I know, I know, you all were hoping for Epilogue Part 3. That will be coming at some point. BUT. I've started posting my multi-chapter war fic. So for all of you that wanted Draco to go off Horcrux hunting with Hermione - it's a slow burn with about 250K of espionage, action, angst, humor, smut and intrigue.

I'm about 98% finished at this point, just polishing up the chapters. Here's a preview!

Preview - From Wiltshire, With Love

Hermione crouched in the bathroom, holding Mary Cattermole's trembling hand while Ron Silenced and Disillusioned the three of them. Dean Thomas and Cho Chang had run out the back door with Mary's husband, Reginald, the moment they realized anti-Apparition wards had been put up. Three Death Eaters chased after them blasting hexes; but she couldn't tell if anyone had been hit.

This was the first time Hermione had encountered Death Eaters while trying to get Muggle-borns into hiding, and now they couldn't leave. She hoped the Death Eaters thought they had all escaped out the back door. She was afraid to move, not knowing where they were or if anyone else was in the area.

Umbridge's Muggle-born Registration Commission had attempted to round up their victims but thanks to Hermione convincing the Order to shift focus, many could not be found. At first, the most difficult part in getting Muggle-borns to go into hiding was convincing them to part from their homes and possessions. But as the propaganda coming out of the Ministry became more hostile, folks were more willing. When news of arrests and trials spread, there was even more of a sense of urgency until some Muggle-borns could not even be found by the Order, having already gone into hiding.

The Ministry must have known that the Order was behind the disappearance of so many wanted wizards and witches, and she wondered if the three Death Eaters here today were part of a larger effort to round up them all up at once. Hermione had suspected Voldemort's army would try something like this, and had requested more members to accompany her and others for the past week in case they were attacked.

Thank Merlin she did.

She heard three cracks of Apparition, faint in the distance, and sighed with relief. They must have gotten out with Reginald. Ron knelt down next Hermione and whispered, "Do you think they're gone?"

In answer, they heard the door slam as the Death Eaters burst back into the house. She jumped, her heart thudding in her chest. A male voice yelled out, "Fuck! He'll have my head for this!"

Hermione recognized Dolohov's accent immediately from the Department of Mysteries. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and she absently fingered her side where he had cursed her. Mary tensed next to her and squeezed her hand.

Hermione leaned over and whispered with more confidence than she felt, "They don't know we're here. Just wait."

As she had predicted, pro-actively reaching out to Muggle-borns and their families to get them into hiding proved to be an effective recruitment tactic, and now they had Dean and Cho, among others. Families with fighting age wizards and witches were usually prioritized for that very reason. Mary was a Muggle-born healer at St. Mungo's. It was hoped that after getting them to safety, she would help them set up an infirmary once a safe house could be purchased and secured. They needed more funds for that. Space was getting tight.

"Let's get of here."

"Who's that?" Hermione whispered to Ron, not recognizing the second male and clearly annoyed voice. Ron knew more about Death Eater profiles than she did.

"Buckley? Berkley?" he whispered back, unsure. "Whoever he is, he's not Inner Circle like Dolohov."

"This was supposed to be easy!" Dolohov shouted, kicking something and shattering it. Making all three of them jump. "How did they know? Crucio!"

Immediately, they heard someone drop to the floor and another male voice scream in agony. Hermione gritted her teeth at the sound. She couldn't listen to anyone in pain like this, it didn't matter who it was. Mary whimpered beside her and whispered, "It's not right."

"Antonin! What the hell are you doing?" Buckley/Berkley yelled.

Hermione crawled forward towards the crack of the door to see. She had line of sight for both Death Eaters. The lower ranked Death Eater was pulling on Dolohov's arm but he shook him off, holding the curse while the third screamed on the floor. That third wouldn't be able to do anything, it didn't matter if Hermione could see him or not. Ron pulled on her shoulder so she would stay back out of sight, even though she was covered by the Disillusionment charm.

She whispered furiously. "You stun Dolohov; I'll get the one on the right. On the count of three."

