Regina: Hello, hello. I was going to update my other Draco/Hermione fic, The Unseen Face of Love, but have ended up writing enough to update this one with instead. Ah, well. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter – I'm sorry for all those who hate Original Characters, but Hygeia returns briefly, and Scylla makes her first appearance. But don't worry! Apart from a brief appearance from Horus Flinders (explain the last name next time), some good old Canon characters will return, now that the scene has been set.

Although they won't read it, congratulations are due for the winners of the Dangerous Liaisons Awards! The DL Awards are fiction awards specifically for Draco/Hermione stories. I've found many a good one through DL, so I suggest you check it out. Far better writers than me, anyway.

On another note, visit the D/Hr site Sweet Reflections (address in my bio) where you can find two of my music videos: Until the Day I Die, and Taking Over Me. Hopefully others, such as, I Would Give Anything to Make You Better and Living In A Lie are uploaded there too. If you like music videos, check out Sweet Reflections – they have other good ones there, too, the most recent one being Broken, by Seether featuring Amy Lee.

Okay, enough of the shameless plugs now, on with the story, with just the disclaimer to go through: I do not own, and never will own, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and any other Harry Potter-related characters, places, etc. Sigh.

Pay the Reaper

Chapter Three: Caught In-Between

"Okay, okay, easy now, Hermione. Baby steps."

"Ron! I have been attacked, not turned into a toddler! I can do this on my own! Stop laughing, Harry, it's not that funny!"

"Really? Well, I think so!" he chortled, eyes half-closed with mirth.

"Ron, let go of me, now, because although I was tortured, I am still strong enough to make you regret holding on to me."

Ron's hands on her elbows almost leapt away with such a speed she was reminded of the time he tried to find out if blue fire was actually hot.

On that occasion, he had been kept overnight in the infirmary. Everyone had made fun of him for weeks after that.

"Fine, fine," he said, recovering from Hermione's verbal bite. "If you say you don't need help, then I believe you. But don't expect me to come and help you next time you ask."

"Deal."

Hermione walked slowly to the other side of the room, and sat down in the chair Hygeia had sat in the day before when she talked to him about Malfoy.

"So what's been happening?" she asked once she had made herself comfortable.

"Um..." Harry thought for a moment, then said, "Dumbledore is worried that Voldemort is going to make a move pretty soon. Snape and Scylla agree with him – although Scylla says that it's not going to be the major one... you know what I'm talking about."

Hermione nodded, and tried to ignore the ice that travelled down her spine. She knew exactly what he was talking about. The final move in this chess game, as Dumbledore had once said to her. "So what do they think it is?"

"They want to weaken the Order, by, what did Scylla say at the meeting, Harry?"

"Striking at their hearts, their weakness."

"Their families," Hermione breathed.

Harry nodded solemnly. "And they're taking out the Muggles first."

Hermione thought for a moment. "Snape and Lupin have no family left, same with Moody and a few others. The Dioscorides are safe – they're Purebloods, even if both their daughters are traitors. Neville and Ron come from Pureblood families... but Colin and I... we've already been attacked."

"Yeah, we were lucky about that," Ron added. "Though Snape was furious with Scylla about exposing herself to save the Creeveys, when all she could have done was warn us."

"There was no time," Hermione pointed out. "Once a Death Eater is in your home... that's it. Especially if you're a Muggle. Mr Creevey was lucky to escape with paralysis of the leg."

"Although he was luckier than Snape," Ron said, chuckling. "Bloody hell, did Scylla yell at him. Who would have thought that someone that little could shout so loud?"

Hermione and Harry chuckled too, remembering the sight of a petite young woman who bore more than a passing resemblance to Hygeia, except that her hair and eyes were more brown than black, ripping into Snape without any fear.

Hermione figured it was probably a good thing that half of it was in Greek – and from the look in his eyes, Snape probably did too.

"... and then Hygeia started yelling at her! All in Greek, too!" Ron wiped a tear from his eye.

"Makes me glad I'm not Horus!"

"You're glad? I'm glad Scylla isn't trying to pin me down anymore!"

More laughter followed this remark, until a voice cut in dryly, "And I suppose you want me to pretend that I didn't hear that, Ronald Bilius Weasley?"

Ron's jaw dropped and he went bright red. Hermione barely managed to smother a giggle. "Um... Hygeia... hi... how'd you know my middle name?"

