Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
-1 Ginny groaned softly as she sank into the soft cushions of the couch. Luna locked the door and settled next to her, leaning against her slightly. "I must be out of practice," Ginny mumbled. She shifted to wrap an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders and pull her closer.
"Mmm," Luna agreed. "I forgot how much spell work can take out of you."
Ginny grinned impulsively. "Me too. It was great to be back out there." Luna shifted to stare quizzically at her. "Er, not out fighting I mean… just doing spells- but not those kind of spells…"
Luna giggled as she pressed a finger to her lips to stop her babble. "I know what you meant and it's alright. You've always been a fighter." She leaned up to kiss her cheek lightly. "It's one of the things I love about you."
Ginny smiled and tightened her arm around her. "I missed the excitement, but I'm not sorry it's only occasional now. I wouldn't want to do that every day."
Luna nodded and gave her a quick peck on the lips before standing. "So what do you want for dinner?"
"Huh?" It still threw Ginny off sometimes how quickly the other girl could switch tracks. Luna just smiled and disappeared into the kitchen. Ginny sat back and ran through the evening's events in her head. Harry hadn't told them what he was looking for, but he'd apparently known what to expect. She wondered how he'd known his way around and where the mysterious box was. She tried to guess what it could have contained but had to resign herself to the fact that she would probably never know. They'd deserted the fight and Harry simply didn't need them any more.
Dinner was rather subdued, both girls lost in their own thoughts. When they finished Luna quietly cleared up the dishes and Ginny wandered back to the living room. She flopped onto the couch and turned on the television, flipping channels numbly. Soon, Luna sat beside her and rested her head on the other girl's shoulder. Ginny sighed and caught the other girl's hand, twining their fingers together.
"I don't think it's anything personal," Luna said softly. Ginny glanced down and met the clear blue stare. "I don't think he completely trusts anyone any more. Also I'm sure he's still trying to protect us in his own way." Ginny smirked at how well the other girl knew her mind. She opened her mouth to comment when a loud bang sounded outside the window.
She leapt to her feet and raced to look outside. She scanned the street below desperately, but nothing moved within the pools of lamplight. She stepped back, debating whether to open the window for a better view, when another sound reached her. Shattering glass.
She spun around, but Luna had disappeared from the small living room. She'd just started toward the bedroom when the front door flew from it's hinges directly into her path. It crashed against the opposite wall and Ginny froze. Two figures in black robes were standing in the open doorway with wands trained on her.
"Well if it isn't my favorite blood traitor," the taller figure sneered. She was certain the voice belonged to Blaise Zabini. "I wasn't sure who to expect, but it certainly wasn't you. Come quietly, we've already made enough of a scene."
Ginny took a shaky breath, wondering where Luna was and if they knew she was here. She decided to fall on an old standby: Gryffindor bravado. "What's with the theatrics, Blaise?" she said with a cocky smirk. "This is an awful lot of effort just for me."
The tall figure twitched irritably but it was the shorter one who answered. "Shove it, Weasley. The Dark Lord won't be happy if we only return with pieces of you." She swallowed hard and looked quickly around for a weapon. Her wand was in the bedroom where, hopefully, Luna was hiding. She inched sideways toward the kitchen, trying to get them to turn with her.
The shorter one mumbled something softly and a burst of orange light shot from her wand. Ginny threw herself sideways and felt the spell graze her arm and crack the plaster wall behind her. "Damn it, Bulstrode, we need her alive!" Blaise shouted.
Ginny scrambled to her feet, ignoring the hot wetness running down her arm. She grabbed one of their rickety wooden dining chairs and swung it around, catching Millicent just as she rounded the corner. She roared furiously and tackled Ginny, slamming her to the ground and knocking the air from her lungs. Ginny gasped as she tried to wrestle the larger girl from her.
"Stupefy!" Luna's voice yelled from the other room, followed by a heavy thud. Millicent turned her hooded face toward the sound and Ginny took the opportunity to drive her fist into her chin. The girl collapsed heavily on top of her and she squirmed free. "Ginny?" Luna cried, panic edging her normally calm voice.
"I'm alright," she responded as she stumbled to her feet. Luna rushed forward, clutching both their wands, and ran to her. She hugged the smaller girl tightly before grimacing at the two figures by their feet. "Pack a bag, love," she said as calmly as she could, "We've got to leave."
