Welcome to Chapter Nine. We have like eleven left, or something like that.

All mistakes are my own, or due to Grammarly. Thank you to the DFW chat for helping me with the spellwork, and extra thank you to msmerlin giving me the exact situation I used. Thank you to mhcalamas for alpha reading the action scene that nearly made me throw my laptop.

Three days passed, and they passed slowly. After a short chat before breakfast the morning after Draco had nearly died, Hermione and Padma were on much better terms. Hermione still insisted she was terribly sorry. Through what she could only assume was Draco's meddling, Padma had apologised as well.

It was a bright spot in an otherwise dreary day. In the following three days, they had been subjected to fierce thunderstorms, but at least it was nothing like the storm she'd been trapped in before. The children didn't bother with charms to keep themselves dry, instead running outside through various puddles and splashing one another.

Hermione liked to be bundled up when it was her turn to watch them, shouting wildly that they couldn't just take a dip in the Great Lake whenever the felt like it. A hand settled on her shoulder, and she glanced up to see Draco towering over her, but not actually looking at her.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Let them have their fun." He shrugged his shoulders and turned her back toward camp. "Lisa was looking for you earlier. I'll watch them while they swim."

Hermione refused, whirling back around and falling back into step with him. Her shoulder bumped his as they trekked down the now beaten path, and she couldn't drum up anything worthwhile to say.

"Morning delivery for letters came while you were down here. I told Lisa I'd give you this whenever you refused to take a break."

He handed her a parcel, her name written across the front of it, and her heart dropped at the sight of it. It was unmistakably Ron's handwriting. The man at her side must not have noticed her apprehension. "If you knew I would refuse, why did you still try to send me back?"

He finally did glance down at her, coming to a stop at the forest's edge. "Sometimes you surprise me, Gr—Hermione."

The corner of her lip twitched at his fumble, but she didn't comment on it. "It's a letter from Ron." She didn't know why she was telling him. Maybe Draco was her friend now, something that she'd been wondering how Harry and Ron would respond to, but that didn't mean he wanted to hear about this.

Draco surprised her by stilling just before they stepped onto the dock, his gray eyes searching hers for something; she wasn't sure what. "Do you think he has anything to say that you want to hear?" He finally asked.

Oliver shouted, "Oi, no splashing, MacDougal!"

Hermione's head snapped up. Sure enough, Isobel was in the water, a shirt covering her top half as well as swimming bottoms. A wide smile graced her features, and the young girl only splashed Oliver once more.

"Has she ever really taken part in activities before?" Hermione asked breathlessly. "Hannah said that she's slept easier ever since she took her to a healer."

"She's played Exploding Snap with some of them, but," Draco cleared his throat. "Back to Weasel."

She sighed. "Do you have to call him that?"

"There are several names I could call him, but Weasel is probably the best one out of them all." Draco slid his hands into his pockets, leaning back on his heels as he looked back to the children. He'd taken the time to cast an Impervius charm, as had she. "What do you think he has to say for himself?"

Hermione didn't know. Maybe he had written to her in an awkward attempt to steer their friendship back on track. She feared it might be to tell her made a mistake in breaking things off.

"You're having an entire conversation that I'm not privy to," Draco cut in, grinning as her cheeks heated up. "What are you thinking?"

Hermione followed him down the dock, sitting at the edge and dangling her feet off the edge. "It could be anything, but I'm worried it's to tell me that he would like to give things another go."

His feet, clad in canvas style shoes, skimmed the top of the water. Draco stared at the scene in front of him, a smile creeping onto his face with Oliver dunked Henry. "Do you want that?" His voice was so low that she wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly over the waves rolling below them.

"No," Hermione said. "Maybe I would have thought I did immediately after he dumped me via owl. Since we've had some space between us, and I've had time to think, I know that a relationship between the two of us would never work well."

He nodded, sliding his fingers through his hair. "I'm curious. Everyone expected the two of you to end up together,"

She scoffed. "Yes, because they were too busy romanticizing the end of the war than they were for preserving the memories of those lost."

Draco continued as if she'd never interrupted him, something he was beginning to get rather good at. "How did it happen?"

Hermione looked to him, sighing heavily. "In the middle of Chamber of Secrets during the Final Battle. Tensions were high, and Ron said we needed to save the house elves. I just...flung myself at him. House Elf rights were—are—important to me, and the fact that he even remembered meant something to me."

