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"Order, ORDER!" Moody yelled as the room erupted into chaos.

Hermione sat back in her seat and tried to stay invisible. She didn't like the plan any more than she ever had but now they had a precise date for it, she needed a Muggle newspaper to follow up on the storm.

"There is simply no other way to be certain."

"If we create an Anti-Apparition net over the house, how are we going to leave," someone asked indignantly.

Hermione agreed. They had no idea what they were walking into; no idea of the size of the enemy or how well they would be armed in terms of magic users. Apparently, Snape had tried to find the name of the man they were looking for but had, so far, come up empty and it was all a chaotic mess.

She glanced at Minerva, who leaned on her hand and rolled her eyes as everyone continued to argue. Hermione smiled and looked between everyone, thankful at least, that they weren't all shouting at her and that she wasn't hungry.

Molly had returned to the group. She seemed relatively cheerful, though she didn't meet Hermione's eye very often. She had, sort of, apologised for her atrocious behaviour and Hermione, as Ron and Ginny's friend, had insisted that it was fine. Arthur looked a little worse for wear and he'd squeezed Hermione's hand as they'd sat down quietly at the back of the kitchen.

"I don't see how t'is s'posed to be any sort of sensical plan," Kingsley said, his thick accent showing his frustration. "If'n we don't know the enemies we go'n' be encountering, how we s'posed t' plan tha best people for the job?"

"We will," Dumbledore said, waiting for everyone to stop speaking. "We will assume that there will be many and plan accordingly."

"You want to send in, what, 20 of us and hope they aren't setting a trap for us?"

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at Minerva. She hadn't thought of that and she wondered whether the woman who had suggested it was a decent Auror. Hermione would certainly trust her judgement over anyone else's, so far.

"I -"

Hermione glanced at Minerva again and she shook her head a little. It was clear that Dumbledore hadn't actually had that thought and he glanced at Snape.

"He does not know of the Order," Snape said coolly. "He is a peon. He is not afforded the same privilege as the Death Eaters. He will not know we are coming."

"That you know of," someone that sounded remarkably like Sirius, said.

Snape opened his mouth to speak but Dumbledore waved him off. She could tell he was as frustrated as a lot of them were and she wished she could help him a little. She reached over Minerva and touched his hand, beckoning him down so she could speak to him.

"I know you've forgotten," she said quietly. "And I have to check that nothing changed in the time since I last saw it, but I think that is going to be right in the middle of the terrible weather. I just wanted to remind you."

He frowned and nodded before standing back up.

"Sirius?"

"Albus?"

"Do you have a paper? A muggle one?"

"What for?"

"A recent one?"

"Um, I can probably go and find one."

"Would you? Please?"

Sirius glanced at Hermione for a second before beckoning Remus with his chin and they disappeared from the kitchen. Dumbledore nodded to Hermione and the meeting carried on as if everyone was in agreement with the truly terrible plan.

"What are you up to?"

Minerva's whisper in her ear had tickled and she shuddered and moved away rubbing it while Minerva chuckled and pushed Hermione's hair over her ear to help.

"Remember what I said about that blizzard? I'm pretty sure that's the date."

Minerva's mouth made a little 'o' and she nodded in understanding.

"Good thinking," she whispered back, squeezing Hermione's hand.

It went around and around while people argued about being assigned here or there. It was only when Sirius came back in with Remus that Albus looked remotely interested.

Ah," he said quietly. "Here we are. Hermione?"

He passed her the paper and she flicked to the back pages, flicking through the sports pages to the weather.

"Oh," she groaned. "Yeah. Look."

She pulled out the page and showed it to him and watched him skim it for a moment before dropping it on the table. They all watched as he took his spectacles off and rubbed his eyes.

"We have a complication. There is to be a blizzard that week, as Miss Granger mentioned back at one of the first meetings. And it is expected to be at its peak during those days. The weather will be atrocious so you will have to contend with that as well. It may be prudent to Apparate into a separate building close by to ensure a safe landing, then out of the house once the battle is over."

There were several scoffs from the members as they all took in the information. It would make getting there more complicated but would negate the use of an Anti-Apparition net for both sides.