Luna nodded and handed Ginny her wand before she disappeared into the other room. She nudged Millicent with her foot and the girl groaned. "Stupefy," Ginny muttered, stunning her. "Incarcerous." Ropes flew from her wand and soon both figures were bound tightly.
"Obliviate." Luna had returned and her face was set as she pointed her wand at them. She sighed and set down the small duffle bag she'd been carrying. "Hopefully they won't remember who they found here," she said, offering a ghost of a smile.
Ginny nodded and pulled on her jacket. She slung the bag over her shoulder and spared one last glance at the two prone forms. She clutched her wand tightly in her jacket pocket and caught Luna's hand. "Let's hurry," she murmured, "There might be more coming."
Hermione stared into the last dregs of tea in her cup trying to let the last few hours sink in. Draco and Daphne had gone to bed a half hour before, but she was definitely not ready to try and sleep. She glanced toward the living room; Pansy's labored breathing was the only sound.
Hermione tried to guess what had happened that would lead to the girl being imprisoned in her own family's dungeon. She shuddered, thinking of the cuts and bruises that had covered her body and how skeletally thin she was. How long was she down there, she wondered, and why? She didn't want to imagine what she had gone through.
She heard a soft whimper and moved quickly into the next room. Pansy's face was contorted in pain and her muscles twitched in the throes of a nightmare. Hermione hurried forward and sat on the couch beside the sleeping girl. "Pansy?" she said softly, touching her arm lightly.
"Don't, please," she murmured, flinching away from her.
"Pansy, wake up," she said more loudly, giving her shoulder a shake. Pale blue eyes shot open and she looked around frantically, pressing away from Hermione into the couch cushion. "It's alright, Pansy, you're safe now," Hermione said soothingly. She reached out to touch her but hesitated, unsure if the gesture would help or panic her more.
She blinked several times and took a gasping breath as her gaze settled on Hermione. "Granger…" She frowned and sat up, scrubbing at her eyes with her fists. Hermione stood and backed up a step, sensing that the girl needed space.
Instead, she sat on the edge of the coffee table and watched her intently. "Are you alright, Pansy?" she asked gently after a moment.
She took several shaky breaths before fixing her with a cold stare. "I'm fine, Granger."
Hermione rolled her eyes and stood up. "Good," she said just as coldly. "I won't bother next time, then." She strode back into the kitchen and snatched her cup from the table. She glared at the pot on the stove, debating, then refilled her tea. Finally, she sat back at the table, keeping her back to the living room.
Shuffling footsteps sounded behind her but she didn't turn. "Look Granger, I-" she began, but was interrupted.
"I have a first name, Parkinson," she snapped, twisting in her seat to glare at the taller girl.
Pansy crossed her arms defensively across her chest and leaned against the doorframe. "I realize that," she replied stiffly. Then she sighed and her posture slumped slightly. "I'm sorry, alright?" she said quietly. "The last couple months… and before that…"
Hermione's expression softened as she watched a series of confused emotions flash across the girl's face. "Do you want some tea?" she asked, already moving toward the stove.
"Do I what?" Pansy's eyes widened as she stared across the room at her. Hermione held up a cup, smiling slightly. She received a shrug and a smirk. "You don't make any sense, Grang- Hermione." She sat down at the table, shaking her head as though mystified by the offer.
Hermione chuckled as she set the steaming cup in front of her. "Don't I?" Pansy took an appreciative sip and didn't respond. Hermione returned to her seat and studied the other girl for a moment.
Ice blue eyes met hers briefly. "What?" Hermione raised her eyebrows and the other girl sighed heavily and put the cup down. "Look, I don't know what your game is or why you're helping me, but…" she looked away awkwardly. "Thanks for, you know, before."
She returned her focus to her tea and Hermione smiled. "Any time," she replied softly.
The shrill ring of the telephone cut through the silence. Pansy leapt to her feet, looking around wildly. "What the bloody hell was that?" she squeaked in alarm. It rang again before Hermione could reach it and Pansy glared at the offending device.
"It's alright," Hermione said quickly, "It's a muggle thing." She picked up the receiver with a shaking hand. "Hello?"
