Hermione paced the floor in front of the fireplace, Lyra settled in her arms. All afternoon Lyra had been grizzly, and Hermione wasn't sure if it was because Voldemort was using her ribbon to threaten Draco, or if she was just in a bad mood. Either way Hermione knew her daughter was suffering with all the recent changes in her life. While she may have come into contact with even more people who loved her, she'd still lost her father and grandmother as well as her home. She now lived somewhere different, had different people looking after her and she didn't even have Hermione with her all day every day. Hermione could understand Lyra's restlessness, and she was beginning to wonder if a change was in order to offer her daughter some more stability.
In two weeks it would be the Easter holidays, and once they returned to Hogwarts after the break, exams would be right around the corner. At this stage, Hermione wasn't even sure if she could pass her exams. She was barely keeping up with her schoolwork, and her grades were a lot lower than they'd ever been. However, Lyra was her priority, and Hermione was beginning to think leaving school was what was best for her daughter. It was different when Draco was with her, and Lyra was settled at home with Narcissa, but the change of circumstances meant that Hermione was rethinking her plans. Suddenly making sure she had qualifications so she could work in the future, didn't seem quite as important. Right now all that was important was survival, and making sure when Voldemort was defeated their family was still intact.
"Hermione."
Hermione turned her head at the sound of Blaise's voice. As usual, Blaise and Theo were spending their Saturday with her and Lyra. However, Harry and Ron had also joined them along with Ginny. Currently the rest of the group were continuing the research into Rowena Ravenclaw, while Hermione tried to settle Lyra. Even though Ginny wasn't part of the Order, and didn't know what exactly was going on, she knew enough so she could help them with their research.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought," Hermione apologised. "Have you got something?"
"Maybe," Blaise replied as Hermione perched on the sofa beside him. "I keep finding references to some diadem. The diadem of wisdom."
"We've spotted that, but it's no good," Ron said from where he was sitting sprawled on the floor.
"Why not?" Hermione asked with a frown. So far they'd found nothing of any real significance, so she was more than happy to at least try to look into this diadem.
"It's lost," Ron answered. "It hasn't been seen for centuries, not since Rowena herself was alive."
"I know it's lost, but it doesn't mean it hasn't been found again," Blaise argued. "Who's to say You-Know-Who didn't find it and use it? Wasn't he obsessed with the founders? If anyone could find it, he could."
"Zabini's right," Harry said, much to the chagrin of his best friend. "I don't think we can rule it out. I mean let's face it, we haven't had any success with anything else. Our other options are a diary she was rumoured to have written, and a necklace that she used to wear. We have no proof the diary even exists, and as for the necklace, she wasn't seen wearing it in the latter part of her life. Maybe she got rid of it years before she even founded Hogwarts. For all we know, the necklace is long gone."
"So where do you suppose we start our search for a missing diadem?" Ron asked in annoyance.
"Before we start looking for it, perhaps we should try and find out more about it," Blaise suggested. "So far I haven't been able to find a picture of it. We can't look for something if we don't know what it looks like."
"So let's get looking into the diadem of wisdom," Harry suggested, just as there was a knock on the door.
"I'll go," Theo offered, jumping to his feet and heading over to the door.
When Theo opened the door a sombre looking McGonagall entered the room. Instantly everyone knew something had happened, and that the head of Gryffindor was delivering bad news. Holding tighter onto her daughter, Hermione prepared herself for whatever McGonagall had come to tell them.
"I've got some news," McGonagall began. "This afternoon Diagon Alley suffered a brutal attack."
"The twins," Ginny gasped. "Are they okay?"
"Their shop was badly damaged," McGonagall answered. "When help arrived, they were nowhere to be found. However, a spell revealed they're trapped under the rubble at the back of the shop. Professor Dumbledore asked me to come and collect you and take you back to Headquarters to wait for news. As far as I know, the rescue mission is still going on."
"What about the rest of the street?" Harry asked as Ron and Ginny quickly got to their feet.
"It's in pretty bad shape," McGonagall replied. "Every single shop and business was targeted. There were also a few causalities, including Mr Ollivander and Madam Malkin. There's likely more, but as I said, the street is in chaos."
"Can I go with Ron and Ginny?" Harry asked. "The Weasleys are like family to me."
"I see no reason why not," McGonagall said. "Hermione, do you want to come too?"
"I'll stay here," Hermione answered in a quiet voice. "But can someone keep me up to date with what's going on?"
"Of course," McGonagall promised with a nod.
"Tell the family I'm thinking of them," Hermione said to Ron, reaching out for her best friend as he passed her.
"I should hope so considering your Death Eater boyfriend was probably there," Ron snapped, pulling away from Hermione. "If anything happens to either Fred or George, I'll never forgive you Hermione."
"He's just upset," Ginny whispered as Ron stormed out of the common room. "Don't worry, I'll pass on your message."
"Thanks, and I hope the twins are okay," Hermione replied, squeezing Ginny's hand before the redhead followed after her brother.
