1 "Yeah, that's it. The Burrow. What the bloody hell are we doing here?"
Moody's crazy eye threw him a dirty look.
"This Mr. Malfoy is the new headquarters. And unless you would like to be transported back to Malfoy Manor, I strongly suggest you show your hosts and hostesses every courtesy possible."
"Mr. Moody," said Hermione, "Do you mean Order Headquarters?"
Draco smirked at this question.
"No, Granger, he means Hogwarts. Of course he means the Order!"
"How do you know about the Order?"
Draco looked to Moody, Tonks, and Lupin, as if asking their permission to tell her. Lupin shook his head as to say 'no'.
"None of your bloody business Granger."
Just then, the front door of the Burrow swung open and everyone was taken up in someone's arms except Draco. Hermione had two people hugging her, and when she was finally released, she was overjoyed to see Harry and Ron. Ron had gotten over that awkward stage when hugging a girl was icky. Now, he preferred to be surrounded by girls rather than avoiding them. Both of them had grown and now towered over her like skyscrapers.
"It's so good to see you guys!" she squealed.
"Chill Hermione, it's only been like a week since we saw you," chuckled Harry, "But it seems you have grown up." He gestured toward her clothes.
"Oh, Harry!" She hit him on the arm.
"Ow!"
The trio laughed. Things were always so good when they were together. Even if they argued sometimes.
Hermione greeted Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and her other best friend, Ginny. Ginny had always been like a little sister whom Hermione could always talk to. She also missed Fred and George, but they were at their joke shop in Diagon Alley. The shop had been a great success and they had made enough money to move into a small flat there.
"Well, Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley, "I'll bet you're hungry."
"Actually..."
"Of course you are. Now let's all go inside and have some dinner."
Half an hour later, everyone was sitting at the table when Hermione figured it was time to ask questions.
"Tonks, how did you find us?"
Everyone else ceased conversation.
"Well, the whole thing is rather complicated. Those necklaces you're wearing are actually tracking devices. You were destined to have them. If you go into Diagon Alley tomorrow and hand them to a random person, they will be back in your hands within a week. We use something sort of like a Marauder's Map to track you. You must never take those necklaces off. We'll just assume you're dead. They turn white if you take them off or die."
"Pleasant. Well, where are my parents, when I hid Malfoy, was that you?"
"Yes. Your parents are at a secret Ministry building. It's for their own safety. The death eaters will eventually find out where Draco went and try to find him. You don't want your parents there when they come."
"Well how was Malfoy transported to my house?"
"Mione! Malfoy was at your house?!" cried Harry.
But Hermione ignored him, paying attention to Tonks was hard enough without interruptions.
"Draco was in great danger. If you're in great danger and cannot reach your necklace to be transported or there is too powerful a magic block, his necklace will start to burn. Same if he is helpless. But, in fact, the power of the necklace got through the death eaters block and he was transported straight to you."
"Why me? Don't Harry, Ginny, and Ron have necklaces?"
"Of course, but you're like Draco's sidekick."
He sneered at this.
"Yeah, Granger. I'm the leader."
"No, Draco. You're equal. The stones know when you're going to die, who you're going to be friends with. Basically, they already have your lives planned out. They know you two were going to be in the Order and decided to group you together. Ginny and Harry are grouped together."
"What about Ron? There's no one else our age in the Order."
Ron answered the question.
"I got a funny stone. It's black."
"So?"
"So, did you notice that you and Malfoy have opposite colored stones?"
"No. But I do know."
"Well, mine's black. Which means that my, sidekick sis you say, is dead. Stones turn white when you die."
"Oh. So what happens if he's in trouble?"
"Nothing," said Tonks, "We can still track him, but we don't know if he's in trouble."
"That sucks."
"No shit."
"RONALD WEASLEY!"
"Sorry mum."
Mrs. Weasley gathered the dishes and all the adults stayed at the table to have a chat. Hermione and Ginny went out for a stroll in the front yard while Harry, Ron, and an uninvited Draco sat in the parlor.
"I don't get why that pervert Malfoy got to be with Hermione. He'll probably turn her over to his father for forgiveness," spat an unhappy Ron. Everyone knew that he fancied Hermione. He was so bad at hiding it that even she had her suspicions. Draco cleared his throat.
"You know I'm right here, don't you Weasel?"
"I was hoping you were, asshole."
"I don't see why you're calling me names. As you said, I could hand Hermione right over to the death eaters. And, in the Order, I have much more power than you."
