Author's note: Welcome back lovelies- i'm writing this while sick with Covid, do forgive any grammatical errors i've made. This chapter was inspired by the song Toy soldiers, if you're in need of a good cry i would encourage you to listen to the song as you read through the chapter. Get your coffee and tea, and settle in for this next installment. Enjoy. To all of you on tiktok- both creators and viewers this chapter is for all of you. The ones who even years and decades after falling in love with a book series you continue to show it love with the content. This chapter is for all of you who make me remember the magic i felt at 7 when i read the Sorcerer's stone for the first time, and i hope that when the winter comes this year wherever you are you get to see the snow.
Xoxo
Catstclaire
ps: I'm including the link to a fanart i stumbled across that struck me- the necklace- the snake- Harry looking away from Hermione but the snake keeping it's eyes on her! Wow. Anywho the creator was Asha47110 on devianart.
https/asha47110/art/Dark-Lord-and-Lady-HP-722521307
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When she was growing up, Hermione owned a lovely collection of porcelain dolls. They had been a birthday gift from her parents. They had fancy dresses, and faces painted in shades of pink and red. Hermione pretended those dolls were many things in the years she kept them. She pretended they were nurses, teachers, firefighters, but the one with curly brown hair for some reason she always had in the role of a soldier. That doll was her favorite and she took especially good care of it. She played with those dolls all hours of the day then when she inevitably got bored of them she'd toss them on the floor, and find something else to do. Her mother would pick the dolls up and put them away on a shelf until Hermione pulled them out again later.
Play.
Up on the shelf.
Play.
Up on the shelf.
Those dolls were her prized toys for years until suddenly they weren't. Her father loaded them into a cardboard box one day, and Hermione didn't even care about them enough to want to keep them. They were only toys after all, and she was growing up. She wasn't even very sad to see the porcelain soldier go.
During her time at Carnegie Hall, it finally struck Hermione quite like a bolt of lightning...
That's exactly what they were to Kingsley weren't they? Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco, Neville, Luna, and even her. Kingsley saw them as his toy soldiers.
They were his to play with when the mood struck him. They were his to be put aside when he was bored with them. They were his to put up on that shelf. They were his to toss in a cardboard box, and be rid of forever.
Harry was the obvious favorite, but Hermione knew that likely wouldn't matter to Kingsley when push came to shove. He would sacrifice Harry as easily as any of them if it meant staying in power.
At the end of the day Kingsley didn't care if his soldiers lived or died- and die they did.
Luna went first.
Then Neville.
Ginny.
Ron.
One by one they lined up and fell in the line of service for the Order of the Phoenix, like the good soldiers they were.
...
Pansy Parkinson came to Carnegie hall under the promise of protection. It was cold by then, and everyone said any day there would be snow in New York. Pansy looked forward to that more than anyone else. She talked about it the entire week leading up to Christmas.
The first time Hermione had seen Pansy since school, she had slanted her head at Hermione in a calculated manner. Like she was trying to work overtime to place the girl she shared classes with since 11. Narcissa Malfoy had brought her.
Pansy was rescued by some Order members who raided the Parkinson estate. Voldemort had ordered the Parkinson's all to be executed, and everyone thought they had been until Pansy came crawling out of an enchanted cabinet. Hiding had been the only thing that saved her life. The rest of her family had been slaughtered at their dinner table. She was allowed protection at Carnegie in exchange for her memories. Remus especially insisted she might have crucial information for them, and that letting her go simply couldn't be done. Narcissa had offered to take Pansy in and they had been living together at whatever safe house the Order had scrounged up for them.
The Order didn't like for Draco and Narcissa to be together for to long. His visits with his mother were mostly short and brief. Which Hermione was grateful for at first. The first time she had seen Narcissa since she and Draco had officially taken up with one another she walked in on them fighting. About her.
'Taking up with Hermione Granger is a mistake. I should start calling you Icarus instead of Draco. That girl will either melt off your wings or burn you to death!' Not a hair was out of place on Narcissa Malfoy's head, but she still smoothed her icy blonde locks in a backwards motion as she glowered at her only son.
'You'd know all about mistakes.' Draco said back rashly.
The sound of her hand as it slapped his cheek made Hermione freeze in her tracks, and she slithered away before either of them could even know she'd been there.
'Loves going to get you killed, pride already lost me your father- don't make me bury another Malfoy- I can't bare it.'
