Hermione POV
The shop was almost overwhelming to Hermione. Bright colors everywhere, kids running back and forth from display to display, dragging their not-so-willing parents behind them, incredible magics being worked right in front of her eyes. She could not help but smirk at the puppet on a tightrope above the customers' heads, shouting "I will have ORDER!"-an obvious parody of Dolores Umbridge. Hermione was drawn, however, to the pink display of cosmetics and love potions.
Love potions were notoriously tricky, and to create a shelf-stable supply such as this? Even trickier. It was most impressive for the twins to have been given the lisence to sell such things-
"Now I know the great Hermione Granger has no need of love potions," a voice said behind her. She whipped around to see Fred leaning against the display of edible Dark Marks in that ridiculous dragon-skin suit. She flushed.
"They're really impressive, that's all!" Hermione said, defending herself. "All of the shop is, really. You and George should be proud of yourselves."
He looked positively like the cat that swallowed the canary.
"The great Gryffindor prefect would put her stamp of approval on my humble prank shop?" he said dramatically. Hermione clamped down on her desire to laugh. "My, my Ms. Granger-that is high praise indeed!"
Hermione was about to say something when Ginny came flying over to her, grabbing her arm.
"I need you to come with me."
"That's nice, just ignore your so-called favorite brother," Fred said sarcastically.
"I don't see Bill anywhere around here," Ginny quipped.
"You wound me."
"You'll get over it," Ginny said rolling her eyes. "Now I need to talk to Mione-don't you have a business to run?"
"I will bid you adieu, then, ladies," Fred said, tipping an imaginary hat to Hermione and Ginny before waltzing toward a group of kids eyeing the Skiving Snackboxes.
"You need to come with me," Ginny said, grabbing hold of Hermione's arm.
"Come with you? Where? We're supposed to stay with the-"
"Someone is up to no good, and she's going to end up hurting Harry," Ginny said, pulling Hermione out into the alley.
"Then we should go talk to Harry-"
"You know as well as I do that he doesn't listen to anyone when it comes to her," Ginny said in a dark tone.
Hermione frowned, her mind immediately landing on the only person Ginny could possibly be referring to, though the redhead had never spoken of the girl in that suspicious tone before.
"Since when are you and Evanna Malfoy not friends?" Hermione said, folding her arms. Ginny flushed.
"I always thought when it came down to it, she would choose the right side," Ginny said, looking down the alleyway. "But she's proven me wrong. I think she's a Death Eater."
Hermione's eyebrows rose so fast they practically flew off her face. "But, Gin-You-Know-Who barely takes any woman into the Death Eaters. And Malfoy hasn't even taken her OWLs yet! And I've always heard that-well-she's not the best at practicals-"
"Only in Light magicks, but you saw her duel Harry in the DA-she's a prodigy," Ginny pushed.
"That's the other thing-why would she spend so much time training Harry if she was a Death Eater. I know I was suspicious of her last year, but-"
"As much as I'd love to stand here and list out why I might know better than you when it comes to Evanna Malfoy, I already spotted her headed towards Knockturn Alley, and I intend on finding out what she's up to."
Without another word, Ginny took off towards Knockturn, which was disturbingly close to the twins' shop, especially in these times. Hermione stood stunned for a moment before taking off after her friend, whisper-shouting her name.
Ginny stopped abruptly, putting her finger over her mouth, ducking into an alcove. They watched as Evanna Malfoy glanced furtively around the alley, drawing her hood up over her head before going further. Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and all but pulled her to the next alcove as Bridget Travers and Narcissa Malfoy chased after Evanna.
"Ev, are you sure this is-"
"How else do you think I convinced Father to let me come here?" Evanna said in a low whisper.
"But you could be seen-"
"You act as though people don't expect me to be in Knockturn Alley," Evanna scoffed.
"Mrs. Malfoy, please-" Bridget said pleadingly.
"You know the order of things, Bridget," Mrs Malfoy said, before grabbing her daughter's wrist. "Still, darling, it may be prudent to listen to your friend. This task…."
"Just as it was prudent to send Draco away without consulting me?" Evanna demanded. "Why, exactly, is my brother not here? I could have sent him and there would be even fewer questions."
Ginny had gone ramrod straight beside Hermione.
"Evanna, this is not the time nor place-"
"Then where is? Hogwarts? The Manor?" Evanna snapped. "I have no intentions of bringing Draco's absence to the attention of the Dark Lord, but Mother, he-"
"Oh, just go on to the shop so we can get out of here, Evanna!" Travers snapped. "You never know who might be watching in the streets."
Evanna opened and closed her mouth a couple times, but Mrs Malfoy wrapped an arm around the petite girl and all but dragged her forward. Travers, however, had bent to tie her shoe and was taking an inordinately long time tying it. When the Malfoy women were sufficiently far enough ahead, Travers stood and turned directly toward Hermione and Ginny's hiding spot. Hermione froze.
"You really pulled Granger along with you, Ginny? How stupid and reckless could you be?"
Ginny stepped out from the shadows, glaring at the other girl. "Only as stupid as you for following her around like a lost puppy dog."
Travers shook her head. "Look, Granger, you shouldn't be down here. Ginny is barely safe down here."
"Are you threatening me?" Hermione said, gripping her wand.
"No, Granger, I know you would beat me in a duel. I don't like this any more than you do, but our world isn't safe anymore. Ginny should have known better," she said, glaring again at
Travers shook her head. "You seem to be under the delusion that we all had Draco's option to run away like a dog with his tail between his legs like the coward that he is."
