"Whatever you saw, whatever you heard, I need you to focus on the present now."
Hermione was lying facedown on the floor of her cabin inside the Dragomir, gasping for air. Draco hovered above her.
"I need you to stand."
Hermione nodded, startled to find herself back aboard the ship and not at Hogwarts.
She noticed the floor was tilting, the furniture was sliding forward, and Draco was struggling to maintain his balance.
She tried to remember what had happened just before she'd touched the book...
Valko had knocked on the cabin door, and Draco had gone to find Ginny...
It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Have we resurfaced?" Hermione asked, remembering the storm.
"No," Draco said. "We have to go, come on."
He helped her to her feet, and she grabbed a pair of shoes.
"Where's Ginny?" she asked thickly, as he pushed her into the corridor.
"In the dining hall, Granger, exactly where you should be."
Draco stopped dead. He looked down. The corridor was flooding.
Hermione felt water seep into her shoes.
"Hurry," Draco urged, leading her forward.
There were fairy lights illuminating their path and they followed them all the way to the dining hall.
The double doors were pushed open. The chairs and tables had been nailed to the floor. The students had conjured ropes and tied themselves to anything they could find.
The chandelier above them trembled menacingly as the ship tilted upwards, fighting its way to the surface.
"Ginny!" Hermione cried, catching sight of her at the far end of the hall. She had taken cover under a table, and Crookshanks was squirming in her arms, looking terrified.
Hermione and Draco ran towards her.
"Where were you?!" Ginny shouted.
"I'm sorry," said Hermione. "I was—it doesn't matter now..."
She took cover under the table too, and Draco conjured a rope with his wand.
He tied the rope around their wrists and secured it to the leg of the table.
Hermione and Ginny huddled against each other, staring out of the large, arched windows.
Cracks were beginning to form on the glass.
The ship continued to tilt upwards, and suddenly there was a flash of violet light, so bright it was blinding. The light lingered for a few seconds, then extinguished, cloaking them in darkness once more.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"The magical barrier," Draco replied. "It's collapsed."
The ship trembled violently and everyone screamed.
"What's happening?" Ginny cried.
They heard three short blasts, and then the windows fractured completely.
Jets of water burst into the dining hall.
Hermione and Ginny cover their heads as the ice cold water hit them.
There were shrieks and cries from the other students.
The ship bobbed for a moment before steadying itself as it rose out of the ocean. Water spilled down its sides, falling back into the angry sea.
Through the broken windows the students could see enormous waves churning across the water.
Crookshanks squirmed out of Ginny's arms and darted across the room.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione cried.
She tried to stand, but something tugged her back down.
She reached for her wand, remembering she was tied to the table.
Draco seized her wrist. "Leave the stupid cat, Granger!"
"Relashio!" Hermione shouted, ignoring him.
The rope binding her to Malfoy fell away.
She ran across the hall.
Draco cursed loudly and went after her. "Stay put!" he shouted over his shoulder to Ginny.
Crookshanks ran down a corridor and turned left, dashing out a door that was hanging off its hinges.
"No!" Hermione cried.
The ginger cat ran as fast as its legs would carry it, momentarily disappearing from view.
Draco caught up to Hermione, but they both froze when they reached the deck.
Lightning flashed across the sky, revealing an expanse of dark ocean as far as the eye could see.
The crew was scurrying about, trying to secure the ropes. Nikola was shouting commands from the helm, urging them all to move faster.
There was another flash of lightning, and Hermione and Draco looked up, hearing something snap above them.
One of the masts had splintered, and Draco and Hermione jumped back as chunks of wood hit the deck.
"Vat are you doing? Go back inside!" Valko shouted at them.
Hermione struggled to see through the heavy rain. The gale pushed her forward, whipping her hair into her face.
"What the hell is that?" Draco asked suddenly.
Hermione followed his line of vision. Her heart jerked to a halt.
A monstrous wave was forming. It had to be over a hundred feet tall, and they were headed straight for it.
The ship careened forward, and Hermione's mouth fell open in shock as she realized Nikola was going to try to ride the wave.
"There's no way we're going to make it over that!" Draco shouted. "We'll turn over!"
Panicked, they conjured ropes and tied themselves to the handrail. The crew did the same.
Hermione lifted Crookshanks into her arms.
She saw Nikola at the helm of the ship, her coat flapping up behind her, Konstantin tied to her leg. Lightning illuminated her as she drove them forward.