The Order didn't like them together Hermione knew for many reasons, but it was Christmas and even Kingsley it seemed had enough of a heart to allow them the yuletide season.
Regardless of the slap Draco acted as if everything was fine. If she hadn't witnessed it herself Hermione never would have guessed the odds they were at, but that was high society type people wasn't it? They always put their best faces forward.
Hermione didn't take it personally that Narcissa kept to herself or with Pansy or Draco- she understood that Narcissa didn't like her. Hermione hoped overtime things might change.
Pansy Parkinson was gorgeous of course. She wore her hair in a chic bob, with silver tinsel woven in the braid she made of her bangs. Her eyes were big and doe like, but not in the air head sort of way Hermione would have preferred them to be. No. Pansy was the the femme fetalle sort. Her lashes even fluttered when she laughed.
She didn't talk much at first especially to Hermione. She went about her days ignoring most of everyone and earning her keep like they all did. Training. Supply runs.
Pansy's tone was nasally and saccharine, too sweet to be sincere, and she spoke with a forced to be polite smile.
Once when Pansy and Draco were working together in the kitchen Hermione interrupted them. She hadn't realized she was intruding at first not until she heard Pansy call her a nosy witch. Hermione quite thought Pansy was overly pretentious in her designer robes, and her high heeled feet that always seemed to be clacking in one way or the other at Carnegie.
"What can i do to get her to like me?"
"There's the problem." Draco said. "Pansy doesn't want you to do or say some halfhearted bull shit to gain her favor, she just wants you to act normal."
Normal. What was normal anymore?
"Pansy." Hermione would give it a shot, she didn't want her friends to hate Draco and all of his friends to hate her as well- and so she approached Pansy later that day.
"Mmm." She kicked her legs back and fourth on the firebolt as she hovered on it. Hermione wondered if Harry knew where his broom currently was..."What is it Granger?"
"What is it about the snow, and winter?" Hermione had heard Pansy go on and on about it all to Draco.
'Won't it be grand Draco? Once the snow falls for the year.'
'I can't wait for it. I'd wear that fur coat of mine- you know the one with the red buttons- it's probably gone now though.'
'When it snows i can die happy.'
"Not a winter person?" Pansy asked with only half a curled lip.
"I don't care for the cold, no."
Pansy smiled. "No you're a fall girl aren't you? Not to hot, not to cold right? You toe the middle."
"I suppose so."
"Cowards toe the middle."
Hermione curled her own lips. Probably she decided Pansy and Hermione would not be able to be friends as she wanted. They were to different.
Hermione grumbled an excuse out about needing to check on her duties, and see if any missions needed doing.
"You're so easy to rattle it's not even fair." Pansy settled her feet to the ground and hopped off the broom. "For the record I don't dislike you Granger."
"Really?" That was laughable from where Hermione stood Pansy had been nothing but antagonistic, and downright surly since she came to Carnegie it reminded her of... how Draco used to act at school before they got to know each other.
"Cold. Winter. Snow." Pansy's voice was soft and tinkled like the bell of a church Hermione's parents used to drag her to. "My father used to say It was the closest to heaven some of us would ever get." Pansy said.
"You're so strange."
Pansy giggled.
"The falling of the snow, in ancient times was a symbol of renewal, of starting over. My family comes from a long line of seers, we're all- we were all very superstitious about these things you see. When the snow falls everything's pure, and good again. At this point in my life at least- i need that Granger. I need a do over. I didn't ask to be born into a den of snakes, but i was and now that they're all gone... all there is for me is a handful of tomorrows, and i have to hope they'll be better than my yesterdays."
Hermione and Pansy watch each other quietly for a time both of them looking for something in the other.
"Don't think this makes us girlfriends or anything. I've only let you in my head for Draco's sake you understand it won't be fair to him if we're always snapping at one another. You're fall, and i'm winter and that will never change."
Hermione wasn't sure really why she felt inclined to do it, but she stepped in front of Pansy and offered her hand. Like Draco had all that time ago to Harry on the Hogwarts express- and then later at Grimmauld.
"Why wait for the snow Pansy? I'll start over with you right now."
Pansy narrowed her eyes at Hermione's hand still hanging out in the air. Right when she thought Pansy would take her hand and shake she pulled it back instead, and ran it through one side of her black bob with a grin.
"I have to earn it first." Pansy said. "It won't snow until i earn my do over. Symbolism and all, that rot Granger."
