Dolohov held the door for Hermione as she preceded him into the dilapidated living room of the Shrieking shack. He hung back for a moment in the hallway, and Hermione was immediately engulfed by Tonks, who was crying with happiness as her hair raced through the shades of the rainbow. Sirius stood behind her, grinning like an idiot.

"Budge over Tonks!" he admonished her with a bark-like laugh, "We all know who she's really been missing,"

Hermione grinned and extended an arm to pull Sirius into the hug too. Outside the door, I gave Dolohov a small shove, and he followed Hermione into the dusty room, ducking his blonde head to fit through the low doorframe. Tonks and Sirius both reacted immediately, whipping out their wands. Before Hermione could do more than shout "No!", Tonks had thrust my best friend behind her and fired off a stunner that hit the blonde giant full in the face.

He swayed for a moment and then fell forward like a massive tree, saved only from breaking his nose by a quick cushioning charm on my part. Everyone was still for a moment, and then the sudden silence was broken by the tapping of Hermione's toe on the hardwood floor. I instinctively tried to fade into the dirty wallpaper.

"Mione-" George began, but she cut him off, hair sparking dangerously,

"You said you warned them Dolohov was coming! GEORGE WEASLEY, WAS THIS YOUR IDEA OF A JOKE?!" she raged.

George attempted to back away into the hall, but Hermione wandlessly slammed the door shut behind him with a wave of her hand as she stalked closer. I unobtrusively scuttled away, out of her field of vision.

"No Mione, really, I did. I swear," George offered lamely, looking around for other means of escape. Hermione was nose to nose with him when Sirius interjected,

"He did actually. We just sort of assumed he'd be, you know, a fucking PRISONER."

"He's a Death Eater!" Tonks added, eyeing Hermione with a mix of confusion and suspicion.

"Who has defected," Hermione grit out, eyes still fixed on George.

"So he says," muttered George mutinously. At a murderous look from Hermione, he reluctantly added, "Under veritaserum."

Tonks looked unimpressed. She poked Dolohov speculatively with her toe, and he groaned, starting to rouse already.

""Are you sure you used enough?" she asked seriously, "Big arsehole like this might be able to fight off a regular dose,"

"We gave him three," Hermione confirmed.

Nobody seemed able to think of more objections, but Sirius and Tonks did not stow their wands as Dolohov sat up, looking slightly cross-eyed after his second stunning in as many hours.

"Vat..." he groaned, holding his head.

Sirius ignored him completely, speaking to Hermione instead, "He could be using legilimency, pet. The best legilimens can twist the truth even under veritaserum,"

Hermione actually rolled her eyes at him, "I think I'd know," she said in a swotty tone that transformed her instantly back into a bucktoothed firstie in my head, "given that Severus says the only Legilimens on this continent who's more accomplished than me is himself,"

Sirius wisely decided not to argue this point and shrugged, conceding defeat.

Hermione turned her back on my godfather and George, who breathed a silent sigh of relief, and crouched down beside Dolohov to rub his back comfortingly. She whispered something in his ear that none of us in the room could catch. The tender expression on her face concerned me. At first I'd wondered if this was just a case of Stockholm syndrome, but it appeared to be even more serious than that. Dolohov shrugged, his expression still caught between grumpy and confused.

Hermione straightened up and turned on her heel to face the other inhabitants of the room. Several people took an unconscious step back. At her furious glare, all the wands in the room returned to their owners' pockets.

"If we're quite done with the stunners?" Hermione asked rhetorically, eyes narrowed, "Then might we get on to the business of killing the Dark Lord?"

George, seeming to regain some of his confidence as it became clear that Hermione's anger was no longer directed at him, grinned and replied cheekily, "Well I suppose I could find some time in my busy schedule to off the old Snakey-face once and for all." He pretended to consult a pocket planner, "Tuesday's dreadfully busy, tea party-"

"Lovely," Hermione snapped. She settled herself on the couch and looked around expectantly. Unsuccessfully hiding a grin, Sirius and I simultaneously plopped down beside her, throwing up a huge cloud of dust which set all three of us to coughing. Tonks and George lowered themselves carefully onto the rickety chairs.

Sirius slung an arm around Hermione's shoulder and ruffled her hair.

"Relax, kitten," he grinned, "This is supposed to be a happy occasion. We've missed you!"

I half expected Hermione to demand an apology on her husband's behalf, but after a moment she relented and smiled grudgingly back. All those present in the room knew that while her temper was fiery, it rarely lasted more than a few minutes. Despite the musty odor and suffocating dust, I felt light as air. I couldn't believe that after so many months of gut-wrenching worry, my best friend, my only true family, was finally back beside me.

Dolohov, still on the floor, shot a glance at the last unoccupied chair, which coincidentally also looked the most ancient and spindly. Seemingly deciding not to risk it, he leant back against the wall and closed his eyes. I reached into my rucksack and withdrew a bottle of fire whiskey, waving my wand to send it around the room but purposely missing out Dolohov.

I still wasn't at all sure about this bastard. What he'd said under Veritaserum had certainly given me pause, but to say I had doubts would be the understatement of the century. He might have developed some creepy obsession with Hermione, but there was no way this could end well. I resolved to catch her alone as soon as possible and reiterate my offer to put him out of the way.

George leant forward and rubbed his hands together, clearing his throat significantly and distracting me from idly wondering how you even begin to bury a body that large.

"So, you've got a plan already haven't you 'Mione?"