to say?" Hermione asked.
"Well first of all I need to know one thing", Ginny said taking out a newspaper clipping from her pocket. She unfolded the article and lay it out on a table for Hermione to see. Hermione's eyes widened as she read the article, taking it in her hand and rereading it.
"They actually wrote an article on this?" Hermione said giggling, but when she looked up and saw Ginny's upset face, she quickly stopped. "Oh Ginny! No I'm not going out with Harry and we certainly are not an item!"
Ginny sighed as she started smiling. "Just me being silly", she laughed as she sighed a deep sigh.
"Its ok, I know how you feel about Harry, and just so you know, I would never go out with him you just don't do that", Hermione joked. "I mean when it comes to family and best friends, you have to tread really carefully with whom you date".
"Speaking of friends and family", Ginny said, "There is something you might want to know".
"What is it?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Its about Ron", Ginny started.
"What about him?" Hermione asked sitting up straight. "Because if its about that latest girlfriend of his Kirsten."
"Krista", Ginny interrupted.
"Yeah well Krista, Harry told me all about it", Hermione finished rather stiffly.
"Look I know about how you and Ron broke up and he was totally out of line", Ginny added.
"Well seems everyone knows ", Hermione replied icily.
"But he still loves you!"
"What?" Hermione sat up straight again and looked Ginny firmly in the eyes.
"Ron told me he still loves you deep in his heart".
"You've got to be kidding me. Ginny don't shit around with my feelings because you can't do that", Hermione said not quite believing or trusting her ears.
"I'm not. We were talking about the article today and he told me. Yeah he loves Krista, but deep down inside you're the only once he really loves. The only one who really still touches his heart", Ginny explained.
"No you've got to be kidding me Ginny", Hermione added not believing Ginny. "I mean you said yourself he loves this Krista. No you made a mistake there Ginny. I'm sorry but I have to go back to work", Hermione said getting up, but Ginny caught hold of her arm.
"Please just listen to me Hermione, I'm not wrong here, take my word for it. He still loves you. And you can be together again".
"No it doesn't work out that way Ginny. This is the real life and Ron has a girlfriend", Hermione replied.
"Just listen to me Hermione. Ron will split up with Krista soon enough, you were meant to be together. Just go and talk to him".
"No".
"You belong together just go",
"NO!" Hermione shouted, but she shook her head and added calmly, "I can't, it just doesn't work that way. Ron and I are history and that's the way it should be. Let my heart rest in peace. I'm sorry Ginny but I have to go back to work now. We should go out for lunch sometime", Hermione said.
"But you never told me you were over him Hermione. You never denied you had feelings for him. I know you still love him".
Suddenly there was an almighty crash and a scream as five Dark Wizards jumped out of separate fireplaces, their wands in hand as they started shooting curses around the Atrium. Hermione and Ginny ducked behind two couches as more and more Dark Wizards, all masked, jumped out of the fire and stunned nearby wizards and witches. Some more witches screamed once more and ran out of the way. More and more Aurors came rushing into the Atrium by the lifts, shouting things across the hall.
"Ginny go home, this is too dangerous", Hermione cried turning around to face her. "No I want to help!" Ginny replied stubbornly.
"Ginny please go home, this is too dangerous, there are qualified Aurors who will deal with them. Please Ginny just go home I don't want to see you get hurt", Hermione cried once more.
Ginny nodded and with a loud crack she was gone. Hermione sighed and held onto her wand tightly as she ran out to face them Dark Wizards and their attack on the Ministry of Magic. She stunned a few Dark Wizards in no time, none of them having seen her, but one Dark Wizard called on a few others and they advanced on her, sending stunning spells at her, but she blocked them easily. They forced her into a corner as more and more started firing spells at her. They stopped sending spells at her, but only after Hermione realised she was cornered.
One stepped towards her and cried, "Where's the book?"
"What book?" Hermione asked innocently. Her mind was running, why were they attacking the Ministry to get the book back. It seemed completely irrational and stupid.
"The book!" she cried out, but he could not say anymore as he fell forward on his face. Harry was standing behind him, wand out at the ready as he stunned more Dark Wizards. When the last one fell, Hermione sighed and stepped over their unconscious bodies towards Harry.
"I was wondering what took you so long", she smiled.