Hermione watched her kick back up onto the broom to soar around the room.
She decided Pansy was indeed strange, but she sort of liked that.
...
"Wine thief." Draco had taken to calling Ginny when she came near.
"Ferret." Then ginny was flopping down onto Hermione's bed.
They at least got along. In their own way of course.
Draco was peering over a copy of a muggle novel, feigning disinterest as Ginny began to complain about Ron.
They both had complaints where Ron was concerned lately. Just like when he was a prefect the power had gone straight to his thick head. Guarding that room made Ron an ass.
Ron and Harry entered the room, and suddenly Draco did not have to feign disinterest any longer.
Ron lingered in the door way, and Harry sat next to Ginny on the bed. Both of their sets of eyes watching Draco subtly.
"Ginny shouldn't you be helping, i heard Hagrid's looking for you?" Ron wasted no time bossing others around. She ignored him.
"Steer clear of my kitchen." Draco added helpfully from his seat.
"How'd you know it was even Ginny that stole the wine?" Hermione asked. She was partially offended Draco didn't think her capable of stealing a bottle of wine.
"What's the worst you've ever even done, darling?" Draco flicked to the next page of his book with his index finger.
"Besides you, you mean?" Harry snarked out, and Hermione choked on her own saliva.
Draco gave Harry a less than amused look while Ron added thoughtfully to their conversation.
She had stolen a car with Draco, turned a blind eye to all the things the Order was doing, and possibly she had been brewing potions that were used for nefarious purposes; yet Draco still regarded her with as much danger as he would a newborn kitten.
"She kept a woman in a jar for a while."
"What?!" Then in a softer tone. "Really." Draco was marveling at her, and she could see him add another item to the catalogue of her in his head.
Ginny smiled at her from across the room.
Ginny understood, she understood how Hermione felt about Draco. It was nice to have one friend who was supportive.
...
Harry was less than thrilled when they finally spoke of Draco. He said what she expected. He called her a fool. She told him to mind his own business.
Ginny found them both before their row could go very far.
"Who's it were talking about?" She asked Harry in that soothing tone of hers.
"Who else." Harry tossed down his sandwich only half eaten. "Draco sodding Malfoy." Harry glared at where Draco was still working. He had an apron on, and flour smudged across his neck.
Hermione smiled because she thought he looked quite good like that. Ginny must have agreed because she said something to the effect of, "-one good looking star."
Harry whirled on her. "What was that?"
"I SAID I WANT TO HIT HIM WITH A CAR."
Harry left their table.
"Nice save." Hermione told her.
Ginny shrugged. "I expect he'll sulk for as long as it takes, before he wants to make out with me again."
"I suppose it's what i expected. Of course Harry and Ron wouldn't like the idea of him, still i had hoped- that maybe they would at least try to be a tad nicer than usual."
"Hah-" Ginny laughed until she saw the serious look Hermione gave her. "Mione, they don't trust him on any given day. There's years of bad blood between them, and well he was awful to you wasn't he? Harry has not forgotten all of that." Ginny gnawed on Harry's abandoned sandwich. "Trust is easily lost, but hard to earn. Short of using a time turner to undo the last few years, I don't know that Draco will ever be accepted by them."
In the days that followed Hermione had endured several more chats where either Ron or Harry or even both of them brought up the topic of Draco with her. She was honest with them. She was in love. They didn't seem to want to accept it.
Hermione began to give Ron the silent treatment when he suggested to Harry, while neither of them knew she was listening, that Draco had probably slipped her a love potion.
...
Colin Creevey walked up to Hermione until he saw Draco perched near by. They were together most of the time. On missions, and in between them. Hermione lost count of all the times they'd fooled around already.
"Kingsley wants to see you." Colin muttered eyes drifting softly passed Hermione's shoulder.
"Thanks Colin." She patted the top of his head and smiled.
Collin was a sweet boy, and he would see like everyone else was seeing. Draco was different. He may have been a death eater once, but now he was an Order member.
Hermione heard the crinkle of the daily prophet in Draco's hands before she left.
Collin chatted with her on their way to Kingsley.
"How is it? What's it like?" His youthful eyes excited, and searching.
"What's, what like?"
"Being 1/3 of the golden trio of course." He grinned up at her all toothy, and shy. "All 3 of you are pretty famous the daily prophet talks about you all the time."
Oh that.
They were passing by some lunch tables.