Hermione gave Harry a brief hug, before he joined the two Weasleys and McGonagall in heading to her office so they could head to Grimmauld Place. Left alone with Blaise and Theo, Hermione slumped back onto the sofa to digest what they'd discovered. She was now guessing that Voldemort had been using Lyra's ribbon to make Draco take part in the attack, which explained Lyra's crankiness.
"You should have gone with them," Blaise said. "No-one else thinks like Weasley. The rest of his family understand the situation, and they don't blame you or Draco for anything."
"Maybe not now, but they might if anything happens to the twins," Hermione replied softly. "I'll wait and see what's happening before I speak to them. The outcome of this might also affect the decision I've been making these last few weeks."
"What decision?" Theo asked.
"I'm going to leave school," Hermione answered. "It's just not working anymore. It was different when Draco was here and we were together, but things have changed. Lyra needs me, and at the moment I'm not there for her the way I should be as I'm trying to cram my studies in. At this rate I'm going to fail my exams, and let my daughter down. Lyra comes first, so that's why I'm leaving school at Easter."
"Where are we going?" Blaise asked.
"We?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at the Slytherin.
"Yes, we," Theo confirmed. "If you're leaving school, so are we. We promised Draco we would look after you, and that's what we intend to do."
"I appreciate the offer, but I can't let you throw your lives away from me," Hermione said. "You need to stay here and get your N.E.W.T.S."
"We could take our exams any time and pass," Blaise remarked. "As could you, by the way. Right now, school isn't important. We can worry about that later, right now we need to focus on winning the war. It's the only way life will return to normal."
"Besides, it might be better if I leave," Theo added. "Remember I'm supposed to be going home at Easter, and when I don't show there's going to be trouble. If I'm still in school after the holidays my father might be forced to come and get me. Call me selfish, but I don't want to be put in the same position as Draco. I don't want to be a Death Eater. I want to look after you and Lyra."
"If you're sure, I'd love to have the pair of you with me," Hermione replied with a relieved smile. "We'll wait and see what happens with the twins before I speak to Dumbledore. If he's agreeable, I thought we could just go to headquarters. But if he doesn't like the plan, we can just take Lyra and go into hiding ourselves."
"Either way, we're with you to the end," Blaise vowed as he gave Hermione a hug. "If we have to go into hiding, the four of us can cope just fine. Everything will work out, you'll see."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Much to Hermione's frustration she didn't hear any word on the twins until several hours later. However, to keep herself occupied she'd done some research into the diadem, before giving her daughter her nightly feed, bathing her and settling her down to sleep. Just when she was beginning to give up hope of hearing anything that night, Snape knocked on the door.
"Please say its good news," Hermione pleaded as the Potions Professor entered the room.
"Both the twins survived," Snape confirmed immediately. "One of them, George I think, is in a worse way. It was touch and go for a while this afternoon, but I understand he's awake now."
"Thank god for that," Hermione declared with a relieved sigh as she dropped onto one of the sofas.
"They actually want to see you," Snape said. "Would you be up for visiting the hospital?"
"Sure, I'll just go and get Lyra ready."
"Don't," Blaise said, stopping Hermione before she made it to the stairs. "She's had a tough afternoon, she needs her rest. You go with Snape and visit the twins, Theo and I will stay with Lyra. If we need anything we can call for Madam Pomfrey, or Tipsy."
"That would be the best idea," Snape agreed. "Let your daughter sleep, Hermione. We'll only be an hour or so."
"Okay, but contact me if anything happens," Hermione said to Blaise and Theo.
"We will," Theo promised. "But nothing will happen. When you come back, she'll still be cosily nestled in her bed. She'll not even know you've gone."
As Snape set up the fire in the common room to connect it with St Mungo's, Hermione thanked Blaise and Theo yet again. Sometimes she felt as though all she did was thank the pair, but it seemed they were always doing something to help her. She honestly didn't know how she would have made it through the last few months if it hadn't been for Draco's two best friends.
When the connection was set up, Snape and Hermione flooed to St Mungo's. When they arrived at the hospital, Snape took her up to the appropriate floor and directly to a private room. Hermione was surprised the twins had a private room as the Weasleys didn't have money to ensure a private service, but Snape quickly explained that Dumbledore had arranged the room.
When Hermione entered the room, she found the entire Weasley clan in residence. George was lying in the bed everyone was surrounding, and Fred was sitting beside his bed in a wheelchair, his leg in plaster. As well as Weasleys, Harry was also present and Dumbledore was standing beside the window, looking out at the dark night thoughtfully.
"Hermione," Fred cried, spotting the brunette witch. "Get over here."
Hermione made her way through the Weasleys, until she was standing in front of Fred. Leaning down she gave him a hug, before hugging George in the bed. She then tentatively perched on the side of George's bed.
"I'm so pleased the pair of you are okay," Hermione said. "I've been so worried."
"It'll take more than a falling ceiling to get rid of us," George said with a weak grin.
"But seriously, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Draco," Fred said, causing Ron to snort loudly. "Well at least George wouldn't be," he added, ignoring his brother.
"He saved us," George confirmed. "I was battling Bellatrix, and I wouldn't have survived much longer. I was dodging her spells, but mine were barely grazing her. She might be mad, but she's a hell of a fighter."
"How did Draco save you?" Hermione asked.
