Chapter 14 – Go
I wake.
The pain has faded to a dull, pounding ache throughout my body.
"Hey." Ron is sitting beside me. "How're you feeling?"
"I'm okay," I reply.
"Good."
"Where's Harry?" I ask, not quite remembering.
"He went back to the ministry, to work on finding Malfoy," he tells me with a bit of an edge to his voice.
"He is," I say, relieved that someone is at least trying.
"Hermione, what happened? We know some of it from the clues you left behind." He glances down at the words. And I know that sign as a guilty soul. Why? "But with Malfoy?" He looks back to me, at a loss.
I take a steadying breath.
"He sent me the package," I explain. "It included a code which he thought I could discover the meaning of." I speak slowly, choosing my words carefully. Ron has a habit of thinking the worst, especially of Draco.
"It was the location of the escaped Death Eaters, the group we've been hunting for the last, almost three years now. He'd been doing the same, but no one would believe him." I continue. "And he found something. This code, this location. And I knew, the moment I decoded it, that it wasn't something that I was supposed to know and that I was in danger."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Ron asks. "We could have protected you. But you didn't come to us."
"I couldn't do it by owl, too easily intercepted. Not by muggle phone because it could be overheard. I had to bring it myself," I tell him. "I knew that I would be vulnerable once I stepped outside, so I hid clues around the flat, just in case." I shake my head. "I know, I didn't make them all that clear, but I had to make sure they wouldn't think to take them if they searched my flat." I pause, take a breath. "They got Draco before they got me. They must have figured out that he knew and that he sent me something and put it together that I must know as well."
"So it's his fault," Ron adds.
Of course, he would come to that conclusion.
"No. Ron, you're missing the point," I say.
The room.
The pain.
Draco.
Once again in my mind.
"He wanted to change. He didn't want anyone else to be hurt. He didn't want the Death Eaters to gather strength. And he did what he had to, to get someone, anyone, to take him seriously." I close my eyes, only for a second, and see the scene. "When we were down there, I guess it was a small basement type room, they wanted information that I didn't have. He saved my life. When Bellatrix got too angry to control herself any longer." I pause. "I would have lost my mind if Draco hadn't taken it on himself."
"You expect me to believe that, one, Bellatrix Lestrange is back from the dead, and two, that Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, took a cruciatus curse for you?" Ron looks at me skeptically, brows raised.
"Yes. And I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true," I tell him. "And there's more. Now, this is a big one," I warn.
"Alright?" Ron seems unsure.
"They're trying to bring Voldemort back and they know how, and that they can actually accomplish it."
"You've got to be kidding me," he whispers.
"This is another reason why we have to get to Draco. They're going to kill him as part of this spell," I say.
"Why?"
"Because he's the betrayer," I clarify. "And they need the blood of a betrayer to complete the spell. If you find him, and save him, it will at least set them back."
"This is completely mad," Ron says. I'm not sure if he believes me.
"I know," I admit. "I know it sounds mad, but please; I haven't gone insane, I'm still Hermione."
Its now that I realize that I never told this to Harry.
I groan.
I sent him to put together a puzzle with only half the pieces. And they aren't even the ones that fit together.
"I need to speak with Harry," I say.
"You sent him back to the ministry to search for Malfoy," Ron reminds me.
"I know, but I was pretty out of it, and he doesn't know the things he needs to," I explain.
"Fine, I'll send an owl," he gives in.
"No. Ron, this is too important. You need to go get him."
"No, Hermione. I'm not leaving. You need protection," he insists.
And I probably do.
I know too much.
They most likely have people searching for me.
St. Mungo's.
I've been here so long; they probably already know.
They've probably been waiting.
But there are so many people around here, it won't be a witness free grab.
And others know now too.
"I'm not leaving you alone," Ron argues. "Not after everything that's happened." He pauses. "Not after we thought …"
And there's that guilt again.
I want to know why.
But not right now.
Right now, there is only one goal.
"I'll be fine," I promise. "Just…don't dilly dally."
"I really don't like this," he worries.
"I'll be alright," I assure him.
As long as he hurries.
I'm in a hospital.
I'm safe.
Nothing is going to happen.
But as I watch Ron, hesitantly leave, I get a twinge of doubt.
Draco. Where are you?
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! Thanks for being here, for dropping by, for continuing to read my story. Here, it takes on a different aspect of mystery. Why is Ron feeling guilty? Why does he blame Harry? Let me know what you thought of the chapter and what's to come!
Thank-you to those three of you who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate you so much :)
Also, I have most of the flashback chapter written, yay! It's kind of a break from the plot but hopefully it will give you guys a better idea of why things are happening. I'll be posting that (fingers crossed) next week. I know some of you didn't like flashback chapters, but I can't think of a better way, so we're just going t dive into the past a bit.
Stay tuned!
I hope you have a great week!