They saw Harry and Ron sitting together. They both had their heads tipped back as they were gargling what Hermione guessed was butterbeer. It reminded her terribly of school, and all of the goofing off they did when they should have been working. Then suddenly Ron looked like he'd accidentally began to waterboard himself. As he choked Harry slapped his back laughing, and dribbling his own drink all over himself. They carried on laughing for about 10 seconds, and then they began their game again.
Hermione glanced at Collin.
"It's allright i guess."
She didn't want to see Kingsley but it was a necessary evil she supposed.
They found Kingsley with Lupin, and Colin quickly excused himself having done his job.
They were coming out of that mysterious door to the room Ron was usually guarding. Lupin wore a serious face while Kingsley seemed quite relaxed.
"Ah, Miss Granger." Kingsley said in a way that one might think was warm if they didn't also see the look of disdain plain on his face when she came nearer. "Creevey at least follows his orders."
"Sir?" Hermione glanced at Lupin who was enchanting the doorway behind them. Safe spells. Locking spells. Then one Hermione wasn't familiar with.
"I've heard idle gossip Granger, it's concerning."
Hermione barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. It wouldn't be appreciated. She knew the gossip to which Kingsley referred to. He would speak his peace and she would continue on.
"Draco Malfoy?" Hermione dipped her chin in affirmation.
"I don't like it. Not a bit." Kingsley didn't brandish a wand nor make any move that would make Hermione think he was threatening her, but his voice was a warning. "You're supposed to be my golden girl, Granger."
'I'm no ones.' she should have said. However, she was watching Remus to intently to mind much of what Kingsley said.
"I have a trio of goldens you see. You, and Weasley, and Potter. The 3 of you are very important to the Order's operations. I know you possess an larger brain than most so put it to good use for me now won't you?"
Hermione didn't like his condescension.
Lupin stopped his enchantments, and gave Hermione a look that said he knew what she had been doing. She had been trying to memorize his spell work so she could look it up later.
Kingsley had continued rambling on without her or Lupin listening. It barely felt like he was talking to her.
"What happens when my golden girl takes up with a death eater? How will that look for me in the papers? I need the 3 of you to heel." Then Kingsley stopped his rambling rubbed his beard about a bit and a devilish smile unfurled at his lips. "On second thought- forget it. Forget all i've said. Draco Malfoy." His voice rolled over Draco's name like a prayer. "Draco Malfoy the death eater, and Hermione Granger the golden girl. Better for you to hold the leash of the mad dog than anyone else." The last sentence certainly was much more for himself. "The papers will love it. Star crossed lovers and all that-"
Hermione just let him talk. He sounded half mad, and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to say anyways. She looked at Remus again who seemed as unsure as her. She wondered if Remus was someone that could be trusted, Snape trusted him but that was because they grew up together. Just because Snape trusted him didn't mean she could.
"What do i need to do- to- do i have enough authority to be in on whatever's in there?" She jerked a thumb behind Kingsley. He laughed.
"Keep making me proud Granger. Keep taking your orders like a good little golden girl- doing your missions, and i'll let you see inside." He patted her head like she had Colin. Like a sweet little idiot, Kingsley didn't want to bother with at the moment.
"Commander i'm not sure that's a good idea..." Lupin frowned at her. "Snape won't like that she's been brought in on all of this."
"I will worry about Severus." Kingsley said, then Hermione recalled what Snape told her- why she knew better than to trust Kingsley. Kingsley tried to end Severus at one point.
...
The Order was always in need of something. More clothes. More food. Potions. Every supply imaginable was useful. Something unsettling Hermione found was the influx of wands the Order suddenly got.
Hermione could tell they were used. The wands had chips or splinters in the wood from years of use. These wands had surely been bought from Ollivanders and used and loved by those witches or wizards for years. They were wands of captured death eaters. It wasn't hard for her to come to that conclusion. It was merely hard to swallow that the Order was stripping these people of their magic permanently. Before imprisoning them they suffered the ultimate humiliation- being wand less was like being a muggle to Voldemort's people.
The wands would be for backup use for the Order members. That was good Hermione told herself. It would be wasteful not to use the wands even.
She and Snape repaired some of the wands together. They went over them to make sure they were safe for Order member use. Hermione asked Snape again about what the Order was up to.
"Nothing to concern yourself with Granger."
"Liar."
"Careful there." Snape glowered at her. "I do on occasion find myself not only tolerating but enjoying your company, but do not think for a moment I won't shut you down if i find your nose where it's unwelcome."