"Hermione? Thank God, are you guys alright?"
"Ginny? What's wrong?" Draco and Daphne sprinted into the room, still in their pajamas. She listened to the rushed tale and felt a cold knot of dread form in her stomach. "Alright, Gin, stay there for now and we'll be there as soon as we can." She hung up the phone and glanced around making a quick mental list.
"What happened?" Draco demanded, gray eyes wide.
"They were attacked," she said calmly. "Daphne call Neville and have him come down here immediately. Tell him to pack a bag. Draco, get together whatever you need and I'll grab some extra clothes for you two." She glanced between Daphne and Pansy. "We aren't safe here any more."
Ten minutes later a frantic banging sounded on the front door. Hermione gestured for Draco to stay close as she looked through the peephole. Neville and Susan were shuffling nervously in front of the door. "What's your least favorite plant?" she called out, trying and failing to keep her voice steady.
She saw Neville smirk before answering, "Mandrakes." She pulled the door open with a relieved laugh and ushered the two inside. "What's happened?" He asked as soon as the door was closed.
"Ginny and Luna were attacked," Hermione answered distractedly. She was mentally going over a checklist, trying to think if there was anything they were forgetting.
"What?" Susan squeaked in alarm. "Are they alright?"
Hermione focused on the tense girl in front of her and offered a reassuring smile. "Yes, sorry, they're fine. Two Death Eaters showed up at their apartment, but she said they knocked them out and wiped their memories."
"Did she know who they were?" Pansy asked softly at her shoulder.
Hermione turned to the taller girl and considered her for a long moment before answering. Her expression suggested morbid curiosity and nothing more, but Hermione couldn't be completely sure of her motives. "I didn't ask," she said finally. Pansy bit her lip, clearly trying to see if she was lying. Then she dropped her gaze and nodded.
"We can ask them when we arrive," Draco said soothingly. He had a backpack in one hand and his jacket in the other.
Pansy's eyes were fixed on his left arm and she cocked her head in confusion. "What's that?"
Draco smirked and dropped the bag to his feet. "A tattoo," he explained, holding out his arm for her to inspect. His forearm was covered in a detailed illustration of a green and silver dragon. It's spiked tail curled around his elbow and disappeared under his sleeve. Hermione had always liked the design, especially considering what it covered. "It's a muggle thing."
Pansy nodded, blue eyes wide, and reached out as though to touch it. Abruptly her face hardened and she dropped her arm to her side. "So where are we going?" Daphne asked, ending the awkward silence.
Hermione grabbed her bag from next to the door and hoisted it over her shoulder, throwing Daphne a grateful smile before she spoke. "She said they'd rented a room at the Red Fern. It's not far from here."
She reached for the door handle, but froze as a sound like a distant gunshot reached them. She stepped back sharply and glanced at the others. A second blast sounded and Hermione frowned, thinking hard.
"Do you think they know which number we're in?" Draco asked quietly. He zipped his jacket as he spoke.
"I think we should assume that they do," Daphne replied. Her eyes darted around the room frantically.
"If they did, they would have apparated right into the room with us," Hermione said quickly. "But it's probably not safe to go out the front, they might recognize us." Her eyes shot to Pansy of their own accord. Again, she wondered how they'd found them.
"Let's take the fire escape," Neville suggested, already moving to the window. Hermione nodded and they rushed out the door. The window was at the end of the hall and offered only minimal resistance as Neville slid it open.
Draco stepped out onto the landing first and glanced around, clutching his wand tightly in his free hand. "It looks clear," he whispered after a moment.
The others moved hastily through the open window, Hermione last. Before she stepped out, she glanced back over her shoulder. The hallway looked so peaceful and ordinary. She wondered if they would ever come back. Biting her lip, she resisted the feeble urge to lock the door to their flat. She knew it wouldn't do any good. Distantly, she heard the ding of the elevator being called. Shaking her head, she stepped out the window into the cool night air.
They closed the window and made their way down the narrow metal stairway as quietly as they could. Hermione's feet had barely touched the sidewalk when the street was momentarily illuminated by a flash of light. This was instantly followed by a loud crash far above them. She looked up but could only see the dull brick and dark windows rising against the night sky. She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away. "Come on, we need to hurry."