She was mad…they would never make it…
"This is it!" Draco shouted, as they reached the wave.
The entire crew looked up, riveted at the sheer scale of the monstrosity in front of them.
The ship soared upward, and Hermione and Draco clung to the railing.
Their feet slid out from under them as the Dragomir sped up.
Hermione shut her eyes. There was a rush of sound…the howling wind, the roar of the ocean, the clap of thunder…
She felt her feet leave the deck, her body lifted up…she was floating in mid-air…
Then everything tipped forward, her body, the ship…and she fell into blackness, falling…falling...
Everyone was screaming around her, and she wondered if they'd fall forever, locked in a terrible nightmare...
And then gravity took hold. Her feet slammed into the deck again as the ship crashed into the ocean with a terrible force.
A blast of water rained down upon them. The chill seeped into Hermione's bones, and in a matter of moments the Dragomir's magic pushed them onwards.
Nikola and the crew cheered. Hermione collapsed into Draco's arms, exhausted. They had survived…by some miracle they would live to see another sunrise.
The next day the sky was a brilliant blue. Hermione and Draco's hands were still tied to the handrail. They had fallen asleep on the deck.
Hermione heard movement above her, and looked up. Seagulls were flying overhead.
"Land!" said a member of the crew. "Just there!"
Hermione's jaw dropped open.
For a moment she thought they hadn't survived the storm, for they had arrived in a place that seemed too beautiful, too perfect.
They were surrounded by towering white cliffs, and two beautiful arches made entirely of rock sat on either side of them. There was a large, white pillar rising up from the sea, and the turquoise water sparkled with magic.
The Dragomir made its way closer to land.
Hermione looked up, craning her neck for a better look. The land above the cliffs was covered in violets and lilacs, and the grass looked smooth, parting slightly in the breeze.
"Étretat!" Nikola shouted from the helm.
"Draco," Hermione said, shaking him awake.
He opened his eyes slowly and sat up, taking in the sight before them.
There were witches and wizards waiting for them on the shore of the magical town. They waved white handkerchiefs in their hands, and shot golden sparks into the air with their wands.
There were tents on the cliffside above the town. Hermione guessed it was a camp for the first and second years. Nikola had told her a concealment charm had been placed around the area, to keep curious muggles at bay.
Hermione looked up. The storm had shredded many of the sails, and she knew it would take time for the crew to repair the ship.
They docked half an hour later.
One by one the students disembarked, looking in awe at the seaside town in front of them.
Some of the crew left the ship too, eager to hear the latest news of the war.
Draco watched them step down, remembering Nikola's words: "Étretat is sacred land. The devil cannot enter, you cannot enter."
Hermione touched his shoulder. "I'm going to take Ginny down. I'll probably stay on shore…until the ship is repaired. I'm guessing it might be a few days."
Draco looked at her. A part of him panicked. They were no longer in Britain, closed off from the world. She could go anywhere she wanted. What if she decided to apparate away from the coast without telling him? She wasn't seventeen yet, but what if Dumbledore had allowed her to lift the trace?
And Hermione had an awful habit of acting on impulse, like touching that blasted book. Last night she'd told him all about Tom Riddle's past, and while he thought the knowledge would prove useful, he didn't think she should have risked her life for it.
They had been in the middle of a bloody storm for Merlin's sake.
Draco forced his face into a mask of calm, remembering his conversation with her from the night before. The crew would fix the magical barrier and she would sail on to wherever it was Dumbledore had asked her to go. She hadn't told him where, or if she wanted him to accompany her, but he had to ensure that she did.
"Draco?" Hermione asked, interrupting his thoughts. "I'm leaving now."
"Right," he said, looking down at his Dark Mark resentfully. "Don't let me keep you."
Hermione left his side to join Ginny.
"He isn't coming?" Ginny asked astutely.
Hermione shook her head. "He can't. Death Eaters can't enter Étretat."
Draco overheard, and her words cut into him like a knife.
Is that all she saw him as? A Death Eater?
He forced himself to exhale.
He wasn't exactly innocent, after all. He was waiting for the opportunity to strike. He had a feeling Potter was closer than ever. He just had to bide his time…
As Hermione made her way to shore, she recalled her conversation with Draco from the night before.
He'd been furious with her for touching the Founder's book and disappearing, and she couldn't blame him. She might have drowned, trapped in the book's pages while they were caught in the storm.
Hermione sighed. Thankfully that hadn't happened. She'd decided to tell Draco nothing of Harry, only that she had to sail away after the ship was repaired.
