Chapter Nineteen: For the Greater Good

Several months ago …

"You see Ms. Granger, I believe this is our only recourse."

Professors Dumbledore and Snape, and Draco proposed and debated theory within the tight space of Severus' living quarters before a Gryffindor interrupted their meeting.

Since then, Hermione had tried to change their way of thinking, but they had overruled her. She could not help the stare of accusation leveled upon her cursed Headmaster as she tried, again, to re-shape their plan. "But with the proper resources, I'm sure we can find a cure," she stressed to the room full of men who had made up their minds.

Severus responded as if he'd had this argument before, "We would only delay the inevitable. You don't think every avenue hasn't been tested and tried?"

Dumbledore nodded his agreement. "It is difficult to fathom now, but this is to our advantage, Ms. Granger."

"How is killing you is to our advantage?! What about the Order?" Hermione cried.

Dumbledore fastened his hands before him, one cursed and one healthy, and said simply, "I have faith they will rise to the occasion in my absence, but even better, they will triumph because we have you and Mr. Malfoy hidden among Voldemort's ranks, along with Severus here." Dumbledore stepped forward to lay a hand on her shoulder as she blinked back tears. "I know this is much to ask of you and Mr. Malfoy; it is a regret I will carry until the end, but if anyone could succeed at such endeavor, I know it would be you."

Hermione ground her teeth in frustration. "But Professor…"

"I have faith in you, Hermione," he overrode her coming protest in a soft voice, eager to dive into the mechanics of their subterfuge. "For the greater good, as they say." He smiled, though the twinkle typically in his eyes dimmed at the grim proposition laid at her feet.

"Okay," she relented. She was not happy, but she would do it.

Present Day

The evening summer air was disturbed by a pop signaling the magical arrival of two travelers. Darkness gave the pair cover as they regrouped following their traumatic flight from Hogwarts. Which was fine by Hermione, because the alley wall, and Draco, were the only things holding her up at the moment. Draco searched their surrounding for others, while she slipped towards panic.

Looking back at her, Draco asked carefully, "Are you alright?" He titled her chin towards him as she struggled to right her breathing.

Panic began to take hold. "I-I'm not sure." Hermione wondered if she would be ever again. "I … I killed him." Never mind the fact they had planned this beginning with the night she'd stumbled upon them all those months ago, or the fact that her Headmaster was fatally cursed and not long for this world. Dumbledore had asked her, at great personal cost, to kill him rather than leave things to fate. Still, she had taken a life.

Hermione gripped her wand tightly; the lingering touches of the Avada stung her palm. Switching the wand to another hand, she tried to wipe the ugly feeling on her leg, seeking to replace the sensation immediately. "Kiss me," she pleaded in a whisper.

Her mate wasted no time in yielding to her request as cool hands cupped her cheeks. She closed her eyes the moment pliable lips brushed against her own as she tried to focus on Draco and not the dark thoughts plaguing her mind. Hands shifted up and into her curls and measure by measure, she slowly relaxed into Draco's searing kiss.

Now, her heart raced for an entirely different reason.

Draco broke the kiss, though his hands gently framed her head. For a moment, the two teens stared at each other. "Still with me?" he whispered.

Hermione tugged on his hand until it was close to her mouth. She placed a tender kiss to the back of his knuckles, and nodded. "Always."

He leaned forward until his chin rested on her forehead. She took solace from his steady heartbeat as she inhaled the distinctive scent that was his alone. She burrowed further into his neck.

"Where are we?" she asked against warm skin.

"An old mill town. Spinner's End."

All too quickly, their private moment came to an end. Draco grabbed her hand and before she knew it, they were off again. She followed Draco in the shadows until they reached the last house on a deserted street. Quietly, Draco muttered a spell at the doorknob before the locks unhinged itself. Together, the two teens pushed on the wooden door and entered, eager to be off the street lest someone see them.

Their Defense Professor greeted them. "You are late. I don't like to be left waiting," he chastised the pair as they caught their breath in the entryway. "Were you followed?"

Draco shook his head. "I made sure, as we'd practiced. Are you alone?"

