CHAPTER FORTY SIX- Cloak-and-Dagger
"Spare nothing. Tell us everything, I know it will be difficult," Malfoy encouraged. Narcissa told them that there were Death Eaters waiting outside of their houses in Bucharest and Milan but that they will not be bothering them again.
"The last I heard was the Dark Lord is ripping up the forests of Durmstrang Institute. He thinks you fled to Durmstrang for support. I can imagine next he will go to Beauxbatons or perhaps Versailles because of the Malfoy blood connections. Other than that, I can offer you no news other than we must tread lightly. He is searching the globe for her" Narcissa finished.
"Why does he want my daughter? I know you are keeping that information from us. Now is the time to reveal it, mother," Malfoy said firmly. Hermione was ready to hear the answer too but began to sweat with anticipation.
"My sweet, I am so, so sorry," Narcissa said through tears. "The answer, mother," Malfoy urged. "The night your father and Snape told you that you were to marry a prophecy was brought to the Dark Lord," she said.
"The prophecy suggested that two serpents, one being a "son of the servant" and the second the "brightest mud" would join in a union creating new, powerful blood," Narcissa whispered.
"He forced you to marry and he forced you to create a child in order to defeat Harry Potter once and for all. He means to drain Isola's blood with dark magic and he will tear the world apart to get her," she concluded.
Hermione felt her blood boil inside of her and she could see her husband begin to shake. "Father allowed this all to happen? Snape? You all sat back and did nothing?" Malfoy said angrily.
"Draco I am sorry! Forgive me, Drakey, please," Narcissa pleaded. Malfoy stood up and began to pace the room. "If we refused he would have murdered every last one of us. He would have forced you both once way or another to give him what he wants!" Narcissa said crying harder than ever.
Malfoy grabbed a picture and threw it across the room breaking the frame. The noises woke Isola who was now screaming. Hermione's attempts to soothe her did nothing and Malfoy came to take her in his arms.
"Daddy is sorry, little dove," Malfoy whispered to his daughter. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said rocking her back and forth. "What do we do now?" Hermione finally asked.
They could not spend their entire lives hiding on a boat or bouncing around from house to house. The Dark Lord would find them, kill them, and take their daughter away if they did not act now.
"You both will stay here with Isola. Protect her with your lives and leave here if needed to another safe place. I must return home and conquer the Dark Lord myself," Malfoy instructed.
His idea made Hermione laugh out loud. "You think you can defeat the Dark Lord alone? I've fought you for years, Draco. I know your weaknesses and how you duel. You need me to protect you and watch your back," Hermione reasoned.
"I am not waiting on an island while you're off fighting a war. There are others who will join our cause. I am coming with you," Hermione insisted. Malfoy gave Isola to his mother and allowed his anger to grow again.
"You will wait here! You need to protect her! I am ordering you as your husband!" Malfoy shot back. "Let her go, Draco. I will guard Isola with my life. You cannot do this alone," Narcissa said.
"She is my wife!" Malfoy screamed. "Hermione must be protected! She bears my name and she is the mother of my child! I will not lose them both," Malfoy roared. Only when Malfoy began to calm down did Hermione notice the tears lingering in his eyes.
For the first time in their marriage Hermione was speechless. She had known that Malfoy would never be able to lose Isola, but she never thought it would pain him to lose her as well.
"I am coming with you so we both don't lose her," Hermione finally said. "If we protect each other like we should have from the beginning of this we will both come back to her. We are doing this to keep her safe," Hermione said.
Malfoy stood in silence watching his family. "You have always been a stubborn one, Granger," he said at last. "No more stubborn than you are, Draco. Now, let's make some plans, shall we?" Hermione suggested.