He laughed loudly, turning several heads. "House Elves," he muttered under his breath, still chuckling. "Most witches would like flowers or jewellery, but you want to save the house elves."

Hermione flushed. She gripped the letter tightly, still staring down at it. "I'm not most witches." She mumbled.

Draco nodded. "You're not, and I'll deny it if you ever say anything, but maybe that's a good thing."

She wasn't sure what to make of that statement at all. "Okay, I'll just open it and get it over with. It's just a letter." She talked to herself, drawing her legs up and crossing them under her. Hermione tore the seal, her eyes widening as she read the first line.

Hermione,

I know I should have owled sooner, and I ought to have spoken to you in person, but please don't throw this letter out. I need you to read it, and I need you to make sure your wards are still safe.

Draco shuffled closer to her as she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "What is it?" He peered over her shoulder, holding the parchment when her hands began to shake.

Harry and I aren't meant to be in the field yet, but there was an attack in the middle of Diagon Alley early this morning. We were woken and they made the decision for us to go into thick of it, due to...well, you know. Harry is fine. I was hit by a nasty crucio, but St Mungo's released me within an hour.

There are several Death Eaters still on the loose, and I know you don't need anyone to tell you that you may be in danger. The head auror is probably going to send aurors to Hogwarts, to you, and they're likely to stay until we've rounded up the Lestranges at the least.

Rodolphus Lestrange is loose, and 'Mione, he mentioned you. I know Mum was the one to kill Bellatrix, but he's fixated on you now.

Stay safe. Write to me, or send a Patronus if there's anything I can do. I know you must be angry with me, at least a little, but I'll be there as soon as I can if the wards are breached.

Love, Ron.

All the colour had drained from her face as she looked up to the children still playing in the water. The rain had let up by then, and Draco took the letter from her hand.

"Hermione," he swallowed. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, springing to her feet with her wand gripped tightly in her hand. "I need to reinforce the wards. Watch them, will you?" said Hermione, her voice hard. There was a coldness to it, one that she hadn't heard since she'd been barreling through a war with one goal in mind. "I'm going to let Hannah, and Michael know. Probably Lisa and Padma as well, though I'll keep the information from Leanne. You know she'd react badly."

He hastily climbed to his feet, crumpling the letter in his hand. "Wait just a minute. You need to take a second to breathe."

She ripped away from his outstretched hand. "I need to check the wards." She repeated. "I haven't noticed anything, but...I couldn't live with myself if anything happened. This summer camp has been all over the Daily Prophet. If he's really looking for me, he'll know where I am. Fuck!" Hermione whispered harshly under her breath. "I'm going to look into whether or not I can perform a Fidelius Charm."

She stormed up the dock, clenching her hands into fists as she ignored the frenzied footsteps behind her. He reached for her, catching her by the elbow, and steadying her when she stumbled over the loose board on the dock. It splintered beneath her foot, falling into the water below. "I need to fix that."

Draco grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly to bring her attention back to him. "No, what you need to do is take a minute to breathe."

She stared at him in silence, her chest rising and falling with each staggered breath. "The wards," she said weakly.

"We'll check them, alright? If Rodolphus was going to attack you, he wouldn't do it in the middle of the day."

"Dennis is a Muggleborn."

Instinctively, Draco looked over his shoulder to be sure the Gryffindor boy was still in the water. "They'll be safe."

"You can't possibly—"

"Look at me," he hissed as she began to pull away. Growling under his breath, he shouted, "Corner, come watch them!"

She looked behind them, finding that Michael was already coming toward them. He had a mug in hand as he looked between the two of them. "Everything okay down here? Hermione?"

She gritted her teeth.

Draco passed him the letter, his features pinched in annoyance. "That just came from Auror Weasley."

Hermione blinked. Had he..?

He continued, "Read it and let Abbott know, probably Lisa and Padma too since they're of age."

"Not Leanne," Hermione barked.

Michael skimmed it, his eyes widening just as hers had. He gave a terse nod, destroying the letter in his hand. "I wouldn't want any of the campers to catch wind of this. It would cause panic. Where are the two off to then?"

Draco tugged her forward, his long fingers holding her wrist in a tight grip. "We're going to start checking the wards and reinforcing them as we go. It may take a few hours."

