Don't own this at all! Not even the plot! It's all J.K.'s and I make no money! (Really, I don't. Ever.)
AN: Ok, so chapter one of impending drama.
It was early June, and even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky and a breeze was rustling through her curtains, sending warm air across her face, a portent of good things, alive things…Hermione was uneasy.
It had been weeks since the incident with Draco and while it had taken Harry the first one to realize that Hermione meant what she'd said, the rest of that time Hermione'd had no contact with him, aside from the occasional glance across a room. It hurt to admit it, but it was incredibly unsettling, not talking to him. Feeling as though they were fighting. Because as much as Harry needed her…she needed him, too. He was like her brother, after all.
But even so, she'd seen evidence of their separation in him, too. Good evidence. He'd grown quieter, calmer. He looked thoughtful more often. And he'd been single-mindedly pursuing the memory, Ginny had told her recently. Like he should have been doing all year long. So, she knew she'd done the right thing. Serious actions demanded serious consequences, and cutting off a friendship like theirs was serious enough to pass that message along.
Enough, it had told Harry. Time to grow up mentally, too. Long enough to do what's being asked of you. Your childish temper tantrums won't be tolerated anymore and they're far from useful. They're downright dangerous. So fix it.
That was what her eyes asked , no, told him every time they met his across a room, or crowded hallway. And his replied that he was working on it. And Ginny confirmed it when they met for studying, or gossip, or just because Hermione needed to be around someone she knew was sane and good.
Because, while she'd said she had no desire to chum with Draco's friends, that's what had inevitably happened, on more than one occasion. Not by either her or Draco's efforts, certainly. It was hardly his fault the others were treating him like the chosen one of Slytherin, their very own Harry Potter-like figure in these dark, uncertain times.
Oh, wait. Except it was his fault, since he'd consistently had to drum up support for himself and buoyed his own reputation by bragging about being a Death Eater. Damn it all. She loved him, but sometimes he made her so angry-
The door of her room sounded with three loud knocks and voices called out to her.
"Hermione-"
"Ginny, come on, then. Like she wants hear about him-"
"Oh, please, stop being such a bloody ponce, Ron! You're such a git, sometimes, I swear-"
Hermione made it to the door as quickly as possible and swung it open.
"Hi," she said to Ginny and Ron, who were tangled in a knot as Ron had clearly been trying to keep Ginny from knocking. Ron flushed an angry pink and withdrew, looking away, but he didn't go back down the stairs. Hermione looked to Ginny.
"What's going on?"
"Harry went to get the memory," she breathed. "Ron just told me, over two hours after he'd gone. He used some of the Felix-"
"Oh my god, that's brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed. "I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner!"
"Well, it's no wonder- it's not like any of us were thinking about it, really," Ginny pointed out. "Besides, Harry was so focused on Malfoy all the time-"
"Sure, blame Harry for it, as usual. Merlin, you two-"
"No one asked you to come with me, Ron," Ginny said coldly, rounding on him.
"Yeah, well no one asked Hermione to get involved this time, did they?" he shot back.
"He nearly killed Draco, Ron!" Hermione yelled, unable to keep quiet any longer. "Did you really expect me to just sit back and take that? Did you think- no, wait, that's the bloody problem with you two. You never think before you do anything. It's bad enough trying to get Harry to listen to me, but you-" She stopped, took a deep breath. "Harry's been as bad as you are, this year, and it's what led to all that in the first place. It's why he took so long to get the memory. He wasn't focusing the way he needed to-"
"Because he was grieving!" Ron shot back. "Or have you forgotten what he went through last year-"
"I know!" Hermione shouted back. "I was there too, remember?"
There was dead silence for a moment as Ron looked away again, ashamed, and Hermione gathered herself. Ginny hung between them, uncertain which way to turn.
"I know how hurt he was," Hermione said softly. "He's not the only person on the planet to experience grief at his age. You don't know everything there is to know about me, either, Ron Weasley."
