Hey folks! Here's another update for you, and it's a long one too :). I'm having a bit of trouble with this fic at the moment, which is why there's such a long gap between updates, so please bear with me. I am still working on it, it's just taking time. I hope you enjoy this, I think it's the bit a lot of you have been waiting for ;). Enjoy. Istalindar
&
Packing for a trip like this was dreadful Constantine decided, standing hands on her hips in her bedroom. Of course, it didn't help that most of her clothes were blown up, meaning that she had to go shopping for just about everything. It did, of course, give her plenty of creative leeway for planning outfits.
"Shop and shop and yet have nothing to wear?" Constantine turned to see Amadeo leaning indolently in the doorway. She smiled, shaking her head.
"It's not that. I'm just having trouble working out where to start."
"Try underwear. Empty the drawer into the trunk and move on. Hell, just pack everything. That's what shrinking spells and bottomless bags are for." Constantine laughed.
"Very helpful, Amadeo." He shrugged.
"Hey, it would solve your quandry."
"Who said I had a quandry?" She questioned with a grin. He raised his eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes, turning back to her wardrobe. "You're right, it would work. But there's no point in taking things I wont wear."
"Connie, love, you're going around Europe. Daniel says France, Italy and Switzerland but I'll assure you it'll turn into the full tour."
"And how do you know that?" Constantine questioned as she started riffling through her wardrobe. "And don't call me Connie. It's sounds awful." Amadeo laughed, stepping into the room and sitting in the armchair that sat in the corner by the window. He looked out of place with his sharply cut black robes in the sage and bright white room.
"I've spoken with Masters, Connie." He grinned and she knew he was calling her that to annoy her. "He's hinted that if the trip goes well it might be extended." She raised her eyebrows.
"If it goes well?" Amadeo shrugged elegantly and Constantine turned back to her wardrobe. "Well, we'll see." She started pulling out her new favourite clothes and piling them on the bed, stacking shoes beneath them on the floor. Then she started selecting makeup and jewelery.
"You're going to have to be careful not to take your ring off." Amadeo warned. She nodded.
"Yeah, I know. I'm trying to think of the best way to do that without raising suspicion." She said.
"Make it too tight to get off, not so much you lose your finger. It'll work." She looked thoughtful as she picked through the substantial pile of earrings.
"Actually, that's happened before." She commented, returning to her wardrobe to pick through its contents again. "What time is it?"
"Daniel's late, it's half eleven." Amadeo said off handedly.
"What?" Constantine spun and stared at him. "Half eleven?"
"That's what the clock says." Amadeo said, pointing to the clock by the chest of drawers. She huffed and started folding and piling clothes into the bottomless shrinkable trunk. There was a knock on the door and she yelled for them to come in. Daniel entered, looking cool and relaxed and paused when he saw the chaos that was Constantine's room.
"Good grief woman." Daniel said, looking pained. "Just pack the lot. You can shrink it." Amadeo laughed.
"That's what he said." Constantine grouched. Daniel shrugged.
"He was right." He waved his wand and muttered a spell and all of Constantine's clothes flew out of their places, folded themselves, and dropped neatly into the trunk, the lid of which closed neatly before shrinking to the size of a matchbox. "Done." Constantine glared and Daniel stared back at her evenly until she gave up. "You ready?"
"Am now." She muttered. He grinned, taking her hand.
"Well, Amadeo, I believe I shall kidnap this dear girl and whisk her off to Europe."
"Good riddance." Amadeo muttered with a smile.
"Hey!" Constantine protested, flinging a cushion at him. He batted it away effortlessly. "I'll miss you, Amadeo. So there. Have fun without me."
"I'll try." He said drily. "Look after her Masters, someone's trying to kill her." Daniel nodded, all traces of humour gone from his handsome face.
"You have my word, Amadeo."
"I don't want your word, Masters. I want her in one piece." Amadeo said. Daniel sent Amadeo a sharp look Constantine didn't understand.
"So do I, Amadeo. We'll enjoy ourselves, and I'll keep her safe. Keep your ear to the ground here."
"Of course." Amadeo said, flicking his hand at them. "Shoo now." Daniel snorted and grasped Constantine's hand, giving her a second to scoop up the matchbox sized trunk and tuck it into her pocket before pulling her to the fireplace and whisking her away in a whirl of green flame.