"Alright," Albus sat down as everyone fell silent. "Ideas please."

It was already later than Hermione was sure Minerva was comfortable with but they sat quietly for a long time before Hermione sat up.

"Don't suppose you have a map of London close by, do you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Snape said, looking affronted.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Sirius.

"Maps, atlas," she shrugged. "Refidex?"

"Um," he frowned. "No, actually. I don't think so."

"Is there a phonebox close by?"

"A what?"

"Yes," Tonks said with a grin. "There's one down the road. On the corner."

"Wanna take me?"

"Hermione!"

"Sure!"

"It's fine. We need to know where we're going, right? I might as well be useful. What's the address of the house you're going to?"

There was an awkward pause as Hermione realised that nobody had actually said it yet.

"Ah," she said with a frown. "Guess I'll steal the whole thing and you can look through it. Or can we narrow down the area?"

"Come here," Snape snapped, pointing to his side.

She grinned at Minerva and went over to him, leaning closer as he whispered the address. She repeated it to him to make sure she had it right and when he nodded she left with Tonks.

"Ready?" the young woman asked.

"Absolutely."

They walked very carefully down the road to the corner where true to Tonks' word, there was a phonebox lighting up the night.

"Come on," Hermione muttered, keeping her eyes peeled for enemies.

They made it without incident but Hermione frowned when she noticed that the book was in terrible disrepair.

"No," she hissed, kicking the frame. "Damn. Um." She blinked and looked up, looking around for a moment before she spied a chemist down the way. "There," she nodded. "Come on."

"Oh, Minerva's gonna kill me," Tonks said quietly.

"Nah," Hermione laughed. "She's a big softy, really. I'll get her a treat."

"Oh my god," Tonks groaned.

They walked quickly to the chemist and got inside just as they'd both decided independently of each other that they weren't so keen on a man that happened to be walking the same way on the other side of the road.

"I'll go ask them if they have one, keep an eye on the door and we'll apparate from the loo."

"Gotcha," Tonks grinned. "You'll make a great Auror one day, ya know."

"Whatever," Hermione laughed.

She went up to the counter and asked the guy behind the counter for his help. He rolled his eyes but she didn't care much. They needed to go.

"Do you have a map book? A road atlas of London?"

"Over there," he pointed to a whole stand of them.

"Oh, thanks!"

She met Tonks by the stand as the bell above the door dinged. Hermione glanced up as the guy stepped around the counter and went over to the newcomer. Hermione winced and dug in her pockets for some cash.

"I got a tenner," Tonks said, fishing it out.

"Brill," Hermione muttered. "I have the rest "

She popped it on the counter along with another copy of the map book she'd picked and two chocolate bars as well, pocketing the corresponding ones in her coat. She turned to Tonks just as both men turned towards them.

"Let's go," she muttered.

Neither of them had failed to notice that the man walking across the road was now the new customer in the shop.

"In here," Hermione whispered, locking the door behind her.

"Ready?" Tonks asked. "Need me to take you?"

"No, I'm just going to park, yeah?"

"Yep," Tonks smiled. "Near the swings?"

"Sure."

They turned simultaneously and reappeared across the road of Grimmauld place, slipping across the road and up onto the step without incident.

"Phew," Hermione chuckled. "Maybe let's not tell Min, okay."

"Don't tell me what?!"

"Nothing," Hermione grinned, having somehow just known Minerva would have been there. "We got it."

"Get in here," Minerva rolled her eyes.

Hermione giggled as Tonks practically ran back into the kitchen but Minerva held Hermione up.

"You alright?"

"Absolutely nothing happened. We're both fine and we are who we say we are because you have our knives and are planning to strip them down to their brass tacks to make sure they're not imbued with some malevolent force."

"Utter nonsense," Minerva scoffed, shoving Hermione gently. "Trouble."

"I got you a Mars bar though."

"Bloody hell," Minerva muttered as she grabbed it and then followed Hermione back to the kitchen.

Hermione grinned triumphantly as she made her way back to her seat and poured over the map book.

"Here." She stepped beside Snape to show him. "We're going there, right?"

He looked for a moment and then nodded.

