April 24th
Just as she promised Draco she would, Hermione did consider his offer to allow her to hide in his home. She thought about it for most of the night and part of the next morning. Then decided absolutely not. Their relationship was still undefined. She didn't know what his angle was or what he truly wanted yet. As much as he might have made it seem clear over the previous several months that he had no desire to harm her or turn her over to her husband, she still couldn't be sure that agreeing to any of his suggestions would be the right course of action. Playing right into his hands could be a very dangerous decision.
She still hadn't forgotten his claim that Fenrir Greyback was the one who told Antonin where she could be found. Why he felt the urge to lie about something like that was beyond her comprehension. Until she learned his motivations for any of the choices he made and actions he took, she couldn't trust herself around him. Perhaps he had her best interests at heart solely because he was a good person after all, despite how often the universe tried to grind him into the ground since the return of Lord Voldemort and the subsequent murder of Harry Potter. It seemed unlikely, however, but there was always the possibility that he had simply grown fond of her existence. Highly unlikely, but still possible. She was leaning closer to the idea that he was using her in his quest for something. Whatever that something was was just another mystery.
If he could lie to her about Fenrir, he could be lying to her about anything. Maybe the offer of shelter in his private home was a ruse. He could have the intention of selling her to the Resistance to pay for her crimes. They would never forgive her for Aberforth Dumbledore's capture. Though he hadn't been executed yet, she knew it would only be a matter of time. Each time Draco managed to find her again in the forest or in her hotel room, he'd left copies of the Daily Prophet and any other publication he could find that he thought she would find interesting. Keeping her up to date with current affairs wasn't just a kindness on his part. She understood that he wanted her to know what was happening in the wizarding world. Why? Why was it so important that she know about rebels and the Ministry? She hadn't been able to put the pieces together. Not yet.
Until she knew more about Draco's plans, especially where they concerned her personally, she knew she couldn't afford to lay around waiting in places where he already knew she was. As much as it pained her to leave the hotel a day earlier than planned, she knew it was no longer safe to linger. If he was truly as gifted at tracking as he had so far proven himself to be, her removal to another place would just be a mere inconvenience. He could find her again if so inclined.
She knew the money that Augustus gave her had to last for a while. His generosity since stumbling back into her life at the end of January had been substantial. Without him caring for her in the Leaky Cauldron, she would likely have succumbed to her illness in front of a less sympathetic person. Providing her money not just once, but twice, had also been kind. She hated to dip into it for her bus fare. When it ran out, she couldn't be sure he would be around to replenish the loss. Still, allowing herself to take Muggle transportation saved her feet from the long journey she had in mind.
Returning to London was a foolish idea. Even she was aware that it was ridiculous to go back to the city that was a favorite haunt of the very men and women she was trying to avoid. Antonin's daily tasks didn't bring him much to the city any longer. For many years after he was no longer required to personally train some of the Dark Lord's chosen few, he had his own office inside the Ministry of Magic. Almost like a regular person. His orders changed when the Dark Lord wanted him by his side more often. She had no reason to believe that her husband had any reason to be in London. As long as she stayed away from the areas of the city where she knew that wizards and witches tended to gather, she thought she would be all right.
Except there was one stop she wanted to make while she was in the city. Anyone who knew where she wanted to go would think her mad or stupid or a combination of the two. Truthfully, she knew damn well that she shouldn't even be in London, let alone so close to Diagon Alley. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn't always the most inconspicuous of people. She could change her hair or wear a hat or put on glasses that she didn't need and still she would be recognized. Her reputation had been well-earned. There were those who would run in the opposite direction if they saw her coming, those who would stand their ground and possibly spit in her face, and those that naïvely had no fear of what she was capable. She preferred the first sort. At least they rarely made any trouble.
The sun had set already and the city lights illuminated the area surrounding where the Leaky Cauldron used to be. Despite hearing about the explosion from multiple sources, including two that were actually there when it happened, she hadn't actually believed the truth of the devastation that the Muggle bomb created. Whether or not Theodore Nott Senior was indeed the one responsible didn't matter in that moment. She could worry about the old man later. If Draco was to be believed, she was in danger, but that wasn't exactly a new experience for her. Most of her life had been spent in some level of consistent danger. She was more sure how to react than when she wasn't.
Nothing that either Augustus or Draco described could have prepared her for what she witnessed with her own eyes. It was a miracle that either one of them made it out alive. In fact, knowing how close Augustus was to the actual explosion, she was amazed that he hadn't been even more injured than he was. A spell had been cast over the immediate area. To the clueless Muggles that walked past the area on their way to their sad, little lives, they saw nothing but a boarded up building. Just like the memorial to Harry's parents that their ruined home became, those with magical abilities could see the true state of the building flickering back and forth between the demolished form and the lie the Muggles could see. If she had not known that that was where the famous tavern and inn once stood, she would've never guessed what she was staring at.
It saddened her in a manner she hadn't expected. That had been the first magical building she had ever walked in when she was a precocious eleven year old on her way to buy her first wand. That had been the place she met Harry when he was living there before third year. A dozen other memories flashed through her mind. Without even being aware, the Leaky Cauldron had been an important part of her past. There had been Death Eater meetings there and countless drinks shared with dates. She used to bring Ollie there for a bowl of hot soup after Christmas shopping in the Alley. Antonin announced their engagement to a large gathering of their friends and comrades before ordering drinks for the whole place in an uncharacteristic display of generosity.
What was to become of the shell of the building that held so many memories? Augustus explained that the explosion was still under investigation. Until the Ministry was satisfied that they were able to uncover every last clue, no one was touching the remnants. She highly doubted that another structure would be built to replace the one that was lost. With Tom the proprietor killed, there wasn't anyone left to rebuild. Likely, it would become another monument to those lost.
She knew she had been there too long. Even simply walking past it at a brisk pace was too much time in the well-travelled area. Pushing aside the sadness that plagued her thoughts, Hermione quickly wandered away to find where a room could be had for the night in another district within the city.