Severus clipped his head in approval and gestured for the pair to take a seat in the parlor room. He remained standing. "Bellatrix and I were pursued, but we managed to lose our trail. We are to reconvene at Malfoy Manor."

Hermione's brows rose to which Draco explained, "The Dark Lord set up operations there after we fled last year. With my father in Azkaban and my mother at Crestmoor, the Manor's wards were subject to dismantling."

"Does your mother know?" Hermione asked.

Draco shook his head. "She is safe at Crestmoor. Severus and I prefer that she doesn't know."

Hermione sighed, accepting that there was truly no going back now. She longed to know how Harry was doing at the moment, but that would have to wait. Dumbledore had entrusted them with a mission. She would see it through. She looked to the Slytherin men and asked, "So, what happens now?"

Severus gave her a discerning look and slowly offered, "News will spread. No doubt Mr. Potter will be generous in giving the details."

Hermione closed her eyes for purchase. "He'll know I'm a …"

"A Veela? Yes, as will the Wizarding populace once the morning Prophet is delivered." He narrowed his eyes as he glanced between the two. "Is there a reason you chose to keep this from me?"

Arching a brow, she peered at her Professor. "You mean you couldn't discern it the from our Occlumency lessons?"

Beady black eyes glistened at the subtle dig. "I do not care what inheritance your bloodline possesses, but did it occur to you, that this information in the wrong hands can prove fatal to our endeavor?"

Draco took ahold of Hermione's hand in support and replied, "Which is why you will steer us clear of landmines, Severus. Hermione can't help Potter's rashness. However, I believe there are more important matters to discuss."

There was more to discuss on this particular matter, Hermione gleaned from Severus' pained expression, but nevertheless, he moved on. "We leave tonight," he informed the pair matter-of-factly.

"But what about our plan?" Hermione stood her feet. They had discussed this. They were supposed to bide their time following the fallout of Dumbledore's death, and if possible, connect with the Order to establish at least one point-of-contact. Then, they would bring her to Voldemort. "We were to wait a bit before we moved," Hermione stressed, uncomfortable going against their plan.

"Circumstances have changed," Severus noted simply. "Harry's firsthand account of Dumbledore's demise was previously not a factor. This changes matters as now word will quickly spread to your father's Ministry. Kingsley may try to delay them, you are his daughter after all, but I do not doubt the Aurors will seek us in earnest now. We need to get to you the Dark Lord. He will want to meet you; no doubt, Bellatrix has delivered this newest development to his ears by now. The Manor has been made safe for the time being from external attack. It is our only recourse."

Draco read between the lines. "Tonight, you mean?"

Severus nodded his head as he magically shrunk potion ingredients and various items to store in a travelling bag, momentarily granting the pair a moment of peace.

Draco stood from his seat and pulled Hermione up with him. He sought to soothe her, "We knew this day was coming, love."

Hermione nodded and accepted Draco's warm embrace. Taking a breath, she returned, "I know." This night was far from over as she steeled herself to be ready for what was to come.

She prayed it was enough.

The tingling of bells from the fireplace was the first clue that Narcissa was about to have a late-night visitor. Fastening a dressing robe about her person, she gathered it could only be one of two men as she made her way down the stairs. She activated the fireplace, and just as quickly, a furious wizard bounded through.

"Is this what you couldn't tell me about!?" Kingsley shouted as soot and ash rained upon the room. He waved an advance copy of the Prophet that would be delivered that morning to the Wizarding populace. In bold letters, the headline screamed, "Hogwarts' Headmaster Killed by Shacklebolt Heir, Claims Chosen One!" Kingsley held up an envelope in his other hand. "Then, a few hours later, I received this from Emmeline!"

Things clicked into place. Narcissa's eyes watered as she watched the Minister for Magic rage about her living room.

"Is this what you and Severus have been planning?" he shouted with enough force that the walls trembled.

Narcissa hated withholding information from her friend, especially on something such as this. She struggled to explain, "You have to understand! We couldn't tell you at the time. How would it look if the Minister knew there was going to be an attempt on the Headmaster's life, yet did nothing about it?"

"Except now I know! One could make a case that I was an unwitting accomplice, Narcissa."