Michael nodded, raising his cup in a mock salute. "Alright. Let me know if you need a third person."

Before she could say that she didn't even want a second person to help, Draco was dragged her into the forest. Hermione found herself with her back to a tree, well out of sight of the lake, and prying eyes. "What are you doing?"

His cruel expression softened, but he did not move from the spot as he towered over her. "Making you take a minute to yourself before you fucking combust."

She scowled. "I don't need a minute, I need to—"

"Reinforce the wards, save the world, possibly not in that order. I know the spiel, Granger."

"It's Hermione!" she snapped.

Draco ran a hand down his face, looking as if he wanted to strike her, but of course, he would never do that. "Do you realise that you don't need to do everything on your own?"

Hermione's eyes dropped to the ground, and she rolled a stick below her shoe. "If I do it myself, I'm reassured it was done correctly." She muttered. "I don't like that knowing that everyone here could be in danger because of me. I can't protect everyone here if a former Death Eater infiltrates my wards because they want me, 'Potter's Famous Mudblood Best Friend.'"

He flinched at the word. "Don't call yourself that."

"Oh, it's a word!" She threw her hands up. "Just like Voldemort, or whatever the fuck. It doesn't matter." Hermione seethed.

He shook his head. "It matters. You don't have to protect everyone either. You saddle yourself with the responsibility, but you're writing off Corner, Abbott, Padma, and Lisa." She watched as his pale hand curled into a fist. "You're writing me off as well."

"I can't expect,"

"If a Death Eater comes into this camp, they won't leave alive." Draco cut in, his expression giving nothing away. "If Rodolphus, or his brother, or anyone else comes here, they would be making a grave mistake."

There was a lump in Hermione's throat. "Not alive?" she managed. She knew what Draco meant, what the hard set of his gaze meant.

Hermione knew, but she still wanted to hear.

There was no hesitation in his reply. "I was a Death Eater as well." He didn't say anything else. He didn't need to.

"Don't risk your freedom for that," Hermione whispered.

He settled a hand on her shoulder as he had earlier, and it didn't feel reassuring at all. It felt like confirmation of his words.

They had broken off into teams of two. Hannah and Michael stayed with all of the campers, using Leanne to keep an extra eye on them. While they told the Hufflepuff girl nothing, Hermione thought it was only a matter of time before Leanne started asking questions.

Draco had looked to her after they'd found Lisa and Padma, his eyes narrowing as Hermione took a step toward Lisa. She assumed that Draco had expected them to pair up, not that it mattered in the long run, and he appeared to be disappointed when she looped an arm through Lisa's.

"Alright." Hermione cleared her throat. "Lisa and I will take the side of the camp leading all of the way to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, and work our way back."

Draco nodded. "We'll meet you in the middle then."

And so they parted. Lisa at the very least had the good sense to wait until they were out of earshot before saying anything. "What's going on? Before you tell me there's nothing, he's looking at you a certain way."

"He is not."

Lisa scoffed. "You wouldn't know considering you were avoiding eye contact. Fine, don't tell me, but if you change your mind."

Hermione kept her thoughts to herself, of the last thing he'd said to her in the forest. It affected her terribly, remembering the hard set of his jaw and the way he'd gritted his teeth when he insisted he could hold his own. She could only hope it wouldn't come to that.

Her anxiety was not eased even when they found that nothing was wrong. Hermione layered protective charms, working side by side with Lisa as they worked their way back. It was exhausting if she were honest. It would have been a wiser idea to have more hands.

Lisa had worked beside her, mostly silent until Draco and Padma came into view hours later. "I know you're worried."

"It's hard not to be," Hermione replied quietly. Looking up, Draco was laughing, a rare sight, and she wondered what he and Padma were talking about. Had they possibly discussed her?

Lisa patted her shoulder. "I know, but we take care of our own. Popping into this camp would be the worst idea any Death Eater ever had."

Hermione tried to laugh with Lisa, but she couldn't quite manage it.

Leanne finally demanded an answer for all of the whispering throughout the day. After everyone had been tucked away into their cabins, save for those of age, the inevitable question came.

"What's going on?"

Hermione hadn't intended to answer at all.