The screams intensified. Ron's breath came in short pants as he leaned over her to see out the crack of the door. Adrenaline shot through her and she carefully aimed her wand.

"One, two, three!"

"Stupefy!"

Both Death Eaters fell simultaneously as Ron and Hermione ran out of the bathroom. She eyed the Death Eater on the ground, now moaning and cradling himself in a fetal position. They bound all three and Hermione collected their wands. Without wasting any time, she started patting down one of the bodies as Tonks had instructed them, looking for objects of interest.

Dean and Cho burst back in through the front door, wands out, eyes widening as they saw the three bound and gagged Death Eaters on the floor.

"Cho," Ron waved her over. "Get Mary out of here."

Mary exited the bathroom, a frightened look on her face. "I can't thank you all enough."

Hermione whipped around from her position on the floor. "You're welcome, but we don't want to stay too long. Is there anything you need besides your wand?"

Mary nodded and ran up the steps, her feet thudding heavily on the second floor. Dean motioned towards the three Death Eaters, panting from running back inside. "What do we do with them?"

Hermione finished padding down one of the Death Eaters and took off his mask. This one wasn't Dolohov and she didn't recognize him. She looked back at Ron in question and he peered down at the Death Eater's face.

His lip curled in disgust.

"Bixley. That's his name," Ron recalled as Hermione waved her wand to check for magical objects or charmed items. The Death Eater didn't have anything on him.

Hermione turned to face Dean. "We need to get them out of here now for questioning. To Pinner safe house. Can you levitate him to the border of the wards and side-Along out of here?"

"Yeah," Dean replied, pointing his wand at the Death Eater, carefully levitating him up. "I'll go now."

Remus drilled everyone in Apparition and side-Along Apparition until they could do it in their sleep. Dean kept his eyes on the floating body, his tongue partially sticking out of his mouth in concentration Walking backwards out the door, he was careful not to bump Bixley on the door frame.

Hermione started padding down Dolohov when Mary ran back down the stairs, clutching a few books and what looked to be a medical bag. Her greying hair was slightly frazzled with the last-minute scrambling. Hermione smiled inwardly. That looked promising for their future prospects at Healer recruitment.

Cho reached out for Mary's hand. "Come on, Mary. We'll meet up with Reginald."

Mary stared down at the Death Eater, still tied up on the ground, trembling and clenching himself in the fetal position.

"Wait," she told Cho.

Mary extended her wand, pointed to the small of the Death Eater's back and muttered a charm. They all watched as a golden glow emanated from her wand tip, shone brightly in his lower back and diffused throughout his body.

Hermione looked up at her, curious. "What was that?"

The Death Eater, still bound by his restraints, released a soft moan in relief. His shaking stopped and they watched as all tension left his limbs.

"Muscle relaxant," Mary explained. "Without any potions, it's the only thing you can do after the Cruciatis Curse." She paused for a moment and added, "No one deserves that."

Hermione nodded, remembering his screams of agony with a wince. "I agree."

"I don't," Ron retorted. Mary glared at him in disapproval.

"Go on," Hermione told Cho, urgency in her voice. "Get Mary out of here now." Cho and Mary ran out the back, the screen door slamming shut behind them.

"Nothing on Dolohov either," Hermione lifted the mask off, and shuddered at the memory of him cursing her. "Can you get him back now, Ron?"

"And leave you here alone with that one?" He motioned to the Death Eater on the floor.

"It's Dolohov," she turned to him, exasperated. "We need him back right now for questioning."

Ron hovered next to her, hesitant at the thought of leaving Hermione alone during what had essentially turned into a raid. That was against procedure. Hermione understood his concern, but Dolohov was a big fish they couldn't risk losing. The Order would be able to get a lot of information out of him.

"Even if he wasn't bound, he's not in any shape to attack me. And I've got his wand. I won't be long; I just need to make sure he's not carrying anything dangerous."

Ron still wavered, unsure of what to do.

"Look, if I'm not back in ten minutes, come get me. Send a Patronus to…" She eyed the unknown Death Eater lying on the floor, shifting his arms bound tightly in front of him, but no longer groaning in pain. Even if he was captured, it wasn't a good idea to let him know the Order hierarchy. "Send it to Moony immediately. They need to question Dolohov sooner rather than later."