&
Ginny Weasley paused to check her appearance one last time in the mirror before apparating and appearing with a crack in the reception of the Ministry of Magic. She was dressed sharply in the wizarding version of Calvin Klein, a black slim cut trouser suit with her vivid red hair twisted up at the back of her head. The security guard nodded at her, and didn't even bother checking her. After all, why would Harry Potter's fiancee be carrying anything suspect? Ginny wasn't, incidentally, but all the same, it was an appalling lack in security.
She passed the checkpoint and headed up to Harry's office to greet him, well aware her presence would have been announced. Her greeting was short, as was his, before she was near-enough chivvied out of his office so he could work (chivvied, like an annoying toddler!), leaving her to her own devices.
It was useful, actually, and exactly what she had counted on.
Thing was, Ginny was doing some investigating of her own. She'd spent most of last night reading all of Harry's documents and diary entries, not all of it as she did need some sleep to be a functioning human being, but enough to gather that whatever it was that had set Harry on his murderous course of hatred was in the Department of Mysteries.
There was a lot of useless crap in the Department of Mysteries, though the word crap was more commonly replaced by the word 'mystery' at the Ministry, but the most numerous thing in that Department, figuring most prominently in Ginny's memory, were the prophecies. She'd broken an ankle and brushed with deatheaters in order to get her hands on a prophecy on Harry's behalf last time she was here, and she was willing to bet that a prophecy had something to do with this, too.
Harry always had placed too much emphasis on prophecies.
Ginny was a bit of a closet divination fanatic herself, especially since those chaotic years at Hogwarts, and had made a point of finding out all there was to know, not just from teachers but from skeptics and devotees and people who simply didn't care whether it was a load of bull or not as long as it worked. Consequently, she liked to think she knew a fair bit. So she knew prophecies more often than not were fulfilled by one of the parties trying not to fulfil them. A key example would be when Voldemort tried to kill Harry to prevent the prophecy occuring and merely chose his worst enemy instead, as in accordance to the prophecy. In fact, historically speaking, most prophecies had come true because one party had tried to stop the other party fulfilling their part, whereas in fact if they'd just let it be nothing would have happened.
Life was so ironic sometimes. It made Ginny smile.
What made her smile more was the thought that as likely as not, by trying to kill Hermione, Harry had inadvertantly made her his worst enemy. Far from dying or hiding in some hovel, Hermione had merely gotten a good glamour, a new name, and started her climb into high society. So now Harry was eating, unknowingly, out of her hand, and she had more than enough power to destroy him should she entertain the whim.
Ginny broke off her line of thought in order to concentrate: she remembered how tricky getting into this department could be. After some mental juggling she achieved entrance, and moved swiftly through the room full of desks and shelves, all empty, strangely, straight to the shelves of prophecies. She was looking for a later one, she mused as she moved along the shelf, scanning labels. Then she found it, just like she was expecting.
12th September 2006, Harry James Potter and Hermione Maria Granger, prophecy by Trelawney, Hogwarts School
"Score." Ginny murmured, pulling out a muggle dictaphone out of her purse and reaching for the prophecy as she pressed the 'record' button. "Let's see what this is about."
&
Constantine was sitting on a balcony outside her room in Paris, sipping coffee and eating croissants when an owl swooped in on her, dropping a letter on the table neatly in front of her. She set her cup aside and picked it up with a nod to the owl, pushing her plate of toast towards the owl. It wasn't an owl she recognised, and it had a post office tag around it's ankle. When it had it's fill of toast it soared away, and Constantine slit open the letter with the butterknife. It was from Ginny, with an aside from Amadeo. She read that first.
Our dear Ms Weasley has been busy, look at this and see what you think. If there's anything to it, then Potter's royally screwed himself over. Have a wonderful time, hit Masters if he tries anything.
AmadeoConstantine picked up Ginny's letter with a smile, Amadeo's words playing in her head. Daniel was still out cold in their bed, they hadn't wasted any time. There simply didn't seem to be any point. And why not, anyway? As she slit the plain seal, her smile dimmed. What was it that Ginny had found?
Dear Constantine,
I've been doing a spot of investigation on your behalf, and as part of fulfilling my own curiosity, and had a hunch. I was right, and found what I was looking for in the Department of Mysteries. Professor Trelawney, the old bag, has been stirring things up again with her dubious prophecies, though as far as they go this one may not be far off. It's about an hour long, but the key points are as follows:
Hermione Granger will rise in power equal to and above Harry Potter
She will then overthrow him
She will cause chaos and a social revolution which will result in an end to the old ways, and all those previously in power 'will be brought low' to her feet, which they will then kiss/worship/whatever.
