A/N: And another chapter is up. Please don't get used to the frequency. I don't think I will be able to keep it up. Looking forward to your feedback in the reviews, again.
Also it seems that e-mail alerts go out with a huge delay at the moment, just saying.

Disclaimer: Surprisingly, I still don't own any of this, except Valerie, she's mine.

Chapter Six - Another prolonged camping trip is not an option

Ron arrived at Grimmauld place and instantly started refreshing the defense spells of the house.
Hermione had apparated them directly into the bathroom, being the clever witch that she was. Valerie didn't even have enough time to look where she was, she had no idea what had just happened and all she knew was that this toilet in front of her came in handy. And then she was already puking her guts out. Her stomach churned horribly and for the first time in a couple of minutes, she finally knew what to feel. Angry.

Hermione reached for Valeries hair and held it up as well as she could, "You'll feel better in a second. I'm sorry for putting you through this."
As soon as Valerie felt it was safe to leave the immediate vicinity of the toilet, she went over to the sink and drank some water from the tap. Hermione looked at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Valerie was eerily calm and collected. But she had no time to ponder about it because Valerie turned around and started yelling, "What was that? What is happening, and how is it happening. I demand that you tell me everything. RIGHT. NOW!

Hermione sighed, this was to be expected, but she didn't really have the time to give out big explanations, she needed to find Ron.
"Val I know you're mad at me right now, and you're confused. But again, I need you to trust me. We're still in danger. Someone I helped put in prison escaped and he's now searching for me and everyone associated with me to hurt me and get back at me. We need to get downstairs and help Ron secure the building. Please be patient for another couple of minutes and I'll tell you everything you want to know." Hermione pleaded. She didn't wait for an answer but started down the stairs, dragging Valerie behind her.
Ron met them in the sitting room, "The place is secure for now. But I doubt that it will take Malfoy long to figure out where we are."
"We need to get more people here to make sure we outnumber him and whoever he brings along. And we need to find a suitable hiding spot for Val." Hermione said, the cogs in her head turning at breakneck speed.

"The cloak. I know where it is!" Ron exclaimed and ran up the stairs. He was back a couple of moments later and handed it to Valerie.
Hermione dragged Valerie into the kitchen. She opened another door and turned on the lights in a small cabinet. There was nothing but a tiny bed and very few personal items. Whoever the people were that lived here, they treated their children horribly, Valerie thought.
"Val, this is an Invisibilty Cloak. I need you to wear it and stay in this room, no matter what. Do not come out unless someone gives you the code word," Hermione quickly whispered something into Valeries ear, "that means it is either Ron, Harry, Ginny or myself. No one else knows it." Hermione spoke very fast, she had a feeling time was running out. She put the cloak around a very scared Valerie and shoved her into the room. She contemplated locking the door, but any wizard would be able to open it anyway and she didn't want to trap Valerie without the means to open the door herself.

As soon as the door was closed she heard a loud crack from the sitting room and then screams. She ran, her wand drawn. In the sitting room was Ron in a full body bind on the floor. Lucius Malfoy had one foot on his chest and his wand pointed at Ron's head. He was flanked by two grim looking young men. One of them brunette, clean shaven and bowed slightly as if uncomfortable with his own height. The other one was short and muscular with hair blacker than black.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione thundered and Malfoy's wand flew to the corner of the room. The two Death Eaters immediately started to cast spells at Hermione but she was fast enough to cast a Protection Spell. "Stop it!" Malfoy shouted. The two Death Eaters stopped immediately. One of them ran to get Lucius his wand. "Miss Granger, if you do not wish for your friend here to die, I suggest you stop fighting." he sneered.
"You know that the whole Ministry is looking for you. It will take only a couple of minutes until they figure out where you are and then this place will be crawling with Aurors." Hermione lectured him.
"By then I'll be gone. All I wanted was to make sure you're still alive and know that I'm really out of Azkaban. You see, I'm not really interested in killing you. I want to make you suffer." Malfoy announced with pleasure. A muscle in his face was twitching.
"Now, Miss Granger, I will leave. I have some business to attend to and quite frankly I need to get out of these clothes. We'll see each other soon, I trust." Malfoy said with a dangerous ring in his voice before disapparating. The Death Eaters were gone just a moment later.

Hermione ran to Ron and broke the body bind. He scrambled to his feet and groaned, "Sorry, they were too fast. And three against one."
"It's okay. Do we know what he is plotting. Were there any clues in his behaviour in Azkaban?" Hermione asked, her eyes deeply concerned.
"No. We only know that he wants to get back at you and that he's free. I say we check on everyone. Harry was informed by owl, but it might take a while until he gets the news. I doubt that he will read it before Sunday." Ron stated.
"You floo to the Burrow and make sure everyone is alright. I'll owl Ginny and tell her to come here." Hermione was in complete battle mode. Ron knew that from back when they were hunting for horcruxes. Hermione had always been the one planning and constantly screwing up her head about how to go about everything the best way. He knew she knew best, so he followed her orders and stepped into the fireplace saying, "The Burrow."

Hermione found a frayed piece of parchment and an old quill and started writing.

Ginny,

please come to Grimmauld as soon as you get this. Apparate or floo but not into the kitchen.

Hermione.