Hermione was excited. They hadn't captured a Death Eater yet, although Tonks had been pulling together a few plans to do so. Now they had three. And Dolohov was Inner Circle.

"Ten minutes, Hermione." Ron's eyes showed concern, but he understood they had to leave quickly and didn't argue. "No more."

"Ten minutes," she agreed.

Ron squeezed Hermione's shoulder protectively and left out the back balancing Dolohov in the air with his wand. She heard a thunk as Dolohov's head hit the door frame on the way out.

"Oops," said Ron, with no hint of apology in his voice.

Hermione turned back to the last Death Eater, lying bound on the floor. He had remained silent up until now. Anxious to complete the body search and Apparate away, she removed his mask, pulling off his hood in the process, and nearly fell over in shock.

"Malfoy?"

Blond hair fell over grey eyes and a sneer familiar to her since first year was plastered across his face. Even bound and hog tied on the floor, Draco Malfoy managed to look at her with superior disdain.

"Granger," he grunted.

Hermione crouched down in front of him, staring at his wary and resentful expression for a few moments. He really was a full-blown Death Eater now. Sent to kidnap the Cattermoles and throw them in jail so that Mary could face whatever sham of a trial the Muggle-born Registration Committee had in store for her.

He was really one of them now, wasn't he?

Giving herself a mental shake, she returned to the task at hand. Ten minutes and Ron would come. There wasn't much time. She eyed Malfoy with distaste.

Ugh.

And now she had to pat the sodding Hitler youth down. While he was awake.

Cringing, she began to do so awkwardly. Checking someone for weapons or other dangerous items was infinitely easier when they were unconscious.

"The Weasel isn't doing his job? You're that hard up for a shag?" he bit out defiantly.

The main reason? They couldn't talk.

With a withering look she retorted, "I'd sooner rut against a Hippogriff."

He snorted derisively but didn't say anything else while she patted down the fabric of his robes and trousers around his legs.

Trying her utmost to maintain a detached, clinical disposition, and pointedly avoiding his gaze, she patted the area of his crotch and rear just like she had for the other two Death Eaters they had captured. It had to be done.

"What the fuck?" Malfoy choked and bucked at her touch. She felt his cock somewhere in all that fabric and yanked her hand away as if burned. "Do you get off on this?"

Hermione ignored him, face flushed with embarrassment. Eager to get the body search over with as soon as possible, she told herself she was doing her job, and he was only trying to get a rise out of her. In a few moments he'd be Tonks' problem, and she wouldn't have to deal with him ever again.

She checked his chest and abdomen, and must have hit a particularly painful area since he whimpered. Hermione felt a surge of pity. The fact that Dolohov's mission had failed certainly wasn't Malfoy's fault. And even if it was, he didn't deserve to be Crucio'd.

"Does it still hurt?" She remembered his screams of agony while she crouched with Ron and Mary in the bathroom, and shuddered internally. The Cruciatus Curse sounded so painful.

"Does it matter?" he spat back at her.

Malfoy was a Death Eater. And a prick. But she still felt sorry for him. "I saw the charm Mary did. I could try it again if you needed."

"No," he rested his head on the ground. "It shouldn't be overused."

Hermione finished the pat down and sat back on her knees in thought. Her eyes flicked back up to Malfoy's but they weren't open. He seemed awfully familiar with muscle relaxant charms and was disturbingly non-plussed about the fact that he had just been tortured by someone he was on a mission with. Shouldn't Voldemort's army be looking out for each other on missions?

"This has been done to you before?"

"Fuck off," he replied without opening his eyes.

It had.

Why Voldemort's army had so many followers when they were treated like this was beyond her. And what of the Malfoys? They were Sacred Twenty-Eight. Generations upon generations of Pure-bloods with seemingly limitless wealth accumulated through the centuries. Shouldn't they be the royalty of Voldemort's side?