That is essentially the sum of it, that Granger will rise higher than Harry and then bring him down, which I suppose could be reason to kill her, especially if one thought in terms of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or other such dictatorial evil lords that revolutionised society and brought low all those good people already in power, though I think when Harry was considering this prophecy he forgot the kind of person Granger is. All in all, I think we're looking at another self-fulfilling prophecy…by trying to kill Granger, Harry's simply given her the opportunities to make herself something more. Irony can be amusing on occasion.
Have a wonderful time in Europe, don't do anything I wouldn't do.
Lots of love, GinnyConstantine stared at the letter for a few moments, though when she heard Daniel shift in bed she quickly folded the letter and tucked it into her pocket. A few moments later he appeared bleary eyed in the doorway. It was very different from Draco's up-and-at-'em early morning attitude: Constantine was quickly finding that Daniel was most definitely not a morning person.
"I don't like waking up without you there." He mumbled as he sat down across from her, reaching for the coffee. Constantine smiled.
"I don't like being in bed until eleven thirty in the morning." She replied. "So there may be a problem."
"I'll get up earlier." He muttered, sniffing his coffee deeply before sipping it and sighing in near-ecstacy. Constantine smiled indulgently.
"I'll believe that when I see it." She said gently. "Any plans for today?" Daniel shrugged, still caught up in his coffee, and Constantine decided to leave it until more brain cells had turned on in his head, or she'd be repeating herself endlessly for the next hour or so, which was not something she wished to do. And she had plenty to think on anyway, as she sipped her coffee and gazed out across morning Paris.
So she was going to bring Harry to his knees? It seemed fitting, after what he'd put her through. As for social revolution…well, she was very much into the idea of breaking down anti-Muggle mindsets in the wizarding world, as well as building up wizarding society in eastern countries. And she wanted a more democratic wizarding government, with more money going to the obscure but important departments such as curse-breaking, which she knew from Bill to be appallingly under-funded. And she wanted…
That could count as a social revolution, if she were to bring even a few of those into being, and as the socially active socialite in more than one sense of the phrase, she had the power, the placement and the motivation to do just that. Bringing Harry to her feet would be an added bonus.
It explained a lot though, this prophecy. Ginny had always believed that Harry took the prophecy thing a bit far, treating them like gospel, and Constantine agreed wholeheartedly. Prophecies, as with most divination with the exception of Ancient Runes, were imprecise, often inaccurate and dealt with what might happen if a billion conditions were satisfied first. It gave an idea of the future, what might happen, maybe if other things possibly occur and their consequences coincidentally coincide with the astrological lineup. It was ridiculous, and precisely why she had quit divination in third year at Easter. Harry would have been wise to do the same.
"Oh, I needed that." Constantine dragged her attention back to Daniel. He was setting his empty mug down on the table and stretching, giving an inviting flash of his chest for her to admire. In that, at least, Daniel and Draco were quite similar; both knew how attractive they were. Egotistical bastards, the pair of them. Constantine didn't know where Draco was, but she hoped he was okay, not living in some pig-hovel. "Good morning, Constantine." Constantine smiled at him.
"Morning, Dan." She waved a hand aimlessly at the breathtaking view from their balcony. "Any plans for today?" Daniel shrugged.
"Ever been to Paris before?" He asked. Constantine nodded.
"Once, as a child." Daniel nodded.
"Well then…I figured today we might do the touristy things, either Muggle or wizarding or both…the Louvre, Eiffel Tower…those kinds of things. Tonight we can go out for dinner, then I'll show you some of the more…overlooked wonders of this city." His voice was getting more and more animated as he planned their week, and Constantine smiled. His enthusiasm was not only catching, but it was very sweet. Not like Draco at all.