Draco hardly ever listened to her anyway, however. "This morning, Aurors, including Potter and Weasley," Hermione smiled at the use of Ron's actual surname, "were attacked in the middle of Diagon by the Lestranges."

"Your family is still up to no good, it seems." Leanne sneered.

He didn't take the bait. "Rodolphus mentioned Granger by name. Weasley is certain they may try to attack her here. We spent the day fortifying the wards."

The woman's face scrunched up in anger, her eyes narrowing. "Why wasn't I told? I'm of age, just like either of them." Leanne waved toward Lisa, who sat at Hermione's side, and Padma, who sat at Draco's.

"You fly off the handle too quickly," Hermione said. "Not to mention, I was certain you would immediately accuse Draco."

"Of course he should be the first one we look at! Have you all forgotten he was a Death Eater? Have you forgotten what he's done?" She shrieked. "He let them into Hogwarts. How do we know he won't let them in here as well?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's not Draco."

"If I wanted to kill any of you, why wouldn't I have done it before now?" Draco said, and it certainly didn't help matters.

Hermione glared at him. "Leanne—"

The woman stood from the table quickly, throwing her hands up. "You're all mad."

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked. She shifted in her seat, the first time she'd offered anything to the conversation. When Leanne didn't respond, choosing to storm away instead, Hannah called out, "Don't go outside the wards!"

She shouldn't be able to go outside the wards, Hermione told them.

It was a mistake she would regret.

Like every other night, but especially that night, Hermione had levitated the vase in front of the door.

She'd heard it break in the early morning, while it was still dark outside.

Hermione's eyes shot open, widening as she tasted metallic when she bit her tongue so she wouldn't scream. Rodolphus Lestrange towered over her, his wand already stabbing into her throat.

"Hello, Mudblood." He greeted with a wide smile, reminiscent of his late wife's. His teeth were yellowed and crooked, flashing in the low light of the moon hung high outside her window.

She'd gone to sleep with her wand clenched in her hand. "Bombarda Maxima!" she yelled, swishing her wand through the movements beneath the blanket.

He slammed into the wall, the frames that she'd just gotten around to hanging toppling off of the wall. Crookshanks shot out from the bathroom, diving under the bed as he meowed loudly.

Hermione ran for the door, her feet bare as she padded down the steps. She'd thought to keep her wand in hand for the night, but she hadn't thought to wear jeans instead of the flimsy sleep shorts that were too short.

"Hermione!" Lisa screamed. She hand Oliver tucked behind her with Isobel, her wand in her hand.

"Get out! Go to—" Hermione's scream cut through the camp as she fell to her knees, the pain of a crucio rushing through her body. She fumbled for her wand as it rolled away from her, a spell on the tip of her tongue as her body seized under another crucio.

She couldn't think under the curse, couldn't think long enough to summon her wand and fight back as she should have.

Still gasping for air, she could barely raise her head. It was chaos, Hermione knew, as she struggled to brace herself on her forearms. She couldn't make out faces, but children were running, likely guided by counsellors to the nearest Apparition point.

She should have let Ron, and the Aurors come. She shouldn't have assumed the wards would keep them safe. Hermione shouldn't have believed it could wait even a single day.

"Get up!" Rodolphus hissed, nearing her. The toe of his boot slammed into her side. He flipped her onto her back, grinning maniacally even then. There were shouts coming from all over the camp; some of the voices she recognised. "Alarte Ascendare."

Her body was thrown into the air, much higher than Lockhart had sent the snake in their second year during duelling club. There was a telltale crack that rippled through her spine when she was slammed into the ground once more. Hermione's nails dug into the dirt as she fought to catch her breath.

"I thought you would be better than this." Rodolphus snarled. "Some war hero. Cruc—"

Draco yelled, "Diffindo Maxima!" Panting heavily, he propped Hermione up. Draco flicked his wand, muttering, "Expelliarmus." Without preamble, he snapped the wand in half, letting the pieces fall to the ground. "Can you walk?"

She didn't think she could. "Yes. Help me up."

Draco pressed her wand into her hand, pulling her to her feet. "You're wobbly."

She shook her head. "Oh, Merlin," Hermione gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth. She'd been in a war, so Hermione really ought to have been prepared for the scene in front of her.

