Hide Ch.14

Hermione's POV

The flickering light of the fire in the shared Heads' common room was the only illumination as Hermione sat on the plush armchair, her thoughts consumed by the Horcrux. Draco had retired to his room earlier, giving her a rare moment of solitude. The weight of the locket in her beaded bag was a constant reminder of the darkness they were fighting against. Every second it was in her possession felt perilous.

She glanced toward Draco's door. He had been watching her more closely lately, though she doubted he knew about the locket. He couldn't—no one did, not even Harry or Ron anymore. She had taken it upon herself to carry this burden, knowing it was safer hidden with her. But with the message from Harry and Ron pointing toward the urgency of the Separation, she knew it was too dangerous to keep carrying it.

The Horcrux had to be hidden. And it had to be hidden tonight, before she left.

The common room was quiet, the only sounds the soft crackle of the fire and the distant howling wind outside the castle walls. Hermione stood and pulled the beaded bag closer, feeling the dark pulse of the locket deep within. For weeks it had been with her, concealed amongst mundane items, but tonight it needed a new hiding place—one that even Draco wouldn't suspect.

She knew she couldn't hide it here. Draco could walk in at any moment, and she couldn't risk him finding it. It had to be somewhere secret, somewhere only she could access. Her mind raced through the possibilities.

The Room of Requirement was out of the question. Too many people knew about it now, and the Death Eaters had once used it—who was to say they weren't still monitoring it? No, it had to be somewhere less obvious. Somewhere no one would dare to look.

Then it hit her. The second-floor girls' bathroom.

Moaning Myrtle's domain. It was the perfect place. Everyone avoided it, especially after the Chamber of Secrets incident in second year. Myrtle's presence would keep any curious students away, and the damp, dilapidated state of the room meant no one would willingly spend time there. It was perfect.

Hermione moved quickly but quietly, her wand out as she cast a series of sound-muffling spells around the common room. The last thing she needed was Draco hearing her leave. The firelight cast long shadows across the stone floor as she gathered her things—her beaded bag, filled with enough supplies to last if anything went wrong—and checked to make sure the locket was safely wrapped and concealed.

Her heart pounded as she threw on her cloak and slipped her wand into her sleeve. The castle was dangerous enough during the day, but at night, with Death Eaters likely patrolling the grounds under cover of darkness, every movement felt fraught with risk.

She reached for the Invisibility Cloak, tucked carefully at the bottom of her bag. She hadn't told anyone she had taken it from Harry's things before they parted ways—it had seemed safer that way. But now, with the danger closing in, she was grateful for its protection.

Taking one last glance at Draco's door, she slipped the cloak over her shoulders and vanished from sight.

The castle was eerily silent as Hermione made her way through the darkened corridors. Her footsteps were light and cautious beneath the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, but her mind raced. She couldn't stop thinking about the message from Harry and Ron, about what was coming. The Separation. She had seen enough from the coded message to know that it would be disastrous, and the locket couldn't fall into enemy hands.

After what felt like an eternity of sneaking through the hallways, she reached the second-floor bathroom. The air inside was cold and damp, the smell of mildew clinging to the stone walls. Water dripped steadily from one of the sinks, echoing in the empty space.

"Anyone here?" Hermione whispered softly, pulling off the Invisibility Cloak. The air seemed to thicken in response, and moments later, a familiar ghostly figure floated through one of the walls.

"Who's there?" came the hollow voice of Moaning Myrtle, her transparent form drifting closer. "Oh… it's you, Hermione."

"Hi, Myrtle," Hermione said, her voice low but calm. "I need to hide something here. Something important."

Myrtle's eyes widened with curiosity. "Hide something? Ooh, that sounds exciting. Is it a secret?" The ghost floated closer, her face inches from Hermione's, as she peered curiously into the beaded bag.

"Yes, it's a secret," Hermione said, keeping her voice measured. "And I need your help. It has to stay hidden, and I need you to make sure no one else ever finds it."

Myrtle's wide eyes gleamed with mischief. "Ooooh, I can do that! No one ever comes here, anyway. I'll keep it safe."

Hermione gave a nod of appreciation, though her heart still pounded. "Thank you, Myrtle. It's really important that you do."

She chose a stall at the far end of the bathroom, one where the hinges were rusted and the door hung slightly askew. It looked like it hadn't been used in years, which made it the perfect place to hide something no one would want to touch. Drawing her wand, she cast a series of protective charms over the locket, weaving layers of enchantments to conceal its magical signature. To anyone who stumbled upon it, it would appear as nothing more than a forgotten trinket.

Then, using a Defodio charm, Hermione carved out a small hollow in the stone floor beneath the stall. It was deep enough that no one would find it unless they knew exactly where to look. Carefully, she placed the locket inside, her fingers tingling with the dark magic it radiated, before sealing the hollow with another flick of her wand.

The stone floor sealed seamlessly, leaving no trace of her work.

Myrtle hovered nearby, watching with intense curiosity as Hermione finished her task. "It's done," Hermione said softly, standing up and brushing the dust from her robes.

Myrtle floated closer, a smile playing on her translucent lips. "No one will ever find it. I'll keep an eye on it, don't worry."

Hermione gave a tight smile, grateful for the ghost's eerie enthusiasm. "Thank you, Myrtle. I'll be back when it's time."

With the locket hidden, Hermione turned to leave the bathroom, her heart still racing with the knowledge of what lay ahead. The locket was hidden, but her mission was far from over.

As she walked back to the common room, Hermione felt a surge of determination. The Horcrux was safely hidden, but now she had to focus on getting to Surbiton to meet with Harry and Ron. They had to find each other, to find the rest of the horcruxes they need her help. The three of them—Harry, Ron, and her—would need each other now more than ever.

She knew she would do everything in her power to keep them safe, no matter the cost.

With her heart set on protecting her friends, she stepped back into the warmth of the common room, ready to plan her great escape from Hogwarts.