Draco had listened to her intently, but he'd hardly said anything at all.
Hermione breathed in deeply. It was time to decide…
Time to decide if she should trust Draco fully, or walk away from him forever.
She looked behind her. Draco was watching her progress from the deck of the ship.
She felt an uneasiness settle into the pit of her stomach.
It felt strange to part from Draco after everything they'd been through…
He had been her support in the absence of her friends. But maybe distance is what they needed for the next few days…she needed time to think…
Back on the ship, curiosity got the better of Draco. He moved towards the ramp that led to shore.
"I vouldn't do that if I were you," Nikola warned.
Draco jumped. He hadn't heard her approach.
Nikola looked at him shrewdly
She blocked Draco's way to the ramp. "You should go back to your cabin."
Draco smirked at her. For all he knew, she was bluffing. He hoisted himself over the handrail of the ship. He hesitated for a moment, then let himself fall overboard.
He hit the water with a splash.
He swam several strokes until he reached shallow water.
When he could step, he walked forward until the water was only ankle deep.
He took one step towards shore, then another, and another…
He grinned. Nikola was obviously—
Then he felt it. An electric blast of energy that shocked his whole body.
He stumbled for balance, and as he reached a hand out to steady himself, something burned him.
He screamed in agony and looked down at his Dark Mark. It was glowing bright red as if someone had set him on fire.
He doubled over. He couldn't pass the invisible line, and he couldn't step back either. He was trapped.
He heard the sound of splashing water behind him, and someone yanked on his robes, forcing him away from the invisible boundary.
"Had enough, Mr. Malfoy?" Nikola said sternly. "Miroslav and Valko are vaiting for you in the galley. There's work to be done on the ship."
"You're not going to lock me up?" Draco asked bitterly.
"No need," Nikola said brightly, adjusting her hat. "You couldn't call the Dark Lord even if you vanted to. Your magic is useless here."
Draco raised his wand. He tried to levitate Nikola's hat off her head.
It didn't move.
He scowled at her.
He could not do magic, at least not while on these shores.
On land, Nikola met with the wizards in charge of the camp, and discussed arrangements for the first and second year students. Hermione and Ginny stood a few paces behind her. The conversation soon turned to the war.
"I have news of the Weasley family," Nikola said suddenly, stepping away from the French wizards.
She motioned for Hermione and Ginny to follow her up the cliffside.
"What is it?" Ginny asked anxiously, trudging along after her.
"Ve vill talk at the encampment," Nikola said, continuing the strenuous hike.
They were out of breath once they made it to the top of the cliffs.
They had long, sweeping views of the ocean, and the Dragomir looked like a tiny dot in the distance.
"Come in," Nikola said, motioning for them to step inside a white tent.
She pulled the flap open.
Once inside they saw the space was three times larger than it appeared on the outside. There was a desk, a cot, a shelf full of books and several maps pinned to large, wooden boards.
Nikola sat in a large armchair.
Hermione was hit by a sudden flashback of the Quidditch World Cup…Mr. Weasley laughing with Fred and George as they set up their tent…she and Ron and Ron going off to collect firewood, Molly making hot chocolate for Ginny…
"Have a seat," Nikola said, motioning to two chairs.
Hermione and Ginny sat down, looking at the captain expectantly.
"We've received a report from the Magical Alliance," Nikola began, looking directly at Ginny. "Your father, Arthur Weasley and two of your brothers, Bill and Charlie ver found by members of the Order. They're alive. Mr. Weasley vas gravely injured, but he vill recover."
Ginny swallowed. "And the rest of my family?"
Nikola nodded. "As you know, your mother, Molly Weasley, vas reported missing several veeks ago. The Order discovered that she vas taken by snatchers. Her three younger sons ver working with a member of the Order to recover her. They ver captured in the Forest of Dean by Bellatrix Lestrange."
Ginny stared at her in shocked silence.
Nikola went on. "I'm afraid that's not all. Before they ver captured, Ronald Weasley vas attacked by Fenrir Greyback."
"Fenrir Greyback? The werewolf?" Ginny asked weakly.
Nikola nodded. "Your brother vas bitten most severely."
"You mean, Greyback…"
"Yes, Ms. Weasley. I am sorry to say your brother is no longer fully human."
Hermione's mouth dropped open.
"My dream," Ginny whispered. "I knew something was wrong—"
Hermione thought back to her last conversation with Ron, they'd argued and said terrible things…
"Does the Order know where Bellatrix took them?" Hermione asked desperately. "What about Mrs. Weasley?"
