November 7th

Following Charlie's suggestion that Hermione do what she could to earn Rodolphus' trust and try to bring him down from the inside, she'd thought of little else. When Rodolphus made the initial invitation that she move in with him into the Dower House, she thought he was more than a little insane. The very thought was terrifying to her. How could she possibly spend every waking moment around the man who mucked about in her mind for so long? She couldn't possibly relax enough around him to sleep. It was complete madness. And it wouldn't take long before Rodolphus assumed that he had full access to her body again. She wasn't sure she could handle him touching her like he used to. Not after she learned what he'd done to her for so long.

But she couldn't deny the fact that Charlie had a point. Eventually, Rodolphus would let his guard down around her or believe that he could trust her with his secrets. Should she just ignore all of her fears and worries and do it anyway? Her entire goal was to bring her biggest enemy down and escape the country. She feared that if she tried leaving without taking care of Rodolphus first, he would follow her to the ends of the earth. He'd already made it perfectly clear that he had some mysterious plans that she was at the center of. Would she be able to do that faster living in his house and sharing his bed? She was almost willing to try it.

That was a decision that she wouldn't make lightly. Before she took Rodolphus up on his offer to move into the Dower House, Hermione needed to consider all of the possibilities. Her marriage with Antonin was certain to suffer even more than it already was if she chose to take Charlie's advice. She wasn't sure that she and her husband would ever be able to mend what was broken. Or if she even wanted to.

And Draco? It made her laugh to even consider what she had with that wizard a relationship. It wasn't. Not only had they parted badly when he kicked her out of his flat, she didn't care for him enough. He'd made a pleasant distraction when she needed one and he'd been a somewhat trustworthy ally. When it suited him, of course. Nothing more. The very idea that he thought he was falling in love with her was preposterous. Did he really expect her to believe such a ridiculous lie? He was as manipulative as his uncle.

Her thoughts also were continually on Ron. There hadn't been any change in his condition even days later that she was aware of. Nothing had been said in the Daily Prophet to indicate he'd improved or gotten worse. While she was aware that they wouldn't share private medical details, based on his notoriety in the previous regime, she would've expected something to be said.

Frustrated with her racing mind, Hermione decided to take a long walk in the woods around the village. Hopeful that the physical exertion would help to clear her mind, she didn't care that the weather was terrible. November was hardly the best time of year to walk in. Desperation, however, left her open to trying just about anything. The chill in the air and the snow on the ground reminded her of the year she spent on the run. So much about her life had changed since she made the decision to return to Hogsmeade months earlier. She never would've imagined when she was in fear that her husband was going to catch her and kill her that she would be living such a different existence when she forced herself to go back. Her life felt almost like a dream. Or at least someone else's life. Since the spells were removed from her mind and her memories were returning, she didn't always feel like herself.

There were days she missed her time on the run. Life seemed much simpler back then. She didn't know who she was supposed to be afraid of so she just tried to avoid everyone. How different would the entire world have been if she'd stayed away? Hannah would still be alive most likely. And the Dark Lord would probably still be lingering on so there would be no need for a power struggle amongst his most loyal followers just yet. The world certainly would've been more peaceful. But Oliver would still be afraid of her and she wouldn't have learned what she had about her husband. Was the promise of a false peace worth losing what she'd gained? She didn't think so.

Movement in the corner of her eye drew her quickly out of the miasma of her own thoughts. Realizing that she wasn't alone and therefore in grave potential danger, she spun around with her wand outstretched, ready to attack. She was growing weary of being on the defensive, but such was her life. Likely until the very end of her days she would have to remain in a similar state of preparedness. Perhaps she should've been expecting to come face to face with Draco again, but she wasn't. She hadn't seen him since the night he threw her out of his flat. Even though she suspected he was still tracking her on a minimum daily basis, he hadn't approached her until that moment.

"What do you want, Draco?"

"Remember the last time we were alone in these woods?"

It was a ridiculous question. Of course she remembered the day he pushed her up against the trunk of the tree and… She shook her head in an effort to dislodge any further memories that threatened to plague her mind. Already her cheeks were burning at the reminder. Why did Draco have such an effect on her? What sort of spells or mind control was he attempting? She knew she was being paranoid, but if there existed anyone alive who had the right to be, she couldn't imagine anyone being a better candidate.

"You didn't answer my question, Draco. What do you want?"

"I know where Aubin is."

