AN: Thank you to everyone still with this. This story is working out slower than expected and my inconsistent updates make it frustrating – for yourselves and myself, as I wish I could update weekly (though this is rarely achieved – sorry), so thanks for sticking on in here. I hope everyone is still enjoying this fanfic!
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Chapter Forty One: Two Minds.
The hours ticked by slowly that night. Nerves were stretched like rubber bands, ready to snap, and no one dared to mention anything other than polite small talk topics. The bunker was eerily silent and Order members moved quietly from room to room.
Nearly three hours ago, many of the Order had left the bunker. Bags with Undetectable Extension Charms casted upon them and wands were grasped in tense hands and tight smiles accompanied by falsely cheerful reassurances were exchanged, before they each ascended into Shell Cottage. While trouble was not anticipated while conducting the raid in Ireland, each witch and wizard was aware of the risks. As half of the Order left, an anxious hush fell over those remaining and they dispersed to worry in various rooms alone.
Draco had been left alone with Hermione in the Infirmary, as no one seemed to care for the 'danger' inside the bunker, while so many of their loved ones were outside in potentially real danger. His watch caught the candle light and he absently noticed that there was still another hour before the raiding group should return. During Harry and Ron's visit earlier in the evening, Draco had learned that the Order would use various transportation methods to hopscotch in small groups to their destination to prevent anyone from tracking them, which would take time and meticulous planning, thus the extended allotted mission time. But the extra time merely served to make the individuals left behind more restless and fretful. Even Draco could feel the pressure as he turned to the next chapter of his textbook.
"Draco?" Hermione's voice broke the silence when he was barely one paragraph into the chapter and he looked up curiously, "What are you reading?"
"Self-Defensive Spellwork; Advanced Magic." He replied, not surprised her newly sensitive hearing could pick up the turning of the page.
"Oh." Was her simply reply, before she returned to absently practicing wand waving manoeuvres with her hand. He observed her as she mouthed spells to herself and her wrist flicked an imaginary wand at him.
"Don't you know wandless magic, Granger?" Draco teased and she paused in her motions.
"Of course I do." She snapped back, irritated at him for questioning her abilities, before she took a breath to calm her quick temper, "There is a theory that wandless magic may be more potent if you still perform the wrist act, as if one was still gesturing with a wand."
"It would be expected so, but then the element of surprise is lost. If you're still doing the wand motions, your attacker can guess your spell and counterattack." He pointed out and looked back at his book.
"Most wizards and witches wouldn't recognise the spell gestures without its verbal incantation." Hermione argued.
"You're thinking of it from your point of view. As someone who has grown up around magic, I recognise spells without their incantation." Draco replied smugly and turned the page.
"Then guess this." She warned him and he looked up to see her hand wave through the air, drawing magical patterns in quick succession. His attention was so drawn to deciphering her movements, he missed his tome shutting with a heavy snap, and he barely had time to duck when he realised the book was being swiftly levitated in the direction of his head. Cursing quietly, he snatched the book from the air and slammed it on the desk.
"Granger." He scowled, "Just because you can't read, doesn't mean you have to stop everyone else." As his mind caught up with his hasty reply, he could see her previously smirking lips tremble. Her expression nearly crumbled before she regained control of her emotions.
"This is why you're wrong." Hermione retorted quickly, as his lips parted to apologise, "You weren't able to predict my spells quick enough to anticipate and counterattack."
"Point proved, Granger." He conceded, thumbing through his text to find the chapter he had been reading. After reaching the chapter, he reached for his quill and ink to make notes, and his eyes rose once more to the witch in his company.
The light from the candle by her bedside caught on a drop of moist at the corner of her eye, capturing his attention. While he knew how difficult it was for the Order's resident bookworm not being able to read, he found he almost forgot how it would affect her emotionally. Hermione had taken all of her ailments in her stride after her initial breakdown. She had busied herself in pursuit of things she could achieve, throwing herself into her rehabilitation and learning to defend herself without her sight to detect attackers, so it had been easy to forget how deeply her wounds must cut. His heart beat with empathy for her as her hand quickly brushed the tear away, before she returned to her wandless exercises, though he did not miss the new tremor subtly shaking her fingers as she held her hand still for a brief second.
Looking back at his textbook, his hands gripped the edges and he stood. Hermione looked over at him curiously, before continuing to concentrate on her next spell. As resolve strengthened his core, he strode over to her bedside and sat in the chair station by her side.
"What is it, Draco?" She asked, half of her attention still on her hand motions.
"Isn't the muggle saying; two minds are greater than one?" He replied vaguely.
"Pardon?" She laid her hands by her side and tilted her head at him.
"I'm going to read this book aloud and we're going to decide which spells are appropriate for you." Draco explained simply, "Just because you're helpless, doesn't mean you're useless." Green sparks erupted around the book's bindings and Draco dropped the offending object and swore at the blisters now bubbling on his fingertips.
"I'm not helpless." She said once he stopped cursing, "And you'll want some Burning Bitterroot Balm for those blisters."
"You're too fiery to be helpless." He glared at her as he gingerly picked the book back up.
"Quite literally." Hermione finished his sentence for him with a pleased smile, "Now, where were we in the book?"
Draco huffed a sigh and propped his feet on the bed, scanning the page for his previous paragraph. He certainly knew how fiery she could be and he was pleased he had brought it out in her once more, though his fingertips painfully disagreed.