Nikola sighed. "They have reason to believe they're keeping them all at Greymoor Castle, a few kilometers from Hogwarts, but ve don't know for certain."
Hermione nodded, in the papers she'd read that Greymoor Castle belonged to Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus Lestrange. The Order told her it was filled with dark curses and traps. It was abandoned after the last war, and no ministry or Order member had been able to break through its walls.
"Why didn't Dumbledore help the Weasley's leave Britain before the war started?" Hermione asked, suddenly furious. "He helped my parents. Why didn't he do the same for them? He knew they'd be targets—"
"My parents insisted on staying," Ginny said quietly. "Dumbledore offered our whole family a way out, but we wanted to stay and fight, just like you did. We never thought the ministry would fall so soon."
"But what does Bellatrix want with them?!" Hermione exclaimed. "They don't even know where Harry is!"
"Then they need to make up a story," Nikola said gravely. "Or Bellatrix vill kill them. They need to spin a tale long enough for the Order to find them."
Hermione felt trapped in the small space of the tent. Why did she let Ron and the twins leave Hogwarts? She should have fought harder…forced them to stay…
But deep down she knew they wouldn't have listened, not while Molly was in danger. And if the roles were reversed, she would have done the same…risked everything to save her parents.
Hermione couldn't breathe. She was choking on anguish and fear.
Ginny ran out of the tent.
"Ms. Weasley!" Nikola shouted.
Hermione chased after her.
Ginny ran all the way to the edge of the cliffs.
The water crashed against the rocks and she took a step back, her balance wavering.
She sat by the cliffside, hot tears falling down her face.
Ginny!" Hermione cried, reaching her at last. She knelt beside her. "I—"
"Don't Hermione, just don't say anything, please..."
"I'm not sure what to do anymore, Ginny. Maybe I should try to help Ron and the others…forget about finding Harry..."
Ginny shook her head. "You have to find Harry like Dumbledore asked. If you go back, they'll capture you too. My brothers were never going to stay put at Hogwarts, not with our mum in trouble…"
"Yes, and now they're in trouble too," Hermione said furiously. She looked into the distance. The sun was starting to set, lighting up the cliffs.
The Dragomir bobbed on the water, and her thoughts drifted to Draco. Now she understood his desperation. His mother was trapped too. How had he carried on with that knowledge eating away at him?
Ginny followed Hermione's line of vision. "Malfoy…do you trust him?"
Hermione was taken aback by the question. "Yes, I do. I didn't at first, but I do now. He helped us...in the battle." Hermione reached for Ginny's hand. "But you don't, do you? Even though he saved our lives? Back at the lake?"
Ginny met her eyes. "His family is holding mine captive. How can I trust him? I have a bad feeling about him, Hermione. You should be careful."
"Did you see something again, in one of your dreams?
Ginny's red hair whipped into her face, and her eyes looked dark and ominous.
"No," she said. "Nothing."
Hermione swallowed.
They sat on the cliffside in silence, staring out into the ocean.
Hermione felt a chill run up her spine.
Ginny had been right about Ron. What if she was right about Draco too?
The next few days passed by in a blur. Hermione's concern for the Weasleys threatened to consume her, but she knew she had to focus on the Arévalos. If the vampires joined the fight against Voldemort, maybe they would stand a chance.
During the day, she hid her anxiety for Ginny's sake, but after dark she was plagued with nightmares.
And one night in particular, she couldn't sleep at all.
Hermione tossed her covers aside, and left the tent she shared with Ginny. She walked down the cliffside, careful not to lose her footing in the dark. She heard the occasional crash of the waves.
Minutes later she made it to shore. She stared out at the ocean. The waves glowed an unearthly, electric blue.
Hermione was an excellent swimmer, but she'd kept away from the ocean since they'd docked. She still remembered her near-death experience in the lake.
She took a step closer to the water, determined to overcome her fear. She had to do this. She had no control over anything else in her life right now, but she could control this.
Hermione took a step forward and the water swirled around her ankles. She continued moving forward until she was waist-deep. She ran her hand through the foam-filled water, leaving jets of glowing blue light in her wake.
She swam away from shore until she couldn't step anymore. The ice-cold water stilled her thoughts. A wave rolled towards her…and she took a deep breath, diving under it before it hit her.