Constantine mentally slapped herself. She had to stop comparing them in her head, because they were two different people, that was blatantly obvious. Some of the things Daniel said and did were things Draco would never dream of saying or doing. It was only little things that reminded her of Draco, like the self-confidence of both men, and their vanity. Apart from that, and a predeliction towards Armani and D&G, the two men were quite different. Draco was sweet but serious, proper in his behaviour and attitude, and quite like Amadeo in all truthfulness. Daniel was as likely to start tickling Constantine in the street so she would squeal and grin as he was to tell some important Ministry official to shove it. He'd done it, too, when one of the social Ministers had approached Constantine regarding Constantine's Third World Projects. The conversation had gotten lengthy and Daniel had gotten bored, so he led Constantine away by the arm and told the official to make an appointment if they wanted to speak to Constantine for any more than five minutes. Daniel simply didn't care what society thought about him, whereas Draco was always well aware of the judgemental nature of society and always made sure there was nothing about his behaviour that might affect his social standing. Constantine was beginning to think that Daniel would be as happy in a pigsty as he was in a penthouse, as long as he had his precious building designs to look at.
That was another thing, if Draco was asked what kind of building was standing in front of him, his answer would probably be 'A stone one', whereas if that same question was asked of Daniel, one had to prepare oneself for a lecture that could last upwards of half an hour. It usually featured on style mixing: on how the architect and designer and mixed Greek and Art Deco styles to create a building that was at once both modern, classy and elegant. Or something like that. After fifteen minutes Constantine was apt to zone out.
At which point Dan would tickle her incessantly until she apologised profusely.
Daniel really wasn't anything like Draco at all.
"Constantine?" She looked up, startled out of her thoughts, and saw Daniel watching her carefully. "Are you alright?" She nodded with a bright smile.
"I'm fine. Shall we get dressed and go? I want to see Paris!" Daniel laughed.
"Sure. You can have the shower first." He said generously. She grinned and pushed back from the table, heading inside, her silk robe fluttering behind her. Daniel watched her go, and then saw the letter left in her wake. He picked it up with a frown and was about to set it on the table when he recognised Miss Weasley's handwriting and paused. He sank back into his chair, and with a quick glance in at the hotel room, he opened it.
&
Paris was amazing. So was Rome. So was Lisbon.
So was Daniel.
When Constantine had first come on this trip, she had near enough jumped into bed with him. After all, he was good looking, nice and it always helped to keep the man protecting you from those who would blow you up in a good mood. But recently she had noticed it had changed…there was more feeling in it.
She was afraid she was falling in love.
Never mind how he was feeling…Constantine was prepared to leave him as soon as it went wrong…it really didn't matter how she felt, her reputation and the work she was doing was more important. And there was always Amadeo to shout at, as he always took it with good grace, though when she'd finished he had a tendancy to pat her on the head and ask if she felt better.
She always did though.
This business with Daniel was dangerous though. She was feeling closer to him every day, and just seeing him made her feel better, not that there was a lot of opportunity to feel bad as he took her on a whirlwind tour of Europe. She was having an amazing time and was waiting for the other shoe to drop…for Amadeo to call her back to England or for Daniel to reveal he was secretly gay and using her as a cover.
She wasn't expecting him to ask her if she was still in love with Draco.
"What?" Constantine was having a hard time keeping her jaw from dropping. "I beg your pardon?"
"Are you still in love with Draco?" Daniel asked again patiently. Constantine stared. "Constantine, it's not a hard question."
"I don't see how it's any of your business." Constantine snapped, gripping the rail by the window to stop her hands trembling. "I did love him until he took up with Granger. Then it all fucked up and he left me for her. It's that simple."
"So you don't love him anymore." Daniel said, his tone of voice saying he didn't believe her at all.
"What on earth has brought this on?" Constantine demanded. She watched as Daniel reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. When she took it from him she recognised it isntantly: the letter Ginny had sent her over a month ago. "Where did you get this?" She asked, feeling fury stir in her stomach.
"You dropped it." Daniel answered, his bronze-brown eyes boring into her. "It seems Miss Weasley has been researching Granger for you. It gives the impression you are sympathetic to the lady's cause."
"You read it?" Constantine demanded, struggling to keep her voice from shaking. Daniel didn't reply. "How…dare you?"
"I know very little about you, Constantine." Daniel answered. "I was curious."
"Curious? Curious?" Constantine lowered her voice considerably. "I'm going back to the hotel, Daniel. And I would prefer it if you didn't follow me." She spun on her heel and strode away from the window overlooking Barcelona and walked out the resteraunt doors without looking back, swallowing tears and tipping her chin up.
Amadeo would have recognised her posture instantly.
Constantine cast a subtle language charm over herself, and was quickly speaking to the taxi driver and was soon on her way. She stared out at the beautiful architecture and clenched her fists in her lap, her nails cutting into her palms.