"Well, Ron," Hygeia began (while Hermione swore a muffled, "Bilius?" came from Harry's direction), "they're called medical files. Everything – right down to the smallest detail. And I'm sure that Bilius isn't the only thing you'd prefer not to get into the wrong hands."

"Are you sure you're the Ravenclaw in the family? 'Cause I'm sure Scylla was never that cruel, and she's a Slytherin."

"Stereotypes mean people make very foolish judgements, Ron," Hygeia explained. "Besides, with people like Crabbe and Goyle in Slytherin, it's hard to see how anyone could think of them to be evil. No, it's the Ravenclaws you have to look out for." She turned her attentions on Hermione. "And what are you doing out of bed? I thought your instructions were to stay in bed. I suggest you get back in their now." She waved her wand. "Or would you like some help?"

"No, I'm fine." Hermione said, and shuffled over to the bed,

As Ron helped her climb back in, he muttered to her, "She's twice as bad Madam Pomfrey," and she nodded her agreement.

"Thank you, Ron," Hygeia's voice was still dry. "I will remember that comment next time you injure yourself. But I don't think you'll do what you did when you were four and..."

"All right! I'm sorry!"

"Now if you will excuse me, I have to give Hermione some medicine. I can't have you bothering my patient, so you'll have to calm things down a bit. Is there anything in particular you would like to say to Hermione before I do so?" She shot Harry a meaningful look.

"Oh!" Harry bent down and whispered something into her ear.

"That's the new password for the Safe House?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Well, Dumbledore does pick them, and you have to admit, what Death Eater would say that by chance?"

"Well... you have a point there... but still..."

"All right. That's enough. You're bothering my patient. You're lucky I haven't kicked you out yet. I suppose it's because I like you... but I don't like you that much." Hygeia handed Hermione a small glass. "Drink this. It'll help with the pain. Then you can have something to eat, and tomorrow you should be well enough to be released."

Hermione took the glass, and took a sip. She was about to take a second when she realised something. Hygeia had been the top student in Potions of her year, and one of her specialities was... "It's a sleeping potion. How powerful?" she demanded.

There was a sparkle of mirth in her obsidian eyes. "Let's just say you don't need to drink anymore. One sip was more than enough to work."

In a weak form of defiance, Hermione calmly placed the glass on the bedside table, and lay down calmly. Laying her hands by her sides, she slowly closed her eyes, not fighting the heaviness she felt.

The last thing she heard was Hygeia's chuckle. "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."


He flipped the pages savagely, almost ripping several. That spell was a possibility... no, it needed a potion to go with it... what about... he made a face. Definitely not that one. Ugh. Besides, it could only be cast on a man, by a woman. Pity there wasn't a reversed version of that. Although then it wouldn't really be as effective.

Pity.

He tossed the book aside, not caring where it landed. Somewhere on his bedroom floor, where it would be found tomorrow morning.

But the hour had grown late, and he knew he had to sleep. He blew out the solitary candle that attempted to light the small confines of the room, and lay down in the cavernous emptiness of the bed, and waited for sleep to come.

If it came at all.


Having been released that morning, Hermione's first order of business was to visit her parents. The Safe House was located about an hour away from London, and disguised much like Grimmald Place, but with the extra security of live-in guards (Scylla Dioscorides was a permanent fixture at the Safe House, seeing as she was an easily identifiable target, as well as an excellent fighter - for someone who was not trained as an Auror, but as a Death Eater-inductee), and a password.

"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts," Hermione muttered under her breath. It was then that the large home appeared, sliding out of nowhere to stand before her, proud and confident, if houses could appear that way.

The door opened a crack, and a dry, sarcastic voice floated out. "That's possibly why I've never heard any of the boys complaining."

"Hello, Scylla," Hermione said amicably, knowing that Scylla's attitude was just a façade. "How've you been?"

The door opened wider, allowing Hermione to step past a petite young woman who looked a lot like Hygeia, except her hair and eyes were more brown than black. "Oh, as well I can be, I suppose, seeing as I have an army of Death Eaters on my trail, wanting to take their revenge on the Order traitor." Scylla's voice did not lose the dry tone. It was one of the traits that she had picked up from her time at Hogwarts, and after, with Draco Malfoy. "But what about you? I hear an old friend paid you a visit."

Hermione nodded. "Draco Malfoy, but I'm sure Hygeia told you all about it. but I wanted to talk to you about him, actually."

"Your parents are here, by the way," Scylla replied. "I'll bring them to the kitchen. Make yourself some tea or something while you wait."

Hermione decided to comply with the order.