February 9th
Hermione was reluctant to leave the comfort of the hotel room she had made a temporary home in, but she knew she couldn't remain forever. It was dangerous to remain too long in the same place. She'd learned that lesson the hard way several times. There were enough spies scattered around the country that nowhere she went was safe for very long. Someone was always willing to report they'd seen a fugitive for the right price or for the simple peace of mind that came with not being on the wrong side of frightening Death Eaters.
Unsure where to go next, she waited until the last possible moment to leave the safety of the room. It had been tempting to ask the friendly Muggle at the front desk if she could extend her stay, but she knew it was the wrong decision. Augustus' money had to last her an indefinite amount of time. She couldn't afford to waste it on something as frivolous as a roof over her head. The stay in the inn had been exactly what she needed to recover from her illness. Once she was back to full health, she knew she needed to get moving.
Every time she had been in doubt of what to do next, she just started walking. It was as good a plan as any. With all of her belongings packed away in the security of her beaded bag, she stepped out of the small inn and began a trip to no set destination. Returning to the city was always a possibility. It was easier to hide in the large crowds of Muggles. It was also easier to be spotted by the wrong people if she ventured into well-traveled areas.
Dropping by Alecto's flat had been a foolish idea. She could've put her friend in a great deal of danger. Antonin hadn't cared much for the witch for many years. Once their ill-fated romance fizzled out in a spectacularly dramatic fashion, neither of them had much use for the other. It wouldn't take much encouragement for him to get his revenge. He rarely felt guilty when he punished a fellow Death Eater. Besides, each time she crossed Alecto's path, it would get harder and harder for her to stand up to any potential interrogations by the Dark Lord. Though he hadn't been utilizing his Legilimency skills as frequently in the previous few years, there was always the possibility that he'd find out she was complicit in keeping Hermione's whereabouts a secret.
Her mind traveled back to the papers she had tucked away in her bag with the rest of her worldly possessions. She still didn't understand Draco Malfoy's motivation in giving them to her that night he dropped by her hotel room uninvited. What did he care about the aftermath of her trip to Wales? He had never been friends with Lee or with Sarah. Neither of them were likely even on his radar at Hogwarts, except during Quidditich matches. Even then he wasn't likely to give much thought to those not in his own House.
And his mysterious statement about how he wasn't sure he could trust her yet. She had the feeling that he was about to confide in her that there was a movement to bring down the regime she'd dedicated more than half of her life to ensuring remained strong and supreme. His notions that there were regular citizens dissatisfied with the Dark Lord and all that he had done for them in his benevolence as he rebuilt their country into something that they could be proud of were hard to swallow. Those who were foolish enough to openly rebel against them by being a member of the hated Resistance deserved what they got. How could they live each day with a clean conscience knowing they were traitors? It wasn't hard to comprehend that the Resistance wanted to overthrow the Dark Lord. They'd been wanting to do that since Harry was killed. But the regular citizens quietly demanding change? She just didn't buy it. Either they were delusional or simply filled with the hate that the Resistance was so keen to spread to anyone willing to listen to their lies.
What was he playing at? For a moment she almost thought he was going to invite her to join him at the next Resistance meeting. Wouldn't that have been amusing? She was one of the most hated people alive to them. And Ron. They were the two worst traitors. Ginny Weasley had even tried to fight her older brother on multiple occasions because she was so disgusted with the choices he'd made to stay alive. He'd been in the perfect place to harm her, but he always made sure his curses just barely missed. Maybe there was still a shred of familial loyalty in there somewhere. Perhaps Rabastan hadn't been successful in knocking out all of his blood traitor tendencies in his reprogramming. Sometimes Ron could be a bit emotional.
She had a dozen questions for Malfoy that she feared she would never know the answer to. His mysterious behavior was both intriguing and infuriating. Why had he suddenly begun seeking her out after she had been on the run for months? She knew, based on the newspapers she had been able to steal and the rare person she knew who would actually speak to her, that her supposed defection from the Dark Lord's Inner Circle was not openly discussed. It would be bad for morale for it to be known that one of Lord Voldemort's top followers was disillusioned with her choices. Roddy's escape had been a big enough scandal they surely didn't want to repeat. People might actually begin to believe there were problems with their leaders if they became aware that there was dissension.
His timing had been suspicious. They hardly spoke to each other when they were both playing the parts of good, little, loyal Death Eaters. She knew without needing confirmation that he only continued to be a part of their organization because he had no choice. After his mother's betrayal and deception the day of the final battle, his family's ranking in society plummeted. His father's bizarre behavior over the months that the Dark Lord was a guest in their home had also not been forgotten. Everyone knew that Lucius drank too much. It was impairing his judgment. The Malfoys were forgotten by society and yet, still unable to walk away from the Dark Lord. He wanted them close by to serve as an example for everyone else how not to behave.
Perhaps Draco's reasoning for getting involved with the Resistance made a little bit of sense. He would never rise high up in the ranks. None of the respectable families wanted him anywhere near their daughters. Tracking was the only task he could really perform because most of the other jobs and positions were taken. It was fortunate for him that he was talented. Even if he wasn't, he would've been allowed to continue for no other reason than no one knew what to do with him. Some might have even hoped he would get lost on a mission and never return.
Was he trying to warn her that she was doing nothing but putting other people in danger? And if so, to what purpose? He seemed to think that she might be interested in joining forces with those who would overthrown her master. What could possibly give him that idea? She had been a loyal Death Eater from the moment she was given the choice to comply or die. Lord Voldemort wanted her as a pet he could parade around to show how benevolent and generous he was to those that willingly chose to serve him.
She couldn't get her mind off of the wrecked Jordan family. So much loss. So much pain. They would never be together again. The little girls would never see their parents again. What would happen to them? Assuming that Posy was able to even leave the hospital at some point, what kind of life would they have? Sarah had been so kind. She'd not once treated Hermione like she was anything less than a valued guest who was actually wanted. The kindness she'd received in those all-too-brief days would never leave her mind. No one had been that kind. And how did she repay them? By bringing death and destruction into their home.
Hermione wiped at her tired, burning eyes. It had been so long since she was moved to tears that she stared at the drops of liquid clinging to the tips of her fingers. Emotions were weaknesses. Antonin taught her that lesson over and over again. He would be ashamed to see her openly crying on the pavement where anyone could see.
She couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't keep running like she'd been doing. She was exhausted. Perhaps it was time that she faced the consequences of her decisions. Directing her steps to the nearest bus station, she made the choice she hadn't been able to make, the one she should have made long before Lee Jordan ever welcomed her into his home.
She was going back to Hogsmeade.