"I cannot fathom why they invited you in, so why don't you clue me in, Malfoy."
"Because they knew I was smart enough."
"You're second in our class to Hermione."
"But I had the will to do it, and I'm very good at not showing emotion and keeping secrets."
"What does not showing emotion got to do with anything?"
"Not letting your enemies know how much their torture is getting to you."
Ron froze. Torture? Malfoy had been tortured for the Order? No way.
"When have you ever gone on a secret mission, Malfoy?"
"Let's see. Every summer, all holidays, and during the Triwizard tournament."
"How's that?"
"Spying on Lucius."
"You spied on your own dad?"
"He's not my father anymore."
"What?"
"He disowned me at the beginning of summer."
Now both Ron and silent Harry were surprised. Draco hated their pity and went out to the front to take a walk.
He was noticing all the bright flowers when he stumbled upon Hermione and Ginny, but not as he would've expected. They were sitting up against a tree, Ginny's head in her knees with Hermione's arm around her back. And Ginny was bawling her eyes out.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked tiredly.
"What's her damage?"
"Nothing. Ginny's going to be just fine." She was talking more to Ginny than Draco.
"Go away Malfoy."
Draco retreated quietly, figuring Harry and Ron would treat him like a psychopath after he stormed out. Oh well. He wouldn't have to live with them that long. School was only a month and a half a way. Thank god.
Harry and Ron didn't say anything when Draco got back. They were in deep conversation about the Chudley Cannons. Draco sat and barely listened. He was trying to figure out what was bothering the youngest Weasel.
"What so you think, Malfoy?" spat Ron.
"About what?"
"What do you think they're talking about out there?"
"Something depressing."
"What?"
"Well when I went out there, your kid sister had her face buried in her hands, crying a river. Probably sold herself to the devil for some money. Or by the look on Potter's face, sold herself to him."
"NO SHE DIDN'T!" yelled Harry.
"Chill Pothead, I was kidding."
Ron eyed Harry suspiciously before standing up to go to Ginny. Harry followed, and so did Draco, again uninvited. They found the two girls in the exact position Draco had described, except Ginny was even more distraught now.
"Gin, what's wrong?"
Ginny looked up at her older brother, then at Harry, before crying even harder, if possible.
"Ron, can you please go away? You're making her even worse. And take Harry and Malfoy with you."
"Since when did I not become important enough to address?" asked Harry.
"Does it matter?"
While the other boys left, Harry used the conversation with Hermione as an excuse to stay behind.
"Gin, please don't cry. Herms, do you know what's wrong?"
"Yeah. Ginny told me all about you two. Been going out for 3 months? How ever did you conceal something like that?"
"By Ginny pretending to have other boyfriends."
"Well you're lucky Ginny is so admired."
"It would be even more admirable if one of you would tell me what's wrong."
Harry sat down next to Ginny and took the weight off Hermione by shifting the Weasley into his arms.
"Ginny, can you please tell me."
Ginny looked at Harry and smiled. All rational thought flew from her head.
"Not now Harry. I think we need to tell Ron about us soon."
"Fine, but can't you tell me?"
Ginny's eyes started to fill with tears again.
"Okay then, don't tell me. But I will find out somehow."
"I promise you will."
After a short make-up (or out) session, both realized that Hermione had left ages ago. They walked towards the house and found their friend, scolding Draco and Ron who were sitting on opposite sides of a path.
"You two are so childish. I swear, do you carry around blankets? I should send you to Filch or something, foolish, impossible, immature, stupid, f... Hey Harry."
"What'd they do?"
"They pounced on each other mercilessly and almost knocked each other's lights out."
"Well at least we know they're back to normal."
"I never had any doubt of that."
After Hermione got over her bout of rage, the quartet of friends and their classmate talked into the night about everything under the sun. If you didn't count Draco and the stones and Harry/ Ginny and Ron cursing... all was as it ever was.
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Hello friends. This is M1L speaking. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is my best job updating so far and I am proud of myself.
However, I am not proud of ya'll (yay!) I got like, 3 reviews last chapter. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO REVIEW MORE THAN ONCE. IT IS NOT A YELLOW BRACELET SIN! (Inside joke)
Otherwise, I love ya'll and hope you have an awesome veterans day.
I have to go to fucking school.
Whoopee
Reviews are something I encourage. I have a poem I wrote about them but you only get to hear it and the next chapter if I get 5 reviews. Please.
M1L