Hermione found Harry's owl and sent it on its way. She went into the kitchen and knocked on the door. No sound was coming from the small room. "Valerie, it's me, Hermione. The code word is Abracadabra," Hermione took a step back and the door opened. Slowly, Valerie emerged from the cloak. She was shaking with fear and looked like a deer in headlights. Hermione rushed to her and held her tight leading her to a chair at the kitchen table. There was a faint crack in the sitting room. Valerie jumped at the sound of it, but Hermione knew all too well who produced this particular cracking sound.
"It's okay. It's over for now. There, there." Hermione kept rocking her gently and held her tight. When she heard steps behind her she turned her head. Ginny was walking through the door. She was in her Harpies training robes, broom still in her hand.
"What happened?" she said quietly, her face lined with worry.
Hermione motioned for her to take a seat at the table. She let go of Valerie, who had somewhat calmed down and seemed to get angry again.

"Before you scream at me again. Now is the time to tell you everything. You can be mad at me all you want and you can yell at me as long as you like, but hear me out first." Hermione started. Valerie closed her mouth again and nodded. Ginny watched the scene unfold, not entirely sure what to make of it.
Hermione turned to Ginny, "Malfoy escaped. He was here but he left again leaving only threats. Ron is at the Burrow. I asked you to come here to see if you are okay. I couldn't very well leave her alone to find you. I promised to explain to Valerie what just happened. Feel free to help me out at any time. You look like you're busy though." Hermione talked way too quickly.
Ginny got up and hugged her to calm her down a bit, "Hermione, there is no practice at Midnight on Friday, I was just flying around post date, so don't panic. I have all the time in the world and I'll help you explain everything to Val."
Hermione buried her face in Ginny's neck. She smelt salty like an ocean breeze. "Thank you," she whispered.
Valerie's face grew angrier again. How long was she going to have to wait for an explanation?

"Alright. I ask you to keep an open mind and it will be easier to understand all this." Hermione swallowed and continued, "I'm a witch. So is Ginny. Harry and Ron too. Well, they're not witches but wizards. You get the idea. There is a whole subculture of witches and wizards out there. We are not evil or malicious in general, but there are some black sheep of course. The prisoner I was talking about earlier, Lucius Malfoy, is one of them. Two years ago, the second wizarding war ended with battle of Hogwarts. It was a fight of 'good against evil'. Good won. A lot of bad people were put away into a magical prison. Harry defeated the darkest wizard and leader of the so-called Death Eaters with Ron's, Ginny's and my help. A lot of other people helped too. Ron's and Ginny's family, for instance. Lucius was in the inner circle of this Dark Wizard - his name was Voldemort - and it was a big success when he was captured. I played a vital role in his being taken into pre-trial custody instead of only being confined to his manor, so he swore back then, that he would find a way to get back at me. And today he escaped this prison called Azkaban and threatened that he will make me suffer for what I did to him." Hermione stopped talking for a bit to give Val time to process what she had just said.

"I can see that you're not ugly but actually really beautiful, so that seems to be a stereotype. Do you ride brooms, wear pointy hats and dance naked around Beltain fires?"
Hermione cautiously smiled. Even when in shock, Valerie was still her flirty self.
"Yes. Sometimes, but hardly ever. And most definitely no," she answered the onslaught of Valerie's questions.
"You ride brooms?" Valerie's gaze fell onto the broom Ginny had brought with her and was leaning in the corner, "Can I see?" Valerie had decided to start with details that she could grasp before trying to get to the big picture and the prisoner thing.
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked and got up to get the broom. Valerie nodded and then looked at Hermione, "Do all of you ride brooms or just the witches?"
"Not all of us enjoy flying. Ginny flies for a living and I wouldn't mount a broom if my life depended on it. Harry is a good flyer too." Hermione explained.
Ginny mounted her broom and kicked off softly, just so that she hovered slightly above ground. Valeries eyes grew wider when Ginny started to zoom around in the small kitchen. She landed safely and sat down again.
"Wow...Is that a wand?" Valerie said pointing at Hermione's hand.
Hermione and Ginny went on to explain spells, the Wizard school system, and finally the story of Voldemort. The first rays of light came in through the kitchen window when Ginny finally got up to go home, "As much fun as this is, I have a game to play this afternoon and a practice before that. I need to get at least some sleep. Hermione, our plan still stands. I'll owl you as soon as I have talked to Harry. Good night Valerie." Ginny took her broom, turned on the spot and with a silent crack was gone.
"We probably should catch some sleep too. I'm too tired to continue this but let me say this, I'm glad you know. It'll make a lot of things easier from now on." Hermione yawned.
"How do we get back home? I don't even know where we are?" Valerie asked, realizing that she was in a completely unknown place.
"Don't worry, we're still in London and we have two ways of getting home. I'll apparate us again or we'll floo. That is what Ron did when he surprised you at home. He stepped through the fireplace." Hermione's tongue was getting heavy, "I suggest the fireplace, because I'm not sure I'm awake enough for apparition."

Valerie put her arms around Hermione, who threw a bit of green powder into the fireplace and said, loud and clear, "Granger-Cox-Residence!"
They stepped out into their living room. "That was fantastic!" Valerie chimed, "Much better than Apparition!"
"You get used to the feeling after a while. But I agree, the floo is much more comfortable." Hermione said taking out her wand. She started mumbling Protection Spells until she was satisfied. Valerie didn't interrupt her but started putting away the wine that was still on the coffee table.
"I'm going to bed now. We can continue our conversation tomorrow. There is a lot in this flat that you don't know about. But for now: Sweet dreams." Hermione yawned again.
"Nighty night, and don't let the bed bugs bite." Valerie said, vanishing into her room.
Hermione fell into bed and had just enough time to think about Ginny in her training robes all sweaty and sexy before falling asleep.