"Blimey, Hermione…" Ron's voice trailed off as he looked up at her. "I didn't-"
"Who?" Ginny asked quietly.
"My cousin," Hermione replied. "And my friend. She died the year I came to Hogwarts, leukemia. And I wasn't there for her, because I was here."
Ron flushed again and he worked his mouth, unsure of what to say.
"Hermione…"
Ginny looked at him to shut him up and reached out, took Hermione's hand. "I'm sorry," she said.
"Thanks," Hermione replied. "Anyway, it's not the same as Harry's loss. I know that. But I still felt it, just the same. Still do. And I know it's hard, when you don't understand something, or wish it had been different, and to feel helpless like that…but he can't let it control him, can't give into the darker side of it. What we have to face is too important."
"It's not fair," Ron mumbled uselessly.
"Of course it isn't," Hermione replied. "But that's how things are. A lot of things will never be fair, no matter how hard we try to change them. Will they?"
She gave him a pointed stare and he met it bravely, though he didn't have the words to answer her. Didn't know if he would've even if he knew what she wanted to hear.
"So that's why," he finally said after a long moment.
"Why I did what I did these last weeks, yes. He had to face the truth of what he's doing and my coddling him wasn't going to help him do that."
"No," said a voice from the shadows of the staircase, "but it would have been nice, just the same."
Ginny gasped and swung about, then jumped down a few stairs to greet the speaker by throwing her arms around his neck.
"Harry!" she exclaimed. "You're back! Did you get it?"
"Already gave it to Dumbledore," he answered, then gently detached her arms from his neck, though he accepted her kiss upon his cheek. He looked past her, past Ron, to where Hermione stood, silhouetted by the light in her doorway. His eyes were bright, his face serious.
Hermione drew her mouth to one side and shifted from one foot to the other as the seconds ticked by.
"Merlin's balls, will one of you say something?" Ron finally broke in and Ginny smacked his arm hard.
"I've got it covered, mate," Harry said, glancing over. He cast his eyes back up to Hermione, gave her a shy, uncertain smile. "But he's right, I don't have all night."
At that, seeing the urgency take over his body, Hermione shrugged and stepped back, gesturing into her room.
The other two looked back at Harry and he smiled at them as well. "You should both come inside. I have something important to tell you all."
Ginny and Ron shuffled in before him and Harry paused by Hermione where she stood at her door, unmoving.
"Thank you," he whispered, then wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. Hermione just stood there a second, wanting to respond and desperately wishing she didn't, but finally she gave in and brought her arms up around him, too. She didn't say a word, just as she hadn't that awful day weeks ago, but Harry could feel her fingers digging into his shirt, felt her head rest against his shoulder softly, and it was enough to know that she'd do what she had to do.
"You're my best mate," he whispered into her hair and felt her arms tighten around him briefly.
"Oh, Harry," she murmured. Then they let go and it was back to business. Harry preceded her inside and started to talk as she shut the door again and came around to take a seat.
"Dumbledore wants me to go somewhere with him. He says we can start the real task, now that we've seen the memory."
"But what was in it?" Hermione asked and he waved a hand.
"I can't tell you right now."
"But you will?"
He gave her an affectionate, exasperated look. "Yes, I will."
"Now that you're talking to him again," Ron said sullenly from a corner. Harry shot him a look.
"Enough. That's not why I came- look, the thing is-"
"Harry, you're jumping about some. Just calm down and get to it," Ginny said gently.
"Right, sorry," Harry replied. He went quiet, blew out some air, ran a hand over his hair. He started over.
"The bottom line is that I'm going somewhere with Dumbledore, tonight. I'll be with him the entire time, so I'll be perfectly safe. But-"
"Harry, you can't-"
"I have to, Hermione. Now that I'm finally doing what I was meant to. That's what you've helped me work so hard for, right?"
She stared at him hard and he looked away, to Ginny and Ron.
