March 3rd

It had taken an extra long walk outside to calm Hermione down to the point that she could return to the home she was staying in after her visit with Draco. She didn't even care that she received hostile looks everywhere she went. The Resistance members could go on hating her to her face. It didn't matter. Truthfully, she had been tempted to pack everything she owned back into her beaded bag and leave. Destination didn't matter. All she knew was that she couldn't stay there.

Draco had been wise enough to leave her alone. Another confrontation with him so soon after their private meeting would not have gone well. She was struggling to keep it all together as it was. One more heated discussion and she might crumble under the strain. Her brain felt heavy, exhausted, fuzzy. Almost like she was losing what limited grip on reality she had. Of course that thought only made her chuckle. When was the last time she even remembered what it felt like to be completely coherent and sane?

Sarah was kind enough to leave a plate heaped high with enough food to feed at least three men inside her bedroom with a warming charm. She was grateful once again for the woman's kindness. As much as she had come to care for each member of their small family, she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to endure a meal with her wits intact. When she returned to her bedroom hours after vacating it, she prepared herself for another meal straight from a tin she kept in her bag. Seeing the hot meal almost made her weep.

A knock on her door mid-morning the day after her unwelcome visitor jarred her out of a pensive state. She had been considering her options. Returning to her own family in Hogsmeade was still on the table. Maybe her life wouldn't be worth living when she returned, but it certainly wasn't much better away from home. Antonin might even be willing to put her out of her misery once and for all. That would have been nice. Going back to Fenrir's cottage was a possibility, even if it was likely to get her caught. She had been so close to being captured the last time she was there.

When she heard the persistent knock of an unwanted guest who would not cease their infernal noise, she was tempted to tell them to bugger off and leave her alone. The familiar voice belonging to Ginny Weasley asking her to open up was enough motivation for her to reconsider. Hermione crossed to the door, turned the knob, and waited for the younger witch to attack her. Part of her would always assume that was why Ginny would willingly be in her presence. She was a dangerous foe and they had been on opposite sides for much of their turbulent lives. Funny how she didn't even worry about getting hurt. Maybe she was ready to stop fighting, to curl up in a ball, and just wait for death to claim her. Shaking her head to dislodge the macabre thoughts overtaking what brain cells she had remaining, she asked what her visitor needed.

"There's a meeting. Just a few houses down. I want you to come."

Living amongst the rebels was one thing. Joining them in one of their pointless meetings was another. What purpose would that serve? She was on the verge of telling her 'no', but reconsidered. Damn her curiosity! Excusing herself long enough to make herself presentable, Hermione emerged from the bedroom a couple of minutes later prepared for what she was certain was going to turn out to be one of the more bizarre days of her life.

Neither of the witches spoke the entire walk to their destination. Even though she was practically buzzing with a number of questions she wanted to ask Ginny, Hermione didn't say a word. One of the lessons she learned from Antonin early on in her training was to keep her questions to a minimum. If it was possible to keep completely silent, that was preferable. Her overeager thirst for knowledge could be seen as a potential weakness. It hadn't been easy, but eventually she learned to keep her thoughts and curiosity to herself. Usually.

It felt bizarre and unnerving to enter the front door of a home she knew would be filled with enemies, both former and current. She knew enough of the witch Ginny used to be to not be afraid that she was being led into a trap. The witch was more honorable than that. Even when it came to engaging her enemies. If she was leading Hermione to her execution or at least to a makeshift Resistance-led trial that could potentially lead to her death, she would warn her first. She wasn't sure how she knew that, only that she did.

No one greeted the women when they first entered the room. Whatever meeting they were walking in to had apparently been going on for some time. Ginny likely stepped out in the middle of it to retrieve their honored guest. All around the comfortable-looking living room of the stranger's house she could see unfriendly eyes. Some, like William Wood, were even downright hostile. Aberforth Dumbledore met Hermione's eye and nodded once in acknowledgement. Another glance around the room proved that many of the Resistance's top players were present. She hadn't seen Ron's brothers Percy and Charlie in many years. It pleased her for a reason she couldn't imagine that they both appeared to be doing well. She had always had a soft spot for the Weasley family.