It had to end at some point. She reminded herself. But the damage Daniel could do with the information he had on her could ruin her utterly, and all her Projects. They'd fall through, people would lose money and the people she had promised help to, had met and visited and laughed with, would lose everything, and gain nothing.
Socially, her name would be in ruins. Never mind the utter personal devastation…Constantine would have to start again. New name, new image, new everything. And it would be harder without Draco's initial introduction.
She arrived at the hotel and paid the driver before running up the steps into the very expensive hotel. People in the lobby parted for the stone faced woman who strode through their midst and Constantine was glad. She could feel the tears coming and didn't know how long she could hold them back for.
The key to her door jammed twice and so Constantine spelled it open with a subtle wand wave and headed inside, closing the door softly behind herself before grabbing her suitcase and piling her clothes into it, before remembering she needed to make it bottomless. She did it, tears flooding down her face, and watched the clothes sink into it before continuing to pack.
"Constantine, what are you doing?" She jumped and spun and saw Daniel standing by the terrace doors.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" She demanded. "And how did you get in so quietly?"
"I apparated. You didn't hear because you were chucking shoes into the bag." He stepped forward, touching her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Constantine narrowed her eyes and slapped his hand away, going to the bathroom and coming back with an armful of cosmetics only to see Daniel unpacking her bag.
"Fuck off, Daniel." She snapped, shoving him bodily out of the way and chucking the bottles into the suitcase before refilling it. Daniel grabbed her by both arms and forced her to face him. She tried to pull away but he only tightened his grip so she could feel herself bruising.
"Constantine, it's okay." He said, trying to reassure her. "God, you look scared!" He sounded shocked.
"I'm scared because I've suddenly found I'm in the middle of Europe with a man I can't trust!" She exclaimed, trying to wrench her arms out of his grip.
"You can trust me, Constantine." Daniel said, his voice suddenly very serious and solemn.
"Oh, yes, because reading someone's private mail is trustworthy?" She hissed. Daniel sighed.
"Constantine, look at me." She didn't, looking stubbornly down at the floor between his arms. "Constantine." She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to shut him out. "Hermione." Her eyes flew open and she stared. "Hey." Draco said. Constantine jerked backwards so quickly that Draco, unprepared for her reaction, lost his grip. Constantine fell backwards onto the floor and scrambled backwards. "Hermione!"
She was crying harder now than before, barely able to see or breathe for sobbing. She was shaking her head so hard her straightened red hair was falling into her face, sticking to the tear streaks. Draco knelt beside her and stroked her hair out of her face.
"Hermione, look at me, my love." She did, green eyes hard and glittering.
"Let go of me." She bit out between sobs. The vehemence in her voice made Draco lean back and in that time, Constantine gripped her wand and apparated out.
&
She misjudged the apparation and ended up landing badly on the front step of the Manor. Swearing profusely at her aching ankle, she shoved open the door to the manor and stepped into the foyer, yelling for Amadeo.
"Amadeo!" By this point the name was hardly recognisable for the sobs. "Amadeo, you bastard, get out here!" The blonde appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Constantine?" He asked, frowning and running down the stairs, meeting her on the marble floor and gripping her shoulders where Draco had bruised them, making her wince. "What it is? Where's Daniel?" He looked around but she was alone.
"Daniel?" Constantine immediately went from distraught to furious, and Amadeo actually found himself a little wary of her. "Daniel? I'm sorry, Amadeo, but I can't fucking tell you where Daniel fucking is!"
"He left you?" Amadeo asked incredulously. That was simply unbelievable. Then it suddenly occurred to him why she was upset. "Constantine-"
"And you knew!" She shrieked, all decorum gone. "You knew and you didn't fucking tell me!" She shoved him hard and he stumbled back a step. "I hate you both. I despise you!"
"Constantine…Hermione. You're upset, I get that, but-"
"Leave her, Amadeo. This is my fault." Constantine spun and saw Draco standing, looking unruffled and perfect in the doorway.
"You." She bit out. "You I hate the worst." Draco flinched minimally, and Constantine didn't see it. Amadeo did, though and he frowned.
"Hermione, please, calm down." Amadeo said quietly. She ignored him, digging in her pocket for her wand. It wasn't there and she turned on him.
"Give it back to me right now." She said coldly. Amadeo shook her head.
"You're not apparating now, you'll splinch yourself." He said. She stared at him for a second, then walked away from him. Draco grabbed her hand.