"Unwelcome?" She slipped the bundle of wands into a box ready for use. "I could help. If you told me what it is they are doing, what you're doing. I'm useful."
"You're a child. Let the adults do the heavy lifting for now. You might even thank me when you're older."
"People are dying."
"-and they will continue to do so if we do nothing. If you want to be useful continue to do as i say."
"Everyone keeps saying that as if i've even stepped a single toe out of line- you know i never have. All i do is listen to orders and make potions when Kingsley demands it."
"Does it truly escape your notice of why that is? That we keep reminding you to stay in line?"
She blinked at him.
"What's more dangerous do you think? The mad dog that chomps at the bit- or perhaps do you think it's the person holding the lead who is more dangerous? With the slightest pull or tug it is they who point their beast in the direction they want it to go right?"
"You think i'll use Draco to disobey the Order?" She laughed because then it sounded silly. "He's only one man and I'm only one girl." What kind of threat could they possibly pose on their own?
"No, Miss Granger it isn't just Draco Malfoy that makes you dangerous. What makes you dangerous is that you have more than one mad dog at your disposal don't you? More than just a death eater at your fingertips?"
Then she understands. Why the older Order members are afraid for her, of anyone else, to break rank. If she pulled away from them it wouldn't be just her. It would be Draco. Harry. Ron. Ginny- possibly all of the Weasley's. Hermione could cripple the Order couldn't she? She hadn't realized until right then how much pull she actually had.
"Friendly reminder. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. There may come a time when you think you know best, but there are always unforeseen consequences with every choice. Don't forget that if you ever feel inclined to bite the hand that feeds. It could be any one of your little friends that pays the price in the end."
..
The only reason she finally stopped giving Ron the silent treatment was because of Bill.
The entire Weasley clan had made it to Carnegie for the holidays. Molly Weasley was knitting each occasion Hermione spotted her in between supply runs, missions, and working with Snape. Fred, and George had become menaces at Carnegie as much as they ever were at Hogwarts- Hermione heard Ron was at his wits end with them. The twins did not respect curfew, they ate more than their rationed share, and one of them was responsible for hexing Ron's shoes. When he walked his shoes squeaked like rubber ducks for a full day before he figured out how to undo it.
Ron was taking his assigned job rather to seriously. Exactly like when he was made prefect at Hogwarts. At Hogwarts Ron had been given authority to take house points, but at Carnegie Ron was told to report serious infractions to Remus Lupin. Lupin would handle it.
Pansy had made a valiant effort to get into the secret room, but Ron stopped her, and ratted her out to Remus. He cast a repellent charm on Pansy and she couldn't even attempt to get near it again.
Everyone was dying to know what was going on, on the other side of that mysterious door. Pansy's failure just made it more interesting.
Everyone had theories. Gold. Aliens.
Pansy- Draco said was born to break rules. He said when they were kids he witnessed her jump 15 feet off a broomstick just because her mother warned her not to. 'She'd kill herself just to spite someone.' Draco's words echoed like the banging of war drums in her ears after what happened to Pansy at Carnegie Hall- after what happened to them all at Carnegie Hall.
Hermione envied that Pansy had the gall to even attempt to get inside. The thought of forcing her way in never occurred to Hermione. She had asked Kingsley permission- she hated how soft she was in comparison to Pansy.
One evening when Draco, and Hermione were both very sure no one else was around did they approach Bill. Bill was the highest ranking member of the Order that actually saw battle, and due to that he held considerable sway among higher ups.
Draco had come up with a plan Hermione had no doubt would aid the Order in various ways. They hoped perhaps Bill would be able to pass it off as his, and keep Draco's name out of it.
Kingsley would take a plan made by Draco Malfoy and accept it as a personal insult. Even if it helped the Order it didn't matter, Kingsley's agenda included keeping the reformed death eaters among them in their place. Draco could vanquish the Dark lord himself, and Kingsley would hold it against him for having one upped his image.
"-and you would brew the polyjuice?" Bill's voice rasped still heavy with sleep.
"I'd be glad to." She confirmed.
They were in one of the storage rooms. Violins, and harps were hung up on the walls.
Draco shook hands with Bill, and Hermione trusted he would push Draco's plan.
The thing about polyjuice was that it had so very many helpful uses. You could turn into your best friend, a stranger, or even your worst enemy. The possibilities were endless.