"Okay, so," she turned her head and then the page, ignoring his scoff. "That's Chelsea Harbour but if you go West a bit, you're in the docks of Fulham."

"How do you know that?" he sneered.

"Cos my grandfather worked there back in the day," she simpered back. "He earned his money, thank you very much. Anyway, there's a block of flats going up," she peered closer and frowned before turning the page. "Oh, there, there or there." She pointed at the corner of buildings and ignored Snape shaking his head. She pointed to another part. "They're derelict. Have been for ages but they won't sell so I don't think they'll be down yet. Dad went to a retreat last year, I think, at the Spa over the summer, and took us with him. And if we don't want to chance it, I'm pretty sure this is still being built too." She pointed out where she meant. "Nothing goes up that fast in London. Even if they've put the windows in, it won't be finished yet. They were still digging down last time I was there. But it'd be easy enough for one of you to check."

Dumbledore looked at her pensively and nodded.

"Severus?"

"It has merit."

It sounded as though he'd been forced to say it at wand point, but Hermione took it anyway.

"And how far away is our destination?"

"Not far," Snape nodded. "It will work. The first, rather than the second will be better. But it is perhaps prudent to utilise both sites and approach from either side?"

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded.

"Alright. For now, let us assume that is where we will go. I will give you all the coordinates closer to but for now, we will try to get the details solidified."

Her part over, Hermione sat back happily and tried not to preen as Minerva took her hand and squeezed, leaving their pinky fingers linked as they listened to the last few moments. After the excitement of running to the chemist for her maps, she could feel the exhaustion in her bones begin to make itself known. The meeting wrapped up quickly after that. Most of the, admittedly ill-advised, details were already sorted and now that the finer details were worked out, people were eager to leave. Albus ended the meeting and most fled as soon as he allowed them.

"Albus, I must get her back."

"Certainly," he nodded to Minerva. "I will see you in the morning."

Minerva bundled Hermione out of the kitchen.

"Hermione, wait -"

While she was tired, she knew that whatever Molly had to say would probably be worth listening to.

"I," Hermione glanced at Minerva and nodded for her to go and wait a little further away when it looked like Molly was struggling. After Minerva stepped away, Hermione turned to Molly.

"I know it wasn't you," she said kindly. "And that's okay."

"I don't think those things about you, sweetheart. I never have."

"I know," Hermione smiled, ignoring the time that Molly definitely had some opinion on matters during the Triwizard Cup. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"I will be more aware of everything," Molly sighed. "It is so embarrassing."

"Don't worry about it," Hermione chuckled. "You totally have a good excuse."

Molly blushed like all of her children did and pulled Hermione in for a hug that was far too tight but Hermione didn't complain. She hugged the woman back and as she pulled away, she took Molly's hands. The woman visibly relaxed as Hermione met her eyes.

"It really is okay. Just let it go."

"Thank you, darling. You take care. Send my love to everyone."

"I will," she smiled. "They don't know, I didn't tell them."

"Thank you," she said, getting teary. "Thank you so much."

Hermione patted her hand for a while before Minerva joined them.

"We have to go, Molly," Minerva said softly. "It's alright."

"Of course," Molly nodded. "Minerva, you too. I'm so sorry."

"It is all forgotten, Molly," Minerva said, pulling Hermione's hand from the other woman's. "Not to worry."

They left her standing forlornly in the hallway and pulled on their coats.

"Ready?" Minerva muttered.

"Yep," Hermione sighed.

"You're exhausted," Minerva whispered. "Come on."

They stepped out onto the front step and Minerva wrapped her arms around Hermione's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

"Deep breath," she chuckled.

Hermione was too tired to laugh but she clung to Minerva and only just managed to keep her feet.

"Come on Trouble," Minerva coaxed her gently. "Not far to go."

She made it as far as Minerva's quarters and Minerva pushed her gently onto the sofa.

"Can you Transfigure your own pyjamas?"

"In this state?" Hermione yawned. "No."

"Alright. Permit me?"

"Mhmm."

She snuggled into the pillow Minerva had bought her as her clothing changed into soft, fleecy pyjamas. The fire was stoked and after a small kiss on her forehead, Hermione was out like a light.