"Hermione-" He was silenced by a resounding slap that twisted his head to the side. When he looked back, she was gone. He looked at Amadeo, who was staring at him cooly. "What?" he asked irritably.
"How did she find out?" Amadeo asked. Draco sighed.
"I showed her."
"You what? How are you going to look after her now, genius? You had her in your hand! It was perfect."
"It was a lie." Draco retorted.
"Her life is a lie, Draco. Wake up and smell reality for gods sakes! Masters is destroyed in society from now, and if Constantine even deigns to spit on you you'll be lucky!"
"I couldn't lie to her!" Draco shot back. Amadeo rolled his eyes.
"You've been lying to her for nearly a year, you idiot." He said flatly. "Now. I'm going to call Ginny Weasley and see if we can get her here, or else god only knows what Hermione's going to do."
"She's not going to do anything stupid." Draco said stubbornly. Amadeo sighed.
"Did you splinch your brains out coming here? She apparated so badly she landed outside and on her ankle, she was limping when she came in. It's lucky half of her didn't appear in Paris! Now you go find something to amuse yourself and hopefully think up a way to make her talk to you again, and I'll get Virginia here." Amadeo spun on his heel and disappeared into his study, leaving Draco alone in the foyer.
&
Constantine ran out of the house and into the labyrinth garden, running blindly down the hedged corridors until she found a bench that was suitably far into the maze. She collapsed onto it, gasping for breath and sobbing again.
All that time, he'd been right there! All those weeks trying to look for him in the most subtle way she could manage, struggling with her feelings for Daniel while still feeling for Draco, and all the time they'd been the same fucking person.
She felt betrayed, confused, joyous and devastated all at the same time. Her stomach was churning and her head and throat ached from the crying. She looked at her hand and saw they were trembling. She sighed, taking deep breaths and leaned back against the hedge. She had no idea what to do now. There was no way in hell she was just going to forgive Draco just like that. And Amadeo…well, he she'd at least talk to.
But what had Draco planned? Was he going to keep up the façade forever? Just let her fall in love with Daniel, maybe even get married? Never tell her that he was in fact Draco Malfoy and that she'd spent god only knew how long searching for the man she was actually with?
Her head hurt.
A tell-tale pop made her look up, ready to tell either Malfoy to fuck off, but instead she saw Ginny standing there, dressed in a white linen trouser suit with gold flats.
"Oh, honey." Ginny quickly stepped to her side, sitting beside her and pulling Hermione into her arms. It made her start crying again, and she clutched at Ginny's collar, sobbing. "Hey, it's okay, darling. Don't cry. Shh, it's okay."
"How is it fucking okay?" Constantine demanded. "How the fuck is it okay?" Ginny shook her head, reaching for Constantine's hand and pulling the ring off so Constantine changed into Hermione.
"Hey, there. Hermione, honey, he was doing it to protect you." Ginny said quietly. "So he could be around you."
"But he lied to me!" Hermione cried. "He let me fall in love with Daniel, even though Daniel was an utter lie! Was he ever going to tell me? Or just let me love some sort of fake…idea?" Ginny didn't answer, hugging Hermione to her and rubbing her back. Hermione sniffed, closing her eyes and leaning against Ginny's shoulder. "I don't know what to do, Gin. I can't just forgive him like that." Ginny didn't speak and Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at her. "What are you thinking?" Ginny shrugged.
"Well…I don't really know. I can understand how devastated you are, I know I'd be so upset if it happened to me. But…you're not really going to want to hear this, but…if Daniel Masters had been the real thing, wouldn't you have been doing the same thing to him as Draco was doing to you? After all, Constantine isn't real either. Daniel would be in love with an idea as much as you were with Daniel."
"It's different, though!" Hermione exclaimed. "Daniel…Draco, whatever, knew Constantine was an idea!"
"So you weren't really fooling him. But if it hadn't been Draco, if Daniel was born Daniel Masters, then he would have believed in Constantine the way you believed in Daniel." Hermione sighed, and Ginny knew that her point had been made. "Look, I'm not saying you have to forgive him any time soon, but if you try and think of it from his point of view…he knows you're still being hunted. He wanted to protect you, and by taking on Master's name and image, he could get close enough to you to watch over you, and I think he's missed you as much as you missed him."
"He had me, though." Hermione argued. "All the time he was with me he knew I was me."