Draco hypothesized that it would be possible to pull a death eater from Voldemort's lot, without him knowing, and then send in a spy to take their place. So long as Hermione could keep the polyjuice flowing it was perfect. No one would see them coming. They could gather intel for the Order or any matter of other tasks they might see fit to accomplish. Perhaps even someone could manage to get Voldemort alone, and hex him.
Before their conversation with Bill ended he asked Hermione about Ron, and what they were fighting about. He asked her to reconsider the holiday spirit, and make up with Ron.
So she had.
She took him some left over dessert Draco gave her. For the first time since she had been in front of the mysterious door she heard something from the other side. Screaming. Ron gave her a dark look.
She wasn't the only one looking the other way when it came to the Order.
Bill Weasley and countless others died that winter at Carnegie in what would be remembered as the night Hell came to New York. The daily prophet called it many things, a slaughter, a massacre, they didn't however call it what it really was- a trap.
...
The day before Christmas eve a Death eater broke into Carnegie and almost killed Ron but Draco saved him. No one could explain how a death eater got in passed all the protection Carnegie had. The Order's higher ups ( Kingsley included had yet to respond to any of their attempts to reach them ). The Americans who were stationed at Carnegie had no reaction to the incident, which later Hermione knew was quite telling.
...
Security had tightened even further on Carnegie overnight. No one was to be allowed out on missions, especially not Harry the Americans said.
The Death eater had been contained, and so everyone carried on with the celebrations. The next day was Christmas eve afterall. Everyone was in a good mood despite the brief chaos. That should have been what told Hermione something bad was coming.
It was odd how it started.
Everyone was gathered into one of the storage rooms that Fred and George took the time to clear out earlier in the week. Mrs. Weasley had made dinner, and everyone was eating.
Ron now that he liked him, was telling Draco a joke and allthough Harry was not laughing he was fighting a smile back fiercely.
There was a chime Hermione heard as she took another bite of roast. She ignored it. Draco laughed until he had tears in the corners of his eyes and Hermione was so happy for that moment of time. Ron was talking to Draco like a friend and, probably Harry would soon.
Pansy made a rude hand gesture at Neville from across the room after he waved at her. Neville had a crush Hermione thought with amusement.
Another chime. Something was off about that and Hermione sat her plate down to look around the room. No one else seemed to have heard anything.
Fleur was sitting on Bill's lap. The twins were taking turns blowing spit wads at the back of Percy's head. Mrs. Weasley was hugging Ginny, petting at her hair and telling her how beautiful she was.
Another chime.
"Does anyone hear that?" Hermione asked before what sounded like a bomb went off.
Screams, shrieks and then the night took a drastic turn. In an instant the evening turned from a holiday rom com into a horror movie.
"Fleur- Fleur- oh merlin!" Bill yelled and Percy jumped up frantically trying to get to his brother. Hermione turned and saw Fleur's pretty blue camisole up in flames, and her face was melted.
Then more chimes rang out and Hermione watched in shock as Bill's head blew clean off his shoulders. Then Percy's. Mrs. Weasley wailed and Arthur stood in front of her with his wand out.
"Someone's casting from under a cloak!"
Hermione twirled on the spot, breaking out of her stupor, her wand wasn't in her pocket. It looked like most of them weren't armed either. Arthur whipped out spell after spell, firing them about the place randomly. Harry joined in and Ron.
"Accio, invisibility cloak!" Harry cried but nothing happened.
Then Fred got blasted. Hermione had been standing close enough to him that the spray of blood from his body coated the right side of her body.
"Just run!" Charlie Weasley demanded. "Everyone run!"
"What the fucks going on?!" Someone sobbed.
Hermione felt something brush her back but when she looked nothing was there.
Oh fuck. Another chime.
Hermione heard the thud of a body hit the ground.
Then she was tackled to the ground by Pansy, and yet another chime came out. Hermione only had a split second to see Pansy's face before the blast meant for Hermione killed her. She was determined, and her lips were shaped into a grim little smile. As if to convey to Hermione- sorry about that.
The other side of her body was now coated in Pansy.
Pansy had collapsed on top of her and the flames made Hermione scream as they licked at her. She writhed on the ground trying to get Pansy's body off of her so she could flee with the others when a manicured hand grabbed her and told her to be still in a clipped manner.
"Wingardium leviosa."