Narcissa wearily rubbed her eyes. There would be no more sleep this night. "Severus told me that Dumbledore had been dying for some time now. If you'd please sit down, I can tell you what I know." She levitated a small tea set to the coffee table covered in soot.

"I don't have time to stay. The Ministry is dissolving into panic. Hogwarts' governors want to meet with me shortly. They're accusing me as if I knew something. She is my daughter! What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Tell them you were unaware. It is the truth, Kingsley." Narcissa poured the Minister a cup of tea before offering it to him. "Last summer, Draco and Severus approached the Dark Lord about Draco joining his ranks." She held up a hand at Kingsley's coming protest, so she could fully explain. "Following Lucius' arrest at the Ministry, and under the guise of restoring honor to the Malfoy name, Severus vouched for Draco. But the Dark Lord wanted Draco to prove his loyalty first. He gave him an awful task that no mere boy could accomplish alone."

"And so, you willingly brought my daughter into it?"

"From what Severus tells me, Hermione was going to find out anyway! I don't know all of it, Severus never tells anyone the complete story, but somehow Hermione came upon them: Dumbledore, Draco, and Severus. They must have devised this plan from that moment," she mused to herself as she sipped her tea.

"What plan, Narcissa?" he asked desperately.

Narcissa regarded Kingsley with sympathy. "Dumbledore saw merit in Draco and Severus working from within to bring down the Dark Lord. But Draco ... he couldn't do this alone. "

"So, Emme was brought into this charade? Killing Dumbledore was supposed to grant her the cover needed to gain entry, is that it?" Kingsley stewed in anger for the danger his daughter was in. "The Dark Lord isn't so easily fooled, Narcissa!"

"I like it even less than you, Kingsley!" she argued back just as hotly. "But what could I do? By time Severus told me, they had already brought Draco before the Dark Lord, and this plan was set in motion by Dumbledore himself. This was going to happen whether I liked it or not. Hermione was going to find out whether you liked it or not."

Kingsley lifted a heavy head from his hands, the weariness clear on his face. "How am I supposed to explain this to the Order? Harry will be furious. They will see it as a betrayal."

Narcissa moved to sit beside Kingsley on the sofa. She placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Kingsley, you cannot speak of this to anyone. I told you because as Hermione's father, you deserve to know the truth, but this cannot go beyond the two of us. From this moment, our son and daughter's lives are at stake. I pray Severus can watch over them, but I know what the Dark Lord requires of his followers. I know the personal toll it can take. I take solace in the fact that at least they have each other. They've grown quite close since Christmas." Both adults reminisced the moment they caught their children kissing in the kitchen, their light laughter and red faces seemed like ages ago.

Kingsley stared ahead, unseeing, and stated without emotion, "They will slander our children in earnest now. I may have … I'm not sure, but I may have to publicly disown her. The Wizengamot will oust me if they believe I remain loyal. Then what good can I do?"

Narcissa nodded in understanding as hot tears stung her eyes. "When this is all over, we will tell the world the truth. We will make it right."

"I will destroy him," Kingsley seethed his promise to take down Dark Lord.

"Do what you can," Narcissa coldly agreed. "Bring the full weight of the Ministry down on his army. The quicker this war is over, the faster we can move on. We will explain it to everyone, but until then …"

Kingsley stood from the sofa, their short meeting at a close. "I will remain silent," he finished for her. "I must be going, but how are you doing otherwise?"

Narcissa sighed, despondent her only company in weeks was leaving so soon. "I am doing well. The Manor, however large and imposing it was, was still my home. I miss it," she admitted as she escorted him to the fireplace.

Kingsley squeezed her hand as he activated the Floo. "Don't worry, we will end this war as quickly as possible so you can return home. In the meantime, I promise to visit more often." He leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

Her eyes widened slightly at the brief token of affection. "Take care, Kingsley."

"You as well, Narcissa."

Narcissa watched as the man disappeared in a whirl of green flame, her heart squeezing ever so briefly. Once again, she was alone.

an: I'm really sorry for leaving this story for a bit. I needed to finish one WIP (check), submit a few Dramione fest entries (check and check), and complete a deadline for work (a 30 page report that ate my life! - check). Since my to-do list is finished, I can get back to regularly updating The Missing Jewel. Thank you so much for your patience!