"Yeah, but Constantine and Hermione aren't the same person." Ginny replied evenly. Her calmness was infectious; Hermione could feel herself relaxing, breathing easier. "Constantine is a lot harsher than Hermione, less caring. Spending all his time around Constantine isn't the same as spending it around you. I bet he's missed it."
"Well, if he'd told me sooner, I could have been Hermione to him." Hermione replied obstinately. Ginny shook her head.
"It would have been too dangerous." Ginny replied quietly. "He couldn't risk it."
"It sounds like you sympathise." Hermione accused, sitting up and looking at the redhead. Ginny shook her head.
"With both of you, I do. You were both put in difficult situations. I understand why he became Daniel, just as I understand why you became Constantine. It was for the same reason, Hermione. And you didn't tell Daniel you were really Hermione for the same reason he didn't tell you he was Draco. To protect yourself and to protect the other."
"I can't go back in there." Hermione said. Ginny nodded.
"You can stay with me for a while, until you work out what you want to do." Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"With Harry?" Ginny shook her head.
"I've got a separate flat that I use when I want some time away. Harry doesn't know about it. It's a safety net, if you like."
"Are you two still rocky then?" Hermione asked. Ginny shrugged.
"We're not a two any more, I don't think. It's not official, but…I don't want to live with that for the rest of my life. I still love him, very much, but I don't know if I'm in love with him. Until he can sort himself out, then I don't want to be with him. And I know that I can't be friends with you and him simultaneously. I hate the way he looks at Constantine, and he's hunting you."
"I'm sorry." Hermione said quietly. Ginny shrugged.
"It's not your fault. I don't know if his attitude was inevitable, bearing in mind he grew up being the Harry Potter, Voldemort's archenemy, obsessed with prophecies and what else, but I don't like it. And I can't live with it." Hermione nodded, and Ginny paused. "Do you want to go in? Get your clothes or whatever?"
"I don't want to see him." Hermione said, looking close to tears again. "I'm torn between throwing myself at him and killing him." Ginny smiled wryly.
"Alright. I'll go in and ask the House Elf, Dimmy, is it? I'll ask her to pack your clothes for you." Hermione nodded, then looked up.
"I could go to Africa." She said. Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Seriously, there's all the Projects, I need to check up on them all anyway. It'd be a break, and I'd be doing something other than obsessing over him."
"It's probably a very good idea." Ginny said. Hermione smiled, getting enthused by the prospect.
"You could come with, if you like. Or if you want to stay and keep an eye out, that's fine."
"I won't go straight away." Ginny said, "Though I might join you out there later. But one thing at a time. I'll go get your things, then come back here. Then I'll take you to the flat." Hermione nodded and Ginny handed her back the ring. "Put this back on. Hermione needs to stay hidden for a while longer." Hermione nodded, slipping the ring back on her finger and feeling the familiar sensation of change. "I'll be right back." Ginny said, and she disappeared with a pop, leaving Constantine alone in the maze.
&
When Ginny appeared in the foyer of the Manor, Draco immediately grabbed her arm.
"What's happening?" He demanded. She gave him a patient look and he let go of her. "Is she…okay?"
"She's moving in with me for a while." Ginny said. "I have a flat away from Harry so she can stay there. Then she's thinking of going to the Project locations."
"She's leaving?" Draco asked, sounding crestfallen. Ginny smiled sadly.
"She needs time to think, Draco. I put forward your side of the story and she heard me at least. But she needs time to sort herself out." Draco opened his mouth to argue and Amadeo stepped in.
"Do you know how long she'll be gone?" Amadeo asked, cutting Draco off. Ginny shook her head.
"She'll come back when she's ready. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do."
"She will come back, won't she?" Draco asked. Ginny looked at him seriously.
"She loves you very much, Draco. As yourself and as Daniel. That makes me think she'll come back. But she's hurt and confused and angry and happy all at the same time, and it's gonna take her some time to sort through the mess of emotions she's feeling right now. So I think she will come back, Draco, but I don't know how soon that's going to be. Maybe not for a couple of months, at least."
"Months!" Draco breathed. "But Ginny, can't you make her-"
"No." Ginny said flatly. "I can't. This is something she has to work through on her own, Draco. Or she'll never be sure. It's going to take her time and you are going to have to be patient."
"But you think she will come back?" Draco asked, desperation lacing his voice. Ginny nodded slowly.
"I think she will."
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