She waved her wand over his body, scanning for magical items and then studied Malfoy some more. From Harry's description of the events that night on the Astronomy Tower, Malfoy was afraid for himself and for his parents. But he took the mark, he let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and here he was. Getting Crucio'd for no apparent reason that Hermione could determine aside from Dolohov being pissed off.

The situation hardly inspired loyalty.

She wondered what Malfoy thought of the fallout of that night right now. For all intents and purposes, the night Dumbledore died was the official start of the war. And she hadn't seen Malfoy since.

"The last time I saw you was when you let a bunch of murderers and rapists into our school."

His face contorted in anger when he glared at her. "Fuck. Off."

Hermione stared down at him and he let his head fall back to the floor, closing his eyes again. His blond hair fell across his eyes; longer than it had been in school. He certainly didn't seem proud of what he had done. Indeed, he was angry that she had even mentioned it. Maybe it was as Harry said. Malfoy was scared for himself, for his parents.

And with what Hermione had just witnessed, it appeared he was right to be.

After a few seconds of silence, he sighed.

"Aren't you going to bring me in so your boyfriend can torture me some more?"

"Malfoy."

He opened his eyes and glowered up at her from the floor.

"If you could leave them, would you?"

His eyes travelled over her face, surprised at her question. In the moments that he stalled to answer, she knew that he would.

"And what?" he jeered, a bit too late to be convincing. "Betray the Dark Lord for a bunch of filthy blood traitors and Mudbloods like yourself?"

Angry, exhausted and still in a degree of pain, Malfoy sounded like a broken record player. There wasn't any heat or emotion behind his words. So why wouldn't he take the offer? He hadn't taken Dumbledore's offer either. Something was keeping him there. Maybe he was scared. Karkaroff had fled, and eventually the Headmaster of Durmstrang's body was found.

Mutilated.

Hermione studied him in thought and Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her in distrust.

Voldemort had Death Eaters serving him that wanted to leave, but couldn't. The lack of loyalty, the feeling of being trapped and constant worry of being Crucio'd must build resentment. It was one thing to reluctantly participate, it was quite another to spy. She had no idea why Dumbledore had trusted Snape to spy for the Order. Snape ended up being Dumbledore's downfall and she had no clue how the Order even benefited from him.

But Hermione didn't have to do anything drastic right now. She didn't have to endanger herself or the Order, she didn't have to make any lasting decisions that she would regret. Maybe asking Malfoy to spy would amount to nothing. It was a gamble for sure, but the payoff could be huge if he did. It was certainly worth trying.

Not knowing how to broach the subject, especially with Malfoy so angry and guarded in her limited time, Hermione decided not to say anything at all. She'd communicate with him later and give him some time to think.

Hermione extracted the D.A. Galleon that she usually carried around in her pocket for quick communications and tapped it with her wand, adjusting the Protean charm so it would only communicate with her master Galleon back at Paddington safe house. Malfoy eyed it suspiciously. She lifted his robes, exposing his black trousers underneath, and stuck the Galleon in his back pocket.

"Copping another feel?"

She scoffed. "You have as much appeal as a Blast-ended Skrewt." She flipped his robes back over his trousers and gave him the most contemptuous glance she could muster. "Possibly less."

Hermione stood up and backed away from him. She had no idea what to do with a spy, and needed time to consult with Tonks. Who knew if Malfoy would even talk to her?

She held out the three wands towards him. "Which one is yours?"

He looked like he would rather eat the aforementioned Blast-ended Skrewt than tell her which wand was his.

She raised her eyebrows. "I can leave you wandless if you prefer."

He rolled onto his back with a wince.

"Hawthorne."

She tossed the wand to the floor ten feet away from him.

"Two days, Malfoy. I'll contact you."

He scowled back at her, and other than that made no indication he had even heard what she said.

Backing out towards the door, she sprinted to the edge of the anti-Apparition ward. The Order should really be manning themselves with Portkeys. She wondered what the obstacles were for doing so. Reaching a safe distance, she removed Malfoy's bindings and Disapparated with a crack.

Hermione lit a match. In two days, she'd see if the fire caught.

ooooooooo

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From Wiltshire, With Love