Instinct told her to swim up right away, but she made herself stay below water, testing her resolve…she could kick up to the surface when she wanted to, there was no need to panic…
She remained submerged until she was desperate for air, then she went up and waited for the next wave, ready to do it again.
Hermione plunged into the depths of the ocean a second time, allowing her mind to go blank…pain and fear were non-existent here, she could only feel the ice-cold water, letting it numb her…
Suddenly, something latched onto her arm. She screamed but no sound came out, only a flurry of bubbles escaped her mouth.
Moments later Hermione crashed through the surface of the ocean and gasped for air, turning frantically to see what had attacked her.
Draco's face loomed before hers. "What are you doing?!" he shouted. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
"Of course not!" Hermione yelled, shocked. "Let go of me!"
She saw the Dragomir floating a short distance away.
"Did you jump off the ship?" she asked, incredulous.
Draco scoffed at her. "Had to, didn't I? Seeing as you've completely lost your mind."
Hermione wrenched herself free from Draco's hold.
She swam towards shore, knowing he wouldn't be able to follow her back to the tents.
"I just wanted to know if you were alright!" he called after her. "I heard about Weasley."
Hermione stopped swimming. "What did you say?"
"I said, I heard about Weasley. Nikola told me. I'm sorry."
Hermione shut her eyes. He had completely ruined her peace now. "Since when do you care about Ron?!" she shouted over the roar of the waves. "You've always hated him…just like you hated me at Hogwarts, and Harry. Go back to the ship, Draco."
He looked at her dumbfounded, all the progress he'd made with her was tumbling down.
"I'm not going to let you do this," he said, swimming closer to her.
Hermione turned.
"Do what?!"
"Blame me for everything that's happened."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be stupid."
They had reached shallow water and she was able to step again. She turned away from him again, eager to get away.
"You're in love with Weasley, is that it? That's why you're acting like this—"
Hermione laughed in exasperation. "I can't do this with you."
"Do what?" Draco reached for her, and soon his hands were around her waist.
Her back was to him, but Hermione could imagine the burning look in his eyes…the one he used to disarm her…time and time again.
He put his lips to her ear. "Do what, Hermione?"
She spun around to face him.
Beads of water slid down Draco's face. His lips were parted, seducing her and drawing her in.
She didn't want to feel this way for him. His family had Ron captive, and Ginny's words weighed heavily on her mind: I have a bad feeling about him, Hermione. You should be careful.
But her pulse quickened at their closeness all the same. She wanted to reach out and touch him, trust him, but did she really know him at all?
After everything they had been through, would Draco really betray her?
"You don't get to pick your family, Hermione," he said, tightening his hold on her waist. "And you can't decide who you fall in love with either."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat.
Draco's lips found hers, and the kiss lit a fire inside her, consuming her, until she could no longer think of anything else but him…the warmth of his body, the weight of his words and the ache in her heart.
A wave crashed over them, and they were pulled under.
Hermione's hair floated up around her, and she circled her arms around Draco's neck.
She wished they could stay submerged forever, hidden from the world…
When they resurfaced, Draco led Hermione to shore, taking care to stay close to the water's edge.
"I can't step any further," he said, remembering the invisible barrier. "Stay with me?"
Hermione nodded.
They kissed each other again, and they both lost their footing, falling onto the sand.
Draco reached for her face. "I can't stop thinking about you, Hermione."
He tangled his fingers into her hair, and Hermione slid her tongue along his ear, the way he'd done with her on the ship.
Draco groaned against her.
They were breathless, dizzy, unable to stop now that they had started.
Draco ran his hand along Hermione's stomach, pausing on the buttons of her blouse.
The fever inside her was stronger than anything else.
She nodded, waiting...
His fingers trembled as he opened her blouse, finding that she was wearing nothing underneath.
Hermione drew a shaky breath, trying to calm her thundering heart.
She guided Draco's hand over her breast.
He inhaled sharply.
Hermione didn't want to wait anymore. She'd done enough waiting with Ron. Draco was right here in front of her, and she feared that the war might force them apart before she could know what it was really like to feel everything, all at once. With him.
She asked Draco to help her out of the rest of her clothes. He stared at her, shocked. His grey eyes took her in, and for a moment she thought he was going to say something, but then he set to work, doing as she said.
When he was done, Hermione helped Draco out of his shirt and undid the buttons of his trousers.
He lay over her, and Hermione sighed as his bare skin touched hers.
She slid her hands up his strong arms, and wrapped her legs firmly around his waist.