"He was supposed to be fighting me, but he was deliberately missing me," Fred said. "Anyway, he got his eye on a piece of hanging ceiling and I worked out he wanted me to hit a spell at it. When I did, it fell on Bellatrix and George and I were able to escape."
"At least we would have escaped if the damn ceiling hadn't collapsed on us," George added with a chuckle, which quickly turned into a cough.
"But you don't know why the ceiling collapsed," Ron protested as Molly jumped up to get George a glass of water. "Malfoy might have done it."
"Or his aunt could have," Fred argued. "Bellatrix was knocked to the floor by the debris, but she wasn't knocked out. Even if it was Draco, he wasn't trying to kill us. He saved us, and nothing you say will turn us against him, Ron."
"You're all fools," Ron muttered under his breath as everyone ignored him and echoed Fred's sentiments regarding Draco.
Hermione thanked the family for their support, amazed that after everything they could still find it in themselves to support Draco. Between the animosity that had existed between the Weasleys and the Malfoys, and what had happened to the twins, Hermione would have understood if more of the family had taken views like Ron. But instead, they'd accepted that Draco was being forced into working for Voldemort and that all he really wanted was to be back home with her and Lyra.
"Now everyone's here, maybe it's time to discuss my idea," Dumbledore said, finally turning away from the window.
"What idea?" Hermione asked.
"It's crazy," Ron grumbled.
"It's not up to you, Ron," George said. "I think it's a good idea, and I'm happy to go along with it."
"We all are," Molly said with a nod.
"Would someone care to explain about this plan?" Hermione asked politely.
"After you leave tonight, George is going to take a turn for the worse," Dumbledore explained. "I'm sorting it so he can leave here under the cover of darkness, but as far as everyone else in concerned, he'll be dead."
"You're faking George's death?" Hermione frowned. "Why?"
"To hopefully give Draco a bit of breathing space," Dumbledore answered. "If Voldemort thinks he killed George, he might go easy on him for a while."
"The Dark Lord was desperate for Draco to prove himself," Snape added. "Hence the reason he's been taking him on some many attacks. This might give Draco a bit of space, and keep The Dark Lord from threatening Lyra for a while."
"And you would seriously so this?" Hermione asked George, before turning to look around the entire family. "You would fake George's death to help Draco?"
"Yes," Arthur said with a nod. "George would be perfectly safe at Grimmauld Place, and hopefully it will only be for a short time."
"Yeah, I'll be fine Hermione," George said with a smile.
"And I'll be with him," Fred added. "With the shop the way it is, no-one will be expecting to see me much. We can camp out at headquarters with Sirius. It'll be fun."
"We wanted to tell you, because we didn't want you think George was dead," Dumbledore told Hermione. "Plus, you can let Draco know what's going on so he isn't blaming himself. Once you and Harry go back to school tonight, the plan will commence and you'll both have to keep up the act. As far as anyone in concerned, George will be dead."
"We can keep up the act until Easter," Harry confirmed.
Dumbledore also explained that Ron and Ginny wouldn't be returning to school until after the Easter break. They were going to say that they'd been allowed to stay with their family overnight, and then with George's death they weren't ready to come back to school immediately. They would then go back to school after Easter, and have to keep up the pretence that George was dead. Hermione also suspected the extra break was to ensure Ron was well and truly on board with the plan and didn't give the game away.
"Thank you all so much for the plan," Hermione said when she was informed of the entire thing. "I'm sure Draco will appreciate what you're all doing for him."
"Not just for him, for you and Lyra as well," Molly said, giving Hermione a warm smile. "We just want what's best for you and your daughter."
"Speaking of what's best for Lyra, I've decided to leave school," Hermione announced, deciding it was the perfect time to mention her decision. "I was hoping we could go to Grimmauld Place, but I'd understand if that now wasn't an option."
"Nonsense, the more the merrier," George said.
"Yeah, Lyra needs to get to know her Uncle Fred and Uncle George," Fred added with a grin.
"Is that okay?" Hermione asked Dumbledore, who was now standing directly behind her.
"It's perfectly fine," Dumbledore said, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "As long as it what you want to do, we'll support you. I'll arrange everything for the Easter holidays. I take it you can cope at Hogwarts until then?"
"Of course. Although if you don't mind, I'd like to discuss plans properly with you. Maybe sometime next week when things quiet down a bit," Hermione said. She wanted to talk about Blaise and Theo joining her, but she didn't think now was the time to be getting into that.
"Of course," Dumbledore replied. "We can talk next week. But for now, I think it's time for you and Harry to head back to school with Severus."
Saying goodbye to the twins, and the rest of the family, Harry and Hermione accompanied Snape back down to the reception, where they flooed back to school. While Snape immediately headed off to the dungeons, Harry stuck around a bit and once Hermione had checked on Lyra, the two Gryffindors sat down and filled Blaise and Theo in on what was happening. Blaise and Theo also informed Harry of their plans to leave school and join Hermione in hiding, and much to Hermione's surprise Harry fully supported the decision. It finally looked as though Harry was really going to start supporting her, now all they had to do was get Ron on board and Hermione would also have her best friends at her side as well as Draco's.