They kept off main roads whenever they could, keeping to side streets and back alleys. Every few minutes, Hermione looked back over her shoulder, but the city was quiet. If their pursuers were close, there was no sign.
The Red Fern was a shabby motel in one of the less respectable parts of town. The red neon vacancy shone garishly below the larger sign that had seen better days. The E in Fern had burnt out and never been replaced. With a sigh, Hermione tore her eyes from the sight and moved around to the back of the building. Ginny had said that their room was on the second floor, just above the side door.
The group filed quietly into the dimly lit hall, but no one spoke. They couldn't allow themselves to feel safe quite yet. They ascended the back stairs and knocked lightly on room 233. They heard a muffled shuffling on the other side. "Hermione?" Ginny's voice called through the thin wood. She stepped to the front where she could be visible and nodded. There was silence for a moment, then Ginny's voice returned. "What was your favorite subject in school?"
Hermione smiled slightly. "All of them." On the other side, a scraping sounded as the door was unlocked. As soon as it opened, they rushed inside. Only after the door was closed and bolted did Hermione allow herself to engulf her friend in a bone-crushing hug. "Are you alright?"
Ginny nodded, squeezing her tightly. "And you?"
"We got out just as they got there," Hermione replied, pulling away reluctantly.
Ginny smiled tightly and nodded, ushering them further inside. The room contained two full size beds, a television on a rickety stand and a small table with two threadbare chairs. The thin comforter on the further bed had been thrown to the floor and Hermione proceeded to do the same to the other one before sitting down heavily. On top of everything else, she had no desire to touch the questionable top blanket.
Draco sat down beside her and leaned forward, running his hands over his platinum hair. Daphne all but collapsed next to him, resting her head on the back of his shoulder. Hermione could feel her shivering through the mattress. Neville and Susan took the two chairs at the small table and Ginny and Luna sat heavily on the opposite bed.
Hermione looked around to where Pansy was hovering uncertainly near the doorway. She had her arms crossed tightly across her chest and was biting her lip nervously. Is she nervous because she led them to us? Hermione wondered, studying the other girl. Is she waiting for them to show up here as well?
Pansy's eyes met hers and she inched forward. "Is it alright…" she hesitated, glancing at the other occupants of the room. "Can I sit down?" she asked softly. A light blush was the only color in her pale face and she dropped her eyes to the floor.
I'm not being fair, Hermione berated herself. She remembered again the cold damp dungeon that reeked of rot and death. Forcing a smile, she patted the spot beside her. Pansy sat on the edge of the bed, but her body stayed tense as though she would bolt at the slightest provocation.
"How do you think they found us?" Ginny asked quietly. Hermione twisted to glance behind Pansy across the room. Ginny was lying on her side with her head in Luna's lap. The latter was stroking her arm soothingly, but otherwise seemed completely untroubled.
Hermione sighed, running through the night's events in her mind. "It must have been the portkey," she said finally. "Otherwise they would have come before now."
Draco growled under his breath, drawing her attention. "We've been so careful," he said sadly. "We should have known it couldn't last." Daphne began rubbing his back lightly, but the dim light reflected on the tears in her eyes.
"What do we do now?" Susan voiced the question that they were all trying not to think about.
"Well, we probably shouldn't stay here. We don't know for sure how they found us. Also there's no way for us to try and detect them without giving ourselves away." Luna said all this as though she were considering tomorrow's weather. Hermione grimaced, causing Ginny to chuckle lightly.
"She's got a point," the younger girl said, sitting up. "The only place we'll be safe is somewhere with magical protection." Her caramel eyes met Hermione's and she knew they were thinking the same thing.
Hermione glanced briefly at Pansy, but the other girl was staring at the wall and seemed to be lost in thought. She was sure the reception would be less than warm, but they didn't have any other choice. "Pansy?"
She jumped and nearly fell off the bed. Startled blue eyes flicked to her, then away. "Y- Yea?"
Hermione sighed. "Look, I'm going to trust you. Please don't make me regret that." Pansy's eyes narrowed, but she nodded. "There's a safe house in the city, and it should be alright for us to go there for now. Ginny and I are secret keepers still."
Draco lifted his head, looking confused. "What is it?"
"We can walk there from here," Hermione replied with a small smile. "Just remember: The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London."