Draco pressed his lips to her neck.
She moaned softly.
But it wasn't enough. She wanted to be closer to him. She ran her hands along his back, and pushed her hips up.
He groaned, digging his fingers into her waist.
He rolled his hips against hers, and her mouth fell open.
"I want to hear you say it," he said hoarsely.
"Say what?" she breathed, as he laced his fingers through hers.
"That you'll always remember this, remember me…no matter what happens."
Hermione looked up at him.
Was he afraid of dying, of not surviving the war?
She took Draco's hand and pressed it to her mouth, trembling.
"I will," she said, kissing his fingertips. "I promise."
She gasped as she felt him start to push inside her.
He was careful, taking care not to go too fast.
She felt a building pressure and then a stinging kind of pain. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his neck, losing herself in him.
As the waves crashed onto shore, she realized that she was losing her virginity to Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater, and the son of one of Voldemort's closest followers.
Her nails dug into his back and she looked up at the star-filled sky, vaguely aware that they were making love on the edge of an invisible barrier, a barrier that was meant to separate them. A barrier that said she was on the right side and he was not.
And she had crossed it without a second thought…
Draco kissed her again, pushing deep inside of her, and Hermione's eyes lost focus.
She focused on the way Draco's hips rolled against hers, and she arched her back, pressing herself closer to him.
She never felt more alive than she did now, caught between pleasure and pain.
She remembered Draco's stolen glances at her in the halls of Hogwarts, the way his grey eyes lingered on her face, betraying him. Deep down, she'd always known he'd wanted this and now, so did she.
She buried her hands into his hair, not knowing where this would lead them. Either to ruin or bliss time would tell…
But for this moment, they had each other, and she knew that long after the war was over…she would always remember this night.
Hermione woke hours later with Draco lying asleep next to her. She shook the sand from her hair and searched for her clothes.
Some distance away she spotted the crew on the deck of the Dragomir, working to repair the magical barrier.
"Did you mean what you said?" she asked Draco when he stirred beside her.
He sat up and looked at her curiously.
"When you said that you'll do whatever it takes? To help me? To help Harry?"
Draco kissed her shoulder. "Yes," he whispered.
Hermione nodded. "Then I'd like you to come with me...to Spain."
Draco nodded at her.
Hermione lay on his chest and told him of her plans, unaware that she was whispering into the ear of a snake.
Draco felt sick with himself. He didn't know how long they lay there, but he avoided looking at Hermione directly, lest she see the lies written all over his face come morning.
Days later Nikola announced that the ship was ready.
Hermione said goodbye to Ginny, who would remain on shore with the other students.
There was a lack of warmth in her embrace. Ginny didn't trust Draco, and now she didn't trust in Hermione's judgment either.
It didn't help that Hermione had gotten back to the tent late every night, with her hair disheveled and her cheeks flushed. Ginny had said nothing, but it was clear that she'd felt betrayed.
"We'll see each other again, Ginny. I promise."
"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Hermione," she said stiffly.
Hermione nodded at her, fighting back tears. Ginny was hurting now, but in time she'd come around. At least in Étretat she was out of harm's way.
Hermione thanked her French hosts, then followed Nikola on board the ship.
Draco was waiting for her.
They pulled away from the coast, making their way to the distant shores of Spain.
Hermione leaned against Draco's chest, watching as Étretat grew smaller and smaller in the distance.
"I've been thinking a lot about something," Hermione said.
Draco looked at her curiously. "What is it?"
She turned to face him.
"Dumbledore's final words…Catherine lives, and she's closer than you know."
"You don't think it's true, do you?" Draco asked.
"No," Hermione said slowly. "I think Catherine's dead. I think Dumbledore meant something else entirely."
Draco was silent, waiting.
Hermione took a deep breath. "I think he meant to say that a part of her lives on…"
Draco frowned. "But her son died too."
"I don't think Dumbledore was talking about her son."
"Who then?"
"The day Catherine gave birth, she was acting very strangely."
Draco nodded."You said the baby came early, and she had a difficult time. It's natural that she'd be out of sorts."
"Yes, but what if that day, while Tom was away at St. Mungo's trying to get help…Catherine gave birth to not one child, but two?"
A chill ran up Draco's spine. "Another son?"
Hermione shook her head. "Dumbledore said, she lives on, remember?"
Draco's eyes widened. "A daughter…"
Hermione nodded. "A daughter, a daughter that Voldemort never knew existed."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for reading! Hope you take a sec to review :)