"Hey!" Harry cried mock hurt. "I had to help out a poor other damsel in distress. Seems to be my specialty".
"Come on Harry help me bring these down to the Department of Mysteries. We'll put them in a cell for a while before you can start interrogating them. As they looked around, they saw only one other stunned Dark Wizard, the rest must have Apparated away.
"Looks like we don't have that many to interrogate", Harry said looking at their four and the other stunned man.
"Less for you to do", Hermione replied laughing. "Well I had better go back to my office, there are some things I have to work out".
**************************************
Harry knocked on her door, before opening it and walking inside. Hermione was bent over a few long parchments and books, her specs resting at the end of her nose.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked up and took off her specs, smiling at him. "Oh Harry good that you're here there are some developments I want to discuss with you".
"Shoot", Harry replied sitting down on one of her comfy chairs.
"I found it most curious and rather erratic that the Dark Wizards broke into the Ministry, such a risky thing to do by the way, to get the book back .Understandable the book is very precious and contains a lot of power, but why go to such dramatic lengths to get it. Why not send an insider into the Ministry to steal it quietly", Hermione mused.
"Maybe they had no other choice, they needed now and couldn't come up with anything better. You know some of these dark arts groups are actually quite stupid", Harry replied. "They would have to be quite smart to get the book in the first place. No this attack doesn't seem so clever, yet the group itself are quite smart. We learnt that in the way they handled your raid. You did say they put up quite a fight".
"Nearly killed Barrett with that curse. Yeah they were very skilled in their fighting and manoeuvring. They always kept us away from the book", Harry said.
"So it shows you they were skilled in the art of combat and duelling, yet with that attack in the Ministry, you could almost call it desperate. The way he shouted at me where the book was. As if he knew I had it", Hermione replied trailing off.
"What are you saying Hermione?" Harry asked as her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a silent Oh.
"It was a desperate attack to get the book back .Of course any smart wizard or witch knows that if you speak we can use certain charms to track them down and find out who they are. Its highly dangerous and sure they teach that to the Aurors too. They had to get the book back no matter what. These blundering fools might not be the same ones you took the book from".
"Are you saying a second Dark Arts groups was involved?" Harry asked.
"Yes of course, I mean these dark arts groups are like the mafia or any mob, always fighting amongst each other and with other groups. No different from our average muggle mafia", Hermione replied. "Harry who told you about there being Dark Wizards in the warehouse?"
"Our usual source found out", Harry replied.
"Your usual source, is he a double agent?"
"Yeah I suppose he is in a way, though we never give him any information, we only pay him for the info", Harry said.
"Then there's a chance he was also paid by someone else to tell you about it. Someone from our second group, the group that attacked the Ministry", Hermione replied.
"Well it complicates your theory, but if the second group were so desperate to get the book back, desperate to the point of not being very clever, how did they pull it off to have us find out about our first group. It contradicts our theory".
"Not if they had help. Look we all know about the rumours circulating that there is a new lord vying for control of all the groups, to unite them once more as Voldemort had done and plan an attack on us. It is most likely he needs the book so he helped our second group out so we would find the book .They needed it in the Ministry, but why? Anyway, what if something went wrong and the second group were told to just get the book and as an act of desperation they attacked the Ministry in broad daylight in front of everyone and only got themselves in trouble", Hermione mused.
"Well that's a lot. Ok so how do we go about proving this theory and what do we do next", Harry asked.
Hermione grinned at him and Harry shook his head, "Oh no Hermione, whatever it is you're thinking about, the answers no!"
"Come on Harry, we go undercover and find out", Hermione said sweetly.
"Its too dangerous!" Harry replied adamantly.
"Well you'll have to tag along and keep an eye on me", Hermione replied sweetly.
"No Hermione!"
"Come on, consider it your debt paid for me getting you out of that sticky mess last New Year", Hermione said smiling at him.
"Fine, but only if I take a small team with me and if it gets too dangerous, we're out understood", Harry asked.
"Understood, I only want to find out a bit and it won't take long, they won't even realise we're there!"
"I suppose, I know you're going to get me killed though. This plan reeks of danger and I don't like it", Harry muttered.
"Well if it smells too bad, I can block your nose with a simple charm", Hermione joked and went back to reading her parchment.
"You are crazy!" Harry said before turning around and leaving the Den.