She was surprised. Of all of the reasons that he could possibly seek her out again after so much time apart, that wasn't one she'd considered. It could all be some sort of elaborate plan. She couldn't be too careful. How many times in recent memory had Draco lied to her? Likely more than she was even aware of. It was his speciality apparently. How else was it possible that he could be working for the Resistance for so many years while still believed to be a loyal Death Eater? Not just anyone could accomplish such a feat.

"Where?"

"At this moment? Not sure."

It was a waste of time speaking to him. She rolled her eyes and began walking away from the infuriating wizard. Before she could get more than a step away, Draco gently grasped her elbow, stopping her in her tracks. Part of her was tempted to send a stunner straight to his gut.

"But I know where he will be when it gets dark tonight."

Still annoyed that he wasn't telling her what she wanted to know, Hermione was beginning to lose her patience. All she wanted was a straight answer. Why couldn't he just speak without riddles?

"Your brother-in-law decided to appeal to his half-brother for help."

She knew he didn't mean Antonin. Her husband wanted to kill his younger brother for his part in torturing and almost murdering his wife. Not to mention his threats against Oliver.

"Alain?"

Draco shook his head.

"Alexandre?"

He shook his head again. Hermione didn't understand what he was trying to tell her. What other half-brother could he possibly mean? Draco smiled, pleased with himself for annoying her so thoroughly.

"Apparently, my Uncle Aubin has always been an embarrassment and a secret my father never wanted to admit to. When he appealed to Father for help, Father wasn't interested. Wanted nothing to do with him. Not until I promised him that we could finally get rid of him."

After all that passed between the two of them, Hermione was impressed that Draco was still willing to help her. It would've been very easy to go straight to Rodolphus with this information first. To tell her meant that he was likely going against orders from his uncle. Rodolphus hadn't made it a secret that he was searching for the horrible wizard.

"He's been instructed to come to the Manor when it's dark tonight. Father promised to keep him there long enough for you to do what you wish with him."

Hermione was further amazed and grateful that Lucius wanted to help. She'd been under the assumption that the disgraced wizard was firmly on Rodolphus' side. No one else seemed to want him. Twenty years after the fall of their family, very few wanted to even speak the name Malfoy. Antonin only wanted to use the Malfoys if it was convenient. Rodolphus appeared to actually care for his late wife's family.

"Why are you helping me, Draco?"

His hesitation to respond wasn't difficult to detect. Sometimes he could be the most guarded person she'd ever met. Other times he was an open book. She didn't rush him for an answer. If he was going to give her one, she knew she had to be patient.

"I want him dead. I hate him for what he did to you."

"Why didn't you kill Wood and Aubin when you had the chance? Why did you just stun them the night you saved me?"

It was a question she'd asked herself over and over again since she learned the details of that night. Most Death Eaters were the sort to cast Avadas first and then ask questions second. The moment the words came out of her mouth she could see the shame pasted all over Draco's face. He didn't want to answer. Finally, after taking a deep breath, he looked her straight in the eyes.

"I've never killed anyone before."

Draco was full of surprises that day. Because they were both Death Eaters, she just naturally assumed that he would've killed at least one person in twenty years. How was it even possible that he'd never been forced to cast the spell that ended another's life? She was impressed. Most in their ranks never even considered the consequences of their actions. Certainly plenty of instances over the years Hermione herself had killed without thought. When she didn't immediately respond and the awkward silence between them grew even more tense, Draco puffed out his chest and tried to appear unaffected. She could see right through him.

"I've never had the stomach for it. Others might make it seem easy, but it never has been for me. My first mission as a Death Eater was supposed to be a murder and we all know how I bollocksed that up."

Mentioning his failure to kill Albus Dumbledore when they were in their sixth year at Hogwarts must have stung his pride. It was a well-known failure that he'd been taunted about for as long as Hermione could remember. Draco's name was synonymous with 'coward' or 'loser'. It all boiled down to the night he was unable to cast the spell to end his Headmaster's life. Maybe she shouldn't have been so surprised to hear that he'd never been able to follow through with another killing.

"I didn't know it was possible for a Death Eater to last so long without committing a single murder."

The redness was back in his cheeks. Hermione was envious. Not only was it likely a record and Draco was probably the only Death Eater without a single kill, she wished that she could have had as clean a conscience as he did. Or, maybe he didn't. As a tracker, it had been his duty to find the enemies of the regime. He was still responsible even indirectly for many deaths.

"Be careful, Hermione."

He ran off again without saying another word.