Ginny led her to an empty chair near the fireplace. The Resistance members had fashioned themselves into a circle. She imagined that much like King Arthur with his mythical Round Table, it was to proclaim that they were all equal. In truth, no one outside of their group had ever been able to determine with any certainty just who the actual leader was. Some claimed it was Dumbledore. Others Ginny. A few believed that Percy was the man running it all behind the scenes. There was a dozen different theories at least on how their leadership was structured. To believe that anyone outside of their organization knew it all was foolish ignorance. While there were many Death Eaters and close supporters of their regime that were highly intelligent, she was embarrassed to admit that there was also a large percentage of complete idiots.

Before she even realized what she was doing, Hermione found herself looking around the room to see if Draco was there. She didn't know his exact role in the Resistance. Considering he had come so far as to visit her in the middle of the stronghold, she assumed that he was known in certain circles to be at least friendly with the Resistance. Not seeing him anywhere, she hated that she actually felt a bit disappointed. Wasn't she still angry with him for his constant, incessant need to test her?

"I'm sure you are curious why we asked Ginny to bring you here, Hermione."

It had been a long time since she last heard Charlie Weasley's voice. Though he was known to slip across their borders on a regular basis, most of his life was spent outside of the country drumming up support for their cause abroad. Even with the world changing so drastically the day Lord Voldemort was victorious, he still spent a great deal of time working as a dragon keeper at the reserve in Romania. Wars and failed attempts at revolution didn't mean that a person could just quit their day job, after all. Life still went on.

"Well, yes."

She hated how nervous her tone sounded in her own ears. Much of her life had been spent in a position of power that she had grown quite used to. Being outnumbered and practically powerless robbed her of the bit of confidence she once possessed. If they chose to, any one of the souls gathered could force her to answer for her crimes. She knew that Wood was sure to be the first to volunteer. Clearing her throat and remembering who she was, she interjected more strength and self-assurance in her next words.

"I was invited to come here and yes, I would like to know why. I'm sure many of you aren't pleased with my presence."

A loud, derisive snort came from the corner she knew Oliver Wood's elder brother was seated. She refused to look up to even dignify him with a response. The man unnerved her unlike any other person she'd met before. Considering she had been entrenched in the midst of the dangerous Death Eaters, that was quite a feat to accomplish. No one else paid him much mind either. His feelings on her must have been made perfectly clear already.

"As a condition of our agreement with a member of your side for their assistance, we have made a promise that to the best of our capabilities, we will keep you protected during what's coming."

"And may I ask who that member is?"

Charlie's crooked smile knocked at least ten years off of his countenance. She'd always fancied him just the tiniest bit when she was younger. Though no doubt completely uninterested in his littlest brother's annoying friend, he had always been kind and teenage girls had a way of blowing politeness out of proportion when it came to a boy they liked. She could almost imagine that no time had passed since the last time they sat in his mother's parlor listening to obnoxious Celestina Warbeck screech on the Wizarding Wireless.

"No, I'm afraid we've promised to keep his… their identity private for the time being."

She hated that no one was going to tell her who her mysterious protector was. What did it matter if she knew or not? It wasn't as if she was about to run straight into the arms of the Dark Lord any time soon. And she definitely wasn't about to return to her husband. Draco's cruel trick with the false newspapers assured that she might never believe another word she saw in print again. She would have no reason to run back to Antonin.

"We wanted to invite you here today just to simply assure you that as long as you stay within our village, no one will harm you. No one."

Charlie turned his head into Wood's direction. That time, Hermione didn't hesitate to watch the horrible man's reaction. A forced grin was on his lips that only grew wider when she made direct eye contact with him. As Charlie continued, she didn't break her eyes away from Wood's.

"I won't promise that you will always be met with the friendliest of people while you are here, but you won't be harmed. Lee and Sarah have graciously offered their home for as long as you require it. Please don't make us regret our hospitality."

The meeting of the Resistance's leadership broke up moments later. Not wishing to linger for any longer than necessary, Hermione rushed from the house and returned to the quiet stillness of her private bedroom to analyze in her head every single moment of the meeting she'd just attended.