Pansy hovered up, and her eyes blank and dead stared at Hermione. Narcissa laid her gently down next to Hermione then pocketed her wand to pull Hermione up.
They exchanged a look before another chime came and then someone else died. Hermione didn't dare to look at who.
Narcissa pulled her into the hall way, and Hermione saw that the secret room was wide open. Whatever had been in there had escaped.
"Draco?" Hermione whirled around trying to break his mothers grip.
"He'll be fine." She pulled Hermione behind her.
Her mind raced as they moved through Carnegie. Death eaters it had to have been death eaters blasting everyone. How had more broken into- they hadn't. The one last night hadn't broken in either. The death eaters were already here all along behind the secret door.
Then it all fell into place how it all connected. Carnegie. The Americans. Azkaban. The potions the Order wanted brewed.
The death eaters the Order rounded up and prisoners from Azkaban were what got the Order their place at Carnegie with the Americans.
Hermione could see how exactly they were using the potions she made. It would be easier to interrogate someone if they were under a love potion with their interrogator wouldn't it be? Simpler to get them to do what you want if they have a calming draught or 2 in them. Then there was the bottled bliss. Well after a few doses of that anyone would be willing to do just about anything, just to feel that high the potion gives one more time.
But still there was some more to it she could tell. The Americans weren't just after some Death eaters and their information- there was something bigger that they were getting from having them locked up at Carnegie. Screaming she heard screaming come from the room. They were being hurt or tortured, but for what end? The potions were already making intelligence gathering a breeze-
Narcissa pulled them both forward as she cast protego around them. Hermione tried to keep her head straight on their path because she was afraid if she looked off to the side she might see Ginny or little Colin sprawled out and dead and she didn't know if she would be able to go forward after that.
Narcissa's nails dug into her skin so harshly Hermione felt blood slide down her arm. Narcissa seemed to be headed for something but Hermione didn't know what.
A few minutes later, and Hermione was being pulled from Narcissa to Draco. He wrapped her in his cloak, and she held onto him tightly.
"Don't cry. Please." He muttered into her hair as they reunited. She had been terrified she'd never see him again. "Cry later."
Narcissa had brought them to an exit. She sealed the door they came in shut tight with magic.
Hermione looked around his side, and was also relieved to see the others. Harry. Ron. Ginny. Neville. Luna, and even little Colin were gathered onto the far side of a room. Harry had apparently been jinxed, he was passed out and Ron and Neville were supporting his weight. They were all partly blood covered, but they were intact.
Narcissa began waving her wand in front of a portrait of a nude maiden with only fruit covering her unmentionables. The portrait began to move, revealing their reprieve.
Banging was heard on the other side of the door, and Draco gripped her shoulders hard.
Narcissa began to help Colin out of the portrait hole. Then she helped Ginny, and Luna. Draco pushed Hermione forward.
"You next." He told her. She watched him stand beside his mother as some of the others climbed to safety.
There was more banging, but also more chimes. The death eaters we're trying to get in the room to finish their job.
The Americans had betrayed the Order. They had released the death eaters upon them all. That's why they hadn't wanted Harry to especially to leave.
Luna took Hermione's hand in hers and pulled her out of the way a bit. She still watched on.
"Draco someone will have to stay behind- they won't stop." Narcissa breathed out, and she could barely look at her son. Each word seemed to gut her.
"Go on Mother. I'll stay."
"Oh my sweet boy. My sweet Icarus. I will always love you." Narcissa held his face in her hands and she kissed his head. "Go." Was the last thing anyone ever heard Narcissa Malfoy say.
Of course she had meant it was herself that would be staying to hold the death eaters off. She would never have allowed Draco to stay behind.
Everyone else was in the escape tunnel.
Narcissa shoved Draco out passed the portrait and into the sewer with the rest of them.
"Mother!" Draco jumped back up but Narcissa sealed the portrait on her side before he could do anything more than bang his fists onto the wall. The screaming and chaos from the other side of the portrait was gone instantly and the only noise was Draco. "Mother! Mother!" He wailed pitifully and it made Hermione conjure an image of Draco as a babe swaddled in Narcissa's arms. It broke her heart.
Luna grabbed her wrist trying to pull her down further into the sewer tunnel where the others were already beginning to sprint down.
"Hermione come on we've got to-"
"Not without him." She jerked her hand from Luna.
Draco's hands were bloody from banging them on the wall, and his face was wet with tears. "Draco." She tried to get his attention.
"Mother?" He cried pitifully.
