Chapter 8: Shanked

Salty air filled Harry's nostrils as he slammed into what felt like coarse sand. Dampness lapped up his jeans as his eyes adjusted to seeing the tide coming in from beyond.

"Is everyone OK? Hermione? Ron?"

"AHHHHHHHH!" Hermione's blood-curdling scream caused Harry to whip his head around.

Hermione was kneeling halfway in the tide, her arms cradling an ashen Rose who was caked in blood. The source seemed to be her stomach, and when Harry drew closer, he nearly hurled -

A knife was in his goddaughter's stomach.

Ron snatched Rose away from Hermione and broke into a run, bellowing, "BILL! FLEUR! HELP!" Hermione pelted after him, sobbing and calling Ron's name. Harry looked to Dobby.

"Stay with me?"

The elf nodded solemnly. "Until the end, Harry Potter." Dobby loyally followed Harry to where the others were hustling towards a cottage on the edge of the beach. Fleur Weasley emerged onto the porch.

"Ron, what is...?" Her hands flew to her mouth. "Mon Dieu!"

"Fleur, Dittany and anything else in the medicine cabinet, now!" Bill ordered.

"Bill, please save my baby! Please!" Hermione was utterly hysterical. Ron was in no better shape. "Knife... Crucio... Bellatrix..." he rambled, making no sense.

Harry sprang onto the porch and burst into the house.

"Harry -"

"Not now, Bill! Dobby, stay close!" Harry took the stairs two at a time, and barreled into a bedroom, where Rose was being bandaged and Fleur was using every potion and Healing spell available. The little girl was out cold, Hermione sitting vigil by her sickbed and holding her hand. Ron stood over them both, his calloused paws massaging Hermione's shoulders.

Close to an hour passed like this. Fleur cleaned and healed the wound, then cleaned the knife, and was just about to throw it away when Harry stopped her.

"Give it to me." Confused, Fleur acquiesced, and Harry pocketed it. This blade would find a new target soon enough, he vowed. You swing at my family, you'd better not miss; you'd better have another punch to throw...

There was a slurring groan as Rose began to stir. Hermione anxiously bent over her.

"Rosie? Baby, can you hear me?"

At last, Rose opened her eyes. "Mummy..."

"Wake up, honey," Ron implored gently.

"Yes, that's right! Mummy's here! It's Mummy, darling!" Tears of relief spilled down Hermione's cheeks, and she covered Rose's face with kisses.

Leaning against the doorjamb, Harry watched the little family reunite. It looked like Rose was going to be OK. Slowly, he retreated to the hallway. After a moment, he felt footsteps following him, as Ron appeared at his side.

"What now?"

"We stay here until Rose gets better, then plan our next move. Go to Gringotts. Bellatrix was concerned about something in her vault, and I intend to find out what."

"What about Rose?"

"She's not coming with us. And neither are you. Or Hermione. I'm doing this alone."

"Like fuck you are!" Ron snapped.

"Ron! Do as I say!" Harry spit. "This -" and he threw an arm back towards Rose's bed, " - is exactly what I didn't want to have happen. I refuse to risk the child of my best friends again. There are things I've done in my life, but I was always ready to face the consequences, to protect my family! From here on out, I act with that in mind."

"NO!" And Ron and Harry were both shocked to see Rose sitting up in bed. "I'm coming too! We started this thing together, and that's how we'll finish it!" She looked determined, resolute, and in that moment, like a clone of her mother. Hermione just bit her lip, clearly not approving of Rose's decision, but also unsure how to go against her daughter's wishes.

Harry peered at Rose, then glanced to Hermione. "You sure this kid's only two-and-a-half?" he cracked. Because she looked and sounded much older.

Hermione chuckled nervously. "I gave birth to her, remember?"

Harry strode into the room and sat on the edge of his niece's bed. "All right, Rosie. Once you're better, you can come with us."

"Harry!" Ron gawped. "Are you bloody mental?!"

Harry held up a hand. "On one condition: you keep out of sight, never over-exert yourself and do exactly. as. I say. Or what your parents say. If we tell you to run, you run! Understand?"

"OK," Rose whispered softly.

"Excellent." Harry patted her on the head affectionately, then exited the room where he met Bill in the hallway.

"I need to speak to the goblin."

Draco Malfoy peered out the windows of Malfoy Manor at the driving rain. Over the past few days, everything that he thought he had known or had believed in had been turned completely on its head. And he wasn't sure yet whether it was in a good way.

Voldemort had arrived minutes after Harry Potter and company had fled. Upon discovering their absence, the Dark Lord had flown into a rage and murdered without regard. All the Snatchers that had captured the prisoners were hauled back in and cut down. Greyback's corpse was found dead behind the couch where he had dropped. Somehow, Bellatrix had avoided serious punishment, along with Draco and his parents, but even so, blood soaked through the hardwood floor of the drawing room.

Draco had never seen anything like it. When his aunt was torturing a toddler - a toddler! - the little brat of Granger and Weasley had stared her down, given nothing up, lied through her teeth (or maybe she had been telling the truth? He wasn't sure anymore). All under the Cruciatus Curse. Rose had refused to be cowed, and this had caused Bellatrix to utterly melt down.

And in the aftermath, spin it to anyone who would listen that she had somehow succeeded. She was lying her ass off; Draco knew it.

He could sense his aunt's presence behind him, talking in hushed tones with his parents.

"She's not weak, you know." He didn't address this to anyone in the room in particular, but Bellatrix all the same rounded on her nephew curiously.

"What?"

Draco stared into the darkened window panes. "Valuing life is not weakness."

"Oh, if you're talking about what happened with the Mudblood's brat, I had it under control..."

"And disregarding it is not strength!" Draco bravely turned to face her.

"Look, I called her bluff, Drakey! I know it was scary for you, but..."

"Next time you gamble? Bet your own damn life!" Draco shoved Bellatrix hard and stormed off, leaving his aunt gaping in his wake.