"Blood traitor." Rodolphus bit out, glaring up at his nephew. "Saving a Mudblood now, and fighting against us? Lucius would be disgusted." The man's breathing came in shallow bursts. His ankles were sliced, blood already pooling in the dirt below him, and Hermione didn't think he would be getting up again. "Couldn't kill me then?" He pressed, glaring up at Draco.

Draco pressed a hand roughly to Hermione's back. "Move. Corner and Abbott got the kids out."

But he was wrong, completely wrong. As he steered her, keeping his eye on Rodolphus, Hermione recognised the Death Eater mask from the final battle. The swirled mask wasn't what grabbed her attention, however. Henry was clutched to the man's chest. They stood directly in front of her, and Draco held her in place so she wouldn't lunge toward the Death Eater.

"You'll have to grab him," Draco whispered in her ear, pushing her behind him roughly. It happened before she could blink. Draco's movements were frenzied, but there was little hesitation.

He used a modified levitation charm, and one of the benches, hollowed out from a large tree trunk flew through the clearing. Henry stumbled forward, his cheeks stained with tears as the man's grip loosened.

Hermione wrapped the boy up in her arms, chancing a glance at Draco. "Petrify him. We need to get out of here."

Judging from the silence of the camp, Hermione could only assume that everyone had safely Apparated into the Ministry atrium. Aurors would be there soon. There was no need for—

Climbing back to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth, Rabastan barked, "Avada—"

Hermione turned, baring her back for the curse to hit her as she used her body as a shield for Henry. She tucked his head beneath her chin. She ought to have run; she'd done enough evading in her life, but there was nowhere to run. Either way she went, she would be in plain sight, as would Henry.

"Avada Kedavra!" Draco said smoothly. His voice didn't give away any emotion that he felt. "Aurors will be here in seconds." He told Hermione, paying no mind to the thud that was a body hitting the ground.

She hadn't seen the green jet of light, but Rabastan was a heap on the ground. In the background, over the hissing wind, Rodolphus yelled obscenities. If she looked at his eyes, she would see the absence of life. "Draco…"

Draco cast a muffliato around Henry alone, giving her a dark look. "I did what I had to do."

Her legs gave out from beneath her. "I know you did," Hermione whispered. He was there then, wrapping an arm around her and lifting her. Henry stayed behind Draco's back, his little hands gripping Draco's jumper. "I'm not angry that you did it."

Before he could ask her about that, there were several cracks, signalling travel by Apparition. She was horrified to see several Aurors, ones that she knew rather well. The spell was not spoken, but magical restraints circled Draco's wrists.

"No!" Hermione cried, putting herself in front of Draco while putting her arms out. "You can't arrest him. He's done nothing wrong! He saved our lives." She argued.

Auror Davis hurried toward her. "His wand alerted us, Hermione. We have no choice." Draco was taken by his shoulder, and he didn't attempt to pull away.

Henry slipped his arms around Hermione's waist. He mumbled into her chest, "Will Draco be put in Azkaban?"

Without another word, Draco vanished from her sight via Side-Along with Auror Davis.

"Come with us. They'll want you in the hearing." Another Auror, this one a woman, spoke softly. "They'll take care of the Lestranges."

Her mind was spinning. Draco had saved her life, Oliver's life. He'd told her in so many words earlier in the day that he could offer a layer of protection. Her breathing was ragged as her arms tightened around Henry. She couldn't offer him an answer to his question due to her own fears.

Azkaban?

"He saved our lives." She breathed.

The inevitable response came. "He used the Killing Curse. He could have used any other—"

She whirled on the woman, stabbing her wand into the woman's throat. "Maybe you could think of another spell on the spot, given your training, given your own loyalties that never changed. Draco was forced into servitude to the Dark Lord. He was a Death Eater. When that man put his wand on me with every intention of slaughtering me where I stood, Draco reacted in the only way he knew how."

Rodolphus cackled. "I'll tell you all about his time as a Death Eater. He was good with torture, that one. I'd say he developed a taste for it."

Hermione Apparated with Henry before the man could say anything more.

This chapter was fucking hard to write. I'm still not completely pleased with it, but if I tweak it anymore I will tear my hair out. I'd love to hear what you have to think. In the beginning I thought this would be a nice, sweet story.

Clearly I was wrong, given the last few heavy chapters. It eases up soon. I've finished the writing process of Wanderlust, so now I'm mostly focusing on finishing this.