"Draco we have to leave, it's not safe. Someone might try to come through still."
Ron and Neville were still holding up Harry's limp body between the two of them as they stood. The jinx had been powerful. Luna looked stricken with fear. The lot of them hovered just barely still in sight waiting for Hermione and Draco.
"Darling!" She yelled and Draco stilled his pounding to gape at her. "You can cry later."
"My mother- my mom- she's only just-"
"She's gone love."
Draco cringed.
"Take my hand." He crumbled in for a moment staring at the wall like he was willing it to open, but it stayed sealed like Narcissa wanted it to.
"Darling, come." Draco took her hand.
Then the mad dash to safety really began. There was nothing behind them but they ran all the same. From the death mostly.
Hermione tried to put the image of Fleur's beautiful face marred and crisped out of her head, but it plagued her as her feet ached and her lungs struggled to expand.
The sewer stank.
There were puddles of water they had to run through, and the water made sloshing sounds as they went.
Draco kept a firm grip onto Hermione's hand.
Hermione made sure to keep her eye on Colin so he didn't get lost.
It felt like they went on like that for hours. Harry stunned, Ron and Neville dragging him along. Draco attached to Hermione. Colin barely making it at the same pace as the rest of them. Luna lit their way with a lumos. No one said anything. Quiet as the grave ran through Hermione's mind. Right as she began to panic that they'd never see the light of day again she saw the sewers end. Light. They all ran faster.
They tumbled out in various states of shock.
Someone cast a rennervate on Harry and they really shouldn't have. He jumped back up instantly trying to get back to Carnegie.
"It's over Potter." Draco clapped his shoulder and Harry shrugged passed him then Draco grabbed him. "You'll die! You'll get yourself killed you idiot! Enough have died!"
"Let me go!" Then Neville was helping Draco try to contain him.
"Harry no. Harry stop."
Harry kicked Neville to the ground. Draco swung at him, and it was a 3 way melee. Hermione was in a daze. She was watching the events going on around her, but she felt quite distant from them like she was watching them happen from a telescope or in a crystal ball. It didn't feel like she was really here- like all those people had just died. Carnegie couldn't have- it wasn't burning - but it was. Right in front of her.
The blaze was sending smoke high into the air, the smell irritated her nose. Carnegie was bright and flames covered most of the structure- the roaring noise the flames made began to hurt hers ears, and then Hermione saw the helicopters off in the distance. The muggles of New York were coming. More Americans. They should leave. They all needed to leave. America wasn't safe for them- and neither was home.
What were they supposed to do?
Where were they supposed to go?
Kingsley- it was his fault- Hermione just couldn't string all the pieces together- but she knew. Deep down inside her.
Horns were blaring distantly, and lights flashed from all angles. Hermione wanted to cry but it was pointless wasn't it? What good will it do.
Childhood is the kingdom where no one dies, Hermione read that somewhere once, but looking back it was hard for her to remember exactly where she read it.
At precisely 10:37 pm on Christmas eve, from a sidewalk soaked in Ron's vomit that overlooked Carnegie Hall, Hermione Granger's childhood ended.
Instead of the presents that were tucked lovingly under the Christmas tree she got blood soaked clothes.
She stood unsteadily as she watched Carnegie burn to the ground, like a flower dancing in the wind. Harry was still being held back by Draco, and Neville he was still terribly desperate to get back to the building. He still thought someone might be salvaged. Harry's fist was clenched hard enough that she could see his tendons, stretched tight and the stark white scars that read i must not tell lies that had been scrawled permanently on the back of his hand in 5th year.
Draco was practically on top of Harry while Neville held his legs down. It took the entire strength both of them possessed to keep Harry in place.
Luna worried over Ron who looked like he was about to pass out, and even though his teeth were chattering Hermione could make out the words he choked out. "My brothers- all of my brothers- gone..." He gagged again.
Ginny just screamed her eyes were focused and unblinking, as she beheld the inferno before them.
Little Collin Creevey had turned his face from the fire, and instead walked over to bury his face in Hermione's cloak. She held his shoulders as he shook. He was just a boy. So tiny and helpless, all he could do was sob and Hermione let him. He was younger than she, and she felt some innate instinct inside herself that wanted to protect him from at least one horror in the world.
It was bitterly cold that night, and for the first time that winter it finally began to snow.
Pansy Parkinson never saw it though.
There wouldn't be a do over between them after all.
