Chapter Nine

Hermione shut the door to her apartment and leaned her forehead against the cool wood. Her mind was spinning.

"So, someone has some explaining to do," a voice said behind her in the dark of her living room. Hermione whirled around as a lamp clicked on. Ginny sat in one of her overstuffed armchairs petting Crookshanks looking like a mother who just caught her teenage daughter sneaking in late after an unsanctioned party.

"Oh my God Ginny, you can't DO that." Hermione said angrily, a hand clutching at her rapidly beating heart.

"Well when someone sends a cryptic message about going for drinks with three - allegedly- reformed Death Eaters and insists that she's going of her own free will and to not tell Harry and Ron you should understand how that entire message was one giant red flag." She looked uncannily like Molly in that moment and Hermione would have laughed if Ginny didn't look so murderous.

"Gin I'm fine I just didn't want anyone to freak out" she said soothingly "I'm back in one piece."

Ginny looked unconvinced.

"June was with me the entire time and everyone behaved themselves." she said. She had lied to her boss's face today, a little white lie to ease Ginny's worry wouldn't hurt. "They just wanted to say thank you for what we did for them at the trials." She added and Gunny's shoulders relaxed a fraction.

"Thanks for checking in on me, I really appreciate you looking out for me but I should really be off to bed-" Hermione said with a yawn, edging towards her bathroom but Ginny shook her head and pointed to the couch.

"Nice try. Sit" she ordered. "Do you think I was going to cancel my plans this evening and sit here worrying for an hour just so you can give me a half assed explanation? You are going to sit down and explain yourself or I will go straight to Harry and Ron." Hermione reluctantly trudged back to the couch.

Hermione told Ginny about going into work on Sunday and her chance encounter with Theo. She omitted Blaise and Draco's involvement and how they had knocked her out. She also didn't tell Ginny about their involvement in the potion supply shop, instead she told her the same thing she told Ms. Worthington, that it was a clerical error and Theo was going to sort it out.

She didn't like lying to Ginny but she hadn't decided what to do and she needed time to think before Ginny weighed in with her opinions. She loved Ginny like a sister but she had the Weasley hotheadedness and hair trigger temper. She just wanted some time, alone and quiet to sort through the mess in her head.

"When we got out of the office. Malfoy and Zabini were waiting for him. They said they had been at the ministry on other business-"

"Bet they were bribing or threatening people" Ginny interrupted sourly.

Hermione gave a noncommittal sound and continued "they had plans with Nott for drinks after and Zabini invited June and I along. As a thank you for my efforts during their trials. I'm guessing it was rather spur of the moment since Malfoy didn't look too happy. But since June accepted and I didn't want to leave her alone with them-"

"Fair. They probably would have done something terrible to her if they got her alone" Ginny interrupted again.

"Hardly Gin. I don't think it's in Zabini's nature to attack young women. Besides, Nott seemed to enjoy her company and Malfoy looks like one vomit flavoured Bertie Botts would finish him off, she probably would have been fine on her own."

She didn't know why she was defending them but she didn't like Gunny's accusations. They might have been Death Eaters but she strongly doubted any of them would attack a young woman they were accompanying to a social event. On a battlefield in combat yes but not when their propriety and upbringing demanded they behave with decorum.

"Malfoy is unwell?" Ginny perked up at the news but she must have seen Hermione's face because she dropped her smile. "Sorry Mione, I know it's not good news, the sanctity of human life and all that." She waved her hand dismissively. "But despite his stunning good looks Malfoy is a wanker and so are his friends. If he's back in town I'm hoping his stay is brief and it goes unnoticed by the boys. I'd like to be able to see my fiance once in a while and if he knew those three were running loose in London… well you know how he and Ron are."

Hermione did know. And she knew exactly what they would think of her helping former death eaters with passion projects.

Harry would be exasperated, Ron would be irate, neither would understand why she felt any need to help them.

Ginny checked her watch and jumped up, dislodging Crookshanks who gave her a wounded look and stalked into the kitchen to wait for his dinner.

"Harry's shift is almost over so I'm off. I'm glad you weren't murdered or carried away or seduced." She said brushing cat hair off her jeans. "Well I mean I'm not happy you weren't seduced. You could use a good seducing but not by that lot. You're far too good for them. Don't forget we have a night out planned for Friday. I'll come a little early, I'll bring wine, and we can have a proper chat about this situation before we go out. And then you can tell me if Zabini really does match his pocket squares to his socks and if the rumours about Nott having a pierced tongue are true or just the gossip mill."

She brushed a kiss across Hermione's forehead with a grin and grabbed her jumper before heading to the fireplace to floo home.

Hermione sank back into the chair once Ginny was gone and sighed. What a mess. She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

She had lied to her boss, gone for drinks with Death Eaters and lied to her best friend and it was only Monday, not a great start to her week.

Hermione fed Crookshanks and threw herself into a hot shower. Showers were the perfect places for thinking. She mulled over what Malfoy had said as the steaming water soothed the tired ache from between her shoulders.

Was there really such a need for her to help? She'd already done more than anyone else would have for them and she had promised to keep their secret. Maybe she didn't need to accept this offer. She didn't need the extra money and all it would be was more lies she'd have to tell.

She'd halfway talked herself into declining before the other side of herself spoke up.

They wouldn't have asked if they weren't really in trouble, it argued. And Malfoy had promised to take care of everything in the event things got out, she didn't know why but she trusted him to take care of anyone working for him. Besides she wouldn't really be doing anything other than letting them know about delays and consulting, neither of which were illegal… she could put the money she earned into charity or something top even the scales.

Her head felt like a ping pong, neither side gaining ground. She stared at the ceiling, willing sleep to come but her mind was too busy arguing with itself.

Did she see a need for a potions supply store where people who were themselves or were associated with the death eaters could safely get access to supplies and ingredients? Yes.

Did she think that there was more to this than her conspirators were letting on? Also yes.

She just had to decide if her belief in their cause was worth the risk of them doing something nefarious. But then again, keeping them close and being involved would put her in the perfect position to monitor them and make sure that everything stayed legal and as innocent as it could.

Sternly telling her inner voice to be quiet she shelved the argument for the morning. Monday's were definitely the worst.

A/N:

Tada! Another chapter! Hopefully I can get more writing/editing done this weekend, I feel like I hardly got anything done this week, work has just been so hectic!