Ginny jerked toward Travers, face contorted in fury. Hermione grabbed hold of the younger girl, pulling her away.
"You take that back! Draco is the only brave one of the lot of you-actually trying to change his fate instead of fighting for an evil madman!"
Ever yours, D.
Oh Merlin.
The amulet had been from Draco Malfoy. When had that happened? Why had that happened?
"Just get on to your family, Weasley, before it gets too dark. Next time, I won't cover for you," Travers said, turning her back on them deliberately. "See you at school."
Hermione did not wait for Ginny to say anything back and instead drug her out of Knockturn Alley and back to an alcove just before Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but Hermione stopped her.
"How long have you been seeing Draco Malfoy?"
Ginny's face went a strange purple color. "Given he's not in the bloody country, I don't think anyone is seeing Draco Malfoy right now-"
Hermione gave Ginny the same glare she gave the boys when they tried to directly copy her potions essay and the younger girl scowled.
"He broke up with me. So it hardly matters anymore does it?" Ginny said, her face tight. Hermione did her best to be sympathetic, but could not quite find it within herself. The boy had been nothing but a bigoted bully since day one of Hogwarts and Hermione could not help but loathe him.
"Is… is it really such a bad thing?" Hermione said. "I mean-he is-"
Ginny glared at him. "There is a reason we kept it secret. He's not perfect, but he's not Mordred reincarnated or anything."
Hermione opened her mouth, but Ginny had not finished.
"But he's gone anyway, and he sent me some super posh amulet and broke up with me by owl," she babbled. "And his sister-who used to be my best friend-is becoming more of a Death Eater every day and no one will listen to me."
Ginny turned on her heel, walking into the back entrance of her brother's shop and not saying another word.
Evanna POV
Dinner with the Travers was almost too much after the frustrating and ultimately unfruitful trip to Knockturn Alley. Not only had Narcissa refused to give her answers in regards to her brother, but the visit to the shop had been nothing short of useless. She was no closer to coming up with a plan to kill Dumbledore in his own school.
"...if you would be amenable, Dark Lady," Mr. Travers was saying. "Dark Lady?"
Evanna blinked, her head swimming. Both Narcissa and Bridget were sending her worried looks.
"Excuse me-I need some air," she muttered, gesturing for Bridget and Naricssa to sit when they stood to accompany her. Really, she was the best duelist at the table, what did they think they would be able to do that she couldn't herself?
She made her way downstairs to the Leaky Cauldron proper, somewhat relishing the crowd that had gathered in the latter part of the day, though it was not nearly as big as it once had been. She leaned against the cool stone wall in the back when she was caught in the gaze of a green eyed boy. Without thinking about how stupid it was, how she would probably be dead by the end of the year for trying to kill the most dangerous Light wizard of their time, that Harry would probably hate her for it, just like her best friend did.
They both slipped into a room clearly marked as "employees only", not even speaking to identify it as a hiding place. Evanna had gotten no further than a stack of ale barrels when Harry pulled her tight against him, kissing her soundly. All thoughts of her father's orders and Ginny's vitriol was silenced, if only for a moment, as she melted into the hard, quidditch-earned muscles of his chest.
Harry pulled away long enough to whisper, "I don't care what Ginny says, I know-"
"I know that. I was so scared after the attack, Harry-"
"When I didn't hear from you, I thought-"
She pressed herself tightly against him again, still so relieved that he was alive after the attack in muggle London. He kissed her just as soundly. The door opened and they heard the crowd outside in the bar proper-that was enough to shake Evanna out of her daze and yank Harry to the floor as they heard Tom the barkeeper cursing under his breath, looking for something. Both of them went utterly silent until the man was gone.
Neither quite looked at each other as they continued to crouch there, Evanna's arms still tight around Harry's neck, his hands gripping her hips hard enough to leave bruises.
"Things are going to get worse, Harry," she said finally, in a low voice. "What I'm expected to do… What I'll have to do….. I won't blame you if you want to end this here and now."
"Evanna, we've been over this-"
"No, listen," Evanna said. "What I've been ordered to do….. You won't like. At all. But I can't say that I won't do it if I can. It's not like what happened on your birthday-it's not hurting innocents, but you won't like it. So, I am giving you the option, here and now, to end this. Because I don't know if I'll let you end it should it go much further."
"We've already had this conversation, Evanna," he said. "Several times. I'm not giving up on you. I-"
He cut himself off abruptly as the door swung open again. Evanna found herself pressed into Harry's side and she could hear some words-words that were far too early to be thinking, let alone saying, especially given the circumstances-reverberating in his head. Once Tom the barkeep had once again left, Evanna started to pull away.
"I have to go," she said. "People are expecting me. We-we'll meet in the Chamber after the Sorting, alright?"
Before she quite could, he pulled her back into one last kiss. She sank into it, letting the scent of wind and broom lacquer fill her up. When she finally arrived back to the dinner awaiting her upstairs, Narcissa looked nearly apoplectic while Bridget had seemed ready to mount a search party.
"Apologies," Evanna said. "Time got away from me."
"Perhaps we should buy you a watch early, milady," Narcissa said acerbically. Evanna gave her a cool glance.
"Where were, Mr. Travers?" she asked.
"Yes, I was questioning if your esteemed father had…"
The man spoke of economies and trade, but all Evanna could think of was how her world would come crashing down no matter what happened this year.