THE KILLING MOON - CHAPTER 2
'Okay, you can open them now,' Hermione inclined.
Ginny knew it before she looked at her Hermione. Her face protracted pure happiness and satisfaction. Ginny found herself staring at Hermione with her mouth wide open. She looked like an angel.
'Merlin, Hermione,' Ginny said exasperatedly.
Hermione grinned humbly. Her hair was fixed back in a bun, loose hairs dangling around her forehead. The veil covered her bare shoulders, and the dress, of woven silk and lace, glinted with hints of silver flecks throughout the fabric.
'Well, now I can think about other things for the next six days, that's the dress checked off my list,' she smiled.
She pulled her wand from within the many folds of the ballgown and conjured notepaper out of thin air, her wedding checklist. She made the motion of a tick with her wand and the paper vanished.
Ginny lifted her coffee mug to her lips. 'And come tomorrow, all the bridesmaids' dresses will be done,' she reminded her.
Hermione's eyes lit up. 'I can't wait for you to see them,' she beamed.
Ginny was about to ask a question regarding the dresses when Ron's voice echoed up the stairs.
'Hermione!' he called with a ferocious shout.
'Oh, Merlin,' Hermione said desperately.
She changed out of her dress at lightning speed and the pair of them rushed down the stairs and into The Burrow's sitting room as Ron continued to call out.
'What is it!' she cried as they reached Ron.
'You have to see this,' Ron said desperately, pulling a thick coat over his maroon sweater and gesturing to the front door.
'Ron,' she scolded, 'I thought you were dying.'
'What is it this time, has someone died?' Draco asked severely as he opened the door to rapturous knocking.
'Is that usually how you answer the door, Mr. Malfoy?' asked a blond witch with a worried frown.
Draco's expression hardened. 'My apologies,' he blanched, 'it's been a long day.'
The witch nodded, sending blond curls flittering around her shoulders. The witch had wonderful blue eyes and a hard stare.
'Mr. Malfoy, I am Auror Ophelia from the Min-'
'I know what an Auror is,' he waved his hand indignantly. 'What can I do for you?' he asked calmly.
The Auror cleared her throat and regarded him with a squint of the eyes. 'Auror Robards sent me to gather the weapons he asked for.'
'Oh, of course,' Draco said and opened the door fully.
She followed him through the hallway into the sitting room. Draco approached the bureau in the corner and retrieved the black rectangular box.
'Here it is, the silver poison,' he mused and handed it to Ophelia.
She smiled politely and opened the lid of the box. Its contents consisted of tiny vials of pure melted silver.
'Permit me to say,' he started, as she glanced at the contents of one of the glass vials, 'but wouldn't it have been more prudent to have the silver poison before going to find a pack of werewolves.'
She met his eyes and her mouth lifted slightly. 'I agree, but Robards did not expect the vicious attack,' she shrugged.
Draco raised his eyebrows. 'Never underestimate werewolves,' he said, and she nodded her head.
Her expression became soft for a moment, and Draco much preferred this look on her face.
'So, the Auror mission has been compromised?' he asked, feeling his intrigue peaking.
She nodded deathly, closing the lid of the box with a sigh. 'Yes, they managed to stun the Alpha, but he escaped. That wasn't before he attacked and nearly killed a junior Auror,' she said, and the sadness clung to her fair eyebrows.
Draco chewed his lip. 'Let's hope this junior Auror doesn't grow fangs and sprout hair all over his body,' he mused and escorted her back to the front door.
'Yes,' she mumbled as she followed him.
'Who is the poor sod?' he asked.
'Harry Potter,' she told him deathly.
Draco lifted one of his eyebrows. He imagined for a moment, a Harry in temptation of the full moon. A Harry that sprouted hair and a tail. He snickered which Ophelia didn't seem to enjoy.
'Potter will be fine,' he told her, 'he always is.'
'I hope so,' she said meaningfully, and they reached the door. 'Thank you again, Mr. Malfoy.'
She inclined her head and turned away.
Draco watched her go, he turned around and headed for the glass cabinet at the back of the room. Noticing his stock was empty, he vowed to pick up some more wolfsbane just to be safe.
'Are you sure that's safe?' Hermione asked with obvious apprehension.
'Of course, it is,' Ron grumbled.
Ginny crossed her arms beside Hermione. They were staring at a small blue car that didn't look as though it hadn't been driven since the 1970s. Ron was standing at the open door with a dopey grin on his face.
'This is going to be great; we can drive ourselves all the way there,' he smiled.
Ginny frowned. 'You are going to drive that,' she pointed venomously at the car, 'all the way to Devon?' she asked.
He had obviously noticed the laughter in the expression.
'Yes, I have my license, remember,' he said, and his mouth opened.
Ginny nodded her head encouragingly but before she could reply, her mother's voice sounded from the backdoor.
'Ron quick!' she screamed and the three of them turned around to her as she beckoned them with her hand which clenched a wooden spoon, she swung it in the air fiercely.
Ginny's heart dropped; her mother's face looked frightened and devastated.
They hurried into the kitchen, following her mother into the sitting room. Ron collapsed on his knees in front of the green flamed fire, in the centre of which was Gawain Robards. The green flames licked his terrified expression.
'Ron, thank Dumbledore you're here. The Auror group has been attacked!'
'What?' Ron asked fiercely, he got to his feet and dusted off his jacket, his face had turned red.
'I don't know much about what's happened yet, they are due to get in contact soon.'
'I'm on my way,' Ron said.
Robard's head vanished from the fire.
'Ron,' Hermione hurried over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, 'tell us anything you find out,' she begged, and he kissed her forehead.
'Of course,' he returned and on his heel he dissaparated.
'I hope Harry is alright,' Hermione said and looked at Ginny imploringly.
Ginny patted her hand on Hermione's shoulders.
'I'll make some tea,' her mother cried.