"So, I wanted to tell you where I'll be. I don't know how long we'll be gone, but I can't leave without knowing you'll all be safe. I still have some Felix left, and I want you all to have some, if anything happens. Anything at all."
"What do you think is going to happen?" Ginny asked.
"He thinks Death Eaters will try and attack the school. That's what it is, isn't it?" Hermione responded.
"What? No way," Ron huffed and Hermione turned to him.
"It's the perfect opportunity for something to happen, Dumbledore leaving like this. Sure, the school has plenty of enchantments, but there are-"
"Already Death Eaters on the inside, right?" Harry interrupted and Hermione whirled to look at him. He raised a brow and she sank back into her chair.
"Draco-"
"Malfoy is up to something, has been all year. And I shouldn't have fixated on it the way I did, you're right about that. But whether you know something or not, or if it's voluntary service or not…they'll know. They always know. So, I want you all to promise me that you'll gather as much help as possible. Use the coins from the DA, use the Felix. When something happens I want you to be prepared and be safe."
"If something happens," Ginny said, trying to inject some optimism into the moment. Harry leveled his gaze at her and she saw many things there: love, strength, sadness, anger. But no optimism.
"When," he repeated. "Someone will need to watch Malfoy, see what he's up to."
"I will," Hermione and Ron said at the same time.
"No," Harry said, turning to Hermione. "Ron can. Not you. I don't care if there's some sort of protection spell on you or not. No one will be safe when they come. And you're not cut out for running in your condition."
Hermione couldn't argue with him, for once in her life, so she settled for glaring.
"Look, that's all I have time for. I should've been at the astronomy tower already. Right, take care of yourselves. Trust me this time, please."
"Harry-" Ginny caught up to him halfway out the door and planted a mad, wild kiss on his lips. He caught her up in his arms and kissed her back soundly, then set her away.
"See you soon, I hope," he murmured. Then he was gone. Ginny watched down the stairs and Ron stood up.
"Well, guess that's that. Do you want some Felix now, Hermione? You can take an extra drop, since nothing's started yet."
"I-" Hermione looked up at him, suddenly terrified, the uneasy feeling from earlier multiplied by ten.
"Yes," she whispered. "I think I'd better. Since you probably won't be coming back here."
"So you're not going to argue with us? You'll actually stay here?" Ron questioned as he recapped the tiny bottle. "What have you done with Hermione Granger?"
Hermione gave a strange little laugh. "It's the least I can do for Harry, trust him now. Besides, he's right. I'm perfect with a wand, but I can't run for shit at the moment. And it's not like I can tell these theoretical Death Eaters, 'Oh, sorry, would you mind standing still so I can take aim more easily?'"
"And it's not like you can ask for a handicap if they start chasing you," Ginny added, turning and walking back inside. "So, you'll be alright here, then? I think I'd better go with Ron, watch Malfoy, make sure no unfortunate accidents occur."
"That's the last thing we need," Hermione agreed and Ron rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. Come on, Gin. Let's get going. We can alert the DA on the way."
Hermione gave Ginny a hug first, then Ron, too, who seemed glad for it, as touchy as their relationship had been recently. They were all a bit on edge, a bit jumpy. Harry's certainty had infected them, amplified their natural nerves to a dissonant high.
With them gone, Hermione's room felt empty and queer. She shivered and realized the warm breeze from before was gone and that evening's early chill had set in. She walked over to her window and glanced out, unsurprised to see the sudden gathering of clouds in a previously blue and sunny sky. Her hands crept from her arms to her belly and she rubbed her stomach restlessly.
Harry. Draco. Dumbledore.
This wasn't going to end well, just as she'd known months ago. Her terror tried to cloud her mind, tried to force her to her knees, but one thing kept her sane. The tiny heartbeat that she felt, strong and clear, to the very marrow of her bones.
It wouldn't end well, but they would survive. And they would do what had to be done.
AN: Bad things are coming. Really, really bad things. But happy ending after that.